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I have been designing monsters recently to improve my writing skills and the following idea is a by-product of my attempts. When I stumbled over Simple Class Templates in the Monster Codex, I thought it would be nice to have more specific templates that aren't tied to certain classes, but instead to monster roles.
This is still very experimental. Below are two different examples how this could work. The first one is a lot more specific than the second one. I would like to know what you think. Would templates like these be useful in building interesting encounters? Can these templates be balanced in terms of CR? Should they be more specific or more general (or both)?
Outsiders with the regent template command great respect among their peers and may call upon the service of their planar kin when outside of their home plane. This template can be applied to any creature with the outsider (extraplanar) type and subtype.
Aura: Planar Conduit (Su): Each ally within 30 feet gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against spells that force extraplanar creatures back to their home planes (such as banishment, dismissal, or holy word). Each ally within this area receives a Will saving throw against spells that would normally prevent a summoned creature from entering or attacking (such as protection from evil or circle of protection from law), even if these spells normally wouldn't allow a saving throw. If this saving throw succeeds, the spell has no effect on that particular summoned creature.
Spell-like Abilities: 1/day—control summoned creature (creatures with the same subtype as the regent creature (such as angel, demon, or protean) only); A regent creature increases the success chance of any summon spell-like ability by 20%. If the orginal creature didn't have the summon spell-like ability to begin with, it gains the ability to summon another creature of its own kind with a 40% chance of success (spell level = half the creature's CR). The regent creature's caster level is equal to its total Hit Dice.
Ability Scores: +4 to Charisma.
Feats: A regent creature receives Augment Summoning and Superior Summoning as bonus feats, even if it doesn't meet the feats' prerequisites.
Creatures with the protector template defend their chosen charge with utmost dedication.
Special Attacks: A protector creature gains the special attacks described below.
Quick Reflexes (Ex): A protector creature can make one additional attack of opportunity per round.
Retaliate (Ex): Once per round, when a creature threatened by the protector creature attacks and hits an ally adjacent to the protector creature, it may make an attack of opportunity against the attacking creature.
Feats: A protector creature gains Bodyguard, In Harm's Way and Stand Still as bonus feats, even if it doesn't meet the feats' prerequisites.
Ability Scores: +4 to Constitution.
Creatures with the brute template use their physical prowess to intimidate and bully other creatures. This template can be applied to any creature of size Large or larger.
Defensive Abilities: ferocity.
Special Attacks: A brute creature gains the special attacks described below.
Awesome Sweep (Ex): When using the Awesome Blow feat, a brute creature can make an awesome blow combat maneuver against all creatures within reach as a full-round action.
Fearsome Blow (Ex): When a brute creature damages an opponent with a melee attack, it may make an Intimidate check as a swift action to attempt to demoralize that opponent.
Feats: A brute creature gains Awesome Blow and Intimidating Prowess as bonus feats, even if it doesn't meet the prerequisites.
Ability Scores: +4 to Strength.
Creatures with the hive template believe in the strength of numbers and work together to achieve their goals. This template can be applied to any creature of size Small or smaller and nonchaotic alignment.
Defensive Abilities: A hive creature gains the defensive ability described below.
Hive Formation (Ex): While adjacent to two or more other creatures with this template, a hive creature does not provoke attacks of opportunity from its opponents.
Special Attacks: A hive creature gains the special attack described below.
Swarming (Ex): Up to two hive creatures can share the same square at the same time. If two hive creatures in the same square attack the same foe, they are considered to be flanking that foe as if they were in two opposite squares.
Feats: A hive creature gains any two teamwork feats as bonus feats, even if it doesn't meet the prerequisites.
Special Qualities:
Improved Aid (Ex): A hive creature using the aid another action grants a +4 bonus, rather than the normal +2.
Ability Scores: +4 to Dexterity.
Kinda interesting. +1
After some expermenting, I think role templates are both fun and useful and I will continue working on these. Here is the Google-doc:
At the moment, I'm unable to define what I exactly understand by a monster's role. Some concepts work great, others not so much. All I can say is that a role template
1) does not fundamentally change the creature's core concept (type/alignment/HD etc.),
2) is basic enough so that it can be applied to creatures of different types,
3) follows a very basic theme (think Numenera character descriptor/focus),
4) focuses more on new options, less on numerical benefits (which is why it doesn't work well as a simple template),
5) doesn't increase the base creature's CR by more than +1.
