New Creature Powers!

Since the final release of D@W is going to include prices for virtually every monster in ACKS, I added a bunch of rules for many of the special abilities that might crop up. Check 'em out!

Aura: Certain creatures (e.g. some dragons, all remorhaz and salamanders) have a damaging aura. A unit of at least 1 colossal, 3 gigantic, or 10 huge creatures with damaging auras will deal one uhp of damage to all adjacent units at the start of its command phase. (This effect occurs regardless of whether the unit is activated during the phase). Loose units dealt damage by an aura may withdraw to reduce the damage as if it were a missile attack. Creatures with a damaging aura may not form a unit with other types of creatures unless those creatures are immune to their aura.

EXAMPLE: A unit of 20 flame salamanders is adjacent to a friendly unit of 120 light infantry and an enemy unit of 120 orcs. At the start of the flame salamander unit’s command phase, it deals one uhp of damage to the light infantry and the orcs. The light infantry (being Loose Foot with a walking movement rate of 2) withdraw 1 hex to avoid damage, though they still become disordered. The orcs suffer 1 uhp of damage and become disordered. The unit’s commander then activates the flame salamanders and attacks the now-disordered orcs!

Blink: Blink dogs can teleport (“blink”), a special ability that greatly aids them in moving, disengaging, and withdrawing. During its movement sequence, a unit of blink dogs can blink away in lieu of marching, reappearing with any desired facing in any unoccupied, passable hex within 18 hexes. Since blinking occurs in lieu of marching, the unit may conduct an attack sequence after its blink. When blinking, the unit ignores any intervening obstacles, units, or terrain.
When disengaging, a unit of blink dogs simply teleports to an unoccupied, passable hex up to 18 hexes distant, arriving with any desired facing. It is not subject to a disengagement attack sequence, and may attack after disengaging.
When dealt damage, a unit of blink dogs may reduce damage dealt by one or more points by blink-withdrawing one or more hexes directly away from the attacker, up to a maximum of 18 hexes. When blink-withdrawing it may ignore intervening units, obstacles, and terrain, but its blink-withdraw must terminate in an unoccupied, passable hex. The unit arrives from its blink-withdrawal disordered and facing a random vertex. A unit of blink dogs may not blink-withdraw if already disordered.

Charming Gaze: Certain creatures (e.g. demon boars and vampires) possess a charming gaze. The first time a unit is activated while “face-to-face” with a unit of creatures with a charming gaze, it risks being charmed. To determine if the two units are “face-to-face”, draw an imaginary line straight from the center of the activated unit’s hex to the center of the petrifying unit’s hex. If the line exits the activated unit’s hex through its front hexes and enters the petrifying unit’s hex through its front hexes, then the units are “face-to-face”. The activated unit must make a saving throw versus Spells at -2 or be charmed. A successful saving throw grants a unit immunity to the effects of the gaze for the rest of the battle. If the two units are adjacent, the activated unit saves with no modifier. If the two units are at range, the activated unit gains a +4 bonus to its saving throw at two-hex range, +8 at a three-hex range, and so on. (Thus units at a range of six hexes or more will automatically succeed). This represents the reduced chance of making “eye contact” with enemy on a crowded, distracting battlefield.
Charmed units fall under the control of the charming unit’s commander until the charm is dispelled. The charmed units can be activated at a cost of 2 AP each, but they are so disoriented that the only actions they make take are to stand fast or march towards the charmed unit. Charmed units may not attack, and any attacks against charmed units automatically hit. The charmed units are fearless, and do not roll for shock or morale until the charm is dispelled.
Units may avoid becoming charmed by averting their eyes. This decision must be made before the saving throw is made. Units which avert their eyes become disordered and suffer an additional penalty of -4 on attack rolls and -2 to AC until their next activation.
If an enemy army is known (or suspected) to field units with a charming gaze, then friendly units might be equipped with mirrors. Units equipped with mirrors reduce the penalties from averting their eyes; while still disordered, they suffer only -2 on attack rolls with no additional AC penalty.

Chimera Breath: Chimera can breathe fire from their dragon head. In lieu of its normal attack sequence, a unit of (or including) chimeras may conduct a breath attack sequence against a unit it threatens. The unit receives one breath attack per chimera in the unit. Each breath attack deals 3 uhp of damage. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than ½ its maximum uhp (rounded up) from a particular chimera breath attack. Like magic, damage from chimera breath attacks always triggers a shock roll.

Dragon Blood: Certain dragons possess poisonous blood. A unit consisting of such dragons can be very dangerous to attack in melee. If the dragon unit is dealt damage during a melee attack sequence, its attacker must make a saving throw versus Poison. If the save fails, the attacker suffers damage equal to its own Unit Hit Dice. This damage triggers a shock roll, which is resolved at the conclusion of the attacker’s attack sequence. Poison-blooded dragons may not form a unit with other types of creatures, as their blood would harm the other creatures in their unit.

Harpy Song: The siren singing of harpies can lull enemy units to their doom with their magical songs. A unit of harpies can use its magical song in lieu of its attack sequence. All units within range of the song (both friendly and enemy) must make a saving throw versus Spells or become charmed. A successful saving throw grants a unit immunity to the effects of the song for the rest of the battle. The range of the harpy unit’s magical song depends on the number of harpies in the unit. If there are 20 or fewer harpies, the range is 1 hex. If there are 21 to 60 harpies, the range is 2 hexes. If there are 61 to 120 harpies, the range is 3 hexes.
Charmed units fall under the control of the harpy unit’s commander until the charm is dispelled. The charmed units can be activated at a cost of 2 AP each, but they are so disoriented that the only actions they make take are to stand fast or march towards the harpies. Charmed units may not attack, and any attacks against charmed units automatically hit. The charmed units are fearless, and do not roll for shock or morale while they are being killed and eaten!
If an enemy army is known (or suspected) to field harpies, then friendly units might be equipped with earplugs. (Armies that field harpies themselves might also equip their troops with earplugs.) Units equipped with earplugs ignore the effects of harpy song, but cost one additional AP to activate due to their deafened state.

Hellhound Breath: Hellhounds possess a fiery breath that targets a single creature. During each melee attack sequence, a hellhound unit has a 30% chance of breathing fire in lieu of its normal attacks. A hellhound unit’s breath weapon deals 1 uhp of damage per Unit HD to the target unit. (If a unit consists only partly of hellhounds, only that portion of its Unit HD which are from the hellhounds should be counted.) If the target unit succeeds on a saving throw versus Blast, the damage is reduced by half. Like magic, damage from hellhound breath always triggers a shock roll.

Petrifying Breath: Gorgons possess petrifying breath. In lieu of its normal attack sequence, a unit of (or including) gorgons may conduct a breath attack sequence against a unit it threatens. The unit receives one breath attack per gorgon in the unit. Each breath attack forces the target unit to save versus Petrification. If the unit fails, it loses ½ its maximum uhp (rounded up) to petrification. Damage from gorgon breath attacks always triggers a shock roll.

Petrifying Gaze: Perhaps the most fearsome power on any battlefield is the ability to petrify other creatures on sight! Whenever a unit is “face-to-face” with a unit of creatures with a petrifying gaze (e.g. basilisks or medusas), it risks petrification anytime it is activated. To determine if the two units are “face-to-face”, draw an imaginary line straight from the center of the activated unit’s hex to the center of the petrifying unit’s hex. If the line exits the activated unit’s hex through its front hexes and enters the petrifying unit’s hex through its front hexes, then the units are “face-to-face”. The activated unit must make a saving throw versus Petrification or be destroyed! If the two units are adjacent, the activated unit saves with no modifier. If the two units are at range, the activated unit gains a +4 bonus to its saving throw at two-hex range, +8 at a three-hex range, and so on. (Thus units at a range of six hexes or more will automatically succeed). This represents the reduced chance of making “eye contact” with enemy on a crowded, distracting battlefield.
Units may avoid petrification by averting their eyes. This decision must be made before the saving throw is made. Units which avert their eyes become disordered and suffer an additional penalty of -4 on attack rolls and -2 to AC until their next activation.

If an enemy army is known (or suspected) to field petrifying units, then friendly units might be equipped with mirrors. Units equipped with mirrors reduce the penalties from averting their eyes; while still disordered, they suffer only -2 on attack rolls with no additional AC penalty. In lieu of attacking, a unit equipped with mirrors may attempt to reflect the petrifying unit’s reflection upon itself. This succeeds on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6. If successful, the petrifying unit must save versus Petrification or be destroyed!
Petrifying Touch: Certain creatures (e.g. cockatrices) possess a petrifying touch. If such a unit deals at least one uhp of damage on its target from any of its attacks, the target unit must make a saving throw versus Petrification or lose troops to petrification. This causes additional damage to the target unit equal to its own Unit Hit Dice. Like magic, damage from petrification always triggers a shock roll.

Regeneration: Units of trolls regenerate 1 uhp during each morale phase. They may not regenerate uhp of damage dealt by fire.

Wow.

Between this and your other post on chariots, cross-breeding’s starting to look like it’s the new arms race for empires flush with gold.

…Blink Warhorses, which should be intelligent, (with or without chariots)? Would they blink with their riders? Or would they blink out to flank the unit that’s left facing what’s now infantry?

If they left behind chariots, could the riders left behind use those as a virtual testudo?

This is great Alex. I’m so excited for the D@W books. :slight_smile: