Now that it is nearing the end of 2009, at long last I bring you my final in depth analysis of the Monster Manual 2 and the creatures contained therein. While the book has been out for half of a year now, I still have not gotten anywhere close to using even half of the monsters that are contained within.
Slaad – These terrifying beasts of the Elemental Chaos, perhaps one of the most feared monsters for a party to encounter due to the chaos phage they inflict that spawns more slaad at the cost of the infected character’s life, are expanded in this book with the versatile Flux Slaad that actually cannot inflict chaos phage at all. This monster is a level 9 Skirmisher that shifts around (a lot) and slashes with its claws, but what makes it truly intriguing is its variable resistance and vulnerability shift. The Flux Slaad begins an encounter with vulnerable 10 to a random damage type (determined by a d6 – cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, psychic, or thunder) and has resist 5 to all of the other damage types listed above. When it takes damage of the type it is vulnerable to, its vulnerability changes randomly to a different type making this monster an interested and unique challenge.
The second type of Slaad added in this book is actually tied to a new template, Slaad Spawner, which allows you to create elite Slaad that spit out level 17 minion skirmisher Slaad Spawn whenever they are hit by an attack. These spawn minions have a bite attack and a chaotic slam which can knock enemies prone, but scarier than that is their penchant for exploding when they miss with the slam attack doing damage in a close burst 1.
Slaughterstone Construct – When I first looked through the MM2 this was the entry that seemed the most out of place to me because they are large combat constructs, but now that I’ve played in an Eberron game I can understand the type of D&D game they would fit into a bit more clearly. The Slaughterstone Eviscerator is a large level 18 brute construct that can take and dish out a large amount of damage. It’s whirling blade aura does 10 damage to any creature that starts its turn within two squares of it, if that’s not enough its whirling bladestorm recharge power will do even more damage in a close burst 2 on its turn. One unique ability of the eviscerator is Tunnel Fighting which allows it to take no penalty to attacks and it does not grant combat advantage while squeezing. The Slaughterstone Slicer is a lower level imitiation of the eviscerator with many of the same abilities but it malfucntions when hit by a critical or when it makes a critical hit, causing it to be dazed for a turn.
The Slaughterstone Hammerer is a large, level 25 soldier construct with a thunder step aura that slows creatures within two squares. It has a slam attack that knocks characters prone, a hammer attack that dazes, and also has the tunnel fighting ability that lets it squeeze and still fight at an advantage.
Sphinx – The Sphinx Mystery is a level 19 brute with Ancient Claws and a Bite of the Ages attack that knocks creatures prone and immobilizes them. Its signature and most odd power is Riddle Me This, which it can do as a minor action at-will, which targets one creature that the sphinx compels a target to contemplate a riddle. The creature is dazed until the end of the encounter or until it answers the riddle, which it can do by engaging in a mini skill challenge but if it does not attempt to answer the riddle the target takes 2d8 psychic damage. The Sphinx also has a corrective mauling attack which it can use to do a large amount of damage to the target of its riddle and a roar encounter attack that it can use to push targets away. This is a very interested attempt at portraying the classic Sphinx’s riddle in 4th edition combat terms, but I feel it would be very lame to ever actually run it as written – allowing a character to learn the answer to a riddle based upon a single history check seems very anti-climatic to me. However, if treated as a minor hindrance that the sphinx mystery uses during combat, instead of an alternative to combat, then I can see it leading to a more interesting fight than a straight out melee.
Spider – The spider entry is one of the few from the first Monster Manual that I most wanted to see expanded, and I’m happy with what was added in the second book. The Bristle Spider (level 15 elite lurker) is a huge spider can spray acidic poison and shoot a blast of bristles that blinds and dazes targets. I’m most happy to see the return of the Phase Spider (level 8 skirmisher), with its bite that can knock a target unconscious and its ability to teleport up to 10 squares beforehand. I also love its Ethereal Repulsion power that lets the spider teleport 4 squares if an enemy attempts to move adjacent to it.
The Tomb Spider (level 11 elite controller) and its Broodspawn (level 10 lurker) is a very creepy monster, the spider lays its eggs in a corpse which then animates as a type of mummy filled with hundreds of tiny tomb spiders. The Tomb Spider itself has a poisoning bite attack, a net of webbing that it can use to restrain targets or it can create an area of webbed terrain to immobilize targets.
