Monk NPC Template

[hcubed_]

Obviously, the player is being lazy. You're the GM -- sharing his background with you is not sharing it with the party; it's giving you the tools to do your job. Press the player for background, and offer to make something up if he doesn't want to.

I'd make him a level 10 elite, FWIW -- not enough damage to kill any given party member with a single blow, but as a level 10 normal, there's too much likelihood of the party killing him with a lucky series of blows/crits (particularly if there's an Avenger or Barbarian in the party).

I'd fix his basic melee attack; he only needs one (presumably the +10 vs fort one).

Problem is, I'm a little worried that if I do push the player for too much he'll lose interest altogether. It's hard enough to these guys together for a game let alone make them write a full backstory. I'm sure he's put thought into it. Just not written it down. Plus the guy himself likes being aloof, so this is more than likely simply an extension of that.

As to the actions, I could make one of the two in particular an encounter power? Maybe remove the basic melee altogether so there's just the two?

Or maybe making the the specials both encounter powers?

 

[hcubed_]

Here's the second attempt. Basically just doubled his HP & XP, stats aren't too different, in fact they're the same. Defences too. Think this will work.

He's got movement: as a monk I feel he needs to jump around as much as possible.
He's got multiple target attacks: area of effect encounter. May change this to recharge :five: :six:

 

[mneme]

Is the player a friend? Or just a gaming accquaintence? A friend, you can take out for coffee/drinks and hash out details, it's harder otherwise.

I'd remove the "melee basic" and just have the one with a push. Also, I'm not sure where your attack/damage expression came from, but you don't want to base it on PC expressions, but on monster expressions of the same level!

So the typical 10th level monster expression vs fort is +13, not +10 (oddly enough, this matches a 10th level PC with a 20 stat; 10 + a +2 implement and expertise!).

Looking at some random MV or MM3 10th level monsters, they're doing 2d8+10 on most attacks., which is a fair bit more than your guy is doing. If you want to stick with d10 for thematic purposes, I'd make it d10+15 or 14, so the damage stayed more or less the same.

Also, the encounter blast damage seems a touch low. I'd probably make it 1d6+15 to keep the damage bonus matching the other attacks. Or is it intended to be a variant racial? In that case, I'd keep it 1d6+4, but make it a minor action attack.

Also, as an elite, he pretty much -has- to have a multiattack as an at will. Elites should hit as hard as two monsters; not just have a big sack of hit points like two monsters.

 

[hcubed_]

Is the player a friend? Or just a gaming accquaintence? A friend, you can take out for coffee/drinks and hash out details, it's harder otherwise.

He's a friend, not a close friend, but a friend. Know him through another guy that we're playing with. I tend to keep the game loose as I'd rather tha players have fun and enjoy themselves. Instead of treating it them like they haven't done their homework by not writing up their backstory or something. That said, it would be pretty good if I had a baclstory from him!

I'd remove the "melee basic" and just have the one with a push. Also, I'm not sure where your attack/damage expression came from, but you don't want to base it on PC expressions, but on monster expressions of the same level!

I'd actually removed it after I played around some more.

So the typical 10th level monster expression vs fort is +13, not +10 (oddly enough, this matches a 10th level PC with a 20 stat; 10 + a +2 implement and expertise!).

Is that basically how it's determined? Cause this is where I'm getting confused the most and just 'winging it'. As I grabbed some of these from the character builder for a level 10 Githzearai Monk. Others are stats from the Monster builder.

Looking at some random MV or MM3 10th level monsters, they're doing 2d8+10 on most attacks., which is a fair bit more than your guy is doing. If you want to stick with d10 for thematic purposes, I'd make it d10+15 or 14, so the damage stayed more or less the same.

Also, the encounter blast damage seems a touch low. I'd probably make it 1d6+15 to keep the damage bonus matching the other attacks. Or is it intended to be a variant racial? In that case, I'd keep it 1d6+4, but make it a minor action attack.

That's a pretty good idea actually. Making it a minor. Mind if I steal that?

Also, as an elite, he pretty much -has- to have a multiattack as an at will. Elites should hit as hard as two monsters; not just have a big sack of hit points like two monsters.

I'll have another crack. Bump up his attacks. Will put up my next attempt.

He's basically going to run away once he's knocked over a couple of party members. Disgusted, and taunting the monk in the party for choosing that path. So the heavy hitting will help that happen faster.

 

[mneme]

Is that basically how it's determined? Cause this is where I'm getting confused the most and just 'winging it'. As I grabbed some of these from the character builder for a level 10 Githzearai Monk. Others are stats from the Monster builder.

Sort of -- it really goes the other way.

I'd look in MM3 for the current expressions, but IIRC they haven't changed in this case; skirmisher attacks vs Non-AC defenses should usually be Level + 3 (so yeah; 13 in this case, and that matches the level 10 monsters I looked at). The reason it matches up with a character of the same level (more or less) is functionally because while monsters have a nice simple to-hit expression of 3+LVL or 5+LVL (depending on NAD vs AC, and tweaked based on role and whim to an extent), characters have a to-hit expression that merely -averages- to that setup, between main stat bumping, expertise, aquisition of level-appropriate gear, and the half level bonus. 30th level monster will have +33 to hit a NAD. A 15th level PC will have 15+stat(about +9)+3(expertise)+6...=33.

