Monster Design--from a designer's standpoint

[Nellisir]

"Yeah, in 4E if I want my skeleton to just, I dont know, throw some black ball of banefire I can just say --Banefire, Range 6, 1d10 necrotic damage-- See, now it throws an evil ball of nastiness. Just like that."

It is literally that easy. Yes, there will be some suggested guidelines I am sure. But it is that easy.

I guess I don't get it. I designed monsters in 2e. I designed monsters in 3e. Sure, there are some parts of 3e monster design I don't like (HD by type, for one - why can't fey be tough?) but no one ever came to my house and took my MM away for not designing right, and I never once thought I wasn't "allowed" to make a cool ability.

I dunno. I think it's great that everyone's having fun making 4e monsters, and I'm looking forward to the new Monster Manual. I guess I just didn't realize how horrible 3e monsters were for everyone. I guess I was doing it wrong, then.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I guess I don't get it. I designed monsters in 2e. I designed monsters in 3e. Sure, there are some parts of 3e monster design I don't like (HD by type, for one - why can't fey be tough?) but no one ever came to my house and took my MM away for not designing right, and I never once thought I wasn't "allowed" to make a cool ability.

I dunno. I think it's great that everyone's having fun making 4e monsters, and I'm looking forward to the new Monster Manual. I guess I just didn't realize how horrible 3e monsters were for everyone. I guess I was doing it wrong, then.

Remember, Orcus is not a DM designing for his home game. His work is under the scrutiny of many customers, and subject to reviews by people close to the industry. Anything that doesn't follow the ruleset will be critisizend - and usually not positively.

Ever read about the complaints people have made regarding wrong skill modifiers for monsters?
This is meaningless if you use your monsters only in your home game. Usually, no one besides gets to see your monster stats in the detail to complain about them.

 

[Steely Dan]

there are some parts of 3e monster design I don't like (HD by type, for one - why can't fey be tough?)

Yeah, that used to kill me, just like all outsiders, even peaceful and cerebral ones; had a warrior's BAB, just because.

 

[PeelSeel2]

They have made the elegance of BECMI and AD&D monster design combined with relevant and easy to use crunch. A great way to design.

For the first time since AD&D and basic, I will buy third party monster books. The 3e and 3.5e monsters made my head hurt. I always just made them up on the fly (not according to the rules, just according to how I wanted them played) or had e-tools do it.

 

[Steely Dan]

but no one ever came to my house and took my MM away for not designing right

You're lucky; I once had the WotC ninjas repel from my living room ceiling mid-session and take way my MM because I wasn't using it "right".

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'm not surprised that they've gone back to the earlier way of doing it (although I wonder when someone came up with the fancy name for it )

It's a Magic: the Gathering term.

Which goes to show you, YES you can improve D&D by using outside sources.

I guess I don't get it. I designed monsters in 2e. I designed monsters in 3e. Sure, there are some parts of 3e monster design I don't like (HD by type, for one - why can't fey be tough?) but no one ever came to my house and took my MM away for not designing right, and I never once thought I wasn't "allowed" to make a cool ability.

Big difference between making monsters for your home game and making monsters for published adventures.

 

[Steely Dan]

Usually, no one besides gets to see your monster stats in the detail to complain about them.

I always show my players my monster stat-sheets after a session, it's fun for them, and for me vicariously through them, to scrutinize the beasties they defeated.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

You're lucky; I once had the WotC ninjas repel from my living room ceiling mid-session and take way my MM because I wasn't using it "right".

I hate it when that happens. Luckily, most of the time, they remain unseen, and you're just wondering where your monster sheet has gone...

 

[Steely Dan]

I hate it when that happens. Luckily, most of the time, they remain unseen, and you're just wondering where your monster sheet has gone...

But usually there's flash/smoke-bomb before the sheets disappear.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

It's a Magic: the Gathering term.

OMG CCG