In my next session I'm planning to have a my adventurers run into a magical storm while travelling on the road. I have some of my own ideas but I'm curious to hear what others might do.
Please feel free to share any ideas in regards to how you might narrate it, what effects it might have, as well as what impact it might have with actual game mechanics on the players.
Or, if that's too dull, over in my shark week thread, I statted a sharknado, if you want something over the top, and in my mimic book of mimics thread, I statted a storm cloud mimic.
Freedom of Movement. The storm ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed.
Swarm. The storm is an amorphous mass containing an endless swarm of sharks. The storm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the storm can move through any opening large enough for a Medium shark.
Tropical Storm. At the start of the storm's turn, if at least 1 space it occupies is in, on, or over water it regains 25 hit points. If all spaces it occupies are on or over land at the start of its turn, it loses 50 hit points. This damage cannot be reduced in any way.
Water Walk.The storm move across any liquid surface--such as water, acid, mud, snow, quicksand, or lava--as if it were harmless solid ground. While moving over water, the storm moves at double its normal walking speed.
Whirlwind. When the storm moves into a creature's space or vice versa, that creature is affected as it would be by a whirlwind spell (DC 20), treating the storm as the whirlwind. Increase the size of creatures or objects the spell affects by 1 size category. This spell effect has an indefinite duration, ending only when the storm is reduced to 0 hit points.
ACTIONS
Rain of Sharks. The storm rains down ravenous sharks, which land in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the storm, or within the storm's space. Roll a d6 to determine what sharks appear.
The storm summons two groups. Roll twice more, rerolling any 6.
The sharks are hostile to all creatures, except the storm. Roll initiative for the summoned sharks as a group, which has its own turns. The sharks pursue and attack the nearest non-sharks to the best of their ability.
Sharks summoned by the storm gain a walking speed of 10 feet, and are immune to any damage or condition inflicted by the storm, but are sucked up by the storm when they enter its space or the storm enters theirs as though they were objects. While in the storm's space, a shark summoned by the storm gains a fly speed equal to its swim speed, moves with the storm when the storm moves, and can move freely within the storm's space during its turn. If the shark leaves the storm's space, it drops to the ground. A shark that ends its turn outside of at least 5 feet of water or outside the storm's space begins suffocating.
REACTIONS
Sharkastatic Reply. When the storm is subjected to damage, it can use its rain of sharks as a reaction.
The Sharkest Hour. The first time the storm is reduced to half its hit points or less, it uses its rain of sharks two times as a reaction.
Aftershark. When the storm is reduced to 0 hit points, it uses its rain of sharks three times before dissipating.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The storm can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The storm regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Heart of Sharkness (Costs 3 Actions). Each shark summoned by the storm within 120 feet of it can use its reaction to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack against a non-shark creature.
It Was a Shark and Stormy Night. The storm makes a rain of sharks attack.
Shark Attack... Attack! A shark within the storm makes a bite attack against creature within 5 feet of the storm. Roll a d6 to determine the type of shark using the Shark Attack table below.
Sharkatapult. The storm makes a rain of sharks attack, but rather that appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the storm, the sharks appear in unoccupied spaces within a 10-foot-radius area centered on a space the storm can see up to 120 feet away. A number of creatures within that area equal the number of sharks that appear must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage plus the bite damage for the type of sharks that appear on a failed saving throw.
Shark Weak. All non-shark creatures within 120 feet of the storm must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target gains vulnerability to nonmagical piercing damage until the end of the storm's next turn. This effect overrides a target's immunity and resistance.
Sharkshooter. The storm ejects a shark, hurling it at a creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage plus the shark's bite damage and be knocked prone on a failed saving throw. The ejected shark then appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of the target. Roll a d6 to determine the type of shark using the Shark Attack table below.
As a storm, a selachian cyclone does not have a lair in the traditional sense; if does not live, and therefore has nowhere to do its living in. However, its presence has an obvious impact on the world around it. Perhaps a better term for a selachian cyclone's lair would be its disaster area.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the storm takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the storm can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
The water level within 120 feet of the storm rises by 5 feet, including over dry land, making the area difficult terrain for any creature that does not have a swim speed. This effect ends and the water recedes on initiative count 20 on the next round.
1d6 creatures within 120 feet of the storm must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be struck by debris hurled by the storm, taking 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and being knocked prone on a failed saving throw.
Regional Effects
The region containing a selachian cyclone is warped by the storm’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
The area within 6 miles of the selachian cyclone's disaster area is flooded with at least 1 foot of water.
