Beastly [The Vault #20]
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We'll finish our cycle of Horror themed Vaults in a month or two, after you've gotten more familiar with the cards and they've lost their gloss, but today we'll give a grooming to a standard Encounter type from the base deck: Beasts!
As part of a Horror-themed quest or game, you could add one of these titles to a beast corrupted by the Horrors. We present twenty Titles to spice up Beastly foes!
_Bristlecoat_ (#Bristle) The arrows and bolts of past victims testify to its deadliness. > Loses 2 hp. Anyone using a :melee: attack against it suffers 1 damage.
_Bonecrusher_ (#Bone) A bone cracked for its marrow dangles from its jaws. > Each round damage is dealt, one adventurer takes an additional 1 point of damage.
_The Ghost_ (#BeastGhost) It makes no noise, and indeed disappears with ease. > The first round of combat, those that fail a Notice :ranged: check equal to 10+ it's Tier are caught unawares and cannot use abilities.
_RazorTooth_ (#Razor) Every sharp tooth gleams in the light. > Increase damage dealt at the end of the round by 1.
_Ironhide_ (#Ironhide) It's thickened, scar covered hide is resistant to damage. > Reduce all damage suffered by Ironhide by 1.
_The Darkness_ (#Darkness) It blends in to its surroundings, making it harder to track and hit. > Non :melee: abilities suffer a -2 to rolls.
_Bloody Maw_ (#Maw) It's been feasting... > All adventurers must make a Persona :roll: equal to 10+it's Tier Value (gain +1 for every level above base Persona or -1 for each below it). On a failure lose 1 Persona.
_The Black Pack_ (#Pack) There are many of them and they've become accustomed to killing together. > Lower each ability :roll: by 1 for each member of the pack.
_The Hounding Fury_ (#Fury) It targets the strongest among you with relentless cunning. > The :adventurer: with the highest hp takes 1 extra damage this round.
_Lockjaw_ (#Lockjaw) Once it bites it won't let go until one of you is dead. > The adventurer with the lowest ability :roll: on the first round becomes the target of Lockjaw. They lose 1 Persona per round until Lockjaw is dead.
_The Screamers_ (#Screamers) The sound of the hunt is terrifying and close, cacophonous and unnatural. > All :music: and :influence: abilities suffer a -3 to rolls. Each round, one :music: or :influence: failure becomes a critical failure (1).
_Poisontongue_ (#Poisontongue) A nasty green froth coats its tongue and teeth. > Anyone taking damage from Poisontongue suffers the effects of poison (we will have a future Vault post with 20 to choose from) or loss of 1 Persona and -1 to all rolls until healed.
_The Clutching Dread_ (#Dread) It wraps you in a crushing embrace. > The :adventurer: with the lowest roll on the first round is tackled. Any attacks made against the Beast also effect that :adventurer: on a roll of 10 or 15.
_The Phantom_ (#PhantomBeast) It's almost supernatural in its ability to strike then fade away. > On being reduced below half hp, choose one :adventurer: to make a :melee: roll. On a :roll: below 10+it's Tier level, it disengages and escapes. On the next combat encounter, add The Phantom to the battle, having restored it's hp to 3/4 full.
_Once-Man_ (#Once) Cursed long ago into the form of a Beast, it has retained its cunning in the ways of men. > The :adventurer: with the second highest ability :roll: each round finds that the beast deftly avoids their attack.
_Deathclaw_ (#Deathclaw) Massive and powerful beyond what is normal for its kind. > Every other round, the two adventurers with the lowest ability :roll: s each suffer 1 hp of damage from the raking claws.
_Eyebiter_ (#Eyebiter) It goes straight for the face, every time. > Once per round, if the :adventurer: with the lowest ability roll takes any damage, they also suffer damage to their eyes. For the remainder of combat anyone so damaged suffers -4 to all rolls (until healed).
_The Ever-Hungry_ (#Everhungry) It's been eating well, and often, though such seems not to have slaked its gluttony. > Two rounds after the first :adventurer: suffers damage, this Beast catches the scent and comes to feast. Add a Beast of Tier equal to the highest already in the Encounter, then update the Tier sum and add another +1 to it.
_The Cursed Pack_ (#CPack) It's said any man that strikes down one of these profane beasts will be plagued by ill luck. > Any time an :adventurer: kills a member of the Cursed Pack they suffer a -1 to all rolls afterward (until the curse has been broken, perhaps with a :magic: check above 10+it's Tier value--only one attempt may be made per quest). Curses are cumulative.
_The Mangy_ (#Mangy) It's been healthier and less irritable... > Reduce the tier value by 1 and reset it.
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