[Horror Construct] Shadow Mantis

[Tattered Rags]

Novice (First Circle)

A small Horror Construct, a Shadow Mantis is made from a parasitic insect. Ranging in size from a mouse to a large rat, they typically abide in Astral Space, where they congregate at sources of magic and latch on to the Pattern, attempting to leach as much magical energy as they can. In order to do so, they first have to phase into Physical Space, which leaves them rather vulnerable. Once they successfully attach, they will slowly phase back into the Astral and continually syphon energy from the target.

In the physical realm, they appear as a misshapen core with five irregularly spaced legs jutting at all angles, all made entirely from shadow, which makes them very difficult to see. Exuding no heat, they are even often hidden from heat sight. However, due to their nature, they light up like a beacon to Astral Sight. When in the Astral, they appear as indistinct, gray shapes, and can be difficult to distinguish from the surrounding area.

Either way, they posses an insatiable hunger for magic. Use of magic in their vicinity will usually draw them out of astral space in an attempt to find a fresher food source. This is about the only way to draw them out and kill them in the physical world.

Alone, they are little to worry about. Even a child has a chance to kill one. It's when they swarm in numbers that someone needs to begin to worry.

Notes:

Due to their small size, it takes twice as many Shadow Mantis's to inflict a combat condition such as Harried. Despite the stealthiness of a physically manifested Shadow Mantis, they are quite easy to spot with Astral Sight. If at least a 4 is rolled, then the character knows something is there, though they still need to succeed with a 6 to gain any detailed information. If they are not physically manifested, then use their mystic defense as normal for determining if they are visible to Astral Sight.

Actions: 1, Claw: 10 (4)

Powers

Displace (free/sustained): The Shadow Mantis's Displace power is substantially slower than that of other Horrors and Horror Constructs when going to astral space. It can take an hour or more to, and they must constantly be using the power to make the trip. Part of this is due to the fact that they stay attached to the Pattern of their victim in order to power the transition. In fact, they cannot even displace back to astral space without being latched on and leeching. However, when displacing into the physical realm, they are very quick, moving as a free action.

Engorge (1+1 for every 2 latched and engorging Shadow Mantis, standard): Once a Shadow Mantis has grappled an opponent with the Latch Special Maneuver, it can use Engorge on the victim. Instead of rolling for each attached Shadow Mantis, roll only once, modifying the Step based on the number of Shadow Mantises attached. This power allows the Shadow Mantis to rapidly drain the magical and life energy from the victim. Roll the Engorge step to determine how much Mystic damage is done to the target. The Shadow Mantises participating in the Engorging take an equal amount of damage spread evenly over the collective group of Shadow Mantises. They typically do not want to use this Power as it can damage their food source. Particularly stubborn victims may need to be subdued, however, and this can do that for them.

Leech (special, sustained): Leech is treated like a paralytic poison with the onset time of immediate, interval of 1 hour, and an effect step equal to the number of latched shadow mantises at each interval. However, this power targets Mystic Defense instead of Toughness Step. In all other ways it is the same as a paralytic. Since the number of shadow mantises have an effect on the strength of the power, they typically wait until several have latched on before starting this. Once a Shadow Mantis has started this, they slowly displace into the Astral over the first hour.

Stealthy Stride (12, simple): as the Talent, Players Guide, pg. 170

Special Maneuvers:

Latch (8, Standard): The Shadow Mantis makes a Latch test against the target's Mystic Defense. A successful test ties a thread to the target's Pattern, through which the Shadow Mantis can use Leech or Engorge.

Overcharge (Opponent): When using a magical ability to interact with a Shadow Mantis, each extra successes can be spent to do 1 automatic point of damage to a Shadow Mantis. This includes any Talent where the Shadow Mantis is a target. In the case of a spell, the Spellcasting test counts. Extra successes from Melee Weapons and other combat Talents can be spent on this extra damage in lieu of the typical +2 Step bonus. In the case of area attacks, such as large spells or certain Talents, each point of extra damage can only be applied to a single Shadow Mantis, but any targeted Shadow Mantis is a valid recipient. This means if there are 10 Shadow Mantises hit by a Blizzard Sphere spell with 2 extra successes, those extra successes can be spent to cause 2 points of damage to 1 Shadow Mantis or 1 point of damage to 2 Shadow Mantises. So, yes, a Sky Raider could Battle Shout a group of Shadow Mantis's to death. If a Shadow Mantis is latched onto the character performing this maneuver, double the damage dealt as the thread heightens the connection.

