Comments on: D&D Burgoo: That Lizardfolk’s Got A Panty On His Head http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head The Game Mastering Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:25:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: samhaine http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-246 samhaine Thu, 15 May 2008 19:38:51 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-246 You can even generate what players think are whole new monsters by adjusting your descriptions. Minimize or obfuscate the details that are clear clues as to the monster type while waxing poetic on qualities that could arguably be more salient when the heroes encounter something that the players are familiar with but they've never seen before. "Before you charges a snarling band of horrors, black eyes, mottled skin, and needle-sharp fangs grinning from their diminutive forms." Your players might realize that it's just goblins, but can they be certain enough to be complacent? For months I had my players terrified of the dreaded demons that were invading an underground society by flooding it from beneath, sending forth their skin-sloughing horrors to do battle and vitrifying any that were unwise enough to venture near the deep, stagnant pools. If they'd cottoned to it just being an attack of aboleths and skum, the game would have gone a lot differently.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('246','samhaine'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> You can even generate what players think are whole new monsters by adjusting your descriptions. Minimize or obfuscate the details that are clear clues as to the monster type while waxing poetic on qualities that could arguably be more salient when the heroes encounter something that the players are familiar with but they’ve never seen before. “Before you charges a snarling band of horrors, black eyes, mottled skin, and needle-sharp fangs grinning from their diminutive forms.” Your players might realize that it’s just goblins, but can they be certain enough to be complacent?

For months I had my players terrified of the dreaded demons that were invading an underground society by flooding it from beneath, sending forth their skin-sloughing horrors to do battle and vitrifying any that were unwise enough to venture near the deep, stagnant pools. If they’d cottoned to it just being an attack of aboleths and skum, the game would have gone a lot differently.

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]]> By: Yax - DungeonMastering.com http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-210 Yax - DungeonMastering.com Thu, 15 May 2008 01:13:08 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-210 character levels to monsters can be tougher to manage or longer to prep for. I like to slap one monster's whole stat block on another monster's appearance. Easy.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('210','Yax - DungeonMastering.com'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> character levels to monsters can be tougher to manage or longer to prep for.

I like to slap one monster’s whole stat block on another monster’s appearance. Easy.

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]]> By: Troy E. Taylor http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-190 Troy E. Taylor Wed, 14 May 2008 15:32:56 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-190 Hautamaki Interesting observation. In fact, I've got a post cooking on just that topic. Only it involves bugbears, not goblins (but only because bugbears are cuter) :)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('190','Troy E. Taylor'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Hautamaki
Interesting observation. In fact, I’ve got a post cooking on just that topic. Only it involves bugbears, not goblins (but only because bugbears are cuter) :)
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]]> By: Hautamaki http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-171 Hautamaki Wed, 14 May 2008 09:05:28 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-171 For me, one of the biggest problems with monsters is that once the characters get to level 6 or 7, even large numbers of goblins and orcs no longer present a credible threat, but it's hard to imagine an ecology in which large groups of giants or demons abound, just to keep PC's on their toes. I think the best thing the DM can do in those cases is keep basic monsters (or slight tweeks, as above) but give them character levels so they can still compete with the PC's. This can be explained by emphasising that the goblins they were challenged by at level 1 were the weakest goblins in the world, but now they're facing the elite troops of the goblin empire. Or something like that.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('171','Hautamaki'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> For me, one of the biggest problems with monsters is that once the characters get to level 6 or 7, even large numbers of goblins and orcs no longer present a credible threat, but it’s hard to imagine an ecology in which large groups of giants or demons abound, just to keep PC’s on their toes. I think the best thing the DM can do in those cases is keep basic monsters (or slight tweeks, as above) but give them character levels so they can still compete with the PC’s. This can be explained by emphasising that the goblins they were challenged by at level 1 were the weakest goblins in the world, but now they’re facing the elite troops of the goblin empire. Or something like that.
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]]> By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-121 Kurt "Telas" Schneider Tue, 13 May 2008 13:16:46 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-121 I like the way you basically 'tweaked' your way to a new critter. Mechanically, it's almost identical to a Lizardman, but the players don't know that (and don't need to, either).<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('121','Kurt \"Telas\" Schneider'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I like the way you basically ‘tweaked’ your way to a new critter. Mechanically, it’s almost identical to a Lizardman, but the players don’t know that (and don’t need to, either).
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]]> By: John Arcadian http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-101 John Arcadian Tue, 13 May 2008 01:52:26 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-101 I've rarely changed the color of monsters, but I've used stat blocks of creatures or NPCs with different descriptions or a switched out power. I tend to play fast and loose when building up combat encounters. What matters most to me is that my players have fun with the combat and feel challenged and rewarded by it. I think I'm going to have to start doing this more and more, as my players are advancing past the sweet spot for the monsters I like to use. P.S. I love your use of the word thematically Martin. It is one of my favorite gaming ideas.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('101','John Arcadian'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I’ve rarely changed the color of monsters, but I’ve used stat blocks of creatures or NPCs with different descriptions or a switched out power. I tend to play fast and loose when building up combat encounters. What matters most to me is that my players have fun with the combat and feel challenged and rewarded by it. I think I’m going to have to start doing this more and more, as my players are advancing past the sweet spot for the monsters I like to use.

P.S. I love your use of the word thematically Martin. It is one of my favorite gaming ideas.

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]]> By: Martin Ralya http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-54 Martin Ralya Mon, 12 May 2008 15:21:55 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-54 I've changed monster colors before (I think of it as a palette swap, from the original Ultima Online's tendency to do just that), but I don't tend to fiddle with characteristics. I like that with a few relatively simple changes, you've managed to come up with a thematically different creature without doing too much work. This sounds like an excellent approach.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('54','Martin Ralya'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I’ve changed monster colors before (I think of it as a palette swap, from the original Ultima Online’s tendency to do just that), but I don’t tend to fiddle with characteristics.

I like that with a few relatively simple changes, you’ve managed to come up with a thematically different creature without doing too much work. This sounds like an excellent approach.

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]]> By: » Ding, The Stew is Ready, Hope You Like Gnomes. http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-47 » Ding, The Stew is Ready, Hope You Like Gnomes. Mon, 12 May 2008 14:57:05 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-47 [...] Troy E. Taylor [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('47','» Ding, The Stew is Ready, Hope You Like Gnomes.'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> [...] Troy E. Taylor [...]
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]]> By: Troy E. Taylor http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-36 Troy E. Taylor Mon, 12 May 2008 14:29:22 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-36 Mike: If you'll be tinkering with aquatics, check out these variants for PC classes from <em>Unearthed Arcana</em> over at <strong>the Hypertext SRD</strong>. They might be good inspiration. <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantRaces.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantRaces.htm</a><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('36','Troy E. Taylor'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Mike:
If you’ll be tinkering with aquatics, check out these variants for PC classes from Unearthed Arcana over at the Hypertext SRD. They might be good inspiration.

http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantRaces.htm

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]]> By: Mike Kenyon http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/dd-burgoo-that-lizardfolks-got-a-panty-on-his-head/comment-page-1#comment-23 Mike Kenyon Mon, 12 May 2008 12:18:59 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=39#comment-23 Hey, thanks a bunch for this tip! I'm going to be starting a seafaring campaign soon, and you've just made statting up the monsters a hell of a lot more fun! Thanks! --Mike<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('23','Mike Kenyon'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Hey, thanks a bunch for this tip! I’m going to be starting a seafaring campaign soon, and you’ve just made statting up the monsters a hell of a lot more fun! Thanks!

–Mike

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