Cold As Stone [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cold As Stone [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Vorpal Tribble
10-19-05, 12:41 AM This fellow just came to mind one day and wouldn't go away so finally put numbers to it.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Froutmooth

Gargantuan Elemental (earth)
Hit Dice: 16d8+128 (200 hp)
Initiative: -3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 50 ft.
Armor Class: 29 (-3 dex, +26 natural, -4 size), touch 3, flat-footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+38
Attack: 1 pierce +23 melee (3d8+21/19-20/x2)
Full attack: 1 pierce +23 melee (3d8+21/19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 25 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Hard bite, rumbling quake
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, sure-footed, tremorsense 240 ft.
Saves: Fort +20, Ref +2, Will +9
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 5, Con 26, Int 4, Wis 18, Cha 14
Skills: Climb +28, Spot +6
Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (pierce), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (pierce)
Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16-28 HD (Gargantuan), 29-54 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: --

A froutmooth is a horrifying beast of frigid mountain valleys and glacier trails. Many consider them spirits of such places for they may rest motionless, leaning against the rocky slopes for days on end, or rise up from the snow or ice that has formed over them to chase off intruders who violate their territory.

They appear very vaguely walrus-like, with bulky, streamlined bodies of slick, icy grey stone, and four simple protrusions with which it pushes itself forward upon its belly. A thick neck, nearly as wide as the body, rises up and forward with a comparatively small head-like protrusion atop. It is eyeless and earless, but has a frightening, haphazard assortment of spine-like blades of all sizes splaying from where its mouth would normally be. They all glint metalically and come to needle-sharp points.

Froutmooths are birthed from the ice-cracked fissures of the frozen fjords carved by the passage of glaciers. It guards the frozen valley that it calls home with near eternal patience, relishing the feel of frozen rains and howling winds that meld with the slow, steady pulse of the gelid lands.

Froutmooths stand about thirty feet tall and weigh many, many tons. They speak Terran.

Combat:
Froutmooths are territorial creatures that are almost always found guarding entire valleys, though against what is often difficult to determine, if anything. They prefer to rise up from their gravel or icy beds they carve and simply hulk, hoping their mere presence is enough to frighten away intruders. If this is unsuccessful it rushes forward and slams the ground repeatedly. Lastly, if all else fails, it resorts to its deadly spikes.

Hard Bite (Ex):
A frouthmooth's pierce attack deals damage to all those in an area of 10 feet within its reach and automatically makes a sunder attack against every item in this space. A froutmooth's natual attack ignores hardness less than 20. If it scores a critical hit on a creature Large or smaller, the victim is impaled upon its many spikes and must make a successful fortitude save (DC 32) or die from the shock to the body. If the victim survives he is considered helpless and the froutmooth may continue to attack as normal. The next round he may attempt a strength check to pull himself off (DC = damage dealt). Everytime the froutmooth makes another attack there is a 50% chance that those trapped on its spines are dislodged, taking an additional 2d8 damage. The save DC is Strength-based.

Up to 4 large, 8 medium, or 16 small creatures may be impaled before the Frouthmooth may no longer make its pierce attack.

Rumbling Quake (Ex):
A froutmouth can stomp strongly as a full round action, or even momentarily lift its body up off the ground and slam down, shaking the land all about. Anyone within 60 feet of a froutmouth must make a DC 32 reflex save or fall prone. The save DC is Strength-based.

Surefooted (Ex):
Froutmooths ignore all movement penalties associated with ice or snow on the ground, and the presence of such covering on any surface it climbs does not increase the DC.
dok
10-19-05, 01:50 AM Gargantuan Elemental (earth, extraplanar)

Hit Dice: 16d8+120 (188 hp)
26 Constitution = +8 bonus. 16*8 = +128 hit points
16*4.5 = 72. 72+128 = 200 hit points

AC: 29 (-3 dex, +26 natural, -4 size), touch 3, flat-footed 32

Flat-footed characters lose their dexterity bonus to AC, not their dexterity modifier; characters with a negative dexterity modifier still apply it to their FF AC.

Abilities: Str 39 (+14), Dex 5 (-3), Con 26 (+8), Int 4 (-3), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 14 (+2)

Skills: Climb +28, Spot +6

This creature should have 19 skill ranks. (1 per HD, +3 at 1st HD)
Subtracting 14 from Climb (for strength) and 8 from Climb (for having a climb speed) we get 6 ranks.
Subtracting 4 from Spot (for Wisdom) we get 2 ranks.

