Paring down the critters....

[imported_Rasyr]

I figure maybe 20 monsters for the beta....

Below is my list for the playtest, but the ones in green italics have not been completed yet.

I am looking for opinions on what creatures folks think will do best overall.

• Abberations
  
  • Blood Bird (Stirge)
  • Carrion Beast (Carrion Crawler)
  • Flying Razortooth
  • Granock (umber hulk)
  • Rock Squid (Roper)
  • Sky Manta
  • Ursator (Owlbear)

[/li]
[li]Animals

• Ant, Giant
• Ape, Giant
• Beetle, Giant
• Boar
• Cat, Large
• Frog, Giant
• Rat, Giant
• Scorpion, Giant
• Spider, Giant
• Swamp Octopus
• Wasp, Giant
• Wolf

[/list][/li]
[li]Celestial

• Angel
• Deva
• Kirin
• Kerubim
• Dakari

[/list][/li]
[li]Constructs

• Caryatid (living statue)
• Gloem, Clay

[/list][/li]
[li]Demons

• Gremlins
• Larvae
• Manes
• Orocabus

[/list][/li]
[li]Devils

• Alastor
• Garun
• Grimalkin
• Imp

[/list][/li]
[li]Dinosaurs

• Anklosaur
• Brontosaur
• Daggertooth Tiger
• Pterosaur
• Raptoc (Velociraptor)
• Razorback Lizard (Stegosaurues)
• Terror Birds
• Trihorn (Triceratop)

[/list][/li]
[li]Dragons

• Dragonet
• Wyrms (True Dragons)
  
  • Wyrmling
  • Young
  • Adult
  • Old
  • Ancient

[/li]
[li]Wyvern[/li]
[/list][/list][/li]
[li] Elementals

• Wysplings
• Elemental Hounds
• Elemental Birds
• Salamander
• Sylph

[/list][/li]
[li] Fey Folk

• Bodach*
• Boggart*/Brownie (note: Boggart is an evil Brownie)
• Fairy
• Leprechaun
• Nixie*
• Nymph
• Oakmen*
• Pech
• Pixie
• Redcap*
• Satyr
• Spriggan*
• Sprite
• Tylweth Teg (Peri)

[/list][/li]
[li]Giant Races

• Giant, Fire*
• Giant, Forest*
• Giant, Frost*
• Giant, Hill
• Giant, Storm*
• Ogre
• Troll

[/list][/li]
[li]Infernal Creatures

• Demon Dog (Barghest)
• Darkwing

[/list][/li]
[li]Lycanthropes

• Werebear*
• Wereboar*
• Wererat*
• Weretiger
• Werewolf

[/list][/li]
[li]Magical Creatures

• Alce (Wingless Gryphon
• Basilisk
• Cockatrice
• Gryphon
• Harpy
• Manticore
• Minotaur
• Unicorn

[/list][/li]
[li]Plant Creatures

• Bloodthorn*
• Chillvine*
• Fire Flower*
• Fungoids
• Swamp Shambler
• Trapping Plant
• Treant
• Twigling
• Yewmen*

[/list][/li]
[li]Spirits

• Familiar Spirits
• Nature Spirits
• Will of the Wisp*

[/list][/li]
[li]Undead

• Ghost
• Ghoul
• Lich
• Skeleton Warrior
• Vampire Lord
• Vampire Spawn
• Wight
• Zombie

[/list][/li]
[li]Unusual Races

• Centaur
• Dwelf*
• Faun*
• Goblin
• Gnoll (Jackal-Men)*
• Hobgoblin
• Kobold
• Lizardman
• Orc
• Ursoc (bugbear)

[/list][/li]
[/list]

Remember, green italics means that it has not been written up yet.

NOTE: Any with an asterisk were added when I updated the list today.
Note (4/16): Moved Sylph to the Elementals, added Fairy - also finished verbiage for the Fey Races, now to finish all the stats.[/list]

[AresLunthar]

I would have to see the monsters themselves as I am unfamiliar with some of them.  This seems like a good opportunity to pick & choose monsters that can be written in to starting adventures & used to demonstrate the mechanics of the game.

[Trentin Bergeron]

I'm going to suggest something less standard and could help set Novus apart...

Instead of a list of specific monsters, create 20 blocks of customizable blocks with examples so a GM can make a "Ghoul, Zombie or Skeleton" from one base state block.

If we want bog-standard monsters, you can nab a monster manual. Novus is point based and customizable. I believe you should showcase that with flexible monster stat blocks and examples...

[AresLunthar]

So, create a Type I Undead template that can be altered slightly to be either a Ghoul, Zombie or Skeleton?

[Trentin Bergeron]

So, create a Type I Undead template that can be altered slightly to be either a Ghoul, Zombie or Skeleton?

Exactly. I feel like Novus is customizable out of the box. Should aim to have most things partly configurable. To set it apart.

[AresLunthar]

Hero system does this.  There is a generic stat block then below it a list of additional options to customize monsters.  So, a Goblin would be built off of the appropriate size and core powers like night vision etc. but, one of the options might be having +2 with Bows to build a goblin archer etc...

[imported_Rasyr]

I think that that would be something for a dedicated Monster book. For the Core/beta, we just want a few monsters (like a starter kit of them) that a GM can use right away.

