Combining D&D monsters into a single monster

I create unique monsters by combining them into one multi-part monster.
Combining robots into one large robot is often found in fiction and I use it on D&D monsters.

You might know combiners from the Transformers franchise, Zords in Power Rangers and other fictional works. I bring this concept into D&D to create unique monsters and surprise the PCs.

Creating NPCs with class levels in D&D 4E

NPCs with class levels and powers are not common in D&D 4E.
I like NPCs in an adventure that are similar to PCs, and I have a way to create them easily.

Harvesting Monster Parts

Killed Monsters can be harvested for useful parts.
This turns those monsters into rewards for the PCs.

Encounter Management: combat and role playing

Running encounters is at the heart of D&D.
Whether these are combat encounters or role playing,
the balance between those gives an adventure more depth.
They aren't mutually exclusive, as an encounter may start as a combat and end in a diplomacy session or vice versa.
Besides, combat encounters show many details about NPC opponents and the world.

Combat Encounters

I think combat is one of the most discussed topics of D&D 4E.
Other people have compiled a list of combat accelerators.

I like the tactical combat of D&D 4E and the combination of powers.
Each class is equal in number of daily resources which I find great.
But as our group levels up, combat starts to slow down.
Which isn't a surprise considering the number of powers each player has.

I have an encounter manager for managing initiative, monster attacks, monster health and skill checks.
That way the DMs turn is finished quite fast.
Having a laptop or PC is essential for this.

I increase monster attack and damage while reducing defense,
somewhat similar to monster manual 3. I end pointless combats early.
I avoid effects that prolong combat like stun, blind, unconscious, etc.
So combat encounters are very offensive, a lot of damage gets tossed
around in a short time.

Role playing

The most important thing I did was having less combats but making them count more.
If PCs would have 8 combat encounter per character level like the Dungeon Master's Guide recommends we would barely get 2 encounters done per session.

Many encounters are role playing, information gathering, exploration, etc.
A sort of informal skill challenges (no number of successes or misses).
I think there are about 4 combat encounters per character levels.

This also prevents repetition, something I noticed in published adventures like Kobold Hall, Keep on the Shadowfell, etc.
Some encounters feel like filler to get to the 8 combat encounters.

Maps and tracking status

Maps are created in Gimp and projected by an overhead projector on the table.
Miniatures are from HeroQuest, although we sometimes use coins, bottle caps, etc.
That way a combat starts very fast, keeping the momentum of the game.

We mark only the bloodied status, other statuses are remembered by the players.
There is a public initiative list with defenses of all the monsters and PCs.
This speeds up combat and makes it easier for players to plan their strategy.

Valna, Elven Druid

Valna, Elven Druid

Valna was born in the forests west of Fallcrest and raised in a
large community of elves dedicated to the primal forces of nature.

She trained herself as a druid, protecting nature from threats
of undead, civilization and other destruction.
Her community and the forest weren't really under a lot threat.

As Valna discovered her beast form, that of a bear, she compared
herself to other druids as to who had faster or agile beast forms.
She also looked at various animals in the woods and wondered
if there were ways to have the best of both worlds.
For example the strength of a bear with the agility and speed of a tiger.

So she began crossbreeding related species and became
frustrated by the time it took to achieve anything.
Valna choose to look at insects and saw ants carrying a
wounded butterfly to their nests.
She took them all and managed to transplant the butterfly wings
to a large ant.
Happy with this success, she started experimenting on larger
animals. This went on until the other druids found out and banished her.
With most of per druid powers stripped from her and the loss
of her community, she obsessively started focusing on grafting,
transplanting body parts from one creature to another.

She wants the to create more powerful grafts and hybrid creatures to
finally impress her former community, even by force.

Role in a campaign

Valna is doesn't back out from a fight, so she won't be a big bad.
Her actions may impact the PCs long before they meet her:
hybrid creatures, grafts, mutilated creatures due to experiments, etc.
She is suited as support for an organization.

