Monster Creation

Initiative

Establish a monster’s initiative bonus by adding its level to a modifier between –1 and +9.

Modifier

Speed

Example

–1

Super-slow and utterly clumsy

oozes, zombies

+0

Slow and clumsy

animated statues

+1

Awkward or small

city guards, dire rats

+2

Average

hellhound, human thug

+3

Just above average

derro sage

+4

Quick

owlbear

+5

Fast

wyvern

+6

Really fast

gnoll ranger

+7

Fast like a fast PC

ogre mage

+8

Blindingly fast

rakshasa

+9

Competing with the rogue

 

Attack Bonus

Add or subtract 1 to adjust how accurate a monster is.

Strike Damage

Orient yourself around the average damage for a monster’s attack at any given level. When it comes to large (or double-strength) or huge (or triple-strength) monsters, you don’t have to put all their damage into one strike. Split damage up into smaller attacks or use conditional follow-up attacks.

HP & AC

Use the defense numbers as the top-end rather than the baseline unless you want the difficulty to scale up.

Better Defense/Lesser Defense

Make either PD or MD better than the other, in general.

Fear Threshold

If the monster has a fear ability, it’s the number of hit points where creatures are dazed (–4 attack) while engaged with the monster and can’t use the escalation die. It’s based on level, so that higher-level monsters are more fearsome.

Stat Adjustments

Ad hoc adjustments work fine when limited to adjustments of 1 or 2 points. If you raise a couple scores, drop a couple others.

If you want to add a full level to a monster…

  • …and you only want to boost its attack: Give the monster a +6 attack boost.
  • …and you only want to boost AC: Give the monster a +6 AC boost.
  • …and you only want to increase the monster’s hit points: Double the monster’s hit points.
  • …and you only want to increase the damage the monster deals: Add a second attack or ongoing damage.
  • …and you only want to increase every stat: Add +1 to attack, +1 to all defenses, multiply its damage output by 1.25, and multiply its hit points by 1.25.

Powers to Avoid

Avoid defensive powers that make it harder for the monsters to be killed unless there’s an offense to unlock the defense.

Baseline Stats for Normal Monsters

Monster Level

Attack Bonus

Strike Damage

HP

AC

Better Defense

Lesser Defense

Fear threshold (HP)

0

5

4

20

16

14

10

7

1

6

5

27

17

15

11

9

2

7

7

36

18

16

12

12

3

8

10

45

19

17

13

15

4

9

14

54

20

18

14

18

5

10

18

72

21

19

15

24

6

11

21

90

22

20

16

30

7

12

28

108

23

21

17

36

8

13

38

144

24

22

18

48

9

14

50

180

25

23

19

60

10

15

58

216

26

24

20

72

11

16

70

288

27

25

21

96

12

17

90

360

28

26

22

120

13

18

110

432

29

27

23

144

14

19

135

576

30

28

24

192

Baseline Stats for Mooks

Monster Level

Attack Bonus

Strike Damage

Damage to kill one (HP)

AC

Better Defense

Lesser Defense

0

5

3

5

16

14

10

1

6

4

7

17

15

11

2

7

5

9

18

16

12

3

8

6

11

19

17

13

4

9

7

14

20

18

14

5

10

9

18

21

19

15

6

11

12

23

22

20

16

7

12

18

27

23

21

17

8

13

23

36

24

22

18

9

14

31

45

25

23

19

10

15

37

54

26

24

20

11

16

46

72

27

25

21

12

17

60

90

28

26

22

13

18

74

108

29

27

23

14

19

90

144

30

28

24

Baseline Stats for Large or Double-Strength Monsters

Monster Level

Attack Bonus

Strike Damage

HP

AC

Better Defense

Lesser Defense

Fear threshold (HP)

0

5

9

41

16

14

10

7

1

6

10

54

17

15

11

9

2

7

14

72

18

16

12

12

3

8

21

90

19

17

13

15

4

9

28

108

20

18

14

18

5

10

36

144

21

19

15

24

6

11

42

180

22

20

16

30

7

12

56

216

23

21

17

36

8

13

76

288

24

22

18

48

9

14

100

360

25

23

19

60

10

15

116

432

26

24

20

72

11

16

140

576

27

25

21

96

12

17

180

720

28

26

22

120

13

18

220

864

29

27

23

144

14

19

270

1152

30

28

24

192

Baseline Stats for Huge or Triple-Strength Monsters

Monster Level

Attack Bonus

Strike Damage

HP

AC

Better Defense

Lesser Defense

Fear threshold (HP)

0

5

12

60

16

14

10

7

1

6

15

81

17

15

11

9

2

7

21

108

18

16

12

12

3

8

30

135

19

17

13

15

4

9

42

162

20

18

14

18

5

10

54

216

21

19

15

24

6

11

63

270

22

20

16

30

7

12

84

324

23

21

17

36

8

13

114

432

24

22

18

48

9

14

150

540

25

23

19

60

10

15

174

648

26

24

20

72

11

16

210

864

27

25

21

96

12

17

270

1080

28

26

22

120

13

18

330

1296

29

27

23

144

14

19

405

1728

30

28

24

192