D&D General Monster Layout Preferences

D

Demetrios1453

Hero

• Aug 12, 2021

• #11

Place the CR prominently somewhere, preferably to the right of the name. If not at the start of the description text, then in the stat block itself. It always annoys me that the CR is buried in small print deep in the stat block. I know it's not the end-all and be-all in determining relative creature power, but it's still hugely useful for if you need a general power level at a glance.

 

log in or register to remove this ad

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix

• Aug 12, 2021

• #12

Oh another thing (sorry friend):

I think the Proficiency Bonus should figure somewhere in plain view on the statblock.

 

Sacrosanct

Legend

• Aug 12, 2021

• #13

So this? Note, if I put the CR up next to the name, it also shows up on the Table of Contents like that (the way I have ToC working in InDesign). Which actually is a good thing, IMO

 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix

• Aug 12, 2021

• #14

Sacrosanct said:

So this? Note, if I put the CR up next to the name, it also shows up on the Table of Contents like that (the way I have ToC working in InDesign). Which actually is a good thing, IMO

View attachment 142085

Click to expand...

Ok, now: where can I buy this?

(I'd still switch habitat with incorporation, so you have the ''in-game lore'' in one spot, then the ''meta side'' of the creature).

EDITED: Oh, possibly a ''Bloodied value'' somewhere in the block? It create some design space for future creatures.

 

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

• Aug 12, 2021

• #15

I'd rather see the stat block right after the name - as in, it's the first thing you'd read if progressing in normal sequence down the page - because it, rather than all the write-up, is what I'd be referring to most often.

(or, to save a bit of space, have the header name also be the header of the stat block)

Side note: is it just me, or does that Fomorian look like it once saw a Minotaur and said "I wanna be one of those!"?

 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix

• Aug 12, 2021

• #16

Lanefan said:

I'd rather see the stat block right after the name - as in, it's the first thing you'd read if progressing in normal sequence down the page - because it, rather than all the write-up, is what I'd be referring to most often.

Click to expand...

That's a good idea:

Statblock
Rumors & Lore
Description
Behavior
Habitat
Incorporation
also->Example Encounters, as per 4e MM3 (Sorry @Sacrosanct, I keep adding stuff!)

 

Sacrosanct

Legend

• Aug 13, 2021

• #17

Here are some of the revisions. I gotta be honest, I don't like the stat block right at the top first thing for double sized stat blocks. I think it looks off. But I'm always open to ideas and maybe I'm wrong about it. (and sorry not to add a bunch of other stuff, I'll be limited on page count. I've already got almost 200 creatures, and it's not even a full monster book, but a good 100 pages will be fluff/setting stuff, so I want to avoid a 500 page book if possible). Also, the art is just placeholder for something that's close. It's not final art lol.

 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix

• Aug 13, 2021

• #18

Yeahh...for a single block its not too bad, but the wide one is weird, the previous one was better.

One thought I had:
Would you be open to give monsters custom abilities that may be similar to spells instead of spells from the PHB, like in 4e? This would allow you to save some space in the statblock by removing the lengthy fluff of the spells and write only the mechanical part. Maybe even replace spell slots per day by a recovery die or a ''per-encounter'' instead?

Something like this:

Action
Dissonant Whisper
Ghoulish Whispers (Recharge 6). One target that can hear Abartach within 60 ft. Wisdom Saves. The target takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from Abartach. Saves: half-damage and the target dont move away.

Darkness
Shadow Veil (at-will). One 15 ft radius sphere within 60 ft, Concentration 10 minutes. The sphere is an heavily-obscured area that blocks Darkvision, non-magical lighting and illumination spells of 2nd level and lower.

Just as an idea.

 

Uni-the-Unicorn!

Hero

• Aug 13, 2021

• #19

You might want to look at what LevelUp is doing with their monsters. The are treading in some similar waters and I think a combination of their stat block organization and your graphics would be awesome.

Regarding the location of the stat block, I think it needs to float and just be placed were it works best for the layout. Don’t tie it to a set location.