Optimum CR spread in Monster Books.

[Voadam]

Hello again mate!



Too true. Vampire themed you say, how many monsters did they come up with for that? Seems fairly tight parameters.



How many submissions did you get into CC3?

I had three.



Indeed. Though technically irrelevant since I don't draw upon any D&Dg material for the Immortals Handbook (though its still, for the most part, compatible).

Out for Blood has 18 monsters, taking up 46 of the 96 pages. Mostly they are variant vampire templates (plague vampires, vampires that are caused by demonic possession, one that astrally projects an incorporeal form, lycanthrope vampire template, etc) as well as a half vampire race, a couple vampire-like bloodsucking living creatures, an iron maiden construct, and a template for good magical beasts that hunt vampires.

The other half provides 18 prestige classes and a couple vampire related organizations to drop into a world.

Denizens of Dread has a comparable number of vampire templates, pseudo vampires, etc.

I have one template in CC3. It will be the third monster book I contributed to. I also have eight entries in the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary and five in Gaming Frontiers: Monsters (although one is a spawn template for my variant vampire template there so you might only count that as four).

I keep thinking of more monster books, there is also the Loerem Bestiary (or something like that) for the Sovereign Stone setting, it is supposed to have a high number of nonmagical beast like critters.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Voadam mate!

I was in Barnes and noble this weekend and flipping through Monsters of Norrath (the everquest RPG monster book) and it has a high number of high CR (19+) creatures, you might want to check that one out

I'll check it out at the first opportunity...which will probably not be until I next go to London but still, thanks.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hello again matey!

Out for Blood has 18 monsters, taking up 46 of the 96 pages. Mostly they are variant vampire templates (plague vampires, vampires that are caused by demonic possession, one that astrally projects an incorporeal form, lycanthrope vampire template, etc) as well as a half vampire race, a couple vampire-like bloodsucking living creatures, an iron maiden construct, and a template for good magical beasts that hunt vampires.

The other half provides 18 prestige classes and a couple vampire related organizations to drop into a world.

Denizens of Dread has a comparable number of vampire templates, pseudo vampires, etc.

Do they have anything like a more powerful vampire template? Or something like Alucard or Incognito from the Hellsing anime?

I have one template in CC3.

Nice!

It will be the third monster book I contributed to.

Hey! Its my third too!

I also have eight entries in the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary and five in Gaming Frontiers: Monsters (although one is a spawn template for my variant vampire template there so you might only count that as four).

I have seven entries in Creature Collection 2 and an extra special thanks credit in the Tome of Horrors where I was helping Scott convert the unique monsters.

I keep thinking of more monster books, there is also the Loerem Bestiary (or something like that) for the Sovereign Stone setting, it is supposed to have a high number of nonmagical beast like critters.

I like the art (based on the previews) for the Monsters of the Boundless Blue from Goodman. Nice looking series they have started there (with Monsters of the Endless Dark).

 

[Voadam]

Hello again matey!



Do they have anything like a more powerful vampire template? Or something like Alucard or Incognito from the Hellsing anime?

Not significantly more powerful, most of them add in +2 to CR and +7 or +8 level adjustment. Most have both energy drains and stat drains, usually but not always con. I think the deadliest are the ones that use touch attacks to deliver drains though. Most have resistances, natural armor, a bunch of bonus combat feats, and stat boosts.

The one that is probably easiest to get powerful is the oriental vampire (Kuang Shi or something close to that) that uses demon possession as the basis for its vampiric nature. you basicly use the better individual base stats and abilities of either the base creature or the possessing demon, and then add on vampiric abilities on top of that.

The vampiric lycanthrope one also usually has quite a high ECL and CR boost because it combines two templates.

Part of the increased danger will be the different set of vulnerabilities, so some can stand daylight, many are resistant to electricity but one can only be harmed by electricity. It makes vampire hunting and learning about your prey more of an issue. some have slam attacks that cause drains, some have touch attacks, some need to bite.

I couldn't tell you about your two examples, I've never seen Hellsing.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Not significantly more powerful, most of them add in +2 to CR and +7 or +8 level adjustment. Most have both energy drains and stat drains, usually but not always con. I think the deadliest are the ones that use touch attacks to deliver drains though. Most have resistances, natural armor, a bunch of bonus combat feats, and stat boosts.

The one that is probably easiest to get powerful is the oriental vampire (Kuang Shi or something close to that) that uses demon possession as the basis for its vampiric nature. you basicly use the better individual base stats and abilities of either the base creature or the possessing demon, and then add on vampiric abilities on top of that.

The vampiric lycanthrope one also usually has quite a high ECL and CR boost because it combines two templates.

Part of the increased danger will be the different set of vulnerabilities, so some can stand daylight, many are resistant to electricity but one can only be harmed by electricity. It makes vampire hunting and learning about your prey more of an issue. some have slam attacks that cause drains, some have touch attacks, some need to bite.

Sounds like something of a missed opportunity then. I would have thought a book about vampires would have been the ideal place for some beefed up vampiric templates.

I couldn't tell you about your two examples, I've never seen Hellsing.

Well I heartily recommend it! Its a fantastic series. Everyone I know who has seen it agrees its brilliant.

 

[Voadam]

Hiya mate!



Sounds like something of a missed opportunity then. I would have thought a book about vampires would have been the ideal place for some beefed up vampiric templates.



Well I heartily recommend it! Its a fantastic series. Everyone I know who has seen it agrees its brilliant.

The ravenloft campaign setting book is a great way to bump up existing vampires as they get older adding in an age category system with increased bonuses and individualized powers. Denizens of darkness provides this for its various vampire templates as well.