# Rakshasas, Crossbow Bolts and you



## Codragon (Jun 12, 2002)

Thanks to clockworkjoe and his "Insanely Dangerous" thread for sparking this one.

Several questions for yall....

What is it with Rakshasas being able to be killed instantly by a hit from a blessed crossbow bolt?   I can't think of any other monster with a similiar "insta-kill" vulnerability.  I know its been in the game for a while, but what sparked its inclusion?  Indian mythology?

Why only blessed crossbow bolts?  A rakshasa is TOTALLY immune to nearly all spells but not a blessed piece of wood?  What's with the crossbow bolts, anyway?  Why won't a blessed arrow do the trick?  Even a blessed +5 holy avenger won't do anything above its normal capabilities.   Where's the logic here?

And to take it a step further:  Why don't other monsters have similiar weaknesses?   Has anyone modified existing monsters so that they do?  Makes for an interesting campaign.  I also see nothing wrong with house-ruling monster weaknesses out the door (eg, Rakshasas, trolls) and replacing them with different weaknesses to keep players on their toes....


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## Voadam (Jun 12, 2002)

Rakshasas are from indian myth but I don't know the backstory on their crossbow bolt vulnerability except that it has been there since 1e.

I did here about a game once where a werewolf would regenerate from any wound except for a single type of rose which would instant kill it.

Look to horror and folklore for similar ultimate weakness of terrifying monster situations.  Gurps Fantasy II Madlands had really tough monsters with individual specific weaknesses that would instant kill them.


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## hong (Jun 12, 2002)

See also:

http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12826


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## Painfully (Jun 12, 2002)

I'll let the quotes speak for themselves.  Here is an excerpt from another website,

_In the Tal region we find a vampire-like demon known as the rakshasa. They lurked in cemeteries and disrupted the devotions of the faithful. They did have long fangs and could appear in the form of human or animal. Various text have described them as asra-pa or asrk-pa (literally: blood drinkers) and like the lamiai of Greek Mythology, they sought pregnant female victims and were known to attack infants. Agni, who dispelled the darkness and officiated the sacrificial rituals was their enemy. The people called on Agni to ward of demons.

Following behind in the rank and file of the underworld are the yatu-dhana, who are closely associated to the rakshasa. These creatures are sorcerers who eat what is left by the rakshasa. Behind them (or under them) is the pisachas, lowly beings that devour raw flesh. They are hideous and blood thirsty ghouls believed to be the source of all malignant disease._

And another,

_In Indian folklore, a demon which appears as a black figure with yellow or flaming hair, and wearing a wreath of entrails. Their name literally means "destroyer", and rakshasas are considered to be evil and hostile to mankind. They can take many shapes, including beautiful men and women and animals or birds, such as dogs, vultures and owls. Generally, however, they are monstrous in appearance, with huge bellies, slits for eyes and matted hair. If not black, they are yellow, green or blue.

Rakshasas are nocturnal creatures and have disgusting habits, such as eating human flesh and drinking human blood from the skull. Despite their formidable evil powers, rakshasas, like many demonic beings, are reputed to be dimwitted. According to Indian lore, one may banish them simply by saying 'uncle.'_

And one more,

_A Rakshasa is a large and powerful demon figure that often causes harm to mortals. Rakshasa homes are generally in wild areas such as forests and faraway islands. They may appear in a number of terrifying forms. Some of their activities include killing humans, and devouring them. Ravana, the king of the Rakshasas was not an entirely evil creature. In the epic Ramayana, he is described as a Brahmin, a scholar, and a poet._


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## Painfully (Jun 12, 2002)

Regarding the idea of throwing a rakshasa against a low level party:

A rakshasa has abilities as a 7th level sorcerer.  And since he can read minds as well, I hardly think it's fair--at least not if you play the character properly.


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## Voadam (Jun 12, 2002)

Col Pladoh? Since I believe you wrote the original entry in the MM any explanation for the blessed bolt? Was there a specific story or legend on them we can check out?


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## Lord Ben (Jun 12, 2002)

Painfully said:
			
		

> *Regarding the idea of throwing a rakshasa against a low level party:
> 
> A rakshasa has abilities as a 7th level sorcerer.  And since he can read minds as well, I hardly think it's fair--at least not if you play the character properly. *




The trick is to make them have limited use spells.  One with Haste and Fireball will probably decimate a 1st level party.  One who uses divination spells primarily to advance his evil merchants guild really isn't that tough.


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## Chimera (Jun 12, 2002)

But why should the "blessed crossbow bolt" bit be common knowledge?  Geez, that would be kind of like having Holy Water and Stakes for sale at the Quickie Mart in the Buffyverse.  Vampires would no longer stand a chance against the basic commoner.  

