Abilities

Abilities are the bread and butter of a Horror's arsenal, allowing them to pose a significant threat to Hunters. Similar to the abilities of Hunter archetypes, they can range from devastating attacks to cunning tactical maneuvers or even utility abilities that heal, protect, or enhance mobility.

Designing abilities for a Horror is a creative process. Start by determining how long it would take for the Horror to use an ability. Is it a regular action or a bonus action?

Next, establish the range and shape of the ability, if it's applicable. This helps visualize how the ability interacts with the battlefield. For instance, a 'Sonic Screech' ability might affect all creatures within a 20-ft. radius of the Horror.

Determining the number of charges an ability has in combat is another crucial step. By default, this number is equal to the Horror's Core Modifier (CM), the same value that powers a Hunter's abilities. However, you might want to adjust this for balance or to reflect the nature of the ability.

When designing an attacking ability, you'll need to decide on the attack roll mechanic and the damage dice and type. For instance, an 'Infernal Claw' attack might require an attack roll, the Horror's Core Modifier (CM) added against the target's Hit Threshold, and deal 2d8 slashing damage plus 1d6 fire damage. If instead the ability forces the target to resist its effect, they make a check against the Horror's Core Threshold (CT). Just specify the relevant attribute, and the CT becomes the number the target must meet or beat to avoid or reduce the effect.

note

Both derived stats come straight from the Horror's CM (CT = 11 + CM), so you set them once when you build the Horror and reuse them for every ability. See the Attributes section for the full breakdown.

For non-damaging or utility abilities, you might not need to specify damage dice and type. Instead, these abilities could provide healing, create barriers, grant movement bonuses, or apply other effects.

Example

Overseer: "Jason, I'm designing a Basal Horror and I want to give it an ability that makes the earth shake and potentially knock the Hunters down. Any suggestions?"

Jason: "Sounds like a cool 'Earthquake' ability! You could make it an action with a 30-ft. radius effect. Hunters within the area need to succeed a Dexterity check against your Horror's CT or be knocked prone."

Overseer: "I like that! And maybe the earthquake could trigger a few environmental hazards if they fight it in the wrong place. It could be an excellent way to disrupt the Hunters' plans."

Jason: "How devious, I like it."