Probably the easiest way to get these numbers is to find modern monsters and steal their numbers--or better, have MM3. But the original (now tweaked, especially for brutes and soldiers) numbers are on p184 of the DMG with mods on 133 of the DMG2.

Also, don't forget that elites have an action point. In this case, I'd save it for his escape, though.

That's a pretty good idea actually. Making it a minor. Mind if I steal that?

Of course. I'd hardly give suggestions I didn't want to be followed, after all.

He's basically going to run away once he's knocked over a couple of party members. Disgusted, and taunting the monk in the party for choosing that path. So the heavy hitting will help that happen faster.

Right. You want him to hit hard; just not hard enough to accidentally kill a PC.

Personally, I'd give him the monk close burst 1 at will (as a non-basic melee attack) and Flurry (probably 1d4+15 on the burst, and 7/9 points on the flurry; no real reason to tweak it, but keeping the extra damage when hitting someone other than the person he hit keeps him spreading damage out rather than focusing it, which is good for banging up the party rather than klling someone). That makes him feel very monk-like while also very much keeping up his elite damage. Also, don't forget to give him a ranged attack, just in case (throwing dagger; 1d4+15, +15 vs AC is what I'd do, probably, as that's a lot weaker than his regular (burst+flurry) attack).

If he were working with others, I'd be tempted to keep Telekinetic Leap -- it's not that useful for a monk when used on himself, but it's the Gith signature ability and it's very useful for moving allies around. Best to save the idea for a later appearance, though.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

This is pretty close to what I had in mind! Hope you don't mind, but I stole a few ideas from it too.

I would rather mind it if you didn´t stole some ideas...

The idea was showing how fast it is to make a workable enemy.
The main thing is just not to worry. You could as well watch a kung fu film fighting scene and just write down some cool moves.

My players and I had a blast with my improvised conversion of a level 5 ADnD 2nd edition cleric.
In 3rd edition it was hours of work to convert and he went down before he could use all of its abilites. (This should not start an edition war...)

 

[hcubed_]

I would rather mind it if you didn´t stole some ideas...

Stole is the past tense of 'steal'. As in 'I just stole a bunch of apples form that farmer. And now he's pissed.' It's also a piece of clothing. Good times.

Apologies if I've confused the hell out of you.

As to the monk (see PDF attached), I've added a triggered encounter power. So if he hits with an attack he hits up to two more within close burst 2 with a 1d6+4 melee. That's in addition to beefing up his regular attacks.

Possible he'll be in action as soon as Tuesday. Any feedback before then would be appreciated. Otherwise, will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Stole is the past tense of 'steal'. As in 'I just stole a bunch of apples form that farmer. And now he's pissed.' It's also a piece of clothing. Good times.

Apologies if I've confused the hell out of you.

As to the monk (see PDF attached), I've added a triggered encounter power. So if he hits with an attack he hits up to two more within close burst 2 with a 1d6+4 melee. That's in addition to beefing up his regular attacks.

Possible he'll be in action as soon as Tuesday. Any feedback before then would be appreciated. Otherwise, will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Yes, english-fail on my part

I actually learnt (or learned if you are from US) that in school. Shame on me.

to the monk:
I rather use 2d8+10 instead of 1d8+14. But this is just personal preference.

Consider it stolen.

 

[mneme]

Very nice -- I like the resulting Elite a lot. Using a variant Epic flurry as his Elite damage is inspired, and keeps his damage at the right point while making it very "monk-like"--and forcing him to spread his at-will damage around to three enemies keeps the character tactical and makes it less likely you'll accidentally kill a PC.

UL: I suggested the 1d8+14--as it keeps the monk damage die for the attacks in question while giving him an appropriate damage expresssion.

One suggestion: The Full Discipline powers are still pretty awkward; you know what you mean, and I know what you mean, but they're hard to code. I'd probably keep the "Full Discipline" keyword, and drop a special section into the text, eg:

Special: A full discipline power may not be used if the Githyanki Monk has used Full Discipline power with a different keyword since the beginning of his turn.

Special: When the Gitynanki Monk uses a Full Discipline power, he may only use Full Discipline powers with that title until he spends an action point or his turn begins. If a Full Discipline encounter or Recharge power is expended, all powers with that title are expended by the end of the round in which it's used.

And then just title both the move action and the attack as Crane's Wings and Steel Wind.

(Otherwise, the character doesn't work right when Dazed).

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes, the 1d8 to keep it in line with the power is a good reason to keep it. I on the other hand like to keep the dice, but add another one sometimes as i like to keep the static damage on a more or less reasonable level. (Somewhere around ability modifier + magic item treshold + 1 per tier or so)

My in game rationalism:
PC´s also have so many ways to add another dice or two to their weapon powers, that it seems ok. (Encounter powers, daily powers, feats, etc.)
But as I said, personal preference, as it is just an abstraction to make monsters run by one person not slow down the game and make it challenging. So 1d8+14 is also perfectly reasonable.

But in the end, I like rolling dice.

edit: I really would suggest not to add full dicipline to those powers. Just assume the enemy is so badass, that he can mix and match them as he likes. You have enough to remember as a DM already.