THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

[Steve Long]

OK, time for another WYDWTS thread -- though I'll warn you in advance, this one isn't likely to result in any substantial changes in the planned book due to the time involved in creating what I've already got planned.

 

So, next up on my writing schedule is the new HERO System Bestiary for 6E. Here's what it's slated to include:

 

Chapter One: Monsters And Animals In Your Game: Basically the same as Ch. 1 of the 5E HSB, with some minor changes, tweaks, and additions as necessary.

 

Chapter Two: Monsters And Fantastic Creatures: All the critters of this description from the 5E HSB and MMM, and other books as deemed desireable.

 

Chapter Three: Humanoid Monsters: Orcs, goblins, trolls, giants, Amway salesmen, and other such humanoid foes, primarily from a Fantasy angle, taken from the 5E MMM and HSB, and other books as deemed desireable.

 

Chapter Four: Monsters From Around The World: Selected Celtic monsters from Tuala Morn, and Oriental monsters from the Asian Bestiaries. Before you ask: no, I'm not going to add monsters from other places and cultures around the world; I don't have the time.

 

Chapter Five: Science Fiction, Horror, And Movie Monsters: All the critters of this description from the 5E HSB and MMM, and other books as deemed desireable.

 

Chapter Six: Mundane Beasts: All the critters of this description from the 5E HSB and MMM, and other books as deemed desireable.

 

That's pretty much it! But we're talking about 300 or more character sheets that have to be revised, updated, and tweaked as necessary, so it's not a small task. I'll be adding a few monsters and creatures here and there, but nothing major, and the odds are requests for me to add a lot of creatures of any type are likely to fall on deaf ears.

 

The HSB will be a softcover, black-and-white book; as part of the HERO System Core Library it will have an iconic blue-and-gold cover, not an illustrated cover. I'm guessing it's going to be at least 400 pages long, but it's hard to say at this point.

 

So... now that you've gotten the basic rundown, what do you want to see in the new HSB?

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Well, since you've said you're not going to add any monsters that makes requests tough... but... how about some of the dragons from around the world from the Book of Dragons (err... I might have the title incorrect).

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I know I also would love to see some classic American monsters -- Bigfoot, Chupacabra, Mothman, and so on. Hmm... perhaps I should talk to Dave over at BlackWyrm and we can add those to the Folk Supers project.

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

From the AB's I recommend the classic Asian monsters -- the Chinese vampire, the Lung, the Oni, the Yuki-onna, the Yurei, the Ye-tehi (err... Yeti, and all of its variants), the Aswang, and that flying vampire head from Malaysia that Tina loves 'cause it's so disgusting. Oh, and the Preta from India and the Rakshasa.

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Have no fear, I've already cherry-picked the best of the best from the ABs.

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Have no fear' date=' I've already cherry-picked the best of the best from the ABs. [/quote']

 

Okay, then. I'm done.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I know I also would love to see some classic American monsters -- Bigfoot' date=' Chupacabra, Mothman, and so on.[/quote']I know you've said you don't want to add a bunch of critters, but I have to second this one. Or -- more specifically -- a handful of the major cryptozoological monsters. A bigfoot/yeti. A lake monster like Nessie/Ogopogo. A weird mystery predator like Chupacabra. A winged man-ish beastie like Mothman. I think these are worthwhile to add, being fairly common game-fodder, and not included (as far as I can remember) in other books.

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I know you've said you don't want to add a bunch of critters' date=' but I have to second this one. Or -- more specifically -- a handful of the major cryptozoological monsters. A bigfoot/yeti. A lake monster like Nessie/Ogopogo. A weird mystery predator like Chupacabra. A winged man-ish beastie like Mothman. I think these are worthwhile to add, being fairly common game-fodder, and not included (as far as I can remember) in other books. [/quote']

 

If Steve pulls the Yeti (and it's variants) from the ABs, then we've got Bigfoot.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I assume dinosaurs will be in the "Mundane Beasts" section, as they were in the Fifth Edition Bestiary? (Seems like a bit of a misnomer in this case, but opinions may vary.)

 

Any chance of including the Phorusrhacos from the Great White Hunter's Bestiary under the "Birds" category? If dinosaurs can be mundane beasts, why not extinct birds? And let's face it, it's just so cool.

 

Other than that, everything you describe sounds good, and as complete as it's likely to get.

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The entry for sharks needs to include an option for frickin' lasers in their foreheads.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The entry for sharks needs to include an option for frickin' lasers in their foreheads.

Seconded!

[teh bunneh]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Chapter Five: Science Fiction' date=' Horror, And Movie Monsters:[/b'] All the critters of this description from the 5E HSB and MMM, and other books as deemed desireable.

 

I do hope (for purely selfish reasons) that you'll include a killer bunny in this section.

[mallet]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I know the book is the "Bestiary" , and mainly deals with monsters but if there are no plans for a book containing human foes in the near future, maybe adding a few normal bad guys would be cool. Like Mafia Goon or Enemy Spy for example. That kind of thing, just to round out the bad guys for the players to fight angle.

[Escafarc]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I do hope (for purely selfish reasons) that you'll include a killer bunny in this section.

 

 

With FANGS!!

[mallet]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oh and another thought.

