02-22-2018, 07:31 PM | #31 | |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Quote:
That said, a lot of monsters meet the "boss" criterion only if the GM carefully reads the description and notes. Dragons are a great example. Reading the stats blocks alone, they aren't impossible to take out with a good shot. But there are mitigating circumstances, like: Dragons are also intelligent – the older, the smarter. They use canny tactics . . .All of which means that a dragon might, say, show itself only after the delvers are stuck in a swamp outdoors . . . and freeze some of them with Terror . . . and then blast them with all four standard breath weapons plus magic spells. Which is actually a lot more important than its Dodge, DR, HP, etc. So remember, while it's important to play fair, that isn't the same as playing nice. I made sure to include reminders.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
|
02-22-2018, 07:41 PM | #32 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Of course, sometimes the most difficult monsters are the lamest ones with good tactics. Has any one actually tried having delvers deal with many times their number in orcs who set traps, shoot from behind barricades, and have a few shamans who've prepped the battlefield with Glue, Grease, etc. as Castle Doctrine (Monsters, p. 7) proposes? It can be nasty.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
02-22-2018, 10:03 PM | #33 |
Join Date: Dec 2005
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Of course, a dragon with a little support can be truly terrifying. Barrels of oil to dump on the target zone, bundles of javelins tied with a slip knot, bundles of dry kindling piled on stair cases ready to ignite, caltrops, nets neatly folded for a nice drive by dropping, punji stakes in the clear line of retreat, plenty of ways to turn their lair into a kill zone without having to get into close combat with the annoying knight with the great sword.
__________________
http://www.neutralgroundgames.com |
02-28-2018, 05:15 PM | #34 | |||
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Last edited by sir_pudding; 02-28-2018 at 06:01 PM. |
|||
02-28-2018, 06:53 PM | #35 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Yep, the majority of gamers who play DF appear to like meteoric arrows, so I changed my mind. I know when I'm outvoted, and of course nine years have passed. ;) Nothing changed in the rules, though.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
03-01-2018, 02:36 AM | #36 | |
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: New Zealand.
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Quote:
Hmm, now I want to set up a map where two elderly goblins have a serious chance of wiping the floor with a seasoned party....
__________________
Waiting for inspiration to strike...... And spending too much time thinking about farming for RPGs Contributor to Citadel at Nordvörn |
|
03-01-2018, 07:23 AM | #37 |
Join Date: May 2008
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Or one kid goblin who was being accidentally left behind during a winter pilgrimage. Home alone DF sounds like fun.
__________________
Running 3 GURPS games: DFRPG, Supers and a weird Evil Hogwart's (ish) game. Check out my blog: Dungeons on Automatic |
03-01-2018, 07:54 AM | #38 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
|
Re: Difficult monsters
That is awesome! Of course, you'd have to stack the deck a little. "Goblin-kin are as diverse as dwarves, elves, humans, and other adventurer races – an individual could have almost any trait!" Kevin the Goblin would surely have less ST, more IQ, Magic Resistance (an important part of Plot Armor in fantasy), and Ridiculous Luck, plus epic Stealth and a good Traps skill. Big bonus if he can defeat the party non-lethally.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
03-01-2018, 01:01 PM | #39 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
|
Re: Difficult monsters
Also important for Kevin is a great Scrounging skill and apparently a very busy house to loot and pillage, or Gizmo + Serendipity to keep finding exactly what he needs.
Also Fearlessness, Callous, and possibly Bully (seriously, he does some cruel stuff).
__________________
All about Size Modifier; Unified Hit Location Table A Wiki for my F2F Group A neglected GURPS blog |
03-01-2018, 02:07 PM | #40 |
Join Date: May 2008
|
Re: Difficult monsters
all very in keeping with a cunning goblin warrior to be!
__________________
Running 3 GURPS games: DFRPG, Supers and a weird Evil Hogwart's (ish) game. Check out my blog: Dungeons on Automatic |
Tags |
monsters |
|
|