Esoterica from Thedas Vol 2 Bestiary

[Allensh]

Came across this. How "off" are the creatures in here from the published versions (for those instances where the same creatures exist in both sources)? Is this a reasonable add-on to the game?

Allen

[Hellebore]

The biggest difference is generally in Health. The Rank system means that things end up with more health (although not always at the base rank), in some cases quite a bit. For example the Ogre has ~110 health, whilst the set 2 ogre has ~70.

The main reason for this is entirely due to my own gaming conceits. I don't think that it's appropriate for a level 7 character to have as much Health as an Ogre, ephemeral 'Hero' label or no. However when you consider that a party of 4 characters at level 6 or so will generally have a combined Health total of 200 points or more and the amount of damage that can be done is quite high, that extra health generally only translates into 1-3 extra rounds of survival.

In general the stats are very similar to GRs, although I tried to standardise things more so that everything made sense relative to everything else.

However in the end we wrote it for our gaming group so it is biased in directions we favour. I can't say whether it would be appropriate for your group or not.

Hellebore

[Sidmen]

To answer your second question with experience from someone who isn't the creator: Yes, it is a very reasonable add-on to the game.

I've use several of its creatures (Sylvan, Abomination, Arcane Horror, Bereskarn, Wild Boar) to challenge my players - and they worked great.

I printed it out and it now acts as my primary "go-to" bestiary. The only down side is that it doesn't include any "normal" people, like soldiers, dalish hunters, or the like.

[Hellebore]

We just fought a Pride Demon from the bestiary last night. 5 level 6 PCs killed it in only a few rounds with only a small amount of health lost.

@Sidmen, there might be something on the burner covering that discrepency...

Hellebore

[Elfie]

We just fought a Pride Demon from the bestiary last night. 5 level 6 PCs killed it in only a few rounds with only a small amount of health lost.

@Sidmen, there might be something on the burner covering that discrepency...

Hellebore

Yeah my group of 5 level 3's managed to wipe the floor with a greater rage demon a couple weeks ago, even after I further inflated its health. I'm significantly beefing it up for next time, particularly by modifying the Inferno spell and giving it a higher magic score. I'll probably give it better natural armor too.

Also, I don't think I'll use the "Magic affects your damage instead of Strength" rule again. It added way too much calculation for very little roleplay gain.

[Hellebore]

eah my group of 5 level 3's managed to wipe the floor with a greater rage demon a couple weeks ago, even after I further inflated its health. I'm significantly beefing it up for next time, particularly by modifying the Inferno spell and giving it a higher magic score. I'll probably give it better natural armor too.

Also, I don't think I'll use the "Magic affects your damage instead of Strength" rule again. It added way too much calculation for very little roleplay gain.

Well it just goes to show that things don't always work. We who wrote it completely forgot that was what you did when fighting daemons (taking on the pride demon we just did normal damage)...

So no great loss then.

Hellebore

[Elfie]

btw, this is what my group has worked out as a way to make Inferno a bit more imposing while still making it something that wouldn't be game-breaking if a PC learned it. We haven't playtested it yet, but I thought I'd throw it out there. We've discussed dropping the "plus your Magic ability" damage if the Strength (Might) test is passed, but we're going to playtest it like this before we decide. I would definitely give a Greater Rage Demon a Magic of 6 next time they fight one.


Inferno – 10 MP – TN 17 – Test: Strength (Might) vs Spellpower – School: Primal
Casting Time: Major Action – Spell Type: Attack – Requirement: Flaming Weapons

You unleash a terrifying whirlwind of fire, incinerating everything in its path. You may cast this spell at any visible point within 30 yards of you. Any character (including yourself) within your Magic ability in yards of the target point takes 2D6 plus your Magic ability in damage and is knocked prone. Characters that pass a Strength (Might) test vs your Spellpower are not knocked prone.

The Inferno lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Magic ability. Each round after the initial casting, every character within the Inferno suffers an additional 2D6 plus your Magic ability in damage and must make a Strength (Might) vs Spellpower test to avoid being Knocked Prone. A prone character within the Inferno must pass a Strength (Might) vs Spellpower test as a minor action in order to stand up. Movement of any type within the Inferno is at Charge speed.

As a minor action, you may move an Inferno that you have previously cast up to your Magic score in yards at a cost of 1 MP per yard.

[Hellebore]

Sounds pretty good. The charge speed limitation is a good way of increasing the chance of it affecting people for more than one round and the mana cost movement allows you to chase those that got away.

Hellebore

[Giorgio]

Do you have the stats for Brigands or other humans (townsfolk, guards, mercenaries) in your EoT V2 format?

(Or some kind of template where I can create them?)

[Hellebore]

NOTE: Sorry about that, I originally used the wrong link. I've put a new one in now. The new one down the bottom should be accessible to people who aren't dropbox users, so anyone can download it.

Do you have the stats for Brigands or other humans (townsfolk, guards, mercenaries) in your EoT V2 format?

(Or some kind of template where I can create them?)

funny you should say that. I'm currently working on something along those lines. Here is a work in progress. You'll still have to build their stats from scratch, but these are the guidlines I'm developing.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25653752/NPC%20creation.pdf

Hellebore