What were they thinking?
Some further musings on the subject of “What in blazes were they thinking when they created Appendix E!?”, in which, for reasons, we shall ignore the note “If an otherwise weak creature has on extraordinary power, multiply the award by 2, 4, 8, or even 10 or more.”, and we shall only use information in the DMG, MM, and PHB.
If we were to make a
very basic analysis of the SAXPBs and EAXPAs provided in the table under EXPERIENCE POINTS VALUE FOR MONSTERS on page 85 of the DMG, and assume (for reasons) that the xp values of monster abilities are based on “effects that cause harm in combat”, I’d say we’d end up with the following “general statistics”:
Magic: Assuming, for reasons, that “attack” typically means “some physical act (or natural weapon) intent on harming an opponent”, this would mean that the categories “energy drain”, “spell use”, “weakness”, “paralysis” (sometimes), and possibly “minor spells (basically defensive)” are the only ones that deal with “acts of magic intent on harming opponents”.
Necessary side-trek: Paralysis
In the Monster Manual, “paralysis” typically means “helplessness without duration”, typically leading to certain death because of the nature of the monsters involved
(e.g., ghoul, gelatinous cube). Now, I realize that this notion hails from an OD&D time when DMs would simply say “Oh dear. Your PC is paralyzed and now the ghoul eats him and now you’re dead. Roll a new PC.” But let’s stick with the notion of “no duration” for now.
So, the Monster Manual has no duration for paralysis caused by: carrion crawlers (secretions; save vs paralyzation), floating eyes (hypnotism; save vs paralyzation), ghasts (touch; save vs paralyzation), ghouls (and lacedons) (touch; save vs paralyzation), giant wasps (poison; save vs poison), liches (touch; save vs paralyzation; OD&D has “no saving throw”), Portuguese man-o-wars (poison; save vs paralyzation), slithering trackers (secretions; save vs paralyzation), and Yeenoghu (flail; save vs wands).
The Monster Manual has a duration for paralysis caused by: gelatinous cubes (but was “anesthetized” in OD&D), mummies (but is “fright”), sting rays (poison), and yetis (but is “fright”)
And so: Damn you, sting rays!
Also, although Appendix E in the DMG has “paralyzation” as a special attack for the manta ray, the Monster Manual says that victims are stunned for 2-8 rounds.
Other sources on “paralysis”
OD&D M&T p. 39, albeit under “artifacts”: “Paralysis (until freed by designated means).”
PHB p. 53, under “holy word”: “Paralyzes 1-4 turns.”
PHB p. 97, under “paralyzation”: “(...) paralyzed, and a dispel illusion or dispel magic spell must be used to remove the effect, or the illusionist may dispel it at any time he or she desires.”
DMG p. 67, under “special “to hit” bonuses”: “Opponent magically asleep, held, paralyzed, or totally immobile.”
DMG p. 100: “The DM then rolls 3 attacks for the ghoul that grabbed at the busy gnome, and one claw attack does 2 hit points of damage and paralyzes the hapless character, whereupon the DM judges that the other 3 would rend him to bits.”
DMG p. 133, under “rod of lordly might”: “1. Paralyzation upon touch if the wielder so commands”
DMG p. 134, under “staff of power”: “Paralyzation is a ray from the end of the staff which extends in a cone 4” long and 2” wide at its base.”
DMG p. 136, under “wand of paralyzation”: “If the ray touches any creature it must save versus wands or be rigidly immobile for from 5-20 rounds.”
DMG p. 136, under “special purpose power”: “paralysis for 1-4 rounds (save vs magic)”
Although I seem to recall that someone (Gygax?) somewhere gave a duration for the paralysis caused by a ghoul (
Sage Advice? Dispel Confusion?), the only reasonable indication I can find that paralysis may have a duration is the text under “wand of paralyzation” in the DMG. But then this would only be because many spell-like effects, especially fear, often have something added along the lines of “as the wand of the same name.” However, in the Monster Manual, this is never said for paralysis.
Tentative Conclusion Regarding EAXPAs
Going with the above, I’d say that the following “special attacks” are extraordinary abilities:
attacks that lead to instant death (or near instant death) without regard for hit points;
attacks that lead to instant helplessness without end; and
attacks that inflict at least 25 points of damage – I.e., attacks that are likely to lead to instant death even at higher levels.
In the case of breath weapons, this would mean that the breath weapon of a chimera (3-24 damage) and those of some younger dragons would not count as “major breath weapons”—and therefore as EAXPAs—unless we assume that “major breath weapon” also includes “the ability to inflict damage in an area”. Which would not be that unreasonable to assume, although that will lead to problems in and of itself. For example, the anhkheg’s ability to squirt acid for 8-32 points of damage can affect one target only (unless the PCs have all lined up neatly, of course).
