Monster Creation and Monsters of Legend

[alex_greene]

You can extend this to spirits and the Spirit Magic supplement, too, if you wish.

I like MoL. I really do. I would have appreciated, though, a chapter for GMs on building your own monsters, or variants on the monsters presented, and/or establishing habitats for them.

Consider the following creatures left out:-

- The Cyclops
- Centaurs
- Unicorns and Pegasi
- Sirens, selkies and mermaids
- Sea monsters (the Nessie / Water Horse type)
- Sea monsters (the giant octopus type)

and some sort of truly gigantic Godzilla-sized creatures would have gone down a treat, too.

 

[DamonJynx]

Now that they've added in the Chaotic Features table, with the picture of the Demon, it would have been nice if they'd added in summoning and creation rules for Demons and Elementals. I agree Alex, a "How to Build a Monster" chapter would've been excellent. The D&D core rules (DM and MM books) for V3.0, V3.5 and 4E all have chapters on modifying and creating monsters. As you mention this is sadly lacking in the MoL, which is otherwise pretty good, perhaps not so much if you have Monster Coliseum.

 

[alex_greene]

Not just building monsters ... rules on building player character races would also really come in useful. After all, "Pirate" and "Samurai" and "Viking" are not races or species. They are professions. "Elves of Legend," "Ogres of Legend" and "Dwarves of Legend" (to throw in some examples) are races. As such they deserve the same kind of treatment as the Traveller 3I Alien Modules.

Oddly enough, Traveller's rules for creating animal and alien encounters aren't exactly the most detailed, either ...

 

[warlock1971]

Just saw this post and decided to comment.

As a newer addition to the RQ/Legend system, the additional chapter/information Alex suggests makes so much sense. I have tried and struggled to create a few monsters based on the MOL book and the Legend Game book. Secondly, I rolled up a Minotaur to be used as a PC and I am afraid he is very powerful for a start up character.

Guidelines would really help out!

 

[Prime_Evil]

Perhaps this is something that could be done as a short PDF supplement? The subject matter would probably suit a 24 or 32 page PDF. If Mongoose didn't want to release it as 'freebie' like Spirit Magic, they could sell it for a handful of groats on DriveThruRPG / RPGNow...

 

[warlock1971]

Perhaps this is something that could be done as a short PDF supplement? The subject matter would probably suit a 24 or 32 page PDF. If Mongoose didn't want to release it as 'freebie' like Spirit Magic, they could sell it for a handful of groats on DriveThruRPG / RPGNow...

Great suggestion!

 

[Simulacrum]

Secondly, I rolled up a Minotaur to be used as a PC and I am afraid he is very powerful for a start up character.

In fairness - I'd consider this perfectly reasonable given the difficulties this character might have rubbing along in normal human society with other PCs. He may get few party invitations, and suitable hats are prohibitively expensive on your regular minotaur wage. Give the minotaur character a break!

 

[warlock1971]

Secondly, I rolled up a Minotaur to be used as a PC and I am afraid he is very powerful for a start up character.

In fairness - I'd consider this perfectly reasonable given the difficulties this character might have rubbing along in normal human society with other PCs. He may get few party invitations, and suitable hats are prohibitively expensive on your regular minotaur wage. Give the minotaur character a break!

Lol, Cool!

I guess when I am unsure of the system, I default to my D&D DM role and come up with silly arguments like party balance, etc!

 

[Simulacrum]

I guess when I am unsure of the system, I default to my D&D DM role and come up with silly arguments like party balance, etc!

Nothing wrong with that, you need some balance in the party unless your players are completely cool with it being otherwise. And a minotaur can be unbalanced if you are doing a straight hack and slash adventure. but if there's any roleplaying with local communities, time spent in towns etc - the minotaur could feel rather left out and helpless, which would address the balance problem but may leave then player feeling a bit left out and helpless too. Glorantha always accommodated 'monstrous' non-human PCs who are likely to scare the bejayzuz out of regular folk (Trolls, for example), but did so by having a very detailed culture and background there that gave players RP guidelines and worked though how these characters could fit in and relate to others out of their home turf.