Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 greyhawk_grognard Aug 12, 2014 17:36:34	Now that we have a preview of the andro/sphinx from the new MM, I've got to say I'm not too keen on the art. I refer to the use of leonine heads as opposed to humanoid heads as we saw in earlier editions; what we have now is a winged lion with some powers, although the pharonic beard on the androsphinx is a nice touch. But what is more disturbing from a utilitarian point of view is the lack of any concrete indication of just how big the thing is.   Yes, it says "large" at the very top, which is fine when calculating damage. But there are a myriad of circumstances where I as a DM need to know just how large is large. In the 1st edition Monster Manual, we were given heights for sphinxes. That at least gives you some idea of where they can fit, how they stand in relation to other creatures and characters, and you can guestimate weight. But if all I know is "large" I lose a lot of that granularity.   The same problem exists for the creatures that we saw in the Hoard of the Dragon Queen pdf. I have no idea how long an adult dragon is supposed to be, which makes a lot of things problematical. "Huge" is not helpful.   Is it too late to put a concrete measure of size in there?
#2 bawylie Aug 12, 2014 17:40:15	It's not the size of the Sphinx that counts.   its the hardness of his riddle.
#3 seti Aug 12, 2014 17:57:10	I just default to 4e/3e/3.5e and mini sizes. Where 'large' occupies a 10'x10' area, and threatens 5 feet out from that. So, an androsphinx is the about the size of a horse or small car, and about the height of a very tall man or average modern doorway.   but yeah, the TotM stuff they are pimping as default now is too vague for me. I'd at least want true LxWxH measures for each monster entry...As some creatures that are 'large' are vary differently shaped from others (ie: orge vs. a giant constricter snake).   I guess that's one more thing some DMs will have to take the time to do because the Devs didn't bother doing it.
#4 Dreamstryder Aug 12, 2014 20:18:10	I'm not keen on the leonine faces either (a lion with angel wings, by itself, could be the Lion of St. Mark or too closely resemble a leonine lamassu), but I'm not bothered after seeing that... 1. the MM text does say sphinxes are usually humanoid-faced, and 2. the artist, if you check her gallery, tends to animalize human-animal hybrids (ie centaur, mermaid) in a fun way, ...so I chalk it off as her style; I like what she's done with the sphinxes otherwise. I also like their abilities.   I figure Large creatures to be as big as a horse, though Greek sphinxes are usually depicted to be about the size of a human (same size as a lion).
#5 Marandahir Aug 12, 2014 18:08:50	bawylie wrote:
(Reply to #2) Azzy1974	bawylie wrote:
#7 Azzy1974 Aug 12, 2014 20:19:14	greyhawk_grognard wrote: