Thanks for the video! It's the quintessential fire creature. The addition of being immune to charm and hold (and sleep) make them very formidable to many adventurers who take the standard array of spells.
Had a couple of encounters with these over the years. They are very tough without any kind of fire resistance. I remember them being one of the nasty critters in the old computer games also.
What I remember about fighting the salamander as a player was their lair ended up being a huge problem. We could only battle them after we lured them out, due to the extreme temperatures in their lair.
FWIW, this is where appropriate spells are very important. Magic items also, but this presumes such spells capable of bestowing such abilities. Ergo, MORE ROLE PLAYING of Spell Research will be a useful addition to the game.
I'm not going to lie, but when I first saw the word Salamander, I was hoping it would be like a Giant Japanese Salamander. But these guys are also cool.
For me, with mixed armor classes, I either handle it by taking position into account or I use a description. For the salamander, it says its upper body and lower body, so I would assume the people in the front get the upper body and the people behind it get the lower body... **shrugs** The carrion crawler has something like that about its head and body. Another way I handle it is describing something with a hard carapace over its back, but a soft underbelly in some way... You can do called shots at a -4 penalty, but that can get annoying when people try that on _everything._ Even then, the -4 might be worse to hit than just going for the lower AC. So, that's when description fits... (I think it's a Remorhaz or a Behir that has the soft underbelly). So, instead of having called shots, when it raises up to attack the people in front will hit its belly.... After it gets its attack, it will be down on the ground and they hit the carapace instead. So, winning initiative gives them the better opportunity to hit. 🙃
If you want to be really devious with them: 1) When the salamander coils itself around a target, the victim is lit on fire (d6 damage/round); 2) Non-magical weapons melt (inflicting no damage) when they strike the salamander; 3) Anyone attempting to enter the salamander's lair (500 degree heat) will die in under a round unless magically protected against heat/fire; 4) Animals with a natural fear of fire will not approach or attack a salamander.
Great video. Tough monster unless you have the right magic items. Some campaigns aren't nearly so generous with magic items and the party would be TPK unless they could escape. Currently playing with 4 PCs at almost 5th level and we have a total of 2 magic items among us.
Basically, there are 2 non-magical ways around the resistance to non-magical weapons. One is to have enough hit dice. The other is to utilize massive or natural attack forms like a catapult or an avalanche, or fire, lightning, or acid, etcetera. Of course, aside from magic items, one could always use spells.
The bottom left side of page 75 of the DMG gives the requirements for hitting creatures only affected by magical weapons. All bonuses are stackable. A +1 bow with a +1 arrow enables you to hit a +2 creature. If you additionally drink a potion of invulnerability (which grants a +1), then you could hit a +3 creature. I also allow the 4th level magic-user Enchanted Weapon spell to stack, and to be cast upon magic weapons to raise their bonus by +1 for each spell cast. Note that this spell doesn’t actually give “to hit” or damage bonuses, but only gives the bonus with regard to which creatures are able to be struck, (and this ought to raise some interesting questions and get you thinking…).
There are several ways to deal with mixed Armour Classes. The first, which is suggested in both the DMG (pg 28, helmets & pg 166, sword of sharpness) and MM (pg 10, beholder) indicates random assignment. I do seem to recall a chart or table somewhere indicating locations based upon a d6; head, torso, 2 arms, 2 legs. But, I cannot recall where the reference is. The other is by position (DMG pg 69, MM pg 30). This determines accessibility of various body positions by ability to reach from relative positions. The other is by targeting selection with odds or probability of success. Of the 3 options, the latter two involve some strategic role playing, while the first is simply a random assignment. They can be mixed as appropriate. I personally prefer any situation which can accommodate and reward strategic role playing, because this GREATLY enhances and intensifies the play level of the game.
@@jasonjacobson1157 No, it wasn’t that I was thinking of. It amounted to basically a paragraph in one of the 3 core 1e books, if it existed at all. I might have imagined it or made my own table.
V.2024 seems to be doing away with "needs magical weapons to be hit" aspect on monsters. I prefer so much of the old school stuff. Bring back d4 magic-users and no arcane casting in armor!
Most people aren’t even properly aware of the role playing reasoning behind “no arcane casting in armour”. Most incorrectly assume it’s because metal ruins spell casting, BUT THAT’S FOR DRUIDS (PHB pg 21). For magic-users, the rationale is that magic-users lack martial training (PHB pg 25).
@@migueldelmazo5244 In 1e AD&D it’s all over the map. Druids, Bards, and Thieves have the easiest exp gains. Clerics and Fighters are pretty easy. Magic-users are about middle, with a very weird progression. Rangers, Paladins, and Monks are the toughest to level up.
@@migueldelmazo5244 FWIW, as a DM, I try to place appropriate magic items to also give exp boosts to characters. I also try to tailor them to planned upcoming encounters.
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I enjoy all of Page121 Tabletop Roleplaying Games videos 🎉🎉
The Kenku.
Thanks for the video! It's the quintessential fire creature. The addition of being immune to charm and hold (and sleep) make them very formidable to many adventurers who take the standard array of spells.
This creature really shows how much the game leans into mythology. Salamanders were associated with fire in European mythology.
Had a couple of encounters with these over the years. They are very tough without any kind of fire resistance.
I remember them being one of the nasty critters in the old computer games also.
What I remember about fighting the salamander as a player was their lair ended up being a huge problem. We could only battle them after we lured them out, due to the extreme temperatures in their lair.
