Monster Competiton XXXIV Voting Thread (On the Road Again)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Voting For On the Road Again


The contest has ended and voting begun. See the entries below to vote for your choice.
(Note: As the poll option is still down just post your choice in this thread.)

Like all the GITP Monster Competitions, voting is open to any and all.

Voting will end at Midnight of June 30th.

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Mile Markers

Favored of the Traveler God
Haint o’ the Crossroads
Janus Golem
Malicious Slander
The Gray Man
These Boots
Wanderwish

[strawberryman]

I'm going to have to say These Boots. Which boots? These Boots. Those boots? No, These Boots.

[DracoDei]

Favored of the Traveler God: I shall probably avoid voting for my own entry, but at least let me advertise a bit... It is a walking plot hook for intermediate level GMs to base an entire campaign around, and a very good moving target for high level characters to try to chase down. The use of the immobilized condition is both thematically appropriate to the source of their powers and a rarely used condition. Further more, I think it suits the contest definition to a T, being an eternal tourist of most of the multiverse.

Haint o' the Crossroads: I will perhaps say something later.

Janus Golem: Can they be commanded to only answer with the honest face except under specific circumstances? Seems kinda pointless otherwise...

Malicious Slander: I wish I had read a bit more a bit sooner... you are missing the exact flavor of how this causes them to want to travel, rather than just stay in one place and spread gossip (which could last until one of the victems murders the target, and his name is totally trashed if it is a large enough city). Since the theme was travel, this is an important point and means I can't really vote for this. Other than that omision (or even with it if you alter the relevant bits of the fluff about wanting to travel) it actually is a very good monster.

The Grey Man: I will perhaps say something later.

These Boots: Very creative. Nice simple execution.

Wanderwish: The use of Knowledge(Local) is very creative. I will perhaps say more later.

[Foryn Gilnith]

Malicious Slander and These Boots are the only ones that impressed me (I'm no big fan of homebrew), and the former isn't a very travelly-type being. So, while I prefer the undead, These Boots get my vote.

[Debihuman]

The Janus Golem is immune to spells that allow spell resistence, which command does. I don't see why it is pointless. It isn't that hard to figure out -- ask it a question you already know the answer to. One side will tell you the same information and the other won't.

The janus golem is my creation, so I feel somewhat obligated to at least put my hat in the ring and vote for it.


comments to my competitors listed below. This is NOT a criticism of you but only of your design. I was honest and I hope fair.

Spoiler

Show

However, I do have a sweet spot for These Boots even if it does have the wrong hit dice [should be d10 not d12 for constructs], which is probably the only reason I didn't vote for it.

Malicious Slander was really good too. It's not good enough to slaughter your enemies but to use them afterwards is even better. This is EVIL in capital letters. And Kudos for making up a nsw spell to go along with it.

Haint o' the Crossroads. First, the name is really great. I almost want to vote for it based on the name alone. I see we both took the idea of crossroads and ran with it. [Bad pun, I know]. Anyhow, it's really good.

The Favored of the Traveler God: A creature should challenge the party, not become a member and use its kewl abilities to outshine them.

The only major problem that I see with the "Favored of the Traveler God" is that it seemed wildly inappropriate for a PC. I can even put up with the character having to die first and through divine interference [DM Deus Machina] he or she become a Favored.

However, you hand out far too many benefits for a +2 LA:

You you get amazing stats (+2 Str, +2 Dex, +10 Con, +11 Int and +11 Cha). You can fly (perfect), swim and burrow.
You never really run out of money.
Your opponents miss you 20% of the time.
You can wear more armor and carry more stuff without penalty. You count as native on any plane and,
you have a patron deity watching over you.
You have an immobilizing touch attack to boot.

That's not very sporting.

Last of all, Knowledge checks are 10 + monster's HD to start. I know (now) that you don't like this particular rule but you've never said why.

BTW, you don't have to list critical 20 in the stat block. Critical hits on a D20 are standard as is double damage on a critical hit. Only if you have greater ranges should you list it. For example: (2d6+2/19-20/x3).

The wanderwish is actually a really well done monster but the name didn't really work for me because it should be identified by the games it plays not that it can give out wishes. Why wouldn't there be a line of players ready to test their skill in a dart game or something like that? However what it lacks in subtlety, it more than makes up for in being just really well done.