Spriggan – These fey creatures are gnomes altered by fomorian magic that each have the Redcap Zeal ability, this allows them to regain hit points when they bloody or drop an enemy to 0 hit points. The Spriggan Giantsoul (level 8 brute) mostly uses slam attacks but can use its Surprise Slam attack to attack an enemy within two squares that attacks one of its allies. The Spriggan Powrie (level 7 skirmisher) uses its sickles to knock enemies prone and then uses its iron-shod boots to kick enemies while they’re down. Spriggan Thorns (level 6 soldier) use short swords and have a Mark of Thorns similar to the mark that Swordmages use. The leaders of these fey groups are the Spriggan Witherers (level 8 artillery-leader) with a withering tough and a sun scorch attack that does fire and radiant damage. They also have a flattening wind power which knocks targets prone and makes them easier targets for the other Spriggans.
Sprite Swarm – The Umbral Sprite Swarm (level 4 controller) is a medium sized swarm of tiny sprites that works just like other swarms, except that it has a Darkwave which can create a zone of darkness and block line of sight as well as the ability to Fade Away just like Gnomes can.
Star Spawn – This is one of the new monsters introduced to D&D with the MM2, adding in some more creatures obviously inspired by the Cthulhu mythos in many ways. Star Spawn are evil manifestations of stars and celestial objects that come to the world. The first kind is a Herald of Hadar (level 15 brute) which is a medium humanoid that makes Hungry Claw attacks and can use Breath of a Dying Star to prevent characters from spending healing surges or regaining hit points. The Herald feeds on characters as they use healing surges, it can recharge powers or make extra attacks as a reaction to the healing. The second type of Star Spawn is a Maw of Acamar (level 15 controller) that has a Hungry Star aura 3 that forces a characters to spend three extra squares of movement if it wishes to move away from the Maw of Acamar. The Maw’s Devouring Touch basic melee attack does ongoing 15 damage, and it can use Corpse Star’s Grip as a minor action at-will to pull all targest within 5 squares of it within range. To make things worse, it has a ranged attack that does ongoing 10 damage, and its Destroyer of Life ability causes a character that is adjacent to the Maw and saves against ongoing damage instead only reduces that damage by 5 rather than negating it.
The last type of Star Spawn is the Scion of Gibbeth, a level 17 controller with an Aura of Revulsion (aura 10) that stops a character from targeting the Scion unless it is the nearest enemy. It makes slam attacks and can dominate targets with its Mind-Splintering Gaze attack. The Scion also uses Gibbeth’s Baleful Glare to slide enemies that attack it, and Revelation of Gibbeth when it dies to cause characters to charge and attack their allies (save ends) which is sure to create some interesting situations in a combat. All of the Star Spawn gain an advantage when characters spend healing surges around them, which I think is a very cool way of making them seem as if they’re actually feeding off of the living things around them.
Steel Predator – These large living constructs are level 20 elite soldiers that use their bite attacks to mark targets. They can also use their snapping jaws to knock targets prone, or do a vicious pounce to charge, push a target one square, and knock them prone. The Steel Predator also has a resonating roar that deafens and dazes a target which can recharge when it takes lightning or thunder damage. These dangerous creations can also shift to follow creatures that shift away from them as an immediate reaction.
Tiger – The MM2 contains a handful of normal animal entries continuing the tradition of the Bear and Boar entries from the first Monster Manual, the Tiger is another one of those entries presenting both a Tiger (level 6 skirmisher) and a Dire Tiger (level 8 soldier). Tigers are quick and ferocious beasts that do extra damage on a charge and are hard to hit with opportunity attacks when they move more than two squares. Dire Tigers are similar but with a Leaping Pounce attack that allows them to jump on a target in range that shifts and a Hunter’s Instinct that allows them to designate a target as their quarry (just like Rangers) and do bonus damage to them.
Troglodyte – This entry builds on the original entry from the first MM, adding the Troglodyte Thrasher (level 7 brute), Troglodyte Deepscourge (level 9 artillery-leader), and the Troglodyte Temple Champion (level 9 soldier). Each of these monsters has the typical Troglodyte stench aura, but the Deepscourge has a Dizzying Stench that increases the aura of all other troglodytes around it which can cause some real trouble.
