Kraken MA
 

What is the MA of a kraken? This has been asked before here but not definitively answered, at least not that I've found.

There is no MA listed in ITL, but they are described as having slug-like bodies, so presumably have a gastropodal foot that allows for slow movement. I would estimate an MA of 2 or 4 at most.

Are they intended to be completely sessile in their adult form, and that is why there is no MA? Or is it merely an omission? If I can get the official word on this it would be much appreciated. There is a kraken at the center of my next adventure.

Re: Kraken MA
 

I think it's intended to be a situational "ambush" monster, so MA isn't really important and its tentacles reach several hexes. You stumble across it's lair whilst searching for the submerged treasure or something like that. If the scenario you envisage requires it to move, then give it an MA. I'd say it would be slow, 4-6 maybe but maybe more in deep water.

Re: Kraken MA
 

Yah, it won't need to move much in my setting, but I'm curious if it can move at all. Failing an official answer I'll probably give it a sluggish MA of 4. Just enough so that players don't feel like they are safely out of range at any point.

Re: Kraken MA
 

From its hit points the Kraken is around three tons, while Earth's giant squids are only half ton critters with a five hex reach. This makes the main body of the Kraken at least four hexes. If it must stay near shore and submerged then it has to either be able to keep up with the tide or dig itself into the sand. MA 1, armor 6 isn't unreasonable.

Re: Kraken MA
 

I personally kind of went with medieval literature on this one -- that is, that it probably moved like a squid and at roughly the same speeds (more resistance to a larger body, but able to exert more muscle/water jet power to more or less match the change in resistance), but that it was more an "ambush predator" and liked to lie in wait for it's prey (passing whales, passing ships, whatever) so that engagements were initiated only when a target came within "range" of its tentacles.

Having said that, I only used it once, so the mechanics didn't get much of a work-out -- so I could easily live with Chris' guesstimate above as well. Really, if it can sneak up on you, you're in trouble; and if it can't you should be able to evade it as long as you don't come within its "reach" by accident (and there's only one of them...)

Re: Kraken MA
 

I consider the TFT take on the kraken to be distinct from the standard mythological one. For all intents and purposed the TFT one seems to be a gastropod mollusk, going by the description, whereas the mythological one is a cephalopod. I added the traditional kraken to one of my bestiaries under the name "Chthonic Kraken", and it's essentially a gigantic octopus. I'm treating the TFT kraken as more of a "big limpet with whip tentacles" kind of thing.

Oh, and the players would certainly be able to eventually "outrun" it in open water. This particular scenario I'm working is a more confined space.

Re: Kraken MA
 

What if the Kraken moves itself by pulling on the seabed (or larger than itself rocks) towards itself at one hex per turn?

Re: Kraken MA
 

Okay...

Not the way I think of them, but then, it's your campaign, after all. However, since that's the underlying theory, it kind of changes the possible answers in ways that were unavailable to us out here in forum-land when the question was first posed! ;-)

Re: Kraken MA
 

Yes. The description leaves a lot of blanks for one to fill in, so I'm not surprised that there would be differing interpretations. If it weren't for the description of the creature's body and the mention of a shell I would have just assumed the traditional "giant octopus" type of kraken. But those clue say, to me at least, that they are describing a quite different creature. Honestly, with the shell and the missing MA, it could just as easily be a giant barnacle. ^_^

Re: Kraken MA
 

To fill in the missing bits....

The Kraken lives within a six point armored four hex shell (use the four hex dragon counter, but all side hexes are treated as rear hexes) and drags itself along the sea bottom by grabbing at things with its many tentacles. It moves one hex per turn by moving its head hex into one of its front hexes, and really doesn't care about engagement status. Once the tentacles drag a figure to its head hex it will bite in HTH for 3d with its beak. It can combine a beak attack with three tentacle attacks at no penalty.

This preserves SJ's time counter instead of having the beast jump on top of each victim the moment they're grabbed.

The only other twist I'd add is to make it blind and use sweeping blows with the tentacles to find folks to latch onto.

Whataboutism: The necropus stays underwater and calls humans within range to apply the ring of Kraken control?

Re: Kraken MA
 

The lack of detail is one of the wonder things about some beasties. You get to customize it to your world.

Giving the Kraken a move of 2-4 means it isn't stuck in one place, thus a cunning predator could move just far enough to ambush the party that is now looking for it at the old ambush site.

In one world the Kraken might be susceptible to electricity so if a lightning bolt only misses by 2 the Kraken is still affected.

In another world Krakens are susceptible to fire, same basic effect, but boiling the kraken in the super heated water.

You could armor your Kraken or make it's body really big so there is something more than tentacles to attack. If the Kraken can't move them you might get a +4 on all attacks against the body.

If the Kraken can color shift like many octopi, then it might be -1 or -2 dice to see it before the ambush. Or it could be brightly colored giving a bonus to see it. "Oi! There be one o' them day-glow Kraken, keep an eye out for the other un hidin' nearby."

Re: Kraken MA
 

Problem with giving Kraken both a HTH attack (how else does it eat fish?) and a MA greater than one is that it does away with the SJ timer. The new tactic is to just drag the victim into the water and then charge attack for the kill the next turn.

It must be that not only does it take a long time for you to get to it but also that it needs a long time for it to get to you. Remove that factor and drowning isn't a problem at all.

Re: Kraken MA
 

Whew! That sure is a load off my mind — I'd be really disappointed if I drowned before the Kraken finished chewing me up and swallowing me. I hate it when that happens.

Re: Kraken MA
 

I like that! "Look out Cap'n! It's the Giant Barnacle of Death!" ;-)