D&D General Do people like re-skinning?

[dave2008]

If I was playing in a game, and the DM told me that the giant spider we fought was just a re-skinned dragon, then I'd feel kind of cheated and disappointed that they didn't care enough about the game to actually put in the work.

That is on you, not the DM.

I mean, if there was nothing wrong with it, there would be no reason to even hide it from the players. You would be able to tell them right off the bat, and they wouldn't think anything of it.

If I re-skin a monster into a new monster, then it becomes that new monster. There is nothing to reveal. If a player asked, where did that monster come from. I would tell them - no big deal (though I have never had that happen). Why would some ask where a monster came from? That is oddly meta. I mean, usually the answer is the "Monster Manual," why would a player want to know that. I guess I don't usually give players info the characters don't have. Kinda of a strange question.

Anyway, as someone else pointed out, it (re-skinning) is literally the first advice in the DMG on creating monsters.

 

[nomotog]

I'll be honest, now that you mention something like that it just makes me want to try and pull that off.

I'd probably use a Green Dragon because spiders already do Poison damage. The Breath I could write off as it spitting poisonous webs at the party, but the flight would be the big one. I think some spiders fly using their webs (at least, if Charlotte's Web didn't lie to me again) so maybe something like that?

It would be really hard to pull off. Dragons are iconic, so most players will know their different abilities. Also, the dragon doesn't have a lot of spider-powers like there is no weblike ability. Even the limbs don't add up. Like dragons have bite claw, tail, and wing attacks. You can get the bite and claw attacks in just fine, but like the tail and wing attacks are they just extra claw attacks? I can't picture this working well

I want you to do it and report back. It would be good to hear how it goes.

 

[Maxperson]

It would be really hard to pull off. Dragons are iconic, so most players will know their different abilities. Also, the dragon doesn't have a lot of spider-powers like there is no weblike ability. Even the limbs don't add up. Like dragons have bite claw, tail, and wing attacks. You can get the bite and claw attacks in just fine, but like the tail and wing attacks are they just extra claw attacks? I can't picture this working well

I want you to do it and report back. It would be good to hear how it goes.

The attacks would be easy. 1 bite, 4 claws(4 legs to stand on) and a tail stinger, because fantasy spider. It's the flight that would be problematic. The poison web spray is good for the breath weapon. And there are wingless dragons, so the flight could be nixed.

 

[nomotog]

The attacks would be easy. 1 bite, 4 claws(4 legs to stand on) and a tail stinger, because fantasy spider. It's the flight that would be problematic. The poison web spray is good for the breath weapon. And there are wingless dragons, so the flight could be nixed.

If we start nixing or changing the abilities, I wouldn't call it a pure reskin.

 

[Maxperson]

If we start nixing or changing the abilities, I wouldn't call it a pure reskin.

Then have it run up through a network of ironwebs(so they don't burn). It would be able to go in any direction in the room.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It's the flight that would be problematic.

Just describe it as landing at the end of each flying segment, and you have a jumping spider.

 

[Maxperson]

Just describe it as landing at the end of each flying segment, and you have a jumping spider.

Or the unburnable web network above. It can throw a thread up to reach the network and come down when it wants. Same as flying.

 

[noko]

What do you guys think about the practice of reskinning different classes, monsters, races, ect to make new things? Like if you don't have the statblock for a lake monster so you just use the purple worm, or if you didn't have a psychic class, so you just used the sorcery class and changed the fluff on the abilities?

As a whole, I am not a fan of reskinning. I like it when fluff and mechanics complement each other so reskinning old mechanics new fluff breaks that. I think it's more ok for elements like monsters because the players often don't know the mechanics behind the fluff, and it's not often worth it to make a new monster. On the other hand, reskinning classes feels horrible to me. You can see all the mechanics and how they deviate. I understand reskinning is the best option sometimes, but I still see it as the lesser option.

I just reskinned both a Riding Lizard and a Pteranodon into the new(old) Massospondylus in the middle of a game as tonight I was allowing my players to pick the dinosaurs they were going to use while exploring the Isle of Dread, or the Polynesian paradise of Tymora as I have sold it to them;

13' nose to tail and AC 13 (natural hide)
HP 3d8+4
speed 30' /40' running
immune to poison
STR 12(+1) DEX 15(+2) CON 10 INT 5(-2) WIS 9(-1) CHA 5(-3)
PP11 +1 perception
Bites +4 at 5' 2d8+ grip 1-2 and immobility
Shoulder +4 ' 2d6+2
Foreleg kick +4 2d8+2
Tailsweep +4 2d6+2

 

[Bacon Bits]

If we start nixing or changing the abilities, I wouldn't call it a pure reskin.

So if I change the name and ONE other thing then you'd be fine with it? I'm curious about when this Stat Block of Theseus stops being a reskin and instead becomes a bona fide new monster. Flavor + name is not enough, but flavor + name + removing one movement mode is? What about the NPC monsters that are literally designed to be reskined by various races? What about 3e style monster templates?

I just find the objection so strange. I can't even grasp the objection.

What about reskinning an adventure module? Or taking the taven map from a different module and inserting it? Or taking an NPC that the players skipped over and inserting them later in the adventure? Or any of the other dozens of ways to adapt and reuse old content on the fly?

 

[noko]

So if I change the name and ONE other thing then you'd be fine with it? I'm curious about when this Stat Block of Theseus stops being a reskin and instead becomes a bona fide new monster. Flavor + name is not enough, but flavor + name + removing one movement mode is? What about the NPC monsters that are literally designed to be reskined by various races? What about 3e style monster templates?

I just find the objection so strange. I can't even grasp the objection.

What about reskinning an adventure module? Or taking the taven map from a different module and inserting it? Or taking an NPC that the players skipped over and inserting them later in the adventure? Or any of the other dozens of ways to adapt and reuse old content on the fly?

All of my characters are the ignored ones from years ago.