Split evenly, the base ranks should be 10 ranks in Spot, and 9 ranks in Climb, for a total of
Climb +32, Spot +14

Damage reduction 20/-
Challenge Rating: 14

I know this is out-of-order, but I like to put things side-by-side sometimes. A Primal Earth Elemental (CR 35) has DR 15/-. DR 20/- just might be a bit much for CR 14...

Hard Bite (Ex):
If the DC is strength-based, it should be (10 + 1/2*16 + 14) 32, not 24. Also, shouldn't characters who are impaled have some means of freeing themselves? (strength check, grapple check, escape artist check?) Lastly, ignoring all hardness on a bite seems overpowered. Ignoring Hardnesses of less than 20 is the precident set by Adamantine. There's also a feat in Draconomicon that lets you subtract five from DR/Hardness. I'd suggest using something along those lines. Absolutes like "ignores all" aren't great design.

Rumbling Quake (Ex):
Again, a strength-based DC would be 32, not 24. Alternatively, instead of a Reflex saving throw, you could use a Balance check, with a DC of (10+ the froutmouth's strength modifier), giving you a final DC of 24, but a much harder roll.

Otherwise, it's an interesting monster.
The Vorpal Tribble
10-19-05, 02:40 AM 26 Constitution = +8 bonus. 16*8 = +128 hit points
16*4.5 = 72. 72+128 = 200 hit points
I've 'never' heard or read of doing it this way (though I did misdo the bonus HP).

I know this is out-of-order, but I like to put things side-by-side sometimes. A Primal Earth Elemental (CR 35) has DR 15/-. DR 20/- just might be a bit much for CR 14...
Maybe... though there are those with DR 10 with only a CR of 4-5, such as the Barguest and Gargoyle. This is 10 levels above them.

A primal earth elemental also has Spell Resistance coming out its ears so doesn't need as high a DR. Also has Earth Glide and all sorts of extra nifties this feller here doesn't, as do most other pure elementals.

Hard Bite (Ex):
If the DC is strength-based, it should be (10 + 1/2*16 + 14) 32, not 24.
Aye, forget to add the half HD sometimes.

Also, shouldn't characters who are impaled have some means of freeing themselves? (strength check, grapple check, escape artist check?)
Not particularly. You are not fighting anything, so no strength. You aren't being grappled so that doesn't work. Escape Artist... maybe, but really, I seriously doubt that 'any' escape artist could pull himself off a 10 to 20 foot spike he's impaled upon while his arms and legs are also speared through or unable to reach anything to push against.

Ignoring Hardnesses of less than 20 is the precident set by Adamantine.
I had actually done that... not a clue where it went to.

you could use a Balance check, with a DC of (10+ the froutmouth's strength modifier), giving you a final DC of 24, but a much harder roll.
Maybe, but the Earthquake spell and Stomp power both emulate the conditions of a quake and require reflex saves instead of balance, so I think I might just stick with it. I thought I had seen rules for earthquakes in the DMG but I can't find it again if there is.
dok
10-19-05, 08:05 PM I've 'never' heard or read of doing it this way (though I did misdo the bonus HP).

< gets very nervious > I did get it right, didn't I? Bonus hit points equals HD * Con bonus, and base hit points equals average hit points per die, times number of dice?

The DR of 20/- really is too high for a CR 14. Pit fiends, balors & Solars all sport DRs of 15, and thier DR can be beaten. An unbeatable DR of 20 is really too high.

Impale: Characters should at least get a strength check to pull themselves off the spikes. Unless they're somehow flipped around, so that they're impaled from behind, with both arms and legs impaled independantly of their torso, they should be allowed to reach something/push off of something/pull on something/ do something to try and get free. From a design POV, having an effect that neutralizes a character indefinitely isn't any fun for players, and having a player stacking dice because he's removed from the combat tends to drag on the game. That's part of the reason why Swallow Whole allows characters to either grapple their way out, or cut their way out.

