• RavenRed
• PipeDream
• Monsters
• Changes

Monster Changes

There are two dimensions to Pipedream's monster changes. The first is the stuff below, which is more-or-less straightforward. Almost all monsters will also have increased HP, decreased AC and attacks (damage types) based on the weapon type they'd wield.

(Based on the weapon type that players would use, modified (most probably) with MonsterLevel/2 Levels of the Sub-Weaponmastery in question (i.e. + Lev/2 to min and max dam))

((Note to self:(Do Not(Overuse(Parentheses))))

Other Changes

• More HP Across the board.
• Increased damage (specialised by weapon / bodypart type)

• Adding Mundane resistances (where possible, by the probable equivalent in the Armour section)

• Perception reduced across the board. It will be easier to sneak around monsters, and you WILL want to sneak around some of them. Very, VERY few monsters will be created awake. Stealth becomes more important.
• More Friendly / Neutral monsters to take full advantage of the new factions system. Three Corner Fights will become EXTREMELY fun.
• Most "pure" spellcaster types will get the AI_ANNOY Flag. This means that they'll always run away and try to lob spells at you from a distance. Not just annoying, but deadlier, too.
• Pure Treasure Drop probability will drop markedly. Instead, they'll drop "junk", which fits in with the new Treasure system.

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Chatter

KhymChanur: Why would priests of Eru go around attacking random people?

• RavenRed: Who's to say he/she will? The new factions system will make things a bit more interesting in terms of who beats up on who. In terms of the player, well, he might think you look like a spawn of Morgoth... or even worse, a member of the Reformed Cult of Eru (Marxist-Leninist)... splitters!

Wastrel: I find the name change for a Grand Master Mystic a bit confusing. I've never seen the name 'Abbot' used for any martial artists. It is a name that is applied to the leaders of Catholic monastaries, which the grand master mystic is most certainly not based upon.

NeilStevens: Why does it matter what the Grand Master Mystic is based on, if it's no longer called a Grand Master Mystic?

Wastrel: It matters if a monster's name is misleading to the player. The name 'Abbot' does not imply a martial arts type of monster. It is as misleading as calling an 'arch-liche' a 'nurse'

• RavenRed: I agree. But I don't like the term "Mystic" and couldn't really come up with anything better. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear it. Besides, didn't they call the heads of the Templar orders abbots? <wanders off to read "The answers to all the questions you never thought you'd bother to ask about Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code'">

Wastrel: 'Dojo' is the only martial arts type name that comes to mind, but I'm not sure how apt it is. I think 'Grand Master Monk' is a better name than 'Grand Master Mystic' since it ties into the character class. You are probably correct about Templars & Abbots <wanders off to browse 'History of Christendom vol 3>, Within the game, I think 'high priest of Tulkas' is a good substitute for the current Knight Templar

• RavenRed: Changed. See? Your wish is my consideration... Having said that, the whole unarmed combat thing is very OOT for a mediaeval Europe setting (which is basically what I see Tolkien as... or maybe even 1st millenium)... might even scrap them (and even the Monk class)...

  • ErintiAkairis: Who was it had the idea of folding monks into Tulkas's priesthood ("his weapons are his fists", after all)? (Or failing that, give them a rename and some tweaks, make them a Warrior specialty, and force Tulkas for their deity. As for the whole unarmed combat concept being out-theme, one of the surest ways to promote the development of unarmed combat styles is to outlaw possession of weapons among certain groups of people. While I can't exactly see elf-kings doing something like that, you never know what human or Evil(tm) kingdoms might get up to - that'd translate into race restrictions on the class.)

    • RavenRed: Now there's an idea I hadn't really come at properly before. It makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels, really. Especially with the change to stone skin to become more powerful, then it could make Paladin/Monks highly effective in Melee. Ranged would be a bit of a pain, but I suppose that's a part of being a "brawler" class. The only problem with that is that it almost removes monks from consideration as monsters. Oh well, Morgoth corrupts everything, so it's not that hard... will think about...