Mini templates

[Asmor]

Here's an idea I just had... Mini templates, which are extremely simple to apply in your head on the fly. I got this idea because I hadn't prepared anything for tonight's game up until a few hours ago. There's going to be an elemental theme to tonight adventure, so here's a mini template for elemental encounters.

[Element] Creature
Apply to: Anything
Effects: Choose an element, hereafter called [element]. Creature deals +1d6 [element] damage with all natural, melee weapon and ranged weapon attacks. Creature has [element] resistance 5. Creature is weak to a different element, ideally one opposed to [element] and takes +50% damage from its weakness.
CR: +1

Unkillable Creature
Apply to: Anything
Effects: This creature can't actually be killed. If it's an undead or construct, it is not destroyed at 0 hp and instead can still be knocked down to -10. An unkillable creature's HP never go below -10, no matter how much damage is dealt. An unkillable creature at -1 or lower, but not yet at -10, automatically has its HP reduced to -10 at the start of its turn after it is reduced below 0. When an unkillable creature's HP are at -10, it enters a state of torpor which is almost indistinguishable from death. Only a successful heal check (DC 20) can tell that the creature isn't actually dead. An unkillable creature at -10 gains fast healing equal to its hit dice, but it remains in its torpor until it is fully healed. When it is fully healed, it awakens and loses the fast healing. You must choose a way for the Unkillable Creature to be permanently killed, and players can figure this weakness out with a successful Knowledge check (knowledge skill as appropriate to the creature's type) with a DC of 15+the creature's CR.
CR: +2

Example: An unkillable aboleth can only be permanently destroyed by lighting its body on fire after reducing it to -10. The unkillable aboleth is a CR 9 aberration, so PCs could figure this out with a DC 24 Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check.

 

[Nifft]

Interesting. [Element] might be better expressed as [Energy], and you could also specify that if the critter would normally have energy resistance to its "vulnerability", than instead of taking +50% damage, it instead loses its energy resistance to that energy type.

For example, a Storm Osyluth might gain immunity to Electricity, but lose its immunity to Fire.

Cheers, -- N

 

[wolfpunk]

Love the idea, not sure if I completely understand, but how about these?

Camoflagued
Apply to: Anything
Effects: Choose one type of terrain, the creature gains a +8 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks in that type of terrain. In addition, the creature gains a +2d6 sneak attack, that may be used as the Rogue ability of the same name.
CR +1

Battle-tested
Apply to: Any creature with medium or poor BAB.
Effects: The creature regular BAB progression is replaced with good BAB progression equal to +1 per HD. The creature may gain interative attacks as normal for high BAB.
CR: Poor BAB +2, Medium BAB +1.

 

[Nifft]

Camoflagued
Apply to: Anything
Effects: Choose one type of terrain, the creature gains a +8 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks in that type of terrain. In addition, the creature gains a +2d6 sneak attack, that may be used as the Rogue ability of the same name.
CR +1

Nice. Might also call this one "Commando".

Battle-tested
Apply to: Any creature with medium or poor BAB.
Effects: The creature regular BAB progression is replaced with good BAB progression equal to +1 per HD. The creature may gain interative attacks as normal for high BAB.
CR: Poor BAB +2, Medium BAB +1.

Good for Fey, but WAY TOO GOOD for Undead.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Asmor]

I really like the camo one, I think that's great.

Not so keen on the battle-hardened one just because it requires a little more math than I'd want in my mini template (ymmv). I mean, off the top of your head, do you know if an animal gets poor or average BAB, and in the case of average BAB, how much does it have for 7 HD? It's a bit too much math for me to do in my head on the fly, which means I probably wouldn't want to use it without preparing it ahead of time, which sort of defeats the purpose.

 

[wolfpunk]

In regards to battle-tested, no matter what type of BAB progression the creature had before applying the template, it gets +1 per hit dice after applying the template. So if the creature has 7 hd, it has a BAB of +7/+2, if it has 16 hd it has a bab of +16/+11/+6/+1. The previous BAB just goes out the window.

I hadn't really thought of the advantages gained by each type of monster, but suffice to say, yes it would be very powerful if applied to undead, but then again, all of these are up to DM discretion in how they are used. The undead can still be turned by a cleric just as easily, so I don't know that the template would always be way out of control.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I think Battle-Hardened would work better with a scaled effect, something like

BattleHardened creatures gain a bonus to thier BAB, and possibly iterative attacks. Their DR also increases

HD       BAB Bonus     DR
1 - 4      +2             2/-
5 - 8      +4             4/-
9 - 12    +6             6/-
13 - 16   +8             8/-
17 - 20   +10           10/-

Or something along those lines {numbers pulled from you know where}
I went with DR instead of a HP addition... either could work but DR is simpler to scale.

 

[Wik]

I like the idea of making quick changes to a creature, with little bookwork needed. That's something D&D needs more of. Two thumbs up.

 

[deamonprince]

Good Idea

I agree, we need more quick and simple creature modification templates in D&D. These put me in mind of the Libris Mortis variant Undead abilities, which I also thought were an excellent way to punish (um, challenge, I meant challenge!) characters who know the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of standard fare D&D Monsters.

 

[Asmor]

You know, those things in Libris Mortis were actually partial inspiration for this.