Abyssal Maw... is this right? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Abyssal Maw... is this right? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
I ain't Eddy
03-02-04, 04:01 PM I've been thinking about throwing a handful of abyssal maws at my party, although I'm making them look like critters to throw the players off a little.

Still, something struck me as strange... the abyssal maw is a CR 2 creature with the rend ability, which lets it deal extra damage every time it fells an opponent (don't have the exact phrasing in front of me). This means every time it reduces an opponent to 0 or less, right? If so, then the abyssal maw almost always permanently kills any player it drops... if its CR is 2 then this probably happens at a point where the party doesn't have the money or items for raise dead.

Is this right? Am I missing something or is the abyssal maw just a cruel, cruel creature for the DM to use? If I ignore this ability should the CR change?
Krelios
03-02-04, 04:10 PM Rend works when a creature hits with both of its natural (usually claw) attacks, not when its target is reduced to 0 hp.
cwslyclgh
03-02-04, 08:59 PM Rend Fallen which is the ability in question works as the first poster discribed... and realy isn't that big of a deal since abyssal maws suck to the point that they rarely drop 2nd level characters unless they surprise a lone wizard or sorcerer.
solomanii
03-03-04, 04:54 AM Now a bunch of Maws teemed up with a Tanari who can trip might be interesting!
I ain't Eddy
03-03-04, 02:10 PM Rend Fallen, sorry, that's what I meant.

Originally posted by solomanii
Now a bunch of Maws teemed up with a Tanari who can trip might be interesting!

Yeah that's sorta what I was thinking... does "rend fallen" mean maybe it tries trip opponents? I think rend fallen only works if the abyssal maul deals damage though... the whole "any foe it fells with an attack" is really unclear (although I may not be quoting that right).
cwslyclgh
03-03-04, 04:30 PM it works sort of like a cleave attempt... so tripping won't trigger it.
Incenjucar
03-03-04, 04:39 PM It merely means that, if you get shoved on to death's door by its melee attack, it gets an automatic hit to try and finish you off.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
I ain't Eddy 03-02-04, 04:01 PM	I've been thinking about throwing a handful of abyssal maws at my party, although I'm making them look like critters to throw the players off a little. Still, something struck me as strange... the abyssal maw is a CR 2 creature with the rend ability, which lets it deal extra damage every time it fells an opponent (don't have the exact phrasing in front of me). This means every time it reduces an opponent to 0 or less, right? If so, then the abyssal maw almost always permanently kills any player it drops... if its CR is 2 then this probably happens at a point where the party doesn't have the money or items for raise dead. Is this right? Am I missing something or is the abyssal maw just a cruel, cruel creature for the DM to use? If I ignore this ability should the CR change?
Krelios 03-02-04, 04:10 PM	Rend works when a creature hits with both of its natural (usually claw) attacks, not when its target is reduced to 0 hp.
cwslyclgh 03-02-04, 08:59 PM	Rend Fallen which is the ability in question works as the first poster discribed... and realy isn't that big of a deal since abyssal maws suck to the point that they rarely drop 2nd level characters unless they surprise a lone wizard or sorcerer.
solomanii 03-03-04, 04:54 AM	Now a bunch of Maws teemed up with a Tanari who can trip might be interesting!
I ain't Eddy 03-03-04, 02:10 PM	Rend Fallen, sorry, that's what I meant. Originally posted by solomanii Now a bunch of Maws teemed up with a Tanari who can trip might be interesting! Yeah that's sorta what I was thinking... does "rend fallen" mean maybe it tries trip opponents? I think rend fallen only works if the abyssal maul deals damage though... the whole "any foe it fells with an attack" is really unclear (although I may not be quoting that right).
cwslyclgh 03-03-04, 04:30 PM	it works sort of like a cleave attempt... so tripping won't trigger it.
Incenjucar 03-03-04, 04:39 PM	It merely means that, if you get shoved on to death's door by its melee attack, it gets an automatic hit to try and finish you off.