Håvard
Got to agree with Tjedge, though- the magen are awesome. I love those guys. Have a long term story in mind for a group of magen that I've been working with for years- I'd actually started doing a comic with them (had one page of it drawn and inked), and wasn't quite satisfied with it, but I've worked on the story for ages now.
Travis
Travis
Wow. That is a really tough one. I think the Magen are. I never hear anybody ever using them and I haven't seen a module use them either.
apart from Castle Amber?
Ooh, Cthulhudrew, would you scan and post the first page of the Magen comic, even if you're not satisfied with it?
I'd like that, but I don't have a scanner. That was actually the original goal- to put the series online. I keep hoping to get myself a scanner/printer but other necessities always seem to take precedence.
My neighbor has a scanner, though, I'll see if I can borrow his.
Is the story set in a specific place on Mystara?
Yes. In Glantri.
apart from Castle Amber?
Also in Mark of Amber.
apart from Castle Amber?
You know I keep hearing about this module, and it seems to be the most popular I have never actually seen. Time to go to E-Bay and see if I can find it.
EDIT: Ok, now that I've seen it I recognize it, but I never owned it. Time to make a purchase. A must have since everyone always mentions it.
You know I keep hearing about this module, and it seems to be the most popular I have never actually seen. Time to go to E-Bay and see if I can find it.
EDIT: Ok, now that I've seen it I recognize it, but I never owned it. Time to make a purchase. A must have since everyone always mentions it.
it definitely a classic
).... 'Can't think of an underused monster, off-hand; the phygorax sounds good, though. I guess it would help round out encounters with underwaters zombies and/or velya, if I ever ran an undersea adventure.Oh, wait, the stalwart comes to mind, though I don't particularly like the creature as a race -- quite one-dimensional. I used it in an adventure once, and I think I even had a player use it as a PC, using the PC-series rules.
The town is called Laujarita, is encircled in a strong wall, and an ancient triangle of towers surround its walls to defend against wood monsters.
In topic, now, there are a lot of monsters from Mystara Monstrous Compedium Appendix that I never used, such as the Ash Crawler (too hard to find a place for it, its terrain is too strange!).
In topic, now, there are a lot of monsters from Mystara Monstrous Compedium Appendix that I never used, such as the Ash Crawler (too hard to find a place for it, its terrain is too strange!).
Indeed the Ash Crawler is pretty underused... did it ever appear somewhere else?
Indeed the Ash Crawler is pretty underused... did it ever appear somewhere else?
I think it first appeared in CM5: Mystery of the Snow Pearl.
White, black, red and (of course) gold dragons appear in many adventure modules and also in some Mystaran novels. But blue and green dragons are quite underused.
Speaking about famous subraces, I'd say that blue and green dragons are not very famous throughout the whole canon.
White, black, red and (of course) gold dragons appear in many adventure modules and also in some Mystaran novels. But blue and green dragons are quite underused.
There are at least two blues in Mystaran adventures: Brulefer, of X11 fame, and Dominagon, from Five Coins for a Kingdom.
There's also the green Verdilith in the Penhaligon trilogy.
A list of known dragons can be found here:
http://pandius.com/dragons2.html
There are at least two blues in Mystaran adventures: Brulefer, of X11 fame, and Dominagon, from Five Coins for a Kingdom.
There's also the green Verdilith in the Penhaligon trilogy.
A list of known dragons can be found here:
http://pandius.com/dragons2.html
I also remember a blue in B4 Lost City and in CM2 there is one called Korbundar.
P.S.: I think magens are easier to build than golems and should be extremely more common than golems!
I also remember a blue in B4 Lost City and in CM2 there is one called Korbundar.
Yes, though the one in B4 has a big problem: it can't get out of the room ;)
P.S.: I think magens are easier to build than golems and should be extremely more common than golems!
OTOH, their building process is a secret of the Ambreville family.
However, there are many construct types that are more common than golems. Gargoyles and Living Statues are but two examples.
I think they also appeared in Dungeon Magazine issue #53, the BECMI D&D adventure where you had to help a woman recapture her castle. That one featured the only use of feywing I have ever seen(from the Halfling Gazeteer).
I want to use deep glaraunts, but haven't had an opportunity. I have been debating whether to substiute deep glaraunts for kuo-toa in adapting the 2E Night Below set. But while they share insanity, they aren't fish-like and are more powerful than kuo-toa. I have used the seergar(both these and the glaraunts are also from the Halfling gazeteer).
What was that shapeshifter race which could take the shape of 13 different types of species per day? They first appeared in the Masters box set, only showed up one of the Master M modules. I got to use one of those guys as the right-hand man to a campaign villain.
Using those guys really throws veteran players for a loop, by the end they learned what the guy could do, but at that point they decided he was too dangerous to anger.
As one of my players put it, "What if he takes the shape of an insect and flies into my room where I am sleeping, lands on the ceiling above me, and then changes into a whale?"
Never used more than a fraction of the creatures from the Mystara Monster Compendium, but I do use the book as a good resource. Has anyone used a huptzeen?
Magen also appeared in either B11 King's Festival or its sequel B12.
Probably B12. B11 is a short module involving just an orc tribe, an evil priest and a few zombies, IIRC.
What was that shapeshifter race which could take the shape of 13 different types of species per day? They first appeared in the Masters box set, only showed up one of the Master M modules. I got to use one of those guys as the right-hand man to a campaign villain.
It's the Metamorph. One Metamorph NPC is found in Five Coins for a Kingdom, where it appears as the main villain's main henchman.
Never used more than a fraction of the creatures from the Mystara Monster Compendium, but I do use the book as a good resource. Has anyone used a huptzeen?