The skies within 6 miles of the selachian cyclone's disaster area roils with churning clouds with a greenish tint.
Strong winds whip around within 6 miles of the the selachian cyclone's disaster area, smelling strongly of fish, kelp, and other seaside scents.
If the the selachian cyclone dies, these effects end after 1d8 hours.
DESCRIPTION
A raging tempest that rains down voracious sharks as it passes, the selachian cyclone is an un-natural disaster of divine-plague proportions. It is more an event than it is a monster, and like any other natural (or not) disaster, it is virtually unstoppable.
Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an object or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Adhesive. The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Gargantuan or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 18). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.
Amorphous. The mimic can move through a space as narrow as 1 foot wide without squeezing.
Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the mimic or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the mimic corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed.
Nonmagical ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the mimic is destroyed after dealing damage.
The mimic can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or metal in 1 round.
False Appearance. While the mimic's eyes and mouth remain closed, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary storm cloud.
Flammable Gas. If the mimic takes fire damage, it descends 60 ft. and is unable to ascend any higher than its current altitude until it finishes a long rest.
Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.
Innate Spellcasting. The mimic’s spellcasting ability is Constitution (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: gust of wind, thunderclap (as a 5th-level caster, 2d6 thunder damage on a failed save)
Troposphere Traverser. A creature cannot attack the mimic unless it is able to fly, has an attack range greater than 100 feet, or the mimic has descended into the creature's attack range.
ACTIONS
Pseudopod.Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage plus 26 (4d12) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the mimic. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the mimic, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the mimic's turns.
If the mimic takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the mimic must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the mimic. If the mimic dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Acid Rain. As a bonus action, the mimic secretes acid which falls like rain. Each creature and object under the mimic takes 1d8 acid damage. Any nonmagical armor a creature is wearing corrodes. The armor takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5 or reduces the creature's AC to a value equal to its Unarmored AC, the armor is destroyed.
DESCRIPTION
A storm stalker is a mimic of tremendous size that floats along in the lower atmosphere using sacs filled with lighter-than-air gases. It maintains its natural amorphous form, changing only its coloration and flashing an occasion flare of brilliant bioluminescence, imitating a brewing storm cloud. While all mimics produce acid and have adhesive-secreting glands, a storm stalker has adapted itself to secrete acid through these glands instead of adhesive, allowing them "rain" acid, after which they descend to consume any partially digested organic matter caught under its acid rain.
Environments: Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Urban
I would build up with storm clouds rolling in at an alarming speed. Howling winds and heavy downfall. The latter could quickly go from natural (rain in the summer) to the clearly unnatural (snow and ice in summer). Depending on the setting, clearer magical elements if suitable. Strange phenomenon such as twisters with snarling faces, thunder that sounds like laughter, strange lights, things polymorphing to blobs of twisted matter etc. From that add attacks against the PCs if needed. Saving throws to avoid adverse conditions.
Depending on the flavor you're going for (serious, dangerous, ominous or wacky sh*t happens)...
-arcane energy roils among the clouds, sending out tendrils of raw magic like lightning (Intelligence or Constitution save or suffer damage or pick a few interesting spell effects to apply) -Arcane spells are treated as Empowered, Heightened, and Extended (as in the metamagic feats) -use the chart for the sorcerer's wild magic, have players make a save or apply a Wild Magic effect
Sounds like a cool encounter. What's the backstory? Is the storm being created by someone? Are the players going to be in the wilderness?
I think building it up and adding layers as the storm intensifies will make this a climactic moment. Perhaps allow a survival check to notice that the clouds that are gathering on the horizon aren't natural. Add some weather effects, combined with clearly magical effects; dim light conditions; difficult terrain due to the force of the whipping wind and deluge of rain, that sort of thing. Make it a tricky place to concentrate, attack or move in and you've got a dramatic arena for a battle against an air elemental.
Not sure whether you're into having sound effects playing for immersion, but the background of a ferocious storm could really set the mood!
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In my next session I'm planning to have a my adventurers run into a magical storm while travelling on the road. I have some of my own ideas but I'm curious to hear what others might do.
Please feel free to share any ideas in regards to how you might narrate it, what effects it might have, as well as what impact it might have with actual game mechanics on the players.
Narrating a storm is going to depend on its effects as well a you preference for narration style.
something akin to a prolonged storm of vengeance might work.
Or, if that's too dull, over in my shark week thread, I statted a sharknado, if you want something over the top, and in my mimic book of mimics thread, I statted a storm cloud mimic.
