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!
...now that we know what's in the 4e MM, we know that there aren't a ton of 1st-level monsters. My understanding is that we get:
*A halfling
*A gnome
*Many kobolds (all? of which we see in KotS)
*A goblin or two
*Decrepit skeletons
*Dire Rats
*Fire beetles
*Stirges
*Some kinda drake (pseudodragon?)
*"Stormclaw scorpion"
(Am I missing anything?)
Ok, so I know there are also cool level 2-3 monsters that would fit fine in a 4e encounter with level 1 pcs. But I hunger for some more variety, especially since there are a wealth of old edition monsters ripe for converting as 1st level monsters. In another thread someone mentioned xvarts. What about blood hawks? Norkers? Giant centipedes? The infamous krenshar? Kaorti? A small spider (like, halfling-sized)? The possibilities are endless!
I've already done the blood hawk and will post it below.
So tell me some more. I am going to do some 1st level monster conversions; what monsters aren't in the 4e MM that beg for conversion?
Edit: Okay, here's my list of low-level monsters to convert so far, based on feedback in this thread and my own brainstorming. Some of these I think will end up shifting up a couple of levels- prolly the ankheg, at least.
BLOOD HAWK--- Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural beast--- XP 100
---
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +7, low-light vision
HP 27; Bloodied 13
AC 15; Fortitude 11; Reflex 15; Will 13
Speed 2, fly 10 (average)
--- [Melee Basic] Claw (standard; at will): +5 vs. AC; 1d8+3 plus ongoing 2 (save ends) [Melee] Flyby Attack (standard; at will) : The blood hawk moves up to 10 squares. At any point during its move it may make a claw attack. The blood hawk does not provoke opportunity attacks from the target of this attack.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Skills Perception +7
Str 13; Dex 19; Wis 15
Con 11; Int 2; Cha 7
*A halfling
*A gnome
*Many kobolds (all? of which we see in KotS)
*A goblin or two
*Decrepit skeletons
*Dire Rats
*Fire beetles
*Stirges
*Some kinda drake (pseudodragon?)
*"Stormclaw scorpion"
(Am I missing anything?)
Not much, there are three 1st-level kobolds (slinger, minion, skirmisher) and three goblins (blackblade, cutter, warrior), and both dire rats and giants rats. The drake is a "spiretop drake" (first seen in Sharn: City of Towers).
Oh, and you left out that most ferocious of 1st-level opponents, the riding horse.
After giving it a bunch of thought, I kept coming up with monsters that start with the letter "A"...
Ants (giant- did these ones last night)
Al-mi'raj
Aaracokra (sp?)
...there will be more, of course.
I think I'll convert my homebrewed 3.5 Mosquito Swarm; that was a good'un that everyone can hate without qualm!
Some animals aren't a bad idea- maybe a warthog and some dogs?
I should be getting my books today, so I'll know for sure what made it in (for instance, is the al-mi'raj now a 10th-level skirmisher, and I just didn't realize it?). Then I'll be playing KotS. Then I'll go crazy with a combination of reading 4e and writing up/converting monsters!
I personally could use revised stats for the Ankheg.
Since we don't have any good miniatures to represent adult kruthiks, I'm going to remove them from KotS and replace them with Ankhegs.
Should make for some nice low level brutes.
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I like the Ankheg and the Darkmantle. These are classic D&D low-level monsters.
Are there listings of various humans of low level? Thugs, rogues, warriors, city guards, experts, etc?
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Books currently in play: Dungeon & Dragon Magazine (*Scales of War AP*), WOTC 4e Core and Supplemental books
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Are there listings of various humans of low level? Thugs, rogues, warriors, city guards, experts, etc?
Human bandit (level 2 skirmisher), human rabble (lvl 2 minion), human guard (lvl 3 soldier) human berzerker (level 3 or 4 brute), human mage (lvl 4 artillery).
GIANT WORKER ANT--- Level 1 Minion
Small natural beast--- XP 25
---
Initiative +1; Senses Perception +2, tremorsense 4
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 14; Fortitude 13; Reflex 10; Will 14
Speed 8
--- [Melee Basic] Bite (standard; at will): +5 vs. AC; 3 damage (plus see Grasping Bite).
Grasping Bite (minor; on target the giant ant has bitten this round): +4 vs. Reflex; target is grabbed (until escape)
Swarming Ants: A giant ant may share its space with up to 3 other giant ants.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Skills Endurance +6
Str 13; Dex 10; Wis 14
Con 13; Int 1; Cha 1
GIANT SOLDIER ANT--- Level 1 Soldier
Small natural beast--- XP 100
---
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +2, tremorsense 4
HP 29; Bloodied 14
AC 17; Fortitude 15; Reflex 13; Will 14
Speed 8
--- [Melee Basic] Bite (standard; at will); +8 vs. AC; 1d10+3 damage (plus see Grasping Bite).
Grasping Bite (minor; on target the giant ant has bitten this round): +6 vs. Reflex; target is grabbed (until escape)
Swarming Ants: A giant ant may share its space with up to 3 other giant ants.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Skills Endurance +6
Str 17; Dex 14; Wis 14
Con 13; Int 1; Cha 1
Human bandit (level 2 skirmisher), human rabble (lvl 2 minion), human guard (lvl 3 soldier) human berzerker (level 3 or 4 brute), human mage (lvl 4 artillery).
DARKMANTLE--- Level 1 Lurker
Medium fey beast--- XP 100
---
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +5, blindsight 10
HP 25; Bloodied 12
AC 15; Fortitude 15; Reflex 12; Will 12
Speed 3, fly 5
--- [Melee Basic] Smashing Blow (standard; at will): The darkmantle rams its body into its foe. +6 vs. AC; 1d10+3 damage.
[Melee] Death From Above (standard; recharge 6): Only when the darkmantle begins its turn above the target; +6 vs. AC; 2d6+3, the target is grabbed (until escape). If the darkmantle has combat advantage, it deals an additional 1d6 points of damage with this attack.
[Melee] Squeeze (standard; only against grabbed target; at will): +4 vs. Fort; 2d6+3 damage.
Curtain of Darkness (minor; encounter): Burst 2 within 6. Creates a zone of darkness that remains in place until the end of the darkmantle’s next turn. The zone blocks line of sight and all creatures within it are blind until they exit the area.
Stalactite Disguise: A darkmantle looks like a normal stalactite. It requires a Perception check, DC 25, to notice one before it acts.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5
Str 16; Dex 10; Wis 10
Con 13; Int 2; Cha 10
LESSER DARKMANTLE--- Level 1 Minion
Medium fey beast--- XP 25
---
Initiative +4; Senses Perception +5, blindsight 10
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 15; Fortitude 14; Reflex 12; Will 12
Speed 3, fly 5
--- [Melee Basic] Smashing Blow (standard; at will): The darkmantle rams its body into its foe. +5 vs. AC; 4 damage.
[Melee] Death From Above (standard; encounter): Only when the darkmantle begins its turn above the target; +5 vs. AC; 6 damage and the target is grabbed (until escape).
[Melee] Squeeze (standard; only against grabbed target; at will): +4 vs. Fort; 5 damage.
Stalactite Disguise: A darkmantle looks like a normal stalactite. It requires a Perception check, DC 25, to notice one before it acts.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5
Str 14; Dex 10; Wis 10
Con 13; Int 2; Cha 10
Wow. I always thought the 3e darkmantle was a joke (seriously, can't hit crap). Those look, well, dangerous.
I get a mental image of one or two dropping on PCs, then everyone looks up and the six or seven minions start to stir. The entire ceiling drops on their head.
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