GITP Monster Competition Chat Thread

[The Vorpal Tribble]

It ends at Midnight of the 20th. Still got 25 hours to go or so.

[The Glyphstone]

Well, I've added my contribution, the Butchery Golem - but I'm not sure if it's "gory" enough to stand a decent chance - it's violent and dangerous, but not excessively disgusting - opinions? I might end up withdrawing it to save for a future, more appropriate contest if it seems out of place for this month.

[BisectedBrioche]

I've added a lore section to my Cruor Skeleton.

[Nelphine]

The Glyphstone I wouldn't worry too much about it; your butchery golem totally is appropriate this month, even if some of the entries above are more excessively disgusting.
I like that your entry is an 'off' monster type for this entry; not a vermin or an aberration or an outsider (which are the ones that seemed most obvious to me, thus why I chose an 'off' monster type myself.)
I say leave it here! And please don't ever attack me or my empire with an army of those golems!

[DracoDei]

In answer to Evil Elitist's comment on the contest thread (partially my fault for the way I felt I had to format the link I gave him):

The dialog is some adventurers who know they will be facing these things and want to make sure that they can wash themselves off after they get... "stuff" sprayed in their faces (or just the general splatter of combat). The cleric states that he was tempted to use some of his 1st level spell slots for Create Water in addition to having filled all of his 0th level spell slots with that spell.

[DracoDei]

As I said on the voting thread... I seriously think the Syncophatic Specter should be given a special award for being so "Stephen King" (and thus not really fitting the contest). The slow build of terror it implies to me is so far removed from the "in you face nature" of this contest... and so much harder to achieve.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

That may be so, Draco, however the point of this month was for cheap, bloody thrills.

A couple Octobers back however the specter would have fit much better, as that contest was devoted to dread and eeriness. 'Fear Itself' it was called.

[DracoDei]

That may be so, Draco, however the point of this month was for cheap, bloody thrills.

A couple Octobers back however the specter would have fit much better, as that contest was devoted to dread and eeriness. 'Fear Itself' it was called.

Hence the word "special"... I SAID it didn't fit...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Hence the word "special"... I SAID it didn't fit...

Hey, it's a good creation but I don't go givin' out special awards because it doesn't fit the theme as well as the others

[DracoDei]

Hmmm... interesting subject... in trying to think of what to do, an idea struck me... and was rejected as being too trite... still, I think it is worth mentioning, if only for the amusement of the group:
House Elves! House Elves! Who can say no to those big, bulging eyes?

[Penguinizer]

Well, I'd call my creature done. Other than fixes. Although, might scrap it, and replace it with a cheese monster. Why do I want to create a malign wheel of cheese? I have no effing idea.

[Vrel]

I believe my Entry is ready! As this is my first Start to finish homebrew monster, any Critiques are much appreciated. My biggest concern is the CR. I followed the SRDs method for calculating CR, so it should turn out all right, but it seemed weird at the time. Once again, Comments and critiques are all appreciated.

[BisectedBrioche]

Well I spell checked and submitted my entry a while ago, and just now I discovered I can't even draw a cube with legs in any sort of serious style.

[DracoDei]

I believe my Entry is ready! As this is my first Start to finish homebrew monster, any Critiques are much appreciated. My biggest concern is the CR. I followed the SRDs method for calculating CR, so it should turn out all right, but it seemed weird at the time. Once again, Comments and critiques are all appreciated.

Just off the top of my head: Strength should be - or 10 (probably 10) and it shouldn't have a weapon/attack that can do hit-point damage unless you give a specific explaination (just say that in their hands the weapon counts as Ghost Touch if you don't feel like being more specific than that).

[DracoDei]

Have a question or two about how "Sudden Strike" class feature works:
Ninja's are the main class that get it, right?
Combined with the "Quick Draw" feat is it reasonable that my creation (see below for synopsis) could draw a sword with the twisted corner of a sheet and strike at someone about to attack someone lying on top of them and get the bonus damage?

