Generic Monster Boosting templates ?

[Voadam]

For a wide variety of templates including powerful ones, I'd suggest the Deluxe Book of Templates pdf by Silverthorne Games. It is 3.0 but you will get more templates than anywhere else.

I think Liber Bestarius or maybe Monsternomicon had Quickplates, templates that were especially easy to add to monsters on the fly.

 

[Voadam]

+10 is a tough range to find for templates.

Ravenloft Ancient Vampire templates get higher CR adjustments than the standard +2 but I'm not sure how high they go off the top of my head. They are in the Ravenloft Campaign setting which is 3.0 and in the Ravenloft PH which is 3.5 (I know, an odd place for a monster only template for the setting).

 

[ST]

I assume that simple advancement by HD is out? I suppose it's not that too hard to calculate, but I guess the real problem is that a generic monster isn't going to be much of a threat to an epic level party no matter how many HD you throw on it, because of the party's numerous special abilities.

I have the feeling you're going to have to do a lot of fudging anyway, although I respect the fact that you'd like to find solidly tested rules methods (like templates) to do so, the truth is most of them probably haven't been tested when applied to make things have CRs near epic levels.

 

[Trainz]

I assume that simple advancement by HD is out? I suppose it's not that too hard to calculate, but I guess the real problem is that a generic monster isn't going to be much of a threat to an epic level party no matter how many HD you throw on it, because of the party's numerous special abilities.

No, you had it, advancement by HD just isn't quick enough. I would have to advance a few scores of monsters to have enough for my needs, and THAT would take quite a while.

Wouldn't it be cool if WoTC did it ? I mean advance all critters in the MM so that they fit for challenges between 20-40 or so, and publish it in an Epic supplement... I would buy it right away.

Oh well... I know what I'll do. I'll create a template to slap on beasts, a quick and practical one, I'll post it here, and then have you guys tell me if you feel it's too high or too low IYO.

 

[Desdichado]

How's about the kaiju template in the OA themed issue of Dragon? I don't remember exactly what it does, but it does turn fairly ordinary creatures into epic challenges.

Of course, it also has the advantage that your campaign feels like that really bad Gozilla movie where all the monsters are sitting around fighting each other on that island.