(mods pse move, soz) Any other DM's mssing more monster powers?

[mach1.9pants]

I'm missing, to a certain extent, the massive stat blocks for monster from 3E....sorta. Not really missing them, like willing to go back to 3E or (arrrgghhh) actually create a 3E monster of any decent level. However, and this ties in with my other 4E peeve 'Grindspace' (tm), when the combats often go on a bit I get bored as DM with a lot of the monsters being very one trick ponies. Yes solos and elites aren't as bad, but having a baddy that ends up like a 2nd edition fighter cos he's used his enc powers is dull. For me, it is OK for the players 'cos they care more about their powers etc.
So I would like to see a levelled and roled list of powers that are balanced at wills that can be added to any monster and not change the challenge. SO these would work alongside their basic attack or whatever and just be something different. A book of them would be OK, but probably best on DDI...just scroll to monster level and role (and probably ranged/melee; area or single target; power source...arcaney/diviney/martially... but that is being greedy) and you have a power you can add to any monster to give it variety.

Yes I could do it myself but I don't have the time or, to be honest, the inclination!

Thoughts?

EDIT: where is the 4E title tag...can't find it
EDIT: arrgh dagnammit, no title tag 'cos I am in the wrong section..sorry!

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Something I do, whenever I get the chance, is use the stunts system for my NPCs. This gives them options that fit neatly into the encounter and deal the appropriate damage.

I have been lucky so far with the 'gindspace' issue ..which hasn't shown up at my table yet. Which means I haven't had much chance to use this 'trick'



I do like the idea of a database/roster of level appropriate powers, with some fluff to go along with them.

 

[Neil Bishop]

I have been thinking the same thing for some time. Perhaps something like 3E's Savage Species but, instead of making monsters playable as PCs, it is aimed at DMs with lists of powers to make it easier to build and/or customise monsters.

Actually, it would make a good 3PP book too.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Yeah it would make a good 3PP, especially as it would be something that would work well in an electronic form so no need for a book

 

[Plane Sailing]

I agree.

I've started looking at the MM to see what powers it might be possible to 'generalise' and give to any monster which meets the prereq.

e.g. one of the Bulettes burrowing powers could be given to any burrowing monster which is otherwise pretty boring (purple worm, I'm looking at you!)

The list is some way in the future though...

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I miss the vast number of powers that foes used to have, especially since players have a diverse set of powers at their disposal. However, I have noticed in the new releases (Open Grave and Manual of the Planes) that foes are getting a lot more powers, as opposed to the "one trick pony syndrome" that the MM proposed for a lot of common monsters.

The DMG templates are sorely lacking, but once again - Open Grave put forth some well-thought out templates and are more expansive than what was presented in core DMG.

 

[keterys]

Well... I think that asking for powers that you can add without changing the challenge will give you too poor a selection. Almost anything you add is going to make the fight more difficult, whether it's an attack that does a little less damage but pushes or one that marks or allows a shift or whatever.

And if we're talking rechargeable or encounter powers with a little more oomph, they'll definitely make things more difficult. That said, as long as they don't make things much more difficult I think it's a good thing.

I _really_ _really_ wanted to work on a pdf of this exactly, with charts for minimum levels to use certain powers, a weighting system for how big a deal each was, etc... but I never got beyond the concept stage. Man, I need to reprioritize so that dnd comes before more things

 

[evilbob]

Well, there's always the "reskinning" option. You could suddenly describe the power the monster is using in a different way, or hint that it suddenly has a different attack - but just roll the same dice and use the same numbers. It's random: it's bound to seem different.

If you really want something different, you could probably just come up with a "rule of thumb" easier than a "database of swappable powers." For example: use the monster's normal at-will, but "reskin" it as above, and add +2 to the attack but -2 damage - or, if your players are pretty savvy, roll one die size lower. I don't know if this actual example is fair or what, but something more along those lines would give you lots of easy options for any monster, and it doesn't require another chart: just one more simple rule of thumb to remember. That way, you'll be much more likely to actually use it.

Perhaps expanding on this idea, maybe there could be simple "rules of thumb" for effects, so maybe if you wanted to suddenly have an at-will that knocked a PC prone, you also subtract 2 from the attack and damage, or something like that. Or maybe you could subtract 4 from the attack and target Fort. All of these mods are simple enough to remember, and could be applied to any attack. Once someone cracks the "math", it should be easy enough to come up with several simple adjustments.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Kinda like a point-buy for powers system where you get X dice of damage targetting AC and mods cost dice.. so vs Ref would cost 2 dice, adding 'prone' would cost 1 dice... or something similarly easy.

Then you could have a chart of level X at will gets Y dice to play with.


This could work pretty decently for a baseline, but not for an exact list. The end power would still have to be judged by the GM to see how it falls into line.

 

[Wormwood]

Well, there's always the "reskinning" option. You could suddenly describe the power the monster is using in a different way, or hint that it suddenly has a different attack - but just roll the same dice and use the same numbers. It's random: it's bound to seem different.

Which is precisely what I( do when I feel stifled by the design space.

Add a little stunting and I'm all set.

That said, a nice 'a la carte' menu of monster powers that one could use for monster construction/modding would probably see some use when I prep a game.

Sounds like a perfect 3pp project to me.