Bota's D&D 3.64 Monster Revision Thread [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bota's D&D 3.64 Monster Revision Thread [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
blood_of_the_ancient
05-04-05, 09:14 PM Hello all! I am Bota, and have set out to 'revise' the D&D system, as there are many things that I dislike about the system. Every chapter in every core book is getting some attention. The abilities were left mostly as-is. The races have been overhauled so that they are all balanced (they have been powered up, none have been powered down), the class were all powered up a bit, and skills are currently recieving reviewing, and I am researching them. I figured I should get to work on the monstrous project of the monster manual ( :smirk: ). In alphabetical order I am going to re-do every single monster, as none of them fit the style I'm using for them. Every monster has a basic RACE, which is sorta like human or elf, and is LA +0 (like a human or elf). After that, they have a number of monstrous class levels. These will be like normal classes (such as fighter) in that you get a hit die and skill points every level, a feat every three levels, and normal-ish saving throws. There will be optional level-ups for each monster that grant it no skill points of save bonuses, but just special abilities (for monsters that have low hit dice but lots of cool abilities). Alright then. Anybody who has read this far, good. The first monster to recieve this drastic revision shall be the... Aboleth!
Insane Pixie
05-04-05, 09:57 PM Bota's D&D 3.64 Monster Revision Thread

Uh-oh.

This will end horribly.
blood_of_the_ancient
05-04-05, 10:17 PM Well, it won't 'end', but it will be damn-near incomprehensible. I'll keep posting the '3.64' monsters until I finish, come or high water, but there's gonna be so many hell-bent people who insist on flaming the thread for it to be read very well. Time to get to work...
ieattrollsforbreakfast
05-05-05, 12:16 PM What you are suggesting is pretty much what we have already. The 'monstrous classes' you describe are just the types, such as aberration or construct. The 'race' of the monster is simply anything not granted by its racial HD (ie, special abilities, qualities, etc).
Quite simply, I just can't see this working unless you overcomplicate the system. There is no way you can balance an aboleth or pit fiend 'race' at LA +0, so that means you will have to create an individual class for every single monster that grants unique special abilities.
So I look forward to see what you come up with :)
blood_of_the_ancient
05-05-05, 12:44 PM Aboleth is in the works right now, should be up by tonight. And the Pit Fiend WILL be very interesting. Heh.
blood_of_the_ancient
07-30-05, 11:23 AM I have neglected this project for FAR too long. It's not an Aboleth, but it is a...

Roper racial traits|
§ Bite 1d8
§ Low-light vision
§ +2 strength, -2 charisma
§ Immune to electricity, double from fire
§ Cold resistance 10
§ Speed 10
§ +8 racial bonus to hide checks in stony environments
§ Automatic language: Terran
§ Favored Class: Druid/Ranger/Rogue

Roper racial progression|
Hit Die: d6
Skills(2): Climb, hide, listen and spot.
Lv. BAB Fort Ref Will Special Strength Constitution Natural Armor
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Strands +1 +0 +1
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Drag +1 +1 +2
3 +1 +3 +1 +1 Large +1 +2 +3
4 +2 +4 +1 +1 Weakness 1d8 +1 +2 +4
5 +2 +4 +1 +1 Long Strands +2 +2 +5
6 +3 +5 +2 +2 Weakness 2d8 +2 +2 +6
7 +3 +5 +2 +2 Acidic Strands +2 +2 +7
8 +4 +6 +2 +2 Crawler +2 +3 +8
9 +4 +6 +3 +3 Heavy Strand +3 +3 +9
10 +5 +7 +3 +3 Walker +3 +3 +10
11 +5 +7 +3 +3 Huge, Improved Grab +4 +3 +11
12 +6 +8 +4 +4 Swallow Whole +4 +4 +12

Strands: In place of an attack, the roper can fire a strong, sticky strand at an opponent within 30 feet of it. This ranged touch attack deals no damage, but means that the opponent cannot move further than 30 feet away from the roper without breaking the strand first (escape artist check DC 14 + half the roper’s hit dice + the roper’s strength modifier OR strength check DC 10 + half the roper’s hit dice + it’s strength modifier OR attacking it – a strand has a number of hit points equal to the roper’s constitution score and can be attacked with a sunder attempt, although sundering it does not draw attacks of opportunity, and severing it does not damage the roper). If the roper moves closer to the target, then the range they can move from the roper decreases by the amount the roper moved towards them. This ability has a range of 30 feet, and the roper can have up to one strand per level of its racial progression it has.

