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<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 5238495" data-attributes="member: 22779">Honestly, I think that it's far easier to take a combat monster (defined as something that is a credible threat to the PC's) and turn it into a non-combat encounter than the other way around.&nbsp; To make a combat monster into a non-combat encounter only requires that the monster not attack, and try to talk to the party.IME, this works most of the time.&nbsp; Unless something is definably evil (like a demon and, honestly, even then), players will take the time to talk to stuff that initiates conversation.&nbsp; When that troll walks up, sits down a couple of dozen feet away and waves you over, holding a dead goat in its other hand, most players are intrigued enough to hold off attacking.OTOH, the &quot;non-combat&quot; monsters that D&amp;D has long had - the Dryad is a perfect example that comes to mind - are either so unbelievably broken (Which fairy was it that caused death saves if you saw it?&nbsp; Sylph?&nbsp; Nymph?) or very much lacking in any sort of credible threat at all.&nbsp; And either monster becomes very difficult to turn into a combat encounter.&nbsp; So, why stat up something like this?&nbsp; If it's not a credible threat, it dies.&nbsp; End of story.&nbsp; If you need its skills, well, that can be taken straight from the DMG in 4e.&nbsp; Or, create it like any other NPC and give it a skill level that seems appropriate.&nbsp; I love the idea of a big book of non-combat encounters.&nbsp; Hazards, traps, and stuff to talk to.&nbsp; I just don't think the monster format is required for it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 5238495, member: 22779"] Honestly, I think that it's far easier to take a combat monster (defined as something that is a credible threat to the PC's) and turn it into a non-combat encounter than the other way around. To make a combat monster into a non-combat encounter only requires that the monster not attack, and try to talk to the party. IME, this works most of the time. Unless something is definably evil (like a demon and, honestly, even then), players will take the time to talk to stuff that initiates conversation. When that troll walks up, sits down a couple of dozen feet away and waves you over, holding a dead goat in its other hand, most players are intrigued enough to hold off attacking. OTOH, the "non-combat" monsters that D&D has long had - the Dryad is a perfect example that comes to mind - are either so unbelievably broken (Which fairy was it that caused death saves if you saw it? Sylph? Nymph?) or very much lacking in any sort of credible threat at all. And either monster becomes very difficult to turn into a combat encounter. So, why stat up something like this? If it's not a credible threat, it dies. End of story. If you need its skills, well, that can be taken straight from the DMG in 4e. Or, create it like any other NPC and give it a skill level that seems appropriate. I love the idea of a big book of non-combat encounters. Hazards, traps, and stuff to talk to. I just don't think the monster format is required for it. [/QUOTE]

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