Shapechanger threat - were-x's and X-weres etc.

[Casimir Liber]

Great idea! Just finished DMing. Exhausted. Will sleep on this but inspired...

Came up with this (lvl 3 exhaustion captures an distracted and part-bewildered state well...and is easy click on Dndbeyond etc.). Also ability is consistent with but distinct from jackalwere eye-gaze-sleep and wolfwere music-slow 9wasn't sure about range....30 ft? 60 ft?)

War Dance. As an action (requiring Concentration), a mongoosewere cavorts and prances in such a manner that distracts and bewilders opponents, who must make a DC 12 WIS save or suffer the equivalent of three levels of exhaustion. A successful roll means the subject is immune to the war dance effects for one hour. A subject can re-attempt an unsuccessful roll at the end of subsequent turns in combat.

 

[Cleon]

Great idea! Just finished DMing. Exhausted. Will sleep on this but inspired...

Came up with this (lvl 3 exhaustion captures an distracted and part-bewildered state well...and is easy click on Dndbeyond etc.). Also ability is consistent with but distinct from jackalwere eye-gaze-sleep and wolfwere music-slow 9wasn't sure about range....30 ft? 60 ft?)

War Dance. As an action (requiring Concentration), a mongoosewere cavorts and prances in such a manner that distracts and bewilders opponents, who must make a DC 12 WIS save or suffer the equivalent of three levels of exhaustion. A successful roll means the subject is immune to the war dance effects for one hour. A subject can re-attempt an unsuccessful roll at the end of subsequent turns in combat.

Hmm, but wouldn't that mean that if they're exhausted from another source they might collapse or pass out?

It seems prudent to add a proviso that this pseudo-exhaustion does not stack with actual exhaustion.

Also, Fatigue Levels are an optional rule and Disadvantage on ALL saving throws plus a -3 penalty seems rather extreme. Why would CON saves be disadvantaged for being distracted? I'd suggest limiting it to, say, DEX and INT saves, perhaps with penalties to Initiative?

Heck, it seems easier to just state the penalties in the text, maybe with just simplifying it a bit to just Disadvantage and a few minor penalties.

War Dance also doesn't have a duration and the "save each round" doesn't follow the usual wording.

So that'd be something like this:

War Dance. As an action (requiring Concentration), a mongoosewere cavorts and prances in such a manner it distracts and bewilders opponents, who must make a DC 12 WIS save or become mesmerised for [duration]. Mesmerised creature suffer disadvantage on [STUFF], move at half speed [and cannot perform reactions?]. A mesmerised target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If the saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it. A target that successfully saves is immune to this mongoosewere's war dance for the next hour.[/

]

However, I was thinking more that the War Dance targets a specific creature close to the Mongoosewere who the monster "prances in front of" and it only lasts as long as it's dancing plus maybe a round or two after it stops. If you like that idea, I'll have to think about how to word that.​

 

[Casimir Liber]

Good points - was looking at conditions and trying to shoehorn something in but yhe points are valid - okay, could make one opponent with eye contact within 10 feet, disadvantage on DEX/INT/WIS/attack rolls due to distraction I guess

 

[Cleon]

Good points - was looking at conditions and trying to shoehorn something in but yhe points are valid - okay, could make one opponent with eye contact within 10 feet, disadvantage on DEX/INT/WIS/attack rolls due to distraction I guess

I'd make the range significantly longer than that, perhaps 60 feet or maybe even more?

The power is basically supposed to help the monster to get close and attack. If it has to be practically in front of its victim that rather defeats the point!

I'm not sure about the eye contact. It's a dance of distraction, the mongoosewere isn't staring in its victims eye's droning "you are feeling sleepy…"

If you wanted to punch it up a bit you could maybe have the target temporarily transfixed as long as the lycanthrope is dancing, with effects like a hold spell.

Oh, and I'd suggest the effect is broken the instant the victim is attacked. Otherwise one mongoosewere could mesmerize a victim while their pals slowly eat them alive.

Assuming you don't want that to be an option!

 

[Casimir Liber]

Okay - but if no eye contact, why limited to only one opponent? - maybe all opponents within 30 feet, effect broken once victims hit in combat (and make mesmerised/distracted as above rather than held..?)

 

[Cleon]

Okay - but if no eye contact, why limited to only one opponent? - maybe all opponents within 30 feet, effect broken once victims hit in combat (and make mesmerised/distracted as above rather than held..?)

I guess it's due to my vague recollection of folklore about weasels dancing to mesmerize a rabbit rather than folklore of them mesmerizing a bunch of rabbits.

That and for game balance purposes.

Maybe we should do something like our boalisk conversion's gaze, so the Dance might affect creatures who look at the mongoosewere but the monster can also target a specific individual once per round by "focusing" its dance at them?

 

[Casimir Liber]

yeah - copying boalisk sounds prudent

 

[Cleon]

yeah - copying boalisk sounds prudent

Y'okay.

It's late know, but I might rough out an idea or three tomorrow if the mood takes me.

 

[Casimir Liber]

I had a thought - I think that making them mesmerise opponents into having disadvantage rolls is more interesting than just immobilising them (as per hold person spell) (for the players involved) so overall will be a more enjoyable combat for PCs...

 

[Cleon]

I had a thought - I think that making them mesmerise opponents into having disadvantage rolls is more interesting than just immobilising them (as per hold person spell) (for the players involved) so overall will be a more enjoyable combat for PCs...

Yes, being unable to act in a round sucks.

I'm fine either way, so let's proceed with the Disadvantage Route.

Should the mongoosewere have Advantage to attack bewildered targets? I guess so, since they won't be able to properly defend themselves, but it'll only be for one attack as it'll break the bewildering.