Stats

Valna level 14 Elite Controller
Medium Fey
Initiative +13            Senses Perception +18
HP 150; Bloodied 75
AC 29, Fortitude 24, Reflex 27, Will 30
Speed 7
Action Points 1
Saving Throws +2

Standard Actions

 

Scythe (At-Will),    +15 vs. AC,    2d4 + 9 damage
Savage Rend (At-Will; Beast Form),   
                         +18 vs. Reflex,   
                         1d8 + 14 damage, target slides 1 square
Fire Hawk (At-will; Range 10),    +18 vs. Reflex,    2d8 + 14 fire damage
Thorn Spray (Encounter; Close Blast 5),   
                         +18 vs. Reflex,   
                         1d6 + 14 damage, target takes -4 to defenses until end of next turn
Clinging Drones (Encounter; Close Blast 5; Beast Form),   
                         +18 vs. Fortitude,   
                         2d8 + 14 damage, target is slowed and can't shift (save ends both)
Sun Beam (Encounter; Area burst 2 within 10),   
                         +18 vs. Will,   
                         1d10 + 18 damage, target is blinded (save ends)
Floating Death (Encounter; Burst 1; Beast Form),   
                         +18 vs. Reflex,    
                         4d6 + 24 damage, druid shifts 4 squares
Wall Of Stone (Encounter; Range 10),
                         solid stone wall with 100 hit points is formed around target creature

Minor Actions

Central Eye (At-will; minor; Range 10), +18 vs. Will, target is dazed until druid's next turn

Drink Potion (Encounter; minor), Valna gains 40 hit points and saves against condition
Telekinesis Ray (twice per encounter; minor; Range 10),
                          +18 vs. Fortitude,
                          target is pushed 4 squares
Hold Ray (twice per encounter; minor; Range 10),
                     +18 vs. Reflex, 
                     target is restrained (save ends)
Confusion Ray (twice per encounter; minor; Range 10),
                     +18 vs. Will,
                     target charges nearest ally and makes melee basic attack
Death Ray (twice per encounter; minor; Range 10),
                     +18 vs. Fortitude,   
                     2d8 + 9 necrotic damage, if target is bloodied it becomes dazed (save ends);
                     first failed save: dazed and weakened; second failed save: death

Change shape (At-will; minor): change between human and Beast form and shift 1 square,
                          has central beholder eye grafted in chest in both forms.

Reactions

Autonomous Eye (free; when enemy starts turn within 5 squares),   
                     +18 vs. Will,
                          target is dazed until end of next turn

Alignment Lawful Evil Languages Common, Elven
Nature +20, Heal +20, Insight +18

Tactics

Valna isn't that powerful in a fight. She has a central Beholder Eye grafted in her chest and smaller beholder eyes on her arms.
She keeps these eyes hidden except when she has to fight.

In a combat encounter, she'll hold back at first and let her creatures attack while she attacks in human form at a range.
Defenders will be targeted by her Stone wall.
Once one of her creatures gets bloodied, she'll change shape and get up close
to be able to use her beast form powers and autonomous eye.

Example Encounter

Valna is working in her private room.
Several dead creatures like cockatrices and magic hounds are lying dead on the table.


There are 5 cages:

• upper large cage holds kobolds and goblins, mostly with arms and legs removed
• upper left cage holds 2 medium-sides beholders with eyes removed, scared of any sound or gesture
• upper right cage holds 3 blinded Medusa
• lower left cage holds several dire rats
• lower right cage is empty

Most creatures are famined or near-dying.
When Valna gets hit they cheer.


Level 16 Encounter:

• Valna
• Chimera (found in Monster Manual)
• 2 Owl Bears (found in Monster Manual; level them up 6 levels)

Grafts in D&D 4E

Grafts

In the Open Grave supplement for 4E are undead grafts.
For example zombie arm, wight's claw, mummy's eye, etc.
They usually give additional power at the expense of undead vulnerabilities.
Meaning the creatures that have undead grafts gain a vulnerability to radiant damage.