By having it common knowledge that a 1st level cleric with a crossbow can kill the toughest Rakshasa with one shot, you completely pull the teeth on what should be a powerful monster and make them (quite literally) a joke.


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## Painfully (Jun 12, 2002)

The way I would use a rakshasa is as a political figure already in power or with some prestige.  His followers might actively cover for him or carry out his wishes but the rakshasa himself would rarely be seen.

A mind-reading creature SHOULD be able to manipulate his way into power in most situations, especially as a gypsy fortuneteller or such.  He might be a traveling dignitary or advisor to a lord (possibly even a good lord).

I've personally considered using a rakshasa druid that maintains control of a dark (evil) forest.  I was initially concerned over the spell immunity as you might have read in the other thread, nevertheless, I am not about to suggest crossbow bolts will slay him.  Druids are natural shapeshifters after all


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## Clain MacFaileas (Jun 12, 2002)

And, as the equivilant of a 7th-level sorcerer, any rakshasa worth his whiskers should have the Sor/Wiz 2 spell  _protection from arrows_ in his known spells to provide himself with damage reduction 10/+2 against that pesky weakness which is _undoubtedly_ known to him.


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## Breakstone (Jun 12, 2002)

Clain MacFaileas said:
			
		

> *And, as the equivilant of a 7th-level sorcerer, any rakshasa worth his whiskers should have the Sor/Wiz 2 spell  protection from arrows in his known spells to provide himself with damage reduction 10/+2 against that pesky weakness which is undoubtedly known to him. *




Not necessarily, Clain. Smaug from The Hobbit never new about his weak spot, why should a Rakshasa. If it's not common knowledge amongst adventurers, it won't be common knowledge amongst Rakshasas.


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## clockworkjoe (Jun 12, 2002)

Chimera said:
			
		

> *But why should the "blessed crossbow bolt" bit be common knowledge?  Geez, that would be kind of like having Holy Water and Stakes for sale at the Quickie Mart in the Buffyverse.  Vampires would no longer stand a chance against the basic commoner.
> 
> By having it common knowledge that a 1st level cleric with a crossbow can kill the toughest Rakshasa with one shot, you completely pull the teeth on what should be a powerful monster and make them (quite literally) a joke. *




In my campaign, I allow Knowledge(monster lore) to be used to give players a chance to know what a monster's weaknesses are and so forth. If they roll a natural 20, I let them look at the basic entry in the MM.  After all, they can look at the MM at any other time besides the game.


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## Squire James (Jun 13, 2002)

Clain MacFaileas said:
			
		

> *And, as the equivilant of a 7th-level sorcerer, any rakshasa worth his whiskers should have the Sor/Wiz 2 spell  protection from arrows in his known spells to provide himself with damage reduction 10/+2 against that pesky weakness which is undoubtedly known to him. *




That 10/+2 DR doesn't mean squat (besides, their normal DR is already better than that).  According to the MM entry, any hit scored by a blessed crossbow bolt kills it.  Not a thing about whether that bolt does damage or not.

The best way for a rakshasa to protect himself is simply to convince someone he's something else!  With the kind of Bluff and Disguise skills this thing has, it shouldn't be difficult.  If the gig is up, there's still Mage Armor and Shield.  That's AC 32, in case you're counting.

Why crossbow bolts and not arrows?  No logical reason.  I don't see anything wrong with the lack of logic... D&D is full of this sort of thing.  Maybe some God of Ballistae and Crossbows ran afoul of rakshasa trickery as a mortal, and took sweet revenge once he became a god!


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## LostSoul (Jun 13, 2002)

Codragon said:
			
		

> *I can't think of any other monster with a similiar "insta-kill" vulnerability.  *




I like the Rakshasa's weakness.  It means that you can throw a powerful monster - one capable of doing a whole bunch of cool, nasty tricks - against the PCs, and they'll still have a reasonable chance of victory.  It's just that they have to head to the books and research, or look for Sir Michel who fought and killed one in his youth, or whatever.

I guess that would be an interesting D&D mystery.


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## rounser (Jun 13, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Codragon:_
> I can't think of any other monster with a similiar "insta-kill" vulnerability.



You might want to check out Sean K. Reynold's Vampire template for such a creature:
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/monsters/vampire.html
It's "more physical and less supernatural" than the MM vampire in his words - think Buffy, Blade and Dusk To Dawn and the dusting you see in those and you have a good idea of what it's about.  Relevant to this thread is that it features d20 rules for staking, garlic and sunlight as part of the description, and blood drain requires a grapple to latch on.  Quite cool methinks. 

