New Creature Type?

[Warden]

Is there any room/possibility for a new creature type out there?

I've always been curious to create a new creature type, but have a hard time trying to come up with one that doesn't seem to fit any of those already designed. I'm sure it's been done, but I've only seen one attempt - the Lifeless from the Book of Exalted Deeds, but that's nothing more than good-aligned Undead.

What kind of monsters can be created that don't fit any of the current types or subtypes? Or is there a creature out there that just doesn't seem to fit any of these moulds and should have a new type created for it?

It's brainstorming time, people.

 

[green slime]

Well... you could go for greater granulation in the "animal" and "plant" types.

Fish, Reptiles, Mammals and birds are rather different....

As it stands today Humanoid (reptilian) doesn't really mean that much.

 

[Voadam]

Well... you could go for greater granulation in the "animal" and "plant" types.

Fish, Reptiles, Mammals and birds are rather different....

As it stands today Humanoid (reptilian) doesn't really mean that much.

Those would be good subtypes, probably not good types. I did think there should be a difference between a predator and an herbivore in BABs though.

Humanoid reptilian is for favored enemy and bane weapons.

 

[Voadam]

How would you type an AI for a modern game? Incorporeal construct with skills and feats?

 

[Aaron L]

Good question. Very deep.

 

[cleavthorn]

How would you type an AI for a modern game? Incorporeal construct with skills and feats?

I would suggest making a construct then applying the incorporeal quality to it.

 

[Richards]

Here's another example: the "mob" creature type appeared in one of the Shackled City adventure path modules from a recent issue of Dungeon. It's sort of a variant on the "swarm" creature type.

Johnathan

 

[the Jester]

The only things I can think of that might need a new type would be either energy beings a la Star Trek (but these could arguably be either Elementals or Aberrations) or informational entities (i.e. a living AI that can jump from one physical host computer to another).

 

[Tonguez]

Make that three votes for 'Energy being' (which includes natural energy beings, reified Minds, sentient AI and Willowisps)

Currently these types are either outsiders or abberations (I don't think elemental fits) but a case could be made for making them distinct

 

[jmucchiello]

Perhaps technological constructs, i.e. Mechs. The difference between a mech and a construct is that a mech requires fuel and maintenance. It doesn't take magic to make one. What the fuel is could even be subtypes of mechs. By the same token, you could just call mech a subtype of construct since I don't see which of these traits wouldn't apply:
—No Constitution score.
—Low-light vision.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
—Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease , death effects, and necromancy effects.
—Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
—Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
—Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
—Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
—Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
—Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the following table.
—Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
—Proficient with no armor.
—Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.