Hey, Lilith - you out here?
I figured that I'd start a new thread on topics to stimulate growth of the Stat Block Bank, as opposed to pushing the original thread into what, six pages?
For those who don't know, the NPC Stat Block Bank is a DM resource I dreamed up here...
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/dnd/general/archives/aDMsWishAnOnlineN PCStatBlockBank
...and Lilith wonderfully made real here:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/dnd/general/archives/aDMsWishAnOnlineN PCStatBlockBank
Lilith, I had an idea for encouraging stat block submissions:
A ratings system.
If possible, can you build a rating system for submissions, ranking stat blocks by public interest?
I'm not thinking about a "rate the hotties" contest here - we all could use stat blocks for certain NPCs at certain times - but more a system to recognize creative practical NPCs and provide some feedback as to what a DM would consider useful vs. "neat, but where would I ever use this?" A very common, low CR block that gets used often might get more hits than some multi-templated CR45 Prestige Class NPC built for the Arena...
I'd like to see submitters populate an apocryphal city in whatever campaign world they use with the NPCs that they use day in and day out. The very purpose of this resource is to share the DM grunt work - post those "typical city guard platoon" stat blocks!
I'm going to be adding a few of my own, soon,
M
Hmmm...*scratches her hubby's goatee*
It's doable, just need to find the time to accomplish these things. My arse in front of the TV at night is the best time to write these things, I've found out. :)
I can see doing contests for particular themes as well (aprocryphal, urban, city) etc.
Director of Narrative
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Yeah! So post up punks and punkettes. (I threw four on yesterday)
I try to do a few mundane critters/fodder and then one weirdo just to spice things up.
I like the rating/contest idea, but I would much rather recieve comments. The mechanics are already in place. I would be most interested in backup editors. With all the rants about statblock errors, I would love to have someone tell me where mine are wrong. I'm almost certain there are a few errors and would like to present the most accurate statblock I can.
Yeah! So post up punks and punkettes. (I threw four on yesterday)
I'm being sucked in!!! One of the NPC requests is similar to an idea my wife and I have hashed around before (and similar to one she has played, too), so it is no real stretch to get my feet wet by claiming a request as my first submission.
Oh, and I'd love to have a "Comments/Feedback" option, as well. That way, I could publicly ask F2K just exactly what a "Soldier's Camp Kit" actually consists of! Plus, of course, people could help me refine my higher-level stat-blocks and make sure I keep things as accurate as possible.
I think that 'Comments to Author' are fine in either place, but that posting them with the stat block would make them more permanent.
Of course, Lilith would want the ability of deleting comments in case they get silly or mean-spirited.
M
I'll probably be looking into this in the next couple of days (the rating system). Have tweaked the encounter generator to give full d12 tables, will be looking at it to do multiple creatures. That part of the generator will be getting an overhaul, as the current methods that I use are somewhat clunky and not very elegant.
(Yeah, I'm a perfectionist in my code. Optimize! Optimize!)
Hey Lilith, MC, I was just checking out the NPC stat blocks generator, and WOW!!!!! I think I may have just found a new resorce for my game. WOOHOO!!! LOL
Great job you guys keep up the good work.
May the goddes of the forest watch over you.
Hey Lilith, MC, I was just checking out the NPC stat blocks generator, and WOW!!!!! I think I may have just found a new resorce for my game. WOOHOO!!! LOL
Great job you guys keep up the good work.
May the goddes of the forest watch over you.
That was entirely the idea when it occurred to me, Drizzt.
Credit Lilith with 99.87465% of the work - I just had the idea; I'm as grateful to her as everyone else who has used it.
Thanks also to the regular submitters of stats to the bank; I may have DMed longer than some players have been alive, but I'm no power-gamer and have real use for some of these NPCs.
M
That's the key right thar - it's only as good as the stat blocks that are put into it. :)
Well, I hope my first humble submission to be found at http://www.darkmoongallery.com/npc/details.php?id=366 is useful! I need someone to look it over and suggest how I can improve my presentation... (plus that dang melee block is a PAIN!!)
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Well, I hope my first humble submission to be found at http://www.darkmoongallery.com/npc/details.php?id=366 is useful! I need someone to look it over and suggest how I can improve my presentation... (plus that dang melee block is a PAIN!!)
