4e Fan Creations and House RulesWorking on variant powers? Statting up a PC race or your version of a monster? Creating or converting an adventure? Put it here!
The biggest rule at this point is that I compare to the stats from the monster manual pages first, followed by the Escape from Sembia and Scalegloom Hall minis. I largely don't compare to the DDM stats.
Hit points follow a formula. If I need to up stats and I can't compare to other monsters, I figure .75 per level is reasonable for AC, defenses, etc. Damage goes up quite slowly.
Solos need enough things to keep them interesting for multiple opponents over many rounds. Elites less so. Normal mobs should be obvious how to play with maybe two real options on any round at most. I also have a habit of not varying dice or bonuses too much within a particular monster. Makes the DM's job easier.
I expect to have to do very significant amounts of revision as we get more rules, but if I can at least get things to the +/- 2 area, that'd be awesome.
Aside: It keeps amusing me how my really old ideas were somewhat on track. They just announced a template to make a monster normal from elite that gives it +2 to ac, attacks, defenses, +50% damage, +50% hit points... and that's _really_ close to what my original spreadsheet from october had.
Wanted to try out a 'Glassjaw' effect - he does pretty solid damage so if you can use an encounter (or AoE daily) to take him out early, it's a good advantage.
Absolutey perfect, I think we could have more people on the minion bandwagon if it was done in much the same way (I am a strong game over reality supporter but still as much as I love minions I still find the occasional "Kobold Minion dying practicing with wood practice spear or stubbing toe" joke funny.)
ie.
Kobold Minion 8 hp, is defeated by a strike that does 3 or more damage.
The Frost Hammer and Earthen Defender will be fighting it out for years to come in my campaign world.....I think right at the line that a giant glacier is plowing into a mountain range.
__________________ With my luck, the next gnome I kill won't even HAVE any candy!
- Belkar, OOTS.
Last edited by Wiman; 12th April 2008 at 04:25 AM..
Reason: Like the Ice Hammer / Earthen Defender mix.
I think minions are 'one hit wonders' so that the DM doesn't have to keep track of their hit points. Definitely gamey and not realistic, but there ya go.
Man I wish I could paint as well as those Reaper guys. They really put up some drool-worthy stuff. Anyhow, good picks. I'll have to think some on the dragon.
Can I call dibs on the Dark Maiden write-up? I've got a vision...
A woman killed for stowing away aboard a ship by being mast-headed (strapped to the bow of a ship) in cold climate and dying from exposure. Her spirit stays with the ship, haunting it until the crew go mad and wreck the ship, then she wreaks righteous vengeance against all sailors with her spirit-swords, walking across the sea. The ruined prow the the ship she died on still strapped to her back...
Fitz
Last edited by FitzTheRuke; 12th April 2008 at 06:58 PM..
When the Grim Hound bites one opponent and gets the grab in, that would mean it can't bite again without releasing correct. So it would usually bite (standard), impending death (minor) and release bite/grap (free) once a round if I have understood the concept.
Why not just make the impending death +15 fortitude attack a secondary effect on the bite, as this creature will have few other options to take up minor actions (at least that I know of at this point in 4e release).
__________________ With my luck, the next gnome I kill won't even HAVE any candy!
Mostly because I don't want the impending death to trigger on an opportunity attack not on its turn... but yeah, I should probably simplify.
Also thinking about making the howl only move you three. Effectively assuming speed 1, and that you're not full out running away, just forced to cower back.
Please don't take this the wrong way because I do have great respect for your work. Having an auto grab ability as part of a basic attack does not seem right to me, perhaps having a normal bite for a basic and a "grab" bite for an at will standard with the secondary would be simpler if not a bit more boring, although I guess there is nothing that has been stated that dosn't say a PC can't take a feat to give their basic attack a extra bit of power goodness.
Just out of curiousity - what fluff would you put into the impending death abiltity description...would the hound rough up the character making it less able to defend itself, or would the character look into the creatures savage eyes and lose hope.
Only reason I'm asking is because I am seriously interested in using this creature in a game. Sort of a "Hound of the Baskervilles" mystery setting as I think a Ravonloft setting feels like a good fit for my Shadowfell side of things, with a Pan's Laberyth feeling good on my feywild.
