The Piercer’s Perspective: How to Build and Run Piercer Encounters in D&D 5e
You are a Piercer, a creature that resembles a stalactite and lives in dark caves. You have one simple goal: to drop on unsuspecting prey and pierce them with your sharp body. You are not very smart, but you have a keen sense of hearing and smell. You can sense the vibrations and noises of creatures walking below you, and you can smell their blood and fear. You wait patiently until the right moment, then you detach yourself from the ceiling and fall like a deadly missile. You enjoy the feeling of your body piercing through flesh and bone, and the taste of warm blood in your mouth. You are a Piercer, and this is how you hunt.
But not all prey are easy to catch. Some of them are adventurers, armed with weapons and magic. They can fight back, dodge your attacks, or even spot you before you strike. They can hurt you, scare you, or kill you. They are dangerous, and you hate them. You want to pierce them more than anything else. But how can you do that? How can you overcome their defenses and abilities? How can you make them suffer as much as possible? How can you be the ultimate Piercer?
This article will help you answer these questions. It will give you tips and tricks on how to build and run challenging encounters with Piercers in D&D 5e, from the perspective of the Piercer. It will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, your tactics and strategies, your allies and enemies, and your role in the game. It will help you create memorable and fun experiences for yourself and your players. It will help you become a better Piercer.
Are you ready to pierce your enemies? Then read on!
Piercing Power: How to Use Your Abilities as a Piercer
As a Piercer, you have some unique abilities that make you a formidable hunter in the dark caves. You can use these abilities to surprise, damage, and escape from your enemies. Here are some tips on how to use your abilities effectively:
- False Appearance: This is your main advantage as a Piercer. You can blend in with the stalactites on the ceiling and remain undetected by most creatures. You can use this ability to ambush your prey, or to hide from danger. You should always look for a good spot to attach yourself to the ceiling, preferably above a narrow passage or a busy area. You should also avoid making any noise or movement that could reveal your presence. You can use your sense of hearing and smell to detect potential targets below you, and wait for the perfect moment to strike.
- Spider Climb: This is your secondary advantage as a Piercer. You can climb any surface, even upside down, without any difficulty. You can use this ability to move around the cave, find new hiding spots, or chase after fleeing prey. You should also use this ability to escape from enemies that are too strong or too many for you. You can quickly climb up the walls or the ceiling and retreat to a safe distance. You can also use this ability to avoid obstacles or traps that might hinder your movement on the ground.
- Drop: This is your main attack as a Piercer. You can detach yourself from the ceiling and fall on your target, piercing them with your sharp body. You can use this attack to deal massive damage to your prey, especially if you fall from a great height. The more you fall, the more you hurt. However, you should also be careful not to miss your target, or you might hurt yourself instead. You should also be aware of your surroundings, and avoid falling on hazards such as spikes, pits, or lava. You should also be ready to face the consequences of your attack, such as angering other creatures, attracting attention, or exposing yourself to danger.
These are your main abilities as a Piercer, and how you can use them to your advantage. However, you should also know that there are other factors that can affect your performance as a Piercer, such as your environment, your allies, and your enemies. In the next sections, we will explore these factors in more detail.
Drop It Like It’s Hot: How to Maximize Your Damage as a Piercer
As a Piercer, your main weapon is your own body. You can drop from the ceiling and impale your enemies with your sharp tip, causing massive damage. However, not every drop is equally effective. There are many factors that can influence how much damage you can deal with your drop attack, such as the height, the target, the timing, and the environment. In this section, we will discuss how you can optimize these factors and maximize your damage as a Piercer.
- Height: The height of your drop determines how much damage you can deal. The higher you drop, the more damage you do. However, there is a limit to how high you can drop. Piercers usually avoid places that have drops of more than 60 feet, as they risk hurting themselves too much if they miss. Therefore, you should aim for a height of around 50 to 60 feet, which will allow you to deal 21 (6d6) piercing damage per drop.
- Target: The target of your drop determines how likely you are to hit and how much resistance you will face. You should choose a target that is directly underneath you, unaware of your presence, and vulnerable to piercing damage. You should avoid targets that are too far away, too alert, or too armored. You should also avoid targets that have allies nearby, as they might interfere with your attack or retaliate against you. Whenever possible, multiple Piercers will drop on a single target, maximizing the number of wounds and increasing the chance that the wounds will cause death.