Come to think of it, apply this template to 1st level commoners and you could have entire town infected as seanpires and challenge low level parties with the suckers.  Break out the stakes...


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## Xarlen (Jun 13, 2002)

Rakshasas are your Intellectual Demonic Villains. They are masterminds, manipulaters, seducers. Your demonic vampire, if you will. Thus, they're going to be Prepared.

In response to the 'Common Knowledge of Crossbow Bolts', if Rakshasa were anything in this world, they would Pollute the knowledge. They would change it, fake other weaknesses. Stage fights, whre they were 'shot with a blessed bolt' and it didn't work. Use illusions to fake other weaknesses, and 'disappear' (Any good Major Image will certainly help that). If one's been killed with a Bolt (And sent home), then no doubt others will learn. For example, if they rule somewhere, have all the mirrors of the kingdom banished. Then when someone shows them a mirror, they can smile and comment on their looks.

Next, about the 'Insta-Kill' factor and their weakness, you know, having 'Insta-kill' or 'permenant death' is a possibility. I've heard somewhere (Is it OA?) where a ghost killed with a Jade weapon will not come back within 1d4 days. It suggests there's more material there, some mystical purpose, that does this. Something off the beaten path like brass, or oak wood, or having a symbol painted onto their forehead, whathaveyou.

And, about Rakshasa being insta-killed by a crossbow bolt, how about Each Rakshasa having a different weakness. Hit with a stone from a saint's burial site, their own reflection (Someone mentioned that the other day), Running water, Sunlight filtered through glass, etc.


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## JESawyer (Jun 13, 2002)

Sorry for the mini-hijack, but has anyone else ever presented rakshasha with anything other than a single tiger head?  I know that 3E doesn't say anything about the different rakshasha forms, but I had a game where rakshasha had two elephant heads, a giraffe head, a wildebeest head, a rhino head and a hippo head -- all sorts of bizarre combos.


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## hong (Jun 13, 2002)

Chimera said:
			
		

> *But why should the "blessed crossbow bolt" bit be common knowledge?  Geez, that would be kind of like having Holy Water and Stakes for sale at the Quickie Mart in the Buffyverse.  Vampires would no longer stand a chance against the basic commoner.
> 
> By having it common knowledge that a 1st level cleric with a crossbow can kill the toughest Rakshasa with one shot, you completely pull the teeth on what should be a powerful monster and make them (quite literally) a joke. *




There's nothing in the book that says the blessed crossbow bolt has to be common knowledge.

Repeating what I said before, it's a good bet that the more bizarre and outlandish something is, the more likely it is to be based on real-life myth, legend or folklore. Rakshasas in folktales don't have to worry about pragmatic-minded adventurers loading up on blessed bolts, killing them in one shot, and making a hash of the story. Gaming is slightly different.

Think of the crossbow bolt in broad terms, as a weakness that allows even the humblest warrior to kill a mighty demon in the right circumstances. A lot of bogey monsters from folktales are like this, with the classic example being the vampire that can be staked in the heart, or is kept at bay by garlic or a crucifix. You can remain faithful to this concept even as you change the weakness itself, to foil metagaming players. Eg you could say that the rakshasa is vulnerable to a silver dagger, or adamantine, or maybe it melts when soaked in water a la the Wicked Witch of the West. This retains the challenge and also gives you a ready-made plot hook, as the PCs try to find out the weakness of this icky demon that's tormenting them. For best results, you could even have the weakness vary for each individual rakshasa, although you may want to make sure this is communicated to your players.


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## LostSoul (Jun 13, 2002)

hong said:
			
		

> *For best results, you could even have the weakness vary for each individual rakshasa, although you may want to make sure this is communicated to your players. *




That's a really cool idea!


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## mmadsen (Jun 16, 2002)

> Why don't other monsters have similiar weaknesses?   Has anyone modified existing monsters so that they do?




I recommend replacing DR vs. +1, +2, etc. with DR vs. something mundane (silver, salt, mistletoe).



> I also see nothing wrong with house-ruling monster weaknesses out the door (eg, Rakshasas, trolls) and replacing them with different weaknesses to keep players on their toes...




Absolutely.  Besides, there's no reason for a big, clawed, rending monster to be a Troll straight out of the Monster Manual.


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## Wolf72 (Jun 17, 2002)

LostSoul said:
			
		

> *
> 
> That's a really cool idea! *




or expand it a little bit ... for rp and research sake (PC's finding out about the bad guy) ... different clans of rakshasa's have different weaknesses ...

one clan sets up another only to try to wipe out the PC's later ... cuz they did kill members of their race  (well okay so it's not really that original, might work though  )


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