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Easy_Lee
2018-03-07, 12:18 PM
I'm trying to build a system for variable creature templates for an upcoming campaign. I'd like the playground's assistance in determining how to balance this.

The idea is to have creature types and class types. Each type would have specific features that, when combined, would create a unique creature. For example:

Skeleton type

Resistance to slashing and piercing
Vulnerability to bludgeoning
Immunity to poison, disease, necrotic
Proficient with constitution saving throws


Evoker type

Fire, cold, and lightning-based damage
Can do high single-target damage or moderate AoE damage, always with a dexterity saving throw rather than an attack roll.
Can Misty Step as a bonus action or teleport up to 90 feet as an action.
Can levitate.
Low HP and AC.
Proficient with intelligence saving throws and skills.

These two could be combined into a Skeleton Evoker, a unique creature with meaningful, easy to understand characteristics that presents a unique challenge.

Ten of each type (creature and class) would create one hundred unique creatures. Twenty of each type (or ten classes and forty creatures) would create four hundred. This would allow me to quickly assemble homebrew creatures with which to challenge the party. And I could fit all of the information I needed on the DM screen. Boss monsters and other unique enemies would have unique abilities.

I'm looking for feedback on the concept. I also need a good basis for numbers at each level. What is considered a high, average, and low hit point value at each CR? What about high, moderate, and low damage? I'm not sure if there is a good resource for pulling this sort of information, though I feel that I've seen something like that before.

Thank you for reading. I welcome all feedback.

Specter
2018-03-07, 12:39 PM
The most important thing to determine is how templates affect the CR.

An evoker will probably be human or elf, meaning their innate traits don't do much to affect the difficulty of the monster. A skeleton, however, gives you some resistances, so if you keep the same HP it would probably increase the CR by ½ or 1. A vampire would bring a much bigger increase.

So if you're adding templates, figuring out what makes it good helps you figure out how much more difficult it is.