| Chapter 9: Monsters |
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| Monsters |
| Does This Belong in My Campaign? |
| Creatures in Battle |
| Intelligence · Alignment · Morale |
| Creature Types |
| Humanoid · Animal · Monster |
| Attack and Armor Types |
| Attacks · Armor |
All creatures do not fight in the same manner. A creature's instincts, natural weaponry, bravery, and culture all have an impact on the way it fights. A great wyrm red dragon is not only vastly more powerful than a kobold, its titanic intellect and vast experience makes it a more complex and unpredictable opponent than a mere kobold could ever be.
Intelligence[]
Creatures tend to fight as cleverly as they can, and a creature's intelligence is what determines how clever it can be:
Non- (0)[]
The creature just reacts to what its senses tell it. It is not capable of assessing the dangers it faces or the rewards it stands to gain. In a fight, a nonintelligent creature turns its attention to the most immediate threat. When badly hurt, a nonintelligent creature usually flees, but some creatures just don't know when they're hurt and fight on, ignorant of any danger. Nonintelligent creatures' combat actions usually are limited to attack or charge. If they flee, they run or sprint rather than withdraw. They do not employ any of the special battle tactics or attack options presented in Chapter One.
Animal (1)[]
The creature has a limited ability to asses risks and rewards. Generally, it responds only to very basic motivations and does not attack unless it is trained to, it is hungry, or it is defending something it values (such as food, offspring, a mate, or hunting territory). In a fight, an animal intelligence creature relies on its instincts. It attacks the most accessible opponent, the opponent that is most likely to be edible, or the opponent that scared it into attacking. The creature has some grasp of tactics, enough to know that flank attacks are better than frontal attacks and that rear attacks are better than flank attacks. The creature also instinctively understands the value of not being detected prior to its attacks.
Animal intelligence creatures usually flee if badly injured, but can fight to the death if trapped or cornered. An animal intelligence creature's combat actions can include attack, charge, guard (such as a cat waiting at a mouse hole), run, and sprint. Like nonintelligent creatures, they do not use battle tactics or attack options.
Semi- (2–4)[]
The creature has some ability to assess risks and rewards and is smart enough to delay an attack until a good opportunity presents itself. It is capable of learning something about its opponents' abilities. A lion or tiger, for example, knows enough to stay downwind of creatures that depend on scent and to stay behind creatures that depend on sight. With experience, the creature probably can learn to recognize missile and melee weapons and to direct attacks at lightly armed characters. If the creature has encountered missile weapons, it learns to recognize the value of cover. Otherwise it is limited to attacking, charging, guarding, running, and sprinting.
Low (5–7)[]
The creature relies more on experience and reasoning than instincts. It is generally aware of risks and rewards. It can make simple plans and can employ any attack option that it is equipped to use. For example, a low intelligence creature can employ missile weapons, but only if they are available. Most battle options are still beyond the creature's grasp, but it can make unarmed attacks, ride a mount, and maybe join a spear hedge or shield wall (see Chapter One).
Average–Very (8–12)[]
The creature might occasionally act from impulse, but generally relies on reasoning and observation to make decisions, and it can think beyond the obvious. The creature has a good appreciation of risks and rewards, but this is limited by its experience. It is capable of planning and organizing its actions and coordinating them with others. The creature can use any of the attack options, battle tactics, and combat options presented in Chapter One.
High–Exceptional (13–16)[]
The creature generally is not impulsive. In battle, it thinks ahead and considers how its current actions might affect its options in the future. The creature is very flexible, and can alter its tactics to fit an unforeseen situation. The creature can use any of the attack options, battle tactics, and combat options presented in Chapter One.
Genius–Supra Genius (17–20)[]
The creature is very insightful and almost never impulsive. It plans for the future and always carefully measures risks against rewards. Any scheme or subterfuge it employs is apt to be hard to detect and very deadly.
Godlike (21+)[]
The creature can make correct deductions from incomplete information. It is invariably knows the most appropriate action to take in any situation. (Though it might not always take it; godlike beings are hard to understand.) To reflect the creature's superior intellect, the DM might decide to make the PCs declare their actions before deciding what the creature does in a given combat round.
Alignment[]
A creature's beliefs and expectations can influence the way it fights, especially if it has at least average intelligence.
Chaotic[]
The creature tends to think of itself. It does not respond well to leadership unless intimidated or persuaded to follow orders. Its tactics are usually intended to improve its individual effectiveness and survival, not the group's.
Chaotic creatures are apt to seek quick and dramatic results and combat, and are likely to employ called shots, offensive disarms, and shield rushes.
Neutral[]
The creature is as likely to consider the needs of the group as much as itself, so long as it can serve one without compromising the other. The creature responds moderately well to leadership, so long as it does not feel its needs are being subordinated to the group's. The creature has no great desire for individual glory.
Neutral creatures are apt to seek ways to restrict an opponent's options and to counter opposing actions, and are likely to employ parries, blocks, pull/trips, and defensive disarms.
Lawful[]
The creature tends to think of its group. The creature responds well to leadership, providing it is not inept, ineffective, or unnecessarily harsh. The creature generally functions as a cog in a larger machine, promoting a common goal it shares with its companions.
Lawful creatures are apt to choose tactics that rely on the group, such as shield walls, pike hedges, and massed overbearing attacks.
Morale[]
A creature's morale score measures its ferocity, perseverance, and courage. Though most frequently used to decide if a creature runs away or surrenders during a fight, morale also can serve as guideline for deciding the creature's general willingness to fight.
Unreliable–Unsteady (2–7)[]
The creature is most likely to deal with a threat by running away or hiding unless it has been trained for war or it has been cornered. If forced to fight, the creature does not purposefully do anything that exposes it to increased danger.
Average–Steady (8–12)[]
The creature is not so skittish as to flee at the first sign of a threat. If it does not wish to fight, it is likely to bluff or stand its ground before taking flight. The creature is not aggressive and is unlikely to make an unprovoked attack unless it is hungry or otherwise stands to gain from a fight. It is unlikely to make a frontal attack when outnumbered or outsized; if sufficiently motivated, the creature might wait for an opportunity to attack when it has an advantage over an otherwise superior group. Once a fight begins, the creature is willing to try almost anything that will improve its chances for victory, provided the risk does not exceed the potential reward.
Elite–Champion (13–16)[]
The creature is aggressive and generally tries to bluff its way out of fights it does not want. If the bluff fails, the creature is more likely to fight than run away. If faced with a superior force, it almost always looks for ways to even the odds before attacking. After a fight begins, the creature is willing the undertake considerable risks to help insure a victory.
Fanatic–Fearless (17+)[]
The creature is very aggressive. It does not bluff, preferring to attack when threatened. Once engaged in a fight, it seldom retreats. It is willing to take almost any risk to gain a victory.