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*minor spoiler warning*
In a Strange Aeon's TPK thread, the OP mentions a TPK at the claws of a Nightguant.
Nightgaunt have an [average] fly speed 40ft and a grab attack, and can fly normally while grappling [via Clutches].
since i'm also running Strange Aeons, i'm considering possible tactics.
My question: Can the nightguant hover 20ft above it's target, drop down on it's turn, attack as a standard, grab, then try to fly off?
Or would the "drop down" be considered a Charge, and thus disabling a move afterwards?
If the drop down is falling then it's a free action I think, but stopping the fall and starting to fly again probably would take a move action - if the nightgaunt is relying on the ground to stop them instead then remember that taking lethal damage from a fall puts you prone.
Don't do it. Creature is satan.
De-elevating through hovering isn't the issue.
The issue is you can't move after you've initiated a grapple. You can move as part of the Maintain activity (which is taken next round), but not as a Move Action, since the creature must be adjacent to you at all times (and if it isn't, the grapple immediately fails and ends).
Even with the Grab ability, if you hit an enemy with it (unless you take the -20 to your grapple check), you're considered to have the Grappled condition, and as such cannot move until you maintain next turn (and even then, you can't take a Move Action).
The only thing the Clutches ability allows is to fly at full speed when you maintain a Grapple and perform the Move activity. It's otherwise fairly lackluster.
At best, you can Stealth, Grab a PC, Tickle them (and hope they fail the save, meaning they can't scream or shout for help), and then carry them off without a hitch and maintaining Tickling in the following round.
If you had Greater Grapple, this would be a non-issue (since you can maintain in the same round you initiate).
Don't do it. Creature is satan.Tis why i'm asking before TPK'ing my party. ;)
My response was largely joking. In all seriousness I'd say it might be a bit much. My current understanding is that the PCs basically have 1 round, 1 set of attack of opportunities, and 1 additional round where ranged characters might still be able to kill the creature. If they fail the unfortunate PC is for all practical purposes already dead.
Shortening the length of time would enhance the challenge here considerably. That being said, if the party is highly competent, or if that is the sort of danger/atmosphere that is expected or desired in your group I'd say take the gloves off and go for it.
For that matter, despite my questioning the mechanics in the other thread, if you feel that would make the encounter more enjoyable/memorable for your group, then I'd say do it with or without rules justification. As the GM you can tell whatever story you think fitting. And you'd be in a much better position than us to determine what they'd think was fun/exciting.
Also note that that fly skill would be unencumbered - assuming medium encumbrance the fly skill drops to +4. And it'd need to make a separate DC 15 check to start flying diagonally upwards, three (two turns and one to fly up at greater than 45 degrees from the horizontal) if it wanted to fly straight up.
Even with if your party is completely incapable of defeating the Nightguant, no one has to die. Remember, the creature in question doesn't necessarily want to kill. It wants to feed, and it eats terror.
You can very easily have it grab one party member, fly off, and feed off their terror for a while before letting them go. That is what I had planned to do when I ran this encounter.
Sadly I did too good a job of making my party feel the mist was dangerous, so anytime they opened a door to outside, they immediately slammed with with a hearty helping of "NOPE!" Which mean they never encountered the Nightgaunt (or the unicorn) :(
Even with if your party is completely incapable of defeating the Nightguant, no one has to die. Remember, the creature in question doesn't necessarily want to kill. It wants to feed, and it eats terror.
You can very easily have it grab one party member, fly off, and feed off their terror for a while before letting them go. That is what I had planned to do when I ran this encounter.
Sadly I did too good a job of making my party feel the mist was dangerous, so anytime they opened a door to outside, they immediately slammed with with a hearty helping of "NOPE!" Which mean they never encountered the Nightgaunt (or the unicorn) :(
This is an option too. Could even let them think s/he was dead for a bit. And then come back a stammering mess mumbling about some unknown horrors.
This is an option too. Could even let them think s/he was dead for a bit. And then come back a stammering mess mumbling about some unknown horrors.Even with if your party is completely incapable of defeating the Nightguant, no one has to die. Remember, the creature in question doesn't necessarily want to kill. It wants to feed, and it eats terror.
You can very easily have it grab one party member, fly off, and feed off their terror for a while before letting them go. That is what I had planned to do when I ran this encounter.
Sadly I did too good a job of making my party feel the mist was dangerous, so anytime they opened a door to outside, they immediately slammed with with a hearty helping of "NOPE!" Which mean they never encountered the Nightgaunt (or the unicorn) :(
Which is especially fun if your group is the paranoid type. In a building full of doppelgangers.