In the Diablo games, the player’s character is often faced with large hordes of enemies that they need to quickly defeat before being overwhelmed. In order to help support that in the AGE system, I’ve been tinkering with monsters with low health that heroes should be able to easily defeat in 1 or 2 hits. The first set of monsters I’ve worked on using these ideas are the fallen ones which often appear in large groups early in both Diablo and Diablo II. The basic fallen one is a minion-type monster that is likely to fall to a single blow, but it can be paired with more powerful champions and shamans.
I’m interested to hear what other people think about this approach, so please leave comments with your opinion on the concept.
Fallen Ones
The fallen, impish terrors created by Baal, have emerged from beneath the monastery in Tristram and spread throughout the Western Kingdoms. The small demons, sometimes referred to as carvers or devilkin, are often encountered in large packs that roam the countryside seeking to murder and ransack. These packs are often led by shamans who have mastered several basic spells that allow them to hold sway over their less intelligent kin.
Fallen Minion
The vast majority of fallen are weak and cowardly creatures. They follow their leaders on a quest for mayhem and destruction, but will often flee when confronted by a more powerful foe in hopes of returning later to attack with the element of surprise.
Fallen Minion
Abilities (Focuses)
0 – Communication (Deception)
1 – Constitution
0 – Cunning
3 – Dexterity (Light Blades, Stealth)
1 – Magic
2 – Perception
1 – Strength (Climbing)
-1 – Willpower
Combat Ratings
Speed 13
Health 6
Defense 13
Armor Rating 3
Attacks
Short Sword +5, 1D6+1 damage
Powers
Favored Stunts: Disarm and Skirmish
Scare Off: An opponent attacking a fallen minion or one of its allies can perform the Scare Off stunt for 4 SP. The stunt causes any fallen minions within 10 yards to make a TN 7 Willpower (Courage) test and if it fails immediately move its speed away from the attacker.
Talents: Scouting (Novice), Single Weapon Style (Novice)
Weapon Groups: Brawling, Light Blades, and Staves
Equipment
Short sword, light leather armor
Fallen Champion
Some fallen survive long enough to become formidable warriors. These champions are often found either leading their own warbands or serving as a shaman’s personal bodyguard. Unlike lesser fallen, champions rarely flee from a fight.
Fallen Champion
Abilities (Focuses)
0 – Communication (Deception)
2 – Constitution
1 – Cunning
4 – Dexterity (Light Blades, Stealth)
1 – Magic
2 – Perception
2 – Strength (Climbing, Intimidation)
1 – Willpower
Combat Ratings
Speed 12
Health 30
Defense 14
Armor Rating 5
Attacks
Short Sword +6, 1D6+2 damage
Powers
Favored Stunts: Disarm and Skirmish
Talents: Armor Training (Novice), Scouting (Novice), Single Weapon Style (Journeyman)
Weapon Groups: Brawling, Light Blades, and Staves
Equipment
Short sword, light mail
Fallen Shaman
The fallen shamans have learned the basics of spellcasting from their dark masters and rule over entire packs of less powerful demons. They share the destructive urges of other fallen and focus on brutish magic such as fiery arcane lances and blasts of flame, but many shamans also are able to call upon Baal’s power in order to seemingly return life to their fallen followers.
Fallen Shaman
Abilities (Focuses)
2 – Communication (Deception)
1 – Constitution
2 – Cunning
2 – Dexterity (Staves, Stealth)
3 – Magic (Elemental)
3 – Perception
0 – Strength (Climbing)
2 – Willpower
Combat Ratings
Speed 12
Health 25
Defense 12
Armor Rating 3
Attacks
Arcane Lance +3, 1D6+3 fire damage
Quarterstaff +4, 1D6 damage
Powers
Spellpower: 13
Mana: 30
Favored Stunts: Mighty Spell and Skirmish
Spells: Baal’s Blessing, Flame Blast
Talents: Command (Novice), Elemental Magic (Novice), Scouting (Novice)
Weapon Groups: Brawling and Staves
Equipment
Quarterstaff, light leather armor
Baal’s Blessing
Magic School: Death
Spell Type: Utility
Mana Cost: 4 MP
Casting Time: Major Action
Target Number: 10
Test: None
You call upon the Lord of Destruction to send a corrupt spirit from hell to inhabit the body of a recently slain fallen. If the demon was killed within the last round, it returns to life as a fallen minion with its Health fully restored.
Rakanishu
A legend amongst the fallen, Rakanishu is one of the mightiest fallen champions. In addition to his formidable skill and quick reflexes, he has been infused with elemental magic that allows him to create arcs of lightning when threatened. Rakanishu’s warband has been seen rampaging through the countryside of eastern Khanduras.
Rakanishu
Abilities (Focuses)
0 – Communication (Deception)
3 – Constitution
1 – Cunning
6 – Dexterity (Light Blades, Stealth)
4 – Magic
2 – Perception
3 – Strength (Climbing, Intimidation)
2 – Willpower (Courage)
Combat Ratings
Speed 14
Health 60
Defense 16
Armor Rating 5
Attacks
Short Sword +8, 1D6+3 damage
Powers
Charged Aura: Whenever Rakanishu is hit by an attacker within 3 yards, the attacker must succeed on a TN 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) test or take 1D6 penetrating damage from an arc of lightning that erupts from Rakanishu’s body.
Favored Stunts: Disarm and Skirmish
Lightning Resistance: Rakanishu treats penetrating damage from lightning and other sources of electricity as normal damage.
Talents: Armor Training (Novice), Scouting (Journeyman), Single Weapon Style (Journeyman)
Weapon Groups: Brawling, Light Blades, and Staves
Equipment
Short sword, light mail
Jan 23, 2012 @ 14:08:48
Ah minions! I like the 4e way of doing this as it allows a comparatively large number of minions with minimal tracking. Taking a leaf out of that book, how about saying that minions do average damage (so you don’t have to roll an extra dice for each one) and possibly that they can’t generate stunts?
I do like your idea of having a stunt available to PCs to do something different to a monster when they are fighting it though! Once they know that monsters can have these ‘anti-powers’ it should encourage them to think creatively!
Jan 23, 2012 @ 23:06:05
I had considered going with average damage, but I was a little worried about how fixed damage interacts with the AGE system’s armor mechanics. For example, if fallen minions were to deal 4 damage without the possibility of stunts then anyone wearing heavy leather or better can pretty much ignore them. Even with the damage roll, they’ll need to roll a stunt on their attacks to hurt anyone in heavy mail or plate armor.
Jan 24, 2012 @ 16:21:44
Ah, that’s a very good point! I hadn’t considered that… I’m guessing that a Health of 6 means that most warriors (with a 2d6-ish weapon) can take them out in one shot, but there is always the chance they won’t. To avoid having to track minion Health, maybe you could consider this a threshold: do 6 or more and they’re dead (obviously!) but do 5 or less and they are undamaged?