Templates. Want to make a skeleton monster that isn't a humanoid, warhorse, minotaur, or flaming skeleton? Use this template. IIRC 3.5 had something like a template. You have something in your game that turns an owlbear into a zombie owlbear? Do this to the base creature to make it a zombie, or skeleton, or undead, etc, etc. Also a deeper and wider template for creating magic items. 3.5 had a great section for adding special abilities to a weapon and what it added to the weapon to determine cost. For example; page 223 of the 3.5 DMG, there is the table for Melee Weapon Special Abilities and the list had things like Ghost Touch, Frost, Flaming, Shock, Keen, etc. It was so fun to 'build' weapons like that. Now, I know 5E is very different when it comes to the balance with magic items. There is much less emphasis and magic items, and IIRC, magic items were not taken into account at all when balancing CR against a party of 4 players. I get that...but magic items are still a vital and central part and I think adding that level of customizability back into the game would add fun. Yes, we can always just homebrew it but I'd rather use official stuff as much as possible. On top of that, they can probably look at how they balanced it behind the screen, stuff we don't have access to, and give better balancing guidance. Like the 'Frost' special ability, in 3.5E it added a +1 to the value of the weapon. If its an even greater imbalance in 5E, perhaps it becomes a d4 instead of a d6 and/or is even more expensive to get. I actually like the reduction from +5 magic items in 3.5E to max +3 magic items in 5E, but the reduction in variety is unfortunate.
From what I remember, there was something in the 2014 Monster Manual about converting the (pretty limited) humanoid stat blocks in the back of the book into half-dragons. It was a weirdly specific thing cause basically no other monster, even things like Orcs, had something like that.
I could be totally misremembering and making this up, though. I don't have the digital 2014 MM and I don't want to wait till I'm home to check the real one.
Depends on how they handle it. If it's just tweaking a few numbers on the statblocks...I can't say it makes a massive difference. If they give new abilities though, that could make them interesting and a genuine change.
Judging by how they've approached things though, I get the feeling that they'd just say "take the original statblock, tag "skeleton" on to the end of it's name, job done".
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Depends on how they handle it. If it's just tweaking a few numbers on the statblocks...I can't say it makes a massive difference. If they give new abilities though, that could make them interesting and a genuine change.
Judging by how they've approached things though, I get the feeling that they'd just say "take the original statblock, tag "skeleton" on to the end of it's name, job done".
tbf, that is what I did without the guidance, lol.
I think template are neat and all, but there are so many monsters already, that I'll never use. I'd rather them focus on new game systems, or expand on the ones they already made.
I would love to see a Monster Manual Homebrew Guide come out for 5.5e. More than just a quick DMG table, but something that shows you how they balance monsters, calculate CR, determine high defense vs high offense etc.
And once they have rewritten the core engine to allow customization to be run, allow us to enter our homebrew monsters cleanly and without all the bugs and painful page refreshing.
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Templates. Want to make a skeleton monster that isn't a humanoid, warhorse, minotaur, or flaming skeleton? Use this template. IIRC 3.5 had something like a template. You have something in your game that turns an owlbear into a zombie owlbear? Do this to the base creature to make it a zombie, or skeleton, or undead, etc, etc.
Also a deeper and wider template for creating magic items. 3.5 had a great section for adding special abilities to a weapon and what it added to the weapon to determine cost. For example; page 223 of the 3.5 DMG, there is the table for Melee Weapon Special Abilities and the list had things like Ghost Touch, Frost, Flaming, Shock, Keen, etc. It was so fun to 'build' weapons like that.
Now, I know 5E is very different when it comes to the balance with magic items. There is much less emphasis and magic items, and IIRC, magic items were not taken into account at all when balancing CR against a party of 4 players. I get that...but magic items are still a vital and central part and I think adding that level of customizability back into the game would add fun. Yes, we can always just homebrew it but I'd rather use official stuff as much as possible. On top of that, they can probably look at how they balanced it behind the screen, stuff we don't have access to, and give better balancing guidance. Like the 'Frost' special ability, in 3.5E it added a +1 to the value of the weapon. If its an even greater imbalance in 5E, perhaps it becomes a d4 instead of a d6 and/or is even more expensive to get. I actually like the reduction from +5 magic items in 3.5E to max +3 magic items in 5E, but the reduction in variety is unfortunate.
From what I remember, there was something in the 2014 Monster Manual about converting the (pretty limited) humanoid stat blocks in the back of the book into half-dragons. It was a weirdly specific thing cause basically no other monster, even things like Orcs, had something like that.
I could be totally misremembering and making this up, though. I don't have the digital 2014 MM and I don't want to wait till I'm home to check the real one.
Dracolichs and Half Dragons had templates. Pretty useless since you had to determine the new CR yourself.
Depends on how they handle it. If it's just tweaking a few numbers on the statblocks...I can't say it makes a massive difference. If they give new abilities though, that could make them interesting and a genuine change.
Judging by how they've approached things though, I get the feeling that they'd just say "take the original statblock, tag "skeleton" on to the end of it's name, job done".
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
tbf, that is what I did without the guidance, lol.
I think template are neat and all, but there are so many monsters already, that I'll never use. I'd rather them focus on new game systems, or expand on the ones they already made.
I want more bastion options for my players!
They did put some in both the new FR and eberron books. Not that you’re not allowed to want more. Just saying in case you didn’t see them.
OH! I'll be honest I got so many books in a short time frame i did not peruse them in entirety! that is good to know!
I would love to see a Monster Manual Homebrew Guide come out for 5.5e. More than just a quick DMG table, but something that shows you how they balance monsters, calculate CR, determine high defense vs high offense etc.
And once they have rewritten the core engine to allow customization to be run, allow us to enter our homebrew monsters cleanly and without all the bugs and painful page refreshing.