The Immortals Handbook

[S'mon]

What is the average draw weights of bows? 100lbs?

Typical modern hunting bows average around 40lb draw weight, that's something like a D&D non-mighty shortbow (edit: or D&D hand crossbow). AFAIK 100lb would be somewhat above average for a 15th century English longbow (the ones that caused spinal deformities in the archers), something like a D&D mighty longbow +2 damage (edit: or D&D 'heavy' crossbow). A 140lb draw weight bow would be at the extreme limit of possibility, like some found on the Mary Rose, something like a D&D mighty longbow +4 damage.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Interested2!

"Anyway the Mind Flayers probably sewed the verbeeg corpses together to make another 'Killing Machine'."

Careful there with the OGL..

Too true - and the Order of the Stick is a great strip.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Moulin Rogue!

That HD size progression caught my eye, because I was thinking of going with the WP/VP system from Star Wars in my next campaign... and it happens that from Medium-size on down, it coincides well with the idea in this thread of basing it on size: a base of 10 wound points virtually matches a base of 2-3 HD.

It doesn't scale well at all for multi-HD monsters from Large on up though... wonder if a formula for Hit Die beyond first could be found that could be applied to big multi-HD monsters.

Just make it 2 wound points per ft. tall/long. With x1.5 for heavy set creatures (such as Gamoreans or Rancors).

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey S'mon!

Is Blast the physical impact of the superheated air; Fire the heat damage, and Radiation is damage from Gamma rays and Alpha & Beta particle radiation?

Yes.

In that case I'd think Blast & Fire damage would be equal and Radiation only a small direct effect (though with lingering consequences).

http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/effects.htm

I suspect that trying to 'realistically' model a breath weapon based on a nuclear blast might be a doomed enterprise,

Indeed. ALthough I would have said tricky but not impossible.

in D&D terms Godzilla's breath looks like Fire breath so that's what I'd tend to treat it as, or else sui generis 'atomic' energy if you didn't want ER (Fire) to apply.

In the absence of one clear solution I'll go with the simpler option...for now.

160d20.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

But obviously a 6' being can't kill a planet by hitting it, no matter how strong.

I should point out here that S'mon has never watched Dragonball Z.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hello!

Typical modern hunting bows average around 40lb draw weight, that's something like a D&D non-mighty shortbow (edit: or D&D hand crossbow). AFAIK 100lb would be somewhat above average for a 15th century English longbow (the ones that caused spinal deformities in the archers), something like a D&D mighty longbow +2 damage (edit: or D&D 'heavy' crossbow). A 140lb draw weight bow would be at the extreme limit of possibility, like some found on the Mary Rose, something like a D&D mighty longbow +4 damage.

Perhaps if we match draw weight to Light Load (on the Carrying Capacity Table) we can determine X-bow strength bonus.

eg. 120lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 20 (+5 damage)

300lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 26 (+8 damage)

500lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 30 (+10 damage)

You could maybe set it up:

Light +5 (Str 20); Medium +7 (Str 25); Heavy +10 (Str 30)?

The strength bonuses would also be effective vs. AC.

Making a X-bow in the hands of even a novice pretty deadly.

Maybe adding +5 Strength (effectively doubling the load) each time as you go up to seige weaponry. In addition to the base damage increase of x1.5 for each larger size category of bolt.

Repeating X-Bows would be at -5 strength (or perhaps as much as -10)?

Light X-Bow 1d6+5 (and +5 to hit)

Medium X-Bow 1d8+7 (+7 to hit)

Heavy X-Bow 2d6+10 (+10 to hit)

Light Arbalest 3d6+12 (+12 to hit)

Heavy Arbalest 4d6+15 (+15 to hit)

Heavy Repeating X-Bow 1d8+7 (+7 to hit)

What do you guys think?

 

[S'mon]

Hey all!

I should point out here that S'mon has never watched Dragonball Z.

Well, never for more than a couple of seconds...

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi all!

I was replying to a post over at dicefreaks and intimated the following...

***

At the moment it looks like the Bestiary first.

It will be 61 monsters and 9 templates (with examples...although I should point out that 2 of the Templates* are fairly simple and not really what you would call a full Template).

*Dire and Legendary.

Challenge Ratings range from about 20 to 2000. With most being between 20-200.

There are 11 unique monsters, you'll probably be able to guess at least four of them.

I'll post a full list on my website in a day or so there are some really interesting ones (if I do say so myself...and I do).

***

I should add that I did scale my plans back significantly to the extent that I have an extra 35 monsters that didn't make the cut this time...thats not counting the 3 for the Psi web enhancement...nor the extra twelve I already have half finished for the website.

Regarding the spread of CRs its pretty even from Hero-deity (eg. 3.5 Balor is akin to a weak Hero-deity) up to Greater Deity. After that there are 9 monsters beyond Greater Power; I was going to have more but I'll wait to see how they are recieved and gauge reactions before I would ever plan another such Bestiary. At this stage I am just presuming people want to see an even spread rather than a pyramid spread (since other epic monster books will no doubt concentrate on the lower rungs).

 

[Upper_Krust]

hey S'mon!

Well, never for more than a couple of seconds...

It does have a tendency to be repetitive so even from that few seconds you could probably guess the plot for every show.

So in a nutshell...it usually goes something like this:

#1: Heroes fight and lose to Villain.
#2: Heroes come back stronger and win, damage the villain done is reset by the Dragonballs (Big wish stones).
#3: Villain comes back stronger or new villain is introduced and kicks the heroes @sses.
#4: Heroes come back stronger and win.
#5+: Repeat ad infinitum until people both the heroes and villains are wiping out galaxies.

I think its trump card is that the character design is so good and so outlandish that you tune in to see how ridiculous things can get and how they top the last fights.

I think one of my favourite episodes was a martial arts tournament where Goku (the hero) narrowly defeated Vegeta (sort of a neutral) in the opening bout; who then proceeded to remove the 5 ton training weights from his garb. As I recall he started moving quite quick after that.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Perhaps if we match draw weight to Light Load (on the Carrying Capacity Table) we can determine X-bow strength bonus.

eg. 120lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 20 (+5 damage)

300lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 26 (+8 damage)

500lb draw weight X-Bow = Str 30 (+10 damage)[...]

What do you guys think?

I think you're greatly overestimating the mechanical efficiency of medieval crossbows. Modern crosbows would be hard-pressed to show such efficiency!

I'd halve the added damage and use a base d8: light 1d8+2 (standard), medium 1d8+5 (full round), heavy 1d10+7 (two rounds), or something like that.

At this stage I am just presuming people want to see an even spread rather than a pyramid spread (since other epic monster books will no doubt concentrate on the lower rungs).

With the release of the IH, there will be three sources for epic-level monsters: the ELH (60 monsters, CR 5 to 57; 4 templates), Legends of Avadnu (11 monsters, CR 20 to 30; 2 templates), and the IH itself (61 monsters, CR 20 to 2000; 9 templates).

There's not a whole lot out there. Maybe you can release a Bestiary II if the first is a success (after the other 3 PDFs, of course)?

Regardless, thanks for the information.