Monster Blueprint User Guide
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This page details how to use the minimalist blank monster blueprint, including a list of valid values for each field. You can also use a version of the blueprint which includes comments directly in the blueprint, located here: Blank Blueprint.
CR
- values: any integer between 1 and 40.
- this field is mandatory.
Monster Name
- this field is mandatory.
Image
- just put the file name, with the file name extension. E.g. Monster.jpg
- optional, but do it anyway, slacker.
Role
- values: Heavy, Killer, Leader, Minion, Shooter, Sneak, Tank, Threat, Villain, or leave blank
Description
- Be as detailed as possible, and try to include the following:
- physical description
- culture of the monster, if any
- local beliefs or common knowledge about the monster
- do not include:
- descriptions of special abilities
- descriptions of combat tactics
- this is the information a player will get if they succeed on a basic lore check, so it should contain at least some useful information.
Alignment
- Values: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Good, Neutral, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil
Size
- Values: Fine, Diminutive, Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gargantuan, Colossal, Titanic, Titanic +, Titanic ++, Titanic +++, etc.
Type
- Values: Aberration, Animal, Construct, Dragon, Fey, Humanoid, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Ooze, Outsider, Plant, Protean, Swarm, Troop, Undead, Vermin
Subtype
- values: demon, devil, evil, good, earth, air, fire, water, etc.
- this can be as descriptive or vague as you like.
- can also be a second type, if applicable.
- optional
NudgeBasicLoreValue
- This field lets you alter the DC of the basic knowledge check for this monster (default is double the monster's CR)
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
NudgeFullLoreValue
- This field lets you alter the DC of the full knowledge check for this monster (default is 15 + double the monster's CR)
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
NudgeInit
- Allows you to adjust the initiative of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-8
Senses
- Provide a list of the senses the monster possesses.
- Copy and paste the links from the list below, for each of the monster's senses, and also list the range of the sense, if applicable.
[[Standard Senses]] [[Blind]] to Vision [[Blind]] to Sound [[Blind]] to Smell [[Low-Light Vision]] [[Darkvision]] [[Heartsight]] [[Keen Hearing]] [[Precise Hearing]] [[Echolocation]] [[Scent]] [[Keen Scent]] [[Perfect Scent]] [[Airsense]] [[Blindsense]] [[Cloudsense]] [[Lifesense]] [[Mindsense]] [[Tremorsense]]
NudgePerception
- Allows you to adjust the perception of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-8
NudgeAC
- Allows you to adjust the AC of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
NudgeTouchAC
- Allows you to adjust the Touch AC of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
NudgeFFAC
- Allows you to adjust the Flat-Footed AC of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
Nudge-Maneuver-Defense
- Allows you to adjust the Maneuver Defense of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-4
Maneuver-Defense-Notes
- Text about specific bonuses to Maneuver Defense (e.g. "+4 vs Grapples")
NudgeHitPoints
- Allows you to adjust the hit points of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Added to the base HP total (after role, if any)
Fort / Refl / Will
- State whether this is a strong or weak save for the monster.
- Values: S (for Strong save), leave blank for Weak save
- Most monsters have 1 strong save and 2 weak saves
- Heavies, Tanks, Threats and Villains have 2 strong saves
- Dragons usually have 3 strong saves
NudgeFort / NudgeRefl / NudgeWill
- Allows you to adjust the hit points of the monster, up or down, from the base for its CR.
- Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-3
SpecialDefenses
- This is where any Damage Resistance (DR) or Energy Resistance (ER) values should be listed.
StrongAgainst
- This is where any 'immunity' or 'hardened' values should be listed.
- immunities based on type (e.g. Vermin) or role (e.g. Threat) are automatically added
Hide-Role-Strong-Against-1
- Use this field if you don't want the "strong against" value from the monster's role to be shown.
- Values: Values: Y (for yes) or leave blank (to leave 'Strong Against' values for role (if any))
- only applicable if the monster has a role.
Hide-Type-Strong-Against-1 (through 6)
- Use these fields if you don't want the "strong against" value from the monster's type to be shown.
- Usually, you should save the template to see what shows up, and find the number of any parts of the list you want to exclude.
- Values: Values: Y (for yes) or leave blank (to leave 'Strong Against' values for type (if any))
Hide-Subtype-Strong-Against-1 (through 6)
- Use these fields if you don't want the "strong against" value from the monster's subtype to be shown.
- Usually, you should save the template to see what shows up, and find the number of any parts of the list you want to exclude.
- Values: Values: Y (for yes) or leave blank (to leave 'Strong Against' values for subtype (if any))
- only applicable if the listed subtype is by itself, and is one of the 'type' values.
WeakAgainst
- This is where any 'vulnerable' or 'defenseless' values should be listed.
- Put any 'vulnerable' or 'defenseless' values here; vulnerabilities based on type (e.g. Vermin) are automatically added.
Hide-Type-Weak-Against-1
- Use these fields if you don't want the "weak against" value from the monster's type to be shown.
- Usually, you should save the template to see what shows up, and find the number of any parts of the list you want to exclude.
- Values: Values: Y (for yes) or leave blank (to leave 'Weak Against' values for type (if any))
Hide-Subtype-Weak-Against-1
- Use these fields if you don't want the "weak against" value from the monster's subtype to be shown.
- Usually, you should save the template to see what shows up, and find the number of any parts of the list you want to exclude.
- Values: Values: Y (for yes) or leave blank (to leave 'Weak Against' values for subtype (if any))
- only applicable if the listed subtype is by itself, and is one of the 'type' values.
MoveTypes
- Provide a list of the movement types the monster possesses.
- Copy and paste the links from the list below, for each of the monster's movement types, and also list the range of the movement, if applicable.
[[Burrowing]] [[Tunneling]] [[Earth Glide]] [[Lesser Climb]] [[Greater Climb]] [[Brachiating]] [[Hover]] [[Lesser Flight]] [[Greater Flight]] [[Lesser Swim]] [[Greater Swim]] [[Jet]] [[Lesser Teleport]] [[Greater Teleport]]