Adding Templates to Solo Creatures...

[Pbartender]

The DMG is pretty clear on how to do it. What it is unclear on is how it affects the XP reward of the creature.

Normally, adding a template advances a creature from ordinary to Elite, or from Elite to Solo. But if the creature is already a Solo, there's nowhere left to go.

Any ideas?

 

[Piratecat]

Sure. I'd raise the base level of the creature up by one. So a lvl 10 creature made into a lvl 10 templated solo would grant the xp for a level 11 solo.

 

[Pbartender]

Sure. I'd raise the base level of the creature up by one. So a lvl 10 creature made into a lvl 10 templated solo would grant the xp for a level 11 solo.

Right... Treat it as a higher level creature, but without actually making it a higher level creature. That could work.

 

[jgsugden]

Or, you could just use the template abilities as part of the abilities granted to a solo creature.

 

[chaotix42]

There's a green dragon in the Draconomicon with what is essentially the warlock template - has to be one of the biggest stat blocks I've ever seen.

I think they just applied the template's abilities without increased defenses or hit points, and then gave the dragon a few levels to reflect the increased challenge.

 

[Caliban]

The DMG is pretty clear on how to do it. What it is unclear on is how it affects the XP reward of the creature.

Normally, adding a template advances a creature from ordinary to Elite, or from Elite to Solo. But if the creature is already a Solo, there's nowhere left to go.

Any ideas?

It's hair turns white and sticks up, it gains a glowing aura, and begins making long speeches during each of it's turns (in addition to it's full attacks), and the PC's have wait for it to finish speaking before attacking, for no reason they can discern?

 

[Engilbrand]

And the yelling. Don't forget the yelling.
And the aura that nobody can see except the audience.

 

[77IM]

I created a red dragon warlord as follows.

1. Give the dragon the powers and features of the Warlord template.
2. Don't give any defense bonuses or hit point bonuses. Solos already have enough of these.
3. Increase XP by 20%. It's kind of like having an extra standard monster present, due to the increased damage output and nasty side effects (in the warlord case, healing).

I didn't increase his level because level, in my mind, is closely tied to combat values like attack and defense and HP. XP is tied to both level and role, so it makes more sense for the "super-solo" to have bonus XP.

-- 77IM

 

[fissionessence]

The rules for applying templates are basically just suggestions on how to build balanced monsters, since monster rules really aren't strict. As chaotix42 suggested, just give your solo monster whatever powers you want. Just don't increase its hit points, defenses, etc. any more. Be careful not to give it too many encounter/daily/recharge powers for its level (increasing its level if you need to), and you should be fine. There are no guides that specifically lay out how many powers of a given frequency type a monster should have at a given level, but you can use the MM and the green dragon warlock referenced in chaotix42's post as guides.

~
http://www.enworld.org/forum/members/chaotix42.html