Drag: A 2nd level roper can pull any opponents it has a strand attached to 5 feet towards it each round. If the opponent comes within the roper’s reach, it may immediately make a bite attack with a +4 bonus to hit.

Large: At 3rd level, the roper’s size increases to large. This results in a –1 size penalty to defense, a –1 size penalty to attack rolls, a –4 size penalty to hide checks, a 5’ reach, and two bonus feats: Toughness and Improved Natural Armor. In addition, the damage from the roper’s bite attack increases to 2d6.

Weakness: Starting at 4th level, a roper’s strands can sap an opponent’s strength. Anyone grabbed by a strand must succeed on fortitude save (DC 10 + half the roper’s hit dice + the roper’s constitution modifier) or take 1d8 points of strength damage. The strength damage improves to 2d8 at level 6.

Long Strands: At 5th level, the roper’s strands increase in length to 50 feet, and it can drag opponents at a rate of 10 feet per round.

Acidic Strands: When the roper reaches 7th level, it’s strands take on acidic properties, dealing 1d4 points of acid damage each round to any creature they are stuck to.

Crawler: At 8th level, the roper can permanently modify two of it’s strands to serve as crawling tools, increasing it’s speed to 20 feet, but it permanently loses two of it’s strands that it would otherwise use to attack with. This ability is optional, and one of the following feats can be taken instead: Improved Natural Armor or Toughness.

Heavy Strand: At 9th level, the roper learns to launch its strands with heavy force. Upon impact with it’s victim, a strand deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage + the roper’s strength modifier.

Walker: At 10th level, the roper can permanently modify four more of its strands and the two it previously modified. By doing this, it increases its speed to 30 as it is uses these six strands to walk. This ability can only be taken if the Crawler ability was taken, and results in the loss of a total of six strands that would otherwise be used for attacking. Instead of this ability, the roper may gain one of the following feats: Improved Natural Armor or Toughness.

Huge: At 11th level, the roper grows to huge size. This results in a further –1 size penalty to attack rolls and defense, an additional –4 size penalty to hide checks, a reach of 10 feet, 3d6 bite damage, and two bonus feats: Improved Natural Armor and Toughness.

Improved Grab: Starting at 11th level, if the roper hits with it’s bite attack, it deals normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. A roper can only use improved grab on creatures of large or smaller size. The roper has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its mouth to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its dexterity bonus to defense, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents, and each round the roper maintains this difficult hold, the opponent is automatically hit by its bite attack. When the roper gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.

Swallow Whole: If a level 12 roper starts its turn with an opponent held in its mouth (see Improved Grab), it can attempt a new grapple check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. Each round that a creature is inside the roper, they take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage (per two hit dice the roper has) as they are ground up for easy digesting, and 1 point of acid damage as the weak digestive juices slowly eat away their flesh. A swallowed creature is considered to be grappled, while the roper that did the swallowing is not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon by dealing a number of points of damage to the roper equal to twice its hit dice (AC 10 + half the natural armor bonus of the roper), or it can just try to escape the grapple. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the roper’s mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-30-05, 12:38 PM Ok. So what we have here is a monster class that takes the monster beyond the norm...fair enough, its good for PCs. If balanced (haven't checked it thoroughly), it makes things easier to cope with than the Savage Species monster classes, but I fail to see how this is an improvement on the current monster system as a whole. It still seems overly complicated on a large scale, since it doesn't even follow Magical Beast rules. Sample stats would be good too.
blood_of_the_ancient
07-30-05, 03:03 PM Ok. I'm gonna stat out a version of Mr. Roper from the Sigil Prep setting. Some levels of Expert and full levels in the roper class. I've got an idea...

