Earth Archons have been officially printed in various supplements since the original fourth edition Monster Manual. However, I made these guys well before that, and hell, more variety is always good.
Stone Archon Earthpounder
Level 14 Elite Brute (XP: 2,000)
Medium Elemental Humanoid (earth)
Initiative: +7 Perception: +9 (tremorsense 5)
Hit Points: 268; bloodied 134
AC: 27 Fortitude: 29 Reflex: 23 Will: 28
Speed: 5
Saves: +2
Action Points: 1
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Hammer (at will); +20 vs. AC; 4d6+9 and target is dazed (save ends).
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Melee Pound to the Ground (at will); target must be dazed; +20 vs. AC; 4d8+9 damage and target is knocked prone. The archon then makes a melee basic attack against another target.
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Close burst Earthsmite (recharge 5, 6); close burst 4, targets all non earth elementals; +18 vs. Reflex; 2d8+9 damage and target is knocked prone.
Miss: half damage and target is not knocked prone.
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Reactions
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Sink Away (after the archon takes more than 33 damage from a single attack); teleport three squares and make a melee basic attack. The archon must begin and end its teleport on squares that are touching soil or rock.
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Strength: 22 Constitution: 22 Dexterity: 10 Intelligence: 14 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 20
Alignment: Chaotic Evil Languages: Primordial
A crude, faceless chunk of barely humanoid rock that stomps forward on two, trunklike legs. The only thing that doesn't look like a natural rock formation is the oversized, double-sided mallet it holds in its bulging fists, which appears to be delicately carved out of a single stone.
Like all archons, the Earthpounder is a soldier of the primordial chaos that filled creation before the gods came and imposed their order upon it. Despite its intelligence, the earthpounder feels comfortable doing only one thing, and that is hitting the servants of the gods with a big hammer.
Tactics
The Earthpounder is relentless, reckless, and bloodthirsty. At the start of the battle, the DM is encouraged to play the monster intelligently, disabling the most dangerous PC's with its melee attacks, using Sink Away to move into flanking positions, and saving Earthsmite for the right moment when it can catch the most enemies inside the burst while harming the fewest of its allies. On occasion, it may use Sink Away to move into a better spot to launch an Earthsmite from.
As the battle wears on, stop playing smart and start playing crazy; the archon stops caring if it hurts its own allies with Earthsmite, and becomes determined to kill the character who has done the most damage to the archon even if that isn't the best tactical decision.
Encounters
Because of its relatively low level, the Earthpounder is likely to be one of the first archons the PC's ever have to fight. Because of its elite status, it is probably going to make for an intimidating introduction!
The Earthpounder is most efficient when encountered with a group of other earth elementals (probably more archons), so that it doesn't have to worry about hurting them with its own Earthsmite. That said, there's nothing more dramatic than pairing it with some non-earth elementals and having it thoughtlessly kill them and send their bodies flying toward the end of the battle.
Stone Archon Fleshmasher
Level 16 Soldier (XP: 1,400)
Medium Elemental Humanoid (earth)
Initiative: +10 Perception: +13 (tremorsense 5)
Hit Points: 128; bloodied 64
AC: 32 Fortitude: 30 Reflex: 26 Will: 28
Speed: 5
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Flail (at will); +21 vs. AC; 3d8+7 damage. If the target is already slowed, it is now immobilized until the end of its next turn. If the target is killed by a fleshmasher´s flail, its body turns to stone.
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Minor Actions
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Close burst Heavy Feet (once per round, at will); targets one enemy within 5; target is slowed until the end of its next turn.
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Reactions
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Sink Away (after the archon takes more than 32 damage from a single attack); teleport three squares and make a melee basic attack. The archon must begin and end its teleport on squares that are touching soil or rock.
______________Strength: 24 Constitution: 26 Dexterity: 10 Intelligence: 16 Wisdom: 20 Charisma: 18
Alignment: Chaotic Evil Languages: Primordial
Fleshmashers are regimented, prudent, and attack in formation. They serve as the backbone of archon armies in which earth archons predominate. In appearance, a fleshmasher resembles a very carefully hewn and in-proportion stone statue of an armored warrior holding a flail with a chain of purest iron and a head of rock crystal. Their helmets are visorless, which reveals that they have no faces on their blank, stone heads.
Stone archon fleshmashers are a bit more likely to respond to diplomacy than most archons, but only in the interest of furthering their goals of weakening the gods. If the topic of discussion doesn´t lead to such an outcome, they are likely to lose patience very quickly.
