Rules for the Battle of All Alignments

Gansk

Explorer
Welcome to the Battle of All Alignments! The purpose of this forum is to determine which alignment reigns supreme by having all the monsters representing each alignment engage each other in gladiatorial combat until one alignment is left. You can participate by conducting each monster’s strategy. I will do all the rolling and let you know the results.

Sources: I will be using most of the monsters from the following sources -
Monster Manual
Monster Manual II (Converted to version 3.5)
Monster Manual III
Fiend Folio (Converted to version 3.5)
Manual of the Planes (Converted to version 3.5)
Planar Handbook
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Miniatures Handbook
Book of Vile Darkness (Converted to version 3.5 using WotC Messageboard Conversion)
Book of Exalted Deeds
Draconomicon
Libris Mortis
Lords of Madness
Frostburn
Sandstorm
and two websites:

The Creature Catalogue (3.5 Monsters only)
(Thanks to Boz for maintaining this site)

The WotC website (3.5 Monsters only)
(Thanks to Alzrius for compiling this list of links)


The monsters that I will exclude have the following characteristics -
Unique monsters (no Tarrasque!)
Monsters with the Aquatic subtype that do not have the Amphibious special quality
Monsters that cannot move
Monsters that cannot do damage (physical or ability damage)
Monsters above CR 20 (Exception - each alignment will have one “general” with a CR of exactly 21)
Templates will be represented by their sample creature listings in the source material


Battle Rules:

The battle will consist of multiple rounds. In the first round, Neutral will split up into eight different factions and fight all of the outside alignments. An alignment is utterly defeated only when its “general” (CR 21 monster) is defeated. In the second round, each of the surviving alignments will fight the alignment most diametrically opposed to them. If there are an odd number of alignments that survive the first round, the alignment with the most surviving members will split into two factions and fight two different opponents in the second round. This process continues until there are two alignments left, who will battle in the final round for total supremacy of the multiverse!


Gladiatorial Combat:

The first round will take place in eight different arenas, with combat conducted simultaneously in each arena. Each arena will have a faction of Neutral fighting an outside alignment. Normally only one monster from each side will be fighting in the arena at any one time. The exceptions would be if one monster persuades its opponent to switch sides or if other monsters are summoned into the arena. Each monster entering the arena will be a typical specimen as described by the source material and will have average hit points. If there are some variables associated with the monster, I will decide them before the monster enters the arena. Summoned monsters get random hit points. If monsters have specific familiars or animal companions, they can choose to bring these creatures along with them into the arena.


A monster is defeated in the arena under the following circumstances:
It dies or is destroyed
It is at negative hit points and does not take any action for one full round
It takes non-lethal damage that exceeds its current hit points
One of its abilities (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, or Cha) is brought down to zero and it does not take any action for one full round
It leaves the arena for any reason
It is convinced or forced to fight for the opposing side

Any defeated monsters (and their equipment) still in the arena will be teleported out of the arena to avoid a pile of dead bodies from becoming a terrain obstacle. The exception to this rule is when the monster is fighting for the opposing side. Once a monster is defeated, a new monster will be teleported into the arena to take its place. Any summoned monsters, spells, or effects to the terrain caused by the defeated monster will continue until the duration expires. Summoned monsters will fight for the new monster who enters. The new monster must use a move action to teleport into the arena before doing anything else. It may ready its equipment outside of the arena in preparation for combat, but it cannot use equipment, cast spells, use abilities, or do any other standard action outside of the arena to prepare for combat inside the arena.

If at any time during the combat between two monsters there are five consecutive rounds where neither main opponent has received damage (damage to summoned or charmed monsters is irrelevant), the combat is considered a draw. The two monsters are teleported away (if they have Dimensional Anchor cast upon them, they must leave the arena immediately) and two new monsters enter the arena to take their place. The monster on the side who went first in the last round goes first in the round after the draw takes place.

If a draw condition exists between a general and a non-general, the draw is recorded, but only the non-general is teleported away. The general remains in the arena until it is defeated.

If two generals are fighting in the arena, the draw condition is extended from 5 rounds to 10 rounds. If a draw still occurs, the two alignments will have to each submit a new general (Submission rules are provided in the Clubhouse thread). The process is repeated until a general is defeated.



