Some Questions regarding Monsters (what else?)

[ElMorte]

Hi there.

Here are some Questions that trouble my mind.

1. Are there any (in)official stats of the Skeletal Knight? If yes, in which book can i find them?

2. After searching for stats of the above mentioned Skeletal Knight, i stumbled over the "Bone Creature Template" in the Book of Vile Darkness. But i think theres something wrong with this template. It says (had to calculate it out of the sample creature) that the CR is +5 (sample creature is a bugbear, which has a standard CR of 2 and 7 as Bone Creature).

Is this correct? A Death Knight (MM2) has a CR of +3 and i think a DK is much stronger than a Bone Creature.

That's it for now. Thx in advance for any answers.

 

[Krishnath]

Ooh, those are my favourite kind!

First things first, welcome. Now with that out of the way, let's look at the questions, shall we? (Rhetorical question, don't answer it.)

1. No I don't think so.

2. The CR of the sample creature is correct, as it is a Bugbear with 5 levels of Rogue, therefore a CR 2 creature with 5 class levels, makes it a CR 7 encounter. The template in itself does not increase the CR of the base creature.

I hope these answers where satisfactory,

Later,

 

[ElMorte]

Ermmmm......

Now as you say it... *g*

Should have looked closer.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

If, when you say skeletal knight, you mean skeleton warrior, you can find a conversion for it in the Tome of Horrors and in the Creature Catalog http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/template/skeleton_warrior.htm

 

[ElMorte]

Yep, that's exactly what i looked for.

Thx.

Now my next question.

1. Do monsters gain racial boni to their saves?

For example:

An ogre has a FORT save of +6. If i substract his CON bonus (+2 for CON 15), there will be 4 left.

I made an ogre char with other stats, so now i want to know if i have to use the standard save boni (CON and class) or if i can add the "racial bonus".

2. The above ogre has three class levels as barbarian.

His STR is 28 and has the weapon focus: battleaxe feat.

I want to know if i (or better etools) calculated his attack bonus and damage correctly.

He has now an bonus of +12 (+9 for STR, +3 barbarian, +1 feat, -1 size).
Etools says he has an bonus of +15 (+9 STR, +6 base [+3 barbarian, but where come the other +3 from?], +1 feat, -1 size).

His weapon is a huge battleaxe, which he uses two-handed (Damage 2D8+13).

is this correct?

3. Is this char (an NPC) to hard for my group of three players (3rd lvl Ranger, 5th lvl fighter and a 6th lvl paladin)? Calculated this encounter after the encounter table in the DMG.

Thx in advance.


Here are his etool stats:

Krk, Male Ogre Giant4/Bbn3: CR 7; AL CE; Large Giant ; HD 4d8+3d12+35; hp 64; Init +1; Spd 40; AC 15; BAB: +6; Melee BAB: +14; Ranged BAB: +6; Melee: Battleaxe +15/+10 (Battleaxe, 2d8+13/crit 20/x3);

Class Features: Giant: Barbarian: Shield proficiency, Medium armor proficiency, Light armor proficiency, Martial weapon proficiency: all, Simple weapon proficiency, Barbarian Fast Movement, Rage (1x/day), Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
SV Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +3; STR 28, DEX 12, CON 20, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 12.

Skills: Appraise +1, Balance +1, Bluff +1, Climb +12, Concentration +5, Craft +1, Diplomacy +1, Disguise +1, Escape Artist +1, Forgery +1, Gather Information +1, Heal +1, Hide -3, Intimidate +6, Intuit Direction +5, Jump +13, Knowledge Boating +2, Knowledge Cartography +2, Knowledge Geography +2, Knowledge Navigation +3, Knowledge Sea Lore +2, Listen +4, Move Silently +1, Perform +1, Ride +1, Scry +1, Search +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +4, Swim -6, Use Rope +1, Wilderness Lore +1.

Feats: Cleave, Weapon Focus: Battleaxe, Power Attack.

Equipment: huge Battleaxe, Studded leather.

I see now, that etools made him an lvl 7 char.

And i figured it out where he gets his other +3 from. Damn, too many pages to flip.....

 

[Krishnath]

As far as I know very few creatures do get racial bonuses to saves. But I see where you commin' at. So here is the answer you are looking for.

1. No, not really, but all creatures get saves determined by how many HD (or class levels, or combination theroff.) the creature has, the Ogre is a 4HD giant and as such has the base saves of Fort +4, Ref +1, and Will +1, to this you add the proper ability modifier. (Con for Fort, Dex for Ref, and Wis for Will). This is just like as if the saves where from a class, and as such a creature has good and bad saves, just as if it had a class. Good saves equals (HD/2)+2 and bad saves equal HD/3, always round down. Here is a list of creature types and what of their saves are 'good' saves.

Aberration: Will.
Animal: Usually Fortitude and Reflex, it varies from animal to animal, but is always the same within the same species.
Beast: Fortitude and Reflex.
Construct: None.
Dragon: Fortitude, Reflex, Will.
Elemental: Reflex (Air, Fire) or Fortitude (Earth, Water).
Fey: Reflex and Will.
Giant: Fortitude
Humanoid: Usually Reflex, but varies by specific creature.
Magical Beast: Fortitude and Reflex
Monstrous Humanoid: Reflex and Will
Ooze: None
Outsider: Fortitude, Reflex, Will
Plant: Fortitude
Shapechanger: Fortitude, Reflex, Will,
Undead: Will
Vermin: Fortitude

In other words, a creatures saves are determined by the creatures number of HD. To this number it's proper ability modifiers are added, and the saves from their classes are added.

2. The +3 you can't determin come from the Ogres HD. An Ogre has 4HD and is a giant. A giants BAB progression is the same as with a cleric (+3/4 per HD) and as such the 4HD ogre has a BAB of +3, to this you add the BAB from the ogres character class(es) and the remaining modifiers (size, feats, str and so on and so forth). But etools calculations are correct.

3. Well that depends on what races your PC's are, but the CR is off. The correct CR should be 5 (CR 2 for being an ogre +3 character levels = CR 5), But if they are regular player races (from the PHB) then he might be a little to though for them. But I can't really be sure, as I don't know how versed your PC's are in battle tactics. (Flanking and whatnot.)

I hope this answered your questions in a satisfactory matter.

Later,

 

[ElMorte]

Thx, that helped.

Should stay away from Monsters with Playerclasses for the beginning. *g*

 

[Krishnath]

Well, you could always try templates. I hear a half-fiend ogre is quite a nice CR 6 encounter. (Templates can usually be found in the back of a monster manual, there are a few templates scattered through the monster sections of other books though.)

Later, and if you have any other creature questions, be sure to ask them here...

 

[ElMorte]

*g*

Thats what i made this thread for.

I exchanged the ogre with an bugbear now.

Same CR, but not that murderous.

 

[Krishnath]

Ah, but the bugbear has one large advantage over the Ogre, it has higher intelligence.