[MM2] Immoth Ice Runes Ability

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I'm thinking of using an Immoth (CR 9) in a future game and I have a question about its Ice Runes ability (pg 128 of the MM2), specifically about the first sentence "Any spell an immoth has prepared can be inscribed on an ice [rune]." He has 3d4+2 ice runes, each of which can be cast as a free action.

According to the book, the immoth casts spells as a 12th level sorcerer, so what does "prepared" mean? I assume that means that he can create ice runes from his known spells? Furthermore, does preparing an ice rune occupy one of his spell slots? My knee jerk reaction is to say "yes" because having 5-14 free action spells of 0-6 level in addition to casting as a 12th level sorcerer (6/8/7/7/7/6/3 spells per day) seems a bit much for a CR 9 creature, especially since he's not a wuss in melee combat.

So, what does everyone think? Has there been an official ruling or in game expereience on how this mechanic works?

Thanks!
NCSUCodeMonkey

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I'd play it so that the Immoth needs to cast the spell in order to create an Ice Rune, but the Ice Rune lasts as long as it's not discharged. So the Immoth could have created his Ice Runes many days ago, and thus still have his full allotment of Spells per day. Of course, this would lead to the question: Why doesn't the Immoth carry MORE ice runes?

AR

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

Thanks for the reply AR, that's not a bad interpretation at all, but it does make me question his CR. I'm still tempted to draw the ice runes from his spells per day, sort of like an imbue with spell abilityish effect. Does anyone else have any experience with this creature? Are they "close enough" to CR 9 as written?

NCSUCodeMonkey

 

[Gizzard]

...but it does make me question his CR...

Yes, his CR is not correct anymore IMHO; since he is a 3E monster rather than a 3.5E monster.

He was expected to go against a party that was using 3E Haste and thus (roughly) casting 4 spells a turn. Considering that the Immoth would Haste himself, he cast 3 spells a round. But now, in 3.5E, the party casts 2 spells and the Immoth casts 2 each round which makes him proportionally more dangerous.

I started a thread on this issue a while back after the Immoth in "Into the Frozen Wastes" savaged a party of 4 8th level characters. (I was surprised, since the module was designed for 4 7th's!) Anyway, there might be some more insights in that thread; and I think not everyone agreed with my observation about Haste, so there are some alternate viewpoints as well.

-edit-
Hrm, its shorter than I remembered. Here you go:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65792

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I just ran him against a 3.0 party with a cleric, wizard, fighter, and archer with an average party level of 9. Had it not been for the roleplaying safeguards (they were able to talk themselves out of a fight), it would have been a total party kill. I partially blame the spell selection of the wizard (a new player who didn't have dispel magic handy), but the immoth was simply able to get off way too many spells in a round. For anyone looking for advice on this subject, I would set his CR well above 9.

NCSUCodeMonkey