Monster Design Contest!

[Lilly]

Monster Design contest.

Hi Y’all! This is the next official contest in the playground!

For this contest the participants are going to design a new theme of monsters. In the monster manual there are several sets of monsters that are variations on a theme. The hags are an example as are the oozes and sphinxes. Themes can be anything from being of the same type to having similar names or goals in life. These monsters should be usable in any setting, but if there are setting specific properties to your monster, please include those, but you will not be judged on any setting specific information.

Specific Rules:
1) There must be a clear thematic link to all of the monsters. It must be clearly stated at the start of the entry and you will make me really happy if the theme is somehow incorporated into the title of your thread.

2) There are to be no fewer than 3 monsters and no more than 8 monsters in any one entry. The monsters must be from at least two of the following 7 categories:
CR 1-2
CR 3-4
CR 5-7
CR 8-9
CR 10-12
CR 12-14
CR 15-20

3) The entries should be formatted like the ones in the Monster Manual or SRD.

Here’s an example:


DIGESTER
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 8d10+24 (68 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+11
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Acid spray
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +9, Listen +6, Jump +21, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary or pack (3–6)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–12 HD (Medium); 13–24 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
A digester stands about 5 feet tall and is 7 feet long from snout to tail. It weighs about 350 pounds,
COMBAT
A digester is a hunting and eating machine. When it is not hungry (which is rarely), it lies low and avoids most other creatures. When hunting, it looks about for a likely target, then charges forth and delivers a gout of acid. If the initial attack is insufficient to kill the prey, the digester attacks with its hind feet until it can spray acid again.
Acid Spray (Ex): A digester can spray acid in a 20-foot cone, dealing 4d8 points of damage to everything in the area. Once a digester uses this ability, it can’t use it again until 1d4 rounds later.
The creature can also produce a concentrated stream of acid that deals 8d8 points of damage to a single target within 5 feet. In either case, a DC 17 Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills: A digester’s coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. It also has a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks.

Also feel free to include as much flavor text as you want.

Use this as a reference if you are confused on what the terms mean. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/intro.htm)

4) Each new entry should have a thread started on the contests board with [MONSTER] at the start of the title.

5)The contest starts as soon as this thread is posted, September 1st, And entries will be locked and final on October 1st at 12:00 am Eastern Daylight Time. (This is the standard forum time, and This link will be the time that I use for cutting off entries (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=179) and that is 4am GMT.)

6) Please post to the entries thread (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Contests;action=display;num=11255488 67) when your entry is done, and no earlier.

7) Follow all the guidelines in Gorby’s contest guide (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Contests;action=display;num=11247707 71).

8) Have fun! And be creative!

Prizes! At the end of the month, all then entries will be compiled into a list and voted on by boards members. The voting categories are (Dun Dun DUUUUN!):
EDIT!!!!
Defination of Mostly: At least 50%. So if you have two monsters out of three in a category, you qualify for it.
[List]
Best overall monster: It says monster (singular) but I mean entire entry.
Best low level encounter: The best set of monsters that is mostly under CR 5
Best mid level encounter: The best set of monsters that is mostly between CR 5 and 12
Best high level encounter: The best set of monsters that is mostly over CR 12
Best expansion of the theme
Most usable as an encounter
Most usable as a PC race
Flumph award: (Funniest or most useless)
A cookie: This award will not be voted on, but I will award it to an entry that I deem worthy.

[Hydro]

Awesome. Thanks.


Now talk to me about templates.

Are they alowed? If so, do they count as any particular CR for purposes of fulfilling rule 2 or disqualifying for best low/mid/high-level encounter awards?

[The Glyphstone]

So if you have a varied set of monsters, say, CR4, CR6, and CR8, you're inelegible for the first 3 awards?

[Lilly]

Your not inelegible for the first award, but would be for the specific encounter awards. I might change that.

But it had the purpose of being so that people can't sweep the awards. The oscars got really boring after RotK won it's third award.

[Hydro]

Yea, I don't like the way the current set of awards encourages people to cluster within one cr range (rather than spreading out the way "real" monster sets do). But making sure that no one set can sweep the awards makes sense.


You could change it to "best low-cr set" (1-10 only), "best high-cr set" (11+* only), and "best wide-range set" (set containing both low-cr and high-cr monsters). In this way everyone is elegible for exactly one of those three awards, no more and no less, no matter how their set is spread out.


