monster_powers
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| ====== Monster Powers ====== | ====== Monster Powers ====== | ||
| - | + | [[Monster Traits]]\\ | |
| - | A monster power is a discrete trait or action that can be quickly assigned to a monster to give them an extra edge in combat. As a GM, you can pick from the many monster | + | [[Monster Actions]]\\ |
| + | [[Monster Bonus Actions]]\\ | ||
| + | [[Monster Reactions]]\\ | ||
| + | [[Monster Roles Powers]]\\ | ||
| + | [[Monster Type Templates Powers]]\\ | ||
| + | A monster power is a discrete trait or action that can be quickly assigned to a monster to give them an extra edge in combat. As a GM, you can pick from the many monster | ||
| Adding new powers to existing monster stat blocks lets you improve upon creatures who feel too simple, or who might have become familiar to your players. A creature primarily focused on a single attack can be transformed into something far more evocative with a fiery weapon that burns its target, a pinning blow that restrains an enemy, or other exciting options. | Adding new powers to existing monster stat blocks lets you improve upon creatures who feel too simple, or who might have become familiar to your players. A creature primarily focused on a single attack can be transformed into something far more evocative with a fiery weapon that burns its target, a pinning blow that restrains an enemy, or other exciting options. | ||
| Monster powers can also add features that a monster lacks, such as a ranged attack, a means of getting away from pesky heroes, or an aura to dissuade too many characters from surrounding a creature. Monster powers can let foes deal stronger damage, or can provide a more flexible means of dealing damage for an exciting encounter. | Monster powers can also add features that a monster lacks, such as a ranged attack, a means of getting away from pesky heroes, or an aura to dissuade too many characters from surrounding a creature. Monster powers can let foes deal stronger damage, or can provide a more flexible means of dealing damage for an exciting encounter. | ||
| - | Adding Monster Powers | + | ===== Adding Monster Powers |
| Monster powers function like any other trait or action a creature already has in their stat block, and are written up in much the same way as those existing traits and actions. | Monster powers function like any other trait or action a creature already has in their stat block, and are written up in much the same way as those existing traits and actions. | ||
| - | Powers Based on Challenge Rating | + | ===== Powers Based on Challenge Rating |
| Monster powers sometimes make use of challenge rating to calculate attack bonuses, damage, saving throw DCs, or similar values. This requires some quick math, but allows powers to be used at almost any CR. The one small fix to keep in mind is that when using monsters below CR 1, any final result (such as a bonus to damage rolls) should have a minimum value of 1. | Monster powers sometimes make use of challenge rating to calculate attack bonuses, damage, saving throw DCs, or similar values. This requires some quick math, but allows powers to be used at almost any CR. The one small fix to keep in mind is that when using monsters below CR 1, any final result (such as a bonus to damage rolls) should have a minimum value of 1. | ||
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| If you prefer, you can set the attack rolls, save DCs, or damage of monster powers according to Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating. In some cases, this can give a monster power’s math greater accuracy. For example, the aberrant power Erase Memory has a DC of 13 + 1/2 CR, or DC 18 for a CR 10 creature. Looking up CR 10 on the table provides a suggested DC of 17. Regardless of what approach you use, final values for powers are always something you should feel free to change to fit your play style and your group’s capabilities. | If you prefer, you can set the attack rolls, save DCs, or damage of monster powers according to Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating. In some cases, this can give a monster power’s math greater accuracy. For example, the aberrant power Erase Memory has a DC of 13 + 1/2 CR, or DC 18 for a CR 10 creature. Looking up CR 10 on the table provides a suggested DC of 17. Regardless of what approach you use, final values for powers are always something you should feel free to change to fit your play style and your group’s capabilities. | ||
| - | When to Adjust Challenge Rating | + | ===== When to Adjust Challenge Rating |
| In most cases, you’ll add monster powers because you want a creature to be stronger than a typical creature of the same challenge rating, and you don’t want to rebalance the encounter. If you’re deliberately making an encounter a bit stronger, don’t worry about adjusting CR. | In most cases, you’ll add monster powers because you want a creature to be stronger than a typical creature of the same challenge rating, and you don’t want to rebalance the encounter. If you’re deliberately making an encounter a bit stronger, don’t worry about adjusting CR. | ||