Troll – Similar to the previous entry, this one adds three new types of monsters to the original MM entry, the Ice Troll (level 10 soldier), the Bladerager Troll (level 12 brute), and the Troll Vinespeaker (level 14 controller). Ice Trolls eminate a cold aura that slows creatures but otherwise acts just like a normal troll with added justificaiton for being vulnerable to fire damage. The Bladerager Troll has dangerous claw and rend attacks and the very odd ability to explode in a death burst of shrapnel when it dies, which means it is also a troll that does not have the troll healing ability to regen when its dropped to zero hit points. Troll Vinespeakers are a bit more complex when it comes to trolls, they have a ranged thorns attack but can also create a zone of thorns that immobilizes and create hindering terrain for the rest of the encounter; as the leaders of groups of trolls they also have a Chant of Power that grants allies temporary hit points and a bonus to damage.
Predatory Vine – One of those classic D&D monsters that can make your players scared of random terrain pieces for the rest of their gaming careers, these natural and fey plants/beasts can be quite dangerous. Ambush Vines are level 16 elite controllers with poison attacks and a foot snare that knocks targets prone. When an Ambush Vine is bloodied, it spawns two Ambush Vine Shoots (level 15 minion controller) that can restrain enemies and give penalties to their saving throws versus immobilization and restraint. The parent vine can also take 10 damage as a minor action and sprout more shoots, and it can use its Lashing Vines ability that does extra damage to immobilized targets and allows the vine to heal itself (and then spawn more shoots, if you can see where this is going). Oh the ambush vine also has forest walk plus it can climb, burrow, and swim. Good luck with that!
Bloodthorn Vines (level 2 soldier) have an impaling thorn attack that grabs targets and damages them when sustained and heals the vine, but its most deadly ability is Pulling Vines that lets it shift one square and pull grabbed creatures along with it as a minor action, meaning once grabbed it could potentially pull its target 2 squares every turn and still sustain the grab. This could lead to some incredibly dangerous situations for characters. Last we have the Greenvise Vine (sounds nice, right?) that is a level 7 soldier which unsurprisingly grabs targets with its vines and then bites them, dealing damage and restraining a target. Oh, the greenvise vine can also use Pulling Vines to drag targets to a dark place to munch on them.
Warforged – A few warforged were presented in the first MM, and here we have some additional ones to round out the ranks. The Warforged Resounder (level 6 artillery), the Warforged Savage (level 7 brute), the Warforged Anvilpriest (level 8 controller-leader), and the Warforged Titan (level 19 elite soldier). The resounder is based off of my favorite Warforged D&D miniature, it can use its rumble staff power to push targets and knock them prone or launch a collision bolt that draws enemies together and knocks them prone if they hit each other. It also has a thunder orb and a resounding sphere attack both of which involve pushing or knocking prone targets, so there’s a pretty solid theme to the resounder. The Warforged Savage wields a large scimitar that can damage multiple targets at once, or it can just do a savage sweep and it every enemy adjacent to it after wild charging into the middle of a melee. This warforged is also subject to Savage Bloodlust which means it gains 4 temporary hit points every time it hits with a melee attack, combined with warforged resolve this is going to be one tough brute to take down without sustaining a large amount of damage first.
The Warforged Anvilpriest uses a fiery warhammer to reduce a targets AC or to cause ongoing fire damage that drives the target away from the anvilpriest. It has the ability to use a mending flash fire, which does fire damage in a close burst 5 but also heals allies and allows any warfored in the area to immediately use their warforged resolve ability. Blunted Mind is another ranged attack that not only does psychic damage but also reduces the targets attacks and damage. The war machine that looks like something straight out of a Warhammer game that is known as a Warforged Titan is the dumbest of warforged, but its also a well designed and sentient seige weapon. This huge living construct has a reach of 3 with its axe and hammer attacks, the first of which marks a target and then does damage to it and another enemy while the second slides a target two squares and knocks them prone. It is also an Unstoppable Charger, which allows it to take more actions after it resolves a charge attack, and it has threatening reach which is always good to look out for. Plus, because it’s a warforged, it most certainly has warforged resolve that makes it one resilient bugger to mess with.
