Savage Species: Creating Monstrous Heroes

[Ashwyn]

Well there are over 50 "Monster classes) which from what I have heard is simply breaking down the ECL into levels so you can play a non mature higher ECL creature. I am hoping that there will be a lot more to the book than just this.

Like a Rock-thrower class for giants? That'd be cool.

 

[Dragongirl]

Like a Rock-thrower class for giants? That'd be cool.

Um no, not what I meant. Lets take dragon for instance. I think these monster classes start with a dragon at level one and give it certain powers, and add certain powers to that until it reaches it's full ECL in levels. So as to let people play certain creatures without suffering the full ECL if they are prepared to play a weaker creature.

 

[Kai Lord]

Um no, not what I meant. Lets take dragon for instance. I think these monster classes start with a dragon at level one and give it certain powers, and add certain powers to that until it reaches it's full ECL in levels. So as to let people play certain creatures without suffering the full ECL if they are prepared to play a weaker creature.

Interesting. So do you know how they advance once they hit their standard MM level of power?

 

[Dragongirl]

Interesting. So do you know how they advance once they hit their standard MM level of power?

Fraid not. Only heard rumors here and there. I think this is one of those books that people will either hate or love, no gray area.

 

[Ashwyn]

Um no, not what I meant. Lets take dragon for instance. I think these monster classes start with a dragon at level one and give it certain powers, and add certain powers to that until it reaches it's full ECL in levels. So as to let people play certain creatures without suffering the full ECL if they are prepared to play a weaker creature.

I understood what you meant, I was just being cheeky. I actually was going to do that myself, for Elementals. I really like Elementals.

 

[jester47]

I think it will cover what the monster is like for an ECL 1 version. I wold like to see the option of not taking any more monster levels and starting on with character levels. So you could have a lizardfolk who was ECL 1 with a few lizardfolk abilities, and then you could add lots of barbarian or wizard levels to him if you wanted.

Aaron.

 

[NiTessine]

I think it will cover what the monster is like for an ECL 1 version. I wold like to see the option of not taking any more monster levels and starting on with character levels. So you could have a lizardfolk who was ECL 1 with a few lizardfolk abilities, and then you could add lots of barbarian or wizard levels to him if you wanted.

Aaron.

I'd be quite surprised indeed if that was not an option.

I'm looking forward to this book... A friend of mine is planning to DM an evil campaign with evil humanoids, and this will be a priceless aid. In addition, as the book will most likely include level progressions for the MM dragons, we can resurrect the Council of Wyrms. The gem, Faerûn and epic dragons should be easy to calculate based on the MM dragons... *Drool*

 

[s/LaSH]

I'm wondering whether they're providing an all-encompassing system for leveling any kind of monster, or just some specific 'classes' dealing with certain species and some caveat basically saying 'whatever seems reasonable' for other species.

Of course, I just completed planning the racial abilities section of my homebrew system... I'll be interested to compare the two, because I think what I've got is really good. It's totally transparent with other abilities gained with experience.

But I also find merit in Dragongirl's wish that there'll be stuff on nonhuman mindsets in there, because I think that exploration of new experiences is what roleplaying is all about, and the mind is the coolest thing to tweak. Ever tried seeing an object from every possible angle at once (including inside)? That's the kind of mind-twisting thing I enjoy. If they can encapsulate that experience into guidelines, I'll be impressed.

(And no, I've never used drugs... it's a topological exercise. It doesn't matter that I've never studied topology.)

 

[Darrin Drader]

If it makes adding levels to monsters easier and hammers out the ECL issue, I'll be happy.

 

[Samurai]

There are already several books out like this, including the AEG 1-word book Monsters and FFG's Monster Handbook and Mythic Races. I'll have to wait and see whether WotC adds enough new info that these sources don't have to make it worth purchasing...