More monster eliting templates, please! They rule! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

More monster eliting templates, please! They rule!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dorque
Apr 03, 2009 17:39:08 I'm running an RPGA table for a regular group of people, so I'm adding on a layer of plot to connect them all. The boss of the first mod is underwhelming, but there is an awesome Dark Monk of Shar in the FRCG that would fit the plot nicely. Turned to the DMG, and added "Demagogue" to him. Makes him elite and adds a cool thematic power. Bam, have the Big Bad for the campaign.

However I flipped through the rest and was highly underwhelmed. "Mummy Lord" and "Mummy Champion"? That is awfully specific. How about more like "Bandit Lord", "Possessed", or "Good with People"?
#2
jhanzur
Apr 04, 2009 16:43:06 Good.... Good with People? As a template?

Friend, your choice of example confuses me...

As to your question, One can only assume that more template will be in either the DMG 2 or MM 2.
#3
Rustmonster
Apr 04, 2009 16:51:56 So... if you are good with people... that instantly makes you an Elite?...

I don't think that personality and behaviour is what these templates are for. Demagaoge comes close, but it's less of a personality trait and more of a method.
#4
archangel_james
Apr 04, 2009 18:23:27 I'm a fan of monster templates as well, but I think they should stick to being things that might actually make something more powerful.
#5
tyrandor
Apr 04, 2009 18:28:36 There's a bunch more in Open Graves, even a few that aren't for undead.
#6
vebrandsson
Apr 04, 2009 18:30:54 I was recently flipping through a copy of savage species (a 3.5 book for those not familiar), and it had some rather interesting templates (though they were 3rd edition ones), feral creature, insectoid creature (making an insect version of a non insect monster), reptilian creature, even gelatinous creature was among them and would be easy to convert. They even had a template for making a multi-headed version of a creature which is easily done I believe using the hydra as an example. More templates are easy to make and for once ever I'll say 3rd edition did something right, and there are a lot of 3rd edition templates that convert well, a few that don't but a lot that do.
#7
Lord_Ventnor
Apr 04, 2009 21:09:27 Open Grave has several templates, and Draconomicon has a template for making Draconic creatures. I'm going to hazard a guess that the DMG2 is going to have more templates in it as well.
#8
Grazel
Apr 08, 2009 12:22:17 They wanted to avoid the overuse of templates. There's other ways to modify an existing creature to make it fit what you need. You can swap out powers with another creature of close to the same power (as in within a level or two and same classification of minion, standard, elite, solo), you can lower and raise them by up to five levels without breaking them, you can just make them elite or solo. The DMG describes this proccess. The templates are just ready-made modifications to apply to a creature, modifications that fit a specific theme.

The DMG has 24 templates.
Draconomicon I has 2 templates
Dragon has 2 templates (issue 364 and issue 373)
Dungeon has 1 template (issue 165)
Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide has 3 templates
Open Grave has 17 templates (though some are technically grafts)

That's 49 templates and grafts total so far (7 are grafts, 42 are templates).
With the exception of one template and the grafts these turn any creature into an elite creature and often modifies them in other ways (added subtypes and somtimes altering role).

The issue with templates is they are a 'quick and dirty' way of modifying a creature and should only be used for specific themes (like making a lich or shadow, or an elemental or fey variant). Any other modifications should be done on a monster by monster basis and the DMG does provide guidelines for it (hopefully expanded in DMG2) start on page 174.
#9
Johnny_Angel
Apr 11, 2009 23:18:57
I was recently flipping through a copy of savage species (a 3.5 book for those not familiar), and it had some rather interesting templates (though they were 3rd edition ones), feral creature, insectoid creature (making an insect version of a non insect monster), reptilian creature, even gelatinous creature was among them and would be easy to convert. They even had a template for making a multi-headed version of a creature which is easily done I believe using the hydra as an example. More templates are easy to make and for once ever I'll say 3rd edition did something right, and there are a lot of 3rd edition templates that convert well, a few that don't but a lot that do.