I'm also somewhat unsure how to classify different role categories. I hope that it will be clearer once I have created a few more.
Definitely think WIS over DX for Hive. Because collective consciousness. 2cp.
You're right. I removed the Hive template-this one didn't work out so well. I think the concept can easily be split up into two or three different templates (Legion, Mob, Swarming), though I have to think a little more about these.
I would be grateful for any suggestions that can help to refine the concept of monster roles. Also, if you have any suggestions for particular role templates, I'm all ears (though I already have a long to-be-done list).
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UPDATE
The document now contains 16 different role templates:
Beastrider Creature (CR +1)
Brute Creature (CR +1)
Commanding Creature (CR +1)
Guarding Creature (CR +1)
Infiltrator Creature (CR +1)
Ironclad Creature (CR +2)
Marksman Creature (CR +1)
Predator Creature (CR +1)
Ravenous Creature (CR +1)
Skirmisher Creature (CR +1)
Tenacious Creature (CR +1)
Thug Creature (CR +1)
Trapmaker Creature (CR +1)
Eldritch Creature (CR +1)
Regent Creature (CR +1)
Spellbane Creature (CR +1)
More to come.
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UPDATE
The document now contains 23 different role templates:
Basic Templates
Beastrider Creature (CR +1)
Brute Creature (CR +1)
Commanding Creature (CR +1)
Demolisher Creature (CR +1)
Guarding Creature (CR +1)
Infiltrator Creature (CR +1)
Ironclad Creature (CR +2)
Legion Creature (CR +1)
Marksman Creature (CR +1)
Predator Creature (CR +1)
Ravenous Creature (CR +1)
Skirmisher Creature (CR +1)
Terrormonger Creature (CR +1)
Tenacious Creature (CR +1)
Thug Creature (CR +1)
Trapmaker Creature (CR +1)
Advanced Templates
Blasting Creature (CR +1)
Eldritch Creature (CR +1)
Glaring Creature (CR +1)
Mindreader Creature (CR +1)
Regent Creature (CR +1)
Spellbane Creature (CR +1)
Spellwarp Creature (CR +1)
I think I covered most basic roles and will continue to work on advanced templates, which are a lot of fun. I'm especially fond of the blasting template that allows creatures to apply metamagic feats to their breath weapons.
Gunna test drive your Brute template tomorrow...
That's cool. I'm still somewhat unsure about how much a +1-CR-increase should be worth. In most cases, there is a staggering disparity in power between adding the advanced/fiendish template to a creature of CR x and having two creatures of CR x-1.
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I tacked your Brute template onto a [Giant, Advanced] Wight and threw the beast at my players. They were scared when I used the Awesome Blow power to slam one PC into another knocking them both prone and dealing 1d6 damage.
I am sad that they cleverly used an Entangle spell to restrict the creatures movement - I never got to use the full Awesome Sweep ability. The Intimidate rider was right on time however.
As a critique, I think the Powerful Charge ability, which I also sadly didn't get to use, strikes me as a little weird mechanically. I cannot think of another instance that increases total damage by 50% (outside of metamagic). An alternative idea could be to give the beast Improved Drag in lieu of the whole Overrun/charging thing, or another rider Drag effect. Doing so I think would focus the creature's ability to control the space around it, and you could maybe transport the the whole Overrun/charge idea to another template?
I think the +1 CR was appropriate. Cheers.
Thanks for your feedback, rainzax, that's really helpful!
I used the updated powerful charge ability from Pathfinder Unchained, which got a considerable boost compared to the Bestiary version. And I am okay with that. Most monsters with multiple attacks suffer from the same problem as martial characters: unless they have pounce, they can't move and full attack, and once they have engaged the PCs, they need to be lucky to survive for another round (one of the first things I changed in published adventures was to substitute monster feats with Vital Strike, so they can pack a punch with that one attack they are guaranteed to make). I probably should add a sentence so the bonus damage only works for the first attack (so that pouncing monsters don't get too powerful).