Loot: none

Stats:
Initiative 8 (2d6)
Attack 10 (2d8)
Bite 4 (d6)
Movement 10
PD 4
MD 8
SD 5
PA 0
MA 4
UR -
DR 8
WT -
RT -
DEX 6 (d10)
STR 4 (d6)
TOU 3 (d4)
PER 6 (d10)
WIL 4 (d6)
CHA 4 (d6)

[Tattered Rags]

I'm planning on unleashing a few of these at a solo player. He shouldn't have too much trouble swatting them down, but he might have to decide to finish his task and flee. I hope he understands that there will be a TON of them swarming over the light quartz of his kaer.

That said, I'm trying to think of a better way to handle the "engorge" power. I'm thinking of separating it into 2 powers, one called "leech" and the other "engorge". One does damage while the other would disrupt magic.

Perhaps "engorge" does damage to the victim quickly while the leech power slowly drains them of energy (similar to a disease?). And perhaps engorge doesn't heal them but triggers the Overcharge maneuver, causing an equal amount of damage to the latched on Shadow Mantises?

Any thoughts would be helpful, as I need this figured out by Friday.

[Tattered Rags]

I've made a rather complicated beast here. I think it's interesting, I just hope it's not too convoluted.

[Slimcreeper]

Sorry, I meant to share some thoughts earlier. There is a lot going on!

One thought I had is that a grappled character can't typically take any action other than to try to break free. If they are swarming a solo adventurer, and he or she has stacked grapple effects, it could be pretty grim. The other thing is that it reads like Leeching Paralysis is the effect test of Leech? I don't have the time work out any math right now, but maybe Leech could inject the Paralyzing poison ... Maybe to consume energy it eats Karma? Roll the karma to see how much the lil' fella is healed? Then they could stay latched on in Astral Space, constantly siphoning energy without doing any damage.

[Tattered Rags]

Excellent point on the grapple and no actions. I'll have to think on that (perhaps latching doesn't grapple but still attached somehow, like with a threadweaving test?).

Perhaps latch will be its own action, and crawling on the victim can just be flavor.

Reworking Leech so it's not so complicated is going to take some thought, but you have the essence of it.

[Tattered Rags]

How about these changes?

Latch (8, Standard): The Shadow Mantis makes a Latch test against the target's Mystic Defense. A successful test ties a thread to the target's Pattern, through which the Shadow Mantis can use Leech or Engorge.

Leech (special, sustained): Leech is treated like a paralytic poison with the onset time of immediate, interval of 1 hour, and an effect step equal to the number of latched shadow mantises at each interval. However, this power targets Mystic Defense instead of Toughness Step. In all other ways it is the same as a paralytic. Since the number of shadow mantises have an effect on the strength of the power, they typically wait until several have latched on before starting this. Once a Shadow Mantis has started this, they slowly displace into the Astral over the first hour.

Overcharge: add something like, if a Shadow Mantis is latched onto the character performing this maneuver, double the damage dealt as the thread heightens the connection.

[Tattered Rags]

Changed the physical description to this:

In the physical realm, they appear as a misshapen core with five irregularly spaced legs jutting at all angles, all made entirely from shadow, which makes them very difficult to see.

Updated the Powers, now, too, based on what I'd posted later.

[Tattered Rags]

Well, when they kept rolling exploding dice, they proved too much for the Windling Weaponsmith. He managed to finish his task right before they knocked him unconscious.

I even backed off on their attack step and damage step for the claw attack. And I had fewer of them appear over time. They just kept rolling too well!

[Slimcreeper]

Balance can't withstand a hot streak!

[Tattered Rags]

Balance can't withstand a hot streak!

No kidding.

Player's opening strike was a 47 on step 7. Then he had trouble rolling well after that. The bugs on the other hand....