Assistance needed creating new monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Assistance needed creating new monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Oberon_of_Avalon
08-28-03, 11:01 AM Specifically in creating monsters based on works of fiction and fantasy. I'm making an Oriental-style campaign and am making a ton of custom dragons and fictional monsters to use in it.

Is there any information on/has anyone already created any of the following for use in a DnD/Oriental Adventures setting?

The Jabberwock
Snark
Kitsunes
Creatures from Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or My Neighbor Totoro (Tanari no Totoro)
Ropp'cht'cht
08-28-03, 12:37 PM Sounds like a fun campaign!

The Jabberwock
I know I've got some of the Wonderland creatures statted somewhere, but I don't think I ever did up the Snark, or Jabberwock. :(

Anyway, I don't think the Jabberwock would be too difficult...huge aberration, give it wings, nasty claw and bite attacks. High CR. Vulnerable to vorpal weapons. ;)

Kitsunes
I believe Kitsunes can be found both in AEG's Creatures of Rokugan and Green Ronin's Jade Dragons and Hungry Ghosts. (If you had to pick one, I'd go with Creatures of Rokugan...it's a far superior book.)

Creatures from Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or My Neighbor Totoro (Tanari no Totoro)
IIRC, there was a very long discussion on statting the Mononoke animal gods somewhere on the old boards. As for Spirited Away, I'm not aware of any conversions. The No Face would be really fun to stat up, though, among others. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with My Neighbor Totoro.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, I'm really busy for a while. After a week or two, when things start to settle down, I'll try to dig out a few links for you and see if I can stat things up a little more completely.
gnimish
08-28-03, 02:23 PM I recently played in a campaign where a whole section revolved around the jabberwockey (sp?) poem.

There were stats for the jabberwock in an old monstrous compendium somewhere that my DM converted to 3rd edition.

Essentially, it became a great nature spirit (magical beast) that had DR 20/+3 and was only harmed by a vorpal sword. Plus, it had regeneration.

It also had a confusion ability with a wicked high Will save DC and could fly.

In retrospect, we were robbed on the CR/experience. Granted, he did give us a vorpal sword to use, but... Essentially it became a one-hit battle for us. Our Fighter had recently been killed, so the elven rogue was the only one who could use the vorpal sword. The Jabberwock's AC was high enough that he could only hit on a Nat 20.

So basically, we just kept healing and supporting the rogue until he rolled two natural 20's in a row.

Overall, not the most satisfying experience, I must say. We had to have the cleric make us all deaf to be immune to the confusion ability (it was sound based)!
Oberon_of_Avalon
08-28-03, 02:40 PM Well, my campaign is going to feature the Jabberwock as a dragon. This setting is going to have a varient on the standard dragon (I've labeled them "Celestial Dragons"), and of course the Jabberwock would be a very powerful member of the Celestial Dragons. They'll be handled like outsiders (Extraplanar, held at bay by magic circle against their alignment, etc.), and the Jabberwock I know would be Chaotic at the very least with chaos-linked abilities.

But what about a snark? I've never read the material concerning it. What about Totoro? A benevolent nature spirit? Kitsunes, creatures of chaos both good and evil?
Ropp'cht'cht
08-28-03, 06:29 PM But what about a snark? I've never read the material concerning it.It's been a long time since I looked at the Hunting of the Snark. There's a certain WizO you should really flag down to help you with this one. :D Drop him an e-mail, perhaps.

Kitsunes, creatures of chaos both good and evil?
In Creatures of Rokugan, they're fey (usually Chaotic Good).

Is My Neighbor Totoro any good? I don't know much about it, but I've really loved the other Miyazaki films I've seen.
Oberon_of_Avalon
08-29-03, 10:49 AM Aye, My Neighbor Totoro is good, though one might say it is designed for younger ages. Still, it's good for the family, for the young, and the young at heart, as well as those that enjoy a good fairy tale. Miyazaki is a master storyteller.

Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I'll drop a line to WizO_Snark. To be honest, usually I'm skittish about contacting administrators directly, because on some forums the admins don't deal with anything not directly relating to rules/board conduct violation.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Oberon_of_Avalon 08-28-03, 11:01 AM	Specifically in creating monsters based on works of fiction and fantasy. I'm making an Oriental-style campaign and am making a ton of custom dragons and fictional monsters to use in it. Is there any information on/has anyone already created any of the following for use in a DnD/Oriental Adventures setting? The Jabberwock Snark Kitsunes Creatures from Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or My Neighbor Totoro (Tanari no Totoro)
Ropp'cht'cht 08-28-03, 12:37 PM	Sounds like a fun campaign! The Jabberwock I know I've got some of the Wonderland creatures statted somewhere, but I don't think I ever did up the Snark, or Jabberwock. :( Anyway, I don't think the Jabberwock would be too difficult...huge aberration, give it wings, nasty claw and bite attacks. High CR. Vulnerable to vorpal weapons. ;) Kitsunes I believe Kitsunes can be found both in AEG's Creatures of Rokugan and Green Ronin's Jade Dragons and Hungry Ghosts. (If you had to pick one, I'd go with Creatures of Rokugan...it's a far superior book.) Creatures from Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or My Neighbor Totoro (Tanari no Totoro) IIRC, there was a very long discussion on statting the Mononoke animal gods somewhere on the old boards. As for Spirited Away, I'm not aware of any conversions. The No Face would be really fun to stat up, though, among others. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with My Neighbor Totoro. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, I'm really busy for a while. After a week or two, when things start to settle down, I'll try to dig out a few links for you and see if I can stat things up a little more completely.
gnimish 08-28-03, 02:23 PM	I recently played in a campaign where a whole section revolved around the jabberwockey (sp?) poem. There were stats for the jabberwock in an old monstrous compendium somewhere that my DM converted to 3rd edition. Essentially, it became a great nature spirit (magical beast) that had DR 20/+3 and was only harmed by a vorpal sword. Plus, it had regeneration. It also had a confusion ability with a wicked high Will save DC and could fly. In retrospect, we were robbed on the CR/experience. Granted, he did give us a vorpal sword to use, but... Essentially it became a one-hit battle for us. Our Fighter had recently been killed, so the elven rogue was the only one who could use the vorpal sword. The Jabberwock's AC was high enough that he could only hit on a Nat 20. So basically, we just kept healing and supporting the rogue until he rolled two natural 20's in a row. Overall, not the most satisfying experience, I must say. We had to have the cleric make us all deaf to be immune to the confusion ability (it was sound based)!
Oberon_of_Avalon 08-28-03, 02:40 PM	Well, my campaign is going to feature the Jabberwock as a dragon. This setting is going to have a varient on the standard dragon (I've labeled them "Celestial Dragons"), and of course the Jabberwock would be a very powerful member of the Celestial Dragons. They'll be handled like outsiders (Extraplanar, held at bay by magic circle against their alignment, etc.), and the Jabberwock I know would be Chaotic at the very least with chaos-linked abilities. But what about a snark? I've never read the material concerning it. What about Totoro? A benevolent nature spirit? Kitsunes, creatures of chaos both good and evil?
Ropp'cht'cht 08-28-03, 06:29 PM	But what about a snark? I've never read the material concerning it.It's been a long time since I looked at the Hunting of the Snark. There's a certain WizO you should really flag down to help you with this one. :D Drop him an e-mail, perhaps. Kitsunes, creatures of chaos both good and evil? In Creatures of Rokugan, they're fey (usually Chaotic Good). Is My Neighbor Totoro any good? I don't know much about it, but I've really loved the other Miyazaki films I've seen.
Oberon_of_Avalon 08-29-03, 10:49 AM	Aye, My Neighbor Totoro is good, though one might say it is designed for younger ages. Still, it's good for the family, for the young, and the young at heart, as well as those that enjoy a good fairy tale. Miyazaki is a master storyteller. Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I'll drop a line to WizO_Snark. To be honest, usually I'm skittish about contacting administrators directly, because on some forums the admins don't deal with anything not directly relating to rules/board conduct violation.