Before I discovered Dungeons & Dragons, before I even started reading fantasy literature, there was Fighting Fantasy.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, here's a brief run-down. In 1982 Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone (co-founders of Games Workshop and White Dwarf) published The Warlock of Firetop Mountain through Penguin Books. It was like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, only not crap, and had the added benefit of dice-rolling for combat and other situations. The series continued until book 59, with various authors contributing, and it had something of a revival about a decade ago. The books sold millions. Millions and millions. I've read that at one point the top 5 UK best-sellers were all Fighting Fantasy books, though I can't locate the source now. Needless to say, they were a phenomenon in the UK, and they were omnipresent here in Australia as well.
My first encounter with them was in my primary school library, which had the first three: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, The Citadel of Chaos and The Forest of Doom. I played through those with various levels of cheating involved, and the series remained a constant part of my gaming for years to come. They were my introduction to D&D-style fantasy, and my perception of that genre is still massively influenced by them.
The 30th anniversary was last year, so I have missed that boat, but I have started playing through the series one by one. As this blog has lain dormant for a while, and I'm not making much headway on my Ultimate Sandbox project, I thought I might as well write about it here. So if you will forgive my indulgence, this is going to become a Fighting Fantasy play-through blog for a while. It's not D&D, but it's still fantasy, innit? And properly old-school at that.
There are some other FF play-through blogs out there, if the series takes your fancy. Turnto400 is the funniest of the lot. Fighting Fantasy Project provides more in-depth reviews. Fighting for Your Fantasy is another that is rather good. Or you could just hang around here and read my posts. Those blogs tend to do a single attempt at a book before moving on to the next one. My plan is to stick with one book and attempt to complete it without cheating before I continue. It sounds like a good plan, but things could get tedious when I hit a book I'm not familiar with. And then there's Crypt of the Sorcerer, which could conceivably take me hundreds of tries...
So, onward! Next post, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
AD&D Monster Manual Part 44
SEA HAG:
Sea hags first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor as a kind of reverse dryad. As the sea hag was so likened to a dryad in its original entry, it's that monster I'm using to compare the sea hag's new stats with.
The sea hag's death stare is still intact, but it's been somewhat nerfed. Originally it was save vs. spell or die. Now the sight of a hag requires a save vs. magic or the victim loses half its strength for a few turns. Three times a day the hag can use a stare that will kill a victim on a failed save.
They were previously said to have all the powers of a dryad, which amounted to a powerful Charm spell, but that's no longer the case. What it's gained in return is a 50% magic resistance, which seems a fair trade-off to me.
We also learn that sea hags live in salt water shallows, and they eat their victims. Cannibal witches are rad.
Stat Changes:
Number Appearing: Old - 1-6; New - 1-4
Armor Class: Old - 5; New - 7
Movement: Old - 12; New - 15
Hit Dice: Old - 2; New - 3
So what we have is a monster that is slightly stronger physically, but has lost a good deal of its magical power. I figure that this all ties in with wherever they gained their magic resistance from, probably some deal with the devil type thing.
SEA HORSE, GIANT:
Sea Horses made their first appearance in Supplement II: Blackmoor. Here they get some added detail related to their general temperament and habitat, whereas before they were simply steeds for mermen. Given that the mermen in the Monster Manual have fish tails and are unsuited for riding, sea horses now serve as steeds for aquatic elves and locathah.
Their damage range has been tweaked a bit as well. Originally all sea horses did 1-6 damage with a headbutt, but now the range is dependent on how many Hit Dice the sea horse has.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 12"; New - 21" (Could this be a typo?)
Hit Dice: Old - 2 to 3; New - 2 to 4
SEA LION:
Sea lions make their first appearance here. Anything becomes more radical by adding a lion's head (case in point), and fish are no exception - this is basically a fish-lion hybrid that inhabits coastal waters and eats people. There's a real world animal called a sea lion, but it's just a kind of seal. Nevertheless, Gary could never resist riffing on a pun, and so we have the much cooler D&D version.
SHADOW:
Shadows were first mentioned in OD&D Vol. 2, and got a full write-up in Supplement I: Greyhawk. They are still incorporeal, strength-draining shades that can only be struck by magical weapons. The duration of their Strength-drain has been altered from 8 turns to a range of 2-8. In addition to their immunities to sleep and charm, they have gained immunity to hold spells and cold-based attacks. They have also become 90% undetectable, though don't ask me how that meshes with the surprise rules. There's also a note that they are easily detectable in bright light.
The main point of difference is that in OD&D, shadows are specifically said to not be undead (or at least implied to be a class of undead unto themselves). Here that distinction is not made, and they are undead like any other. They do get tied to the Negative Material Plane for the first time.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 9"; New - 12"
Hit Dice: Old - 2+2; New - 3+3
Damage: Old - 1-4; New - 2-5
Sea hags first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor as a kind of reverse dryad. As the sea hag was so likened to a dryad in its original entry, it's that monster I'm using to compare the sea hag's new stats with.
The sea hag's death stare is still intact, but it's been somewhat nerfed. Originally it was save vs. spell or die. Now the sight of a hag requires a save vs. magic or the victim loses half its strength for a few turns. Three times a day the hag can use a stare that will kill a victim on a failed save.