Arena Terrain:

The arena is a 120 foot square area with a ceiling 120 feet high. It is bounded by walls except on the east and west sides, where there are two walls of force. Most of the arena is solid stone going 120 feet down, with the exception of semi-loose soil in a 20 foot strip along the southern wall of the arena and a 120 pit filled to the top with water in a 20 foot strip along the northern wall. Any monster who has a burrow speed or earth glide ability automatically has tremorsense in a 60 foot radius as an extraordinary ability. Each arena is on the Prime Material Plane, which means that outsiders are subject to spells such as Dismissal. Travelling to planes that coexist with the arena (such as the Astral, Ethereal, or Plane of Shadow) is not considered leaving the arena. The light is sufficient for sight throughout the arena, but it is not natural sunlight and is not bright enough to affect creatures who are sensitive to light. Of course spells cast during combat can change these conditions. The walls are superior masonry (Climb DC 25).

For purposes of identifying the positions of each combatant, we will need a coordinate system. The southwest corner of each arena will be considered zero feet North and zero feet East, or 0N0E. The southwest corner of each monster’s position will be used as a reference, so any size monster in the southwest corner of the arena will have its position noted as 0N0E, but if the monster is in the northeast corner of the arena, its position would be 115N115E if its size is medium or smaller, but 110N110E if the monster is large, 105N105E if it is huge, etc. In the first round, Neutral will be watching the combat from the east side or between 0N120E and 115N120E, while the other alignment will be watching from the west side or between 0N0E and 115N0E. Monsters can teleport into the arena anywhere between the north and south walls, but they must teleport into an empty space at zero elevation where they are not initially squeezing to fit into the space.

Other terrain features of the arena:

1) The southern 20 foot strip of semi-loose soil runs 120 feet deep. On the surface of the soil is enough grass to use for entangle and plant growth-type spells.

2) The SW and SE corners of the arena have two trees growing from the soil. The trees are 10 feet in diameter and have a climb DC of 15. The tree trunks are 100 feet tall, but smaller branches covered with leaves extend from the top of the trunk, forming a 20 foot cube on the two corners of the arena. These branches can support creatures of large size or smaller and the leaves provide concealment.

3) Running down the center of the arena is a 20 foot strip of adamantine at a 20 foot elevation (1 foot thick), supported by 1 foot diameter adamantime pillars at 100N50E, 100N70E, 60N50E, 60N70E, 20N50E and 20N70E. The floor underneath this roof, also made of adamantine that is 10 feet thick, is the victory zone. If one combatant remains (at least partially) in the victory zone at 0Z for 4 rounds without the other opponent staying (at least partially) in the victory zone at 0Z for one full round, the first combatant wins. If a draw condition and a victory condition occur at the same time, the victory condition takes precedence. If a draw condition occurs after a combatant has been in the victory zone at 0 elevation for 3 rounds, that combatant can choose to accept or negate the draw.

4) Each side can watch the battle behind their respective walls of force and make decisions based on what they observe inside the arena. To leave the arena, a combatant must tap on the wall of force where his side is watching the battle three times in succession as a free action. Frightened and panicked opponents will remember to tap, but they may pick the wrong side of the arena (they will not run past an enemy they fear to get to the right side). Confused opponents will not remember that they need to tap.

5) Once an opponent has been defeated and teleported out of the arena, the victor is also briefly teleported out of the arena. Then a greater dispel magic cast at 20th level is cast on the victory zone area. The victor is then instaneously teleported back to its previous location.


Combat Tactics:

Participating players will conduct the strategy of each monster in the arena, but there are certain “roleplaying” aspects of the monsters to consider, especially for the less intelligent creatures. The guidelines for conducting the tactics of any given creature are as follows:

Non-intelligent to Intelligence 3: The creature either follows the tactics described in the source material or just charges and fights to the death. It can change its tactics only once during the entire combat against a given opponent, based on how the opponent reacts to the original tactics. If the creature has a feat based on BAB such as Power Attack, it uses the full BAB or it doesn’t use the feat at all. Any change in the use of a feat is considered a change in tactics.

Intelligence 4 to 6: Same as above, but the creature can change its tactics twice during a combat and it can choose to use half of its BAB for a feat like Power Attack.

Intelligence 7 to 9: Same as above, but the creature can change its tactics three times during a combat and it can choose to use its BAB in 25% increments for a feat like Power Attack.

Intelligence 10 and up: The creature can engage in any tactics it wants, but player should not metagame the abilities of the opponent. The creature can gain knowledge of its opponent in only two ways - skills and observation. If the creature has Knowledge skills that could pertain to its opponent, I will determine what knowledge it has before the combat begins. The creature can also watch its opponent defeat its allies and gain knowledge based on this prior combat before entering the arena.

Any creature with an Intelligence above 1 can change its tactics to pursue a draw if it is convinced that it cannot damage its opponent. Creatures with an Intelligence between 2 and 9 can either observe its opponent in prior combat and pursue a draw as its original tactic or they can change their tactics to pursue a draw in the middle of combat if they have not used up all of their allotted changes.

