Topic: RM5802 Creatures & Monsters DB and Initiative

[craggles]

I use the AQ number to determine the Initiative of a creature (listed on page 7 of the Creatures & Monsters) which also lists the base DB derived from the MS in the stats. It mentions that the DB is already applied to the creature in it's stats (so I'm not sure why it mentioned it in the first place).

My question is concerning the 'Flee/Evade' and the 'Charge/Lunge' column in the Speed Chart on page 7. It says that the stats don't include these modifiers. I've tried looking for these in the RMFRP core book but couldn't seem to find it.   

Are these relevant to RMFRP or are they an old reference to RM2 or RMSS?

If they are relevant, how do I use them and do Player Characters also have these?

Thanks.

[craggles]

Also for creatures, how would you decide their perception or stalk/hide skills?

I've asked this in the past for Trolls and Orcs and was pointed to the NPC chart in the RMFRP book for a fighter, rogue or thief - whichever 'profession' fitted the bad guy - which was a great idea and I've used it for manish races but I'm still in the dark as to creatures & monsters' skills.

Would using their IQ stat be a start? I don't think it would blanket cover it really as you don't need a whole lot of intelligence to stalk a prey that also doesn't have a lot of intelligence. It would depend on it's instincts too. But the IQ stat seems more fitting to the animal compared to randomly picking a number out of my head.

I'm not sure how relevant this would be on a hunting roll on behalf of the players but it'd certainly help when the players are being hunted by a pack of big cats!
Just how good would their awareness roll need to be to notice that? I can already hear the screams! 

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

My question is concerning the 'Flee/Evade' and the 'Charge/Lunge' column in the Speed Chart on page 7. It says that the stats don't include these modifiers. I've tried looking for these in the RMFRP core book but couldn't seem to find it.   Huh

Are these relevant to RMFRP or are they an old reference to RM2 or RMSS?

Flee/Evade -- this is added to DB when the monster/creature is trying to flee or escape from PCs.

Charge/Lunge -- This is a mod to the DB when the monster/creature is charging or lunging towards a foe.

And no, these would not be used by or for PCs, only the monsters.

And RM2 didn't explain it any better than RMFRP does.

Also for creatures, how would you decide their perception or stalk/hide skills?

I would simply give them 2 ranks per level of the creature. Most animals would also have the equivalent of the Acute Smell talent (from RMFRP Character Law). Prey animals would also likely have at least a +25 to a +50 bonus in addition to the ranks.

For Stalk & Hide, predators would likely get a +25 to +50 bonus in addition to the ranks.

I'm not sure how relevant this would be on a hunting roll on behalf of the players but it'd certainly help when the players are being hunted by a pack of big cats!
Just how good would their awareness roll need to be to notice that? I can already hear the screams! 

Your best bet here is to just determine a difficulty and have them roll against that difficulty. For hunting cats, I would make it Extremely Hard at the very very least.

[craggles]

Thanks Rasyr

I'll add that to my spreadsheet. PCs beware!!!

[RandalThor]

Prey animals would also likely have at least a +25 to a +50 bonus in addition to the ranks.

As well as something that reflects their wider field of vision so that it is harder to flank them.

[craggles]

Good call RandalThor! I'll definitely be using that too!

I've now finished my little spreadsheet including creatures' movement in hexes/sec for walk, run and dash; Initiative; DB as base, flee and charge; PPs; Awareness and stalk/hide; the rarity factor (to use with the Lore skills). I'm very pleased with it - I should be, it's taken several days working through it.

I've used the C&M PDF and copied all the stat boxes and added the formulas for the different extras listed above so now I'll not need to work anything out on the fly anymore. They're going to be very consistent (unlike my random stalk/hide skills I used to pick out of my head). The less I have to make up myself during the campaign, the smoother everything goes.

I started doing only my few usual suspects for creatures but thought it'd only be a little bit of extra work to copy out ALL the creatures stats... I was wrong - but finished it anyway.
It's a shame it's not going to be available on the Vault because of the copyright material in it - it's the sort of thing that I'd snap up instantly!

My PCs will appreciate my hard work - or they may find themselves swallowed up in a freak earthquake. 

If there's ever an official C&M PDF available (for the RMFRP system) in the Shop including all the official rulings on the creature's Initiative, Stalking, Awareness etc I'd still jump at the chance as some of my "+25-50" figures for the prey animals could still be out somewhat.

Also, on that train of thought, I'd love something like the old RM2's Heroes and Rogues NPCs but for RMFRP. I know it's as simple as going through the creation process with a character (and I've got quite good at that part now) and then come up with a back story and then it's done without costing any money but I'd need to come up with the back story myself otherwise and that's where I fall down. My NPCs have a great selection of skills, (not just the attack and sneaky skills) but are very 2 Dimensional when it comes to motives and their history. In the meantime, I'm going to use the Heroes and Rogues NPCs to make RMFRP ones. 

I'm not the GM because I'm creative in stories - it's because there's no-one else here to do the job.

My creativity seems to be for design only unfortunately - I draw a complete blank when there's need for writing. I'm sure I'm not the only one in that position but after going through peoples posts on characters/worlds, I feel even more inadequate in that department. They're rich with detail and very creative - and I will be dropping some of those things into my campaign - as long as everybody thinks it's the best form of flattery!   

[markc]

 IMO you can use quite a bit of the RM2 stuff in RMSS/FRP with just a little mods. Also you can just steal the story of the NPC and fake the rest.

MDC

[RandalThor]

- and I will be dropping some of those things into my campaign - as long as everybody thinks it's the best form of flattery!  

Dude, I love to sit down and write the flavor stuff (much more than the rules stuff), and I rip off ideas from everyone else too. Not just from this (and other game messageboards) but from books that I read and movies that I see. If I like it, I will use steal it.