Monster Blueprint User Guide

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]]

NudgeSpace

• This is the number of SQUARES that the creature occupies, based on its size.
• You can use this value to adjust its size above or below its default size.
• Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-2.
• NOTE: If type or subtype is "Swarm", the space will default to 10 ft.
• NOTE: If type or subtype is "Troop", the space will default to 15 ft. + the normal space for the component creature size (e.g. 20 ft. for size medium)

NudgeReach

• This is the number of SQUARES that the creature can reach with its melee attacks.
• Most creatures have a reach equal to their size (e.g. 5-feet for sized medium, 10 feet for sized large, etc.).
• Values: any positive or negative number, or leave blank. Max recommended is +/-2.
• WARNING: Adding reach to a creature is very powerful, especially if they also have the combat reflexes feat.
• NOTE: If type or subtype is "Swarm", the reach will default to 0 ft.
• NOTE: If type or subtype is "Troop", the reach will default to the normal reach for the component creature size (e.g. 5 ft. for size medium)

MeleeOrNatural

• This field is MANDATORY
• Sets the kind of attacks the creature makes.
• Values: "Melee" (has ONLY a Primary attack), or "Natural" (has Pri and Sec attacks)

MultipliedDamageType

• Only applicable if the monster has a role
• Values: "Attacks" (+atks/rnd), "Damage" (+damage/rnd), or "Hybrid" (default; both +atks/+dmg), or leave blank if no role.