[D&D 4e] Fractines

Fractines are a mirror based monster that appear in 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons’ Spelljammer Monstrous Compendium Appendix. Unfortunately, they are really lacking in any sort of backstory or flavor or story hooks. And that’s sad, because I really like weird mirror based enemies in my games (like the Nerra from the 3.x Fiend Folio). Here is some stuff I wrote about Fractines, purely as a writing exercise to make a boring monster more interesting. (This makes the Fractine more a Planescape creature than a Spelljammer one, but I’d be blending the two in 4e style anyway.)

Long ago, the different planes of existence were entirely separate and inaccessible. Planar shifting and travel to the Heavens or Hells was entirely impossible, due to the actions of the mirror god Kannadi. Kannadi restricted all interplanar travel or summoning, by placing his own mirror bright body between the planes of existence. Any who tried to travel from the mortal world into the Heavens or elsewhere would encounter his vast mirrored form as an impassable boundary, and be turned back. The titan Krasa eventually became angered at Kannadi’s prohibition and shattered the mirror god into innumerable pieces. Thus the planes can now be travelled freely by all manner of beings, and thus were the fractine born.

The fractine are shards of the dead god Kannadi. They seek two basic goals: first, to return all planar travelers to their home plane and to restrict planar travel and secondly, to remerge the scattered fractines and thereby resurrect Kannadi.

Many scholars have noted that the bodies of captured fractines are useful as components in scrying and planar travel rituals. In particular, fractine pieces can be substituted for material components in spells of banishment. On occasion, spellcasters have been able to reason peaceably with the fractine. Majorius the Green once secured the service of the fractines in returning a horde of ghosts to the lands of the unliving.

(This gives the fractine their own motivations, and some reasons for others to seek them out, either for help or as ritual components.)

    Fractine Reflector

Level 11 Solo Controller
Large immortal animate

XP 3000
Initiative +9
Senses Perception + 15, darkvision

HP: 448 Bloodied: 224 (but see Shatter)
AC: 25 Fort: 20 Ref: 23 Will: 26
Vulnerable: 10 Force, immune radiant
Speed 0 Fly 8 (hover)

Traits:
Any creature reduced to 0 HPs by a fractine is immediately teleported to its plane of origin (immortals to the Astral Sea, elementals to the elemental Chaos, etc.)

I’m Rubber, you’re glue.
If the Fractine reflector begins its turn suffering from an effect that a save can end, it places that effect on a different creature within line of sight. The duration (save ends) still remains.

    Standard actions:

Slam (melee Basic; at-will)
+16 vs. AC; 2d10+11 and push 2 squares.

Double Slam (at-will)
The Fractine reflector makes two slam attacks.

Killing Reflection (close burst 10; at-will), illusion
Targets one, or two creatures. +15 vs. Will; the target is teleported up to 10 squares, then makes a basic attack on a target of the Fractine’s choice with combat advantage.

    Immediate Reactions:

Reflect the Rays (ranged 10; at-will)
Trigger: an attack targets the Fractine reflector’s Fortitidue, Reflex or Will
+15 vs. the targeted defense; 2d10+11 damage of the damage type of the triggering attack.
Effect: the Fractine takes no damage from the triggering attack.

    Free actions:

Action Point (only on its turn; encounter)
The Fractine Reflector takes a standard action.

Shatter (when bloodied)
close burst 5
+15 vs. Reflex; 2d10+8 damage and ongoing 5 (save ends). Miss: half damage.
Effect: Remove the Fractine Reflector from the encounter and put three Fractine focusers in its space instead. These focusers act on the reflector’s initiative count.

Str: 20 +10
Con: 14 +7
Dex: 15 +7
Int 20 +10
Wis 20 +10
Cha 16 +8
Perception +15, Arcana +15

    Fractine Focuser

Level 10 elite Controller
medium immortal animate
XP 1000 or —
Initiative +8 or
Senses Perception + 14, darkvision

HP: 208 Bloodied: 104 (but see Shatter)
AC: 24 Fort: 20 Ref: 22 Will: 24
Vulnerable: 10 Force, immune radiant
Speed 0 Fly 7 (hover)

Traits:
Any creature reduced to 0 HPs by a fractine is immediately teleported to its plane of origin (immortals to the Astral Sea, elementals to the elemental Chaos, etc.)

Standard actions:

Slam (melee Basic; at-will)
+15 vs. AC; 2d10+10 and push 1 squares.

Double Slam (at-will)
The Fractine focuser makes two slam attacks.

