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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 5508411" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>Here's the start of the monsters section. A few notes:</p><p></p><p>1. I haven't yet decided on a formula for xp value or CR, so those aren't included in the monster stats at this point.</p><p>2. I have only developed one monster prestige class so far. There are a couple of monsters with pc class levels that you'll see eventually, but they are overly complicated (that's actually what made me realize that they needed their own prcs to handle the same things pc base classes do). </p><p>3. I haven't dealt with Treasure Types yet either, and may just wholeheartedly steal the Treasure Types chart from 1e.</p><p></p><p>Anyhow: </p><p></p><p><strong><u><span style="font-size: 15px">MONSTERS</span></u></strong></p><p></p><p>Monster design recognizes the brilliance of exception based design. It also recognizes the wonderful fun that can be had by tinkering with monsters via templates, class levels, advancement, etc. Monster design thus operates under the following precepts:</p><p></p><p><strong><em>1. Level is not the same as Challenge Rating.</em></strong></p><p>A monster will have an overall level and levels in various classes, some of which are the monster's basic building blocks.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>2. Adventurers can fight creatures of vastly differing Challenge Ratings.</em></strong></p><p>Low-CR monsters are never obsolete. </p><p></p><p><em><strong>3. Monster Classes are fundamentally different from PC classes.</strong></em></p><p>They give attack bonuses and defense bonuses, but not much else. Monster classes are not limited to 10 levels like pc classes; a big enough monster could have 20 brute levels, for instance. Each monster class has a regular progression that is established in four levels. A monster that has more levels in that class keeps repeating the same progression.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>4. Monster Powers do not come from monster classes.</em></strong></p><p>Powers are exception-based. Most monsters don't use fighting styles or stances, instead having the effects built into their powers. </p><p></p><p><strong><em>5. Keywords.</em></strong></p><p>It's all about the keywords. Everything has the keyword of the entry under which it appears ("ant," "kobold," etc.) as well as any listed keywords. </p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">HIT POINTS:</span></strong> Monsters, like pcs, gain 1/3 their Constituiton score as a hit point “kicker” on top of their hit dice.</p><p></p><p></p><p><u><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">MONSTER CLASSES</span></strong></u></p><p>Like pcs, there are base classes for monsters and monster prestige classes.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">ARTILLERY</span></strong></p><p>An artillery monster is fragile but tends to be quick. It relies on ranged attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong>ARTILLERY ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- +1 ranged or spell --- +1 Ref --- +1d6</p><p>2 --- +1 ranged or spell --- None --- None</p><p>3 --- +1 ranged or spell --- +1 Ref --- None</p><p>4 --- +1 ranged or spell --- None --- None</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">BRUTE</span></strong></p><p>A brute monster is able to withstand a lot of damage. Many brutes have powers that further increase these traits. </p><p></p><p><strong>BRUTE ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- +1 melee --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5</p><p>2 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5</p><p>3 --- +1 melee --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5</p><p>4 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">CONTROLLER</span></strong></p><p>A controller is a monster whose attacks, while physical, have effects that hinder their targets more than they damage them. In contrast to a spellcaster monster, these attacks are delivered predominantly via melee or ranged attacks. </p><p></p><p><strong>CONTROLLER ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- +1 primary --- None --- +1d8</p><p>2 --- None --- +1 primary --- None </p><p>3 --- +1 primary --- None --- +1d8</p><p>4 --- None --- +1 primary --- None</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">LEADER</span></strong></p><p>A leader monster enhances its fellows. Leaders tend to be tough, but less focused on offense than most other monsters.