Once again these are guidelines and I will make the final determination of whether any given tactic is allowed to any given monster.


House Rules:

We will be using D&D version 3.5 rules (including all errata) to conduct the arena combats, with the following optional rules in effect:

DMG page 24: Striking the Cover instead of a Missed Target
DMG page 27: Massive Damage based on Size
DMG page 36: Spell Roll - used only for psionic powers and abilities

Grappling - there is an ongoing debate about how to conduct grappling with creatures using natural weapons. When a creature uses the “Attack Your Opponent” option in a grapple, it can use all of its natural attacks at -4, in addition to rake attacks. Rake attacks will not be at -4. If the creature hits, lethal damage according to the natural weapon is inflicted. When a creature uses the “Damage Your Opponent” option, the number of attacks is based on the creature’s BAB. If the creature does not have the Improved Grab ability, a successful grapple check results in nonlethal damage equal to an unarmed strike based on the creature’s size. If the creature has the Improved Grab ability, a successful grapple check results in lethal damage according to the natural weapon that performed the grab, plus possible Constriction damage.

Webs - When creatures are using Strength checks to break out of webs, they apply a special modifier based on their size, identical to the modifier used in grapple checks.

Polymorph - Monsters that can alter self, polymorph, or shapechange are limited to the following choices:

1) Any monster of its type or subtype that also has the same alignment.
2) Any monster that it knows about due to a knowledge skill. (Propose a candidate and I will tell you if the monster knows enough to polymorph into it.)
3) Any monster it observes fighting in the arena.

Of course, each spell also has restrictions that the monster has to observe.

Dispel Magic: When dispel magic or greater dispel magic is used to target a spell, the caster must identify the spell exactly, through prior knowledge (his own spell or intimate knowledge of the spell caster) or a spellcraft check. For example, just because someone's buddy looks confused, he can't cast dispel magic specifically to get rid of the confusion and automatically keep all the rest of the buddy's buff spells intact. He can still cast dispel magic at a creature or object, an area, or as a counterspell without this restriction. Other spells like break enchantment or dispel evil also do not have this restriction.

Calling Creatures: Spells such as gate or planar ally that can call creatures to the arena that are not on a list (like the summoning spells) are subject to the knowledge restrictions specified for alter self/polymorph/shapechange. No creatures above CR 20 can be called into the arena.

Falling Objects: The rules for falling objects are borrowed from the D20 Modern SRD:

Falling Objects
Objects that fall upon characters (or creatures) deal damage based on their size and the distance fallen, as noted on Table: Damage from Falling Objects.
Objects deal the initial damage given in Table: Damage from Falling Objects if they fall 10 feet or less. An object deals an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 10-foot increment it falls beyond the first (to a maximum of 20d6 points of damage). Objects of Fine size are too small to deal damage, regardless of the distance fallen.
A successful Reflex save indicates that the target takes half damage. The size of the falling object determines the save DC.
If the save fails by 10 or more, and the object is at least three size categories larger than the character, the character is pinned under the fallen object. A pinned character cannot move but is not helpless. The character can make a Strength check to lift the object off him or herself or an Escape Artist check (DC 20) to get out from underneath. The GM can modify the DCs for these checks based on the circumstances.

Table: Damage from Falling Objects
Code:
Object Size  Initial Damage	Reflex Save DC	Strength Check DC
Fine	  	    0	             n/a	       n/a
Diminutive 	    1	              0	               n/a
Tiny	           1d3	              5	               n/a
Small	           1d4	             10	                5
Medium-size        1d6	             15	               10
Large	           2d6	             20	               20
Huge	           4d6	             25	               30
Gargantuan         8d6	             30	               40
Colossal	  10d6	             35	               50

If situations occur that tread into hazy areas of the rules, I might suspend the combat and put the question on the ENWorld D&D Rules forum. I will probably use the discussion as a basis for my final ruling.


Participation:

You can participate in the Battle of All Alignments by posting on the “Sign Up Sheet” thread. Simply state which alignment you would like to play and wait for my acknowledgement. I will be playing all of the Neutral factions unless there are enough players to take them over as well. Then I will simply be observing the tactics, making rulings, and rolling the dice.

I am not interested in reposting stat -blocks on this forum, so if you are assigned a monster that you are not familiar with because you do not have access to the source material, I would ask that you step aside and let someone else play the monster. You can always sign up for combat in another arena.


Thanks for reading and I hope you join in the fun!

Gansk
 
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