Sharknado:
SELACHIAN CYCLONE
Gargantuan elemental (construct, elemental, misc creature, monstrosity, titan), unaligned
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 525 (30d20 + 210)
Speed 30 ft., (60 ft. if moving over water) , fly 60 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
25 (+7)
25 (+7)
25 (+7)
1 (-5)
25 (+7)
25 (+7)
Saving Throws STR +15, DEX +15, CON +15, INT +3, WIS +15, CHA +15
Damage Vulnerabilities Force
Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Radiant, Thunder
Damage Immunities Acid, Bludgeoning, Piercing, Poison, Psychic, Slashing
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned, Unconscious
Senses Unknown, Passive Perception 17
Languages - -
Challenge 27 (105,000 XP)
TRAITS
Freedom of Movement. The storm ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed.
Swarm. The storm is an amorphous mass containing an endless swarm of sharks. The storm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the storm can move through any opening large enough for a Medium shark.
Tropical Storm. At the start of the storm's turn, if at least 1 space it occupies is in, on, or over water it regains 25 hit points. If all spaces it occupies are on or over land at the start of its turn, it loses 50 hit points. This damage cannot be reduced in any way.
Water Walk. The storm move across any liquid surface--such as water, acid, mud, snow, quicksand, or lava--as if it were harmless solid ground. While moving over water, the storm moves at double its normal walking speed.
Whirlwind. When the storm moves into a creature's space or vice versa, that creature is affected as it would be by a whirlwind spell (DC 20), treating the storm as the whirlwind. Increase the size of creatures or objects the spell affects by 1 size category. This spell effect has an indefinite duration, ending only when the storm is reduced to 0 hit points.
ACTIONS
Rain of Sharks. The storm rains down ravenous sharks, which land in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the storm, or within the storm's space. Roll a d6 to determine what sharks appear.
The sharks are hostile to all creatures, except the storm. Roll initiative for the summoned sharks as a group, which has its own turns. The sharks pursue and attack the nearest non-sharks to the best of their ability.
Sharks summoned by the storm gain a walking speed of 10 feet, and are immune to any damage or condition inflicted by the storm, but are sucked up by the storm when they enter its space or the storm enters theirs as though they were objects. While in the storm's space, a shark summoned by the storm gains a fly speed equal to its swim speed, moves with the storm when the storm moves, and can move freely within the storm's space during its turn. If the shark leaves the storm's space, it drops to the ground. A shark that ends its turn outside of at least 5 feet of water or outside the storm's space begins suffocating.
REACTIONS
Sharkastatic Reply. When the storm is subjected to damage, it can use its rain of sharks as a reaction.
The Sharkest Hour. The first time the storm is reduced to half its hit points or less, it uses its rain of sharks two times as a reaction.
Aftershark. When the storm is reduced to 0 hit points, it uses its rain of sharks three times before dissipating.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The storm can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The storm regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Heart of Sharkness (Costs 3 Actions). Each shark summoned by the storm within 120 feet of it can use its reaction to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack against a non-shark creature.
It Was a Shark and Stormy Night. The storm makes a rain of sharks attack.
Shark Attack... Attack! A shark within the storm makes a bite attack against creature within 5 feet of the storm. Roll a d6 to determine the type of shark using the Shark Attack table below.
Sharkatapult. The storm makes a rain of sharks attack, but rather that appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the storm, the sharks appear in unoccupied spaces within a 10-foot-radius area centered on a space the storm can see up to 120 feet away. A number of creatures within that area equal the number of sharks that appear must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage plus the bite damage for the type of sharks that appear on a failed saving throw.
Shark Weak. All non-shark creatures within 120 feet of the storm must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target gains vulnerability to nonmagical piercing damage until the end of the storm's next turn. This effect overrides a target's immunity and resistance.
Sharkshooter. The storm ejects a shark, hurling it at a creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage plus the shark's bite damage and be knocked prone on a failed saving throw. The ejected shark then appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of the target. Roll a d6 to determine the type of shark using the Shark Attack table below.
Storm Off. The storm moves up to half its speed.
THE SHARK ATTACK TABLE
LAIR AND LAIR ACTIONS
As a storm, a selachian cyclone does not have a lair in the traditional sense; if does not live, and therefore has nowhere to do its living in. However, its presence has an obvious impact on the world around it. Perhaps a better term for a selachian cyclone's lair would be its disaster area.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the storm takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the storm can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
Regional Effects
The region containing a selachian cyclone is warped by the storm’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
If the the selachian cyclone dies, these effects end after 1d8 hours.