As for the Stomp ability, there's a feat in Savage Species that's very similar: full-round action, similar area, and it uses a Balance check with a DC of the attack roll of the creature. Since you're using a Full-round action to get the result, using Balance instead of Reflex makes sense: a higher cost to do the action (full-round versus standard or attack) should have a better chance of succeeding overall.
The Vorpal Tribble
10-19-05, 09:16 PM < gets very nervious > I did get it right, didn't I? Bonus hit points equals HD * Con bonus, and base hit points equals average hit points per die, times number of dice?
What I've always been lead to believe is like this:

It has 16d8. Its average hitpoints are 8.5 x 8 (or half the HD plus .5) for 68. Add in the bonus (con mod times HD as you say) for 128. So 196 total.

If this is wrong however, I got some heads I need to knock together ;)

The DR of 20/- really is too high for a CR 14. Pit fiends, balors & Solars all sport DRs of 15, and thier DR can be beaten. An unbeatable DR of 20 is really too high.
But look at these guys...

Balors:
Immunity to electricity, fire, and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, spell resistance 28.

Solars:
Damage reduction 15/epic and evil, immunity to acid, cold, and petrification, regeneration 15, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, spell resistance 32

Their DR may be lower, but they are also immune to many forms of energy, resistant to others, and have spell resistance. The solar even has regeneration, so all told it ignores 15 (most of the time), isn't affected or has resistance to many other forms of damage, and then heals 15 each round.

Now look at the Froutmooth:
Except for cold, it can be driven to its knees by nearly any type of energy. It can only really be missed by a nat 1 on a ranged touch attack dealing energy, and has no resistance at all to the spells. Its reflex is an impressive 2. Basically its extremely tough if attacked with normal weapons, but thats it. By 14th level its unlikely you are going at monsters with a mere pair of daggers.

A few simple fireballs would smoke it pretty good.

Impale: Characters should at least get a strength check to pull themselves off the spikes.
What kind of strength check do you think you'd need to make to pull your body weight up a slick, smooth surface while you are impaled on it? Maybe could say doing a certain ammount of damage with an adamantium weapon would allow you to chop off the tip of the spike and subsequently pull yourself off.

As for the Stomp ability, there's a feat in Savage Species that's very similar: full-round action, similar area, and it uses a Balance check with a DC of the attack roll of the creature. Since you're using a Full-round action to get the result, using Balance instead of Reflex makes sense: a higher cost to do the action (full-round versus standard or attack) should have a better chance of succeeding overall.
Hrmmm, I like that. Depending on each stomp it may or may not shake harder than normal. However, I'm having a dilly of a time trying to figure out how to phrase this...
dok
10-19-05, 09:49 PM What I've always been lead to believe is like this:

It has 16d8. Its average hitpoints are 8.5 x 8 (or half the HD plus .5) for 68. Add in the bonus (con mod times HD as you say) for 128. So 196 total.

If this is wrong however, I got some heads I need to knock together ;)

I don't like to think of things as "wrong"; I prefer "less right". :P

The average result for a d8 is 4.5; you can find the average by adding all the possible outcomes together (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 = 36) then dividing by the number of outcomes (8) to get the average result of 4.5; as a time saver, on dice you can just add the highest & lowest values and divide by two to get the same result.

If the average result of 1d8 is 4.5, then the average result of 16d8 must be 16 * 4.5; I calculate the Constitution bonus seperately because it's listed seperately.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht
10-19-05, 10:39 PM Maybe... though there are those with DR 10 with only a CR of 4-5, such as the Barguest and Gargoyle. This is 10 levels above them.

That DR can be beaten. This DR can't. DR 20/- is far to high. It completely gimps melee classes.
The Vorpal Tribble
10-19-05, 10:59 PM It completely gimps melee classes.
So do low-level ghosts.
The Vorpal Tribble
12-01-05, 11:53 PM :bump:ing before its deleted.
dedicated
02-04-06, 04:01 PM Max health first hit die right?
Lady Maedhros
02-04-06, 04:18 PM Max health first hit die right?

Only for heroes and elites.
The Vorpal Tribble
02-04-06, 04:27 PM Only for heroes and elites.
Aye. To get the average hit points of a monster is as follows:

16d8. Take the 8 and make it 4.5

If its d10, it becomes 5.5, d6 becomes 3.5, etc etc. Always half the number and add .5

Multiply 4.5 times 16, the ammount of hit dice it has.

4.5 x 16 = 72

Add on bonus hit points from constitution (128 in this case).

72 +128 = 200.

And theres its average.

