Bestiary Suggestions

[moustre]

Bestiary Suggestions

Good morning, Aefenglom, and happy Wednesday!

One of the things on our to-do list for general game upkeep right now is making some tweaks to the Bestiary. No major overhauls are planned, but there are some things we feel we can loosen up on - for example, we will be allowing Merrow to have legs during the full moons, as long as they are not submerged in water, and we will start allowing scorpion, tick and harvestman etc. Arachne.

We want to make these tweaks before applications open, and so we thought we'd ask for some player suggestions! Has anything made it difficult to play your character? Is there something you just think would be cool? We want to hear it!

We will not be responding to every comment on this post (though we will read and consider all of them!) and we will likely not be implementing every single suggestion. We are also not planning to add new Monster types to the Bestiary before applications open, these will just be alterations to the existing entries to make things more fun or easier to play. However, we will take suggestions for new Monster types you wish to see in the future!

After the updates are live, while we will not be doing Monster type changes, if you wish for your character's form to change completely (ie. from a spider Arachne to a scorpion Arachne), you will be allowed to transition them to this new form. Any new additions to your character's Monster type (ie. Merrow legs during the full moons) can be added at your leisure.

Comments

SUGGESTIONS FOR BESTIARY CHANGES

[moustre]

Minor changes or additions to existing Monster types you'd like to see!

FUTURE MONSTER TYPES

[moustre]

New Monster types you'd like to see in the future!

[freeing]

Demon with subclass for incubus/succubus because i know what i'm about.
Genie
Angelic inspired.

[mensrea]

Would it be possible for EVERY Monster type (except Chimeras, I guess, sorry dudes) to turn into their respective animal/creature? For example... A cat Turnskin could turn into a cat, a hawk Harpy could turn into a hawk, etc.

These might have already been given the go-ahead on the FAQ, but I don't see them in the bestiary section so I figured I'd ask!

[whomthebelltolls]

I think this would affect Chimeras specifically (though it may to a lesser extent effect other Monster types), but given the answer that two Monsters of different types breeding produce a Chimera to begin with, I think it would be very neat to allow some (maybe only as secondary/tertiary traits with reduced or even eliminated efficacy) light Monster hybridization options.

Or, failing that, even allowing some of the better-known magical creatures from Geargadas to be used as Chimera (or other Monster) traits. A Turnskin petalwolf, or at least one that can borrow some traits from them. There's a lot of cool creatures native to this world that you could really flex your creativity with that aren't "extant" on earth, but... this is a magical world full of magical things. I think there's a great potential to allow creatures from the setting to work their way into the Monsters, and it could really add some unique, personalized flavor.

ETA: I forgot putting Centaurs/perissodactyls into the faun category. At least horses, if not pachyderms. I don't really know if Centaurs really need their entire whole own category.

[digiorno]

+1 to demon + angelic! +1 to genie with the maybe caveat of expanding it to elementals in general? fire/ice/water/whatever.

[usurpers]

phoenix
kitsune
slime................... pls
wendigo/zombie/undead type things that aren’t vampires
alicorns—?!

[coherer]

- a whole amphibian branch!!
- ghost/spirit ones (i.e. banshee, kobold)
- ghouls/ZOMBIES
- wooorms???

[digiorno]

i'd really love an Intangible Monster, like a ghost. playing with intangibility/occasional intangibility/possession is really neat

[freeing]

I love that idea. Genie/Djinn with elemental attachments or more explorations into the lore of different cultures would be a great concept!

And may I suggest, similarly to how in Madoka Magica, magical girls had a "Grief Seed" that were a source of their power but also EXTREMELY vulnerable would be a great concept for having genie/djinns having a lamp or bottle to recharge. It's the ~source of their power~ but also a weakspot for them if tampered with.

[freeing]

+1 KITSUNE, KITSUNE, KITSUNE

[digiorno]

that would be AMAZING hell yes

Re: FUTURE MONSTER TYPES

[fabrications]

- Centaurs (maybe with peganasus or unicorn customization)
- Homunculi/Automata/Living dolls and other artificial lifeforms
- Ghosts (possibly taking the vengeful angle for behavioral changes?)
- More insect monsters? I can't think of anything besides Mothman tho

[eyeforaneye]

re: ghoul/zombies/ghost types maybe one or more could originate from failed attempts to turn new vampires?

[long_live_the_queen]

I'm not sure which category this would fall under, but maybe certain Chimera types becoming their own distinct Monster types (or sub-species) instead of just looking like one? Less so the grab bag parts Chimeras, but say one with traits that line up with an extant mythological creature like a kirin, griffin, or nue.

[eluci]

Related to whomthebelltolls' suggestion above, but might including creatures native to the individual characters' worlds be possible, provided there's a decent amount of information about them?

[whomthebelltolls]

- Something either mostly or completely inorganic, like a golem or something else made of living stone or metal. The opposite of all the androids turning into fleshy creatures! You could even leave some organic parts like, say, there's still a living heart in the center of the Golem from their time as a living person, and that's what their inherent weakness is. Also leads into potentially cool wicker beasts and stuff if they're made out of like stone and mud and dead wood and bones. No, I am not too in love with Drustvar, shush.
- 2nding everyone who said something about an 'undead' type that isn't a vampire. Lich, wight, ghost, something like that.
- Dryads! Or something else that's basically like a moving plant, for a non-animal/critter type of Monster. I know it'd be kind of hard to balance their abilities with what fauns can do anyway, but I think it might be possible. Especially if their powers slanted more toward, say, their ability to gather light, or something. (Venusaur used Solar Beam)

+1

[clickclickbang]

Ghosts could be really fun to play with

[digiorno]

+1 on liches and dryads!!! i love me a plant critter

[faithlikeaseed]

I 'unno if this goes here or down below on "new Monster types," but I remember an early response on the FAQ that suggested non-dragon, non-humanoid mythological monsters (unicorn, phoenix, kitsune) could become a sort of "evolution" option for existing Monster breeds. E.g. over time a Harpy could become a Phoenix, or a Turnskin a Kitsune. I'd honestly love to see that explored versus the addition of a bunch of new Monster types matching these creatures!

[faithlikeaseed]

CLAPS

FOR

DRUSTVAR AND WICKERBEASTS

Also non-vampire undead!! AND DRYADS!!

[faithlikeaseed]

- Ratkin!! Or another catch-all for rodents.
- Something something marsupials -- though possibly bringing them in as a Weird Turnskin Option?
- Kappa! Or maybe Mokele! For a non-dragon legged reptile option that maybe could include dinosaurs if y'all are feeling ~spicy~.
- Probably has too much Fae overlap given most Hymenoptera are winged but an insectile Monster with themes around hive loyalty/group telepathy? (You could call 'em Myrmidons. 8V) As another potential place to stick non-arachnid arthropods.

[faithlikeaseed]

+1 for wooorms???

what if a monster that's just a spaghetti bowl of worms

that's ur transformation, ur a worm cluster now

+1

[anbu]

I really like this suggestion, too! I feel like it would be more balanced, presuming these mythological monsters could come with "special" attributes or features. So a character has to be in game for a length of time and go through the regular transformation in order to unlock that higher evolution. Also just better organization in general, in lieu of adding on several types.

Re: +1

[faithlikeaseed]

FOR SURE -- and it would give Monster players a defined growth path if they want to go that direction, parallel to the way Witch players can continue to study magic to expand their abilities/deepen their discipline. Right now it feels a little like once you hit the end of your transformation that's it, as a Monster (though obviously people can play out learning more about their abilities/instincts/etc even once the transformation's ended, but that's more nebulous and player-dependent).