Why stop there?

If it is possible to graft undead body parts, living body parts should
be possible as well.
Here is list of possibilities:

• Beholder's eye - gain eye beam power
• Basilisk eye - gain petrifying gaze
• Scorpion tail - gain poison sting attack
• Dryad Claw - gain claw attack and treestride (teleport next to plant)
• Medusa eyes - gain petrifying gaze
• Rust Monster stomach - gain ability to eat magic items
• Angel wings - gain Fly ability
• Shambling mound tendrils - gain regeneration and lightning affinity

Depending on the compatibility between the graft and the creature receiving the
graft there may be disadvantages.
Grafting isn't widespread, it takes a high Heal and Nature skill
to pull it off.

D&D 3.5 has more graft possibilities than 4E:
see Stitching Things Together: The Graft Handbook

Where the grafts are placed

Eyes can be placed anywhere:

• large eyes on the chest
• small eyes on arms or topside of hand

Tails and wings can be attached to the back
Why limit a creature to only two arms or one tail?
For example: the  Skeletal Tomb Guardian found in the monster manual.

Used for PCs or NPCs

Grafts should only be used on NPCs.
Using grafts creates unique NPCs with surprising powers
and weaknesses. An example of a grafter is Valna, Elven Druid.

I think it's a bad idea to give to PCs as a reward.
As a punishment grafts could work, like the ones in Open Grave.
The idea of someone putting grafts on the PCs to make them do
what the grafter wants is interesting, but it's best that
the players are on board with that idea first.

Expertise Feats and Buffing Monsters

Expertise Feats and Buffing Monsters

Player's Handbook 2 gives us the Implement Expertise and Weapon Expertise feats.
They give a +1 to attack at level 5
                   +2 to attack at level 15
                   +3 to attack at level 25

Player's Handbook 3 gives us Versatile Expertise which
works for both implements and weapon groups.

I dislike how the expertise feats are done:

• Characters with different weapon or implement types need to take the feats multiple times.
  For example: Cleric with weapon and implement or rogue with melee weapon and ranged weapon.
• Characters with racial abilities are also at a disadvantage.
  For example a Dragonborn breath attack will not benefit from the bonus.
• Casual players who don't like to take too much time building a character  or like more flavourful feats are also at a disadvantage.

My Solution

In my games I just lower the monster defenses
  by 1 at level 5
  by 2 at level 15
  by 3 at level 25

The levels refer to character levels and assume that everyone in the party
has the same level.
Characters can't take any expertise feats.
Players in my group don't use Essentials expertise feats, which if I'm correct give additional bonuses.
If players want to take those feats, a group discussion about this subject is warranted.

What about the poor monsters

The solution proposed above also makes characters more powerful.
At higher levels the PCs absolutely trash an equal level encounter.
So I make the monsters more threatening.

Depending on the party composition some monsters are easier to defeat.

Divine characters: because most undead are vulnerable to radiant damage
                   I usually give them additional hit points to compensate.

Controllers: are good against minions,
             so I usually add a greater amount of them.

I give all my monsters

• Attack bonuses, usually 1 (heroic tier) to 3 (epic tier)
• Double damage

Some monster abilities may be frightening to PCs:

• draining healing surges
• redirecting attacks
• eating magic items (see Rust monster in Monster Manual 2)
  use this with care
• underwater fights which can be hard on PCs
• transmitting diseases
• create spawn: create a copy of themselves
  whenever they kill a humanoid creature (see wraiths).
• attacking dying PCs - it's best to discuss this beforehand with the players.
  For example: zombies, ghouls, etc may want to eat a fallen PC.

Faster Combat

All these changes make combat more aggressive and faster.
This changes the pace of combat, which is why I allow players
more freedom to change feats or powers.
This is so they can adjust to the different pace.