Gamemaster Tool: DMCT

[Angelmaker]

Edit: Thread Title changed

Hello.

I am done for. Really. Somehow I talked myself into being the DM for 5 to 6 friends of mine.

Not a problem: I have decent experience with Rolemaster, D&D 4 and several other systems like shadowrun for years. Now, D&D 3.5 Gestalt is a whole ´nother story...

I need tools. I know about crystal keep ( have all the zip files from the saved locally. Absolute must. It´s a shame they where taken down... ) and several online resources, but I am honestly REALLY bad ( like notoriously bad ) at memorizing every detail of every spell, every prestige class, ability, and rule about the most exotic of rules ( grappling, anyone? ).

So, what I need is a simple tool, which gives me the stats for monsters on the fly. To add injury to the insult: Simple monsters won´t do - I have at least 2 memory monsters in my group who know whole hordes of monsterstats of by heart.

So, I need random crazyness.

I plan to write myself a RMG, which takes simple parameters like "level", "role of monster", "type of caster", "added feats" ( for example nightstalker, to prevent simple detection by blindsense, etc. ) and returns a fully statted monster.

For example: Give me a level 7 monster, which behaves like a rogue and gains level-adequate feats for sneak attack and sneaking around, etc.
or
give me a level 12 monster, which behaves like a bruiser ( max Hit d, good fort save ) and has full divine casting plus add feats like practised spellcaster on top of the feats, that the brusier template already has...
and so on.

My question is, since I am really, REALLY bad at building interesting monster (i.e. remembering elite or standard attribute arrays ) , is ANYONE interested in helping me out with a few build advices for monsters ( i.e. fleshing out a template - not necessarily RAW compatible, just remember to add a note about the effective challenge rating your template has ) like this:

monster template name: fighter with dragon traits ( lightning )
good saves: fort
bad saves: ref, will
attack: good
hit die: D10
str: 18 + 0.5/level
con: 14 + 0.25/level
dex: 12
cha: 8
int: 10
wis: 10

ac= 10+dex+fullplate(8)+0.25/level

damage Progression ( standard attacks and AOO ):
1d8+1*level until level 10
2d8+1*level until level 20
2d8+3*level until level 30
special attacks:
breath weapon all 1D4+1 rounds, 30 feet cone. 2d10+8+level lightning damage

feats:
level 1: power attack
level 3: toughness
level 5: improved grapple
level 7: improved sunder
...
level 30: epic feat: increased strength

comments for template: good grappler, tough. Can sunder shields, divine focus and spell compponent pouches for fun. ^^. Use as frontliner.

Challenge rating = level +1 for some dragon traits
-------------
add whatever you can think of. Every feature you add to your template will make me work to implement it.

I plan to add the templates as fast as I can. The RMG is in it´s infants, still it already produces bland and nondescript moogles, without feats and stuff.

If you know of such a webbased tool for Random Monster creation, let me know, so i can stop workling on it.

What´s in it for me?, you may ask yourself.

If you decide to add one or more templates to my work, I will give you access to my tool by PM, so you can follow the development of this tool and can use it for your own groups. The more people get working on functional and interesting templates, the more and interesting monster combinations will it produce.

At some stage in development I will give access to the sourcecode ( php, file based, so no database needed ) for download, so you can install it on your own host, so your work with and for this project will not be lost.

I will probably be gone for the weekend, so expect a status update on monday earliest. I also plan to add simple spellcasting lists for the caster classes like:
wizard[1]='1','grease'
wizard[2]='0','cantrip','1','another1stlevelspell'
wizard[3]='2','2nd level spell'
so the wizard will receive a cumulative list of spells available to him.

Ok, much written most of it understandable, I hope.

Cya on mondays, I´d love to hear your feedback.

[Waker]

That was a wall of text, anyways lets see what I can tell you.
First off, if you aren't familiar with 3.5, why in the world are you running Gestalt? Gestalt is some of the most off-the-wall high powered things you could run. I would strongly suggest you drop Gestalt and run a normal 3.5 game.
I can't tell you too much about building monsters, as that is somewhat dependent on the optimization levels of your party.
As for the party members who memorize monster stats, remind them that while they might know that Shambling Mounds get bonus Con when hit by electricity, their characters won't unless they make that Knowledge check. If they consistently use OOC knowledge, consider penalizing them XP or items.