You can use the average or roll up the 16d8 at random and make the monster more of a wild card, possibly being weaker or much tougher than an average creature of its race.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 10-19-05, 12:41 AM	This fellow just came to mind one day and wouldn't go away so finally put numbers to it. -=-=-=-=-=- Froutmooth Gargantuan Elemental (earth) Hit Dice: 16d8+128 (200 hp) Initiative: -3 Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 50 ft. Armor Class: 29 (-3 dex, +26 natural, -4 size), touch 3, flat-footed 29 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+38 Attack: 1 pierce +23 melee (3d8+21/19-20/x2) Full attack: 1 pierce +23 melee (3d8+21/19-20/x2) Space/Reach: 25 ft./20 ft. Special Attacks: Hard bite, rumbling quake Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, sure-footed, tremorsense 240 ft. Saves: Fort +20, Ref +2, Will +9 Abilities: Str 39, Dex 5, Con 26, Int 4, Wis 18, Cha 14 Skills: Climb +28, Spot +6 Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (pierce), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (pierce) Environment: Cold mountains Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 16-28 HD (Gargantuan), 29-54 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: -- A froutmooth is a horrifying beast of frigid mountain valleys and glacier trails. Many consider them spirits of such places for they may rest motionless, leaning against the rocky slopes for days on end, or rise up from the snow or ice that has formed over them to chase off intruders who violate their territory. They appear very vaguely walrus-like, with bulky, streamlined bodies of slick, icy grey stone, and four simple protrusions with which it pushes itself forward upon its belly. A thick neck, nearly as wide as the body, rises up and forward with a comparatively small head-like protrusion atop. It is eyeless and earless, but has a frightening, haphazard assortment of spine-like blades of all sizes splaying from where its mouth would normally be. They all glint metalically and come to needle-sharp points. Froutmooths are birthed from the ice-cracked fissures of the frozen fjords carved by the passage of glaciers. It guards the frozen valley that it calls home with near eternal patience, relishing the feel of frozen rains and howling winds that meld with the slow, steady pulse of the gelid lands. Froutmooths stand about thirty feet tall and weigh many, many tons. They speak Terran. Combat: Froutmooths are territorial creatures that are almost always found guarding entire valleys, though against what is often difficult to determine, if anything. They prefer to rise up from their gravel or icy beds they carve and simply hulk, hoping their mere presence is enough to frighten away intruders. If this is unsuccessful it rushes forward and slams the ground repeatedly. Lastly, if all else fails, it resorts to its deadly spikes. Hard Bite (Ex): A frouthmooth's pierce attack deals damage to all those in an area of 10 feet within its reach and automatically makes a sunder attack against every item in this space. A froutmooth's natual attack ignores hardness less than 20. If it scores a critical hit on a creature Large or smaller, the victim is impaled upon its many spikes and must make a successful fortitude save (DC 32) or die from the shock to the body. If the victim survives he is considered helpless and the froutmooth may continue to attack as normal. The next round he may attempt a strength check to pull himself off (DC = damage dealt). Everytime the froutmooth makes another attack there is a 50% chance that those trapped on its spines are dislodged, taking an additional 2d8 damage. The save DC is Strength-based. Up to 4 large, 8 medium, or 16 small creatures may be impaled before the Frouthmooth may no longer make its pierce attack. Rumbling Quake (Ex): A froutmouth can stomp strongly as a full round action, or even momentarily lift its body up off the ground and slam down, shaking the land all about. Anyone within 60 feet of a froutmouth must make a DC 32 reflex save or fall prone. The save DC is Strength-based. Surefooted (Ex): Froutmooths ignore all movement penalties associated with ice or snow on the ground, and the presence of such covering on any surface it climbs does not increase the DC.