*you didn't mention a cap before, but if you wish to rule out epic creatures then 24 makes sense. Don't forget that cr 21 and 22 creatures are reasonable challenges for some non-epic parties.


So... templates? ^_^()

[The Glyphstone]

And what, pray tell, is wrong with one entry sweeping the awards?? ;D

[Safria]

Now Glyph, Glyph,Glyph do LISTEN . Lilly allready said what's wrong with it :P, it's boring.

So you'll just have to settle for not winning EVERYTHING this time ;P

[bingo_bob]

Say, does CR 5 fall under the lowest category, or the middle one?

[Lilly]

5 would qualify for either. And for the template question: I don't know.

And if you look up at the rules there will be an edit, shortly.

[nows7]

Must all entry's be 100% original? For instance could i reference an Orc or a nymph? I'm not meaning i want to pirate someone else's work, I'm talking about keeping it to SRD...

But lets say for two monsters i wanted to make a templete and add it to them, Could i use the SRD mobs?

[Rykounagin]

Question: Must you have MORE THEN ONE monster, or may you have a single monster?

[The Glyphstone]

Rule #2:


2) There are to be no fewer than 3 monsters and no more than 8 monsters in any one entry

[Cantankerous]

I shudder to imagine what entry could have more than eight - I mean, that's a lot of work. Well, unless they're all really crappy, but that certainly wouldn't be the case here. :)

I've gotten a start on mine. Take a look at [Monsters] Curses!

[Zherog]

Yea, I don't like the way the current set of awards encourages people to cluster within one cr range (rather than spreading out the way "real" monster sets do).

Really? Let's look...

In the SRD, there are three hags: annis, green, and sea. The CRs (respectively) are 6, 5, 4. Looks to be exactly like what Lilly is talking about.

Another example, you say? How 'bout the Inevitable? There's three again: Kolyarut, Marut, and Zelekhut. The CRs of each of those are 12, 15, 9. A bit wider of a spread, but it would still qualify for one of the categories (mid level).

One more example? *sigh* OK, if you insist. How 'bout the naga? Such an interesting aberration, really. There's four of these in the SRD: Dark, Guardian, Spirit, and Water. The CRs are: 8, 10, 9, and 7. A nice cluster, huh?

So, sure - there's plenty of critters with a wide range, like the various ages of dragons or even somethiing as simple as Monstrous Spiders (whch range from 1/4 to 11), but really the only difference for those is the size. Generally speaking, the CRs for a "cluster" of creatures is often closer than you think.

:)

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Question: Must you have MORE THEN ONE monster, or may you have a single monster?


2) There are to be no fewer than 3 monsters and no more than 8 monsters in any one entry.

;) (Emphasis in the quote is mine)

[bingo_bob]

Well, two oozes on 'Contrary to Popular Belief' are up. Please comment on it. I'd really like to have an idea of what I'm doing, and if I'm doing it right.

[Everyman]

You know, making a template might be valid as long as there are a series of creatures listed with the template, each whom are different based on progression. For example, a human skeleton and a dragon skeleton. Both have the skeleton template, but the CR, strength, etc are based on the HD of the creature.
...
Oh my...I just figured out what I want to do. Hydro, you might have a bit o' competition with templates. I mean, I had an idea for this kind o' "monster" for a while now, but making it an aquired template not only fits, but allows for SOOOOOO much more fun.

Time to get busy! ;D

[Zherog]

Alright - here's an opposing opinion for Lilly and the other mods regarding templates. And it's coming from somebody who is very likely not going to enter due to time constaints (I have a ton of deadlines in September).

I don't think allowing a template to be created and then slapped on a bunch of creatures should meet the criteria. Only one "monster" was designed - it's just being applied across a range of creatures. This isn't fair to people who actually sit and design three monsters.

I hope I'm making sense as to why I don't think a single template is fair. Now, if somebody wanted to design 3 templates, all with varying CR modificaitons - that would be quite cool. One template applied to multiple monsters, though, shouldn't count. At least in my opinion.

If I'm not making sense, let me know and I'll try again.

[Everyman]

You know, you have a point. One template may very well not qualify for the requirements of the contest. I've already started a bit on my template (in fact, I'm going to use it unless templates are banned). I'd like to hear a mod's opinion about this, otherwise I might spend a lot of time working on something useless.

