The official GemStone IV encyclopedia.
Huge and hulking, the basalt grotesque is an imposing figure cut from black basalt. Roughly humanoid in shape though not in particulars, the grotesque has a bestial visage. The carved musculature of its back joins with two great wings that span wider than it is tall. From its head sprouts a quintet of rounded horns. Its eyes, a burning green, match the hue of a viridian soulstone embedded into the rock of its broad chest.
Appraisal:
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Hunting Strategies
For Wizards
The Grotesque is surrounded by a barrier. I have found that on average it takes 50 mana worth of bolting/AS spells to break it and be able to cast for real. I tried all different variations of spells and came to the conclusion that casting 530 (Elemental Disjunction) at it twice, followed by 510 (Hurl Boulder) was the most efficient way to "skin this beast". This was followed by spamming minor steam. Sometimes the beast has more than 50 in his barrier but never more than 60. This means after 50 the boulder hits or the next cast (903) will hit. It is wise to break this barrier ASAP as the grotesque can quickly jack you up. You will see why below. NOTE: occasionally the Grotesque can replenish its' barrier. This can be anywhere from a few mana to 50. The message for hitting its' barrier is:
"You gesture at a horned basalt grotesque.
Your spell is deflected by the grotesque's barrier in a flash of orange light!
Cast Roundtime 1 Second."
Other Information
incant 301
Wisps of crimson light materialize in your palms, slowly floating into the air and disappearing as you chant the phrase for Prayer of Holding...
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a horned basalt grotesque.
Your spell is deflected by the grotesque's barrier in a flash of red light!
incant 317 channel
You bow your head in prayer, and a radiant light engulfs your body.
Your spell is ready.
You channel at a horned basalt grotesque.
The evanescent shield shrouding a horned basalt grotesque fades briefly.
Particles of dust and soot rise from the ground at your feet as you release a pulsating, platinum ripple of energy toward a horned basalt grotesque!
CS: +491 - TD: +471 + CvA: +25 + d100: +35 == +80
Warded off!
A horned basalt grotesque twists a stony claw toward you!
The ground beneath your feet suddenly frosts and rumbles violently!
Icy stalagmites burst from the ground beneath you!
[SMR result: 105 (Open d100: 7)]
A horned basalt grotesque twists a stony claw toward you!
A wave of formless black ripples moves outward from a horned basalt grotesque.
You are buffeted by the formless black waves and are pinned in place, unable to move.
Roundtime: 19 sec.
... 45 points of damage!
...departing in 10 mins...
The viridian soulstone embedded into a horned basalt grotesque's chest flares with a churn of emerald light!
I have found the following stats to be true for us wizards, more or less:
HP 750+
Armor: Full Plate
Melee AS: 525-549
Bolt AS (Hurl Boulder): 387-417
CS: 452
Elemental TD: 518-522
Bolt DS: 409-429
The armor was figured out the usual way. I took the DF of minor steam and added my lore bonus, subtracted the damage cause my any crits by using the steam crit table, and then figured out which armor class DF was correct. I looked back in logs and found plate DF to be true for head/neck/legs/chest
The Grotesque loves waving its stony claw around, causing various nasty things. Below will be excerpts of me attacking and being attacked. First will be the more nasty stuff, followed by standard attacks.
Your black full leather glistens as a sudden rush of blood spills across its surface, creating a magical bulwark against a horned basalt grotesque's magic!
The ground beneath a horned basalt grotesque rumbles, then erupts in a shower of rubble that coalesces in to an enormous hand in mid-air.
CS: +452 - TD: +500 + CvA: -2 + d100: +4 - +40 == -86
Warded off!
The enormous hand attempts to grab you, but you manage to avoid it at the last moment. Soon the enormous hand goes still and collapses to a pile of rubble that quickly disintegrates to invisible dust.
A horned basalt grotesque spreads its wings, its cragged features grinding into an intense glare. It brings its wings together with thunderous force, producing a powerful gust of swirling wind!