FWIW, this is where appropriate spells are very important. Magic items also, but this presumes such spells capable of bestowing such abilities.
Ergo, MORE ROLE PLAYING of Spell Research will be a useful addition to the game.
I'm not going to lie, but when I first saw the word Salamander, I was hoping it would be like a Giant Japanese Salamander. But these guys are also cool.
For me, with mixed armor classes, I either handle it by taking position into account or I use a description. For the salamander, it says its upper body and lower body, so I would assume the people in the front get the upper body and the people behind it get the lower body... **shrugs** The carrion crawler has something like that about its head and body.
Another way I handle it is describing something with a hard carapace over its back, but a soft underbelly in some way... You can do called shots at a -4 penalty, but that can get annoying when people try that on _everything._ Even then, the -4 might be worse to hit than just going for the lower AC. So, that's when description fits... (I think it's a Remorhaz or a Behir that has the soft underbelly). So, instead of having called shots, when it raises up to attack the people in front will hit its belly.... After it gets its attack, it will be down on the ground and they hit the carapace instead. So, winning initiative gives them the better opportunity to hit. 🙃
If you want to be really devious with them: 1) When the salamander coils itself around a target, the victim is lit on fire (d6 damage/round); 2) Non-magical weapons melt (inflicting no damage) when they strike the salamander; 3) Anyone attempting to enter the salamander's lair (500 degree heat) will die in under a round unless magically protected against heat/fire; 4) Animals with a natural fear of fire will not approach or attack a salamander.
Item Saving Throw Table: save vs magic fire or fire, DMG pg 80.
There was a beautiful color version of the Salamander art in the Monster Cards set.
I believe I have that particular one somewhere.
Good watch I’ve had them on a big random encounters table hope to roll them soon
They were summoned by the great wizard cornholio
Arch Mage Cornolio, very deadly.
Cornholio requires fire resistant TP! Especially after SPICY 🌶️ 🔥 burritos!🌯
Great video. Tough monster unless you have the right magic items. Some campaigns aren't nearly so generous with magic items and the party would be TPK unless they could escape. Currently playing with 4 PCs at almost 5th level and we have a total of 2 magic items among us.
Basically, there are 2 non-magical ways around the resistance to non-magical weapons. One is to have enough hit dice. The other is to utilize massive or natural attack forms like a catapult or an avalanche, or fire, lightning, or acid, etcetera.
Of course, aside from magic items, one could always use spells.
The bottom left side of page 75 of the DMG gives the requirements for hitting creatures only affected by magical weapons.
All bonuses are stackable. A +1 bow with a +1 arrow enables you to hit a +2 creature. If you additionally drink a potion of invulnerability (which grants a +1), then you could hit a +3 creature. I also allow the 4th level magic-user Enchanted Weapon spell to stack, and to be cast upon magic weapons to raise their bonus by +1 for each spell cast. Note that this spell doesn’t actually give “to hit” or damage bonuses, but only gives the bonus with regard to which creatures are able to be struck, (and this ought to raise some interesting questions and get you thinking…).
Slaad next???
I love Slaads!
How about a high-level adventuring guide for DMs?
I'm working on it.
@@page121tabletoproleplaying4 Oh, great!
There are several ways to deal with mixed Armour Classes.
The first, which is suggested in both the DMG (pg 28, helmets & pg 166, sword of sharpness) and MM (pg 10, beholder) indicates random assignment.
I do seem to recall a chart or table somewhere indicating locations based upon a d6; head, torso, 2 arms, 2 legs. But, I cannot recall where the reference is.
The other is by position (DMG pg 69, MM pg 30). This determines accessibility of various body positions by ability to reach from relative positions.
The other is by targeting selection with odds or probability of success.
Of the 3 options, the latter two involve some strategic role playing, while the first is simply a random assignment. They can be mixed as appropriate.
I personally prefer any situation which can accommodate and reward strategic role playing, because this GREATLY enhances and intensifies the play level of the game.
You are probably remembering the Blackmoor supplement for OD&D. There are 5 or 6 pages of detailed hit location rules.
@@jasonjacobson1157 No, it wasn’t that I was thinking of. It amounted to basically a paragraph in one of the 3 core 1e books, if it existed at all. I might have imagined it or made my own table.
So they are basically Lawyers
V.2024 seems to be doing away with "needs magical weapons to be hit" aspect on monsters.
I prefer so much of the old school stuff.
Bring back d4 magic-users and no arcane casting in armor!
Most people aren’t even properly aware of the role playing reasoning behind “no arcane casting in armour”.
Most incorrectly assume it’s because metal ruins spell casting, BUT THAT’S FOR DRUIDS (PHB pg 21).
For magic-users, the rationale is that magic-users lack martial training (PHB pg 25).
@glenncox9128 imagine trying to run a game where casters had to earn more experience points per level than martials!
@@migueldelmazo5244 In 1e AD&D it’s all over the map.
Druids, Bards, and Thieves have the easiest exp gains.
Clerics and Fighters are pretty easy.
Magic-users are about middle, with a very weird progression.
Rangers, Paladins, and Monks are the toughest to level up.
@@migueldelmazo5244 FWIW, as a DM, I try to place appropriate magic items to also give exp boosts to characters.
I also try to tailor them to planned upcoming encounters.
@glenncox9128 Yes, I remember. :)
I miss that era of DnD. 2024 druids can wear metal armor! Heresy.
Yes, I am old.
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