- Timing: The timing of your drop determines how surprising and effective your attack will be. You should wait for the right moment to strike, when your target is least expecting it and most exposed. You should also coordinate your drop with other Piercers or Ropers in your area, to create a deadly ambush. Surprise is one of the most powerful advantages in combat, as it prevents the enemy from taking any actions or reactions on their first turn.
- Environment: The environment of your drop determines how safe and advantageous your attack will be. You should look for a place that has plenty of stalactites to hide among, plenty of space to fall without hitting anything else, and plenty of cover to retreat to after your attack. You should also look for a place that has hazards or obstacles that can hinder or harm your enemies, such as spikes, pits, or lava. You should avoid places that are too bright, too noisy, or too crowded.
These are some tips on how to maximize your damage as a Piercer by using your drop attack effectively. By considering these factors, you can make sure that every drop counts and every enemy falls.
Piercers in the Wild: How to Adapt to Different Terrains as a Piercer
As a Piercer, you are a creature native to and uniquely adapted to subterranean environments, specifically cave environments. You can mimic the appearance of a stalactite perfectly, and drop from the ceiling to pierce your prey. However, not all caves are the same, and some terrains may pose more challenges or opportunities for you than others. In this section, we will discuss how you can adapt to different terrains as a Piercer, and what advantages or disadvantages they may offer.
- Rocky Caves: These are the most common and favorable terrains for you as a Piercer. They have plenty of stalactites to hide among, plenty of space to fall without hitting anything else, and plenty of cover to retreat to after your attack. You can easily blend in with the rocky ceiling, and surprise your enemies with your drop attack. You should look for places that have high ceilings, narrow passages, or busy areas, where you can maximize your damage and minimize your risk.
- Icy Caves: These are similar to rocky caves, but with some differences. They have fewer stalactites to hide among, but more hazards or obstacles that can hinder or harm your enemies, such as ice spikes, slippery floors, or freezing temperatures. You can still blend in with the icy ceiling, but you may have more difficulty finding a good spot to attach yourself. You should look for places that have low visibility, low light, or low temperature, where you can exploit your darkvision and blindsight.
- Mushroom Caves: These are different from rocky caves, but not necessarily worse. They have more stalactites to hide among, but also more creatures that can detect or disturb you, such as fungi, spores, or myconids. You can still blend in with the mushroom-covered ceiling, but you may have more competition for your hiding spots. You should look for places that have high humidity, high toxicity, or high activity, where you can use your sense of smell and stealth skill.
- Lava Caves: These are the most dangerous and unfavorable terrains for you as a Piercer. They have few stalactites to hide among, and many hazards or obstacles that can hinder or harm you, such as lava flows, fire jets, or magma mephits. You can hardly blend in with the glowing ceiling, and risk burning yourself with your drop attack. You should avoid places that have high heat, high light, or high danger, where you can easily be spotted and killed.
These are some examples of how you can adapt to different terrains as a Piercer, and what challenges or opportunities they may present. By being aware of these factors, you can make sure that you choose the best terrain for your hunting style and survival.
Piercing Encounters: How to Challenge Your Players with Piercers
As a DM, you may want to use Piercers in your adventures to create some exciting and unexpected encounters for your players. Piercers are simple but effective monsters that can surprise, damage, and scare your players with their drop attack. However, not every encounter with Piercers is the same. Depending on the level, number, and composition of your party, as well as the terrain, allies, and enemies of the Piercers, you may need to adjust the difficulty and complexity of the encounter. In this section, we will provide some examples of encounters with Piercers for different scenarios, and how you can make them more challenging and fun for your players.
- Low-Level Encounter: A group of four level 1 adventurers (a fighter, a rogue, a cleric, and a wizard) are exploring a rocky cave in search of a missing miner. They come across a narrow passage that leads to a large chamber. As they walk through the passage, they trigger a trap that causes a loud noise and a bright flash. This alerts four Piercers that are hiding among the stalactites above the chamber. The Piercers drop on the adventurers as they enter the chamber, hoping to catch them off guard and kill them quickly.