dok 10-19-05, 01:50 AM	Gargantuan Elemental (earth, extraplanar) Hit Dice: 16d8+120 (188 hp) 26 Constitution = +8 bonus. 168 = +128 hit points 164.5 = 72. 72+128 = 200 hit points AC: 29 (-3 dex, +26 natural, -4 size), touch 3, flat-footed 32 Flat-footed characters lose their dexterity bonus to AC, not their dexterity modifier; characters with a negative dexterity modifier still apply it to their FF AC. Abilities: Str 39 (+14), Dex 5 (-3), Con 26 (+8), Int 4 (-3), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 14 (+2) Skills: Climb +28, Spot +6 This creature should have 19 skill ranks. (1 per HD, +3 at 1st HD) Subtracting 14 from Climb (for strength) and 8 from Climb (for having a climb speed) we get 6 ranks. Subtracting 4 from Spot (for Wisdom) we get 2 ranks. Split evenly, the base ranks should be 10 ranks in Spot, and 9 ranks in Climb, for a total of Climb +32, Spot +14 Damage reduction 20/- Challenge Rating: 14 I know this is out-of-order, but I like to put things side-by-side sometimes. A Primal Earth Elemental (CR 35) has DR 15/-. DR 20/- just might be a bit much for CR 14... Hard Bite (Ex): If the DC is strength-based, it should be (10 + 1/2*16 + 14) 32, not 24. Also, shouldn't characters who are impaled have some means of freeing themselves? (strength check, grapple check, escape artist check?) Lastly, ignoring all hardness on a bite seems overpowered. Ignoring Hardnesses of less than 20 is the precident set by Adamantine. There's also a feat in Draconomicon that lets you subtract five from DR/Hardness. I'd suggest using something along those lines. Absolutes like "ignores all" aren't great design. Rumbling Quake (Ex): Again, a strength-based DC would be 32, not 24. Alternatively, instead of a Reflex saving throw, you could use a Balance check, with a DC of (10+ the froutmouth's strength modifier), giving you a final DC of 24, but a much harder roll. Otherwise, it's an interesting monster.
The Vorpal Tribble 10-19-05, 02:40 AM	26 Constitution = +8 bonus. 168 = +128 hit points 164.5 = 72. 72+128 = 200 hit points I've 'never' heard or read of doing it this way (though I did misdo the bonus HP). I know this is out-of-order, but I like to put things side-by-side sometimes. A Primal Earth Elemental (CR 35) has DR 15/-. DR 20/- just might be a bit much for CR 14... Maybe... though there are those with DR 10 with only a CR of 4-5, such as the Barguest and Gargoyle. This is 10 levels above them. A primal earth elemental also has Spell Resistance coming out its ears so doesn't need as high a DR. Also has Earth Glide and all sorts of extra nifties this feller here doesn't, as do most other pure elementals. Hard Bite (Ex): If the DC is strength-based, it should be (10 + 1/2*16 + 14) 32, not 24. Aye, forget to add the half HD sometimes. Also, shouldn't characters who are impaled have some means of freeing themselves? (strength check, grapple check, escape artist check?) Not particularly. You are not fighting anything, so no strength. You aren't being grappled so that doesn't work. Escape Artist... maybe, but really, I seriously doubt that 'any' escape artist could pull himself off a 10 to 20 foot spike he's impaled upon while his arms and legs are also speared through or unable to reach anything to push against. Ignoring Hardnesses of less than 20 is the precident set by Adamantine. I had actually done that... not a clue where it went to. you could use a Balance check, with a DC of (10+ the froutmouth's strength modifier), giving you a final DC of 24, but a much harder roll. Maybe, but the Earthquake spell and Stomp power both emulate the conditions of a quake and require reflex saves instead of balance, so I think I might just stick with it. I thought I had seen rules for earthquakes in the DMG but I can't find it again if there is.
dok 10-19-05, 08:05 PM	I've 'never' heard or read of doing it this way (though I did misdo the bonus HP). < gets very nervious > I did get it right, didn't I? Bonus hit points equals HD * Con bonus, and base hit points equals average hit points per die, times number of dice? The DR of 20/- really is too high for a CR 14. Pit fiends, balors & Solars all sport DRs of 15, and thier DR can be beaten. An unbeatable DR of 20 is really too high. Impale: Characters should at least get a strength check to pull themselves off the spikes. Unless they're somehow flipped around, so that they're impaled from behind, with both arms and legs impaled independantly of their torso, they should be allowed to reach something/push off of something/pull on something/ do something to try and get free. From a design POV, having an effect that neutralizes a character indefinitely isn't any fun for players, and having a player stacking dice because he's removed from the combat tends to drag on the game. That's part of the reason why Swallow Whole allows characters to either grapple their way out, or cut their way out. As for the Stomp ability, there's a feat in Savage Species that's very similar: full-round action, similar area, and it uses a Balance check with a DC of the attack roll of the creature. Since you're using a Full-round action to get the result, using Balance instead of Reflex makes sense: a higher cost to do the action (full-round versus standard or attack) should have a better chance of succeeding overall.
