Monster Manual

[MaxxSterling]

Hey everyone, because there is a lack of modules for this game, I generally use D&D mods. However, without a stat driven Monster Manual, it's annoying to roll up every NPC. So, I own every book and went through each book and module and wrote down every book/page number and short description of the NPC, this way I have essentially my own manual. I was curious if anyone else had done this, and if they have it in a document. Mine is all hand written and I'm too lazy to type it up. So, just asking.

Here's an example

Y.S. - Pg. 101 4th Lv. Troll
B.W. - Pg. 56 3rd Lv. Human Merc

and so on.

[pblackcrow]

Hey everyone, because there is a lack of modules for this game, I generally use D&D mods. However, without a stat driven Monster Manual, it's annoying to roll up every NPC. So, I own every book and went through each book and module and wrote down every book/page number and short description of the NPC, this way I have essentially my own manual. I was curious if anyone else had done this, and if they have it in a document. Mine is all hand written and I'm too lazy to type it up. So, just asking.

Here's an example

Y.S. - Pg. 101 4th Lv. Troll
B.W. - Pg. 56 3rd Lv. Human Merc

and so on.

Each GM in my group did do a quick reference chart of attributes, including skills and a level brake down, for our own GM's screens. Though we've never went as far as to per roll characters.

[Soldier of Od]

Hey everyone, because there is a lack of modules for this game, I generally use D&D mods. However, without a stat driven Monster Manual, it's annoying to roll up every NPC. So, I own every book and went through each book and module and wrote down every book/page number and short description of the NPC, this way I have essentially my own manual. I was curious if anyone else had done this, and if they have it in a document. Mine is all hand written and I'm too lazy to type it up. So, just asking.

Here's an example

Y.S. - Pg. 101 4th Lv. Troll
B.W. - Pg. 56 3rd Lv. Human Merc

and so on.

That's a good idea. I like it. Does it get a bit inconvenient though if you have an NPC group that consists of a number of charatcers from many different books? You'd need a lot of space to have them all open on the relevant pages at the same time.

At the start of the last major campaign I wrote I just rolled up a few standard archetypes, so 'average guard', 'average thief', 'average bandit' etc. with a few modifications for races. Those six or seven types did me for pretty much every NPC they came across. Mine are all handwritten as well, though!

[MaxxSterling]

Roll up every NPC? You mean like every guard or goblin, or just the named guys?

Well, I mean, even for the fodder, you need to have at least basic stats, so you're rolling something up. Main NPC's don't necessarily need complete stats, but darn close to it.

[MaxxSterling]

It is a bit inconvenient at times, but I find that most stuff worthwhile is in the Yin-Sloth book. However, you do need to know what books to have out ahead of time, and of course this only works if you own basically every book. I haven't gotten into the Rifters yet, but I assume I can pull a few more NPC's from them.

[Soldier of Od]

It is a bit inconvenient at times, but I find that most stuff worthwhile is in the Yin-Sloth book. However, you do need to know what books to have out ahead of time, and of course this only works if you own basically every book. I haven't gotten into the Rifters yet, but I assume I can pull a few more NPC's from them.

But Yin Sloth Jungles is still only available in first edition. Do you still use the first edition rules? If not, have you changed the NPCs to update them to second edition? That kind of detracts from your original plan to avoid having to do the work yourself in the first place!

[Specter]

Admitedly it's spread out in other books but I don't understand why you would skip over Monsters & Animals to convert DnD. If you want to play DnD play that... or Pathfinder because 4th stinks. But, when I play Palladium... I use the palladium books.

[MaxxSterling]

Yes Yin-Sloth is outdated, but the stats are easily updated. Usually just changing the amount of melee attacks and adding h.p. or s.d.c. and maybe some bonuses, but it's not too bad.

As for the previous comment. I need to run things from other games because the monster manual for this game is 50 pages of birds, rodents, deer, and woodland creatures. Why the hell would I have an encounter consisting of 2 squirrels and a barn swallow? Since DnD has thousands of modules and they all have a ton of creatures, in order to run those story lines appropriately in this game, requires stats, stats that I do not want to spend 16 hours coming up with. That is why.

And I do play DnD and Pathfinder, but those games are roll-playing, not role-playing (See what I did there... with the words? Yeah...)

[Specter]

Yes Yin-Sloth is outdated, but the stats are easily updated. Usually just changing the amount of melee attacks and adding h.p. or s.d.c. and maybe some bonuses, but it's not too bad.

As for the previous comment. I need to run things from other games because the monster manual for this game is 50 pages of birds, rodents, deer, and woodland creatures. Why the hell would I have an encounter consisting of 2 squirrels and a barn swallow? Since DnD has thousands of modules and they all have a ton of creatures, in order to run those story lines appropriately in this game, requires stats, stats that I do not want to spend 16 hours coming up with. That is why.

And I do play DnD and Pathfinder, but those games are roll-playing, not role-playing (See what I did there... with the words? Yeah...)

Role vs roll playing has more to do with the GM than the system. Though it's true some games facilitate gaming interactions more than others.