Drag is a neat and somewhat underused maneuver, but it has to compete against the pull universal monster ability, which is in many ways superior. However, I agree that more control options would be fun and I'll try to come up with something. Lately I keep coming back to the idea of a monster that grapples creatures and uses them as an improvised weapon to beat other opponents (similar to the body bludgeon rage power) or flings them through the air...
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UPDATE
The document now contains 32 different templates:
Aerial Creature (CR +1)
Beastrider Creature (CR +1)
Brute Creature (CR +1)
Commanding Creature (CR +1)
Daredevil Creature (CR +1)
Demolisher Creature (CR +1)
Digger Creature (CR +1)
Guarding Creature (CR +1)
Ironclad Creature (CR +2)
Legion Creature (CR +1)
Marksman Creature (CR +1)
Predator Creature (CR +1)
Ravenous Creature (CR +1)
Skirmisher Creature (CR +1)
Tenacious Creature (CR +1)
Terrormonger Creature (CR +1)
Thug Creature (CR +1)
Trapmaker Creature (CR +1)
Blasting Creature (CR +1)
Blazing Creature (CR +1)
Eldritch Creature (CR +1)
Glaring Creature (CR +1)
Infiltrator Creature (CR +1)
Mindreader Creature (CR +1)
Morphing Creature (CR +1)
Phase Creature (CR +1)
Regent Creature (CR +1)
Spellbane Creature (CR +1)
Spellwarp Creature (CR +1)
Telekinetic Creature (CR +1)
Tenebrous Creature (CR +1)
Thundering Creature (CR +1)
In addition to adding new templates, I made a couple of revisions (rewriting unclear or complicated abilities, removing inconsistant or redundant abilities, and correcting template errors). I also cleared up the distinction between basic templates (focus on extraordinary abilities) and advanced templates (focus on spell-like and supernatural abilities). I still have a few ideas for more templates (basic and advanced). Once I'm finished, I will have to reevaluate the power level of each template and I plan to add a few sentences explaining how each template affects the creature's behaviour to clarify its role.
As always, critique, suggestions, and feedback are welcome.
UPDATE
The document now contains 36 different templates. I made several additions and revisions:
- removed overly complicated stuff to make templates easier to use,
- replaced redundant abilities with others that complement the base creatures' existing abilities,
- changed the feat section (some basic templates now have a menu of feats from which to select, taking into account the range of different base creatures; in some cases I removed bonus feats entirely if they weren't important to the concept),
- changed spell-like abilities (after experimenting with cumulative spell-like abilities (celestial/fiendish template), I decided to focus exclusively on those spells that I thought were really important to the template's concept),
- renamed several templates and merged those with similar concepts,
- added the waverider, caustic, hoarfrost, jolting, and virulent templates.
In some cases, there is still room for improvement, but overall, I'm quite pleased with these changes.
Can you think of any important concept you would like to see that is still missing?
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Wish I could travel back in time to playtesting the Brute template to use the updated features instead of the old ones. I would have loved to throw one of my players at another! lol.
I made a copy of this document so as to give myself easier access to it. If you ever go 3pp, I would gladly purchase this product.
One comment, albeit minor, is that some of the "roles" consist of what a creature "does" and some of the roles consist in what the creature "is." I myself would like it if the two types of organization were classified differently (in the table of contents section), because that would personally help me navigate your material better.
Cheers.
** spoiler omitted **
I made a copy of this document so as to give myself easier access to it. If you ever go 3pp, I would gladly purchase this product.
Cheers.
Sure, feel free to use it as you like! At the moment, I'm still in the process of figuring out what I'm good at and what I enjoy writing, but who knows. I think I'll design some archetypes next, once I've finished this project.
One comment, albeit minor, is that some of the "roles" consist of what a creature "does" and some of the roles consist in what the creature "is." I myself would like it if the two types of organization were classified differently (in the table of contents section), because that would personally help me navigate your material better.
That's a valid point and it shows that I still have to elaborate on my concept of 'role'. I deliberatly tried to keep it broad. Most templates can be both aquired or inherited templates - it's up to the GM what the monster's 'story' is. A guardian creature could be a storm giant protecting its chieftain or a faithful hound serving its master or even a golem obeying its creator's commands. In the first case, it's more about what a creature 'does' (protecting someone) and in the latter case it's more about what the creature 'is' (a bodyguard). Admittedly, that's not the case for every template (at least not to the same degree), but it certainly complicates matters.
