A tool to aid in monster creation

[Asmor]

Please see http://www.enworld.org/forum/blog.php?b=15

[sblock=Original Post]One of the great things about 4th edition is that creating a monster is a fairly simple process. You follow a few formulas, look up on some tables to figure out how much damage it should do, and then come up with abilities you like.

Unfortunately, those formulas and tables can be a bit tedious... but no more! I've made a script that will go through all the formulas for you, so that you can focus on the fun part: making the new abilities!

4th Edition Monster Math Cruncher

Of note: I tried verifying this against the monsters in the monster manual. It gets the HP dead on every time (no thanks to the DMG's misleading information on elite hit points...). I haven't checked damage. All the other numbers, though, seem fudged several points in either direction.

As far as I can tell, that's because the monsters in the MM don't follow the guidelines laid out in the DMG, as opposed to being a problem with my program. However, if anyone does find any issues please let me know so I can fix them.

As long as I'm posting, don't forget to check out my encounter generator, posted in my sig![/sblock]

 

[Grazzt]

One of the great things about 4th edition is that creating a monster is a fairly simple process. You follow a few formulas, look up on some tables to figure out how much damage it should do, and then come up with abilities you like.

Unfortunately, those formulas and tables can be a bit tedious... but no more! I've made a script that will go through all the formulas for you, so that you can focus on the fun part: making the new abilities!

4th Edition Monster Math Cruncher

Of note: I tried verifying this against the monsters in the monster manual. It gets the HP dead on every time (no thanks to the DMG's misleading information on elite hit points...). I haven't checked damage. All the other numbers, though, seem fudged several points in either direction.

As far as I can tell, that's because the monsters in the MM don't follow the guidelines laid out in the DMG, as opposed to being a problem with my program. However, if anyone does find any issues please let me know so I can fix them.

As long as I'm posting, don't forget to check out my encounter generator, posted in my sig!

Nice work Asmor. Very cool. I've got something along those lines I designed as well (in Excel; possibly working on a php version if I can make time).

Yep. I tried verifying against the MM as well. Doesn't work for defenses, attack rolls (not always), damage (especially).

The guidelines apparently set the baseline, DM adjusts from there as he sees fit (which is completely fine with me).

But- nice work. And I dig the encounter generator. That is very handy.

 

[beverson]

I've got something along those lines I designed as well (in Excel; possibly working on a php version if I can make time).

Any chance of sharing that Excel creation with the group? I find local tools to be a bit more helpful, in cases where I can't get access to teh intarwebs.

thanks!

 

[Sceadeau]

Here is my version of a creature maker in excel.

Feedbck is welcome.

 

[Asmor]

Any chance of sharing that Excel creation with the group? I find local tools to be a bit more helpful, in cases where I can't get access to teh intarwebs.

thanks!

You can actually save mine to your hard drive and it runs locally. It's all client side stuff (javascript). You can even save it as HTML only, rather than saving the entire webpage.

That only applies to the number cruncher, though. The encounter generator has to be PHP because it requires a database. :/

 

[Dog Moon]

Is there anyway to make the stats a little bit more random? I'd rather not have every single creature have stats of only 13 and 16.

Other than that though, I do like it.

 

[Asmor]

The recommended stats are actually based on the advice in the DMG. They also scale up with level.

They're only meant to be a jumping off point. Once you have your level and primary pair locked in, you should turn off the checkbox and change the stats to whatever you think is appropriate.

It's also worth noting that stats are almost entirely unused. Constitution is used in the calculation of hit points, but other than that the only other place the stats are used is in the defenses (and NOT AC, though that may be a typo in the DMG)

 

[Sceadeau]

One of the great things that comes with creating tools like this (I created many that I use in-house), is learning exactly how it all works.

Asmor is correct. The stats are near garbage. Stats are used for:

Initiative
Hit Points
Defenses (other than AC)

The initiative thing is iffy. It doesn't really say.

Hit points is the most obvious use of stats. And that only really affects the creature by a couple of points in either direction. Up to maybe 15-20 on a high level solo monster.

Defenses are an odd function. The way you calculate defenses is figure out what your stats "should" be for that level (13+1/2 per level), and then add or subtract from the defense for every 2 you are off that target.

For example, if you are level 9, it expects you to have 17s as the high number in your stat pairs. (and a 20 in one of the stats)

It defines your defenses as 12+level. So assume a 21 in all defenses.

If you are at 19 in a stat, you increase that to 22.
If your highest in a stat pair is 14, you would decrease it to 20.

Like Asnor said -- this math only works for generating a creature. The monsters in the MM ignore this math.

As they ignore the making a monster elite or solo math as far as adding 2 to 3 of 4 defenses.

 

[Grazzt]

One of the great things that comes with creating tools like this (I created many that I use in-house), is learning exactly how it all works.

Asmor is correct. The stats are near garbage. Stats are used for:

Initiative
Hit Points
Defenses (other than AC)

The initiative thing is iffy. It doesn't really say.

Hit points is the most obvious use of stats. And that only really affects the creature by a couple of points in either direction. Up to maybe 15-20 on a high level solo monster.

Defenses are an odd function. The way you calculate defenses is figure out what your stats "should" be for that level (13+1/2 per level), and then add or subtract from the defense for every 2 you are off that target.

For example, if you are level 9, it expects you to have 17s as the high number in your stat pairs. (and a 20 in one of the stats)

It defines your defenses as 12+level. So assume a 21 in all defenses.

If you are at 19 in a stat, you increase that to 22.
If your highest in a stat pair is 14, you would decrease it to 20.

Like Asnor said -- this math only works for generating a creature. The monsters in the MM ignore this math.

As they ignore the making a monster elite or solo math as far as adding 2 to 3 of 4 defenses.

Yep. Pretty much all this. And what Asmor said above. The generated ability scores are just baselines. Adjust up/down from there as desired.

Dex mod + half level works out for Initiative though. Some roles grant a bonus of +2 or +4 to the initiative check/score (it's in the DMG).

But yeah- ability scores are almost useless this time for monsters. You could almost do away with them (1e style) completely

 

[Asmor]

The initiative thing is iffy. It doesn't really say.

I completely forgot about initiative. I suspect it works the same as PCs, i.e. 1/2 level + dex mod.

Defenses are an odd function. The way you calculate defenses is figure out what your stats "should" be for that level (13+1/2 per level), and then add or subtract from the defense for every 2 you are off that target.

Wow, I completely misread that. Instead of using the calculated average, I'm using 10. I.e. I'm adding their modifier to it.

Gonna have to change that.