The gray man was unfortunately a bit lackluster. First, it is humanoid in shape thus like a doppleganger it should have the correct type and subtype. In this case, Monstrous Humanoid (shapechanger). I think you missed the call on this one. If it had tentacles or some other weird feature, it would be an aberration, but it doesn't. It just looks bland and genderless. The gear should also be listed in possessions. Last of all, I think you went too far with the magic items. It's a walking "monty haul" monster to use an old term.

Debby

[DracoDei]

The Janus Golem is immune to spells that allow spell resistence, which command does.

If I meant the spell I would probably have italicized it. I meant orders from its creator.

I don't see why it is pointless. It isn't that hard to figure out -- ask it a question you already know the answer to. One side will tell you the same information and the other won't.

I meant why would anyone build it that way, or alteratively HAVE to build it that way.

comments to my competitors listed below. This is NOT a criticism of you but only of your design. I was honest and I hope fair.

That is what these contests are supposed to be about after all!

[spoiler]
However, I do have a sweet spot for These Boots even if it does have the wrong hit dice [should be d10 not d12 for constructs], which is probably the only reason I didn't vote for it.

I missed that point and it is a valid one.

Malicious Slander was really good too. It's not good enough to slaughter your enemies but to use them afterwards is even better. This is EVIL in capital letters. And Kudos for making up a nsw spell to go along with it.

It uses the enemies of the target I think, not the enemies of the necromancer.

Haint o' the Crossroads. First, the name is really great. I almost want to vote for it based on the name alone. I see we both took the idea of crossroads and ran with it. [Bad pun, I know]. Anyhow, it's really good.

The Favored of the Traveler God confused me a bit because of this sentence: "The most highly favored of a God (or Goddess) are often rewarded with a special form or role in the afterlife." Considering that you can only become a Favored of the Traveler God is by dying, I'm not sure it would be at all appropriate for a PC.

Ghosts can be decent PCs in theory, and these have a lot fewer problems than those... all it means is that the campaign has to start at 12th level or above.

LA +2 is probably way too low. Also, what is the new form suppose to look like?

It has no true form. Mechanically it is literally an undefined medium-sized humanoid. I spent more than one sentence describing how to determine what it looks like to various types of observers. True Seeing shows all the possible forms at once, which is so bewildering that it grants concealment.

I want a creature to challenge the party not become a member and use its kewl abilities to outshine them. That's not very sporting.

What I consider its kewlest (or at least most powerful) abilities aren't even under its control. I guess that played right the Immobilizing thing is pretty powerful, but even that has many disadvantages and ways around it.

Last of all, Knowledge checks are 10 + monster's HD to start.

I know that is the official way. I don't like it and don't use it. I use 10+CR. In this case I almost was going to change it back to the official way, but I ran out of time while I was still waffling.

The wanderwish is actually a really well done monster but the name didn't really work for me because it should be identified the games it plays not that it can give out wishes. Why wouldn't there be a line of players ready to test their skill in a dart game or something like that? However what it lacks in subtlety, it more than makes up for in being just really well done.

No real comment here.

The gray man was unfortunately a bit lackluster. First, it is humanoid in shape thus like a doppleganger it should have the correct type and subtype. In this case, Monstrous Humanoid (shapechanger). I think you missed the call on this one. If it had tentacles or some other weird feature, it would be an aberration, but it doesn't. It just looks bland and genderless. The gear should also be listed in possessions. Last of all, I think you went too far with the magic items. It's a walking "monty haul" monster to use an old term. Debby

As I understand it, a sufficiently alien mindset can qualify something as an abberation, but in this case I don't think that is really present.

[Debihuman]

Sorry Draco, I misunderstood your question. If you are the creator and command it to tell the truth, only the truthful face will talk. The liar will be silent.

I was basing this creature from the Roman myth of Janus The two faces are straight from the myth. The liar/truthteller just seemed to fit. Plus it adds an extra dimension to the golem. Apparently you haven't watched Labyrinth. The liar/truthteller [knave/knight] riddle has been around a long time. It seemed appropropriate to use it here.

