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Inspired by Rawr!'s Rawr! Monsters! thread, I've decided to (try to) post one monster a day for November, using the NPC/alien creator in Alien Archive. This partially an exercise for me in getting used to the new monster creation rules.
Anyway, here's the first creature: the Fire Wasp (CR 1/3).
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If you don't mind, I'll post a link to monster I designing after getting Alien Archive:
Shaper Of Worlds: Astrogator Kyton was first monster for Starfinder though there are more of them as well.
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I don't mind. The more, the merrier!
This one wasn't originally intended to be (another) magical beast, or a relative of an existing creature, but it happened.
Behold, the Frill-Gnawer (CR 1/2).
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The last critter was actually yesterday's; today's alien is the Inkling (CR 1). Which doesn't have anything to do with squid.
I'm considering adding DR n/cold iron, for some low value of n, to the creature, but I'm not quite sure yet.
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Today we have the Silektha (CR 2).
They could probably be adapted to a PC race pretty easily; mostly I didn't want to bother trying to figure out how to handle the poison. And I'm not sure which ability score should get the -2.
Is there a tool to create the statblock pages?
Is there a tool to create the statblock pages?
The tool I use is called LibreOffice 5 (i.e., the word processor part of an "office" package, exporting to PDF).
I keep meaning to make a blank complete statblock template; once I have it done, I can post it to this thread.
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Here is the Myrmar (CR 3), a foot soldier in the celestial armies. With body armor, a machine gun, and holy hand grenades.
Apparently, looking at the aliens wearing actual armor in the Alien Archive, they get their AC from their armor and Dex, but ignore Max Dex to AC and Armor Check Penalty to skills. (See the aeon guard and formian warrior.)
I originally gave the myrmar the melee striker gear boost and a carbon steel curve blade, which is by the guidelines, but that gave it 1d10+9 melee damage, which puts it between CR 4 and CR 5 in damage. That seemed too much, so I gave it a weaker weapon (with the holy weapon fusion) and a different gear boost. Its damage is still above typical damage, and it has reach.
I also was originally thinking of making it summonable (the CR is correct), but its stats are so far beyond the other CR 3 summonable creatures that I don't think it's a good idea. If I were to do so, I'd likely eliminate its protective aura, or at least cut down the bonuses and area of effect.
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Here are a couple of word processor templates for stat blocks, in case anyone is interested. I tried to put in too much, rather than too little.
Open Document Text alien template
Microsoft Word .docx alien template
I'm sure there are plenty of improvements to be made.
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And now comes a Spell Engine (CR 4). This is a lookout/guard style spell engine. I imagine there are many versions of this one across the galaxy.
I'm pondering swapping out sense through for a constant see invisibility, and adding a different 2nd-level spell (inject nanobots? make whole? microbot assault? security seal? So many choices). The ghost sound is there to set off an alarm, but it can have other uses, too.
You could upgrade blindsense to blindsight instead of going for see invisibility, if you think it should be able to deal with invisible intruders.
Thank you for the templates, Scholar!
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The Gul-Lakthra (CR 5) makes its living selling other peoples' secrets.
You haven't filled xp value.
You haven't filled xp value.
Thanks for reminding me that I remembered that I forgot to remember to fill in the XP value that I forgot.
It should be better now. And thanks for the comments.
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Here's my first try at an undead, and at including a corresponding template. I'm not confident in my understanding of how templates work in this new system, though. The "energy drain" ability is also a little generic; I noticed that none of the undead in Alien Archive have energy drain. I'm not sure what a better replacement would be, though.
Here is the Hollow Husk (CR 6).
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The Abyssal Cyberhound (CR 7) is probably the right power level to be put on the 5th level summon creature chart. Even though Alien Archive doesn't list such things, I was very tempted to put the easy-to-miss aspects of the constructed ability and line effect of the plasma rifle in the stat block.
I'm finding that there are some things (like ranges on ranged attacks) that I would prefer were in the stat block, but aren't. Maybe I can make a list.
Loving it! The husks and hounds are my favorite so far!
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The Drop Bearcat (CR 8) is a fierce animal that would as soon fall on you and eat you as look at you.
Pray that you never see a dire drop bearcat. Then again, you won't ever see a dire drop bearcat, because it will kill you before you know it.
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The Virtual Ooze (CR 9) might be the most intelligent-seeming mindless creature in existence.
The Great Black Eel-Shark (CR 10) will ruin your day if you run across it.
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The Eclipse Dragon (CR 11) didn't turn out as awesomely as I had hoped. Someone who knows solarians better than I do could probably help me do a better job.
It's probably not quite as tough as the young adult blue dragon, but it's also not supposed to be a "true" dragon.
Today's entry is the Poison Palm (CR 12).
How often does one check for exposure to the poison mist? Every round? If so, anyone fighting it in melee for any length of time is as good as dead.
(Or immune, due to armor environmental protections.)
How often does one check for exposure to the poison mist? Every round? If so, anyone fighting it in melee for any length of time is as good as dead.
(Or immune, due to armor environmental protections.)
Mwah-hah-hah!
Seriously, if they want to fight CR 12 threats, PCs need to be ready for this sort of thing. (The poison palm has plenty of weaknesses.)
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The Station Giant (CR 13), reporting for duty.
I'm not sure if its disrupt technology ability is too strong, too weak, or just about right.
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The Ellack (CR 14) helps explain why one shouldn't use condemned prisoners for experimentation.
Fortunately, an ellack apocalypse is far less likely than a shadow apocalypse.
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A Thunder Lizard (CR 15) is a fearsome beast, indeed.
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How did I forget to post the Telykwyrm (CR 16)?
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The Demon Trap Spider (CR 17) is ready for lunch.
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Holidays may slow them down, but they cannot stop the Dire Orc (CR 18).
Holidays may slow them down, but they cannot stop the Dire Orc (CR 18).
I may fill in a template with the implant ghoul. If someone ninjas it, that's great too. They basically died and were reanimated by their cyberware. They continue whatever they were doing when they died. For security officers, that's killing all intruders.
Dotting this because I needs me some more monsters.
The Alien Archive is on backorder. I could use a list of creatures in it so I can not waste time suggesting existing monsters.
There aren't many, it's only like 160 pages and each monster takes up two. So if you're looking to pull something from the 6 or 7 300+ page pathfinder beastiaries, odds are you are golden.
But, to answer your question...
Did you compare this to something or did you base this off of your own idea? The numbers seem just a little off to me.
I have the Alien Archive now. I think adding a category of Anacite will be good. Thoes Who Seek believe that the "First Ones" must be sought out, not meekly waited for. These Steel Knights(as the slang calls them) either configure themselves into probes, join mixed groups of space explorers, or sometimes both. Part of their docturn is that the gap in memory extends a limited distance and both pristine records and ancestors of the first ones are out there waiting.
An Anacite probe looks like a racer with the pilot's seat replaced with a drift drive and an anacite worker's brain. It also has 2 fold away arms with articulated hands. Their sleek appearance is broken up by a cargo hold that looks like an extended belly. If it finds anything significant it will stow it and try to return to it's home base(wherever that is). Some are equipped with an air supply if they expect to find anything living. Many just carry drugs that put most living things into a coma suitable for transport through space.
So is this like a general hub of homebrew creatures? May I post a few ones I have made?
So here are the enemies I've created so far. Whether this is a good thing or bad remains to be seems, but it seems like I have an opposite design philosophy to the OP where their enemies seem to be short and sweet, whereas my enemies go for a bells and whistles approach. With that given, my enemies are logically a bit on the strong side. Also, since I print these out, and would like to alphabetize them, I can only have one per page, and I'd like to get the most use out of my page use, so each enemy comes in two variants. A common one, and a "elite" version on the backside.
To preemptively answer any questions about it, I have my own rating system for how an NPC's "AI" behave in combat.
Automated Turret - Found it weird that we have security bots and AHAVS, but no static defenses/constructs in Alien Archive or the Core Rule Book, my turrets in particular behave more like hazards and are used for suppression and area denial.
Blue-Tongue Chameleon - A giant chameleon that can use it's tongue for long range grabs and swallow whole. It's stomach also behaves like a trash compactor.=D I have a feeling this is going to be up there with the blood brother on PC "nope" factor, and make for some good castrovel horror stories.
Sentry Drone - A straight rip of one of my favorite enemies from Metroid. It's like an elite security bot for technologically advanced parties. Probably something the Azlanti would rock. Definitely would make for some good miniboss material. Here's the encounter theme I picked out for it since I like to use background music for my sessions.
Some creatures are very alien or crazy AIs. You would roll their behavior randomly and their reasons will be meaningless such as,"The sky is red" or "I don't like mondays".
My homebrew Implant ghouls might be mistaken for implant zombies which explode. You had better have a good Mysticism skill or you will be unpleasantly surprised.
So here are the enemies I've created so far.
Nice. The turrets and sentries are very good and useful. I'll definitely be using those.
So here are the enemies I've created so far.Nice. The turrets and sentries are very good and useful. I'll definitely be using those.
Thank you for the feedback! Though I have to say they are more the heavy staying power, professional installation type. I should make a batch of lower CR ones that are more easily bought and deployed like the little tripod ones you see in fallout 4.
Aren't things like turrets and sentry guns found and made by just using rules for traps?
I don't really care if it's a trap or a monster, either way, I like having some stats to plug in. I feel like there should be a challenging sentry gun / drone for every CR.
I don't really care if it's a trap or a monster, either way, I like having some stats to plug in. I feel like there should be a challenging sentry gun / drone for every CR.
I probably should have just shown the page instead of talking about it, lol. The chart gives health totals, attack bonuses, EAC/KAC, saves, damage etc. from CR 1/2 to 20.
I probably should have just shown the page instead of talking about it, lol.
Thank you! That's a dense book, thank you for pointing that out. Even so, I still like WhiteWeasel's offering, for a bit of variety.