Saving Throws
Looking at the various saving throw categories, I suppose we can assume to following:
This, at least, seems to have “helplessness” and “instant death” in the same category.
Next
So, what to do with those abilities that are not mentioned in the SAXPB/EAXPA table in the DMG, but which are still mentioned in Appendix E? There are … um, quite a lot of them, among which: aging, charging and trampling, charms, disease, etherealness, fear, human weapon, magic use, petrification, wisdom drain, possession (magic jar), rear claws, sleep, spitting, stampede, stunning, surprise/surprised, various immunities, various resistances, various senses, whirlwind, and of course, climbing.
I’d say that many of these are probably best ignored, wherefore we shall eliminate: 1-4 attacks on same opponent (hydra; covered); able to move on walls and ceilings (subterranean lizard); back kicks (leucrotta; not massive damage, not 4+ attacks); head AC 3 (buffalo; not AC 0); flippers in water (
Plesiosaurus; not massive damage, not 4+ attacks); double damage on 20 (giant lizard; not massive damage; not 4+ attacks); smash tail (whales; covered); exceptional intelligence in combat (wolverines; covered); and, of course, climbing (baboon).
Bah! That’s a lot less than I was hoping for.
Anyway, I think SAXPB/EAXPA values can be given for at least some of the rest of them.
Petrification
PHB, p. 78: “The creature polymorphed must make a "system shock" (cf. CONSTITUTION) roll to see if it survives the change.”
PHB, p. 12: “System Shock Survival states the percentage chance the character has of surviving the following forms of magical attacks (or simple application of the magic): aging, petrification (including flesh to stone spell), polymorph any object, polymorph others.”
Appendix E typically has a value of 3×EAXPA for petrification, as it often seems to have for instant death. Assuming that petrification is “a complete transformation that constitutes a massive shock to the system”, I suppose we can safely assume that petrification falls into the EAXPA category. As would be anything else that requires a system shock survival check—if only because failing one means instant death. This means that “polymorph other” would also be EAXPA. Gotcha, leprechaun!
So far, so easy.
Aging
Apart from this being a major effect that requires a system shock survival check, it can also lead to “(near) instant death without regard for hp”. Another EAXPA in the bag.
Spitting poison, tail spikes, shoot quills, hurl rocks
PHB, p. 104: “COMBAT This broad heading covers all forms of attack and fighting. It includes clerical turning undead, magical control, spell attacks, breath and gaze weapon attacks, magical device attacks, missile discharge, and melee (hand-to-hand combat).”
PHB, p. 104: “Missile Discharge: This aspect of combat includes catapult missiles, giant-hurled rocks, the discharge of spikes from a manticore’s tail, throwing such things as flasks of oil, torches, vials of holy water, bottles of poison, magic weapons (javelins of lightning, fireball missiles from a necklace, etc.), poison spitting, the hurling of axes, hammers, javelins, spears, etc., and shooting sling missiles, arrows, bolts and so forth from slings and bows.”
Apart from having such rather interesting categories as “breath and gaze weapon attacks” and “magical device attacks”, this suggests that poison spitting, giants hurling rocks, etc., falls under the SAXPB “missile discharge” in any case—regardless of the damage they inflict. Interestingly, this would also include the “fireball” shot from the red gem in the skull of the eye of fear and flame (FF).
I suppose it could be argued that “spitting poison” fires an amount of poison at an opponent, as opposed to it being a stream of poison such as generated by a black dragon. If so, then the “spit acid” ability of the giant slug (ca 60’ range) would also fall in the category “missile discharge”. And likewise the anhkheg’s ability to “squirt acid” (30’ range)? And what about the camel’s “blinding spittle” (no range)? It has no xp in Appendix E and the “Inflict damage before melee” rule says that it shouldn’t have any?
Instant or near instant death without regard for hit points
Like for petrification, Appendix E typically has a value of n×EAXPA for “instant or near death without regard for hit points.” Let us therefore assume that the following are all at least one EAXPA: “smother prey in 2-5 rounds” (lurker above); “smothers in 6 rounds” (trapper); “suffocation” (shambling mound); “tentacle hit slays in 1-4 rds” (mind flayer); “burrow into flesh” (rot grub); Orcus’ wand of death; “infect flesh” (green slime); the various death gazes and death rays (catoblepas, beholder, sea hag); the groaning spirit’s death wail (keening); and people dying on the spot when looking at a disrobing or nude nymph.