I'm willing to do the series of templates, if that fits the bill. ;D

EDIT:
I've had another thought: What if the template SERIOUSLY alters the creature? Would that qualify it? I ask as I worry even a serious change to a variety of creatures may very well not be fair.\
EDIT AGAIN:
I've got it! What if there are two+ creatures AND a template that grants similar abilities. Like designing two golems and the half-golem template! I wouldn't design golems (in fact, I've already chosen a topic), but would such a situation/design be acceptable?

[Lilly]

Well for the second one you'd need at least 3 monsters or two monsters and a unique template.

The contest says "Monster Design" not template design. If I wanted to run a template contest I would. Three templates, fine, one template, no. You can go ahead and post your one template design, it just won't be eligible for anything.

[Wukei]

Good luck to everyone, but I don't think I'll be participating in this one. I will be more than willing to offer my services as an editor, though, and I will vote at the end of the month, if I'm not laying on a surgery table waiting to get my belly sliced open for people to get to my spine.

Best of luck to all of you!

[LeifVignirsson]

This might sound a little odd and all, but seeing that my net service is still a little ways away, I might as well ask it now. Say that I did come up with a monster or three (I already have one in mind), would it be valid it I did (Monster A=base, Monster B=carnal {say with the Feral template} and then Monster C=superior), would this fly at all? Sure, there is an unoriginal template here, but would that taint the efforts in any form?

Sorry if this might have been addressed already, this is what happens when you move from house to house.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Each of the three monsters has to be unique. A monster with a template applied does not count. If you make a template, it only counts as one monster - that is, you can't just apply it to three standard monsters.

There seems to be some confusion - you're designing monsters that would each have their own full entry or sub-entry in the Monster Manual (by sub-entry, I mean like the differing demons or dragons).

[Cantankerous]

Gah.

Hold on.

What you're saying is this:

Designing four monsters, such as a blue talking dinosaur, a green talking dinosaur, a red talking dinosaur, and a red talking dinosaur is okay.

Designing four monsters, such a blue unicorn, a blue undead dog, a blue flying Coke bottle, and a blue monkey, is NOT okay, because they are only related by their blueness.

Am I right? If so, darn!

[Gorbash Kazdar]

No no no.

Any connecting theme is fine, though, of course, the more interesting the better.

What I'm saying is that they very much have to be three different monsters. If you make a template and apply it to a dog, a dinosaur, and an orc, that only counts as one monster for your entry (the template).

If you make a red talking dinosaur and then apply the feral template and the ghost template to it, that also only would count as a single entry, for the red talking dinosaur.

If you made either of entries Cantankerous mentioned, they'd work... I guess. Dunno if they'd be any good...

[Zherog]

Designing four monsters, such as a blue talking dinosaur, a green talking dinosaur, a red talking dinosaur, and a red talking dinosaur is okay.

Well, except for the fact that's really only three - since you mentioned the red talking dino twice.
:P :P :P :P

[Everyman]

Alrighty then. Good to know. ;)

Well, I'm going with my second idea, and I'll design three monsters AND the template (as a tie-in for other races).

Hope that is satisfactory. :)

[Cantankerous]

Okay, Gorby. That's good to know, especially considering that my entries have perhaps a very tenuous connection to each other. (They're all cursed to be monsters.)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Well, I have two of my four or five creatures I'll be submitting finished. Is it normal procedure to post it in a seperate thread here for others to look over?

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Folks, please please read the rules & guidelines thread. Some of the questions I've gotten are answered there. ;)

In order to enter the contest at all, you have to make a seperate entry thread. Also, I suggest finishing the entry and posting everything at once, so as to minimize the number of posts it takes (technically, for the first contest it was actually a rule that only what was in the first post would be judged, but I know sometimes you do hit the character limit and have to go to a second post).

[Zherog]

but I know sometimes you do hit the character limit and have to go to a second post).

Yeah - I had that problem with the Party Design contest. I wouldn't foresee three or four monsters pushng things past the limit, though.

[talonos]

Hi. I'm new here.

If I wanted to team up with somebody to make an entry, could I? OR do these have to be individual efforts?

[Zherog]

I'll let Lilly give an official answer for this particular contest, but in the past I believe that has been allowed.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

There isn't actually any official policy... we've been okay with people getting critiques and editing help prior to posting an entry, but we've never had an actual team create an entry.

Lilly gets final say since its her contest, but I think you're better off doing your own individual work.

