Monsters With Multiple Actions Each Exchange

[devonapple]

*Since you mentioned D&D, consider swift actions as an example.  Another would be the conversion from AD&D to 3.x. 

The creature in question was D&D 3.0, before "swift actions" got to be a thing in D&D.

[UmbraLux]

I wasn't recommending using swift actions or some equivalent, I was simply pointing out those as examples of widespread effects from simple changes to the game's action economy. 

[sinker]

Multiple attacks - give them a stunt / power with bonuses to spray attacks.

That's a great idea. Works well if you're going for multiple attacks in the same round.

[Ranma1558]

I'd run with the aspect invocation for most "supernatural" abilities. Your npc has a fearful presence, make it an aspect and make sure he has fate points to power it. This leads to tense situations where players have to manage fate points for extra power or maneuvering or facing down the eldritch horror's unnerving aura. In this manner you can do multiple actions a turn well withing the defined rules.

[Drachasor]

I wasn't recommending using swift actions or some equivalent, I was simply pointing out those as examples of widespread effects from simple changes to the game's action economy. 

In 4th Ed the reason for creatures like this is to make a monster by itself or just a couple monsters equivalent in danger to a large group without making them overwhelmingly powerful.  So it really doesn't hurt the action economy at all if you make a bad guy like this.  His extra actions are just to make up for the lack of other guys taking extra actions.

If one were just to give flat-out extra actions, I'd make sure to have limits on them so the bad guy can't just pile 2 or 3 actions onto one character.  Going by the 4th Edition philosophy, which I think is good, the idea is to make them more of a challenge for a group.  Have an extra action that is an area attack, or a scene maneuver, or a maneuver that can't be used to add a single target attack necessarily, or a free counterspell, or being able to turn a magical block into a free counter attack on someone...those sorts of things make a lot of sense.  The idea someone had for aiding spray attacks is also good.