[Ranting Fool]

First off, if you aren't familiar with 3.5, why in the world are you running Gestalt? Gestalt is some of the most off-the-wall high powered things you could run. I would strongly suggest you drop Gestalt and run a normal 3.5 game...

...As for the party members who memorize monster stats, remind them that while they might know that Shambling Mounds get bonus Con when hit by electricity, their characters won't unless they make that Knowledge check. If they consistently use OOC knowledge, consider penalizing them XP or items.

+1

I've always found it best for a new DM to start of simple then build on your exp. Gestalt means that instead of 5 to 6 characters and abilities you'd have to be aware of there will be 10 to 12 (not counting cross classes and other such things) and Gestalt players tend to (at least in the Playground that I've come across) lean towards the more exotic race/class combos.

As far as "I know that monster! It MUST be a shambling Mound so don't lightning it" goes discription is your friend! :smallbiggrin: It's always bad when having a new monster to fight to say "The Shambling Mound jumps out at you" instead of "This creature looks like a mass of leaves and vines with a generally human like form. It has a barrel-shaped body with ropy arms and stumpy legs. It doesn't seem to have a head" - MM1 "Oh and it jumps out at you" Unless the characters have a knowledge skill that can ID their foe or have fought them before then for all they know it could be any other plant like creature. (I make a point to warn my players that I may have changed any standard monster in my campaign and that they should rely on their characters knowledge rather than their own)

What level ranges are you starting at?
Do you have/access to all the Monster Manuals? (As DM all the books always get left at mine because no one can be arsed to carry them all the time :smallbiggrin:)
Are you looking for any setting specific monsters/templates?
Adding a Class level / re-feating or even equipping many standard monsters makes them a very different fight.

[Angelmaker]

Quick reply before weekend:

I have a little bit experience in D&D 3.5 and read plenty of stuff in the last month.

I have already made several assumptions, which help me balance challenges against my group, like a simplified role system.

Upon creation they classify their characters as being able to fulfill one or more of the roles as given:

frontline
leader
support
healer, etc. ( I have many more roles for a fine granularity system )

also to make combat bearable in length there will be a formation system in place, which will speed up combat ( if it works ) greatly.

Part of why I chose gestalt is because of the save-or-dieyness of D&D 3.5. I expect them to go for at least 2 levels in paladin to get over-the-top saves and this is why I need my RMG. So I can easily readapt an encounter planned later in the evening to be CR +3 instead of CR +2 and stuff. I just need to refluff the adversaries so they don´t look bland. I have an idea on how to modify the RMG on how to make it look more random.

Anyway, be hearing from you on Monday, I hope. Thanks for all the replies so far and I really hope SOMEBODY has built something similiar, so I can stop pouring hours over hours in this. :)

Edit: But I am willing and prepared to do this. ;)

[Angelmaker]

Ok, looks like no one knows of a comparable tool. Progressing nicely so far.

It still only gives the stats for human frontliner ( race/role ) so far, but frameworks looks solid.

If anyone wants to have a quick glance, PM me. This thread looks more or less dead. :smallsmile:

[Cicciograna]

I'm following it with interest. I have been looking for a similar tool for a long time, and more than once thought to write one by myself; unfortunately time is an issue for me, so I'll patiently wait for your piece of work.

[Angelmaker]

Lo´ and behold the mighty magic art of thread necromany.

Ha! You wouldn´t believe it, but:

1) I have received some comments from users of the board and very helpful tips at that too. Most of which are documented in my tool-rewrite as reminders and sources.

For example: You can grab excellent information and links to online encounter generators here:
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11476.0.

2) I scrapped the original works on my "give me things to hurt my players with"-tool to recode as much of it as I can to make it more modular and upgradeable.