It looks really good to me; nice setup with the Sunblade. As for the statblock complexity, tell me about it... Of course, the first beastie I put in was a big ole werebeast. If I'd realized how big that statblock would become from the start, I probably would have stayed away...
Monster creation is highly addictive, guaranteeing that I'll be preoccupied with that rather than more "useful" activities. Darn you, Demon Queen of Victuals! Darn you to heck!
Darn you, Demon Queen of Victuals! Darn you to heck!
Heh heh heh. :)
I've spent my time on it tonight, myself. Fixed a couple of things regarding psionics (adding a PR field and psi-like abilities).
SO there I was, over on the GiantITP forums and read this thread - http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=gaming;action=display;nu m=1155341397 - about a player *determined* to play a Scout and take TWF. Well, naturally, the ensuing discussion hammered on the fact that a normal PHB Rogue could do a bang-up job as a scout and actually benefit from taking TWF. Well, I challenged my son - who is in a fit of random character making lately - to make a Rogue who can function well as a scout.
Now, of course, I have to go get him his very own account on Lilith's NPC Bank so he can post his creations...
Good swift kick in the bump!
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Quick question - as I left all my gaming paraphernalia back in Norway when I moved stateside, I'm cookin' up monsters using the online SRD and memory. However, my memory fails me when it comes to the Death Knight. I can reverse engineer most of the template from a couple of online monsters, but I need a little help with the stat mods and things like bonus feats (if there are any). Does it get any more special abilities than the Abyssal Blast and Turn Immunity? If somebody could post those here, I'd be most grateful.
Also, where did Leap Attack appear first, and what were the exact effects and prerequisites again? I'm drawing a complete blank right now...
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Quick question - as I left all my gaming paraphernalia back in Norway when I moved stateside, I'm cookin' up monsters using the online SRD and memory. However, my memory fails me when it comes to the Death Knight. I can reverse engineer most of the template from a couple of online monsters, but I need a little help with the stat mods and things like bonus feats (if there are any). Does it get any more special abilities than the Abyssal Blast and Turn Immunity? If somebody could post those here, I'd be most grateful.
Also, where did Leap Attack appear first, and what were the exact effects and prerequisites again? I'm drawing a complete blank right now...
+5 Natural Armor (or character's whichever is better).
Negative Energy Touch attack -- 1d8+Cha+1 Con Damage. Will save for half damage and negate the Con damage.Abyssal Blast
Fear Aura -- 5 HD or less need to make a Will save.
Undead Followers
Damage Reduction
Immunity to Cold, Electricity and Polymorph
Spell Resistance 20 + 1 per level past 10
Summon Mount
Turn Immunity
Undead Traits
Abilitiy -- +4 Str, +2 Wis, +2 Cha, no Con
Leap Attack is from Complete Adventurer -- It has a prerequisite of Jump 8 ranks and Power Attack. Basically if you jump at least 10 feet horizontally and land in a square that threatens your target, you can double Power Attack damage (or triple if using a two-handed weapon).
Hope that this helps.
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Quick question - as I left all my gaming paraphernalia back in Norway when I moved stateside, I'm cookin' up monsters using the online SRD and memory. However, my memory fails me when it comes to the Death Knight. I can reverse engineer most of the template from a couple of online monsters, but I need a little help with the stat mods and things like bonus feats (if there are any). Does it get any more special abilities than the Abyssal Blast and Turn Immunity? If somebody could post those here, I'd be most grateful.
Also, where did Leap Attack appear first, and what were the exact effects and prerequisites again? I'm drawing a complete blank right now...
+5 Natural Armor (or character's whichever is better).
Negative Energy Touch attack -- 1d8+Cha+1 Con Damage. Will save for half damage and negate the Con damage.
Abyssal Blast
Fear Aura -- 5 HD or less need to make a Will save.