They were previously said to have all the powers of a dryad, which amounted to a powerful Charm spell, but that's no longer the case. What it's gained in return is a 50% magic resistance, which seems a fair trade-off to me.
We also learn that sea hags live in salt water shallows, and they eat their victims. Cannibal witches are rad.
Stat Changes:
Number Appearing: Old - 1-6; New - 1-4
Armor Class: Old - 5; New - 7
Movement: Old - 12; New - 15
Hit Dice: Old - 2; New - 3
So what we have is a monster that is slightly stronger physically, but has lost a good deal of its magical power. I figure that this all ties in with wherever they gained their magic resistance from, probably some deal with the devil type thing.
SEA HORSE, GIANT:
Sea Horses made their first appearance in Supplement II: Blackmoor. Here they get some added detail related to their general temperament and habitat, whereas before they were simply steeds for mermen. Given that the mermen in the Monster Manual have fish tails and are unsuited for riding, sea horses now serve as steeds for aquatic elves and locathah.
Their damage range has been tweaked a bit as well. Originally all sea horses did 1-6 damage with a headbutt, but now the range is dependent on how many Hit Dice the sea horse has.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 12"; New - 21" (Could this be a typo?)
Hit Dice: Old - 2 to 3; New - 2 to 4
SEA LION:
Sea lions make their first appearance here. Anything becomes more radical by adding a lion's head (case in point), and fish are no exception - this is basically a fish-lion hybrid that inhabits coastal waters and eats people. There's a real world animal called a sea lion, but it's just a kind of seal. Nevertheless, Gary could never resist riffing on a pun, and so we have the much cooler D&D version.
SHADOW:
Shadows were first mentioned in OD&D Vol. 2, and got a full write-up in Supplement I: Greyhawk. They are still incorporeal, strength-draining shades that can only be struck by magical weapons. The duration of their Strength-drain has been altered from 8 turns to a range of 2-8. In addition to their immunities to sleep and charm, they have gained immunity to hold spells and cold-based attacks. They have also become 90% undetectable, though don't ask me how that meshes with the surprise rules. There's also a note that they are easily detectable in bright light.
The main point of difference is that in OD&D, shadows are specifically said to not be undead (or at least implied to be a class of undead unto themselves). Here that distinction is not made, and they are undead like any other. They do get tied to the Negative Material Plane for the first time.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 9"; New - 12"
Hit Dice: Old - 2+2; New - 3+3
Damage: Old - 1-4; New - 2-5
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
AD&D Monster Manual Part 43
SALAMANDER:
Salamanders were first rumoured to exist in OD&D Vol. 2, and made their first actual appearance in Supplement I: Greyhawk. They were originally described as a type of 'free-willed fire elemental', and here it is confirmed that they originate from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Their offensive capabilities are much the same, but they have gained a bunch of new defenses: they are now immune to all but magical weapons, and cannot be affected by sleep, charm or hold spells. Cold-based attacks do a little more damage to them now. But basically they are the same monster with some minor cosmetic changes.
Stat Changes:
Hit Dice: Old - 7+3; New - 7+7
Tail Damage: Old - 2-16; New - 2-12
SATYR:
For such a classic mythological creature, satyrs have been mentioned little in D&D before this. They show up in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry, and a more powerful version of them appears in Supplement IV: Gods, Demigods and Heroes. The info in Supplement IV is sparse, and bears little resemblance to what's shown here, so I'm not going to try and connect the two (or perhaps I can keep that version as a mythological demi-god, or extra-planar satyr). Satyrs appear as dudes with goat-legs, and they spend all of their time frolicking or 'chasing wood-nymphs'. They don't like being disturbed, but they can be bribed with superior wine. If they do get hostile, one of them will usually play its magic pipes, which can charm, cause sleep, or instill fear. Unsurprisingly, if their are comely females in the group, the satyrs try to charm them. The fey-folk are pretty much all creepy rapists.
SCORPION, GIANT:
Giant scorpions first appeared in the random dungeon encounter tables in OD&D Vol. 3, then they showed up in Supplement I: Greyhawk on the Monster Attack Damage table, and then again in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. But this is the first time they get complete stats. They're exactly what you expect: big bastards, pincers, poisonous tail. Although this is interesting: "Note that the scorpion's poison kills it if it accidentally stings itself". At first I wondered if this has ever happened in the entire history of D&D, but then I remembered how often in the old days people used to graft critical hit and fumble tables to the game. Yeah, it's happened.
Salamanders were first rumoured to exist in OD&D Vol. 2, and made their first actual appearance in Supplement I: Greyhawk. They were originally described as a type of 'free-willed fire elemental', and here it is confirmed that they originate from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Their offensive capabilities are much the same, but they have gained a bunch of new defenses: they are now immune to all but magical weapons, and cannot be affected by sleep, charm or hold spells. Cold-based attacks do a little more damage to them now. But basically they are the same monster with some minor cosmetic changes.
Stat Changes:
Hit Dice: Old - 7+3; New - 7+7
Tail Damage: Old - 2-16; New - 2-12
SATYR:
For such a classic mythological creature, satyrs have been mentioned little in D&D before this. They show up in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry, and a more powerful version of them appears in Supplement IV: Gods, Demigods and Heroes. The info in Supplement IV is sparse, and bears little resemblance to what's shown here, so I'm not going to try and connect the two (or perhaps I can keep that version as a mythological demi-god, or extra-planar satyr). Satyrs appear as dudes with goat-legs, and they spend all of their time frolicking or 'chasing wood-nymphs'. They don't like being disturbed, but they can be bribed with superior wine. If they do get hostile, one of them will usually play its magic pipes, which can charm, cause sleep, or instill fear. Unsurprisingly, if their are comely females in the group, the satyrs try to charm them. The fey-folk are pretty much all creepy rapists.