'Unique' monsters, ones that go beyond the norm, have their racial progression and 'species stats.' The normal, every-day critters, they get the 3.5 stats and basic monster improvement stuff.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
blood_of_the_ancient 05-04-05, 09:14 PM	Hello all! I am Bota, and have set out to 'revise' the D&D system, as there are many things that I dislike about the system. Every chapter in every core book is getting some attention. The abilities were left mostly as-is. The races have been overhauled so that they are all balanced (they have been powered up, none have been powered down), the class were all powered up a bit, and skills are currently recieving reviewing, and I am researching them. I figured I should get to work on the monstrous project of the monster manual ( :smirk: ). In alphabetical order I am going to re-do every single monster, as none of them fit the style I'm using for them. Every monster has a basic RACE, which is sorta like human or elf, and is LA +0 (like a human or elf). After that, they have a number of monstrous class levels. These will be like normal classes (such as fighter) in that you get a hit die and skill points every level, a feat every three levels, and normal-ish saving throws. There will be optional level-ups for each monster that grant it no skill points of save bonuses, but just special abilities (for monsters that have low hit dice but lots of cool abilities). Alright then. Anybody who has read this far, good. The first monster to recieve this drastic revision shall be the... Aboleth!
Insane Pixie 05-04-05, 09:57 PM	Bota's D&D 3.64 Monster Revision Thread Uh-oh. This will end horribly.
blood_of_the_ancient 05-04-05, 10:17 PM	Well, it won't 'end', but it will be damn-near incomprehensible. I'll keep posting the '3.64' monsters until I finish, come or high water, but there's gonna be so many hell-bent people who insist on flaming the thread for it to be read very well. Time to get to work...
ieattrollsforbreakfast 05-05-05, 12:16 PM	What you are suggesting is pretty much what we have already. The 'monstrous classes' you describe are just the types, such as aberration or construct. The 'race' of the monster is simply anything not granted by its racial HD (ie, special abilities, qualities, etc). Quite simply, I just can't see this working unless you overcomplicate the system. There is no way you can balance an aboleth or pit fiend 'race' at LA +0, so that means you will have to create an individual class for every single monster that grants unique special abilities. So I look forward to see what you come up with :)
blood_of_the_ancient 05-05-05, 12:44 PM	Aboleth is in the works right now, should be up by tonight. And the Pit Fiend WILL be very interesting. Heh.
blood_of_the_ancient 07-30-05, 11:23 AM	I have neglected this project for FAR too long. It's not an Aboleth, but it is a... Roper racial traits\| § Bite 1d8 § Low-light vision § +2 strength, -2 charisma § Immune to electricity, double from fire § Cold resistance 10 § Speed 10 § +8 racial bonus to hide checks in stony environments § Automatic language: Terran § Favored Class: Druid/Ranger/Rogue Roper racial progression\| Hit Die: d6 Skills(2): Climb, hide, listen and spot. Lv. BAB Fort Ref Will Special Strength Constitution Natural Armor 1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Strands +1 +0 +1 2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Drag +1 +1 +2 3 +1 +3 +1 +1 Large +1 +2 +3 4 +2 +4 +1 +1 Weakness 1d8 +1 +2 +4 5 +2 +4 +1 +1 Long Strands +2 +2 +5 6 +3 +5 +2 +2 Weakness 2d8 +2 +2 +6 7 +3 +5 +2 +2 Acidic Strands +2 +2 +7 8 +4 +6 +2 +2 Crawler +2 +3 +8 9 +4 +6 +3 +3 Heavy Strand +3 +3 +9 10 +5 +7 +3 +3 Walker +3 +3 +10 11 +5 +7 +3 +3 Huge, Improved Grab +4 +3 +11 12 +6 +8 +4 +4 Swallow Whole +4 +4 +12 Strands: In place of an attack, the roper can fire a strong, sticky strand at an opponent within 30 feet of it. This ranged touch attack deals no damage, but means that the opponent cannot move further than 30 feet away from the roper without breaking the strand first (escape artist check DC 14 + half the roper’s hit dice + the roper’s strength modifier OR strength check DC 10 + half the roper’s hit dice + it’s strength modifier OR attacking it – a strand has a number of hit points equal to the roper’s constitution score and can be attacked with a sunder attempt, although sundering it does not draw attacks of opportunity, and severing it does not damage the roper). If the roper moves closer to the target, then the range they can move from the roper decreases by the amount the roper moved towards them. This ability has a range of 30 feet, and the roper can have up to one strand per level of its racial progression it has. Drag: A 2nd level roper can pull any