Simple(?) monster attack question for The Confirmation

[Prethen]

Spoiler:

The minotaur stats mention it has 2 attacks with it's weapon PLUS gore. Does that mean it gets three attacks or does that mean I choose between weapon (which I would guess is the preference) or gore?

[zefig]

It gets all three if it full attacks.

[Prethen]

How would an attack stat block note that it's all the attacks listed or it's a selection of attacks? I guess, how would it look differently if it didn't get that third attack added in, but it was an optional separate attack? Thanks!

[Kyle Baird]

Usually a stat block will say "or" if the monster has to choose between attacks.

[John Compton]

In addition, the stat block sometimes has a "soft return," placing the other attack options on a new line. Here are some examples.

Creature can make all of these attacks in one round:
Melee club +8 (1d6+4), light mace +8 (1d6+2), bite +3 (1d8+2)

Creature must choose:
Melee club +8 (1d6+4), light mace +8 (1d6+2)
or 2 claws +10 (1d4+4)

[Akerlof]

Prethen wrote:

How would an attack stat block note that it's all the attacks listed or it's a selection of attacks? I guess, how would it look differently if it didn't get that third attack added in, but it was an optional separate attack? Thanks!

Here's an example, from the Marilith:

Melee +1 longsword +24/+19/+14/+9 (2d6+8/17–20), 5 +1 longswords +24 (2d6+4/17–20), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab) or 6 slams +22 (1d8+7), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab)

Think of "or" as being parentheses in a math formula: Everything on one side of an "or" or between two "ors" goes together, things on different sides of an "or" are a different attack routine and can't be combined. Commas separate different weapons or natural attacks within the same attack sequence.

So the Marilith can:
- Make 4 iterative attacks with her main hand longsword at +24/+19/+14/+9 for 2d6+8 damage and critting on a 17–20 (x2 crit damage.)
- Make 5 attacks with her 5 off hand longswords at +24 each, for 2d6+4 damage and critting on a 17-20 (x2 crit damage.)
- Make 1 tail slap at +19 for 2d6+3 plus a Grab on a successful hit, (critting on a 20 for x2 damage.)

Alternatively, she can:
- Make 6 Slam attacks at +22 for 1d8+7 damage (critting on a 20 for x2 damage.)
- Make 1 tail slap at +19 for 2d6+3 plus a Grab on a successful hit, (critting on a 20 for x2 damage.)

So, she has two attack routines, each include a tail slap, but she only gets one tail slap a round. One of the routines uses a bunchaton of swords, the other uses her six arms to make slams. She has to choose between one of those two routines, but each routine allows her to make up to 10 (if using swords) of 7 (if using natural attacks) attacks a round. She doesn't have to make all these attacks, she can use as many or few as she wants on a full attack action.

[It can get more complicated, if the Marilith got one of her longswords disarmed, she could attack with 5 longswords and a slam, but that would follow the rules of mixing natural attacks with manufactured weapons so the Slam would take a penalty and other fun stuff that you generally just avoid. :P Mainly the different routines are there because doing one action, such as using a sword, will preclude another action, such as using that limb to make a Slam attack.]

[Prethen]

I learned one major thing here. I never want to face Marilith!

[Akerlof]

Prethen wrote:

I learned one major thing here. I never want to face Marilith!

I don't think I ever want to run a Marilith: 10 attacks with 6 different attack bonuses? Time to get a dice roller app for the phone. :P

[balakus01]

Mariliths are fun to run just ask Kyle.

[That Porter Kid]

The best thing about running a Marilith is the look on the PC face after the dice are rolled when they ask, "How many attackers per round do they get?"

[WalterGM]

That Porter Kid wrote:

The best thing about running a Marilith is the look on the PC face after the dice are rolled when they ask, "How many attackers per round do they get?"

You guys didn't have any problems with those mariliths last PaizoCon.

Grats on your 4th star, btw!

[Kyle Baird]

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

[Sammy T]

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

[zefig]

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Maybe on the LOW tier.

[Zach W.]

No no guys. It will have the Young template. Its all cool.

[John Compton]

Sammy T wrote:

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

The sad fact is that mariliths don't explode when they die, prompting me to entitle the next Tier 1–2 evergreen scenario Balor or Bust!

[David H]

John Compton wrote:

Sammy T wrote:

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

The sad fact is that mariliths don't explode when they die, prompting me to entitle the next Tier 1–2 evergreen scenario Balor or Bust!

