Shades of Eternity
Adventurer
Kind of a strange question, but how does 5th edition do monster templates?
Is there a preferred model?
Is there a preferred model?
Not much officially really (shadow dragons and dracolich of the top of my head), there have been some attempts on these boards though (even my own). I will try to find some links and most them if I get a chance - there were some good ideas.Kind of a strange question, but how does 5th edition do monster templates?
Is there a preferred model?
You can mostly just add something, no need to rewrite. If what you add changes the CR, then change the CR too, but that is it. If the change in CR affects the monster's prof. bonus you may want to update that information, but it is not required. If you've add what you want, adjust the CR, that is all you have to do.So when you add something new to an old monster, you rewrite the monster's stat block?
CR change:An example (I have not tested this yet - it is just a concept):
Monster Templates: Brute
A brute is a destructive tank. The typically wade into melee to do the most damage possible. It can take and inflict more damage than its typical kin, but it sacrifices its accuracy and ability to avoid damage. You can make the following adjustments to a monster to make it a bruiser without changing its CR:
- add its prof. bonus to its weapon damage on a hit
- subtract half its prof. bonus from its to hit bonus on a weapon attack
- Increase its hit points by 5 for each point of its prof. bonus
- subtract 1 from its AC for every 2 points of its prof. bonus
yay - I'm never going to put that in a templateCR change:
+Prof/12*# attacks
-Prof/4 from accuracy
+Prof * 5/64 from HP
-Prof/8 from AC
Total:
(# attacks/12 - .3)*Prof
Oh I am just modelling what it does to the CR of the monster.yay - I'm never going to put that in a template
Also, I am not interested in increasing the number of attacks, for a brute particularly
Like I said, I wasn't doing the math, just discussing the concept. Thank you for the analysis though, it gave me an idea of how to fix thingsOh I am just modelling what it does to the CR of the monster.
When #attacks/12 is 0.3 it is neutral, or at 4 attacks.
Below 4 attacks your brute is marginally weaker by the DMG CR rules, above marginally stronger.
At 1 attack, at Prof 5, your brute is about a CR weaker? Which isn't a huge issue.
You can fix it by, hmm, giving it [prof]d8 bonus damage, spread out over attacks. Instead of adding prof to attack damage.
.. wait, I subtracted full prof from accuracy in my math.
1/4+5/64 = k/12 gives k of 2.5.
make that 1d4 per prof spread out over attacks.
So I'm stealing from the DMG monster CR rules.Like I said, I wasn't doing the math, just discussing the concept. Thank you for the analysis though, it gave me an idea of how to fix things
Yep. Simple, right? It's all about simple! ~He says with a single tear streaming down his eye, remembering they heyday of cool and easy monster modifications~So when you add something new to an old monster, you rewrite the monster's stat block?
I loved creatures templates in 3ed!Is there a preferred model?