- This is a simple encounter that introduces the players to the concept and threat of Piercers. The trap serves as a way to negate the surprise factor for the Piercers, as well as to create some tension and suspense for the players. The encounter is balanced according to the Dungeon Master’s Guide, with an adjusted XP of 200 (50 XP per Piercer) and a difficulty of easy for four level 1 characters. To make the encounter more challenging, you can increase the number of Piercers, add some environmental hazards (such as spikes or pits), or have some Ropers join the attack.
- Mid-Level Encounter: A group of five level 5 adventurers (a barbarian, a ranger, a bard, a paladin, and a druid) are hired by a local lord to clear out a mushroom cave that has been infested by strange creatures. They find out that the creatures are actually Piercers that have adapted to the fungal environment. They encounter a large colony of twelve Piercers that are hiding among the mushrooms on the ceiling. The Piercers drop on the adventurers as they enter their territory, trying to overwhelm them with numbers and poison.
- This is a moderate encounter that shows how Piercers can adapt to different terrains and gain new abilities. The mushroom cave provides more cover and camouflage for the Piercers, as well as some spores that can poison or confuse the adventurers. The encounter is balanced according to the Dungeon Master’s Guide, with an adjusted XP of 1800 (75 XP per Piercer) and a difficulty of medium for five level 5 characters. To make the encounter more challenging, you can increase the potency or variety of the spores, add some myconids or other fungal creatures as allies for the Piercers, or have some Ropers join the attack.
- High-Level Encounter: A group of six level 10 adventurers (a fighter, a rogue, a cleric, a wizard, a sorcerer, and a monk) are on a quest to retrieve an ancient artifact from a lava cave guarded by a powerful dragon. They discover that the dragon has some minions that serve as its eyes and ears in the cave: eight Piercers that have been exposed to the intense heat and magic of the lava. The Piercers drop on the adventurers as they approach the dragon’s lair, trying to weaken them before they face their master.
- This is a hard encounter that shows how Piercers can become more dangerous and deadly with exposure to extreme conditions and magic. The lava cave provides less cover and camouflage for the Piercers, but also more hazards and obstacles for the adventurers, such as lava flows, fire jets, or magma mephits. The Piercers also have some enhanced abilities, such as resistance to fire damage, extra fire damage on their drop attack, or even flight. The encounter is balanced according to the Dungeon Master’s Guide, with an adjusted XP of 7200 (450 XP per Piercer) and a difficulty of hard for six level 10 characters. To make the encounter more challenging, you can increase the intensity or frequency of the lava hazards, add some fire elementals or other fiery creatures as allies for the Piercers, or have some Ropers join the attack.
These are some examples of encounters with Piercers for different scenarios, and how you can make them more challenging and fun for your players. By using these examples as inspiration, you can create your own encounters with Piercers that suit your adventure and your party. Remember, Piercers are simple but effective monsters that can surprise, damage, and scare your players with their drop attack. Use them wisely, and have fun!
Piercing Conclusion: How to Enjoy Playing with or as a Piercer
As we have seen in this article, the Piercer is a simple but effective monster that can create some exciting and unexpected encounters in D&D 5e. Whether you are a DM who wants to challenge your players with Piercers, or a player who wants to play as a Piercer, you can use the tips and tricks we have provided to make the most out of this creature.
The Piercer is a creature that relies on its drop attack to surprise, damage, and scare its enemies. It can blend in with the ceiling and wait for the right moment to strike. It can also adapt to different terrains and gain new abilities. However, it also has some weaknesses and limitations, such as its low intelligence, its lack of mobility, and its vulnerability to detection and retaliation.
The Piercer is a creature that can be used in various scenarios and levels, depending on the number, composition, and environment of the encounter. It can also be combined with other creatures, such as Ropers or other subterranean monsters, to create more complex and diverse encounters. It can also be enhanced or modified with magic or exposure to extreme conditions, to create more dangerous and deadly encounters.
The Piercer is a creature that can be fun and rewarding to play with or as. It can provide some memorable and fun experiences for both DMs and players. It can also challenge your creativity and strategy, as you have to think like a Piercer and use your abilities effectively.
We hope that this article has helped you understand and appreciate the Piercer better. We hope that you will use this creature in your adventures, or even try playing as one yourself. We hope that you will enjoy piercing your enemies with this monster.