Monster build rules

[SantaTheBest]

Hey guys,
I would like to know if there are some written rules about monster creation or how stats are built.

Let's take an example:
/*************************/
Zombie Brute:
Perception +4; darkvision
Skills Athletics +9
Str +5, Dex –3, Con +4, Int –5, Wis +0, Cha –2
Slow As zombie shambler.
AC 15; Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +6
HP 70, negative healing;
Immunities death effects, disease, mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious;
Weaknesses positive 10, slashing 10
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +11 (reach 10 feet), Damage 1d12+5 bludgeoning plus Improved Push 5 feet
/*************************/

A good example is how savings are calculated? Is there a common rule for the undead?
The same applies to HP or melee actions.

What is trained and what is not?

Because I would like to build some monsters, but looks quite hard without specifics rules

[masda_gib]

Ahem...
https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgym?Building-Monsters-for-Fun-an d-Profit

The rules will be in the Gamemastery Guide and can be found as a preview behind the Link in the linked blog post. :)

[SantaTheBest]

Thanks that looks interesting but is not how they have designed for the actual bestiary.

If you take a look that zombie is not even close to what they have suggested in that guide.

ZOMBIE BRUTE CREATURE 2
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For HP
2 40–36 32–28 25–21

but the monster has 70.
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For Savings
2 +12 +11 +8 +5 +3

but the monster has
Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +6

so two are outside the rule.
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For perception:
2 +12 +11 +8 +5 +3

but the monster has +4
----------

So you can do your own but you can't reproduce what is in place. So I can't understand what was the design for the bestiary.

In 1.0 you can nearly reproduce every monster with the provided rules, here you can't.

[Gorbacz]

Zombies are permanently slowed 1, which is kind of a huge deal, and their stats compensate for that. Try comparing a more standard monster.

[Varus Wreckpoint]

Monster Creation Rules wrote:

If a creature has a weakness, especially to something fairly common, give it additional HP. The amount of extra HP might depend on how tough the creature should feel if you don’t exploit its weakness. A tough creature might have additional HP equal to quadruple the weakness value, ...

The extra HP is due to the weakness to (very common) slashing damage.

Yeah, the rules are more guidelines - suggested values for appropriate monsters for that level, rather than hard rules.

[Malk_Content]

SantaTheBest wrote:

In 1.0 you can nearly reproduce every monster with the provided rules, here you can't.

Only if you replicate the arbitrary bonuses monsters got to make them work. Almost every pf1 monster past bestiary 1 has some sort of racial bonus to fudge its scores away from what the base rules provide.

It isn't surprising that hand tailored monsters deviate from the quick "build a balanced enemy" rules, a developer with a hopefully advanced understanding has fiddled with the monster extensively.

[BellyBeard]

You are allowed to pick numbers between the guidelines. It's not like it says +11 is good and +8 is average which means +9 or +10 are off the table. If you want a creature in the average-to-good range either value is acceptable.

With that consideration, the only value for zombie brute you gave that was out-of-range for the guidelines is the HP. Which can be explained by the combination of weakness to slashing, permanent slow 1, and middling to bad saves. This creature has a lot of weaknesses so makes up for it with higher HP, just like they suggest.

The point I'm making is, the rules themselves are monster-making guidelines, not absolute rules that must be adhered to. They are broken if and when it makes sense, taking care to compensate for changes to keep the appropriate power for level.