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Finally... => Creative Projects => Topic started by: Neonivek on January 20, 2016, 09:18:22 am

Title: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 20, 2016, 09:18:22 am
So I've been making some Living Spells for a friend and right now, I am trying to get the idea together I had a formula but I need to rethink it right away because frankly I don't think it is working too well

But this is the third circle of spells I did and I kind of would like SOME feed back to get me motivated. Especially since each one takes me 1-2 hours.

Living Erupting Earth
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Fireball
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now I noticed that Living Fireball was a bit strong, so the next one I made with the intent of nerfing it a bit without losing what it essentially is

Living Fireball (weak)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now for some of these I needed a combination to make it work. Sleet storm has no damage, so I combined the concepts.

Living Frigid Sleet Storm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Lightning Bolt
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Minute Meteors
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now the above was tricky because I wanted to make it work within the concept but then I thought about how to go all the way... and so I got

Living Minute Meteor Swarm (Legendary Creature)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Sewage Wave
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Sewage Wave (weak)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: My Name is Immaterial on January 20, 2016, 11:03:09 pm
I really liked the Rocky Trail effect on Erupting Earth, I thought that was so cool.  I think that the HP might not scale fast enough with the higher CR ones, especially with the Meteor Swarm.
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: flabort on January 22, 2016, 01:06:14 am
Posting to watch. I'm interested to see where this goes.
How about a Living Irresistible Dance?
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 22, 2016, 03:08:13 am
First up I'd like to introduce Mechanism a form of advanced traps made my insane inventors. They have often been looked at but have rarely been reconstructed, at least by the sane. They are often considered collector pieces and though the ones here are typical it isn't unusual for them to be made out of metals such as steel, bronze, silver, or even gold.

Their major weakness is that they tend to break down as they take on damage. Though madder ones appear to become even stronger, receiving the title of "Mad".

Boxed Crossbow Mechanism
A small boxed mechanism made to either fire from a high pedestal or scoot along the floor. Its biggest weakness is its vision which is far less then what the crossbow is capable of.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Wall Crossbow Mechanism
A fold out wall that fires a series of crossbows at the opponent. Though a bit too slow and tight spaced to truly storm someone with arrows, their ability to whittle down enemies isn't to be underestimated.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Crossbow Array Mechanism
A large Crossbow like structure that fires innumerable crossbows at invading enemies. The fact that it never runs out of ammo causes speculation that it is indeed magical.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

ALT
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spinning Blade Mechanism
A whirling pillar of blades, typical for any dungeon yes, but this one seems almost sentient as it goes straight towards you.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mad Pillar of Blades (Mechanism)
A mad combination of a pillar of blades and a music box. The blades are so long and twirl so fast that it is often impossible just to approach it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: flabort on January 22, 2016, 01:06:14 am
Posting to watch. I'm interested to see where this goes.
How about a Living Irresistible Dance?

Without damage it is hard to apply a CR unless there is a assumed creature to accompany it... But you know what sure!

Living Irresistible Dance
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: My Name is Immaterial on January 22, 2016, 03:16:42 am
@Crossbow Array Mechanism
How about a plain old Dex save?

@Wall Crossbow Mechanism
Maybe slow it down if it's made of stone?

@Boxed Crossbow Mechanism
Maybe it's Break Down turns it into Recharge (4-6)?

Overall, I really like these! They're really imaginative, and I love the idea of Break Down!
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 22, 2016, 03:19:33 am
Recharge 4-6 is improving it... But yeah changing it to a recharge 6 works.

Dex Save is a good idea. Four Targets Dex Saves... then damage. I just wanted to avoid another "essentially AoE"

Also yeah, stone works... hmmm
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: My Name is Immaterial on January 22, 2016, 03:25:03 am
Quote from: Neonivek on January 22, 2016, 03:19:33 am
Dex Save is a good idea. Four Targets Dex Saves... then damage. I just wanted to avoid another "essentially AoE"
Well, that's sort of what it sounded like to me; lots of arrows being spewed out in the general direction of people.
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 22, 2016, 03:51:14 am
Fixed and swapped them. I included the Alt on its own if only because someone might like the old "HIT PEOPLE ALL DA TIOME!" version.

Definitely need a better name than second wind... Haywire?
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 23, 2016, 12:11:23 am
Mad Attraction Matrix
A impossible device and a improvement over the Crossbow Array. It is said that the creator of this device fed his very body into the gears after which it came to life. Perhaps this is just one piece of a much larger machine.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Next up are my Static Orb series. Yes I am a fan of making a creature then giving it upgrades. I am not a fan of how much damage I am giving creatures (balance or no balance) but alas.

Static Orb
A small little construct that rolls around on the floor gathering dust and sand off the ground in order to feet it to its internal gears. It uses this to create a charge which it then discharges on any known attackers.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Stun Orb
While the static orb is a curiousity the Stun Orb is a guardian able to target the weak points in opponents in order to stun them with powerful bolts of electricity.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Overload Orb
Not many people know how this is made yet they have surprisingly short lifespans often destroying opponents then immediately breaking down. It is believed that it is a altered static orb stripped of armor and set to function at ridiculous speeds.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: flabort on January 23, 2016, 02:50:26 am
Love the Dancing Ooze! Psychic damage is a pretty good choice, and the dancing tentacles is great flavor.