Will-O’-Wisp – This is one of those classic D&D creatures for me that embodies some of the interesting situations and encounters a fantasy game can put you in. Will-o’-Wisp are level 10 lurker fey creatures that can do radiant damage with their glimmer attacks and can illuminate or deluminate themselves if they need to hide. While illuminated they can spirit drain bloodied creatures to cause damage and weaken the target while healing themselves, or they can pull and daze targets with their luring glow ability. Their ultimate defense is to blink out, darkening and teleporting 5 squares when missed by an attack.
Winter Wolf – A separate entry from the plain and simple wolves, the Winter Wolf (level 14 skirmisher) is a cold beast that like its normal counterpart does bonus damage to prone targets and has a takedown attack that can knock a target prone. However they also have a freezing breath attack and can drag prone targets along with them. The Winter Wolf Snowfang (level 16 lurker) is a tougher version of the winter wolf that uses its Icy Rending to do bonus damage to targets taking ongoing cold damage and its Snow Zephyr power to transform into a whirling snow storm when damaged by attacks. A Rime Hound is a level 17 elite skirmisher mount similar to the normal winter wolf but with ice spikes that damage enemies that miss it or its rider, and with a frost storm attack that creates icy terrain all around it. The Rime Hound still has the bite, takedown, and drag abilities of its smaller kin. The greatest of the winter wolves, Son of the Spirit Wolf (level 26 elite skirmisher) has an everfrost coat cold aura and black ice breath that creates a zone of ice until the wolf drops to zero hit points. Its bite attack grabs targets, and then it can use its rending jaws to inflict large amounts of damage and fling the target 5 squares where it lands prone. The worst part of it all is that this badass wolf can drag a target its full speed in one turn as a move action.
Witherling – These creatures are simply described as “undead creatures created by gnolls to serve as shock troops and raiders”, and they look exactly like undead versions of gnolls. The basic Witherling (level 4 skirmisher) has claw attacks that cause targets to be slowed and it has the same pack attack ability of its living brethren. It has the ability to leap 4 squares suddenly and is hard to hit when it does so, while bloodied it can make double claw attacks and shift 2 squares using its blood dance ability. The Witherling Death Shrieker is a level 5 controller-leader that has a death shriek which hurts enemies and heals allies plus a thunder shriek attack that damages and pushes targets. Witherling Horned Terrors (level 8 brute) can not only claw targets but also use their horns to push targets, or their rampaging charge attack to attack four separate targets in one action. Filling out the ranks are Witherling Rabble (level 9 minion skirmisher) that share their allies claw attacks, plus their pack attack and sudden leap abilities.
Wood Woad – The Wood Woad is a medium fey humanoid tree-man (level 8 soldier) that wields a giant wooden club to use its Nature’s Judgement attack to immobilize and damage a target while healing nearby fey or plant creatures. These creatures also have a Nature’s Mystery power that requries no attack roll, it gives a penalty to attacks, defense, and saving throws (save ends). The target takes a -5 to save against these effects unless they succeed on a nature check.
Xorn – Last, and certainly not least, we have the ever popular eaters of rare metals and gems. There are two variety of Xorn presented in the MM2, regular old Xorn (level 9 skirmisher) and the Diamondhide Xorn (level 16 skirmisher). The Xorn can naturally burrow through earth and even solid stone using its Earth Glide ability, it can also submerge itself partially underground to gain a bonus to defenses. In combat they make three claw attacks a turn each against a different target, or it can use a more damaging bite attack, using its ability to retreat when missed by melee attacks to burrow away. Diamondhide Xorns are very similar, except the have the ability to undermine a target by burrowing under it and attacking which can restrain the target.
At the very back of the MM2 are racial traits for playing a bullywug, duergar, and kenku character. Three pretty interesting races that I think it would be very cool to see full write ups for playing as a PC someday.
Monster Manual 2 – In Depth #1
Monster Manual 2 – In Depth #2
Monster Manual 2 – In Depth #3
Monster Manual 2 – In Depth #4
Monster Manual 2 – In Depth #5
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