Monster Revisions (2019)

Rules Discussion
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Monster stats have just gone through a thorough revision (normally, we tweak little things all the time, but this was more comprehensive than usual). Overall, this was to clarify and unify a few things, to make combat parts easier to play for staff.

If you like to keep “accurate” notes on the stats of things you fight and kill, you’ll want to do a few experiments. Mostly, the flavor, strength, and style of monsters has stayed the same, but some of the nitpicky details are different. You are not on the hook for memorizing anything in this post.

Below are a few major things worth calling out.

Immunities: A clarification for everyone: if something is properly immune to an effect, they will still be immune to a curse version of that effect. (For example, undead are immune to Sleep, because they are metaphysically incapable of sleeping. “I curse your spirit, Sleep” will still not work on them.) However, there are slightly fewer proper immunities amongst the monsters.

Resistance to Poisoning: Very few things are now immune to Venom/Poison/etc. — basically, just undead and giant spiders. However, there are still other things that are resistant to poisoning. We use a new standard for this: these things reduce a Venom or Poison to 10 damage, after a 5 second delay. (Undead and giant spiders will still say “Immune” and not be hurt at all.)

Shades: we are experimenting with new mechanics for shades (creatures from Umbra, who are not the same thing as undead). Some shades will have rules for turning into Eidolons, to do creepy ghostly things, and turning back. We may also try out different costuming ideas for Shades.

Things bamf-ing in and out of combat can be very frustrating, so here are a few combat notes:

  • As Eidolons, they’ll obey most of the regular Eidolon rules (but not be forced to walk towards death), be warded against most effects in game, and be unable to fight.
  • Normally, they can’t change to or from an Eidolon unless they’ve gone at least 5 seconds without being attacked. They have other restrictions that you can figure out.
  • Some “big” ones may forcibly turn Eidolon when they reduce an effect — say, you hit it with a Death spell and it says “Reduce, Eidolon,” meaning it probably took 10 damage and then discorporated.

Incorporeal Monsters (Reminder): None of this information has changed, but is being repeated here for posterity. Incorporeal monsters, that can fight while being immune to non-magic stuff, are rare and special — they are not the same thing as “Eidolon.”

  • They respond to many attacks, including uncalled boffer hits, with “Immune, Incorporeal.”
  • They are always a form of undead and their costuming always involves a blackout mask (their face is entirely covered by stretchy black cloth).
  • No matter how big and strong they are, if you hit them with a boffer, they will back up, allowing you to control your personal space.
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I’d suggest as a further restriction on shades changing forms, that they should not be moving. What we don’t want is someone sprinting for 5 seconds and then bamf’ing. You might also want to restrict them from bamf’ing in while within weapon reach.
Will shades have a visual indicator of when they are eidolons? Players not infrequently put a hand on head, but that is a community convention and not in the rulebook.
Can shades carry someone living while bamfing? How about someone’s stuff?

To clarify shades and golems are now poisonable?
Does this also apply to players who have learned to resist poison?

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Nothing in this thread is intended to be a ruling that anyone needs to know. Nor is it complete information. It’s just a heads-up. (You’re not going to be “policing” NPC rules…)

They will have restrictions in addition to the ones I mentioned above. You can discover those in game. (And they might change, as we experiment, anyway.)

Currently they don’t have an indicator. I suggest maybe swinging a boffer at them and seeing what they say or do. Some might put their hand on their head, but as you note that’s not a rule requirement.

Find out in game.

No, nothing in this thread is a ruling that players need to memorize.

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I’m sorry, Ken, I’m afraid I can’t do that.

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Updates:

  • When a shade spirit walks (turns into an Eidolon), they will incant “Eidolon.”
  • When a shade stops spirit walking, they will incant “coalesce.”
  • They’ll generally have time limits on spirit walking.
  • When a shade is spirit walking, there will be no visual indication. (Port Katherine players and staff will recognize this situation.) If you interact with an Eidolon (hit them with a weapon, throw a spell at them, attempt to talk to them…) they will respond with “Eidolon” like normal, though. Speak With Dead, Stall Eidolon, and the special calls will usually still work on them.
  • In particular, they will not put their hand on their head when spirit walking. Why? While hand-on-head is not a rule in this game, it traditionally means “pay no attention to me, don’t follow me, I’m doing meta things” or such, which is exactly the opposite of what’s going on here. They might still put their hand on their head to indicate that they are leaving for staff center or off to “recycle,” but not to indicate that they are in-game as an Eidolon, doing ghosty things.
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