Anyway, it is a bit rough to post right now, but I wanted to give a few details on my entry for this month so I can start getting feedback sooner rather than later. My tentative title is "Lord of Rest". They are animated (but movement speed 0 ft) beds that sing their occupants to sleep telepathically and have ranks in and/or racial bonuses to Perform(Singing OR Storytelling) and Profession(Masseuse). They grow larger with their occupant and reproduce via asexual budding to produce one or more folding-leg cribs beneath themselves. Reproduction is triggered by occupants of the bed accomplishing the same and matches the number of children conceived. The cribs generally are completed and detach well before the fleshed mother gives birth. The Cribs will then grow with their occupants becoming trundle beds, then regular beds of a size suitable for their occupant, and putting on a growth spurt when the usual occupant becomes engaged. Their favored class is Bard for Neutral and Chaotic ones, and Expert for Lawful ones.


P.S. Brace yourselves... the stats are in a table again and this time it covers every size class... simply because newborn grigs benefit from a perfect mattress just as much as Titan couples do.

[Vrel]

Just off the top of my head: Strength should be - or 10 (probably 10) and it shouldn't have a weapon/attack that can do hit-point damage unless you give a specific explaination (just say that in their hands the weapon counts as Ghost Touch if you don't feel like being more specific than that).

Gah! missed that! He has no strength score since he is incorporeal.. therefore it should be - not 0. also, forgot to explain that his weapons count as ghost touch.

[DracoDei]

Well I spell checked and submitted my entry a while ago, and just now I discovered I can't even draw a cube with legs in any sort of serious style.

YOU also have your abilities wrong. Con should be -, not 0. Int should be AT LEAST 2 for the level of planning you have shown it to have, and Wis should probably be 10 (and must, according to RAW be at least 1).

[DracoDei]

Devouring Domicile

Colossal Construct (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 10d10+80 (135 hp)

10 HD seems a bit on the small side actually... my MMII (3.0 edition) recommends at least 32 HD for colossal constructs in all but the most unusual cases and 10 wouldn't get it above Large in their rules.

Speed: None, immobile

Should this be "0 ft."? Most of the rooted plant creatures I have seen use that convention.

Armor Class:

(-3), touch -3, flat-footed -3

Traditional to list out the contributers to the armorclass even in such simple cases as this (where the AC is the same no matter what the particulars).
MIGHT give them NA... since most constructs get it, but I can understand giving them Hardness instead.

Environment: Towns, Villages and Distant planes that man ought not know.

If you cast "Banishment" on them while you or someone else are inside them do the occupants end up being sent with it? Maybe a Will save for the occupants if the Domicile fails its save? How is this generally handled in cases where something that gets banished is grappling/has swallowed whole another being?

Advancement: None

I think that advanced versions should be possible.

Once you enter, the door swings close as by a breeze and you feel quite content to just stay here...

Devouring Domicile is an animal like beast thats made its way into this world by an unlikely spell. Confused and hungry, it seeks to be useful and content, by gathering guests and keeping then, by force if needed.

How amenable are they to letting people go if it can be communicated to them that the will receive a Banishment in return?



Edit:
I don't see much "Devouring" going on here... you mention them being "hungry" but all I see supported by the crunch is them keeping people prisoner. Also, being that lonely doesn't strike me as a very Int 1 type of thing to do... much less recognizing weapons for what they are so as to hide them before initiating combat.

[Kyace]

10 HD seems a bit on the small side actually... my MMII (3.0 edition) recommends at least 32 HD for colossal constructs in all but the most unusual cases and 10 wouldn't get it above Large in their rules.

This isn't a construct that is meant for melee combat. If it had 32 HD, its save DCs would be 28ish. I suspect that this is one of the unusual cases.

Should this be "0 ft."? Most of the rooted plant creatures I have seen use that convention.

That seems to be what the Shrieker Fungus uses which is the only motionless monster I could find in the SRD.

Traditional to list out the contributers to the armorclass even in such simple cases as this (where the AC is the same no matter what the particulars).
MIGHT give them NA... since most constructs get it, but I can understand giving them Hardness instead.

The house itself cannot dodge attacks, this seems to be the very thing hardness was meant to cover.

If you cast "Banishment" on them while you or someone else are inside them do the occupants end up being sent with it? Maybe a Will save for the occupants if the Domicile fails its save? How is this generally handled in cases where something that gets banished is grappling/has swallowed whole another being?

If your friend banishes it while you're still in it, I would think you're boned. I don't know how it is typically handled. The house itself has a way to teleport or it may wait in some distant plane for a hundred years until someone else missummons it with Secure Shelter.

I think that advanced versions should be possible.