SCORPION, GIANT:
Giant scorpions first appeared in the random dungeon encounter tables in OD&D Vol. 3, then they showed up in Supplement I: Greyhawk on the Monster Attack Damage table, and then again in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. But this is the first time they get complete stats. They're exactly what you expect: big bastards, pincers, poisonous tail. Although this is interesting: "Note that the scorpion's poison kills it if it accidentally stings itself". At first I wondered if this has ever happened in the entire history of D&D, but then I remembered how often in the old days people used to graft critical hit and fumble tables to the game. Yeah, it's happened.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
AD&D Monster Manual Part 42
RUST MONSTER:
Rust monsters first appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk. Their essence remains unchanged, but a lot of detail has been added. They are now said to dwell only in subterranean places, and have an acute sense of smell when it comes to ferrous metals. They have also been nerfed a little bit: magical weapons now get a saving throw to avoid the rust effect. The rust monster is also significantly faster than it used to be, making it even less likely that an armoured fighter can outrun it, but some guidelines have been added for dropping metallic items to distract them.
Also, both mithral and adamantite are said to be steel alloys. This takes a little of their mystique away, to my mind, but there it is in the book. I just report it as I see it.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 12"; New - 18"
SAHUAGIN:
Sahuagin first appeared in a mammoth entry in Supplement II: Blackmoor, and much to my chagrin the Monster Manual is equally wordy on the subject. They remain the same sadistic, predatory fish-men of the sea, but Gary has availed himself of the chance to change a lot of things about them.
Though we already knew they lived in the sea, it is revealed here that they prefer warmer waters, and that they generally stick between 100' and 1500' sea depth. That they hate ixitchachitl (the rad manta ray vampire philosophers) is also new. The social structure of the sahuagin is retained, with nine princes all ruled over by a king, but here we discover that this is supposed to mirror the planes of Hell, as sahuagin are devil-worshippers.
The organisation of sahuagin lairs has also been re-jigged, but the general make-up is the same. The more sahuagin there are, the more tough fighters and clerics they have. The only real difference is that there are no longer any sahuagin magic-users. The clerics are all female (shades of the drow, though sahuagin predate them). We also learn that sahuagin villages are domed, but that's par for the course for underwater villages. Their numbers have also dropped quite a bit. Their capital now has 5,000 residents, instead of nearly 100,000.
Previously sahuagin were mostly armed with tridents and barbed nets. They now add spears, javelins, daggers and special underwater crossbows to their arsenal.
Their physical appearance has changed quite a bit. A lot less detail is given in the Monster Manual than we got previously, but the main thing to note is that they no longer have tails, and they have clawed hands instead of pincers. I can see why Gary got rid of the tail, given that it inflicted 2d6 damage (a pretty hefty amount for that stage of OD&D). And it's probably hard to wield nets and tridents with pincer hands.
In Supplement II, sahuagin were said to have been created by evil gods when the world was flooded. Gary has retained that idea as a possibility, adding that the gods made them out of a nation of evil humans. It's also said that the tritons believe sahuagin are related to sea elves, and claim that the drow spawned them. (It's another early drow sighting, before they have officially appeared anywhere).
Stat Changes:
No. Appearing: Old - 10-60; New - 20-80
Armor Class: Old - 4; New - 5
Movement: Old - 18"/30"; New - 12"/24"
Hit Dice: Old - 2; New - 2+2
So the situation we have is that sahuagin have become less numerous, slightly slower, slightly tougher, and have lost their tails and pincer-hands. The loss of the tail helps explain the lower speed, but opens a more difficult problem, as the physical changes require a greater explanation. I keep coming back to the idea that they were created by evil gods; after all, if that's the case there's no reason they can't be recreated. I can even tie it into the lower population levels: after a series of disastrous wars against tritons and ixitxachitl, the sahuagin turned to their devil masters and were changed into stronger forms. Their magic-users were offered as sacrifice, and that explains why they're all gone as well. Voila, problems solved!
Rust monsters first appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk. Their essence remains unchanged, but a lot of detail has been added. They are now said to dwell only in subterranean places, and have an acute sense of smell when it comes to ferrous metals. They have also been nerfed a little bit: magical weapons now get a saving throw to avoid the rust effect. The rust monster is also significantly faster than it used to be, making it even less likely that an armoured fighter can outrun it, but some guidelines have been added for dropping metallic items to distract them.
Also, both mithral and adamantite are said to be steel alloys. This takes a little of their mystique away, to my mind, but there it is in the book. I just report it as I see it.
Stat Changes:
Movement: Old - 12"; New - 18"
SAHUAGIN:
Sahuagin first appeared in a mammoth entry in Supplement II: Blackmoor, and much to my chagrin the Monster Manual is equally wordy on the subject. They remain the same sadistic, predatory fish-men of the sea, but Gary has availed himself of the chance to change a lot of things about them.