DESCRIPTION
A raging tempest that rains down voracious sharks as it passes, the selachian cyclone is an un-natural disaster of divine-plague proportions. It is more an event than it is a monster, and like any other natural (or not) disaster, it is virtually unstoppable.
Environments: Coastal, Underwater, Urban
Storm Stalker Mimic:
STORM STALKER MIMIC
Gargantuan monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 279 (18d20 + 90)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
23 (+6)
12 (+1)
21 (+5)
10 (+0)
16 (+3)
10 (+0)
Skills Stealth +9
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning, Thunder
Damage Immunities Acid
Condition Immunities Prone
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Undercommon
Challenge 10 (5900 XP)
TRAITS
Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an object or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Adhesive. The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Gargantuan or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 18). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.
Amorphous. The mimic can move through a space as narrow as 1 foot wide without squeezing.
Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the mimic or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the mimic corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed.
Nonmagical ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the mimic is destroyed after dealing damage.
The mimic can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or metal in 1 round.
False Appearance. While the mimic's eyes and mouth remain closed, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary storm cloud.
Flammable Gas. If the mimic takes fire damage, it descends 60 ft. and is unable to ascend any higher than its current altitude until it finishes a long rest.
Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.
Innate Spellcasting. The mimic’s spellcasting ability is Constitution (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: gust of wind, thunderclap (as a 5th-level caster, 2d6 thunder damage on a failed save)
3/day each: lightning bolt
Troposphere Traverser. A creature cannot attack the mimic unless it is able to fly, has an attack range greater than 100 feet, or the mimic has descended into the creature's attack range.
ACTIONS
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage plus 26 (4d12) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the mimic. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the mimic, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the mimic's turns.
If the mimic takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the mimic must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the mimic. If the mimic dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Acid Rain. As a bonus action, the mimic secretes acid which falls like rain. Each creature and object under the mimic takes 1d8 acid damage. Any nonmagical armor a creature is wearing corrodes. The armor takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5 or reduces the creature's AC to a value equal to its Unarmored AC, the armor is destroyed.
DESCRIPTION
A storm stalker is a mimic of tremendous size that floats along in the lower atmosphere using sacs filled with lighter-than-air gases. It maintains its natural amorphous form, changing only its coloration and flashing an occasion flare of brilliant bioluminescence, imitating a brewing storm cloud. While all mimics produce acid and have adhesive-secreting glands, a storm stalker has adapted itself to secrete acid through these glands instead of adhesive, allowing them "rain" acid, after which they descend to consume any partially digested organic matter caught under its acid rain.
Environments: Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Urban
Ongoing Projects: The Mimic Book of Mimics :: SHARK WEEK
Completed Projects: The Trick-or-Treat Table
My Homebrews: Races :: Classes :: Spells :: Items :: Monsters
I would build up with storm clouds rolling in at an alarming speed. Howling winds and heavy downfall. The latter could quickly go from natural (rain in the summer) to the clearly unnatural (snow and ice in summer). Depending on the setting, clearer magical elements if suitable. Strange phenomenon such as twisters with snarling faces, thunder that sounds like laughter, strange lights, things polymorphing to blobs of twisted matter etc. From that add attacks against the PCs if needed. Saving throws to avoid adverse conditions.
Depending on the flavor you're going for (serious, dangerous, ominous or wacky sh*t happens)...
-arcane energy roils among the clouds, sending out tendrils of raw magic like lightning (Intelligence or Constitution save or suffer damage or pick a few interesting spell effects to apply)
-Arcane spells are treated as Empowered, Heightened, and Extended (as in the metamagic feats)
-use the chart for the sorcerer's wild magic, have players make a save or apply a Wild Magic effect
Sounds like a cool encounter. What's the backstory? Is the storm being created by someone? Are the players going to be in the wilderness?
I think building it up and adding layers as the storm intensifies will make this a climactic moment. Perhaps allow a survival check to notice that the clouds that are gathering on the horizon aren't natural. Add some weather effects, combined with clearly magical effects; dim light conditions; difficult terrain due to the force of the whipping wind and deluge of rain, that sort of thing. Make it a tricky place to concentrate, attack or move in and you've got a dramatic arena for a battle against an air elemental.
Not sure whether you're into having sound effects playing for immersion, but the background of a ferocious storm could really set the mood!