Tuesday Table: Monster Death Scenes

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“I think I should warn you all, when a vampire bites it, it’s never a pretty sight. No two blood suckers go out the same way. Some yell and scream, some go quietly, some explode, some implode. But, all will try and take you with them.”–Edgar Frog

Monsters that just fall down and go boom when they run out of hit points are boring. Creatures are more fun when they go out with a bang, and unless you’re playing in a world where all monsters are neatly cataloged and scientifically explained, there’s absolutely no reason why biology as it is traditionally understood should interfere with a good creature death scene. This week’s table provides some ideas. You can roll when you introduce a new monster or, for the full Lost Boys experience, roll a new result each time a monster gets wasted.

1. Monster assumes human form upon death. Have fun explaining that!
2. Monster turns into a swarm of rats/bugs/snakes/bats/whatever. Everyone within the monster’s escape path takes 1d20 points of damage. Characters who make a successful Body check may subtract their roll from the damage.
3. Monster explodes. Everyone within 20 feet takes 1d20 points of damage. Characters who make a successful Body check may subtract their roll from the damage.
4. Acidic slime spews from the monster’s wounds. Everyone within 10 feet takes 1d20 points of damage. Characters who make a successful Body check may subtract their roll from the damage.
5. Non-acidic slime spews from the monster’s wounds. Everyone within 10 feet is covered in disgusting monster goo. Characters who make a successful Body check escape relatively slime-free.
6. Monster implodes.
7. Monster turns to dust/ash.
8. Monster turns into a pool of oily slime.
9. Monster turns into a charcoal-like substance.
10. Monster turns to salt.
11. Monster turns to stone.
12. Monster turns into a pool of gooey, tar-like ooze. All characters engaged in melee combat with the monster during the round of its death must make a Body check against a DN of 1d20 or be stuck to where they stand until they can break free. A new Body check (against the initial DN) may be rolled each round as long as the character takes no other action that requires a roll that round.
13. Monster turns to smoke. For the next 1d20/5 rounds, all ranged attacks suffer a -2 penalty.
14. Monster disappears in a flash of blinding light. Any character within sight of the monster must make a successful Body check or suffer vision problems that give him a -2 penalty on all rolls for the remainder of the combat.
15. Monster spews geysers of blood onto the battlefield. For the rest of the combat, any character who fails a roll must make an immediate Body check. If the Body check fails, the character falls down, losing his next turn.
16. Monster bursts into flames. Anyone engaged in melee combat with the creature catches fire with an On Fire Number of 1d20. A successful Body check reduces the character’s On Fire Number by the roll.
17. Monster lets out an unnerving death knell. Everyone within hearing range must make a Nerve check against a DN of 1d20 or be so disoriented that they lose their next action.
18. A Poltergeist-style ghostly spirit escapes from the monster’s body and wails at the PCs before disappearing. Everyone who can see the creature must make a Nerve check against a DN of 1d20 or lose their next action due to fear.
19. With its dying breath, the monster curses the character who killed it. The GM decides the nature of the curse.
20. Monster’s death awakens/pisses off something bigger and meaner.