A tiny creature is about a foot across, correct?
I'm imagining a further upgraded version of the static-orb line where the orb gets stuck into a magnetic harness thing that suspends it in a halo (or the halo around it) which has long retractable/folding blades sticking out of it, which can be revved up and swung in a whirlwind at everyone's ankles, or just used to trip up the players. Or maybe someone gets the bright idea of removing the blades from the halo and sticking it onto the end of a staff, turning it into a weapon with the Orb floating in the middle. :P

So I'm looking through the spells... ones that would make interesting living spells (Or maybe you could make contraptions called Spellbolts based on some spells!) look like... Chromatic Orb, Blade Barrier, and Reverse Gravity.

Possible descriptions...
Living Chromatic Orb A glowing ooze that keeps changing colors as it bounces around. The energy it gives off is palpable, but highly inconsistent; it's erratic movement is keeping with it's erratic shifting of color.
Living Blade Barrier The creature in front of you seems to be encased in razor sharp metal shards, which zip about it's surface at a blinding pace, only thinly veiling it's nature as an ooze. Even within, razors slide through it, cutting apart anything caught inside.
Reverse Gravity Spellbolt A foot-tall wind up doll built out of gears and bolts around a large central rusted blue screw. Engraved into the rust are runes which radiate outwards; however, the rest of it's mechanisms seem like they serve very little purpose, with mismatched gears and limbs, and parts that float in the air. The oddest part is how it walks on the ceiling without aid of any hooks. It drops down in front of you, forcing the loose debris on the floor to scatter and collect on the roof above you.
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 24, 2016, 01:54:38 am
Due to the complexity of Blade Barrier and Reverse Gravity I am going to hold it off. First I want to reveal the program I've been using
http://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/ (http://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/)
Also honestly if you make your own monsters post them right here, I'd love to share this topic rather then being the sole contributor (beyond the very excellent praise and constructive criticism, Kudos)

----

Alright Flabort I took most of your requests

Bladed Orb
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Dance of Blades Orb
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mad Wizard Staff
In a twist the staff absorbed the soul of the wizard who was using this and has gained sentience of its own, though mad and destructive.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Living Chromatic Orb
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: flabort on January 24, 2016, 11:38:20 am
Those. Are. Great!

The Element Swap ability is both more balanced and simpler than the ability I had in mind (rolling every time it hit), and giving it an elemental immunity based on that is an awesome idea. I'm not so sure about the fly speed... I can see it working and keeping with the flavor, though.

The Bladed orb is exactly what I was thinking; if I were building some base-defenses as an evil artisan, I would certainly use some of those to deter intruders. I never even thought of adding a climb speed; it's a great idea, perfect for ambushes.

I don't have any criticisms or comments on the Dance of Blades Orb. It's less of an ambush machine and more of a... as base defenses go, it would do well in the thick of battle, so maybe a second line.

I would love to have a Mad Wizard Staff as a familiar. I know familiars aren't typically that strong, but a powerful and mad wizard deserves a powerful and mad familiar, right? Something seems off about it gaining power when it starts to break down, rather than damaging itself further, but then again it is Legendary. I'm not sure if the Legendary Action "Cast Spell" uses one of the /day uses of the spell on the list, or if it's separate; obviously if it wanted to use one of the at-will spells it would use the Cantrip Legendary Action instead... So, I think it's balanced, not sure, but mostly just some clarification needed.
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 24, 2016, 03:55:55 pm
How it works is it can cast a spell from its list and uses it up. Other creatures have a similar ability.

As for it getting more powerful after it hits a threshold. It is a "Mad Mechanism" it is the opposite in that they get more powerful after they hit a certain threshold.

Also yeah the 40ft flight is a mistake... I should have "Hover" likely... but a lot of it at the time had to do with your description which described it as almost ping ponging off the walls.
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: flabort on January 24, 2016, 09:22:31 pm
Yeah, it works. Like I said, I can see it keeping with the flavor, it just doesn't completely mesh with the feel of the monster.
Perhaps a +10 bonus to jump checks (or the 5e equivalent) and ability to immediately make another jump action if it hits the walls or ceiling, moving up to a certain maximum distance this way, instead? More like "ping-ponging", less like "flying".
Title: Re: 5e Dungeons and Dragons Custom Monsters
Post by: Neonivek on January 28, 2016, 02:27:10 am
So I did some work for a friend and he needed a villain for his game that is a water elemental shark who eventually learned magic and gained godhood through the mastery of ice. I am not EXACTLY proud of this, but then again this is FAR above my pay grade.

Royal Elemental Shark
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ascendant Elemental Shark
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Demigod Elemental Shark
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Elemental Shark God
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Divine Ice Mote (Summon)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I am... without words of how to describe these... so uhh... have a look yourself. They lack descriptions though mostly because unlike most he would have it.

Ohh slight error but Icey Shell should be 1/round not 1/turn.