Monk NPC Template

[hcubed_]

Hey gang, I'm finally up to the custom created portion of the campaign. Having played through the red box and the Reaver's of Harkenwold adventures. But I need a little help. I'm attempting to build my very first NPC but have no idea where to start.

This NPC in particular will feature a little depending on how the party react to him. Hopefully they don't kill him outright as they have been known to act first then ask questions later. But this NPC will mess with them a bit hopefully before disappearing until later in the campaign. All of the NPCs have been created for me thus far. So I've just worked form those. And because he may be attacked and involved in combat he'll need some powers and defences.

So, in terms of creating him... Should I make a new characters in the D&DI character builder and simply use that, complete with stat blocks and powers as the NPC? this seems like the easiest option. But then he'll be more of a player character than a monster.

Or should I create a monster and put a template on it? Which leads me to my next question... Is there such a thing as a monk template? The DM guide has a bunch of them for other classes... But not monk.

I guess my real question is how do you experienced GM's create custom NPCs &/or monsters? What has worked for you in the past? How would you do it now having made them?

Any help would be apprectiated guys and gals. Being a newbie GM you have helped out quite a bit already with advice. And I will probably draw on your collective knowledge more before my party finish their adventures!

 

[Mentat55]

I think building the NPC as a monster is the way to go. If the NPC is a monk, then it probably should be built as a skirmisher. Give it a few abilities to reflect monk-like high mobility, and something like Flurry of Blows -- but remember you can take license and do whatever you think is cool, flavorful, and fun for you and the party.

 

[hcubed_]

I think building the NPC as a monster is the way to go. If the NPC is a monk, then it probably should be built as a skirmisher. Give it a few abilities to reflect monk-like high mobility, and something like Flurry of Blows -- but remember you can take license and do whatever you think is cool, flavorful, and fun for you and the party.

So you recommend grabbing a monster from the monster manual, scale it to the right level, and chuck a few powers on him? Keeping it all in flavour of what I'm trying to achieve?

 

[Jhaelen]

So you recommend grabbing a monster from the monster manual, scale it to the right level, and chuck a few powers on him? Keeping it all in flavour of what I'm trying to achieve?

Yup. It's both easier than using the npc templates and usually leads to more satisfying results.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yup. It's both easier than using the npc templates and usually leads to more satisfying results.

Preferred method:
1. make it at about 1 or 2 levels higher than your party.
2. decide which role he should have
3. make him elite (just double hp)
4. Add some monk at wills and encounter powers in the mix. As an elite, he needs an at-will double attack or area attack with normal damage... a monk has such a power.

Short and easy method:
1. Find an elite monster of the appropriate role.
2. Add a monk at will and take away weapons and armor

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Monk NPC Lvl 5:

Stats: Str 14, Con 13, Dex 20, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 10

HP: 122, AC 19, Ref 19, Will 17, Fort 16

Standard action:
Base attack:
+10 vs AC, 1d10 + 7 Damage

Five storms:
+8 vs reflex, Close burst 1, 1d8+8

Crane´s wing:
+8 vs Fort, melee 1, 1d10 + 8, push 1

Move action:

Five storms MT
effect:Shift 2 sqares

Crane´s wing MT
effct: jump 4 squares.

Triggered actions:
Centered Flurry:
Trigger: you hit with an attack on your turn
effect: One adjacent creature takes 5 Damage and slide it to a square adjacent to you. If it was not the triggering creature, slide it 1 square anywhere.

Add encounter powers you like

(took me 15 min on including research and typing on this woodn laptop)

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

That damage is pretty low. Are you using the new damage expressions? Also the hit points are really high. It's pretty odd for a 5th-level monster to have more than 65 hit points. Assuming the monk is a skirmisher, it should have 61 hit points.

 

[Jhaelen]

That damage is pretty low. Are you using the new damage expressions? Also the hit points are really high. It's pretty odd for a 5th-level monster to have more than 65 hit points. Assuming the monk is a skirmisher, it should have 61 hit points.

