[4e] Monster Builder

[Yakk]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x...monsterbuilder

FAQ: http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...p?p_faqid=1883

Of interest:

Yes. Changing a monster’s level and/or role automatically changes the appropriate statistics (hit points, defences, experience point value, attack bonus, and so on) in the way outlined in Dungeon Master's Guide 2. The exception to this is when you have a custom entry from damage on an attack, you will have to change that manually.

I'm so looking forward to playing with this.

Screenshot of the application in use:

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[RTGoodman]

Yes I've got it, and yes it's awesome. It took me about 10 minutes to whip up a Level 14 Solo monster (well, to input the information and play around with it - I already had it "created" in Word). I'm gonna be playing around with it some more in just a bit, trying out editing monster, leveling and deleveling them, and maybe even turning some into minions.

[Gralamin]

Downloading now. Should be fun to fool around with, but I'm not sure if this will be as good as say, Master Plan or Asmor's.

Edit: Its alright, I guess. The ability to get powers from anywhere and hold things is nice, but until its integrated in with other tools, its not that useful to me.

Notably, I have a problem with the lack of templates.

[Dublock]

yea, the templates would be a great idea...even just the ones in the DMG would be a great start.

[Kylarra]

Looks interesting, too bad no DDI for me.

[AgentPaper]

I like it, lets me put my monster ideas down on paper, and even helps me detail them as I see each option and have to think about what origins the creature is, what equipment it might have, what it's ability scores would be, and so on.

Only problem I have right now is that, if you're making a minion, you just plain can't change the HP. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but since I plan to use pooled HP for minions instead of the normal mechanics, it'd sure be nice if I could write that in.

[Gralamin]

I like it, lets me put my monster ideas down on paper, and even helps me detail them as I see each option and have to think about what origins the creature is, what equipment it might have, what it's ability scores would be, and so on.

Only problem I have right now is that, if you're making a minion, you just plain can't change the HP. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but since I plan to use pooled HP for minions instead of the normal mechanics, it'd sure be nice if I could write that in.

Yet more reason to use Yakk's /level system

You can do a work around by say, renaming Regeneration to something like "HP Pool" and putting it in there.

[AgentPaper]

Yet more reason to use Yakk's /level system

You can do a work around by say, renaming Regeneration to something like "HP Pool" and putting it in there.

Tried that, but it just doesn't look right. Ah well, I'll wait and hope they change it. Another thing I'd like to see would be to have some kind of code, like %n or something, that you put in, and it automatically shows the creature's name. Would make it much less annoying when you change the creatures name, and then have to go change it again in all of your descriptions. Less typing too.

Anyways, after some more playing around, I've encountered a few minor bugs and slowdown, but nothing major. The biggest bug is one having to do with the equipment, and where changing one seems to change others as well, but I don't quite understand how it works. Overall, though, I'm loving the system, and especially the idea that I'm going to be able to throw these into an online game at some point. I'm starting to think more and more that the DnD online thing is really going to work.

Anyways, I'll be posting my custom creatures in a little while, because for some reason using this tool has sparked my creative juices to make a pretty interesting set of creatures, at least in my opinion.

[tid1000]

Played around with it for quite awhile last night.
Its handy, and the search engine works nicely which is very important with the number of powers that exist.
I did notice that when you change a mobs gear (specficially) armor, it does not appear to be updating Armor class. Again, another lack that I hope they will fix.
All in all, its a download, so its worth it to me to put it on my laptop and be able to export monster cards into Word while I work on adventures from away from home.

I'm sure they will add in templates later on before the actual release, with hopefully some more goodies as well.

[Mando Knight]

Tiamat is missing. Her aspect is there, as is Vecna, but the Five-Fold Mother herself is missing.

[Burley]

Tiamat is statted out in the Draconomicon, isn't she? Or am I thinking the Dracoblahmicon 2?

[tbarrie]

Tiamat is missing. Her aspect is there, as is Vecna, but the Five-Fold Mother herself is missing.

Yeah, it's on the Known Issues. Tiamat's too complicated for the beta version.

[RTGoodman]

Yeah, it's on the Known Issues. Tiamat's too complicated for the beta version.

I'm also assuming that's why she STILL hasn't appeared in the Compendium. Everything else is, as far as I know, but she's not. I thought they just wanted people to pay the $40 JUST for her stats, but now that might only be PART of the case.

[AgentPaper]

I did notice that when you change a mobs gear (specficially) armor, it does not appear to be updating Armor class. Again, another lack that I hope they will fix.

What equipment you give them is purely flavor, and isn't supposed to affect their damage/AC/stats. You can use it to explain their higher-than-normal AC, or damage, but in the end the actual value of those is based on what is balanced, not on how much AC a player with those stats would have, or how much damage that weapon normally does.

[Gralamin]

What equipment you give them is purely flavor, and isn't supposed to affect their damage/AC/stats. You can use it to explain their higher-than-normal AC, or damage, but in the end the actual value of those is based on what is balanced, not on how much AC a player with those stats would have, or how much damage that weapon normally does.

Unless your making an NPC, who has a lot of stuff generated as if they were players. NPCs cannot be created with this either.

[AgentPaper]

Unless your making an NPC, who has a lot of stuff generated as if they were players. NPCs cannot be created with this either.

Well, if you're making an NPC that uses the same rules as a PC, then I would assume you would use the Character Builder to make them, not the Monster Builder.

[Gralamin]

Well, if you're making an NPC that uses the same rules as a PC, then I would assume you would use the Character Builder to make them, not the Monster Builder.

I'm talking about the rules from page 186-188 in the DMG. Among other things, you calculate Defenses as if they were a PC, then add a bonus, and then if you give them a magic item, subtract magic threshold from the Magic Item bonus. They're half way between Monsters and characters.

[AgentPaper]

I'm talking about the rules from page 186-188 in the DMG. Among other things, you calculate Defenses as if they were a PC, then add a bonus, and then if you give them a magic item, subtract magic threshold from the Magic Item bonus. They're half way between Monsters and characters.

Ah, right. Forgot about that. Not a huge deal that they don't include it, at least for me, (since I've never used those rules) but I wouldn't mind seeing them as an option you toggle.

[tbarrie]

What equipment you give them is purely flavor, and isn't supposed to affect their damage/AC/stats.

Page 174 of the DMG has explicit rules for how changing what armour a monster is wearing affects its AC. (And no, it appears the Monster Builder doesn't follow those rules.)

[TheOOB]

You should do a bug report, that is why it's in beta.

[RTGoodman]

(And no, it appears the Monster Builder doesn't follow those rules.)

Of course, I do believe the Monster Builder is based on the new/updated rules that'll be in DMG2 later this year. That could be part of it.

[KIDS]

It's a superb application and I really like it. I was developing even solo monsters in matter of minutes before, making it blazing fast now. A far cry from the days of determining types, subtypes, templates and feats that took ages.