Improved Stat Blocks

[languagegeek]

After reading in one of the other threads, I see I'm not alone in thinking that the current stat-block layout leaves room for improvement. Perhaps we the gaming public can come up with (or have come up with) something better? After starting with a few posts worth of "better ways", we can work out a new design.

A few suggestions:

* Put the name of the NPC or Monster atop the stat block. (I see this has started in recent S&P issues, but see issue 79 for the old confusion)
* Put the Combat Style % in the NPC/Monster's Weapons table (and include a weapons table).
* Include Evade, Persistence, Resilience in some kind of table format as well. Stats I need quick reference to in battle should be easy to find.
* Include combat tactics (how the NPC/Monster would typically choose to fight) Paizo does this in its Adventure Paths and I've found it very handy at times, and easily ignored at other times.
* Have the stat block fit either a) within the column text - no column break from the rest of the text - like Cl&Ch; b) clearly but compactly (less white space) contained in some sort of easily recognized Monster text-box - i.e. all monsters are formatted in the same kind of box.
* No full justification for columns in stat blocks (see Cl&Ch scenarios for this problem) justification makes big white spaces between skills and their corresponding %. And keep the % on the same line as the skill name.

Maybe I'm wrong about these suggestions, and this is turning into a layout/design rant, sorry.

 

[Dan True]

We definately need a discussiosn about this. If we come up with something good, I'll definately adopt it in whatever I make.

- Dan

 

[Ultor]

Here's the block I use, an example converted from an old published adventure (note the formating is screwed up because the forum doesn't use tabs - it looks neat in Word):


RHOGRAM REDFRIEND, Initiate of the Seven Mothers
STR 16 CON 14 SIZ 15 INT 16 POW 12 (16) DEX 17 CHA 14...........R Leg 01-03 6/6
CA: 3 DM: +1d4 MP: 12 Move: 8m SR: +17 (9) ...............................L Leg 04-06 6/6
....................................................................................................... Abdm 07-09 4/7
Combat Styles: Shortspear and Shield 75%, Scimitar and Shield 50%............. Chest 10-12 6/8
Weapon Sz Rch Damage AP Range....................... R Arm 13-15 4/5
Shortspear M L 1d8+1+1d4 6/8 - ....................... L Arm 16-18 4/5
Scimitar M M 1d8+1d4 6/10 -....................... Head 19-20 6/6
Hoplite Shield H S 2d4 6/18 -

Armor: Plate Greaves, Cuirass, Helm; Scalemail Skirt and Sleeves.
Common Magic (80%): Bladesharp 2, Demoralize, Disruption 1, Healing 6
Divine Magic (Seven Mothers) Lore 62%, Pact 28%: Madness, Mindblast, Shield, Extension
Skills: Athletics 70%, Stealth 75%, Perception 70%, Ride 83%, Swim 80%, Persistence 62%, Resilience 58%, Evade 64%
Languages: New Pelorian 80%, Tradetalk 70%, Old Pavic/Sartarite 60%
Treasure Carried: 10W, 50L, embossed and bejeweled helmet and gorget worth 1500L each, ring worth 350L, jeweled and engraved scimitar worth 260L.

Here's what I use for mooks:


Pavis Royal Guard
Stats: Str 13 Con 11 Siz 12 Int 10 Pow 12 Dex 13 Cha 9
CA: 2 DM: 0 MP: 12 Move: 8m SR: +12

Combat Styles: Scimitar + Shield 50%, Recurve Bow 80%
Combat Style Sz Rch Damage AP/HP Range
Scimitar M M 1d8 6/ 10
Heater Shield L S 1d4 6/12
Recurve Bow H - 1d8 4/8 175m

Common Magic (51%): Disrupt 1, Healing 2, Mobility 1, Multimissile 1, Protection 2

Skills: Athletics 56%, Evade 56%, Perception 55%, Persistence 44%, Ride 75%, Resilience 42%
Notes: Each guardsman owns a personal zebra


Guardsman 1
MP 12 R Leg 01-03 2/5
SR 7 (12) L Leg 04-06 2/5
GHP 12 Abdm 07-09 5/6
CWL 6 Chest 10-12 5/7
Scimitar 10 R Arm 13-15 2/4
L Arm 16-18 2/4
Head 19-20 5/5

(Where GHP = General Hit Points and CWL = Critical Wound Level)

 

[languagegeek]

Here's the block I use, an example converted from an old published adventure (note the formatting is screwed up because the forum doesn't use tabs - it looks neat in Word):

Any chance of exporting this as a pdf? As we're talking about formatting as well as content, it'd be great to see what exactly you've come up with.

I'd be happy to volunteer to compile a weeks' worth of comments and put together some prototypes, and then make some templates available.

 

[Deleriad]

The stat blocks for the NPCs in the Spirit World article are what I use. Designed to fit into two column text, and relatively compact. I have pulled out Evade, Persistence and Resilience in the past but I'm so used to them in the skill block now that I find them automatically.

One thing I'm interested to know is that I use the following form for weapons:

Shotsword (M/S, 1D6, 4/10). Sling (L/-, 1D8, -/200m) [actual numbers made up). How easy do people find that to read?