Average damage is level+8 (-25% for area attacks), so damage is fine.

The hit points are so high because it's an Elite monster!

 

[hcubed_]

Monk NPC Lvl 5:

This is pretty close to what I had in mind! Hope you don't mind, but I stole a few ideas from it too.

Here's my effort, what are your thoughts?

Githyanki Monk
Medium Natural Humanoid
Level 10 Skirmisher

XP 500

HP 101 Bloodied 50
Initiative +12
AC 24 Fort 22 Ref 25 Will 20
Perception +12
Speed 5 see also Astral Stride

Saving Throws +2 against charm effects
Action Points 1

Standard Actions

Basic Melee Attack (melee) ¨ At-Will
Attack: +15 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage
Crane’s Wings (melee) ¨ At-Will
Attack: Dexterity (+10) vs. Fort
Hit: 1d10 + 10 damage and the target is pushed 1 square
Steel Wind (psychic) ¨ At-Will
Target: Each enemy in blast radius
Attack: Close blast 2, Dexterity (+10) vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8+10 damage
Psychic Assault (psychic) ¨ Recharge
Attack: Close blast 3; +13 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends)
An invisible force hits the targets within the blast, leaving their heads reeling in pain.

Triggered Actions
Iron Soul Flurry (melee, psychic) ¨At-Will
Trigger: The monk is hit with an attack
Effect: The target takes 6 damage and cannot shift until the end of the monks next turn.
Special: Can only be used once per round

Move Actions
Astral Stride (teleportation) ¨ Encounter
Effect: The monk teleports 6 squares and gains the insubstantial and phasing qualities until the start of its next turn.
Crane’s Wings Movement ¨ At-Will
Effect: The monk jumps 4 squares
Special: Can only be used in tandem with Crane’s Wings melee
Steel Wind Movement ¨ At-Will
Effect: The monk is no longer marked and can move its speed +2
Special: Can only be used in tandem with Steel Wind melee

Str 18 (+9) Dex 21 (+10) Wis 15 (+7)
Con 13 (+6) Int 16 (+8) Cha 10 (+5)
Alignment Evil

Languages Common, Deep Speech
Equipment Simple cloth robes

Bit of Background info on the character:
The party is level 5, and I don't want them to kill this guy outright, hence the level 10. Plus, if it works out the way I hope, he'll reappear once the party have gained a few levels.

One of the players in the campaign is a Monk, named Gish (as his real name is unpronouncable in the common tongue). Every time I've asked him for a backstory he's simply said that his character doesn't trust the party enough to share it... yet. If this is actually the case or he's just being lazy, who knows. So, as I am unable to plan a character story ahead of time, I'm going to throw this monk in there to mix it up a little. Keep him on his toes.

The character Gish is Githzerai, hence the Githyanki monk. Bit of bad blood to stir things up. Gith has come to escort Gish back to the monastery. Maybe. I'll see how he reacts and what the party wish to do. If they attack then the monk will retreat. But not before he incapacitates a party member or two. To be honest, I'm kind of trying to force the player to reveal some of his backstory. Also, there isn't going to be too much action next session I thought this might spice things up a bit.

He's a peaceful, reformed Githyanki. Not a marauding, murderous one. Even though he's based on the Githyanki Mate from the D&DI monster builder.

Thanks for your help thus far guys & gals!

 

[mneme]

Obviously, the player is being lazy. You're the GM -- sharing his background with you is not sharing it with the party; it's giving you the tools to do your job. Press the player for background, and offer to make something up if he doesn't want to.

I'd make him a level 10 elite, FWIW -- not enough damage to kill any given party member with a single blow, but as a level 10 normal, there's too much likelihood of the party killing him with a lucky series of blows/crits (particularly if there's an Avenger or Barbarian in the party).

I'd fix his basic melee attack; he only needs one (presumably the +10 vs fort one).