Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Addimarchus 02-20-06, 12:27 PM	Ummm, HI :D Sorry if this isn't the right place....but... no where else seemed to fit. :( O.K. in MMIII, theres the listing for an undead called 'The Drowned'. This thing is listed as 20HD and triple digit HP's. :eek: I dunno, this seems a bit like over-undead-kill ro me. :confused: Any feed back would be much appreciated. :D
Morwen 02-20-06, 06:38 PM	The hit points aren't really the problem. It's easy to hit, and if the Fighter-types get to chop bits off it and pelt it with arrows for a while it goes down without much problem. The large amount of HD really only makes it very resistant to turning. The problem with the Drowned is its drowning-aura, which is very troublesome when you face it in its favored environment, but not much trouble at all if you face it in the open. This makes the Drowned pretty difficult to scale properly, CR-wise, as it's a very tough challenge some times, and other times not at all, depending on how useful its aura is. The errata tried to slightly fix this problem by increasing the CR to 9, which is probably more correct than the original 8. If your players play smart, it shouldn't be that difficult to handle.
runestar 02-20-06, 10:24 PM	So long as you are not trapped in a tiny room with it, it should be easy enough to maintain your distance and resort to hit and run tactics.
Ogre4Hire 02-20-06, 11:05 PM	With 20 HD, the Drowned is immune to turning attempts by Clerics of its CR. That's bad enough on its own, but once you factor in its Drowning Aura, it becomes flat out broken. Drowning is one of the nastiest things you can hit your PCs with in 3.5. The fact that you aren't even allowed to hold your breath against is even worse. The really problem is that the ability works of of a Con check. Constitution typically doesn't rise that much between 1st and 20th level. Sure, you could boost your con up quite a bit if you wanted to, but most players choose to boost Str, Dex, or a mental attribute if they're playing a spellcaster. When a CR 9 creature has a reasonable* chance of inflicting heavy casualities on a 20th level party, there's a problem. *Technically, a creature with an instant-kill gaze attack such as a Medusa or a Bodack could to this as well, but by 20th level, most characters should only be at risk of instant death if they roll a 1 on the fortitiude save.
lugnut71 02-21-06, 11:43 AM	Actually it comes down to where you fight it. In the opening it is pretty much zero threat. In closed quarters it is pretty threatening.
Rechan 02-21-06, 02:13 PM	With 20 HD, the Drowned is immune to turning attempts by Clerics of its CR. That's bad enough on its own, but once you factor in its Drowning Aura, it becomes flat out broken. Drowning is one of the nastiest things you can hit your PCs with in 3.5. The fact that you aren't even allowed to hold your breath against is even worse. The really problem is that the ability works of of a Con check. Constitution typically doesn't rise that much between 1st and 20th level. Sure, you could boost your con up quite a bit if you wanted to, but most players choose to boost Str, Dex, or a mental attribute if they're playing a spellcaster. When a CR 9 creature has a reasonable* chance of inflicting heavy casualities on a 20th level party, there's a problem. *Technically, a creature with an instant-kill gaze attack such as a Medusa or a Bodack could to this as well, but by 20th level, most characters should only be at risk of instant death if they roll a 1 on the fortitiude save. It was probably designed with Eberron in mind. Eberron has a race that doesn't need to breathe (Warforged), who would just laugh at this particular monster.
(Psi)SeveredHead 02-21-06, 02:18 PM	With 20 HD, the Drowned is immune to turning attempts by Clerics of its CR. That's bad enough on its own That's a problem with turn undead, not the Drowned. Even in Eberron, there are parties without warforged. There should be a save against the ability with a reasonable DC (to avoid having water in your lungs), and then the Con check.
Addimarchus 02-21-06, 02:23 PM	THANXS ! :D I s'pose what I meant was.."Where am I supposed to PUT this thing ?" You can't use it as the basis for a marauding ghostly pirate band, it's just way to big to be dished out in any grouping bigger than ONE. I don't see it as helping me in recreating "The Fog" movie, or any other similar plot lines or devices. :( I don't s'pose it would be as much of a problem if a party got a look at a previous victim and did some kind of 'forensics' test, PC 1 "Hey, this guy drowned and were in a (desert, bank vault, middle of a very DRY nowhere.. etc)." PC 2"Hmmmm, *ponders situation*, O.k. lets stock up on potions of waterbreathing gang." So, no one realy has an idea for a smaller version then ? I kind of like the idea of pirate zombies that have an edge, just not A pirate zombie with the HD to rival a giant. I s'pose I could make IT the 'captain' and all the others normal ( but very DAMP :D ) zombies. "Arrrrr, time t' pay up Cap'n Raven, Arrrr !" "I don't think I deserved that ?" *GASP ! HACK !*...splat....