I was hoping for The Darkerest Vengeance or Two Wrongs do Make a Wight

[joe kirner]

We just need to have a tier 14-15 Confirmation scenario.

Explore! -----the 157th layer of the abyss.
Report! ----- need a detailed sketch of that Marilith and her 5
daughters, grandma, aunt and 3 cousins. What weapons were
they wielding, again?
Cooperate! ---- the entire party dying on the same rd. shows great
cooperation.

[zefig]

The Marilith could always show up in Tide of the Morning After.

[Silbeg]

#7-99 - When Bad Things Happen to Badder People (for levels 5-9)
An introduction into why you don't wanna be a "murder hobo"... incorporates more random encounter tables... and, if the characters kill the "wrong" targets (or at least without talking), the Brand New Random Damage Table!!

Skip the middle-man! Go right to what we all want to know... how much did it hurt?

[kinevon]

6-EX The Day the Museum Fell

Tier 12

The new Seeker scenario is a double length scenario, covering the events that happened when the Blakros family finally decides to honor the Pathfinder Society's requests to destroy that blemish on Absolom, and have the Blakros Museum razed.

Note: You will have a fun time in this scenario if:
You managed to play all 5 Bonekeep scenarios and survive, and played Waking Rune at 10-11 in Hard Mode and thought it was a walkover.

Note 2: There are at least a half-dozen Mariliths in this scenario, and we won't tell you if they all appear in a single encounter, or are spread across multiple encountersa. There are also at least 7 archer demons, the ones that have four arms and two longbows, again, not telling if they ap[pear ina single encounter, multiple encounters, or are mixed with the mariliths providing melee support for them.

Note 3: Anything with a template is improved by the template, not like all those CR 8 creatures that turn into CR 5 creatures because they get the skeleton or zombie template. And, no, we aren't telling if there is a lich, or 3, in this scenario. Nor any vampires, demon lords or arch devils. That's for us to know, and you to find out.

[Calybos1]

Zach Williams wrote:

No no guys. It will have the Young template. Its all cool.

Exactly; the Young template makes all problems disappear.

Players: "Aaaahh! It's an incorporeal undead ooze swarm!"
GM: "Relax, you guys, there's nothing to worry about. Really. It has the Young template, see?"
Players: "Whew. I was worried for a minute there...."

[godsDMit]

06-99 You Only Died Twice?

[Bigdaddyjug]

Seth Gipson wrote:

06-99 You Only Died Twice?

It would obviously be scenario #6-66 No Pathfinders Go to Heaven.

[Majuba]

Sammy T wrote:

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

FYI, attack block for that:

Melee broken improvised halfling dagger +13/+8/+3/-2 (1d3+5), 5 broken improvised halfling dagger +13 (1d3+1), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab) or 6 slams +22 (1d8+7), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab)

Average damage vs. AC 20 (without constrict): 34 (35.7 with crits)

[Kyle Baird]

AC 20 at first level? Broken! Time to make those daggers adamantine and give her improved sunder.

[The Masked Ferret]

Majuba wrote:

Sammy T wrote:

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

FYI, attack block for that:

Melee broken improvised halfling dagger +13/+8/+3/-2 (1d3+5), 5 broken improvised halfling dagger +13 (1d3+1), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab) or 6 slams +22 (1d8+7), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab)

Average damage vs. AC 20 (without constrict): 34 (35.7 with crits)

Did you apply the young template, too? Maybe make it a slow zombie while you were at it?

[Jeff Merola]

The Masked Ferret wrote:

Majuba wrote:

Sammy T wrote:

Kyle Baird wrote:

So the next tier 1-2 evergreen scenario should have a Marilith? done.

Only after Compton does a pass and gives it 10 Broken Improvised halfling dagger-sized weapon attacks in a balance pass.

FYI, attack block for that:

Melee broken improvised halfling dagger +13/+8/+3/-2 (1d3+5), 5 broken improvised halfling dagger +13 (1d3+1), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab) or 6 slams +22 (1d8+7), tail slap +19 (2d6+3 plus grab)

Average damage vs. AC 20 (without constrict): 34 (35.7 with crits)

Did you apply the young template, too? Maybe make it a slow zombie while you were at it?

Bah, we can't go adding zombie in this case. That would actually make the creature weaker!

[zefig]

Can we at least get a full-powered marilith in 6-eleventy-six: Furniture of the Fiend, where she fiercely guards the lost throne of Alaznist because it just looks SO nice in her parlor?