Is there any chance that we could get a paizo blog about Monster creation? I.E. showing examples of how the staff actually created monsters, as it seems that most of the tables in the back of the bestiary are red herrings. Also it would be nice to see a couple examples of monster advancement, using some of the monsters that say they have different varients by adding hit die and/or templates.
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Well it's not "offical" but here's what I came up with using the charts in the back of the book -- please remember that a CR equvilent monster shouldn't actually be a challenge for a party of 4~5 characters -- it should take 4~6 such encounters before the party starts dying.
To make this monster I looked at the charts in the back, compared it to the two types of monsters I was drawing inspiration from (constructs and dragons) and basically "averaged" them all together until they looked right -- after all creating monsters is as much an art as a science and requires a bit of a "feel" for the math and aesthetics:
Type: Small Construct
CR: 5
Hit Die: 6d8+10 (37 HP)
BAB: +4
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 feet Fly 40 feet (speed and maneuverability as per a true dragon of the same size)
AC: 17 (10 + 6 natural + 2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +7 (1d6+4) Claws x 2 +7 (1d4+3) or Chest Cannon +6 (2d8)
Face/Reach: 5 ft/ 5 ft
Special Attacks: 12 Gauge Breath, Chest Cannon, Shoulder Mortars
Special Qualities: Construct, Hardness 5, Fast Healing 2,
Saves: +5 Fort +7 Ref +6 Will
Abilities: 16 Str 14 Dex - Con 10 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha
Skills: Fly 6 Ranks, Perception 6 Ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Power Attack
Advancement: As per dragon age categories.
"The sound of metal rubbing and screaming gives way to two explosions from the back of what had been assumed to be a statue of a dragon standing in front of you. You just register the whistling noise before it abruptly ends in another explosion by your feet."
12 Gauge Breath(Ex): This breath weapon is a cone with a Reflex save for half DC equal to 10 + 1/2 HD + dragon "age" category. Damage is 2d6 base, and counts as magic, adamantine, bludgeoning and piercing. The breath weapon may be used once every 1d4 rounds. The cone size is the same as a true dragon's breath weapon of the same size.
Chest Cannon(Ex): This is a ranged attack that deals 2d8 base damage and requires a standard action to use. It counts as magic, adamantine, bludgeoning and piercing damage. Feats can be used in conjunction with this attack. The range increment is the same as the line type breath weapon of a true dragon of the same size. The chest cannon can be used once every 1d4 rounds.
Shoulder Mortars(Ex): This attack functions as a splash weapon with a range increment equal to half of the line type breath weapon of a true dragon of the same size. The base damage for this attack is 2d4, and the splash deals the same damage as the initial target takes. The damage from this attack is magic, adamantine, bludgeoning and piercing. For each size category increase in the gunmetal dragon the splash damage range increases by one square (so a medium gunmetal dragon has a 10 foot splash radius while a large has a 15 foot splash radius etc). The shoulder mortars can fire two shots at the same time once every 1d4 rounds.
Gunmetal dragons are built in "age categories" like a true dragon. Advancing a gunmetal dragon must put it into a new age category and it gains all the benefits of such increases just as if it was a true dragon including stat increases (except for con increases), feats, new natural attacks, etc. The 12 gauge breath, chest cannon, and shoulder mortars all increase as if they were the gunmetal dragons breath weapon. The gunmetal dragon gains 3 points of hardness each time it increases in size, and its fast healing increases by 2 per each age category it has. In addition each size category gives bonus HP just as it does for a normal construct. Gunmetal dragons do not grow -- the age categories are simply used as a means to describe the power level of any given gunmetal dragon in much the same way as a ship's abilities are defined by its classification (dreadnought, frigate, cruiser, battleship, etc).