Abilities for monsters that affect missile and/or magic users

[grobblewobble]

I think the main problem is not so much that we need more monsters that resist ranged attacks. Instead, we need monsters that can actually threaten you at range.

There are many monsters that can do bad bad things to you when you stand next to them. (Greater) mimics, (greater) balors, (greater) molochs, stat drainers like vampires etc, ghosts, the cat lord, greater wyrms, something that goes into a blind rage, killer bugs, berserker emperors, doppleganger kings, werewolf kings...

How many monsters are a threat at range? Basically, only (greater) titans. And the ACW, as long as you stand in a straight line. Ok, maybe the chaos archmage too, but the AMW is guaranteed. As long as you keep your distance and attack with missiles or magic, the vast majority of ADOM monsters can do absolutely nothing to harm you.

And that is the cause of the problem. We need more monsters with a real ranged attack.

[YourMum]

That's a good point. Aren't giants meant to fire rocks? Maybe they could throw huge rocks, or just fire rocks more often. It's rarely happens to me and when they do finally get around to launching a rock at my PCs is just like being pelted with little pebbles. Dark elf, pixie, quickling and hurthling archers are all laughable. As you say only titans and to a lesser extent dragons are the only monsters with ranged attacks that threaten you.

[mewmew]

giants throwing rocks can hurt bad

[grobblewobble]

The stone giant lord in HMV and the fire giants in the tower can hurt, good point. Dragons can basically only hurt your items, unless you run around without resistances for some reason. The glowing ball spell from wyrms is especially weak.

[LexyBoy]

The banshee?

Perhaps Dorn Beasts could be buffed by having the paralysation effect occur whenever it is visible to the PC (or a chance of occurring each turn it is visible, dependent on Wi)? As it is, Dorns are not nearly as dangerous as you would expect for a monster that has a warning. Or have a Medusa which instantly petrifies any PC who sees her.

Liches and Wyrms use a glowing balls attack, maybe other magic users could use these (and make them a bit tougher or harder to resist)? As-is, most of the higher level magicians just summon loads of crap which is a bit tedious. Fire giant kings have a pretty mean thrown attack, it would be fitting for other giants to have these as well.

[Harwin]

Being able to throw things and attack at ranged doesn't necessarily punish magic/ranged. It does mean that they can shoot at you while you're trying to get into melee range - where missile users can start fighting back immediately.

[Joe]

Maybe stronger spellcasters and/or some ranged critters could be given a 'focused' attack for additional to hit and damage (and increased chance for crits). Ofcourse the special attack would need extra time/energy. The attack should be impossible in melee range (I also think Death Ray should be impossible in melee range; the stat draining of emperor liches/Nuurag Vaarn is bad enough as is).

Something like: 'The lich went into a trance, drawing up huge magical energies...' could be a message for some bolt of arcane energy which has a very high chance to hit and does like 100 damage (no resistance available) or so. It would mean you could quickly kill the nasty guys before they start UBERhealing themselves. Same for: 'the dark elven archer starts aiming carefully at you, concentrating deeply' for an extra powerful shot. The chance for such attacks should be dependant on the range of the PC (the further the higher).

[YourMum]

Oh how could I forget that arsehole in the HMV! I haven't seen him for quite a few games now, but he has taken out characters of mine that couldn't even see him.

As I said the most of the archer monsters are laughable, they're a nuisanse once you've got a few levels and a few points of PV. Being stuck in the middle of a large group of barbarians all with line of sight to you isn't fun but for the most part i think i take more damage (from individual monsters not overall) from things like gnolls and hill orcs that use thrown weapons. They don't seem to use this skill as much as they could and of course there's the worry if they did vaults and tension rooms would be even more milkable.

High/Dark Elf (both to help increase the low low number of lawful monsters) ranger-type characters: armed with a long bow/heavy crossbow, with a couple of melee attacks per turn when it comes down to it. They fire normal missiles but have, say, a 1 in 10 crit chance. If they have a high speed and long line of sight they should able able to get in a few shots at least. Light green 'u's for Highelves, maybe dark brown for Darkelves?

Also, inspired by a statue that someone found recently, maybe let shambling mounds throw mud/crud balls at you that you have to waste a turn to wipe from your 'f'ace? Could hurt a little too but not all ranged attacks have to be of the hurting variety do they?

It might not do much (at least not of endgame characters, but what does unless you're Nuuuuurgy or a doppleganer king?) but couldn't we just get all monsters with ranged attacks to use them more? The more they attack the more likely they are to get a hit that might damage. It might make kobolds and goblins just plain old annoying but might buff giants a bit?

[Mobius]

the PC can have any spell in the book.

Perhaps a Dark Sage could have some random spell from an interesting list?
Slow monster, fireball, iceball, invis, darkness, etc. Don't have it be so predictable.

Imagine the fear from a Sage who can cast petrification. Or death ray. Or burning hands.

[Blasphemous]

I agree with grobblewobble - we need more things that threaten players from a distance. Some suggestions:
- Chaos Alchemists that throw exploding potions which have the effect of thrown crystals of fire but have a wider range of possible effects, including ice, lightning and acid. Could be a high DL monster.
- Magic Anomalies - something like a will'o'wisp but with the ability to cast magic bolts and maybe something like improved magic ball. Impossible to resist so it's bound to be dangerous.
- More monsters should have their spells effective even when the PC is not in direct line of fire, like the case with glowing balls used by liches. Some monsters could benefit from similar attacks, using different elements. This of course prompts us to ask why the PCs do not have any such spells available to them, even wizards, but it's either "Ancardia has a special, unique form of magic widespread among its denizens, unknown elsewhere" or just provide extra spells to PCs, ones without area-of-effect like improved fireball.
- Ratling Sharpshooters - they could be the equivalent to ratling warlords or whichever ratling is the worst disarmer. They could have a *very* high chance to damage worn equipment, have low energy consumption and ignore PV. This would have to be a mid-high DL monster.
- (Huge) rocks thrown by Troll Kings and (Greater) Earth Elementals could push the PC back one tile, much like the effect of wind in the Ice Queen realm. It wouldn't necessarily make them that dangerous but quite annoying and unpredictable.
- Greater Demons could use bolt attacks similar to Keriax - they would corrupt the PC - that would make them formidable ranged creatures as right now all you need is fire resistance and maybe a ring of ice.
- I don't know how likely this is to be implemented but I always thought that huge monsters should have a longer reach than PC - titans, giants, wyrms and most greater stuff is arguably bigger than the PC by at least a factor of 2 and often much more. If those monsters were able to engage the PC in melee from 2 or 3 tiles away, they would suddenly become quite a threat.