I havn't totally ruled the idea out yet, but I don't have enough idea together at this point to put out a balanced advance-able monster so I won't.

How amenable are they to letting people go if it can be communicated to them that the will receive a Banishment in return?

Int 1 is roughly as smart as a shark or a snake. If there was such a way to begin communications, you'd have the same problems: it couldn't grasp many of the ideas of what you are trying to say.

Edit:
I don't see much "Devouring" going on here... you mention them being "hungry" but all I see supported by the crunch is them keeping people prisoner. Also, being that lonely doesn't strike me as a very Int 1 type of thing to do... much less recognizing weapons for what they are so as to hide them before initiating combat.

Most animals can be trained to fear a whip. Int 1 means it can learn and remember, thus learning to dispose of weapons may not be beyond what can be learned. Devouring is a bit of a misnomer here, the body is never eaten. Instead, the characters who enter the house tend to be more and more reclusive. It is possible that the characters can live for a long while in the house, spells that summon food and water are fairly easy to get. This isn't meant to be a jump out of chair scared encounter, maybe the dawning horror that they can't power attack/cloudkill their way pass a foe. I've been told that there are two worse fears that players have for their characters: death and imprisonment. Most would choose death.

Thanks for looking over the monster, I'll redo the 0' speed to be more clear.

[DracoDei]

To GloryTome regarding Gordo:
1.) Explain the appearance, behavior, etc for this creature clearly, vividly, and with enough detail that someone who has never HEARD of Kirby can understand the creature well enough to run it as an encounter from your entry alone without looking up the creature on other web-pages or what have you.
2.) Are you sure this fits the theme, and if so, how?
3.) Please use bolding, lower case 'd's for XdY notation, etc... it is little things that make the entry clear, and let the quality of one's work shine through. If you don't know how to do this, ask around and/or look at the Sticky thread "Guide to Homebrewing".

[CabbageTheif]

are we allowed to add sketches or pictures?

[DracoDei]

I have seen pictures in previous contests, including the last one, so by all means, please do so.

[Fax Celestis]

Dust Bunnies are posted.

[Skelengar]

Woo Hoo! Go dust bunnies! I think that if they build up enough they should be able to crush people beneath a giant wave of dust.

My players would be so surprised.

Sjach (NPC): It's actually for the better that we're restricted to the accadamy library. Back when I was here, there were always loose magic expreiments, such as-
Voice: Dust bunnies! Run!
Sjach: For example.
Players: What the hell?

This would be about when they are enveloped by a massive wave of dust bunnies.

[BisectedBrioche]

based on my experience they should have the ability to trigger hayfever...

[DracoDei]

Hmmm.... what are the rules for taking a dust bunny as a familiar? And what ability would they grant?
+3 to hide checks indoors?
Resistance to Electricity 2 (or maybe as high as 5)?

P.S. Although I am not done with ALL the details, especially of the fluff, I am going to go ahead and post my Lords of Rest. Note especially that the LAs should be taken with more than a grain of salt. Please Critique.

[Fax Celestis]

Hmmm.... what are the rules for taking a dust bunny as a familiar? And what ability would they grant?
+3 to hide checks indoors?
Resistance to Electricity 2 (or maybe as high as 5)?

Hm. I'll ponder such and see what I come up with.

[Vrel]

i should have known that my dreams of doing well in my first Monster competition would be dashed by the likes of Fax and DracoDei...Excellent submissions, both of you. I am also Curious about taking the dust bunny as a familiar.

Also, with the Ashling, are there any rules for it becoming a swarm? suppose they could manifest several into one hearth and create a catastrophic fire...sure they didnt mean to! But hey, it could happen. I would be interested to see how they may react to home invaders (fat man coming down a chimney for example...)

[belboz]

Behold the mighty mouseman!

Anyway, the mousefolk are still missing their lore and a plot-hook, but their stats are now up. Feedback much appreciated, especially about whether a +1 LA is appropriate (I've never created a creature with an LA before).

Thanks!

[Lord Tataraus]

As a new creature-brewer, I present the Hearth Protector becuase the world needs more good-aligned undead

Though I do have a question, what are the class skills for undead? I only have access to the online SRD and I can't find that. Also, critiques are needed, I'm not that good at figuring out CR so I wouldn't be surprised if I was way off and I'd like any comments

Thanks in advance!

P.S. Fax, those dust bunnies made me laugh, ingenious!