|
|
Post by captaincrumbcake on Nov 13, 2015 23:22:30 GMT -5
In this thread I'm posting my ideas for the beasts (cyclops and titan) as mentioned on p.21 of Monsters & Treasure.
Cyclopses are described as "super-strength giants with poor depth perception" So I've interpreted that to mean, they do more damage in face to face melee, but are lousy with missile combat.
But exactly what does "super-strength" mean? In Greyhawk supplement 1, STR--especially high ones--were assigned bonuses To Hit & To Damage. So, going with that, I decided that the race of cyclops could be treated as varying HD, to account for geographical differences between clans spread across a DM's campaign world. So one could find cyclopses with 8, 9, 10+1, 11+3, 12+2 HD; but the damage possible per type would be greater than that associated with the normal (known) giant types (hill, stone, frost, fire, cloud). The actual size of a cyclops could also mirror the type associated with the known HD.
All that said, just what kind of increase would "super-strength" giants have, and how much damage would they inflict? For that, I concocted the following table.
HD......Size....STR......Damage
8_______12'___18/50___3d6+3
9_______15'___18/90___3d6+4
10+1____18'___18/99___3d6+5
11+3____12'___18/00___3d6+6
12+2____20'___19______4d6+7
AC is treated as Hard Leather/Hide or 6.
Each cyclops moves at a rate in feet = to 10 x its size
Even the strongest cyclops is lousy at throwing boulders due to depth perception. Thus all such attacks suffer a -4 "To Hit" the intended target.
Regarding Monster Level Tables (See TU&WA, p.11 and/or GH, p.65) Amendment
In the former, Giants appear on a roll of 1 on a d12. This clearly applies to all available "true" giants in the M&T supplement. To shake up your players, you should include the appearance of cyclopses (why such things might be in a dungeon is left for you to rationalize along with the many other creatures that do not seem appropriate as well!) If a roll of 1 indicates a giant is present, roll an additional d6 with a result of 1 indicating a cyclops appears instead. Then choose the type(from table above) to suit the level of the dungeon. An 8 HD cyclops will appear on dungeon levels 6-7; a 9 HD cyclops on dungeon levels 8-9; a 10+1HD cyclops on dungeon level 10, etc. These creatures seldom appear in groups, but you could allow 1-4 8HD types given the right circumstances.
|
|
|
|
Post by captaincrumbcake on Nov 14, 2015 2:00:07 GMT -5
On the Treatment of Titans
These being-creatures have become so equated to the gods through filmland entertainment it is interesting that so few really know the mythology laid out by the greek culture.
But even in the Kuntz-Ward OD&D supplement IV, Gods, Demi-gods & Heroes there is a clear distinction between describing the "gods" and titans. The main one being (as I see it) that the "gods" are actually called a god, while titans, generally are not; Zeus being one exception. Yet nearly all appear to have spell power, with the ability to use both clerical, and/ or magic-user spells varying according to each. Even the cyclopses of G,D-G&H are capable of crafting magic armor, shields and javelins.
As described in Monsters & Treasure on p.21, they are simply "Giants with limited magical abilities."
So how does one separate the Titans from the Giants in OD&D? or for that matter, from the gods in G,DG&H?
As to the latter, it is easy enough if the DM does not include the Greek mythos in his or her world. In this case, one can simply design the Titans in whatever fashion suits his or her need. It is not as simple to design them as being just "Giants with limited magical abilities," for piling the ability to cast spells, albeit limited, onto a creature already formidable to most character partys, could be disastrous.
Regarding Monster Level Tables (See TU&WA, p.11 and/or GH, p.65) Amendment
Titans appear only on the Greyhawk 'amended' tables under Dungeon Level Table 6. In this regard, (for my own world) I would include only Lesser Titans (as described below), and place Greater Titans on that mysterious DM's Dungeon Level Table 7 (as described on p.29 under Monster Summoning VII.)
Lesser Titan includes those having 8, 9, 10+1 or 11+3 HD. Note, however, that for these beings, the superior d8 is used to generate hit points rather than the standard d6.
Greater Titan includes those having 12+2, 13+1, 14+3 and 15+2 HD; these also using the superior d8.
Regarding a Titan's AC. 8HD titans will have AC1; 9HD AC0; 10+1HD AC-1; 11+3HD AC-2; 12+2HD AC-3; 13+1HD AC-4; 14+3HD AC-5; and 15+2 AC-6. This rating can come from the being's own innate defense, or from magical armor and shield, or other devices you wish to apply.
All titans have innate resistance to magic. Whenever a spell is cast at them, should they roll a # or less vs. the spell lvl. type (see below) the spell-attack will have absolutely no affect on them. Should this fail, they still receive a standard monster Save Throw.
Titan MR Roll # or less on 3d6
Titan HD Spell level: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8 8 7 6 5 4 3 --
9 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
10+1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4
11+3 11 10 9 8 7 6 5
12+2 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
13+1 13 12 11 10 9 8 7
14+3 14 13 12 11 10 9 8
15+2 15 14 13 12 11 10 9
All Titans have the ability to cast spells. These are performed innately, at will (not needing study as a magic-user, or prayer as a cleric), but are limited in numbers per day nonetheless. The following table shows the number of spells per level per type (clerical/mu) a Titan can cast; some will cast but one type, while others can cast both.
Titan Spell Casting Ability
Lesser Titan Cast Spell As: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
8 HD Vicar/Theurgist 2/4 1/2
9 HD "/" 2/4 2/2
10+1 HD Curate/Thaumaturgist 2/4 2/2 -/1
11+3 HD "/" 2/4 2/2 -/1
Greater Titan
12+2 HD Bishop/Magician 2/4 2/2 1/2 1/-
13+1 HD "/" 2/4 2/3 2/2 1/-
14+3 HD Lama/Enchanter 2/4 2/3 2/2 1/1 1/-
15+2 HD "/" 2/4 2/3 2/3 2/2 2/1
All Titans have exceptional strength; Lesser ones having 18/90 to 18/100 and Greater ones having 19+.
Titans are generally 2'-3' shorter in height than their giant/cyclops kin.
If in melee and not casting spells, all Titans will fight with a giant-sized weapon of choice: sword, spear, club, flail, etc. Always doing 2d6 damage, plus their strength bonus.
Read more: ruinsofmurkhill.proboards.com/post/5296/edit#ixzz3rUouIS5s
|
|
|
|
Post by hedgehobbit on Dec 1, 2015 14:13:06 GMT -5
I forget where but one of these early write-ups talked about how there were only 10 titans in existence. I played that up making titans smaller yet more powerful than regular giants. In effects, large humans with tons of class levels that they have accumulated over their eon-long lives.
|
|