__________________ With my luck, the next gnome I kill won't even HAVE any candy!
Grab on basic attack isn't abnormal among the ones we've seen (Choker, some of the DDM ones). Only the Grell doesn't, I think... and frankly it's basic attack is badass enough (slow, etc) without grab. I'm guessing because anyone can grab as a normal attack, so the 'special part' is being able to combine it with damage.
For Impending Doom, I was thinking its eyes glow with a dark light and a black fog snorts out of its nostrils onto the target.
Last edited by keterys; 14th April 2008 at 06:48 AM..
I've been doing -okay- at the 10 per week rate, but I think I really need to step things up. Only 7 weeks left, and it's not like I've got full backgrounds on most of the ones I've done. I'll have to figure that out, but probably means you'll see a lot more of the old ones getting translated so I can feel a bit less behind schedule.
Okay, here's my first attampt: I'd love some comments. Do higher-level minions have HP?
Lady of the Dark Sea Level 9 Elite Controller
Medium natural humanoid (Undead) XP 800
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +7; darkvision
Chill of the Icy Depths (Cold)
Aura 2; Enemies who move into
the aura or start their turn in the
aura take 5 cold damage and are slowed
HP 190; Bloodied 95
AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 17, Will 19
Immune Poison, Disease Resist 10 Cold Vulnerable 5 Radiant
Saves +2, Action Point 1
Speed 6 or 8 (see Walks on Waves)
(m) Spiritsword (standard; at-will)
+16 vs.AC; 1d8 + 6 necrotic damage.
(M) Dual Attack (standard; at-will)
Make two Spiritsword attacks
R Feels Like Drowning (standard, at-will) Psychic, Range 20
+14 vs Will; 1d8 + 5 psychic damage and target is stunned until the end of Lady of the Dark Sea’s next turn
Arctic Gale (standard; recharge 5, 6) * Cold
Close Blast 5
+14 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 5 cold damage and target is pushed 2 squares
Walks on Waves (move, at-will)
Lady of the Dark Sea may walk gets speed 8 if she begins her movement on square containing water. She is otherwise unaffected by squares containing water.
Command Thrulls (minor; recharge 4, 5, 6)
Close Burst 5; may slide allies in burst up to 2 squares
Drowned Thrull (special)
Anyone killed by Lady of the Dark Sea raises the following round as a Drowned Thrull (see Drowned Thrull)
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Str 18 (+8) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 16 (+7)
Con 15 (+6) Int 11 (+4) Cha 17 (+7)
Level 9 Encounter (XP 2,000)
1 Lady of the Dark Sea (level 9 elite controller)
16 Drowed Thrulls (level 7 minions)
Drowned Thrull Level 7 Minion
Medium natural humanoid (Undead) XP 75
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +5; darkvision
HP 8; Bloodied 4
AC 17; Fortitude 17, Reflex 15, Will 15
Immune Poison, Disease Resist 5 Cold Vulnerable 5 Radiant
Speed 5
(m) Slam (standard; at-will)
+14 vs.AC; 5 damage.
(M) Double Slam and Smother (standard; at-will)
Make two Slam attacks. If both hit followup
Followup: +12 vs Fort; 5 damage and dazed until start of Drowned Thrull’s next turn
Alignment Unaligned Languages None
Str 18 (+7) Dex 12 (+4) Wis 13 (+4)
Con 17 (+6) Int 3 (-1) Cha 12 (+4)
So, I'd be tempted to change 'Feels Like Drowning' to just Drowning or Psychic Drowning or some more poetic form like Drowning Haunt or Dreams of Drowning.
May want to change Command Thrulls to more like
Close burst 5, thrulls only; slide target up to 2 squares.
or
Any thrull ally within 5 squares may shift/slide 2 squares.
I suspect the latter is easier.
I think that minions probably don't have hit points - it's just not something you want to track for 10-20 guys. I also think the thrull's attack may be too complicated for minions (3 attack rolls per minion... 16 minions? Bleah), especially since I think they probably attack in groups a lot of the time.
You could make it a level 1 normal (100 XP) to avoid the problem, potentially.
I'm guessing both should get resistance to necrotic.
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