A gust of wind tugs at your sleeves. Suddenly, a fierce wind rips through the area, scattering everything in its path and making it difficult to remain standing.
The wind knocks you off your balance and you fall over.
Your arms are forced down to your sides!
Roundtime: 8 sec.
Roundtime changed to 4 seconds
A wave of formless black ripples moves outward from a horned basalt grotesque.
You are buffeted by the formless black waves, and knocked to the ground.
You are pinned in place, unable to move.
Roundtime: 7 sec.
Roundtime changed to 3 seconds.
... 15 points of damage!
Decompression causes muscles in arm to crack!
You are stunned for 1 round!
Stance defensive
You are still stunned.
You are still stunned.
A horned basalt grotesque twists a stony claw toward you!
The ground beneath your feet suddenly frosts and rumbles violently!
The earth cracks beneath you, releasing a column of frigid air!
[SMR result: 74 (Open d100: 71, Bonus: 1)]
You dodge out of the way!
A horned basalt grotesque twists a stony claw toward you!
The ground beneath your feet begins to boil violently!
Craggy debris explodes from the ground beneath you!
[SMR result: 66 (Open d100: 73)]
You dodge out of the way!
A horned basalt grotesque twists a stony claw toward you!
Your black full leather glistens as a sudden rush of blood spills across its surface, creating a magical bulwark against a horned basalt grotesque's magic!
A horned basalt grotesque hurls a large boulder at you!
AS: +387 vs DS: +737 with AvD: +39 + d100 roll: +35 = -276
A clean miss
A horned basalt grotesque clenches its right fist and brings its arm back for a roundhouse punch aimed at you!
[SMR result: 55 (Open d100: 74, Penalty: 19)]
You manage to dodge a horned basalt grotesque's blow!
Clenching a carved claw into an unyielding fist, a horned basalt grotesque takes a swing at you!
AS: +540 vs DS: +914 with AvD: +19 + d100 roll: +94 = -261
A clean miss.
Seeing an opportunity, you accelerate time and empower your spell!
You channel at a horned basalt grotesque.
** Your ossified staff glows brightly for a moment, consuming the magical energies around the basalt grotesque! **
[SMR result: 147 (Open d100: 32, Bonus: 45)]
... 30 points of damage!
Bones shatter in the basalt grotesque's weapon arm.
A horned basalt grotesque is suddenly surrounded by a circle of flickering flames.
CS: +529 - TD: +516 + CvA: +25 + d100: +60 == +98
Warded off!
The flickering flames slowly swirl around the grotesque once, then drift away.
Cast Roundtime 1 Second.
You gesture at a horned basalt grotesque.
** Your ossified staff glows brightly for a moment, consuming the magical energies around the basalt grotesque! **
The hazy film around a horned basalt grotesque fluxes chaotically!
... 5 points of damage!
Pinpoint strike sears the basalt grotesque's chest.
You hurl a seething blast of steam at a horned basalt grotesque!
AS: +551 vs DS: +387 with AvD: +22 + d100 roll: +1 = +187
... and hit for 31 points of damage!
Hot steam makes the basalt grotesque feel warm all inside and out.
You wince as the ossified staff draws upon your blood as it strikes.
** A slender sanguine and black tendril lashes out from a heavily scorched ossified staff inset with a desiccated halfling skull and slashes a horned basalt grotesque's right leg! **
... 1 point of damage!
Slight leg hold
You gesture at a horned basalt grotesque.
A horned basalt grotesque is suddenly surrounded by a circle of flickering flames.
CS: +529 - TD: +519 + CvA: +25 + d100: +86 == +121
Warding failed!
The flickering flames quickly swirl around the grotesque, causing 10 points of damage!
... 5 points of damage!
Minor burns to left leg. That hurts a bit.
The flickering flames leave the grotesque off balance and exposed to the elements.
** The fiery torrent of energy surrounding you flares toward the basalt grotesque! **
... 10 points of damage!
Burst of flames to left arm burns skin bright red.
Cast Roundtime 1 Second.