yes, yes...Savage Species...good times...imagine the surprise on my PCs' faces when they confronted the Multi-headed Lernean Halfling...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dorque Apr 03, 2009 17:39:08	I'm running an RPGA table for a regular group of people, so I'm adding on a layer of plot to connect them all. The boss of the first mod is underwhelming, but there is an awesome Dark Monk of Shar in the FRCG that would fit the plot nicely. Turned to the DMG, and added "Demagogue" to him. Makes him elite and adds a cool thematic power. Bam, have the Big Bad for the campaign. However I flipped through the rest and was highly underwhelmed. "Mummy Lord" and "Mummy Champion"? That is awfully specific. How about more like "Bandit Lord", "Possessed", or "Good with People"?
#2 jhanzur Apr 04, 2009 16:43:06	Good.... Good with People? As a template? Friend, your choice of example confuses me... As to your question, One can only assume that more template will be in either the DMG 2 or MM 2.
#3 Rustmonster Apr 04, 2009 16:51:56	So... if you are good with people... that instantly makes you an Elite?... I don't think that personality and behaviour is what these templates are for. Demagaoge comes close, but it's less of a personality trait and more of a method.
#4 archangel_james Apr 04, 2009 18:23:27	I'm a fan of monster templates as well, but I think they should stick to being things that might actually make something more powerful.
#5 tyrandor Apr 04, 2009 18:28:36	There's a bunch more in Open Graves, even a few that aren't for undead.
#6 vebrandsson Apr 04, 2009 18:30:54	I was recently flipping through a copy of savage species (a 3.5 book for those not familiar), and it had some rather interesting templates (though they were 3rd edition ones), feral creature, insectoid creature (making an insect version of a non insect monster), reptilian creature, even gelatinous creature was among them and would be easy to convert. They even had a template for making a multi-headed version of a creature which is easily done I believe using the hydra as an example. More templates are easy to make and for once ever I'll say 3rd edition did something right, and there are a lot of 3rd edition templates that convert well, a few that don't but a lot that do.
#7 Lord_Ventnor Apr 04, 2009 21:09:27	Open Grave has several templates, and Draconomicon has a template for making Draconic creatures. I'm going to hazard a guess that the DMG2 is going to have more templates in it as well.
#8 Grazel Apr 08, 2009 12:22:17	They wanted to avoid the overuse of templates. There's other ways to modify an existing creature to make it fit what you need. You can swap out powers with another creature of close to the same power (as in within a level or two and same classification of minion, standard, elite, solo), you can lower and raise them by up to five levels without breaking them, you can just make them elite or solo. The DMG describes this proccess. The templates are just ready-made modifications to apply to a creature, modifications that fit a specific theme. The DMG has 24 templates. Draconomicon I has 2 templates Dragon has 2 templates (issue 364 and issue 373) Dungeon has 1 template (issue 165) Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide has 3 templates Open Grave has 17 templates (though some are technically grafts) That's 49 templates and grafts total so far (7 are grafts, 42 are templates). With the exception of one template and the grafts these turn any creature into an elite creature and often modifies them in other ways (added subtypes and somtimes altering role). The issue with templates is they are a 'quick and dirty' way of modifying a creature and should only be used for specific themes (like making a lich or shadow, or an elemental or fey variant). Any other modifications should be done on a monster by monster basis and the DMG does provide guidelines for it (hopefully expanded in DMG2) start on page 174.
#9 Johnny_Angel Apr 11, 2009 23:18:57	I was recently flipping through a copy of savage species (a 3.5 book for those not familiar), and it had some rather interesting templates (though they were 3rd edition ones), feral creature, insectoid creature (making an insect version of a non insect monster), reptilian creature, even gelatinous creature was among them and would be easy to convert. They even had a template for making a multi-headed version of a creature which is easily done I believe using the hydra as an example. More templates are easy to make and for once ever I'll say 3rd edition did something right, and there are a lot of 3rd edition templates that convert well, a few that don't but a lot that do. yes, yes...Savage Species...good times...imagine the surprise on my PCs' faces when they confronted the Multi-headed Lernean Halfling...