Though we already knew they lived in the sea, it is revealed here that they prefer warmer waters, and that they generally stick between 100' and 1500' sea depth. That they hate ixitchachitl (the rad manta ray vampire philosophers) is also new. The social structure of the sahuagin is retained, with nine princes all ruled over by a king, but here we discover that this is supposed to mirror the planes of Hell, as sahuagin are devil-worshippers.
The organisation of sahuagin lairs has also been re-jigged, but the general make-up is the same. The more sahuagin there are, the more tough fighters and clerics they have. The only real difference is that there are no longer any sahuagin magic-users. The clerics are all female (shades of the drow, though sahuagin predate them). We also learn that sahuagin villages are domed, but that's par for the course for underwater villages. Their numbers have also dropped quite a bit. Their capital now has 5,000 residents, instead of nearly 100,000.
Previously sahuagin were mostly armed with tridents and barbed nets. They now add spears, javelins, daggers and special underwater crossbows to their arsenal.
Their physical appearance has changed quite a bit. A lot less detail is given in the Monster Manual than we got previously, but the main thing to note is that they no longer have tails, and they have clawed hands instead of pincers. I can see why Gary got rid of the tail, given that it inflicted 2d6 damage (a pretty hefty amount for that stage of OD&D). And it's probably hard to wield nets and tridents with pincer hands.
In Supplement II, sahuagin were said to have been created by evil gods when the world was flooded. Gary has retained that idea as a possibility, adding that the gods made them out of a nation of evil humans. It's also said that the tritons believe sahuagin are related to sea elves, and claim that the drow spawned them. (It's another early drow sighting, before they have officially appeared anywhere).
Stat Changes:
No. Appearing: Old - 10-60; New - 20-80
Armor Class: Old - 4; New - 5
Movement: Old - 18"/30"; New - 12"/24"
Hit Dice: Old - 2; New - 2+2
So the situation we have is that sahuagin have become less numerous, slightly slower, slightly tougher, and have lost their tails and pincer-hands. The loss of the tail helps explain the lower speed, but opens a more difficult problem, as the physical changes require a greater explanation. I keep coming back to the idea that they were created by evil gods; after all, if that's the case there's no reason they can't be recreated. I can even tie it into the lower population levels: after a series of disastrous wars against tritons and ixitxachitl, the sahuagin turned to their devil masters and were changed into stronger forms. Their magic-users were offered as sacrifice, and that explains why they're all gone as well. Voila, problems solved!
Sunday, March 03, 2013
AD&D Monster Manual Part 41
I'm back with another post, just to assure everyone that I'm not taking another year-long hiatus. I've also changed up the format slightly, to make the statistical changes less awkward to write about. (I may even figure out how to format it properly by the next post.) Let's have at it!
ROC:
Rocs first appeared in OD&D Vol. 2. Superficially they are still the same monster (a Bloody Big Bird), but there are some changes that alter it in significant ways. Probably the biggest is a change in demeanor. The original Rocs were more likely to attack Chaotic creatures and be friendly towards Lawful types. Now Rocs are Neutral in alignment and have an animal intelligence. They really are just big birds now, and further away from the Tolkienesque eagles they resembled before.
OD&D also has notes about the likelihood that young Rocs will be found in a nest, but here that has been dispensed with in favour of a terse note about their nests containing the treasure of former victims. Young Rocs were previously able to be trained, but that's also been omitted. Instead we learn that Rocs are tamed and used by giants. Perhaps the giant thing is a recent development? It could serve to explain the change in their nature: as the giants prey on them and train them, so they become more hostile and animalistic.
It also fits with the stat changes noted below. The steep drop in Number Appearing indicates that they've been hunted extensively by giants. The Hit Dice totals listed below are deceptive. In OD&D, a 6 Hit Dice Roc was standard, but the possibility for larger types with double or triple Hit Dice was given. In the Monster Manual, only the full 18 Hit Dice variety is listed. Again, it indicates to me that the giants have hunted out the smaller varieties.
Stat changes: Old: New:
Number Appearing: 1-20 1-2
Move: 6/48 3/30
Hit Dice: 6 18
Damage: 4-16/4-24 3-18/4-24
ROPER:
Ropers first appeared in The Strategic Review #2, and like most of the monsters Gary created for the magazines he hasn't revised it much at all. It's still the same weird creature, with strength-draining tentacles, immunity to lightning, resistance to cold, and a weakness against fire. And an 80% magic resistance, to top things off. It still has a gizzard that contains treasure, but the gem count has been dropped from 20-50 to 5-20, and they've picked up a taste for platinum. (Treasure-gizzards are awesome.) In OD&D, characters hit by the Roper got a save vs. poison to avoid the strength drain. In the Monster Manual, it seems that is no longer the case. They've also lost their immunity to Charm spells. And their alignment has changed from Chaotic to Chaotic Evil (as per Strategic Review #6).
Stat changes: None
ROT GRUB:
It's the dreaded rot grub, making its first ever appearance in D&D! They're normal-sized grubs that live in offal and dung, and are appropriately weak. But if any character touches one, it will burrow into their flesh and kill them in 1-3 turns, unless fire or a cure disease spell are applied to the victim immediately. Presumably this was Gary's home-grown deterrent for PCs who spend their time searching every nook and cranny of the dungeon. Hey, you want to stick your hand in a pile of shit looking for treasure? Good luck with that.
