tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post5316502121057318066..comments2024-03-27T20:09:00.283-04:00Comments on Tenkar's Tavern: How Unique are Your Monsters?Tenkarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05159289652051155824noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-12518158193838705292014-06-24T11:06:41.928-04:002014-06-24T11:06:41.928-04:00Whatever monster I use in an encounter during a ga...Whatever monster I use in an encounter during a game, they almost never come equipped with sub-titles, labels, GPS, bar codes, R.F.I.D. or I.D. Tags. Most of them don't even have a decent translator and a lot of them aren't particularly interested in the player characters, not right away...at least some of the time. The players get a short, succinct description and can either try to learn more, take a closer look, or move along. If they want to know what that thing is, they need to do something more than just stand there and speculate...unless they're some kind of scholar, then they can go write a paper or something as more facts would just get in the way.garrisonjameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09544523186717576771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-59836926247013916632014-06-23T23:00:24.169-04:002014-06-23T23:00:24.169-04:00The problem is that most people's unique monst...The problem is that most people's unique monsters are just some undead variant, a giant variant, or a weird ass thing with tentacles.<br /><br />Use whatever monster works. Heroes should know how to defeat normal things, that's what being a hero entails. If nobody had any idea how to fight anything then every encounter becomes running the laundry list of tests for weaknesses rather than tactically planning how to outsmart the foe.<br /><br />If you need to make a unique monster, do it, but don't make a semi-demi glaze lich because you think a lich is ordinary. John Middletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11995017823921643745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-13204157669894056852014-06-23T22:45:26.783-04:002014-06-23T22:45:26.783-04:00I take 'em RAW, but I'm not above having e...I take 'em RAW, but I'm not above having each player privately write a fact about the monster (could be as an individual, or about the encounter, or the species) and secretly selecting one of the facts to be true. Like an instant player driven rumour table.rainswepthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06165059567790555748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-87872302047090147482014-06-23T17:34:38.095-04:002014-06-23T17:34:38.095-04:00Usually I don't name monsters. I don't ide...Usually I don't name monsters. I don't identify them by race either. In the circumstance of Rodger and his ilk, they usually have names that don't identify what kind of monster they are. Like Rodger might be called Rodger the Crusher of the Fell Wood rather than Rodger the Hill Giant of the Fell Wood. Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067161332003628237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-1885271997284035352014-06-23T11:09:57.586-04:002014-06-23T11:09:57.586-04:00Part of why I think Monster Manual is a waste of m...Part of why I think Monster Manual is a waste of money.Doc Savagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08783244633195233970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-86353375488839195512014-06-23T11:08:18.600-04:002014-06-23T11:08:18.600-04:00Thats how grells, aboleths and beholders started o...Thats how grells, aboleths and beholders started out. And now they are just regular vanilla stock...Bieliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13020881125134447515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-38282682275448450662014-06-23T10:27:10.353-04:002014-06-23T10:27:10.353-04:00Never use any as written in Monster Manual. Preven...Never use any as written in Monster Manual. Prevents player knowledge from intruding. Doc Savagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08783244633195233970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-72159328985892132882014-06-23T09:09:38.467-04:002014-06-23T09:09:38.467-04:00I think keeping an edge of recognition is key so I...I think keeping an edge of recognition is key so I am partial to re-skinning monsters. It keeps the game fresh and makes each setting unique. And yet it is not too removed from what everybody loves to be hard to imagine. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18323401622178716738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-89252855679020062812014-06-23T08:44:00.695-04:002014-06-23T08:44:00.695-04:00I've been using generic monsters, but the orks...I've been using generic monsters, but the orks are members of individual tribes. I've got two main ones right now, the Black Moon clan, which is making a move for the ork throne, and the Yellow Clouds, who are necromancer. DM Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16993534717556041293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-56413273542769114442014-06-23T08:05:51.174-04:002014-06-23T08:05:51.174-04:00I've definitely been focusing more on individu...I've definitely been focusing more on individual "boss" monsters. Some are unique, sometimes they're just named, even if the stats are the same. David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-82460607687379913402014-06-23T07:50:05.659-04:002014-06-23T07:50:05.659-04:00My mooks tend to be generic. Bosses tend toward in...My mooks tend to be generic. Bosses tend toward individuality. Lately I've been creating more "assistants" or "sidekicks" for the bosses, who are individuals as well.Chris C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08655640273250716377noreply@blogger.com