Building the better monster - a guide to genral intelligence for module builders Back

Building the better monster - a guide to genral intelligence for module builders


While better choosing of spells, feats and targets is one thing that can help a creature, a creature that has a chance of killing the expected difficulty is needed first.

Wether EnMass and low level, or few in number and highly skilled or having unique powers, a creature must, in the offset, be able to tackle any target within an expected range.



The other files in this folder help with some specific "classes" of monster, and some information in regards to my scripts.

This one will hopefully help you to create better, and more challenging, creatures. Ways to make them more unique or different will be explained as well, but to not insult your intelligence, I am sure you can build whatever you like without this help, or even this sort-of-advice I sort-of-made-up.



To build a better monster, it is entirely built on the purpose - maybe to kill, but that is only the main goal. Will they always attack HTH, or would they use bows, or cast spells, or support a leader, a more powerful being?

I don't have much advice on what to choose, except choice is a good thing. I can't tell what purpose the monster will be for - will it even attack anyone at all? Commoners don't fight, after all.

This is the list of Classes, and the No. Of attacks/level, and thier primary (1 each level) and secondary (1/3 each level) saves

Saves: W = Will, F = Fortitude, R = Reflex. The HD/level are double the average that the toolset gives out, and are very rough for non-PC classes.

Class NameBAB/LevelPrimary SaveSecondary SaveHP DiceNotes on typical abilties/special things:
---Warrior BAB chart
Arcane Archer1F,RW1d10Special Arrow Attacks.
Barbarian1FR, W1d12Rages. Damage Reduction.
Blackguard1FR, W1d10Evil Paladin Abilties. Summons.
Champion Of Torm1F,RW1d10Bonus Fighter Feats. Some paladin abilties.
Dragon1R,F,WNone1d12Breath Weapon, Aura Fear, Flying
Dwarven Defender1F,WR1d12Defensive Stance.
Fighter1FR, W1d10Bonus Fighting Feats (level 2, 4, 6, ETC)
Monstrous1R,FW1d8Depends (Usually special attacks)
Outsider1R,F,WNone1d8Auras, Spell-Like Abilities, Summons
Paladin1FR, W1d12+Char Bonus to saves. Turn undead. Healing.
Ranger1FR, W1d10Favoured Enemy
Weapon Master1RF, W1d10Favoured Weapon (Many bonuses with it)
---Average BAB chart
Assassin0.75RF, W1d6Death Attack. Poisons.
Aberration0.75WF, R1d8Depends (Usually special attacks)
Animal0.75F,RW1d8Depends (Usually rage)
Bard0.75R,WF1d6Bard Song. Spells.
Beast0.75F,RW1d10Faster Movement. Maybe rage.
Cleric0.75F,WR1d8Turn Undead. Spells. Spontaneous Curing.
Construct0.75NoneF,R,W1d8Slow Movement. Should have 1 attack.
Dragon Diciple0.75F,WR1d6/8/10Extra Stats, AC, Breath Weapon.
Druid0.75F,WR1d8Animal Companion. Spells. Animal Empathy.
Elemental0.75WF, R1d8Special Ability/Power/Damage on attack
Giant0.75F,WR1d4Throw Rocks, +8Str, Con.
Humanoid0.75FR,W1d8Almost 100% Multiclassed with a PC class
Magical Beast0.75F,RW1d10Spell-like Abilities, special attacks
Monk0.75/SpecialF,R,WNONE1d8Unarmed BAB special, Immunities, speed
Ooze0.75F,WR1d10Scripted Suffercation Attack (see Cube)
Rogue0.75RF,W1d6Sneak attack. Skill points (UMD).
Shadowdancer0.75RF,W1d6hide in plain sight. Summons. Shadow attacks.
Shifter0.75F,RW1d6Powerful shapechanging.
Shape changer0.75F,R,WNone1d8Lycanthorpy
Vermin0.75FR,W1d8Special Disease/poison/attacks
---Mage BAB chart
Commoner0.5NoneF,R,W1d4No Feats or Race. Fleeing.
Fey0.5R,WF1d4Spell-like Abilities (Invisiblity). Multiclass to sorceror class is common.
Sorcerer0.5WF,R1d4Spells- Limited Choice, Many casts/day.
Undead0.5WF,R1d12Usually Multiclassed like Humanoid.
Wizard0.5WF,R1d4Spells. Bonus Mage Feats.

All credit to ShadeRaven who had this table on his site. Sadly, after copying it into notepad last time, I've had to re-table it nicely for HTML. Ain't that grand? Anywho, this lists similar information to the NwN manual, in some detail what attack bonuses, bonus feats and saves are of the different levels.

LevelBase Save BonusWarriorAverageMageMonk UA BABFeatsStat Inc.
1st+0/+2+1+0+0+01st
2nd+0/+3+2+1+1+1
3rd+1/+3+3+2+1+22nd
4th+1/+4+4+3+2+31st
5th+1/+4+5+3+2+3
6th+2/+5+6/+1+4+3+4/+13rd
7th+2/+5+7/+2+5+3+5/+2
8th+2/+6+8/+3+6/+1+4+6/+32nd
9th+3/+6+9/+4+6/+1+4+6/+34th
10th+3/+7+10/+5+7/+2+5+7/+4/+1
11th+3/+7+11/+6/+1+8/+3+5+8/+5/+2
12th+4/+8+12/+7/+2+9/+4+6/+1+9/+6/+35th3rd
13th+4/+8+13/+8/+3+9/+4+6/+1+9/+6/+3
14th+4/+9+14/+9/+4+10/+5+7/+2+10/+7/+4/+1
15th+5/+9+15/+10/+5+11/+6/+1+7/+2+11/+8/+5/+26th
16th+5/+10+16/+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+8/+3+12/+9/+6/+3
17th+5/+10+17/+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+8/+3+12/+9/+6/+3
18th+6/+11+18/+13/+8/+3+13/+8/+3+9/+4+13/+10/+7/+4/+17th
19th+6/+11+19/+14/+9/+4+14/+9/+4+9/+4+14/+11/+8/+5/+2
20th+6/+12+20/+15/+10/+5+15/+10/+5+10/+5+15/+12/+9/+6/+35th