DMG Excerpt: Customizing Monsters

hong said:

Interesting. Changing a monster's level changes its atk/def/AC by 1 per level. However, for PCs this is only 1 per 2 levels. Wonder how that works.

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Monsters aren't dirt farmers either, of course!

Seriously, though, this is very nice. Simple, elegant, and easy to use. Just what I'm looking for when it comes to simple monster changes.

Now I just want to see the sections on adding Class levels to monsters AND the sections on making up new monsters. If they're as well done as this excerpt, I'll be a very happy camper.

Did anyone else notice that one of the Vampire Lord's powers was given as being "(minor, recharge )" ? (sic)

Recharge what? Does it mean that the power automatically recharges when used, or is it supposed to say recharge 5 6 (for example)?

EDIT: Nevermind, I was reading the printer-friendly version. In the web version, it shows a dice face with 6 dots, so obviously the power is recharge 6. The printer-friendly version has neither the dice image nor the number 6, just a blank. Hence my confusion.

Nothing to see hear. Move along

Colmarr said:

Did anyone else notice that one of the Vampire Lord's powers was given as being "(minor, recharge )" ? (sic)

Is that a typo? Recharge what? Does it mean that the power automatically recharges when used?

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Each round, the DM rolls a d6 and if it lands on the number or above for that power it recharges. So in this case, it shows the 6-dots, so have to roll a 6.

And now, for some silliness.
[sblock]Succubus Vampire Lord Level 11 Elite Controller
Medium immortal humanoid (devil, shapechanger, undead) XP 1200
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +8; darkvision
HP 204; Bloodied 102
AC 27; Fortitude 21, Reflex 25, Will 27
Immune disease, poison
Resist 20 fire 10 necrotic
Vulnerable radiant 10
Saving Throws +2
Action Point 1
Regeneration 10 (regeneration does not function while the succubus vampire lord is exposed to direct sunlight)
Speed 6, fly 6

Melee Corrupting Touch (standard; at-will)
+16 vs. AC; 1d6 + 7 damage.

Melee Charming Kiss (standard; at-will) Charm
+16 vs. AC; on a hit, the succubus vampire lord makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +14 vs. Will; the target cannot attack the succubus vampire lord, and if the target is adjacent to the succubus vampire lord when the succubus vampire lord is targeted by a melee or a ranged attack, the target interposes itself and becomes the target of the attack instead. The effects last until the succubus vampire lord or one of its allies attacks the target or until the succubus vampire lord dies.

If the target is still under the effect of this power at the end of the encounter, the succubus vampire lord can sustain the effect indefinitely by kissing the target once per day. The succubus vampire lord can affect only one target at a time with its charming kiss.

Ranged Dominate (standard; at-will) Charm
Ranged 5; +14 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of the succubus vampire lord’s next turn.

Melee Blood Drain (standard, encounter; recharges when an adjacent creature becomes bloodied) Healing
Requires combat advantage. +13 vs. Fortitude; 2d12 + 10, and the target is weakened (save ends), and the succubus vampire lord heals 51 hit points.

Ranged Dominating Gaze (minor, recharge 6) Charm
Ranged 5; +13 vs. Will; the target is dominated (save ends, with a –2 penalty to the saving throw). Aftereffect: The target is dazed (save ends). The succubus vampire lord can dominate only one creature at a time with this power.

Mist Form (standard; encounter) Polymorph
The vampire lord becomes insubstantial and gains a fly speed of 12, but cannot make attacks. The succubus vampire lord can remain in mist form for up to 1 hour or end the effect as a minor action.

Change Shape (minor; at-will) Polymorph
The succubus can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Supernal
Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Insight +13
Str 11 (+4) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 19 (+8)
Con 10 (+4) Int 15 (+6) Cha 22 (+10)[/sblock]

Unholy snappin' armpits, Batman, where'd she get that mallet, Hammerspace?

More seriously: Regen 10?!? Woah. Particularly on that Lich. Sunlight I won't miss killing vampires, but shifting into a bat or wolf I will. Hopefully, that'll be taken care of once they hammer out the wrinkles in polymorph.

Yeah, natural armour not stacking is going to take some getting used to again, not to mention we're back to handwaving away the inevitable question of why. It's a good metagame reason but still.

Ipissimus said:

Yeah, natural armour not stacking is going to take some getting used to again, not to mention we're back to handwaving away the inevitable question of why. It's a good metagame reason but still.

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Do you let a chain shirt stack with heavy plate armor?

GSHamster said:

Do you let a chain shirt stack with heavy plate armor?

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QFT.

I never understood why natural armor stacked with regular armor. I remember thinking "huh??" when I first read that it did.

The vampire's dominate was sure nerfed wasn't it? So much for the whole "Come to me Lucy" thing. :\

Andor said:

The vampire's dominate was sure nerfed wasn't it? So much for the whole "Come to me Lucy" thing. :\

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Depends on what Domination actually does. It appears to be an effect all its own, as the mechanics aren't listed beyond the nastier-than-usual saving throw to get out of it.

Lucy will come to you. If a round is still 6 seconds aproximately, and you managed to overcome her meager willdefense, she'll be at your side iin no problem. Also, it's harder to save against the domination power.
Save-or-suck/die/go-home-and-come-back-later-powers never were popular to begin with.