No, but the concept is interesting and could be used.
GP
If I remember correctly, they are woodland creatures and appear in Alfheim gaz too, where they have good relationships with elves.
I like them so much (as I like all shapeshifters: they are able to surprise PCs!) and I use Metamorphs as often as I can.
All of the creatures in the Creature Catalog appeared in a module (or modules) at one time or another, because that is where they were collected from (previously published material) for that product.
I am not sure where the ashcrawler appeared.
Roger
I think Fundamentals should be used more as easing low level characters into familiarity with the elemental planes.
Also, given that many Mystaran wizards are elementalists (e.g., the Secret Crafts in Glantri, but also Alphatian air wizards), Fundamentals are excellent summons for low-level wizards. I allow wizards to use the Conjure Fundamental spell from the Great Net Spellbook in AD&D 2e, for example.
GP
All of the creatures in the Creature Catalog appeared in a module (or modules) at one time or another, because that is where they were collected from (previously published material) for that product.
Not quite all- the Phygorax (previously mentioned) has never appeared in anything I've ever seen, nor the Stalwart (also mentioned). The Sis'thik never appeared in any module either, nor did the Xytars- at least prior to their presentation in the Creature Catalog. A modified version of the Xytar appears in module DA2: City of the Gods as a mount for the Sand Folk (with a different name, too).
I think there were one or two others that were original creations for the CC, or modified versions of AD&D monsters (the Shark-kin instead of Sahuagin, the Mesmer instead of the Morkoth, etc.)
For the most part, though, most of them had appeared elsewhere.
Also, given that many Mystaran wizards are elementalists (e.g., the Secret Crafts in Glantri, but also Alphatian air wizards), Fundamentals are excellent summons for low-level wizards.
Hm- they'd probably make good familiars for 3E wizards/sorcerors as well. Hadn't thought of that before!
Not quite all- the Phygorax (previously mentioned) has never appeared in anything I've ever seen, nor the Stalwart (also mentioned). The Sis'thik never appeared in any module either, nor did the Xytars- at least prior to their presentation in the Creature Catalog. A modified version of the Xytar appears in module DA2: City of the Gods as a mount for the Sand Folk (with a different name, too).
I think there were one or two others that were original creations for the CC, or modified versions of AD&D monsters (the Shark-kin instead of Sahuagin, the Mesmer instead of the Morkoth, etc.)
For the most part, though, most of them had appeared elsewhere.
Oh, good to know. I certainly wasn't speaking on authority -- I was making presumptions, since I recognized most of the creatures from other publications (I have most of the OD&D modules, but do not have many of the CM ones, and the 3 IM modules).
Thanks for the clarification!
So, I use the Dark Sun clerical elemental spells. There is a spell called "conjure minor elemental" or the like.
Instead of using it a it is in DS, I use it with a % as conjure elementals (in AD&D 2ed). And an elemental priest aways ha a chance to conjure a fundamental with a minor conjure spell.
Elemental spheres are given to priest of certain Immortals, such as fire to Rathanos, Ixion, Halav, Zugzul, etc; elemental water to all undersea Immortals (such as Gorziok, Kallala, Krakkak, etc), Ahmanni Turtlerider, Calithia, etc; air to Minroth, Garal, Pflarr, Rad, Thor; and earth to Urth,
The only Metamorph in canon adventure is the villain henchman in 5 coins for a kingdom, as noted, and also NPC Dave used one as villain henchman. Strange!
If I remember correctly, they are woodland creatures and appear in Alfheim gaz too, where they have good relationships with elves.
I like them so much (as I like all shapeshifters: they are able to surprise PCs!) and I use Metamorphs as often as I can.
One of my players in my current campaign (been on hold a long time, but still planning to be continued) played a Metamorph/Lupin character. Strange mix, but she wanted something that had never been thought of and even though I think it was way too far out, I always give everything a shot and it actually worked by just making it a Lupin with white eyes and limited shapeshifting to canines only. Seemed to work fine. Then she decided to play it as a Paladin. Now that was really strange. And called him Phil. And wanted a whip and katana instead of the usual sword and shield.
Say Slap in the face!!!
and limited shapeshifting to canines only. Seemed to work fine. Then she decided to play it as a Paladin.
Don't know what rules you're using but a hound archon could work in 3.x
If it is 3.x and level adjustments a problem there was an article a few years ago about a prestige class call the 'Infused' which gained different abilities and also changed the characters appearance depending on which good-aligned outsider they were 'infected' by. It would require a minor rewrite for Mystara but the ideas there.
Regards
Gary
Did any of the creatures from the Immortal boxed set turn up in any of the Immortal modules or elsewhere (other than the Rules Cylcopedia)?
Some of them have showed up in 3E material if that counts. The Black Ball and the Draeden have both been mentioned.
Havard
I always liked the Grey Philosophers, I must say, and thought more use could have been done with them.
Cheers,
LW
Ah, it's good to be back (almost two years have passed since I was active here. Yikes!)...
Nice to see you back LW! Doesn't take long for two years to slide on by, does it?
Doesn't take long for two years to slide on by, does it?
Oh dear, it most definitely does...
At least part of it was productive in fantasy-terms, though. I joined a FreeForm fantasy RPG on the net which kinda hooked me (it's called Worlde Arcane, by the way: www.worldearcane.com). Since I do not have an active RPing group for quite a while, it was wonderful to return to gaming!
In a sense, I believe that the creative skills I developed here - which are quite a unique trait of the Mystara forums - were extremely helpful for me as a FreeForm writer/player. So I was very grateful for my time here, even when I was absent.