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| If you reward XP for defeating foes in your game, consider having a creature with one or more monster powers provide the XP of a monster with a challenge rating 1 higher than the baseline monster, to represent the lessons learned from fighting this interesting creature. | If you reward XP for defeating foes in your game, consider having a creature with one or more monster powers provide the XP of a monster with a challenge rating 1 higher than the baseline monster, to represent the lessons learned from fighting this interesting creature. | ||
| - | How Many Powers? | + | ===== How Many Powers? |
| It’s generally recommended to choose one monster power for a normal creature you want to enhance. For creatures playing a particularly important role in the encounter, including boss and solo monsters, choose two or three powers. | It’s generally recommended to choose one monster power for a normal creature you want to enhance. For creatures playing a particularly important role in the encounter, including boss and solo monsters, choose two or three powers. | ||
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| Likewise, the more features and actions your foes have, the harder they can be to run. Monster tactics are usually more effective if you focus on using a few capabilities well. | Likewise, the more features and actions your foes have, the harder they can be to run. Monster tactics are usually more effective if you focus on using a few capabilities well. | ||
| - | Groups of Monsters | + | ===== Groups of Monsters |
| As a rule of thumb, an encounter is easier to manage when we assign a monster power to all creatures of the same name and type. In a fight with hobgoblin and goblin mercenaries, | As a rule of thumb, an encounter is easier to manage when we assign a monster power to all creatures of the same name and type. In a fight with hobgoblin and goblin mercenaries, | ||
| An exception to this is when you want to make a single member of a group feel exceptional—for example, a trio of skeletons fighting the party, with one of them on fire. By choosing one creature to be different, you make it easy to make that creature memorable. Adding a different monster power to each of the skeletons would also be memorable, but harder to track. | An exception to this is when you want to make a single member of a group feel exceptional—for example, a trio of skeletons fighting the party, with one of them on fire. By choosing one creature to be different, you make it easy to make that creature memorable. Adding a different monster power to each of the skeletons would also be memorable, but harder to track. | ||
| - | What Do Powers Represent? | + | ===== What Do Powers Represent? |
| It’s up to you to decide whether a monster power is magical (and thus can be shut down in an antimagic field, or dispelled with dispel magic if you treat it as a spell effect), or whether it is natural (representing physical capabilities or training). Thinking through the nature of the powers you add to creatures also helps you lean into the fiction when you use those powers. | It’s up to you to decide whether a monster power is magical (and thus can be shut down in an antimagic field, or dispelled with dispel magic if you treat it as a spell effect), or whether it is natural (representing physical capabilities or training). Thinking through the nature of the powers you add to creatures also helps you lean into the fiction when you use those powers. | ||
| - | Make These Powers Yours | + | ===== Make These Powers Yours ===== |
| Though all these monster powers can be used exactly as written, they’re meant to be starting points that you can alter to fit your particular needs. For example, Displace Enemies is a strong effect, allowing a creature to rearrange the battlefield as a bonus action each turn. But for some encounters, it might be appropriate to limit this power with a recharge so it comes up less frequently. A power such as Armor of Frost is a reaction by default, limiting it to being used once per round by a draconic creature. But if you decide that power would work well for an ice elemental, you can represent that creature’s icy nature by lowering the damage but making the power a trait that triggers every time the elemental is attacked. For an ice titan, you might keep the power as a reaction but increase the damage, to represent the titan’s elemental might. | Though all these monster powers can be used exactly as written, they’re meant to be starting points that you can alter to fit your particular needs. For example, Displace Enemies is a strong effect, allowing a creature to rearrange the battlefield as a bonus action each turn. But for some encounters, it might be appropriate to limit this power with a recharge so it comes up less frequently. A power such as Armor of Frost is a reaction by default, limiting it to being used once per round by a draconic creature. But if you decide that power would work well for an ice elemental, you can represent that creature’s icy nature by lowering the damage but making the power a trait that triggers every time the elemental is attacked. For an ice titan, you might keep the power as a reaction but increase the damage, to represent the titan’s elemental might. | ||
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