Finer Points of Monster Design

[Vrylakos]

That's a good point: when do critters stop being one type of monster and become another?

I have the problem with aberrations and magical beasts. A few critters I've seen had a weird look, so I mentally thought of them as aberrations. I did a double-take when I found out they were magical beasts. If I had my MM handy, I'd give names...

Vrylakos

 

[BOZ]

looks like scott "won" on the catoblepas... it's an aberration in MM2.

 

[Krishnath]

The way I see it is simple, evaluate each creature on a case by case basis, for example:

the Maggot Savant mentioned above could be either a magical beast, it resembles an animal (or vermin in this case) with some supernatural abilities, but on the other hand it could be an abberation, since it's not quite natural.

There are other examples to this in the MM. For example the Choker is an aberration when monterous humanoid could work, the hydra is a beast (or magical beast) when it in some legends are described as a dragon (goes double for pyro-hydras). And the purple worm and the Ankheg should be vermin, but are beasts.

In conclusion with creature types, go with what feels best at the time.

 

[Grazzt]

OK, the Creature Collection I has some bad mechanical mistakes, but rumor has it that a revision is in the works.

Its done. Been done for a while actually. I corrected the errors.

Should be out in early 2003 I hear.

 

[Vrylakos]

Hey Scott, I'm curious.

Was the revision a really big project, or was most of their work semi-sound before you hit it? What do you think was the most common problem you had to correct?

Vrylakos

 

[Grazzt]

Hey Scott, I'm curious.

Was the revision a really big project, or was most of their work semi-sound before you hit it? What do you think was the most common problem you had to correct?

Vrylakos

The most common? Skill points didnt add up; monsters had too many, too few, or too many points on one skill.

 

[Knight Otu]

Its done. Been done for a while actually. I corrected the errors.

Should be out in early 2003 I hear.

I know. .

That's why I put the into my post.

The most common? Skill points didnt add up; monsters had too many, too few, or too many points on one skill.

Interesting...
I would have bet that it were the number of feats of the creatures (HOW many feats did the Ubantu tribesman have? 5, I think, for a 1 HD humanoid.)

 

[Grazzt]

I know. .

That's why I put the into my post.


Interesting...
I would have bet that it were the number of feats of the creatures (HOW many feats did the Ubantu tribesman have? 5, I think, for a 1 HD humanoid.)

Yeppers- that too. Feats were a problem as well.

 

[Turlogh]

What exactly is the rule for assigning feats to a creature?
Are skill point for monsters limited like characters 3+level/HD?
The extra hit points for oozes does not seem to be included in the stat blocks for oozes in the MM or am I figuring wrong?
For a creature like the Medusa is there a rule/method for determining the attack bonus of the snake heads? I'm not quite sure how they came up with the +3.

This is a good informative post. Thanks in advance.

 

[Grazzt]

What exactly is the rule for assigning feats to a creature?
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Dragon #276 spells out how many feats each creature gets. So does MM2. You can get the PDF article (from Dragon #276) from the Downloads section of the Creature Catalog. WotC was kinf enough to allow me to post it here.

Are skill point for monsters limited like characters 3+level/HD?

Yes. Monsters are limited in skill ranks to HD + 3.

The extra hit points for oozes does not seem to be included in the stat blocks for oozes in the MM or am I figuring wrong?

They are included. Look at the gray ooze for example. It has +10 hp, but no Con bonus. According to the monster design rules, Medium-size oozes gain +10 hp. There ya go. Same for the rest as well. The Black Pudding has +60 hp. Its Con bonus only grants it +40. The other 20 are bonus for its size.

For a creature like the Medusa is there a rule/method for determining the attack bonus of the snake heads? I'm not quite sure how they came up with the +3.

The Medusa, a monstrous humanoid, has the fighter's BAB. So, at 6 HD it's BAB is +6.

Notice it has the Weapon Finesse (snakes) feat. This allows it to use its Dex bonus to attacks with its snakes. This adds +2.

So, the total is now +8.

Since it is a secondary attack (because it attacks with its dagger first), subract -5 from the snake attack: +3 melee.