[Sucros]

Completed entry (Unless I somehow come up with a good idea for a living phantasm or a living glamer): the Illusid, is up.

http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Contests;action=display;num=11256394 91

I'd love comments, as I'm super new to monster creation, and would rather like to get to use these monsters when tweaked.

[Lilly]

Team entries: Editing help, proofreading, bouncing general ideas off of other people is fine. But having two or more people work on and design different parts of an entry is a no go.

[Hydro]

Point well taken Zherog. I should have said "the way many real monster sets do".

When I said that, I was thinking of the Tannari, the Baatezu, and the Archons (actual spelling may vary) among others, all of which cover a very wide range an are probably some of the best monster sets in my mind. But I didn't mean to imply that no "real" monster sets would fall within a single cr range.

[Zherog]

Fair enough, Hydro. However, I think the ones you'll find that cover such a wide range of CRs (like the ones you listed, along with Dragons (given their age categories)) are the sort of creatures you want your PCs to face throughout their careers - and possibly might even want to build a campaign around. Things like Demons, Devils, Celestials, Dragons, etc are pretty broad categories of creatures; in addition, there's also an assload of critters in each of those categories, compared to others such as hags, inevitables, and naga (the examples I used). And, really, I think that's the deciding factor. As best as I can tell, when there's only a "handful" of things, the CR's seem to be somewhat bunched. When there's "a bunch" of things, the CRs are spread out over a much wider range of CR's.

*shrug* It's mostly an academic discussion, I suppose. And it's probably one Lilly would prefer we took elsewhere, too. ;)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I've looked through the rules and comments and haven't seen where its said either way, but just to make sure, are we allowed to have multiple entries, one for each theme?

[Gorbash Kazdar]

It should be in the general rules, but you can have multiple entries, each with a different set of monsters & a different theme. Remember, these will compete with each other as well as the other entries, so you may take votes away from yourself ;)

Also remember that you automatically are entered for the categories you are qualified for - you don't have to state which categories you're entering. Of course, in this contest, your design choices do, of course, affect which categories you qualify for, and it'd be helpful if you mention the CR range your entry falls into somewhere in your entry so it's clear right from the start.

[Hydro]

I had a decient idea, but I'm not sure I have enough experience with monster design to pull it off effectively. It is sort of an omni-race that subsumes other races, a bit like the Zerg or the Borg: sort of hard to represent with d20, no matter how creative your use of templates.

I'll probably end up coming up with and posting something else, though I may also take a stab at my initial idea if I have time before the month is over.

[Safria]

Ok one more question (sorry if it's been allready asked).

I know the monsters themselves have to be original, but can they come under an existing category.

For eg: Could you make 3 new types of monsters that are all "undead" or 3 "animated objects" that fit together as a theme and aren't just slapping a template on an idea?

[Lilly]

Yes. They can all be part of an existing category. We've already got a group of oozes, a few undead, and some constructs.

[The_Stoney_One]

Now, for the record, could the monsters you make up be a subtype of an excisting monster theme?

For example... could you make a different slaadi or demon?

[CharPixie]

And to confirm, if the monster entry has examples of an Advanced version or a version with class levels, constructed using the 'rules', does that count against being a low CR monster set? I'm wondering, since the bugs I'm designing work quite well when combined with classes.

[The Glyphstone]

Addendum to that question: What about monsters with no default size/Challenge Rating? For example, elementals, which have a different CR for each size elemental as standard. My set uses all Large-sized to cover the 6-7 and 8-9 ranges, but it also adds options for larger (or smaller) versions with different CR's.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Questions answered after consultation with the marvelous Lilly!


Now, for the record, could the monsters you make up be a subtype of an excisting monster theme?

For example... could you make a different slaadi or demon?
Yes, as long as the monster type/subtype is Open Gaming Content, and your monster entry fits into another overarching theme (ie, you couldn't just make three new demons).


And to confirm, if the monster entry has examples of an Advanced version or a version with class levels, constructed using the 'rules', does that count against being a low CR monster set? I'm wondering, since the bugs I'm designing work quite well when combined with classes.
The monster counts as a monster of the base CR, without advanced hit die or class levels. IE, an orc would count as CR 1/2, even though they can easily become much nastier via adding class levels.