ROC:
Rocs first appeared in OD&D Vol. 2. Superficially they are still the same monster (a Bloody Big Bird), but there are some changes that alter it in significant ways. Probably the biggest is a change in demeanor. The original Rocs were more likely to attack Chaotic creatures and be friendly towards Lawful types. Now Rocs are Neutral in alignment and have an animal intelligence. They really are just big birds now, and further away from the Tolkienesque eagles they resembled before.
OD&D also has notes about the likelihood that young Rocs will be found in a nest, but here that has been dispensed with in favour of a terse note about their nests containing the treasure of former victims. Young Rocs were previously able to be trained, but that's also been omitted. Instead we learn that Rocs are tamed and used by giants. Perhaps the giant thing is a recent development? It could serve to explain the change in their nature: as the giants prey on them and train them, so they become more hostile and animalistic.
It also fits with the stat changes noted below. The steep drop in Number Appearing indicates that they've been hunted extensively by giants. The Hit Dice totals listed below are deceptive. In OD&D, a 6 Hit Dice Roc was standard, but the possibility for larger types with double or triple Hit Dice was given. In the Monster Manual, only the full 18 Hit Dice variety is listed. Again, it indicates to me that the giants have hunted out the smaller varieties.
Stat changes: Old: New:
Number Appearing: 1-20 1-2
Move: 6/48 3/30
Hit Dice: 6 18
Damage: 4-16/4-24 3-18/4-24
ROPER:
Ropers first appeared in The Strategic Review #2, and like most of the monsters Gary created for the magazines he hasn't revised it much at all. It's still the same weird creature, with strength-draining tentacles, immunity to lightning, resistance to cold, and a weakness against fire. And an 80% magic resistance, to top things off. It still has a gizzard that contains treasure, but the gem count has been dropped from 20-50 to 5-20, and they've picked up a taste for platinum. (Treasure-gizzards are awesome.) In OD&D, characters hit by the Roper got a save vs. poison to avoid the strength drain. In the Monster Manual, it seems that is no longer the case. They've also lost their immunity to Charm spells. And their alignment has changed from Chaotic to Chaotic Evil (as per Strategic Review #6).
Stat changes: None
ROT GRUB:
It's the dreaded rot grub, making its first ever appearance in D&D! They're normal-sized grubs that live in offal and dung, and are appropriately weak. But if any character touches one, it will burrow into their flesh and kill them in 1-3 turns, unless fire or a cure disease spell are applied to the victim immediately. Presumably this was Gary's home-grown deterrent for PCs who spend their time searching every nook and cranny of the dungeon. Hey, you want to stick your hand in a pile of shit looking for treasure? Good luck with that.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
AD&D Monster Manual Part 40
I'm back, but don't get too excited, unless you happen to like manta rays and rhinos. It's one more step forward in the interminable slog through the Monster Manual.
MANTA RAY: Manta rays first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor. In their original appearance they could be up to 75' across, but here they are only about half that size. Statistical changes are as follows: Number Appearing has changed from 1-4 to 1; Armor Class changed from 5 to 6; Movement raised from 12 to 18; and Hit Dice lowered from to a range of 8-11. Their bite attack now deals 3-12 damage instead of 1-6, and the Manta Ray has gained the ability to swallow its victim whole (this ability was mentioned in passing in the original entry, but it is only now concretely defined). It's tail attack has also been changed. In its original form, a PC hit by the tail required a save vs. paralysation, with no damage indicated (although it is said to be treated as a mace, so I guess it does 1-6). Here the tail has been given a damage range of 2-20, and will stun its victim for 2-8 rounds if the save is failed. Like many of the monsters from Supplement II this is a case of a hazily defined monster getting a huge dose of clarity.
PUNGI RAY: Speaking of clarity, this entry begins by actually defining what a Pungi Ray is, something Supplement II never bothered to do. I realise that it would be easy enough to look the creature up in real-world books, but it never hurts to have the info on hand in the Monster Manual. A Pungi Ray is a ray with spines on its back that hides on the sea bottom. Anyone who steps on one might get stabbed by a spine, and must save vs. poison or die. The main difference between the Monster Manual version and the original is a matter of sanity: a character falling on a Pungi Ray in the original version would be subject to 20-30 attacks; now the number is 2-8. Statistically, Number Appearing has changed from 1-4 to 1-3; Armor Class from 6 to 7; Movement from 6 to 12; and Hit Dice from 6 to 4. It has also lost the ability to attack as a giant leech should it get on top of an adventurer. Gary really nerfed this one.
STING RAY: As far as I can tell, this creature hasn't appeared in D&D before this. It's a much smaller ray, with a tail that can paralyse its victim. A nice option for lower-level characters.
REMORHAZ: This monster first appeared in The Dragon #2. Statistically it has changed little: originally it could have Hit Dice of 6, 10 or 14, but now it ranges from 7-14. Its bite damage gets a minor tweak, from 3-36 to 6-36. It retains the same whopping Magic Resistance of 75%, and the ability to melt non-magical weapons that strike its superheated back. Said back is now much deadlier to adventurers, though, as it is now said that any character touching it takes 10-100 points of damage. The Remorhaz also gains the ability to swallow opponents whole on a natural 20, which incinerates and kills them instantly. Fighting one of these doesn't sound too enticing, but in true Gary fashion he tempts you by giving their eggs a value of 5,000 gp each.
