All Publishers how do you detail characters?

[Bagpuss]

I'm curious as to what is the standard for detailing characters/monsters stat blocks

For example when skills are listed it is usually a single number.

Is that just the ranks?
The ranks and Attribute mod?
The ranks, attribute mod and any feat modification?

I always assumend the latter as that would be most useful to a DM during the game, but then I came across a character with the following.

Wis 15 (a +2 attribute modification), Alertness and yet his Spot was +2 and Listen +5.

This is made even weirder by the fact it was a creature with some class levels and the creature without the class levels is listed as having a Spot +15 and Listen +10.

So what are you listing when you give a skill then the bonus?

 

[HellHound]

Generally the number SHOULD be the total of everything, feats and stat mods included.

Usually I list my characters using the www.d20statblock.org stat block system, including the skill ranks after the +, so a character with 2 ranks in spot with alertness and a Wisdom of 12 would have:

Spot +5 (2)

 

[MEG Hal]

Believe it or not but we have a person who wrote a multi page document on how to make an NPC for Mystic Eye Games, it is a detailed pdf but explains how to do it and why. We feel it is a solid method and easy to read/understand....hopefully our stat guru Charles W. Plemons III will be around here soon.

We also tweak it a bit for AU and Dragonstar but all MEG products have a uniformed look.

 

[Bagpuss]

Generally the number SHOULD be the total of everything, feats and stat mods included.

Armour check penalty?

 

[tensen]

When we originally did stat blocks we did only the skill ranks. However since the midpoint of 2002, all our stat blocks should include every bonus (ranks, attribute bonus, and feats, but only things natural to the individual, so it doesn't list magic items, or armor check penalties.).. and the older stat blocks we being revised to show that.

 

[Gez]

Generally the number SHOULD be the total of everything, feats and stat mods included.

Usually I list my characters using the www.d20statblock.org stat block system, including the skill ranks after the +, so a character with 2 ranks in spot with alertness and a Wisdom of 12 would have:

Spot +5 (2)

I'm not a publisher, but were I one, I would do exactly the same.

And include all permanent modifiers (including armor check penalty) in the total, but leaving out conditionnal modifier (like +8 to hide in underground environment) while signaling their existence with an *.

Just like in the MM.

 

[HellHound]

Armour check penalty?

SHOULD. Probably doesn't in all my products, but certainly should.

I *do* include size modifiers for Hide however.

 

[jmucchiello]

The NPCs in Joe's Book of Enchantment (and in all upcoming works) are all statted with skill ranks, feat mods and armor check in parentheses after the total skill mod (which also adds the ability score mod):

Given: Dex = 13

Skills: Hide +4 (3r)

Add Armor with -2 armor check

Skills: Hide +2 (3r, -2 armor)

Make it a gnome

Skills: Hide +6 (3r, +4 size, -2 armor)

I think I also include "racial" as a possible modifier.

But then my stat blocks are overly complete usually, including stuff like age, height, weight, original ability scores before applying race and level, and an advancement section so that if you decide to add a few levels to the character, you know what feats he plans to take.

Important NPCs are worked out on my own character sheets so that I don't miss anything. (And so the NPC can be playtested in game.) I have a page on the sheet for all level-up decisions (feats, ability score adjustments, skills chosen by point, etc.)

 

[Gargoyle]

Generally the number SHOULD be the total of everything, feats and stat mods included.

Usually I list my characters using the www.d20statblock.org stat block system, including the skill ranks after the +, so a character with 2 ranks in spot with alertness and a Wisdom of 12 would have:

Spot +5 (2)

This is exactly how we started doing it in Call of Duty. (and now that I think about it, we've probably forgotten armor check penalties for some characters as well; I agree that they should be in there)

And we've started recently to include more combat tactic notes.