Radiant Manticore
Beast · no Crown (Meridian)
T3d8Minor
A leonine apex predator with wings of fused light-crystal and a mane of radiant filaments that generates intense heat and light, hurling crystallized-light tail spines.
Tier 3 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 3 (+3 overflow) · AC 14 · ATK +6 · Save DC 15 · Dmg 3 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 18 | - | - |
| Mind | 8 | - | - |
| Sense | 16 | - | - |
| Heart | 14 | - | - |
| Cunning | 16 | - | - |
| Fate | 16 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Sunfire Mane
A creature that starts its turn within 10 ft takes 1 Vigor damage from the heat. Dousing the mane with water or plunging it into darkness quenches the aura for 1 round.
Burning Spines
Its tail spines are crystallized light that lodge and burn: a creature hit by the manticore's ranged attack takes 1 Vigor damage at the start of its next turn.
Mane Eruption
The first time it is badly hurt, the mane detonates. Each creature within 20 ft makes a Body save (DC 15); on a failure it takes 3 damage, on a success 1 Vigor damage.
Maneuvers
Radiant Pounce
Flies up to 50 ft and crashes down on one creature, which makes a Body save (DC 15) or is knocked prone and pinned (grabbed) beneath it.
Tactics
GM tactics
Opens with its burning spines at range to stack damage, then closes with claw and bite. Uses Radiant Pounce against fleeing targets. Once it is badly hurt, Mane Eruption makes melee extremely dangerous. Territorial -- fights to the death to defend its claim.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 3, then 3 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 3, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d8 and never lands below 3.
- 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 6 kills it outright, and a single blow of 6 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Two attacks in a normal turn: Tier 3+ Minors get a second.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.