RHINOCEROS: The common Rhinoceros has been mentioned as a possibility to be summoned by the Conjure Animal spell in Supplement I: Greyhawk, and has also appeared in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. It gets stats here for the first time. I expected them to be tough, but 8-9 Hit Dice is well above what I was thinking. There is a single-horned variety and a two-horned variety, the latter of which deals more damage. Their main form of attack is a charge which deals double damage, and also the ability to trample "any opponent which is low enough for this action", i.e., Hobbits.
WOOLLY RHINOCEROS: As above, but slightly tougher and significantly woollier. I believe that their only appearance has been in the Wilderness Encounter tables of Supplement III.
MANTA RAY: Manta rays first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor. In their original appearance they could be up to 75' across, but here they are only about half that size. Statistical changes are as follows: Number Appearing has changed from 1-4 to 1; Armor Class changed from 5 to 6; Movement raised from 12 to 18; and Hit Dice lowered from to a range of 8-11. Their bite attack now deals 3-12 damage instead of 1-6, and the Manta Ray has gained the ability to swallow its victim whole (this ability was mentioned in passing in the original entry, but it is only now concretely defined). It's tail attack has also been changed. In its original form, a PC hit by the tail required a save vs. paralysation, with no damage indicated (although it is said to be treated as a mace, so I guess it does 1-6). Here the tail has been given a damage range of 2-20, and will stun its victim for 2-8 rounds if the save is failed. Like many of the monsters from Supplement II this is a case of a hazily defined monster getting a huge dose of clarity.
PUNGI RAY: Speaking of clarity, this entry begins by actually defining what a Pungi Ray is, something Supplement II never bothered to do. I realise that it would be easy enough to look the creature up in real-world books, but it never hurts to have the info on hand in the Monster Manual. A Pungi Ray is a ray with spines on its back that hides on the sea bottom. Anyone who steps on one might get stabbed by a spine, and must save vs. poison or die. The main difference between the Monster Manual version and the original is a matter of sanity: a character falling on a Pungi Ray in the original version would be subject to 20-30 attacks; now the number is 2-8. Statistically, Number Appearing has changed from 1-4 to 1-3; Armor Class from 6 to 7; Movement from 6 to 12; and Hit Dice from 6 to 4. It has also lost the ability to attack as a giant leech should it get on top of an adventurer. Gary really nerfed this one.
STING RAY: As far as I can tell, this creature hasn't appeared in D&D before this. It's a much smaller ray, with a tail that can paralyse its victim. A nice option for lower-level characters.
REMORHAZ: This monster first appeared in The Dragon #2. Statistically it has changed little: originally it could have Hit Dice of 6, 10 or 14, but now it ranges from 7-14. Its bite damage gets a minor tweak, from 3-36 to 6-36. It retains the same whopping Magic Resistance of 75%, and the ability to melt non-magical weapons that strike its superheated back. Said back is now much deadlier to adventurers, though, as it is now said that any character touching it takes 10-100 points of damage. The Remorhaz also gains the ability to swallow opponents whole on a natural 20, which incinerates and kills them instantly. Fighting one of these doesn't sound too enticing, but in true Gary fashion he tempts you by giving their eggs a value of 5,000 gp each.
RHINOCEROS: The common Rhinoceros has been mentioned as a possibility to be summoned by the Conjure Animal spell in Supplement I: Greyhawk, and has also appeared in the Wilderness Encounter tables in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. It gets stats here for the first time. I expected them to be tough, but 8-9 Hit Dice is well above what I was thinking. There is a single-horned variety and a two-horned variety, the latter of which deals more damage. Their main form of attack is a charge which deals double damage, and also the ability to trample "any opponent which is low enough for this action", i.e., Hobbits.
WOOLLY RHINOCEROS: As above, but slightly tougher and significantly woollier. I believe that their only appearance has been in the Wilderness Encounter tables of Supplement III.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Tentative Plans
Hi all.
I haven't updated in a while. I may not update in a while. But I have plans to continue. The blog is not dead! Watch this space! THE DEAD WILL RISE AND BLOGS WILL BE WRITTEN!
I haven't updated in a while. I may not update in a while. But I have plans to continue. The blog is not dead! Watch this space! THE DEAD WILL RISE AND BLOGS WILL BE WRITTEN!
Monday, February 27, 2012
AD&D Monster Manual Part 39
Quasit: Quasits make their first appearance here. Quasits are small demons that are often used as familiars by chaotic evil magic-users or clerics. In addition to their magic resistance they get a whole raft of special abilities: a claw attack that can drain Dexterity, detect good and magic, regeneration, invisibility, a fear blast, immunity to fire, cold and lightning, and they can only be hit by magical or cold iron weapons.
As formidable as they are, as familiars they are even better. When the quasit is nearby, it’s masters gets the quasit’s magic resistance and regeneration, and is also considered as one level higher. It's pretty amazing stuff. It’s balanced out by being one level lower when the quasit is away, and by the loss of four levels if it is ever killed, but to me it seems like a fair trade.
The quasit can also contact the lower planes once per week to help its master, getting the answers to six questions. I remember that in OD&D this was a very useful ability, but also a very dangerous one. Having a flunky around to do it for you is pretty handy.
