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Bask in the glory of extensive query writing tips! (Many culled from this very messageboard.)
Delve into the intricacies of the new stat block format explained!
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Disclaimer: The Dungeon staff is not responsible for any heartache, broken dreams, loss of friends, or any other pain, misery, and/or agony that may result from reading these submissions guidelines. Read at your own risk.
Male dwarf blacktooth dire werewolverine wizard 13??? LOL!!!! I saw that stat block example and realized I'm very much a 1st edition gamer at heart still....OMG! I'm glad you guys had some fun with this--you did, right??
Thanks for the new guidlines Jeremy (and everyone else involved)!
Its perfect timing for me, since I plan to spend around 10-12 hours this weekend working on polishing up some queries. I'm starting graveyard shifts at my job on sunday night, so my plan is to pull an allnighter tonight, sleep in on saturday, then stay up all saturday night, sleep sunday during the day, then go to work sunday night.
So I had a lot of time to fill the next two night... and I wasn't sure how much time I was going to spend on queries, and how much on playing videogames... but this decides it for me ;-)
Disclaimer: The Dungeon staff is not responsible for any heartache, broken dreams, loss of friends, or any other pain, misery, and/or agony that may result from reading these submissions guidelines. Read at your own risk.
Augh! 2d10 San loss!
This is excellent, and the breakdown of the new statblock is exactly what I needed. Really well done.
One question on stat blocks and Skill points shown for a character. I'm only listing Skills in the statblock that a character has ranks in, correct? If I listed every skill that he has a modifier applied to it I'd be listing 25 skills for each character.
As an example, I have a minotaur NPC with 5 Skills that he has ranks in, but his size/ability modifiers influence every skill check in some way. I don't have to list every single one, correct?
Creative Director
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Generally, you only need to list skills that a creature has ranks in. If a creature has size, racial, or synergy bonuses in a skill but no ranks in it, you should list the skill if it's important to the encounter. A minotaur that's part of an ambush needs his Hide and Move Silently skills showing, but one that's part of a gladitorial challenge does not, for example.
Generally, you only need to list skills that a creature has ranks in. If a creature has size, racial, or synergy bonuses in a skill but no ranks in it, you should list the skill if it's important to the encounter. A minotaur that's part of an ambush needs his Hide and Move Silently skills showing, but one that's part of a gladitorial challenge does not, for example.
Perfect, thank you for clarifying that. This messageboard really is awesome for clearing up issues with you guys.
Ok another question. I'm statblocking a psionic character for the first time, and I'm not quite sure how to block the psionic points, powers etc. Does anyone know the proper place for psionic stuff in the new statblock?
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Creative Director
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Ok another question. I'm statblocking a psionic character for the first time, and I'm not quite sure how to block the psionic points, powers etc. Does anyone know the proper place for psionic stuff in the new statblock?
Complete Psionic is the reference to go to here. It uses the following format, placing it where the spells go in the statblock:
Power Points/Day 44; Telepath Powers Known (ML 6th)
3rd—body adjustment, dispel psionics, energy burst (DC 16)... etc.
Thanks again James, I've gotten a copy from a friend and will check it out.
I have another stat block issue, this time with a druid's animal companion. I have a 13HD dire boar, and I'm having trouble trying to stat block the Multiattack bonus feat it recieves.
Quote:
Multiattack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Now the boar has 2 attacks thanks to it's HD, but the only natural attack it has is gore. It has no claw, bite, tail, etc. Just gore. So what do I do here?
Also, I put all the other animal companion bonuses it recieves (Link, share spells, evasion & devotion) on the SQ line in the stat block. Is that correct? And where do I list any bonus tricks, or trained tricks for that matter? Ok I guess that was more than one question :D I'm fine with fluff, but I've always had problems with the crunchy aspects of D&D. I appreciate the help.
So let's see how I do here... This'll actually make a fun little "test." ;)
Now the boar has 2 attacks thanks to it's HD, but the only natural attack it has is gore. It has no claw, bite, tail, etc. Just gore. So what do I do here?Multiattack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Note that creatures that use natural attacks do not gain more attacks from a high BAB. For example, a "standard" dire boar has a gore attack and a +5 BAB. When it advances enough hit dice to gain a +6 BAB, it still only receives a single gore attack.
So, that said, your boar doesn't qualify for Multiattack; it only has one natural attack (a gore). Since it doesn't qualify for Multiattack, it gains a second gore attack; the second attack is at a total attack bonus of 5 less than the primary. So if your 13 HD dire boar had the same Strength as the standard, it's primary attack would be at +17 (+9 BAB, +8 Strength). It would now gain a second gore attack at +12.
Also, I put all the other animal companion bonuses it recieves (Link, share spells, evasion & devotion) on the SQ line in the stat block. Is that correct?
Link goes on the same line as languages; Evasion goes on the same line as the saves. I believe the others do indeed go in the SQ section. Note that some items (such as Link and Share Spells) should also be on the master's stat block.
And where do I list any bonus tricks, or trained tricks for that matter?
SQ is probably the right section for them. The SQ area seems to be the "catch all" area for when stuff doesn't fit elsewhere.