Addendum to that question: What about monsters with no default size/Challenge Rating? For example, elementals, which have a different CR for each size elemental as standard. My set uses all Large-sized to cover the 6-7 and 8-9 ranges, but it also adds options for larger (or smaller) versions with different CR's.
This is slightly different from the above. If a creature is like dragons or elementals - that is, they gain new abilities as they become larger or older, rather than adding class levels or just hit die - then the creator may choose which of the CRs the creature can have for purposes of entry qualification. IE, red dragons range from CR 3 to CR 24; the designer would get to pick one of these possible CRs to count for the contest.

[Snommelp]

What I'm saying is that they very much have to be three different monsters. If you make a template and apply it to a dog, a dinosaur, and an orc, that only counts as one monster for your entry (the template).

If you make a red talking dinosaur and then apply the feral template and the ghost template to it, that also only would count as a single entry, for the red talking dinosaur.

So if I were to make a monster, then make juvenile and elder versions (like the Tojanida or Xorn) it would be one monster, but if I made larger differences, like you see in Slaadi, it would be three monsters with one name?

[Sneak]

Hehe...

I know I'm overbooked as it is, and I'm not taking requests, but...I think it might be fun to have a change from the ordinary. If anyone wants a picture of their monsters drawn in OOTS format, contact me.

[sacreddeamon]

Hrm, very interesting. In addition to the mosters and the templates, can we also add in disease and perhaps weapons or items that have special effects against our chosen monsters? Not for any award, but to simply add to the flavor and spice them up?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Ooh, I'd like my Somnians OOTS-itized, Sneak. They're in the 'Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep' thread :D

[Geech000]

Drat, I checked this way to late. I'll get to work on this right away.

[Everyman]

Ugh...

Well, a lack of computer (and free time) has left me rather monster-less. I'm going to have to withdrawl from the contest.

I've gone ahead and deleted my thread, as it'll just collect cyber-dust otherwise. ;)

[sacreddeamon]

OK, my base 3 creatures are done, along with the disease they all carry.

Beware the hordes of the Zombies!

http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Contests;action=display;num=11274048 80;start=0#3

Soon to come, if I have time are the Shawn of the Dead Silly/random zombies, a template to add to villians/pcs, and possible an overseer zombie

I dont know about the overseer, if it should be a Demon or a zombie or what. Drop a line and give a suggestion!

EDIT:
Rerembrant done now all that is left is the possible template!

[The Glyphstone]

So, ah, when do we vote?

And sacreddemon, is that supposed to be "ReMEMbrant? A "ReREMbrant" zombie sounds more like the animated remains of a famous painter. ;D

[The Vorpal Tribble]

So, ah, when do we vote?
Hear him, hear him! ;D

[sacreddeamon]

Its supposed to be rerembrant, just because its too late to go back and change it now :P

Also, they are Re-Rememoring their past lives, and only in splots. Also, i dont like the way Remembrant sounds

[Sacrath]

Hear him, hear him! ;D
I am sure that the mods have a perfectly good reason for making us wait. But this stance barely masks my childish impatience. :P

[sacreddeamon]

Maybe they are having a really really hard time deciding on the winners.

[The Glyphstone]

But they don't decide the winners (except for the Cookie), we do...
Not that there's any doubt of my supremacy, of course...

[sacreddeamon]

YOu heard the man, get voting!

[The Glyphstone]

But first we need a VOTING THREAD......

[Lilly]

I'm compiling them... expect a vote thread soon.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Contrary to what the popular belief seems to be, it can be a lot of work to run one of these contests. On top of compiling the links - which should be easier this time around thanks to the entry thread - the people running the contest try to give each entry at least a once-over to make sure it qualifies for judging. And don't forget this is on top of regular mod duties, and all of it is completely voluntary.

So, in short, keep your pants on.

[Snommelp]

Keep our... but what if we're not wearing pants?

Sorry, that sounded inappropriate. But supposing there's someone wearing a skirt or a kilt? Or supposing one of us needs to take a shower?...

Enough stupidity. Thanks for doing all of this, Lilly. It was a nice chance for me to come out of my shell and actually share my ideas instead of hoarding them.

[Serraphin]

Lets just say - theoretically of course - that someone was stupid enough to place a vote before the vote thread was up.

Theoretically, that person would of course be a moron.

What would that obviously newby idiot person be best advised to do? Vote again, or just leave as is?

Theoreticaly of course :-[

[Lilly]

Vote again, because the mod cleaned out the previous contests votes, and that vote got included.