Pathfinder 1E Question for Pathfinder DMs

[LucasC]

My buddy and I were engaged in a debate tonight regarding monster use in adventures.

I don't recall the last time I wrote, or ran, an adventure without creating or modifying the monsters.

He thinks most DMs just use monsters directly from the books without custom edits.

What say you? Is your goblin a goblin? Your mimic a mimic? and your harpy a harpy? Or do you edit them? raise their levels, toss on new powers and feats?

 

[Tovec]

95% (if not higher) of the time I DO NOT edit or modify the stats of a creature from the book.

I like using the creatures right from the book and am depressed when I have to do more work. That means goblin-goblin, etc. Very rarely give extra or different powers for my monsters.

Now, that 5% (or less) times that I do modify it is because I have to - something is too powerful but precisely what I want to use or have set up.

Examples I can think of would be I reduced (ended up dropping it entirely when it turned into a near TPK) the DR of werebears the party was hunting. Or increasing general stats of stock lizardfolk so he could challenge a PC's monk, so that it was an actual threat.

But yeah, bothers me when I have to do more effort or change things - isn't that the designer's job?

I am currently working on my own RPG system and I'm still using PF stats from the book with some quick conversion. Even then, I usually do a straight conversion - no wiggling of the stats except where they are wrong/incompatible with my new system.

EDIT:
I just realized this is possibly a major factor for what bothered me about 4e's "modify to fit what you want". I use the same premise for classes (including restrictions for PrCs for example) and PCs as I do for the monsters. I simply won't modify things, most of the time.

In general, I'd rather not use an option as have to go through the effort of modifying it - even if it is a really simple system to modify. This goes double, maybe even triple for monsters given how many supplements there are out there - don't like a particular creature just flip to another page or monster manual and find something much closer to what you want.

 

[Cadence]

What say you? Is your goblin a goblin? Your mimic a mimic? and your harpy a harpy? Or do you edit them? raise their levels, toss on new powers and feats?

For a tribe of goblins say, most would be straight from the book but I'd have a couple of special ones in there to mix it up. And I'm happy to invent entirely new things if they fill an important niche.

 

[Elf Witch]

I tend to be about 50/50. Some are straight from the books and some are customized.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I've always operated from the mentality that the Players were permitted any character build and I as the DM am permitted to add templates and character classes to monsters.
As long as the CR ends up reasonable, we're both playing fair.

That said, most of the time I use things right from the book. I simply reserve the right to do otherwise and exercise it at my leisure.

 

[Jester David]

I modify NPCs but tend to use monsters right out of the book. Unless I need a very particular monster and it's the wrong level, in which case I'll adjust it to be the right challenge (usually up).

 

[Melhaic]

It is a ton more work to modify a monster than just pulling open a PRD tab on the trusty 'puter. So mostly stock. If they are modified, there is a good reason.

 

[gamerprinter]

It is a ton more work to modify existing monsters, that's why I do just that - I love game prep. I adjust almost every monster I put into play, very rarely do I leave them as is. And nothing in the books suggest that games should be played with unadjusted monsters - regarding the discussion the OP is having with his friend. Really, what does it matter what most GMs do - do whatever makes your game more fun for everyone (including the GM).

 

[DMZ2112]

I'm a from the book guy. If I need a custom monster I generally work it up from scratch.

 

[Minicol]

It depends if the monster is a boss monster or a mook.

I find the game has become waaaay too soft on the players. So basically, If I run a Paizo module, I double the number of mooks, and fully revise the boss, then my players are moerately challenged.
(I have a very experienced veteran crew).

best,