3) However even after finding the other online generators I am somewhat determined to put some more effort into it, mostly because I want more control about what to send at my players with less options to fiddle around ( some of the generators mentioned let you choose from all the sources out there, which is simply too huge for me ).

Please have a look, if you mind:
http://wraith-node.de/dmct/index.php

If asked for username/password give "dmct" a try, for both. ( yes, I am a little bit more creative for more sensitive passwords. ;) )

"dmct" is still in it´s very infants, Alpha, a tech demo, if you will. So far it only gives the stats for some low level fighters, does not take into account feats, and so on, and so on...

I really need to put more roles/races/templates(coming soon)/spells/everything into it to make it neat.

Well, I will be here, following the Thread for any helpful criticism and am looking forward for any kind of input ( layout, formulas, ideas, anything at all ).

Thanks for your time and be well.

PS: I updated the thread title to reflect better what it now is about.

[yougi]

One solution I've taken against players who know monsters and use that OOC knowledge in game is to refluff the monsters, i.e. to take the stats for a monster and describe it as a totally different one.

"This humanoid's skin seems to be burning or boiling. You can see the heat emanating from it. Its arms reach to the ground and he walks on them, just like a gorilla, a scalding hot gorilla."

This is the description I used for a Hell Hound, which I renamed Hell Ape. That way, the players will NEVER know what's in front of them, and you get to have some fun with it.

[Umbranar]

One solution I've taken against players who know monsters and use that OOC knowledge in game is to refluff the monsters, i.e. to take the stats for a monster and describe it as a totally different one.

"This humanoid's skin seems to be burning or boiling. You can see the heat emanating from it. Its arms reach to the ground and he walks on them, just like a gorilla, a scalding hot gorilla."

This is the description I used for a Hell Hound, which I renamed Hell Ape. That way, the players will NEVER know what's in front of them, and you get to have some fun with it.

Going to use this! I am planning to do the War of the Burning Sky saga which I bought lately as a DM. Although most encounters have non-standard creatures im going to refluff the standard ones and make them figure it out. My players have a vast knowledge of the common monsters so this should be fun.

[monkey3]

This may not be exactly what you asked for, but herofoge is an excellent character sheet / character design tool that handles Gestalt (as well aas everything else) very well. Here's the link:

http://nzcomputers.net/heroforge/default35.asp

[Angelmaker]

Well, thanks for more input.

I just discovered http://d20npcs.wikia.com/wiki/D20_NPCs_by_Challenge_Rating, which is a pretty awesome source.

Will continue working on my tool, but knowing me it will probably take decades to become something usable. I still like the idea of being able to combine several parameters ( race, role, templates, etc. stuff ) to watch the outcome, however the amount of work ahead is simply staggering. The more I get into it, the more it becomes clear that existing tools are the work of very dedicated individuals and I appreciate their work more and more on a daily basis.

[yougi]

Well, not really directly related to what you asked for, but to make your life easier, the folks at Dingles Games (www.dinglesgames.com) have this really cool NPC creator that can save you an awful lot of time.

[Mirakk]

Don't run Gestalt on your first try DMing. Gestalt characters require a DM who's good at dealing with the system very well in order to compensate for the power hike. I've only just begun on it after a few years of DMing 3.5 in groups ranging from 2 to 10 players. It's a different beast entirely.

For instance. Enemies who use a specific attack with a save involved are going to be less effective against Gestalt characters since they have better saves than standard PCs. Also, you'll need to be throwing monsters 2-3 CR higher than normal at the players in order to challenge them, and provide them with fewer opportunities to rest. You'll also need to plan for longer sessions since the party won't have those natural stopping points when they get deep into a dungeon and need to rest etc..

I'll second the motion to use Dingles Games as a tool. I have a lifetime membership. It was the best 40 dollars I ever spent as a DM. Saves me HOURS of character generation time. Need something on the fly? It's okay! You can whip out an entire stat sheet on a random NPC you didn't plan on being involved in combat in about 3 minutes. They also have a treasure generator and encounter generator on the site as well.

Also, Crystalkeep is very much still around if you know how to look for it.