 

A lot of these monsters have the same type of attacks (fangs, claws, and so on...) maybe one section of the book should have a section on animal attacks or "weapons" that has the basic write up of all of these standard attacks. Then the actual character sheet of the creature can just say Sharp Claws 2d6 pg.XX and a page reference number. Much like is done with Mystical villains who's spells are just named with a page number reference for looking up the spell. This would save a ton of room in the book, and on the creature character sheets.

 

Special attacks (for example Armor Piercing Claws) could be written up: Sharp Claws (+AP) 2d6 pg.XX

And descriptions of attacks (when needed) could also be added in: Dragon Breath (Ice) 5d6(AE:Cone) pg.XX

 

I think a write up style like this would make the book much more user friendly (and probably easier and quicker to write) then having to read/write a full power description every time or basically the same thing.

 

Of course any unique attacks or powers would still be written up in full on the sheet, but so many of these monsters and creatures have the same base attacks and powers it make a lot more sense to have one section describing all of these in full, and just putting a quick reference on the sheet.

 

At least in my opinion.

[Steve]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I do hope (for purely selfish reasons) that you'll include a killer bunny in this section.

 

Ah yes, the Vorpal Bunny aka The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. I'll second the motion.

 

Perhaps it could be added to the Celtic monsters.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I know I also would love to see some classic American monsters -- Bigfoot' date=' Chupacabra, Mothman, and so on. Hmm... perhaps I should talk to Dave over at BlackWyrm and we can add those to the Folk Supers project.[/quote']

 

I know you've said you don't want to add a bunch of critters' date=' but I have to second this one. Or -- more specifically -- a handful of the major cryptozoological monsters. A bigfoot/yeti. A lake monster like Nessie/Ogopogo. A weird mystery predator like Chupacabra. A winged man-ish beastie like Mothman. I think these are worthwhile to add, being fairly common game-fodder, and not included (as far as I can remember) in other books. [/quote']I, too, would be very much in favor of more monsters from the Americas. As Mike pointed out, including a Yeti would more or less also mean Sasquatch (the difference between the two would be minimal). And besides those already mentioned, you could also add the Jersey Devil and the Skunk Ape.

 

While using the 4th and 5th Edition Bestiaries, the only animals I've had trouble finding are pandas and giraffes.

 

And of course you'll know that I want more dinosaurs... though I don't think you need anything more in the way of entire character sheets. Instead -- and this also goes for many of the other animals -- you could have a Text Box or Sidebar with each one showing Options that could transform them into something else. For example, if you take a velociraptor, add the Semi-Enormous Size Template from APG 100, and ramp up the attacks a bit, you have a utahraptor. The same could also be done to let a single character sheet cover (for another example) everything from reindeer to antelopes to moose.

[Escafarc]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

How about a section on animal sidekicks?

[dmjalund]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

perhaps a guide for making your own hit location chart

[torchwolf]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I second the Hit Location idea - maybe just a Hit Location Gallery list of a few pages, generalizing by types of body parts and anatomical proportions? (brain, sensory organs, extremities, internal organs, etc.)

 

A brief overview of categories suitable for animal shapeshifters, Summoners, and the like, could be handy. That needn't be more than a sidebar though.

Animal senses, instincts as skills, and such, though I'm sort of expecting that to be in there.

Although the section on monster ecology from Fantasy Hero (I think?) was cool, that might be for the 6E FH rather than this book.

 

Also, it'd be nice to see a Jabberwock written up.

[hfergus]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I do hope (for purely selfish reasons) that you'll include a killer bunny in this section.

It can leap about....

Look at the bones!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V3NJi3WRKY

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oh and another thought.

 

A lot of these monsters have the same type of attacks (fangs, claws, and so on...) maybe one section of the book should have a section on animal attacks or "weapons" that has the basic write up of all of these standard attacks. Then the actual character sheet of the creature can just say Sharp Claws 2d6 pg.XX and a page reference number. Much like is done with Mystical villains who's spells are just named with a page number reference for looking up the spell. This would save a ton of room in the book, and on the creature character sheets.

 

Special attacks (for example Armor Piercing Claws) could be written up: Sharp Claws (+AP) 2d6 pg.XX

And descriptions of attacks (when needed) could also be added in: Dragon Breath (Ice) 5d6(AE:Cone) pg.XX

 

I think a write up style like this would make the book much more user friendly (and probably easier and quicker to write) then having to read/write a full power description every time or basically the same thing.

 

Of course any unique attacks or powers would still be written up in full on the sheet, but so many of these monsters and creatures have the same base attacks and powers it make a lot more sense to have one section describing all of these in full, and just putting a quick reference on the sheet.

 

At least in my opinion.

 

I disagree. I want it all on the same page, so I don't have to flip to somewhere else in the book to see the rest of the write-up.

[Chimera 12]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't know if it's an option, but just because I've been spending some time recently trying to puzzle out how to best implement that sort of thing myself: how about a giant monster (of any type, really -- oversized amoeba, kaiju, giant space whale, whatever) with a proper "swallow whole" attack?

[ghost-angel]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The appendix from the back of the Book Of Dragons on battling Very Large Creatures like dragons and bigger. That'd be a great inclusion to Chapter 1.

[Susano]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't know if it's an option' date=' but just because I've been spending some time recently trying to puzzle out how to best implement that sort of thing myself: how about a giant monster (of any type, really -- oversized amoeba, kaiju, giant space whale, whatever) with a proper "swallow whole" attack? [/quote']

 

The was in the original HSB, so it should be in this one.