Monster Damage

[leotor01]

Hello to everybody.
I don't understand why some monsters from Pathfinder 2's Bestiary have a 2 to damage that doesn't come from the Strengh (eg Animated Statue - page 21).
Thanks!

[HammerJack]

We don't have the rules that those monsters were built by, yet, so I doubt anyone can answer you.

[leotor01]

HammerJack wrote:

We don't have the rules that those monsters were built by, yet, so I doubt anyone can answer you.

thank you so much! then I'll wait

[Angel Hunter D]

Monster's stats appear to almost entirely come from the "stats by CR" table for this edition, barring special abilities to kill us. Don't try to look for mechanical reasons with monsters, they're from a different game than PC's.

[leotor01]

Angel Hunter D wrote:

Monster's stats appear to almost entirely come from the "stats by CR" table for this edition, barring special abilities to kill us. Don't try to look for mechanical reasons with monsters, they're from a different game than PC's.

not a good thing... so NPCs will be totally different from PCs? it's a shame.

[Wheldrake]

I would expect NPCs to follow most of the same rules for character creation as PCs, but there will probably be a simplified system soon.

I would also expect most NPCs to have close to the same stat array as PCs, with 8 or 9 total bonuses to stats before 5th level. Even if I would prefer for most ordinary (non-heroic) NPCs to have a lesser stat array, something like 6 total bonuses to stats.

Check out the NPCs in the 4 published adventures, and tell us if they conform to PC standards.

[rainzax]

leotor01 wrote:

NPCs will be totally different from PCs

This. As to the "why" of it:

The first reason is that the role they play in the game is fundamentally different - making often a single appearance to create a challenge for 5 PCs (an "encounter") rather than vice versa - thus, they are made with fundamentally different rules than PCs.

The second reason is to make the DM's preparations easier too.

It was thought that these reasons were more important than PC-NPC "symmetry" if you will.

[Lady Melo]

While I am a big fan of PC-NPC symmetry cause I like my game with a touch of simulation fantasy. Ultimately the NPCs in PF1 already have w/e stats they needed it was just hidden, you can give them feats (or custom feats), manipulate ability scores/HD, grant "racial bonus" or unique traits/passives/exceptional or supernatural ability and so on to make the numbers work out. Not only was this fairly noticeable eventually but the designers explicitly said this is how they designed them anyway. Now much less effort is needed to BS/fanangle the right numbers you just pick them. (Though it was still fun from a world point of view for me to see "why" the monster had it's numbers) I agree it's not that important.

[Zapp]

leotor01 wrote:

not a good thing... so NPCs will be totally different from PCs? it's a shame.

It's the best thing ever.

Creating a high-level spellcasting NPC used to take hours. Not forcing GMs to use the full PC chargen for enemies is brilliant.