Undead Followers
Damage Reduction
Immunity to Cold, Electricity and Polymorph
Spell Resistance 20 + 1 per level past 10
Summon Mount
Turn Immunity
Undead Traits
Abilitiy -- +4 Str, +2 Wis, +2 Cha, no ConLeap Attack is from Complete Adventurer -- It has a prerequisite of Jump 8 ranks and Power Attack. Basically if you jump at least 10 feet horizontally and land in a square that threatens your target, you can double Power Attack damage (or triple if using a two-handed weapon).
Hope that this helps.
Beautiful! Now to work... BWAHAHAHA!
Just wondering... since we have now taken the Thrall to Demon Queen of Victuals feat, which game-mechanical benefit do we derive from it?
Hmmmmm.....
Game-mechanical? Umm...nothing really...
However, should you ever meet me in person, I'd be more than happy to make a homemade meal for you. (A demon queen has to keep up the portfolio, ya know...) Just know that I accept offerings of interesting, unusual, or family recipes for favors. :)
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Just wondering... since we have now taken the Thrall to Demon Queen of Victuals feat, which game-mechanical benefit do we derive from it?
Hmmmmm.....
Game-mechanical? Umm...nothing really...
However, should you ever meet me in person, I'd be more than happy to make a homemade meal for you. (A demon queen has to keep up the portfolio, ya know...) Just know that I accept offerings of interesting, unusual, or family recipes for favors. :)
What, no +1 bonus to any one die roll when performing an act pleasing to our Demon Queen? What are you, a quasi-deity or something?
Bend's not that far away from Eugene, so that offer sounds rather tempting... I'll see if I can rustle up (and then translate) my Dad's recipe for Norwegian-style meatballs with brown gravy, potatoes and stewed peas. I haven't been home for a couple of years, so I'd kill for a meal of those. I have yet to see reindeer or moose meat anywhere here, so those specialties are probably not very useful.
A non-food related item: As mentioned above, I don't have MM2 here, so I'm a little uncertain about a couple of the save DCs I assigned to the Giant Deathknights I submitted to the stat block bank. I'm almost sure that they are correct, but please be vigilant when approving them. Thanks, and keep up the excellent work!
What, no +1 bonus to any one die roll when performing an act pleasing to our Demon Queen? What are you, a quasi-deity or something?
Something like that. ;)
Bend's not that far away from Eugene, so that offer sounds rather tempting... I'll see if I can rustle up (and then translate) my Dad's recipe for Norwegian-style meatballs with brown gravy, potatoes and stewed peas. I haven't been home for a couple of years, so I'd kill for a meal of those. I have yet to see reindeer or moose meat anywhere here, so those specialties are probably not very useful.
You could probably sub elk or buffalo for the reindeer or moose meat. Or venison. I've got access to all of those, it just really depends on the cut required. Since you say "meatballs" I'm assuming ground - I just so happen to have ground buffalo in the freezer.
A non-food related item: As mentioned above, I don't have MM2 here, so I'm a little uncertain about a couple of the save DCs I assigned to the Giant Deathknights I submitted to the stat block bank. I'm almost sure that they are correct, but please be vigilant when approving them. Thanks, and keep up the excellent work!
My eye shall be watchful in your work. >:P
Humbly requesting an extension to the "Speed" line... I have a character with multiple modes of movement. :-)
:: bows and scrapes ::
TK
Humbly requesting an extension to the "Speed" line... I have a character with multiple modes of movement. :-)
:: bows and scrapes ::
TK
Done. You should have double the length now, 127 characters.
Done. You should have double the length now, 127 characters.Humbly requesting an extension to the "Speed" line... I have a character with multiple modes of movement. :-)
:: bows and scrapes ::
TK
Sweet.
Also, minor extension (I think?) on the Aura line? It allows me to input "circlet of brilliance 30 ft., Felquirin's chill, good (overpowering), holy aura (DC 22), protective aura 20 ft.", but then cuts off the "t."
Thanks again!
I adore the NPC stat bank, and have been procrastinating the last bit of work and wedding plans to enter a few more. I've been working on a generic Thieves Guild (if you search "Dagger Guild" you'll get everyone listed so far) and I've a request...
...what kinds of roles do you figure a huge thieves guild would have? I'm nowhere near done, and I'm trying to make this generic thieves guild as generic as possible, and cover most (if not all) of the CRs as I go.
