Monster Generation Traits

In a previous post I talked about the tables I use to generate monsters. Here they are. As a warning, these tables are not provided with numbers to roll on, because they don't come out evenly. Either find an online random number generator or pad out your own table. Or just raid mine for ideas.

The monsters come out best when the traits are not particularly random, but with well chosen numbers of each type of trait. The two sets I use most often are

• one movement, one combat, one random, one weakness
• one movement, one senses, two special, one random, two weakness

The first gives a minor creature that is quite focused and is going to be at most either match for one champion or a puzzle monster. The second gives a creature that is not particularly powerful in combat but has a unique suite of abilities. Of course, if you want a combat monster, you can always just roll on the combat table three times and add in a movement or a sense. 

Movement Traits

Movement traits enable movement from one place to another. They may speed up the creature, add a new mode of travel, or allow it to move undetected. 

1.                    Amphibious and Doesn't breath
2.                    Alternate form (rapid, small animal with good move)
3.                    Alternate form (rapid, Different Monster)
4.                    Alternate form (rapid, Human)
5.                    Alternate form (rapid, Gaseous Form)
6.                    Brachiator and Super climbing 5
7.                    Clinging
8.                    Catfall + Clinging (special)
9.                    Enhanced Move .5 (air) + flight (gliding, small wings)',chance: 1},
10.                    Enhanced Move 1 (ground)
11.                    Enhanced Move 1.5 (ground),horizontal
12.                    flight(small wings), -4 ST
13.                    Silence 5
14.                    Stretching 4
15.                    Passable as human (unnatural features 3)
16.                    Elastic Skin
17.                    Invisibility (only vs. mortals)
18.                    Insubstantial (only vs. mortals,always on)
19.                    Insubstantial(not vs weakness),Weakness *3 )
20.                    Mimicry + Illusion
21.                    Obscure  10 (Defensive,always on)
22.                    Shadow Form
23.                    Super Jump 2
24.                    Super Jump 3 (costs 2 FP)
25.                    Terrain Adaptation + enhanced move 1 (terrain only)
26.                    Walk on Air
27.                    Warp (Blind only, 20 yards)

Combat Traits

Combat traits are about dealing damage, impairing enemies immediately present, and stopping attacks.

1.   basic speed +1
2.   Extra arms 2
3.   Extra attack 1
4.   Extra Head 1
5.   Enhanced Defenses 1 (all)
6.   Magic Resistance 3 (improved) and Resistant to Psi (+3)
7.   Penetrating voice and Terror (audible, takes 15 second recharge)
8.   Psi Static
9.   Regeneration (Regular)
10.   "Striking ST 5
11.   Unfazable and Will +2
12.   +3 DR and Harden or stiffen DR
13.   Make Caster (all at 13) or +2 to all casting
14.   Range 5 jet at brawling and kicking damage, 1 FP
15.   Poison Bite (HT-5 1d toxic 10 seconds 6 cycles)
16.   Poison Bite (HT daze, secondary unconscious)
17.   Affliction (agony)
18.   Affliction (plauge)
19.   Binding 10
20.   Constriction attack + 1 ST
21.   Damage Resistance 4 (Fire only, heals)
22.   Damage Resistance 7 (Spirit only attacks)
23.   Damage Resistance 6 (one of blades or crushing)
24.   DR 20 (ablative)
25.   Injury Tolerance /2 (one of blades or crushing)
26.   Flaming Aura 2d burn (aura, area effect 2 yards, always on)
27.   2 levels luck
28.   Obscure  10 (Defensive,always on)
29.   Uses Weapon at brawling skill level
30.   Spines(long), Impaling striker (double)
31.   Immune to pain'

Sense Traits

Sense traits expand the information gathered by a creature. 

1.                   360 vision
2.                    Dark Vision
3.                    Detect Life(vauge)
4.                    Detect Magic Use (precise)
5.                    Detect Supernatural Beings
6.                    Detect (Sin -- disadvantages, precise)
7.                    Discriminatory smell (emotion sense) and tracking Per+4
8.                    Telescopic vision 5
9.                    Clairsentience (Preparation required -45%, sight only-10%)
10.                    Discriminating Hearing +acute hearing 6
11.                    Sonar

Special Traits

Special traits provide the creature with long term actions and generally change the nature of what it can do. They make the creature stand out and generally promote stealth. Care should be taken in applying more than two or three random special traits to a creature, as they can be difficult to integrate

1.                    Channeling + Medium
2.                    Compartmentalized Mind
3.                    Danger Sense and Empathy
4.                    Double jointed and slippery 10
5.                    Make Caster (all at 13) or +2 to all casting
6.                    Addictive Venom (affliction with bite,ecstacy)
7.                    Absolute Timing, Photographic Memory, Absolute Direction, Lightning Calculator
8.                    5 Gizmos
9.                    Healing (injuries only)
10.                    Healing (disease only)',chance: 1},
11.                    Higher Purpose (slay specific type of foe)
12.                    Higher Purpose (custom)
13.                    10 languages
14.                    Mimicry + Illusion
15.                    Mind Control (suggestion, Human)
16.                    Mind Control (suggestion, Spirit and Undead)
17.                    Mind Probe (human only)
18.                    Mind Reading (human only)
19.                    Oracle + (+2 to oracle)
20.                    Possession (mortals only,"willing" targets only,no memory access,spiritual)
21.                    Snatcher (Obviously Demonic, no machines, takes 1 min and 1 FP)
22.                    Telesend (mental)
23.                    Temperature Control 5 (heat only) and temperature tolerance
24.                    Temperature Control 5 (cold only) and temperature tolerance
25.                    Power over Supernatural (true faith, turning)
26.                    Leech (standard)
27.                    Leech (FP and HP, requires specific act or frame of mind)

Weaknesses:

Weaknesses are supernatural vulnerabilities. They often require tweaking to get just right.

1.              Day Light Weakness
2.                 Iron Vulnerability
3.                 Silver Vulnerability
4.                 Blind in Light
5.                 Dependency (Magic)
6.                 Draining (fear)
7.                 Draining (blood)
8.                 Draining (lust)
9.                 Power Source (fear)
10.                 Power Source (only when unseen)
11.                 Huge Diet
12.                 Attatched to specific item
13.                 Must obey any who know true name
14.                 Tied to specific location (dark alter, grave yard, ect)
15.                 Dread of specific Plants
16.                 Weakness (specific supernatural effect, such as holy power or in the presence of a mummy)
17.                 Dependency (Meditation)
18.                 Tied to specific Person
19.                 Must perform specific crime once a month
20.                 Cannot Cross Chalk Lines
21.                 Turns to stone in daylight
22.                 Must know name of anyone they use powers on

Creating new traits:

Creating new traits is fairly simple. Each should be between 20 to 25 points, and make sense for the creature you are working with. A few guidelines to adjust: 

• Some abilities are not particularly unbalanced, even if they cost a lot. An example is the '10 languages' entry. Technically, its worth 50 points, over double our goal. In practice, its of limited utility, and so its fine to put alongside the other categories. 
• Some abilities are extremely unbalancing because they violate basic assumptions. The 'uses a weapon' ability is technically only 4 points and some gear, but allows increased leverage of abilities already bought (damage will typically double). Watch out for abilities like this. This is particularly true of skills-- if you're adding +6 to a skill, you should probably consider if its balanced or not
• Packages are a useful tool. Discriminating smell AND tracking are a good bundle. A package of mental abilities is thematically appropriate. And some disadvantages make sense as the result of the advantage: Enhanced move (ground) 1.5 nicely complements horizontal.