Tips for creating a monster (4e)

[Ariel Yardena Davidson]

Well, this is for my arena thread, but i'm trying to learn how to properly customize monster stats. Any pointers?  

[SporkMaster5000]

Wolfram Asher Davidson

Well, this is for my arena thread, but i'm trying to learn how to properly customize monster stats. Any pointers?

steal everything.

the easiest way to make a new monster is to take an old monster and call it something else. the easiest way to actually customize monsters is to take an existing power, and put it on a new monster, or put it on a new monster and take off one or more of that monster's powers. do not make anything whole cloth unless you're desperate, there are too many pieces out there to not just resort back to the days of lego.  

[Brother Little Alex]

I agree with the above, although just replicating seems a little lack luster. With all the Monster Builders out there made for 3.x and 4e, it's ridiculously easy. If you have the official Monster Builder, it has every ability in the game available for use, editing, and cloning.

I use the official Monster Builder from WotC for everything and almost every game. It's just great.  

[Ariel Yardena Davidson]

Brother Little Alex

I agree with the above, although just replicating seems a little lack luster. With all the Monster Builders out there made for 3.x and 4e, it's ridiculously easy. If you have the official Monster Builder, it has every ability in the game available for use, editing, and cloning.

I use the official Monster Builder from WotC for everything and almost every game. It's just great.

i do, but i'm wondering what's appropriate for a level 30 solo  

[Brother Little Alex]

If you got DM's guide, it has a great break down on equality of encounters. Granted it never takes into account of one person facing something, it does break things down into experience points and types of encounters.

At level 30, a Solo monster would give ~555000 experience. So building a monster to meet this would be one way.

Or like said above, just grab a monster at level 30 and modify it to meet that experience output.  

[Arc Vembris]

Brother Little Alex

I agree with the above, although just replicating seems a little lack luster. With all the Monster Builders out there made for 3.x and 4e, it's ridiculously easy. If you have the official Monster Builder, it has every ability in the game available for use, editing, and cloning.

I use the official Monster Builder from WotC for everything and almost every game. It's just great.

I've also heard this is a good program to use.  

[SporkMaster5000]

Brother Little Alex

Or like said above, just grab a monster at level 30 and modify it to meet that experience output.

alternately, take a bunch of level 30 monsters, cherry pick the best abilities from each, and mush them together to make a new monster.  

[Ariel Yardena Davidson]

so, i used the templates from the adventure builder and it was quite helpful, especially when i needed to adjust the level for my critiques.

i think i did pretty good, all things considered, but the stats themselves are "unrealistic" because i make these stats based on certain aspects of the winning entry (STR being execution of idea, CHA appeal to me as a voter and critic, etc.)  

[SporkMaster5000]

Wolfram Asher Davidson

so, i used the templates from the adventure builder and it was quite helpful, especially when i needed to adjust the level for my critiques.

i think i did pretty good, all things considered, but the stats themselves are "unrealistic" because i make these stats based on certain aspects of the winning entry (STR being execution of idea, CHA appeal to me as a voter and critic, etc.)

to be fair, the actual ability scores of monsters matter very little in practice. unlike PCs, attack modifiers, etc. are determined strictly by level and role, with abilities not factoring in. so while it's a good idea to not have any outrageous ability scores, you could with little issue.  

[Ariel Yardena Davidson]

allow me to reemphasize that these monster stats are for non-"hero" ARENA ENTRIES and are for descriptive purposes xp  

[Rain Yupa]

I would just like to add to Spork's original suggestion. If you decide to nitpick from certain monsters' powers and abilities, I recommend trying to do so from monsters of the same type. Take lurker powers for a lurker, soldier powers for a soldier, etc. If you grab whatever, you end up with a monster that might not necessarily fit any role, and when building their stats like HPs and defenses, it makes it difficult to decide what you should pick.