TheArchivist: One thing that really bugs me is the lack of flavor for some monsters, especially low-level ones. For several monster types, the only flavor is color at low levels (i.e. yellow mold, grey mold, etc.) I often change some of these names in my own file, but I thought it would be interesting to collect some people's ideas on making the monsters of Tome more flavorful.

Some of my changes:

I often make changes to the description as well, to fit in better with the new name.

The other group of monsters whose lack of flavor really bugs me is the hydras. Surely someone can come up with a more interesting name than N-headed hydra!

TobiasParker: Well the Hydra thing makes sense. Since they are the same creature with varying amounts of heads.

FeathinSilyar: Though if they are just the same creature with varying number of heads, then as you battle a 15-Headed Hydra and chop its heads off it should keep changing name, until you kill it as a 1-Headed Hydra. ;-)

TheArchivist: Sure, it makes sense, but it's not interesting. Just to throw a few random names out there, we could use Trinasaur or Tetranaconda for the 3- and 4-headed ones. I just find the given names so bland.

Derakon: Changing the names of the hydrae would let us better differentiate between the non-elemental, poisonous, and firey varieties as well.

TobiasParker: Some Hydra Ideas.

Current 2 Headed Hydra: 

N:301:2-headed hydra
G:M:u
I:110:100d3:20:60:20
W:17:2:4000:80
E:0:1:0:2:2:0
O:0:0:0:0
B:BITE:HURT:2d6
B:BITE:HURT:2d6
F:FORCE_SLEEP | WILD_TOO | WILD_SHORE | WILD_SWAMP |
F:ONLY_GOLD | DROP_1D2 | CAN_SWIM | DROP_SKELETON | DROP_CORPSE | 
F:OPEN_DOOR | BASH_DOOR | MOVE_BODY | HAS_EGG | IMPRESED | 
F:ANIMAL | MORTAL | BASEANGBAND
S:1_IN_11 | 
S:SCARE
D:A strange reptilian creature with two heads, guarding its hoard.

Now i realize the tome 3 code will probably be different but i will use this because this is what i know. Instead of the Hydras being different monsters defined seperately let them be handled under an experience system so for example, the above hydra would have 0 experience. As it kills things it will gain experience, when it gains a certain level (we will say 5) it will gain a head. When a hydra gains a head it will have a chance of gaining an attack or skill, much like sentient weapons we have now. So at level 5, the hydra will have a chance of gaining: Poison, Fire, Acid, gain magic etc...That would be interesting for summons and pets, and wouyld work for dragons. No more baby/young/etc just one creature that grows with level.

ReenenLaurie: I *love* the idea. How implementable it is, I dunno. And btw. I agree, the snakes, worm masses, etc. could get renamed. (Though I must admit I don't really know better names).

NerdanelVampire: One of my main aims in Zothiqband is to enhance the flavor of the game. I've been renaming boring monsters. I'm not sure if all of my renamings are that great, but at least they should be better than they used to be. Here are my snakes and worms, including the ones who kept their names. I'm not quite sure what creatures all of them were before I started meddling with them. A few of those weren't even snakes or worms to begin with.

I think the overall theme is a little too dark and wrongly-themed for the direction ToME has taken. Well, it keeps Zothiqband more unique.

CosmicGerbil Nice, groovy names :) I like dark stuff.

IngeborgNorden: See the monster ideas section of "Modules/Norseband" for my comments (and a related request). Thanks!

IdeaArchive/Monsters/More Flavorful Monster Names (last edited 2006-10-03 01:26:11 by IngeborgNorden)