The Vorpal Tribble 10-19-05, 09:16 PM	< gets very nervious > I did get it right, didn't I? Bonus hit points equals HD * Con bonus, and base hit points equals average hit points per die, times number of dice? What I've always been lead to believe is like this: It has 16d8. Its average hitpoints are 8.5 x 8 (or half the HD plus .5) for 68. Add in the bonus (con mod times HD as you say) for 128. So 196 total. If this is wrong however, I got some heads I need to knock together ;) The DR of 20/- really is too high for a CR 14. Pit fiends, balors & Solars all sport DRs of 15, and thier DR can be beaten. An unbeatable DR of 20 is really too high. But look at these guys... Balors: Immunity to electricity, fire, and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, spell resistance 28. Solars: Damage reduction 15/epic and evil, immunity to acid, cold, and petrification, regeneration 15, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, spell resistance 32 Their DR may be lower, but they are also immune to many forms of energy, resistant to others, and have spell resistance. The solar even has regeneration, so all told it ignores 15 (most of the time), isn't affected or has resistance to many other forms of damage, and then heals 15 each round. Now look at the Froutmooth: Except for cold, it can be driven to its knees by nearly any type of energy. It can only really be missed by a nat 1 on a ranged touch attack dealing energy, and has no resistance at all to the spells. Its reflex is an impressive 2. Basically its extremely tough if attacked with normal weapons, but thats it. By 14th level its unlikely you are going at monsters with a mere pair of daggers. A few simple fireballs would smoke it pretty good. Impale: Characters should at least get a strength check to pull themselves off the spikes. What kind of strength check do you think you'd need to make to pull your body weight up a slick, smooth surface while you are impaled on it? Maybe could say doing a certain ammount of damage with an adamantium weapon would allow you to chop off the tip of the spike and subsequently pull yourself off. As for the Stomp ability, there's a feat in Savage Species that's very similar: full-round action, similar area, and it uses a Balance check with a DC of the attack roll of the creature. Since you're using a Full-round action to get the result, using Balance instead of Reflex makes sense: a higher cost to do the action (full-round versus standard or attack) should have a better chance of succeeding overall. Hrmmm, I like that. Depending on each stomp it may or may not shake harder than normal. However, I'm having a dilly of a time trying to figure out how to phrase this...
dok 10-19-05, 09:49 PM	What I've always been lead to believe is like this: It has 16d8. Its average hitpoints are 8.5 x 8 (or half the HD plus .5) for 68. Add in the bonus (con mod times HD as you say) for 128. So 196 total. If this is wrong however, I got some heads I need to knock together ;) I don't like to think of things as "wrong"; I prefer "less right". :P The average result for a d8 is 4.5; you can find the average by adding all the possible outcomes together (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 = 36) then dividing by the number of outcomes (8) to get the average result of 4.5; as a time saver, on dice you can just add the highest & lowest values and divide by two to get the same result. If the average result of 1d8 is 4.5, then the average result of 16d8 must be 16 * 4.5; I calculate the Constitution bonus seperately because it's listed seperately.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 10-19-05, 10:39 PM	Maybe... though there are those with DR 10 with only a CR of 4-5, such as the Barguest and Gargoyle. This is 10 levels above them. That DR can be beaten. This DR can't. DR 20/- is far to high. It completely gimps melee classes.
The Vorpal Tribble 10-19-05, 10:59 PM	It completely gimps melee classes. So do low-level ghosts.
The Vorpal Tribble 12-01-05, 11:53 PM	:bump:ing before its deleted.
dedicated 02-04-06, 04:01 PM	Max health first hit die right?
Lady Maedhros 02-04-06, 04:18 PM	Max health first hit die right? Only for heroes and elites.
The Vorpal Tribble 02-04-06, 04:27 PM	Only for heroes and elites. Aye. To get the average hit points of a monster is as follows: 16d8. Take the 8 and make it 4.5 If its d10, it becomes 5.5, d6 becomes 3.5, etc etc. Always half the number and add .5 Multiply 4.5 times 16, the ammount of hit dice it has. 4.5 x 16 = 72 Add on bonus hit points from constitution (128 in this case). 72 +128 = 200. And theres its average. You can use the average or roll up the 16d8 at random and make the monster more of a wild card, possibly being weaker or much tougher than an average creature of its race.