The main aim of a quasit is to enable its master to spread evil, in the hope that when it returns to the Abyss it will be transformed into a Type I or II demon. This is the first reference I’ve ever seen to some sort of advancement system for demons. I like it; it gives an incentive for all those souls that demons like to collect. There’s also a reference to quasits liking to destroy Lawful Evil humans to steal their souls. Could this be an early hint towards the Devil/Demon animosity?
Rakshasa: Rakshasas first appeared in The Strategic Review #5. Statistically they have changed very little; their Movement Rate has increased from 12 to 15. Their alignment has changed from Chaotic to Lawful Evil, yet more proof that Chaotic in OD&D is equivalent to evil in AD&D. Otherwise the entry is almost word for word the same as it was before, with no significant changes or additions. Except for the rad smoking jacket.
That pesky reference to India is still present. So do they hail from India in the real world, or Oerth’s India-equivalent? As before, I lean towards the latter.
Giant Ram: Giant rams first appeared in the Wilderness Encounter Tables from Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. They get stats here for the first time. As expected, a sheep taller than a man is well hard, with lots of hit points and some hefty damage potential. Especially the males, who can charge for double damage. They only attack when threatened. I wonder what possesses Gary sometimes. Giant sheep? I suppose giants have to eat something.
Giant Rat: I don’t know whether to believe my notes, because it’s difficult to fathom that giant rats were not detailed in OD&D. They’re mentioned a bit. There’s an illustration of one in Supplement I: Greyhawk, and their bite damage is listed in the same book. One is mentioned in a combat example in the first D&D Basic Set. But this is, unbelievably, the first time that giant rats are fully detailed in D&D. They conform to the scant details already revealed, and are otherwise monsters with low hit points and a bite that can pass on disease. Most interestingly, they have an alignment tendency towards evil
Giant rats are described here (and in the illustration from Supplement I) as "Sumatran". As with Rakshasas above, I take this to mean the area of Greyhawk that corresponds with real-world Sumatra (aka Indonesia).
As formidable as they are, as familiars they are even better. When the quasit is nearby, it’s masters gets the quasit’s magic resistance and regeneration, and is also considered as one level higher. It's pretty amazing stuff. It’s balanced out by being one level lower when the quasit is away, and by the loss of four levels if it is ever killed, but to me it seems like a fair trade.
The quasit can also contact the lower planes once per week to help its master, getting the answers to six questions. I remember that in OD&D this was a very useful ability, but also a very dangerous one. Having a flunky around to do it for you is pretty handy.
The main aim of a quasit is to enable its master to spread evil, in the hope that when it returns to the Abyss it will be transformed into a Type I or II demon. This is the first reference I’ve ever seen to some sort of advancement system for demons. I like it; it gives an incentive for all those souls that demons like to collect. There’s also a reference to quasits liking to destroy Lawful Evil humans to steal their souls. Could this be an early hint towards the Devil/Demon animosity?
Rakshasa: Rakshasas first appeared in The Strategic Review #5. Statistically they have changed very little; their Movement Rate has increased from 12 to 15. Their alignment has changed from Chaotic to Lawful Evil, yet more proof that Chaotic in OD&D is equivalent to evil in AD&D. Otherwise the entry is almost word for word the same as it was before, with no significant changes or additions. Except for the rad smoking jacket.
That pesky reference to India is still present. So do they hail from India in the real world, or Oerth’s India-equivalent? As before, I lean towards the latter.
Giant Ram: Giant rams first appeared in the Wilderness Encounter Tables from Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. They get stats here for the first time. As expected, a sheep taller than a man is well hard, with lots of hit points and some hefty damage potential. Especially the males, who can charge for double damage. They only attack when threatened. I wonder what possesses Gary sometimes. Giant sheep? I suppose giants have to eat something.
Giant Rat: I don’t know whether to believe my notes, because it’s difficult to fathom that giant rats were not detailed in OD&D. They’re mentioned a bit. There’s an illustration of one in Supplement I: Greyhawk, and their bite damage is listed in the same book. One is mentioned in a combat example in the first D&D Basic Set. But this is, unbelievably, the first time that giant rats are fully detailed in D&D. They conform to the scant details already revealed, and are otherwise monsters with low hit points and a bite that can pass on disease. Most interestingly, they have an alignment tendency towards evil
Giant rats are described here (and in the illustration from Supplement I) as "Sumatran". As with Rakshasas above, I take this to mean the area of Greyhawk that corresponds with real-world Sumatra (aka Indonesia).
Monday, February 13, 2012
AD&D Monster Manual Part 38
Giant Porcupine: Giant porcupines made their first appearance in the Wilderness Encounter Tables from Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. This is the first time they get stats. They’re quite tough, having 6 Hit Dice, and despite being described as non-aggressive unless threatened they consider any approach within 30 feet to be a threat. Which makes the likelihood of a battle pretty high for all but the most cautious of PCs. Their main attack form is to shoot quills from their tail, which does seem over and above the usual qualities of a porcupine. They also have defensive quills, and any attacker within a certain range will have to deal with being impaled. None of this is particularly interesting, but I think there would be a certain shame in having a character killed by a giant porcupine, and a certain pride in being the DM to inflict such a fate.