</p><p></p><p><strong>LEADER ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- None --- +1 Will --- +1d8</p><p>2 --- None --- None --- +1d8</p><p>3 --- +1 any one --- +1 Will --- None</p><p>4 --- None --- None --- +1d8</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">SKIRMISHER</span></strong></p><p>A skirmisher tends to have powers that encourage it to move around a lot in combat. </p><p></p><p><strong>SKIRMISHER ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- None --- +1 Ref --- +1d6</p><p>2 --- +1 melee or ranged --- None --- None</p><p>3 --- None --- +1 Ref --- +1d6</p><p>4 --- +1 melee or ranged --- None --- None</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">SOLDIER</span></strong></p><p>In contrast to brutes, soldiers are harder to hit but easier to slay.</p><p></p><p><strong>SOLDIER ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- +1 melee --- +1 AC --- +1d8</p><p>2 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d8</p><p>3 --- +1 melee --- +1 AC --- +1d8</p><p>4 --- None --- +1 AC --- +1d8</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">SPELLCASTER</span></strong></p><p>A spellcaster is a monster that relies on attacks that use its spell attack bonus. </p><p></p><p><strong>SPELLCASTER ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points</strong></p><p>1 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4</p><p>2 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4</p><p>3 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4</p><p>4 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><u><span style="font-size: 15px">MONSTER PRESTIGE CLASSES</span></u></strong></p><p>Some prestige classes are available only to monsters, sometimes because they grant monstrous characteristics and sometimes because they require brainwashing, demonic influence or the like to take them.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">CULTIST</span></strong></p><p>A cultist is a member of a foul cult devoted to the worship of an unwholesome entity or philosophy. In contrast to a cleric, cultists are often brainwashed, and their power comes from fanaticism rather than divine empowerment.</p><p></p><p><strong>CULSTIST ADVANCEMENT</strong></p><p><strong>Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features</strong></p><p>1 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Fanaticism, master prevaricator</p><p>2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Take one for the team</p><p>3 --- +1 any one --- None --- +1d8 --- Mindless obedience</p><p> </p><p><em>Fanaticism:</em> A cultist gains a +5 bonus to saving throws against effects that target her Will defense. A cultist gains a +1 bonus to attacks when another cultist or a location sacred to the cult is within 50'.</p><p> </p><p><em>Master Prevaricator: </em>The cultist gains a +2 bonus to skill checks made to deceive or misdirect creatures about the cult.</p><p> </p><p><em>Take One for the Team (recharges on a 10+):</em> Trigger: An adjacent ally is hit by a melee or ranged attack. Effect (interrupt): The cultist switches places with the target and is hit instead.</p><p> </p><p><em>Mindless Obedience:</em> Any effect that causes a 3rd level cultist to attack an ally, act against the cult, consider an ally an enemy, or consider a creature attacking a member or fixture of the cult an ally ends immediately.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 5508411, member: 1210"] Here's the start of the monsters section. A few notes: 1. I haven't yet decided on a formula for xp value or CR, so those aren't included in the monster stats at this point. 2. I have only developed one monster prestige class so far. There are a couple of monsters with pc class levels that you'll see eventually, but they are overly complicated (that's actually what made me realize that they needed their own prcs to handle the same things pc base classes do). 3. I haven't dealt with Treasure Types yet either, and may just wholeheartedly steal the Treasure Types chart from 1e. Anyhow: [B][U][SIZE="4"]MONSTERS[/SIZE][/U][/B] Monster design recognizes the brilliance of exception based design. It also recognizes the wonderful fun that can be had by tinkering with monsters via templates, class levels, advancement, etc. Monster design thus operates under the following precepts: [B][I]1. Level is not the same as Challenge Rating.[/I][/B] A monster will have an overall level and levels in various classes, some of which are the monster's basic building blocks. [B][I]2. Adventurers can fight creatures of vastly differing Challenge Ratings.[/I][/B] Low-CR monsters are never obsolete. [I][B]3. Monster Classes are fundamentally different from PC classes.[/B][/I] They give attack bonuses and defense bonuses, but not much else. Monster classes are not limited to 10 levels like pc classes; a big enough monster could have 20 brute levels, for instance. Each monster class has a regular progression that is established in four levels. A monster that has more levels in that class keeps repeating the same progression. [B][I]4. Monster Powers do not come from monster classes.