In regards to the awesome Void Dragons from Bestiary 4, how does their Suffocating Breath power work?
"Instead of dealing cold damage, a very young or older void dragon can breathe a cone-shaped suffocation effect. An air-dependent creature that fails its Fortitude save suffocates for a number of rounds equal to the dragon’s age category. The save DC is Constitution-based."
Does it immediately set them to suffocating per the environmental rules (Unconscious @0hp, -1hp and dying, dead), does it just make them hold their breath, or does it allow multiple saves a la the Suffocation spell?
It seems like the first option is a good recipe if you hate your players and want a TPK, and the second is only useful for flavor since darn near any PC can hold their breath 12 rounds, The third seems more balanced though still nasty, but also not really supported by the ability description as written.
If you fail a fortitude save, you immediately go through suffocation phases. If you fail and the Void dragon is very young, you might only go unconscious if you fail the fortitude save.
It may seem nasty, yet at CR13 save or suck effects can get nasty. At a DC of 23, it is a good thing void dragons tend to be rare.
If you want to nitpick, the ability might be useless against water breathing beings that have an adaptation spell on them (so they don't suffocate out of water).
It may seem nasty, yet at CR13 save or suck effects can get nasty. At a DC of 23, it is a good thing void dragons tend to be rare.
It's true! And as a once-a-combat sort of effect from a dang dragon, I suppose it can BE a save-or-die. The RAW doesn't seem to limit the amount of times a void dragon can use that power, but with how nasty it is I'd think once per combat would be PLENTY. For my own peace of mind I still might house-rule my void dragons to allow more saves in line with the Mass Suffocation spell. With that high DC I still expect some death, but it'll draw it out more, make the PCs suffer longer, you know. ;)
Thanks!