Minecraft Monsters in d&d

[Rephath]

Nature doesn't have to be aboveground. Caves that aren't man-made count as nature too.

Yeah, caves are natural. But what is all that plant matter doing so far from the surface?

[Inevitability]

Sorry to kept you waiting.

Nether Ghast
Huge Magical Beast (fire, extraplanar)
5d10+15 (42 hp)
Speed fly 20 ft. (4 squares) (Good)
Initiative: +5
Armor Class 19 (+5 dex, -2 size, +6 natural); touch 13; flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple +5/+16
Attack: Tentacle +6 (1d8+3) or Fire Charge (see text)
Full-Attack: 4 Tentacles +6 (1d8+3) or Fire Charges (see text)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Fire Charge
Special Qualities: Immunity to Fire, Vulnerability to Cold, Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +3
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Intimidate +14
Feats: Ability focus (Fire Charge), Improved natural armor
Environment: Plane of Fire or The Nether
Organization Name: Solitary or group (2-3)
Challenge Rating: 5
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (huge), 10-15 HD (gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

A huge, white creature slowly floats towards you, its eyes closed. Suddenly, it emits a high-pitched moan, and spits a fireball at you.

Nether Ghasts, not to be confused with the undead of the same name, roam planes where fire is common. They are fiercely territorial, spitting fireballs at every new creature they come across. However, they will not pursue enemies beyond the borders of their territory. Their frightening appearance has caught many who venture in their territories of guard.

Tactics: Nether Ghasts open fire as soon as they spot an enemy, not wasting any time on other things. They only cease fire if their enemies are dead, have fled the battlefield or aren't visible anymore. A Nether Ghast's limited brain capacity leaves little room for other tactics.

Fire Charge (Su): As a standard action, a Nether Ghast can emit a small fireball, and send it at its foes. When the Nether Ghast decides to use this ability, it spits a fiery orb, that flies in a straight line at a square within 400 feet. All creatures within 15 feet of the point of impact take 3d12 fire and bludgeoning damage (objects take double damage). All creatures can also make a reflex saving throw (DC 19) for half damage. The save DC is dexterity-based.
A creature can also ready an action to deflect the Fire Charge. It must make an attack roll against an AC of 20. If it succeeds, the fireball flies back at the Nether Ghast, who must make a DC 19 reflex save to avoid it or be hit for full damage itself.

Skills: A Ghast has a +8 racial bonus on intimidate checks.



Sample Encounters:

(EL 5): A lone Nether Ghast, who was brought into our world by a summoning ritual that went wrong, has escaped and now roams the land. The PC's are tasked with killing it.

(EL 8): Three Nether Ghasts attack the players as they make their way through The Nether. These Nether Ghasts have managed to work together in defending a common territory, something not many of their kind can accomplish.

(EL 11): An Human ranger (9th level) has managed to capture and train a Nether Ghast. (Advanced to 11 HD) He has already conquered a keep with his new mount, and few dare to challenge him. The PC's are asked to dispose of the tyrant.

Summon Monster:

Any character can choose to summon Nether Ghasts with the spell Summon Monster V. If they choose to do so, they forever lose the ability to summon a Medium Elemental.

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I was at loss when choosing the type. I eventually went for magical beast, but I'm sure there are people out here who are going to shout 'outsider'!

As always, feedback is more than appreciated.

[enderlord99]

...I'm pretty sure Ghasts aren't Chaotic-Neutral. As a matter of fact, I think they should have the Evil subtype.

[Inevitability]

I don't think The Nether could be considered Evil by its nature. It is more akin to the Elemental plane of Fire than hell to me. Also, the closest thing to a sentient lifeform there (zombie pigman) seem True Neutral to me, as opposed to evil. And mindless destruction isn't Evil per se. Take a look at the Tarrasque.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Is there any benefit to taking a full round action to use fire charge?

[Hytheter]

Personally I always figured that Creepers were fungal organisms. The detonation is a spore dispersal method, and the reason they explode when near living creatures is that the spores thrive in (preferably dead) organic matter.

Why are they scared of cats? The developers thought it would be funny...

edit: Shouldn't Ghasts be Outsiders or maybe Aberrations or Undead? I don't think Magical Beast fits.

[toapat]

Personally I always figured that Creepers were fungal organisms. The detonation is a spore dispersal method, and the reason they explode when near living creatures is that the spores thrive in (preferably dead) organic matter.

Why are they scared of cats? The developers thought it would be funny...

edit: Shouldn't Ghasts be Outsiders or maybe Aberrations or Undead? I don't think Magical Beast fits.

pretty sure that they are supposed to be incorporal undead Their Hitbox is something like 4*4*4 when their body is 8*8*8

[Inevitability]

edit: Shouldn't Ghasts be Outsiders or maybe Aberrations or Undead? I don't think Magical Beast fits.

I already thought people were going to bring this up. Okay then.
Ghasts are definitely not undead, as the Smite enchantment in Minecraft doesn't deal bonus damage against them.
IMO, outsiders are more like the sapient, humanlike inhabitants of other planes, while extraplanar creatures who aren't really intelligent, like the Ghast, or celestial/fiendish creatures are magical beasts.
Aberration would be possible. I just think MB fits Ghasts a little better, as it gives them physical good saves (fortitude, reflex) instead of mental (will).

Is there any benefit to taking a full round action to use fire charge?

No. It is just noted there because statblocks have it that way. Take the Orc statblock, for example:

Attack: Falchion +4 melee (2d4+4/18-20) or javelin +1 ranged (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Falchion +4 melee (2d4+4/18-20) or javelin +1 ranged (1d6+3)

pretty sure that they are supposed to be incorporal undead Their Hitbox is something like 4*4*4 when their body is 8*8*8

The hitbox was fixed. They aren't incorporal for sure, since you can just hit them with nonmagical weapons, they can't float through walls, and have nothing indicating they are ghost-like.

[Inevitability]

I'm thinking of doing the Silverfish next. Should I make it a swarm? Or just individual? Or both? What do you think?

[Dracomortis]

I recommend renaming the ghast to "nether ghast", since "ghast" is already a creature in D&D.

[Grod_The_Giant]

No. It is just noted there because statblocks have it that way. Take the Orc statblock, for example:

In that case, I wouldn't specify in the ability write-up-- it's needlessly confusing.

[Hytheter]

I already thought people were going to bring this up. Okay then.
Ghasts are definitely not undead, as the Smite enchantment in Minecraft doesn't deal bonus damage against them.
IMO, outsiders are more like the sapient, humanlike inhabitants of other planes, while extraplanar creatures who aren't really intelligent, like the Ghast, or celestial/fiendish creatures are magical beasts.
Aberration would be possible. I just think MB fits Ghasts a little better, as it gives them physical good saves (fortitude, reflex) instead of mental (will).

Wait, really? Smite doesn't work? Well how about that
But Outsiders are definitely not all "humanlike", and a few aren't much more intellegent than animals (and we don't really have any measure for how intellegent a Ghast is). The only quality you've listed which applies to all outsiders (outside of say... level 20 monks...) is "inhabitants of other planes" which I think we can certainly agree applies to Ghasts. They even have the fire immunity of certain fiends.
Magical Beasts on the other hand are generally similar to or based on aspects of real animals. In fact, that's basically their SRD description. Hydras, Unicorns, Owlbears, Giant Eagles etc. Beasts that are magical, basically. The Ghasts in minecraft on the other hand are almost totally alien - flying white blobs with a collection of hanging tendrils, an almost human-like face and the creepiest cries around.
So if they aren't outsiders, I still say they're definitely aberrations. Magical Beast just doesn't fit.

[toapat]

Ghasts are definitely not undead, as the Smite enchantment in Minecraft doesn't deal bonus damage against them.

Ghasts dont have an enchantment against them because playing Fireball tennis with them neither consumes weapon durability and on a proper return the fireball oneshots the ghast.

[Inevitability]

I recommend renaming the ghast to "nether ghast", since "ghast" is already a creature in D&D.

In that case, I wouldn't specify in the ability write-up-- it's needlessly confusing.

Changed it and changed it.

Ghasts dont have an enchantment against them because playing Fireball tennis with them neither consumes weapon durability and on a proper return the fireball oneshots the ghast.

It's still possible to hit them with swords, either through jumping from a high place or just pulling them in with a fishing rod. The fact that Minecraft designers have paid attention to little details in the past indicates that if Ghasts were truly undead, they'd be affected by smite.