Debby

P.S. Of course, the liar could just say things like, "This is me not talking to you. Look I'm not talking. See I'm still not talking..."

Please forgive the endless edits to this post. I've been sick and on medication that makes me a bit loopy.

[Sereg]

I am voting for the wanderwish.

[DracoDei]

Debbi: Seen that scene, and knew that riddle before then. Still doesn't explain why a golem in any D&D setting that didn't include Janus as a deity would work especially well when made like that.

[Lysander]

Some very creative ideas here! I like all of them, but will vote for the Wanderwish because of the competition aspect.

That alone wouldn't have done it but I like giving PCs a choice to risk their lives for a wish. It could make for a very nice, very tense scene. Especially if they really need a wish for some reason. What's nice is that it gives them two choices. First, whether to risk their life or not. Second, what game to suggest.

[Debihuman]

Debbi: Seen that scene, and knew that riddle before then. Still doesn't explain why a golem in any D&D setting that didn't include Janus as a deity would work especially well when made like that.

Because it's two-faced literally and figuratively. I just used the name janus the way D&D uses "medusa". It has no ties to any particular deity.

Debby

P.S. I edited my first post mostly for your creature because I realized that I hadn't been specific enough and I wanted to clarify my position.

[Bhu]

im voting for the Gray Man

[DracoDei]

Debbi: The ability score thing is what seals it for me. Yeah... that is no good. Removing that line, and if VT decides that disqualifies me, then it disqualifies me, but I wouldn't THINK it would.

[Stycotl]

janus.

am i off topic if i come in here and vote?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

am i off topic if i come in here and vote?

Heh, you'd think. Though discussion is fine here, lengthy discussions go to the chat thread, which it has now moved to.

[Jergmo]

The gray man was unfortunately a bit lackluster. First, it is humanoid in shape thus like a doppleganger it should have the correct type and subtype. In this case, Monstrous Humanoid (shapechanger). I think you missed the call on this one. If it had tentacles or some other weird feature, it would be an aberration, but it doesn't. It just looks bland and genderless. The gear should also be listed in possessions. Last of all, I think you went too far with the magic items. It's a walking "monty haul" monster to use an old term.
Debby

Well, the total worth of its possessions is within the treasure range of a Double Standard CR 10 creature. I was going with Aberration for alien mindset.

[RiceMaxi]

I vote for the Wanderwish, though I am fairly new to homebrewing, just posted my first attempt a few days ago, I really like the Game of Dire Chance.

[Vaynor]

Wanderwish.

[BisectedBrioche]

I'm going to vote for These Boots.

[Lappy9000]

I vote for These Boots by The Gilded Duke. They're made for walkin'.

[Owrtho]

Is there a reason why The Road Less Traveled isn't up there? Because if not I vote for it. If for some reason it is not allowed, I vote for Wanderwish.

Owrtho

[kopout]

These boots where made for awesome. Much as I enjoy the malicious slander, capitol idea old bean, it isn't traveler-y enough.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Is there a reason why The Road Less Traveled isn't up there?

Yeah, because it was never finished.

[Owrtho]

Hadn't noticed. It seemed to be complete (at least crunch wise). As well. As stated I'll vote for Wanderwish then.

Owrtho

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Hadn't noticed. It seemed to be complete (at least crunch wise).

No skills, missing most of its feats, Curb Stomp left blank, etc. Too bad too, could have been a good entry.

[Kallisti]

I'm reluctantly forced to agree with about half of the previous posters. While the Malicious Slander is a homebrew creature so freakin' awesome my poor, unsuspecting players won't know what hit them (unless one of them reads this thread...) I have to vote for These Boots, because they are also awesome and fit the travel theme better.

[DracoDei]

Oh, bebother it... I beleive I shall got ahead and vote for the Haint o' the Crossroads.

[SlaadLord]

I must bow to self-interest and vote for my own entry, the Wanderwish.

[The Gilded Duke]

Ahh too bad, I was looking forward to the Road Less Traveled.
It is a tough choice, but I think I'm going to have to go with the Favored
It reminds me of a mix of Dr. Who and Two Flower.

Also, the things that could be done with a Planar Binding spell and one of the Favored fill me with delight.

[zeruslord]

I'm voting for the Favored of the Travel God