Advanced Monsters

Following up on the last post, I wanted to talk about using low level creatures at high level. Low level creatures can be used at high level effectively; once players are past level 3 you can still throw orcs at them, it just takes a bit of thought.

In specific with orcs, I used them in my last game at the midgame point (9-12) and the players seemed to enjoy them a great deal. The simplest way to improve monsters is to give them class levels, but if that is all you do; the impact to the players will be minimal. Presenting a story or mystique to these "new" monsters can greatly improve the splash they make.

In my game I needed a repeatable monster for where they were in the world and decided to populate the area with a superior, previously unknown, breed of orcs. To make the different from standard orcs, I gave their skin a reddish hue and mechanically gave them a dex bonus. Aside from that they were the exact same as any other orc.

To make them more interesting, I decided they would have three main classes: archers, shapeshifters, and barbarians. I assigned them each different classes and number of levels to make the difficulty ramping up. Finally I gave the different classes names that implied what they did without being 100% clear. The archers were the Far Killers, shapeshifters were Skin Walkers, and the barbarians were Blood Drinkers.

I introduced them over time, with each class of orc mentioning or introducing the subsequent class, culminating in the Blood Drinkers. Before they even encountered the Far Killers, I introduced them from the perspective of a besieged tower that was being assaulted every night by a mysterious force that could kill at exceptional ranges and they could do little to stop them. By the time they actually encountered the orcs they had been built up and their first combat was all the more memorable because the PCs approached it cautiously instead of the typical reckless charge.

With a little creativity and thought put into basic monsters, you can use them at nearly every level to great affect. Beyond increasing bonuses and assigning levels, it is crucial to build up an air of mystery about them rather than just have them be a random encounter that is soon forgotten.