Wait, really? Smite doesn't work? Well how about that
But Outsiders are definitely not all "humanlike", and a few aren't much more intellegent than animals (and we don't really have any measure for how intellegent a Ghast is). The only quality you've listed which applies to all outsiders (outside of say... level 20 monks...) is "inhabitants of other planes" which I think we can certainly agree applies to Ghasts. They even have the fire immunity of certain fiends.
Magical Beasts on the other hand are generally similar to or based on aspects of real animals. In fact, that's basically their SRD description. Hydras, Unicorns, Owlbears, Giant Eagles etc. Beasts that are magical, basically. The Ghasts in minecraft on the other hand are almost totally alien - flying white blobs with a collection of hanging tendrils, an almost human-like face and the creepiest cries around.
So if they aren't outsiders, I still say they're definitely aberrations. Magical Beast just doesn't fit.

Minor nitpick, the fire immunity is a result of the fire subtype. Things like fire elementals have it too. It is in no way related to being an outsider.
However, I am now seriously considering changing the Nether Ghasts to Aberration. Anyone else who cares to give his opinion?

[Inevitability]

They are annoying, they are tiny, and they are pretty creepy. I present you: Silverfish!

Silverfish
Tiny Vermin
1d8 (4 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); burrow 10 ft. (2 squares)
Initiative: +0
Armor Class 16 (+2 size , +3 natural, +1 dex); touch 13; flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple +0/-12
Attack: Bite +3 (1d3-4)
Full-Attack: Bite +3 (1d3-4)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Distress call
Saves: Fort +2 Ref +2 Will +0
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 13, Con 11, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: -
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Lightning Reflexes (B)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Swarm (3-20)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2-4 HD (tiny)
Level Adjustment: -

A insectoid creature skitters towards you. Ten feet away from you, it borrows into stone. As you look closer, you see that many of the stones you are close to bear marks created by such a creature's teeth.

These creatures dwell deep underground, sometimes lying dormant for years before a prey comes across. They are encountered in swarms, of which a couple of members are always active. If these are attacked or spot prey, the emit a high-pitched shriek that awakens other Silverfish within range.

Tactics: Being mindless, a Silverfish can't learn or deduct something. It does have the instinctual capacity to shriek first instead of directly attacking when it spots prey. When all other creatures close by are killed or have fled, Silverfish feast upon any corpses that were left behind, even of their own kind, and then burrow back into stone, leaving almost no trace of their presence.

Burrow (Ex): When a Silverfish burrows, it does not leave behind a tunnel. In fact, the only way to notice that a Silverfish recently burrowed into something is by making a DC 20 spot check. 2d4 days after borrowing into a rock, the Silverfish' traces faint and are not longer noticeable.

Distress Call (Ex): As an immediate action whenever it is damaged, a Silverfish will emit a high noise. Any other Silverfish within 30 feet that can hear the Silverfish have a 50% chance of immediately bursting from their rocky homes, becoming visible to all. A Silverfish can also use this ability as a standard action, although it rarely does so.

Sample Encounters:

(EL 2): A small group of four silverfish are disturbed by the PC's as they move through a dungeon. They immediately attack, hoping to gain an easy meal.

(EL 3): Three Silverfish (4 HD each) who were trained to search for valuable metals, have escaped from their keepers and now attack any living creature they see.

(EL 5): Fourteen Silverfish, of which seven are still hidden in rocks, attack the PC's. This battle's EL is reduced to account for the fact that only half of the enemies are present at the start of the battle.

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Sorry for the short post, it's late where I live.

Again, feedback as much as you like. (Feedback isn't a verb? Now it is.)

[IllogicalBlox]

I play Minecraft too! Love the monsters (even though I only play 4e.)

[JonathonWilder]

To make a suggestion for a small edit or alternative view, Game Theory makes a very good case for creepers being plant creatures:

((Warning possibility of seeing some jokes as a bit tasteless))

[TheTurboTornado]

Don't forget that creepers, when hit with a lightning-based attack, turn supercharged. I recommend giving them Immunity to lightning and a special custom ability. Also, dimension door for Enderman seems a little OP, isn't it better to use misty step?

[PoeticDwarf]

Don't forget that creepers, when hit with a lightning-based attack, turn supercharged. I recommend giving them Immunity to lightning and a special custom ability. Also, dimension door for Enderman seems a little OP, isn't it better to use misty step?

This isn't 5e, this is 3.5 so no misty steps.

[TheTurboTornado]

This isn't 5e, this is 3.5 so no misty steps.

Not? That sucks, I love that spell.