Cindersnap Turtle
Beast · no Crown (Meridian)
T1d4Minor
Shield-sized tortoises with dark stone-like shells veined with glowing orange cracks that absorb and store intense heat from sunlight, burning anything that strikes them.
Tier 1 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 1 (+1 overflow) · AC 14 · ATK +3 · Save DC 11 · Dmg 1 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 18 | - | - |
| Mind | 6 | - | - |
| Sense | 12 | - | - |
| Heart | 12 | - | - |
| Cunning | 12 | - | - |
| Fate | 12 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Thermal Shell
Its sun-charged shell sears flesh: any creature that strikes it in melee takes 1 Vigor damage. After an hour out of sunlight the shell cools and this trait fades.
Maneuvers
Heat Vent
Vents stored heat in a 5 ft burst. Each adjacent creature makes a Body save (DC 11) or takes 1 damage; on a success, 1 Vigor damage.
Reactions
Shell Retreat
When hit, it pulls into its shell, gaining +2 AC until the start of its next turn.
Tactics
GM tactics
Cindersnap turtles are passive unless provoked. They bite when threatened and rely on their Thermal Shell to deter attackers. They retreat into their shells when overwhelmed.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 1, then 1 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 1, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d4 and never lands below 1.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 2 kills it outright, and a single blow of 2 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.