Portuguese Man-O-War: The Portuguese man-o-war (a type of jellyfish) first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor, but it has been given a total overhaul here. Number Appearing has changed from 2-12 to 1-10; Armor Class has worsened from 8 to 9; and Hit Dice was 2, but now ranges from 1-4. Originally, the creature was said to have 1-100 attacks a round, each with a paralysation effect, which is plainly unworkable. Here their number of tentacles depends upon size, and ranges from 10 to 40. Now they only get one attack a round, still with paralysation. As in the earlier version, their tentacles can be severed with a single point of damage, and they can only be killed by damage to their central body. Their transparency has also been given a concrete game effect, making them 90% undetectable. So the principle behind the monster is the same as before, it has just been greatly clarified to become something that can actually work in the game.
Pseudo-Dragon: This is the first appearance of pseudo-dragons. A pseudo-dragon is a small telepathic dragon-like creature with a chameleon-like power, and a poisonous stinger. The poison makes its victim appear dead for a few days. 1-in-4 victims actually die, but I can imagine that a lot of survivors are still consigned to an awful fate by their fellow PCs. They also have a decent magic resistance, and this is their most interesting feature, because they can confer it upon any creature they are touching. It is mentioned that they may become the companion of a humanoid, and I expect that this is covered further in the Players Handbook or the Dungeon Masters Guide. It would certainly be a most sought-after power for any PC.
Purple Worm: Purple Worms first showed up in D&D Vol. 2. They’re a little faster than they were before, with a Movement increase from 6 to 9. The damage from their stinger has changed slightly from 1-8 to 2-8. Otherwise it is the same, with a poisonous stinger and the ability to swallow opponents whole. What has been added is mostly clarifications, such as a note that the worm only uses its stinger in rear defense, or against large opponents in a spacious area. Rules are given for how large a creature it can swallow, and also for characters who want to cut their way out of the worm’s stomach. There are even stats for hatchlings. And apparently purple worms expel such indigestible waste as “metal and mineral crystals”. Gary doesn’t come out and say it, but that sounds like gold and jewels to me. Even the aquatic mottled worm from Supplement II gets a mention.
Monday, February 06, 2012
AD&D Monster Manual Part 37
Pegasus: The pegasus first appeared in OD&D Vol. 2. Its Number Appearing range has decreased from 1-12 to 1-10. Its Hit Dice has increased from 2+2 to 4. In addition to the two hoof attacks that it previously had, it now gets a bite attack as well (seems a little undignified for such a noble beast). Their alignment has made the shift from Lawful to Chaotic Good. There’s little information that is new, but Gary doesn’t disappoint me: he has once again provided the monetary value for their young and eggs. And yes, I am very weirded out by the knowledge that pegasi lay eggs. Owlbears sort of made sense, being half bird, but I don’t know where this is coming from for the pegasus.
Peryton: This is the first appearance of perytons in the game, a personal favourite of mine. They look like a giant bird with a stag’s head, and don’t really have any special abilities to speak of. They get a +2 to hit on every attack, which I suppose is a way to make them deadlier without increasing their hit points. And they can only be hit by magical weapons. But most of all they just look awesome, and that’s a major factor in the popularity of D&D monsters. They also have some of the best fluff. They’re said to probably be the result of the same experimentation that created the owlbear, but that’s not the best part. They tear out the hearts of their victims, and somehow use them to reproduce, but even that’s not the best part. The best part is that their shadows look inexplicably like a human’s shadow. I was surprised to see that this isn’t in the description. It’s just there in the illustration, and now I’m wondering if it was even intentional. The shadow sort of matches the peryton in the picture, and it also happens to look like a dude. I think I prefer the idea that it was a happy accident that later designers incorporated to make the peryton more intriguing.
Piercer: Piercers first appeared in The Strategic Review #3. They have changed very little from the monster as presented there, with the only statistical difference being an increase in Number Appearing from 2-12 to 3-18. They also now have a 95% chance to gain surprise, whereas before it was left up to the DM. Call me old-fashioned, but I love piercers. They’re the sort of thing that could only have originated from D&D.
Giant Pike: As far as I can tell, the only mention of pike is in the entry for nixies in D&D Vol. 2. (Yes, pikes are mentioned a shitload in Chainmail, but those are polearms. Not fish.) And sure enough, they’re presented here as a crazy big fish often tamed by nixies. There’s not a lot else to say here, except that they gain surprise quite easily. That seems to be a common ability applied AD&D monsters. I'm not really sure how that affects them in play, because I have never used the AD&D surprise rules.
Pixie: Pixies first appeared in D&D Vol. 2. Their Number Appearing has greatly reduced, from 10-100 to 5-20. Armor Class has been improved from 6 to 5. They’re now slower, with a Movement reduced from 9/18 to 6/12. Their Hit Dice have also reduced, from 1 to ½. Not only have they received a hefty statistical overhaul, but they’ve gained a lot of special abilities as well. Their bows can now put the target to sleep, or cause memory loss that can only be restored with an exorcism spell. They can also polymorph, create illusions, know alignment, dispel magic, cast dancing lights, use ESP, and cause permanent confusion with a touch. 1-in-10 of them can also cast Otto’s irresistible dance. It’s a big step up for a monster whose sole previous ability was permanent invisibility. (Don’t worry, they still get that as well.) The OD&D pixies were probably youngsters, more physically potent but less capable magically.
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