Comments on: KotM Fight! Spark

By: Daigle

Daigle — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:03:49 +0000

I’m shamed to say that I had to look up the reference to Zzax, and I was totally a Marvel guy when I regularly bought comics…and thank you.

In other news, I got the greenlight today to give the critter a bit of a revision using some of the suggestions made here in these comments. So, for that, thank you all for your comments and excellent ideas on how to make this monster better. In perfect Open Design/KQ style, we’re listening and I hope you all enjoy the final version when it appears in KQ #13! (In print! With awesome art!)

By: Victor Von Dave

Victor Von Dave — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:28:47 +0000

Very cool creature. I need to know – was this critter at least partially inspired by Zzax, from Marvel comics?

Nice work.

By: Daigle

Daigle — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 09:11:43 +0000

I want to thank everyone who commented on and voted for this critter. There have been some awesome suggestions for modifications to the design, and while I had a wordcount to deal with, I really hope to incorporate these suggestions to the final write-up should this creature win. I have already been taking notes and have changed what I plan to use for my home games.

By: Phil Larwood

Phil Larwood — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:39:24 +0000

Seems it’s a battle between spark and treacle at the moment. Yet again Mr. Daigle shows us he’s on the money with his simple yet effective monster.

By: Kirth Gersen

Kirth Gersen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:12:15 +0000

Nce one, Adam. One thing that keeps bugging me is, if the host’s “movements seem jerky,” etc., the flavor text there should be attached to an approriate rules clarification (“associates of the possessed creature are automatically aware that something is wrong with their companion, and can pinpoint the effect as some form of domination on a DC [X] [Perception or Spellcraft or whatever] check).” Leaving it open is a recipe for dissatisfied players if you’re running the encounter and don’t think through the implications carefully and quickly enough to make a ruling on the fly — or, in other words, that should be the designer’s job up-front, not the DM’s job during play.

By: John Farris

John Farris — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:55:46 +0000

Me likey… could you please send me some baby Sparks to infuse into my home electronics… also my AC.. My electric bill is very high in the summer.
…also…I think it would be cool if my TV could blast potential thieves with a lightening bolt.

Thanks for sparking my interest in the game again. I find it shocking that I’ve been away for so long. It appears that once you infuse yourself into the RPG world, you are doomed to inhabit it forever.

By: Burt Smith

Burt Smith — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:08:40 +0000

Hm … I might consider giving the host Improved Initiative and Weapon Finesse as bonus feats, as well.

Plus, instead of giving the host the spark’s Dexterity and Charisma, what about a +4 bonus to each instead?

By: Burt

Burt — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:03:46 +0000

This is the block for “Inhabit” that I’ll probably use for this creature. There’s a penalty to the host if it fights the creature and fails, and also a slow, daily draining of the host’s life force. Note this might bump the CR a little, there’s never been a good framework for the CR affect of additional powers/abilities.

Inhabit (Ex:) As a standard action, a spark can attempt to infuse itself within a mortal host. The spark must make a successful touch attack against a Medium or smaller creature, which can be combined with the touch attack from its shocking grasp spell-like ability. This action draws no attack of opportunity. The victim of this attack must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or become inhabited by the elemental. Once merged with the victim, the spark can choose to lurk just beneath the surface, or use its spell-like abilities through the host. Each time the spark attempts to use a spell-like ability the victim can attempt a new saving throw to expel the creature; failure indicates the host takes damage as per shocking grasp – if the host chooses not to resist, there is no negative effect. While inhabiting a creature, a spark takes no damage from physical attacks, quarter damage from energy effects, and half damage from force effects.

The victim of this symbiosis gains the creature’s Dexterity and Charisma score, but otherwise keeps all normal statistics. Victims harboring a spark gain none of the creature’s natural immunities. A spark can attempt to control the victim’s actions beyond spellcasting, but usually the speech and actions seem jerky and erratic to its peers. To resist this dominance, the victim must succeed on a DC 17 Will save each round their normal actions are compromised (and be subject to the same penalties for failure as for resisting use of the spark’s spell-like abilities). In addition to creatures, a spark may inhabit unattended metallic objects indefinitely. This ability is equivalent to a 5th level spell and is Charisma-based.

Each day the spark inhabits a host, the host must make a DC 14 Fortitude save (Constitution based) or be subject to the effects of a negative level as the energy of their body is slowly drained. These negative levels cannot be removed by any means other than removing the inhabiting spark, at which point the host is allowed saves after 24 hours as for normal level drain. If a host ever has total negative levels (from any sources) equal to its hit dice, it dies.