I do have an idea for the eventual unveiling of the Thieves Guild Guildmaster, and will likely put "heads of departments" together (ie: Head Assassin, Master of Thefts and Burglars, and so on) - but I'm wondering if anyone has noticed anything I'm missing?
Do tell, do tell often, and please let me know if you like what you see so far.
(Hopefully I'm not hijacking here...)
About the only thing you're missing, Bram, is a couple of generic leg-breakers. Neat line-up so far, for those that are curious, check 'em out. I do see your Half-Orc Thug, but a couple more to round it out would be good.
Thanis, you should have more room on the aura line now.
About the only thing you're missing, Bram, is a couple of generic leg-breakers. Neat line-up so far, for those that are curious, check 'em out. I do see your Half-Orc Thug, but a couple more to round it out would be good.
Thanks for the compliment - and I'll add more leg-breakers. :)
About the only thing you're missing, Bram, is a couple of generic leg-breakers. Neat line-up so far, for those that are curious, check 'em out. I do see your Half-Orc Thug, but a couple more to round it out would be good.Thanks for the compliment - and I'll add more leg-breakers. :)
Bram, first off thumbs up for the whole Dagger Guild-thing, I'll use the guild in my homebrew once its done. So far my players have only encountered small groups of thiefs and now it's time for a serious and hard to put down criminal faction in the story. Btw, your Dagger Guild cleric has Weapon Finesse but only 1 in dex? ^^ It's 14 isnt it?
Bram, first off thumbs up for the whole Dagger Guild-thing, I'll use the guild in my homebrew once its done. So far my players have only encountered small groups of thiefs and now it's time for a serious and hard to put down criminal faction in the story. Btw, your Dagger Guild cleric has Weapon Finesse but only 1 in dex? ^^ It's 14 isnt it?
Gleep. Ayup, that's supposed to be a 14. Heh. Fixed.
My current plan is to have a CR 20-ish "head" of thieves guild who is really a puppet to the CR 22 real guildmaster. Most of the guild itself doesn't even know of the fakery.
Of course, I'm only at the CR 10s or so... it'll take a while, what with the impending three week honeymoon and all. ;)
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About the only thing you're missing, Bram, is a couple of generic leg-breakers. Neat line-up so far, for those that are curious, check 'em out. I do see your Half-Orc Thug, but a couple more to round it out would be good.Thanks for the compliment - and I'll add more leg-breakers. :)
Some slopeheaded blunt trauma specialists wouldn't be out of place... But how about some kind of illusionist who specialises in support spells and distractions - i.e. somebody who casts Invisibilty and Silence on the thieves, and distracts the guards with Ghost Sound and Dancing Lights?
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Bill,
Or is it "Moff" these days? I'm confused now... I don't know how you're intending to reorganise "Kings of the rift", but I just submitted a couple more spellcasting Huge giants (including the death giant ur-priest). I was thinking that they could comprise some kind of arcane politbureau (all three are CR 19), but this would put them into conflict with any divine spellcasting giants, who resent their militant atheism, or some martial giants, who dislike their snooty condescension. All of which could again provide canny PCs with unexpected allies and roleplaying opportunities. Yay giants!
'kay. Guild Illusionist and Guild Bards are next on the block. I've also scribbled out a sort of head-thug, a Green Dragon Shaman, who I think will fit in just fine.
See? All I needed was more input. Ah, procrastination...
Heck of a bump here, but I just wanted to quickly add that this website truly rocks. However, one quick question, is the way psionic powers are listed correct? Basically I'm curious as to which DC I should be using in a stat block - the lowest, most basic save DC, or the most powerful, powerpoint infused DC.
Thanks.
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Heck of a bump here, but I just wanted to quickly add that this website truly rocks. However, one quick question, is the way psionic powers are listed correct? Basically I'm curious as to which DC I should be using in a stat block - the lowest, most basic save DC, or the most powerful, powerpoint infused DC.
Thanks.
For simplicity, I would say use the one that you feel the character/creature would be most likely to use and include an '*' footnote and mention that it is augmentable.
What Moff Rimmer said. Since the point of the Stat Block is to have the character ready to go at a moment's notice, it would work out better to have the psionics listed as the character would most likely use them.