[AresLunthar]

I agree on all accounts.  I love Hero for exactly what trechriron is describing, but, for the sake of page-count and simplicity it seems like expansion material.  I was also meaning to bring up one of my own ideas (which would fall under the same umbrella).  One of the elements that I use in Jenaerika is a treasure unique to each monster.  Basically, a reason you would go out and hunt them.  The Crystal from a Blight Blob or Poison Sack from a Giant Centipede.  My vision was that PCs would be able to harvest these resources and either sell or use them after relatively mundane encounters.  I think an element like this would be great to incorporate into Novus 2.0 monsters.  Plus, it adds flavor and sort of develops Tyrlon at the same time.

[imported_Rasyr]

Oh yeah especially with the alchemy-based item creation system, things like that could work in very well!!

[AresLunthar]

Once the monsters list is finalized maybe we can brainstorm a bit?

[imported_Rasyr]

In regards to the template idea above, I realized, I pretty much had something like this already done (just had not remembered it) until now.

For example, Here is the base Undead Template

Undead Template (15):
          Immunity to venoms/poisons (15)
          Immunity to non-magical weapons (damage heals as if target has regeneration) (20)
          Immune to all influence/control not specifically designed for Demons (15)
          Repulsed by Holy Symbols (-15)
          Weakness: Hurt by Holy Water (-10)
          Banishment (-10) - failed save equals banishment to Shadow Realms
          Regeneration - 1 Hit Per minute (10)


And then, I have something like this for each critter (this is before I add in things for culture/background/Training Path (fudged slightly on some)

GHOST (85) (220 TOTAL)
Stats (10): -3 Str, -2 Con, +2 Dex, +2 Spd, +1 Wis, +3 Res, -1 Chr
Size (0): Medium (Base Hits: 30, Base Move 10'; Encumbrance is 20 lbs +(2 lbs x Strength))
Starting Languages: xxxxxxxxxxxx & Common (written & spoken for both)
Undead Template (15)
Incorporeal (20)
Spectral Touch (15)
Possession Attack (15)
Flight 10 (10)

Note that the total is total point value after being developed, the (85), is the cost of the "package" which is actually based on how I did Racial packages. Here are a couple more

GHOUL (80) (175 TOTAL)
Stats (9): +2 Str, +1 Con, +3 Spd, -1 Res, -2 Chr
Size (0): Medium (Base Hits: 30, Base Move 10'; Encumbrance is 20 lbs +(2 lbs x Strength))
Starting Languages: xxxxxxxxx & Common (written & spoken for both)
Undead Template (15)
Ghoul's Curse (15)
Darkvision 100' (23)
Aversion to daylight (-3)
Claws (10): DR 7 Claw attack
Bite (8 ): DR 6 bite attack
Attack Specialty (3): Bite (Claws come with the Unarmed skill)



SKELETON (65) (140 TOTAL)
Stats (10): +2 Str, +2 Con, +1 Dex, +2 Spd,  -1 Int, -2 Chr, -1 Res
Size (0): Medium (Base Hits: 30, Base Move 10'; Encumbrance is 20 lbs +(2 lbs x Strength))
Starting Languages: xxxxxxxx & Common (written & spoken for both)
Undead Template (15)
Claws (5): DR 3 Claw attack
Grave Touch (15)
Undead Weapon Mastery (20) - may use any weapon



VAMPIRE SPAWN (100) (250 TOTAL)
Stats (25): +3 Str, +3 Con, +3 Dex, +4 Spd, -1 Res,
Size (0): Medium (Base Hits: 30, Base Move 10'; Encumbrance is 20 lbs +(2 lbs x Strength))
Starting Languages: xxxxxxxx & Common (written & spoken for both)
Undead Template (15)
Blood Drinking (15)
Hypnotic Gaze (15)
Supernatural Toughness (10)
Claws (10): DR 7 Claw attack
Bite (10): DR 7 bite attack


ZOMBIE (50) (125 TOTAL)*
Stats (0): -1 Dex, -3 Int, -2 Chr, +3 Str
Size (0): Medium (Base Hits: 30, Base Move 10'; Encumbrance is 20 lbs +(2 lbs x Strength))
Starting Languages: xxxxx & Common (written & spoken for both)
Undead Template (15)
Brains (15)
Zombie Rot (15)
Claws (5): DR 3 Claw attack

[AresLunthar]

Cool- very similar to Hero.  I think a "monster manual" should include the monster build but not the core rules.  I'm assuming you are still of the mind to keep the core book a single ready to play release; including the builds would swell the page count pretty significantly.  I would, however, include some sort of teaser to let GMs know that the builds are available in the monster manual.

[imported_Rasyr]

Yup, and possibly a good idea.

[imported_Rasyr]

Going through the monsters now (in pagemaking both playtest12 and the beta, and have realized that many critters likely have too many skill ranks in various skills.  With a limit of 1 rank for every 20 CP&XP combined, this means that an 80 monster can only have 4 ranks in a given skill, and a 120 point monster can only have 6 ranks in skills.

So in addition to going through and adjusting all the Dazed/Stun ratings to Sec. Dmg I & II, and adjusting the Base Damage dealt by attacks, I have to adjust skills as well.

[AresLunthar]

Yuck.  Sounds like a drag.  I assume you have some sort of spreadsheet setup?  But, even so, it's a strong point for a less is more approach to monsters.  Plus, they're good add-ins for Librams etc.