So hopefully my answers don't send you off in the wrong direction. ;)
-- John
I'm hoping I just missed it, but I couldn't find the Standard Disclosure Form in the updated submission guidelines. Any ideas? (I've already saved over my previous copy of the submission guidelines!)
I'm hoping I just missed it, but I couldn't find the Standard Disclosure Form in the updated submission guidelines. Any ideas? (I've already saved over my previous copy of the submission guidelines!)
You're right, it's not in there. We will get that online tomorrow.
There's always something :)
I might also suggest adding a "Last revised" date to the front page. (Unless you don't want to, that's okay too)
I'm hoping I just missed it, but I couldn't find the Standard Disclosure Form in the updated submission guidelines. Any ideas? (I've already saved over my previous copy of the submission guidelines!)You're right, it's not in there. We will get that online tomorrow.
There's always something :)
Just out of curiousity, did the Disclosure Form change at all?
I'd already filled out and scanned a couple of SDF's for some queries I plan on submitting soon (just waiting on my proofreader)... and I wouldn't want the queries to be rejected due a change in the small print...
Just out of curiousity, did the Disclosure Form change at all?I'd already filled out and scanned a couple of SDF's for some queries I plan on submitting soon (just waiting on my proofreader)... and I wouldn't want the queries to be rejected due a change in the small print...
No, the disclosure form did not change.
"Do not submit adventures involving...excessive gore or violence..."
This admonishment sticks out all things considered. There is media around that shies away from violence in their articles - but Dungeon is not one of them. In fact in your average Dungeon adventure probably 80% of the living things lovingly described by the author are going to die – and not from old age.
So let's see how I do here... This'll actually make a fun little "test." ;)
Note that creatures that use natural attacks do not gain more attacks from a high BAB. For example, a "standard" dire boar has a gore attack and a +5 BAB. When it advances enough hit dice to gain a +6 BAB, it still only receives a single gore attack.
So, that said, your boar doesn't qualify for Multiattack; it only has one natural attack (a gore). Since it doesn't qualify for Multiattack, it gains a second gore attack; the second attack is at a total attack bonus of 5 less than the primary. So if your 13 HD dire boar had the same Strength as the standard, it's primary attack would be at +17 (+9 BAB, +8 Strength). It would now gain a second gore attack at +12.
Link goes on the same line as languages; Evasion goes on the same line as the saves. I believe the others do indeed go in the SQ section. Note that some items (such as Link and Share Spells) should also be on the master's stat block.
SQ is probably the right section for them. The SQ area seems to be the "catch all" area for when stuff doesn't fit elsewhere.
So hopefully my answers don't send you off in the wrong direction. ;)
-- John
Zherog, thank you, that cleared it up and I was able to finish the stat block. But more questions! :D Now I'm on to the spells area of the stat block, and I have a few questions.
Caster Level is simple enough, my 10th level Druid is CL 10. Now ranged touch, I looked all over and couldn't find a concrete description of how to figure this number. Is it just my ranged attack bonus? What modifiers apply? And then the "creature's bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance" I don't even know where to go for that one.
Sorry for all the questions but I'm learning I swear.
Caster Level is simple enough, my 10th level Druid is CL 10. Now ranged touch, I looked all over and couldn't find a concrete description of how to figure this number. Is it just my ranged attack bonus? What modifiers apply? And then the "creature's bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance" I don't even know where to go for that one.
Sorry for all the questions but I'm learning I swear.
If you don't ask, you won't learn...
The Ranged Touch attack is just that: a Ranged Attack so use the Ranged Attack bonus (but add in things like weapon focus: rays, point blank shot, etc.) The "Touch" part means that the Ranged Attack is against the DC of the target's touch armor class.
The bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance might be more (or less) than a standard caster level check [1d20 + caster level] based on feats or domain abilities (Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration, a "Good" spell cast by a cleric with the Good domain, all of these may add to the caster level check to overcome spell resistance).
Actually, don't add in Point Blank Shot, as every attack doesn't qualify for it. PBS would get listed on the "Combat Options" line for the character. Otherwise, Timault is correct.
--John
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Creative Director
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"Do not submit adventures involving...excessive gore or violence..."
This admonishment sticks out all things considered. There is media around that shies away from violence in their articles - but Dungeon is not one of them. In fact in your average Dungeon adventure probably 80% of the living things lovingly described by the author are going to die – and not from old age.
This is a tricky topic. Basically, what we're asking for is to avoid excessive violence. Try to keep it at the PG-13 level. At times we'll publish fairly gory illustrations, but they need to be justified by something in the text. Dungeon certainly doesn't shy away from the violent aspects of D&D, but we aren't interested in adventures that are gory or violent just to be shocking.
I'm agreeing with James. "Excessive" means "excessive even by D&D's standards of violence". Murder and the occasional headlopping are fine, but when you spend a lot of time simply describing gore for gore's sake, I think that's where it crosses the line.
Let the DM add in more gore if he wants, he's not tied to using your descriptions verbatim.
Okay. What happened to the Standard Disclosure Form? It's like - - VANISHED!
Err . . . nevermind. :)