Weakness, enfeeblement, strength loss, revulsion odor, musk spray (some)
This should include the shadow’s strength draining ability; the troglodyte’s revulsion odor; the roper’s “6 poisonous strands causing weakness”; and the musk spray of the giant skunk, wolverine, and giant wolverine.
But then what were they thinking when they made the “squirt musk” (also) a special defense in Appendix E? Where they thinking that the “blinding” aspect of the spray is a special defense rather than a special attack—because there’s no damage involved? What does that mean for the camel’s blinding spittle? And for the “deafening” aspect of the “firing acid cloud” ability of the bombardier beetle? Hmm… interesting.
Non-lethal poison
DMG, p. 20: “Poison Types: The poison of monsters, regardless of its pluses or minuses to the victim's saving throw, is an all-or-nothing affair. That is, either they do no damage, or they kill the victim within a minute or so.”
Since the category “poison” is probably meant for “instantly lethal poison”, we are left with poisons that are not instantly lethal.
Interestingly, the entry for the giant ant in Appendix E has “2-8/3-12” under “Damage Per Attack” for the soldier/warrior ant, and then “sting” under Special Attacks. Then, the Monster Manual says this: “The warrior ant has 3 hit dice, does 2-8 hit points of damage with its mandibles, and if it hits with them it will also attempt to sting for 3-12 points of damage. If a sting hits, a saving throw versus poison must be made; if successful the victim takes only 1-4 hit points of damage.”
Appendix E has “pain poison” under erinyes; “rotting poison” under the violet fungi; “attack poison causes dexterity loss” under quasit; “6 poisonous strands cause weakness” under roper; and then there’s the various “poisons” that ask for a saving throw vs poison but lead to a disease or paralysis or something.
All others with lethal poison just have “poison”, sometimes with the means of delivery added. Exceptions to this being the pseud-dragon and the giant wasp, but here the poison can be or is lethal after some time, so that’s OK—clutching at straws here, obviously.
Question being: should non-lethal poison being “poison” simple be ignored? If we’d do this, the giant warrior/soldier ant would inflict a maximum of 20 points of damage, wherefore it would get zero additional xp for anything. So what does Appendix E say about this? Well, it says that the giant soldier ant is worth 40+3/hp, which isn’t a actually thing because its base xp is 35+3/hp, plus 15 xp for SAXPBs and plus 55 xp for EAXPAs.
And the others?
The erinyes’ “pain poison” leads to fainting, so “helplessness?”
The violet fungi’s “rotting poison” has no info on the effects.
The quasit’s “attack poison causes dexterity loss” should be in a “stat loss” category.
The roper’s “6 poisonous strands cause weakness” is under “weakness.”
And the various other poisons should be in the category that defines their effect (e.g., paralysis, disease)
Disease
Infuriatingly, the only real clue we have as to the SAXPB/EAXPA value of the ability to cause “disease” is the xp value of the giant rat, which has a 5% chance to inflict a serious disease with its bites (save vs poison), and has 7+1/hp, which suggests that the possibility of inflicting a serious disease is valued as an SAXPB.
While there is something to be gleaned from the xp values of other monsters than can cause diseases, this of a lot less value than it would seem. For example, the giant leech (disease fatal in 2-5 weeks; 50% chance to conract; no saving throw) has 4×SAXPB making up its xp value, while notably, its blood draining leads to
weakness; the giant tick has 5×SAXPB plus 1×EAXPA making up its xp value, which supposedly is for blood drain (1-6) and disease (fatal 2-8 days; 50% chance to contract; no saving throw); the mummy’s mummy rot leads to lasting stat loss so that’s a different story; and the xp values for the (neo-)otyughs are useless because there’s no such thing as +15/hp and there’s no info on saving throws (just a 90% chance to contract) and whether typhus is lethal or not.
So. Does a disease lead to “(near) instant death without regard for hp”? To instant helplessness without end? To at least 25 points of damage? I’d say: not really. Trebly.
Also, apart from the giant rat, there’s no saving throws against diseases.
SAXPB then? As long as it isn’t fatal and doesn’t lead to an EAXPA effect, such as stat losses for mummy rot?
So, SAXPB for “Disease (non-fatal)”, and then EAXPA for “Disease (fatal)”. Not so sure about the latter, because diseases aren’t usually fatal until after at least a couple of days.
And what to call a category for a disease that is not fatal but leads to some effect worth an EAXPA? “Disease (special)”? Or should the EAXPA effect take precedence, so that mummy rot will fall under the (future) category “stat loss”?
Hmm…, and here we’re getting into “splitting” effects territory, which is bad.
So far:
You win!