Killing Reflection (close burst 5; at-will), illusion
Targets one, or two creatures. +14 vs. Will; the target is teleported up to 5 squares, then makes a basic attack on a target of the Fractine’s choice with combat advantage.

Immediate Reactions:

Reflect the Rays (ranged 10; encounter)
Trigger: an attack targets the Fractine reflector’s Fortitidue, Reflex or Will
+15 vs. the targeted defense; 2d10+10 damage of the damage type of the triggering attack.
Effect: the Fractine takes no damage from the triggering attack.

Free actions:

Action Point (only on its turn; encounter)
The Fractine Focuser takes a standard action.

I’m Rubber, you’re glue. (encounter)
Trigger: the Fractine focuser begins its turn suffering from an effect that a save can end.
effect: it places that effect on a different creature within line of sight. The duration (save ends) still remains.

Shatter (when bloodied)
close burst 3
+15 vs. Reflex; 2d10+8 damage and ongoing 5 (save ends). Miss: half damage.
Effect: Remove the Fractine Reflector from the encounter and put two Fractine shardclouds in its space instead. These focusers act on the focuser’s initiative count.

Str: 18 +9
Con: 12 +6
Dex: 13 +6
Int 18 +9
Wis 18 +9
Cha 14 +7
Perception +14, Arcana +14

    Fractine shardcloud

Level 9 Controller
medium immortal animate (swarm)
XP 400 or —
Initiative +7 or
Senses Perception + 12, darkvision

HP: 96 Bloodied: 48 (but see Shatter)
AC: 23 Fort: 20 Ref: 21 Will: 22
Vulnerable: 10 Force, immune radiant
Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable 10 against close and area attacks
Speed 0 Fly 6 (hover)

Traits:
Any creature reduced to 0 HPs by a fractine is immediately teleported to its plane of origin (immortals to the Astral Sea, elementals to the elemental Chaos, etc.)

Swarm Attack Aura 1
Any enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 5 damage and grants combat advantage.

Swarm
The pack can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter its space, which is difficult terrain. The pack cannot be pulled, pushed, or slid by melee or ranged attacks. It can squeeze through any opening that is large enough for a Small creature.

Standard actions:

Slicing shard (melee Basic; at-will)
+14 vs. AC; 1d10+8 and ongoing 5 (save ends).

Killing Reflection (close burst 5; at-will), illusion
+13 vs. Will; the target makes a basic attack on a target of the Fractine’s choice with combat advantage.

Immediate Reactions:

Reflect the Rays (ranged 10; encounter)
Trigger: an attack targets the Fractine reflector’s Fortitidue, Reflex or Will
+14 vs. the targeted defense; 1d10+10 damage of the damage type of the triggering attack.

Free actions:

I’m Rubber, you’re glue. (encounter)
Trigger: the Fractine focuser succeeds on a saving throw
effect: it places that effect on a different creature within line of sight. The effect lasts until the end of the fractine’s next turn.

Shatter (when bloodied)
close burst 1
+15 vs. Reflex; 1d10+8 damage and ongoing 5 (save ends).
Effect: Remove the Fractine Reflector from the encounter and put four Fractine slivers in its space instead. These focusers act on the focuser’s initiative count.

Str: 16 +7
Con: 10 +4
Dex: 11 +4
Int 16 +7
Wis 16 +7
Cha 12 +5
Perception +12, Arcana +12

Fractine shardcloud

Level 8 minion Controller
medium immortal animate
XP 88 or —
Initiative +6 or
Senses Perception + 11, darkvision

HP: 1(but see Shatter) a missed attack never damages a minion
AC: 22 Fort: 20 Ref: 20 Will: 20
Immune radiant
Speed 0 Fly 5 (hover)

Traits:
Any creature reduced to 0 HPs by a fractine is immediately teleported to its plane of origin (immortals to the Astral Sea, elementals to the elemental Chaos, etc.)

Annoying: creatures adjacent to two or more fractine slivers grant combat advantage.

Standard actions:

Slicing shard (melee Basic; at-will)
+13 vs. AC; 8

Immediate Interrupt:

Glimmer (ranged 5; encounter)
Trigger: an attack targets the Fractine reflector’s Fortitidue, Reflex or Will
+13 vs. the targeted defense; 8 damage of the damage type of the triggering attack.

Free actions:

Shatter
Trigger: the shardcloud dies
Target: one adjacent creature.
+13 vs. Reflex; ongoing 5 (save ends).

Str: 12 +5
Con: 8 +3
Dex: 10 +4
Int 14 +7
Wis 14 +6
Cha 10 +4
Perception +11