opponents it has a strand attached to 5 feet towards it each round. If the opponent comes within the roper’s reach, it may immediately make a bite attack with a +4 bonus to hit. Large: At 3rd level, the roper’s size increases to large. This results in a –1 size penalty to defense, a –1 size penalty to attack rolls, a –4 size penalty to hide checks, a 5’ reach, and two bonus feats: Toughness and Improved Natural Armor. In addition, the damage from the roper’s bite attack increases to 2d6. Weakness: Starting at 4th level, a roper’s strands can sap an opponent’s strength. Anyone grabbed by a strand must succeed on fortitude save (DC 10 + half the roper’s hit dice + the roper’s constitution modifier) or take 1d8 points of strength damage. The strength damage improves to 2d8 at level 6. Long Strands: At 5th level, the roper’s strands increase in length to 50 feet, and it can drag opponents at a rate of 10 feet per round. Acidic Strands: When the roper reaches 7th level, it’s strands take on acidic properties, dealing 1d4 points of acid damage each round to any creature they are stuck to. Crawler: At 8th level, the roper can permanently modify two of it’s strands to serve as crawling tools, increasing it’s speed to 20 feet, but it permanently loses two of it’s strands that it would otherwise use to attack with. This ability is optional, and one of the following feats can be taken instead: Improved Natural Armor or Toughness. Heavy Strand: At 9th level, the roper learns to launch its strands with heavy force. Upon impact with it’s victim, a strand deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage + the roper’s strength modifier. Walker: At 10th level, the roper can permanently modify four more of its strands and the two it previously modified. By doing this, it increases its speed to 30 as it is uses these six strands to walk. This ability can only be taken if the Crawler ability was taken, and results in the loss of a total of six strands that would otherwise be used for attacking. Instead of this ability, the roper may gain one of the following feats: Improved Natural Armor or Toughness. Huge: At 11th level, the roper grows to huge size. This results in a further –1 size penalty to attack rolls and defense, an additional –4 size penalty to hide checks, a reach of 10 feet, 3d6 bite damage, and two bonus feats: Improved Natural Armor and Toughness. Improved Grab: Starting at 11th level, if the roper hits with it’s bite attack, it deals normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. A roper can only use improved grab on creatures of large or smaller size. The roper has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its mouth to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its dexterity bonus to defense, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents, and each round the roper maintains this difficult hold, the opponent is automatically hit by its bite attack. When the roper gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight. Swallow Whole: If a level 12 roper starts its turn with an opponent held in its mouth (see Improved Grab), it can attempt a new grapple check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. Each round that a creature is inside the roper, they take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage (per two hit dice the roper has) as they are ground up for easy digesting, and 1 point of acid damage as the weak digestive juices slowly eat away their flesh. A swallowed creature is considered to be grappled, while the roper that did the swallowing is not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon by dealing a number of points of damage to the roper equal to twice its hit dice (AC 10 + half the natural armor bonus of the roper), or it can just try to escape the grapple. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the roper’s mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-30-05, 12:38 PM	Ok. So what we have here is a monster class that takes the monster beyond the norm...fair enough, its good for PCs. If balanced (haven't checked it thoroughly), it makes things easier to cope with than the Savage Species monster classes, but I fail to see how this is an improvement on the current monster system as a whole. It still seems overly complicated on a large scale, since it doesn't even follow Magical Beast rules. Sample stats would be good too.
blood_of_the_ancient 07-30-05, 03:03 PM	Ok. I'm gonna stat out a version of Mr. Roper from the Sigil Prep setting. Some levels of Expert and full levels in the roper class. I've got an idea... 'Unique' monsters, ones that go beyond the norm, have their racial progression and 'species stats.' The normal, every-day critters, they get the 3.5 stats and basic monster improvement stuff.