[/I][/B] Powers are exception-based. Most monsters don't use fighting styles or stances, instead having the effects built into their powers. [B][I]5. Keywords.[/I][/B] It's all about the keywords. Everything has the keyword of the entry under which it appears ("ant," "kobold," etc.) as well as any listed keywords. [B][SIZE="3"]HIT POINTS:[/SIZE][/B] Monsters, like pcs, gain 1/3 their Constituiton score as a hit point “kicker” on top of their hit dice. [U][B][SIZE="4"]MONSTER CLASSES[/SIZE][/B][/U] Like pcs, there are base classes for monsters and monster prestige classes. [B][SIZE="3"]ARTILLERY[/SIZE][/B] An artillery monster is fragile but tends to be quick. It relies on ranged attacks. [B]ARTILLERY ADVANCEMENT[/B] [B]Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- +1 ranged or spell --- +1 Ref --- +1d6 2 --- +1 ranged or spell --- None --- None 3 --- +1 ranged or spell --- +1 Ref --- None 4 --- +1 ranged or spell --- None --- None [B][SIZE="3"]BRUTE[/SIZE][/B] A brute monster is able to withstand a lot of damage. Many brutes have powers that further increase these traits. [B]BRUTE ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- +1 melee --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5 2 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5 3 --- +1 melee --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5 4 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d10+5 [B][SIZE="3"]CONTROLLER[/SIZE][/B] A controller is a monster whose attacks, while physical, have effects that hinder their targets more than they damage them. In contrast to a spellcaster monster, these attacks are delivered predominantly via melee or ranged attacks. [B]CONTROLLER ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- +1 primary --- None --- +1d8 2 --- None --- +1 primary --- None 3 --- +1 primary --- None --- +1d8 4 --- None --- +1 primary --- None [B][SIZE="3"]LEADER[/SIZE][/B] A leader monster enhances its fellows. Leaders tend to be tough, but less focused on offense than most other monsters. [B]LEADER ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- None --- +1 Will --- +1d8 2 --- None --- None --- +1d8 3 --- +1 any one --- +1 Will --- None 4 --- None --- None --- +1d8 [B][SIZE="3"]SKIRMISHER[/SIZE][/B] A skirmisher tends to have powers that encourage it to move around a lot in combat. [B]SKIRMISHER ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- None --- +1 Ref --- +1d6 2 --- +1 melee or ranged --- None --- None 3 --- None --- +1 Ref --- +1d6 4 --- +1 melee or ranged --- None --- None [B][SIZE="3"]SOLDIER[/SIZE][/B] In contrast to brutes, soldiers are harder to hit but easier to slay. [B]SOLDIER ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- +1 melee --- +1 AC --- +1d8 2 --- None --- +1 Fort --- +1d8 3 --- +1 melee --- +1 AC --- +1d8 4 --- None --- +1 AC --- +1d8 [B][SIZE="3"]SPELLCASTER[/SIZE][/B] A spellcaster is a monster that relies on attacks that use its spell attack bonus. [B]SPELLCASTER ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points[/B] 1 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4 2 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4 3 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4 4 --- +1 spell --- +1 Will --- +1d4 [B][U][SIZE="4"]MONSTER PRESTIGE CLASSES[/SIZE][/U][/B] Some prestige classes are available only to monsters, sometimes because they grant monstrous characteristics and sometimes because they require brainwashing, demonic influence or the like to take them. [B][SIZE="3"]CULTIST[/SIZE][/B] A cultist is a member of a foul cult devoted to the worship of an unwholesome entity or philosophy. In contrast to a cleric, cultists are often brainwashed, and their power comes from fanaticism rather than divine empowerment. [B]CULSTIST ADVANCEMENT Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features[/B] 1 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Fanaticism, master prevaricator 2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Take one for the team 3 --- +1 any one --- None --- +1d8 --- Mindless obedience [I]Fanaticism:[/I] A cultist gains a +5 bonus to saving throws against effects that target her Will defense. A cultist gains a +1 bonus to attacks when another cultist or a location sacred to the cult is within 50'. [I]Master Prevaricator: [/I]The cultist gains a +2 bonus to skill checks made to deceive or misdirect creatures about the cult. [I]Take One for the Team (recharges on a 10+):[/I] Trigger: An adjacent ally is hit by a melee or ranged attack. Effect (interrupt): The cultist switches places with the target and is hit instead. [I]Mindless Obedience:[/I] Any effect that causes a 3rd level cultist to attack an ally, act against the cult, consider an ally an enemy, or consider a creature attacking a member or fixture of the cult an ally ends immediately. [/QUOTE]
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