The way I see it, one could roughly distinguish between the following categories:
- templates that focus on a social role (beastrider, commanding, legion, guarding);
- templates that focus on a mode of movement (aerial, delver, skirmisher, waverider);
- templates that focus on elemental abilities (blazing, caustic, hoarfrost, jolting, thundering);
- templates that focus on specific abilities (exhalator, glaring, infiltrator, mindreader, phase, regal, telekinetic, virulent);
- templates that focus on a certain fighting style (brute, daredevil, demolisher, ironclad, marksman, trapmaker); and
- templates that focus on more general abilities falling in none of the categories above / in more than one of the categories above (the rest). And even this rough distinction is somewhat arbitrary.
It would certainly help if the reader could recognize at first glance what each template does (by the way, it's really hard to come up with fitting names that work well as a descriptor for a broad range of existing monsters). I'll see if I can come up with a better mode of presentation.
UPDATE
- rewrote introduction (I hope the concept is clearer now)
- changed the mode of presentation (templates are organized into different categories now)
- added dazzling and enraged templates
- made several minor revisions
I'm glad you like it! I considered adding a sample creature for each template, but with 40 templates, that would be quiet a bit of work.
If you can make use of it, please let me know what did/didn't work out for you and your group.
Just dottingg
dot!
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Terrormonger Bat Swarm (CR 3)
N Diminutive animal (swarm)
Knowledge
Nature, Planes
Senses
Init: +2
Blindsight 20ft, Low-light vision; Smell Fear; Perception +15
Defense
AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 DX, +4 size)
HP 17 (3d8)
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +3 (+7 vs fear)
Defensive Abilities: swarm traits
Immune: weapon damage
Offense
Speed: 5ft, fly 40ft (good)
Melee: swarm (1d6) plus Feast on Fear (+1 damage vs shaken foes)
Space: 10ft, Reach: 0ft
Special Attacks: Fearsome Blow (free demoralize check +7), distraction (DC 11), wounding (1 HP/rnd)
Statistics
ST 3, DX 15, CON 11, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 4
BAB +2, CMB/CMD -
Feats: (*Dazzling Display, *Disheartening Display, *Killing Flourish, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Intimidate)
Skills: Fly +12, Intimidate +7, Perception +12
SQ: swarm traits
Notes
(Dazzling Display, Killing Flourish, Disheartening Display)
*May demoralize all prey as a full-round action w/in 30 feet, or as a free action upon reducing a prey to 0 hp; those already under a fear effect see that effect increase by one step.
Nasty idea!
So that's what happened to Bruce Wayne...
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Ok I do have some feedback as I am deciding which template to add to another bestiary creature.
Some of the templates add spells to the creature's capabilities. However, I find some of the spells to be inappropriate for for low level creatures. Perhaps add a scaling HD (or CR?) range? Like HD 1-4 gain the "3/day" powers instead 1/day, HD 5-8 gain the "3/day" and "1/day" powers normally, HD 9-12 gain unlimited use of the "3/day" powers and the "1/day" powers instead 3/day, and HD 13+ gain unlimited use of all powers.
Maybe rename the powers "primary" (1/day) and "secondary" (3/day) and they could universally adhere to this scheme.
That's a quick fix, but something like that.
I agree. In a first draft, I tried to make them similar to the half-celestial/fiendish template with a list of spell-like abilities tied to the base creature's HD. I decided against it because it lead to redundancies with existing abilities that the base creature would likely already have and it would clutter up the creature's stat-block with abilities that are mostly useless for creatures with higher CR (as is the case with half-celestial/fiendish creatures). I think I also had an implicit bias for creatures of a certain CR-range. But you are right, there should be some limitations for spell-like abilities.
Looking back, there are quiet a few things that could be improved and that I would do differently if I were to do makeover. That's okay, it means that I've learned a few things over the last one and a half year. But to be honest, I'd rather focus on creating new stuff than reworking what I wrote a while ago. I hope people find it useful, even if it might require a bit eyeballing on the GM's side.