Figuring out DR for creatures

[SetWorshipper]

Since the Conan book lacks a large selection of monsters, I am adapting creatures from the MM for use with Conan. Is there written anywhere a specific way/rule to figure out a creature's DR?

Currently I am adapting a DR equal to the Natural AC bonus. This appears works for the most part but hasn't been playtested.

Also going to some old comments on DR 6 for a horse seeming high, this technique would knock a horse down to DR 3 or 4 depending on breed.

 

[Yokiboy]

Also going to some old comments on DR 6 for a horse seeming high, this technique would knock a horse down to DR 3 or 4 depending on breed.

That's sounds about right. It is actually only what's considered the finest war horses in the entire world that have DR6, the other warhorses have DR4.

TTFN,

Yokiboy

 

[SetWorshipper]

Its too early in the morning here, better get coffee before posting....dupe thread.

Taharqa covered this earlier on
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1738

 

[Taharqa]

Thanks for the props. Although, I didn't really resolve the DR issue which Mongoose seems to have handled on an ad-hoc basis. I think a one-to-one correspondence of "natural armor" from the monster manual to DR works pretty well, although exceptions to this rule will probably be necessary.

I also think DR is way too high for horses. I think it is way too high for some other animals as well like cows and dogs. (I wonder if the people at Mongoose have actually ever been on a farm). It's not like cows have scales or something.

 

[Yokiboy]

I also think DR is way too high for horses. I think it is way too high for some other animals as well like cows and dogs. (I wonder if the people at Mongoose have actually ever been on a farm). It's not like cows have scales or something.

LOL! I totally agree. Actually I don't know why cows, dogs and horses get any DR at all. :lol:

It seems DR is used much more like a passive defense to make up for the fact that people and creatures' DV is generally much lower in Conan the RPG. It's just a balancing tool, instead of giving them tons of hit points.

On the other hand... A first level character might find it kind of demoralizing that he's unable to kill a cow with one hack from his battleax, as cattle have 36 HP and DR2! :shock:

TTFN,

Yokiboy

 

[Taharqa]

Yeah, those are some bad-ass bovines! Maybe a good low-level adventure would be "The Dark Cult of the Elder Cow Gods"

 

[Yokiboy]

Yeah, those are some bad-ass bovines! Maybe a good low-level adventure would be "The Dark Cult of the Elder Cow Gods"

Sure, and maybe if you included a Zingarian Thief with the Light-Footed feat perhaps he'd have enough sneak attack dice to actually kill a flat-footed cow! :lol:

"You've heard of mad cow disease, but these cows are really MAD!" :wink:

TTFN,

Yokiboy

 

[SetWorshipper]

Hey! UK doesn't really have a beef export business because they're Mad.
Perhaps the monster designers only experience with cows was from diablo 2..... :twisted:

 

[Yuan-Ti]

:lol: Good stuff guys. :lol:

At least for dogs [edit: I wrote gods the first time :roll: ], I can understand why they have decent DR. Maybe their fur gives them a little but having tried to fend off dogs with a stick before, I have to say that as easy as it may be to hit a person with a stick (I have less experience with that, to be honest), dogs can be kinda difficult to hit effectively. They jump around, are down around your ankles, etc. Oh, sure, you can hit them, but mostly glancing blows. I just wonder if the DR here reflects that. (I was reading a book a couple nights ago where a character was fighting wolves with a sword and I had to agree with the author that it was awkward for a trained warrior to hit the wolves effectively with his sword.)

I can't really imagine with a cow, though... :roll:

 

[Elfman]

Remember, with a cow most of the time you get the bonuses for the target being unaware when attacking, so bypassing their heavy scales (er, hide, whatever :wink: ) becomes easier.

Not that cows can't dodge, but they don't usually recognize the danger of the person with the sword and so are constantly, pardon the phrase, flat-footed.

 

[Bombaatu]

With cows, it's easy: they're hit, but they're too stupid to realize they're hurt... Simple.