Tactics
The fleshmasher´s role is to put itself between the enemy and the allies, keeping the former locked in position. They always begin combat by using Heavy Feet on the nearest target and closing into melee, where their Flail attacks can calcify the already slowed opposition. Unless another enemy within range proves itself a much bigger threat, the fleshmasher will generally pick a single target and stay on it until the end of the battle, using Heavy Feet again at the beginning of every turn.
When the archon is able to use its Sink Away ability, it will either try to flank its chosen target, or move into striking range of another, more dangerous one. Naturally, it will also make a point of escaping any flanking situation of its own.
Encounters
Its unlikely to meet archons working together with non-elementals or elemental servants. However, temporary alliances with other unscrupulous parties do sometimes occur. In general, the fleshmasher is likely to be guarding softer targets, be they other types of archon or something else. They are at their most dangerous when grouped with Artillery who can pepper the PC´s with ranged attacks while the fleshmashers keep them rooted to the spot; for this reason, it may do well to create a mixed encounter of earth and fire or storm archons, to ensure plenty of ranged attackers.
Stone Archon Obsidian Spire
Level 17 Controller (leader) (XP: 1,600)
Medium Elemental Humanoid (earth)
Initiative: +9 Perception: +13 (tremorsense 5)
Hit Points: 134; bloodied 67
AC: 31 Fortitude: 31 Reflex: 27 Will: 29
Speed: 5
Vulnerable: attacks that target AC 10
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Obsidian Pike (at will); reach 2, +22 vs. AC; 2d10+11 damage. If the target is wearing light or no armor, this attack deals 2d10+16 damage.
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Burst Bed of Spires (encounter); burst 2 within 6; area becomes difficult terrain. Anyone who enters a square of spires takes 2d6+10 damage. Earth elementals are immune to both effects. The archon can move the bed of spires to another area within range as a standard action. The spires vanish at the end of the encounter.
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Obsidian Wall (encounter); wall 6 within 10; the wall blocks line of sight, and is impassible except with an Athletics check (standard action, DC 27) or by flying. Each square of the wall has the same defenses and vulnerabilities as the archon, and 50 hp. The wall vanishes at the end of the encounter.
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Reactions
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Sink Away (after the archon takes more than 33 damage from a single attack); teleport three squares and make a melee basic attack. The archon must begin and end its teleport on squares that are touching soil or rock.
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Strength: 24 Constitution: 26 Dexterity: 12 Intelligence: 18 Wisdom: 20 Charisma: 18
Alignment: Chaotic Evil Languages: Primordial
A towering chunk of black, humanoid obsidian, polished to a glassy shine and covered in jagged spikes and stalagmites. The Obsidian Spire carries an extra long obsidian stalactite in both hands, which it uses as a spear.
Obsidian spires are among the cleverest and most intelligent of the stone archons, but absolutely never speak to non-elementals. They use their strategic genius to organize and oversee groups of their fellow elemental soldiers, and they are excellent problem solvers, but you´d never know it by trying to talk to one. An obsidian spire is likely to be the captain in charge of a group of fleshmashers and earthpounders.
Obsidian Spire Lore (Dungeoneering):
DC 27: The glassy composition of this creature looks somewhat fragile. A solid enough blow with a physical weapon ought to crack that obsidian carapace. Be careful though; that weapon looks sharp enough to do some real damage if it lands a solid blow of its own.
Tactics
Since melee combat is likely to result in a critical hit from an attack that targets Armor Class, the obsidian spire is reluctant to allow enemies to come adjacent to it. Rather, the archon hangs a square back, using the longer reach of its Obsidian Pike to land melee attacks without exposing itself to any in return. The archon frequently shifts to stay out of reach, and keeps its Bed of Spires underfoot to keep enemies from following it.
In addition to its debilitating Bed of Spires ability, the Obsidian Spire can raise an Obsidian Wall. This ability has almost unlimited potential; putting it between ranged enemies and the battlefield, seperating the Defender from his vulnerable allies, or even surrounding a character entirely, imprisoning him until he can climb over it or break it down. This is a truly devastating power if used correctly.
Like all stone archons, the obsidian spire can use its Sink Away ability to escape melee characters and put itself closer to vulnerable Controller type PC´s. Having an obsidian spire in play makes this ability more important for all earth archons, as they can use Sink Away to circumvent the Obsidian Wall, using their tremorsense to get around the line of sight problem.
Encounters
The obsidian spire works well with just about any other combination of monster roles, but earth elementals are the best fit; both thematically, and because they´re immune to Bed of Spires. The Obsidian Spire is meant to be an archon captain of sorts; it should have other archons to command.
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