Monster Creation 101

Class Two - Choosing the proper creature type

From this first idea it should be fairly easy to determine the exact type of your monster. Once you have the type then this helps you to determine other things about the creatures, such as hit dice, attack bonuses and saves. (The full list for each creature type is listed in the HTCM PDF)

Here I will list each creature type, and try to pin down what exactly should go in this category. Some of these descriptions are taken from the SRD as I couldn't think how to describe them any better..

• Aberations
  If its weird, a mangled mess of body parts or just doesn't fit in any other category then go for this.
• Animals
  This is for your bog standard animal, just like you'd find down on the farm. All dire animals are also classed as animals.
  Examples: Horses, dogs, cats, sheep, bears, lions etc.
• Beasts
  A step up from normal animals, usually fictional, wild, nasty or strange. If they have magical abilities then obviously they should be Magical Beasts.
• Constructs
  Another pretty easy one here - we're talking animated objects and/or things 'made'.
  Examples: magic broomsticks, animated candlesticks, frankenstein, golems.
• Dragons
  You may think this is fairly self explanatory, but its a much wider category than appears at first glance. Basically any flying reptile with supernatural abilities. Some non-flying repltiles also fit here. They get very good saves and loads of skills and combat abilities so if you think this is too 'tough' for your creature go for beast or magical beast.
• Elemental
  These are creatures made entirely out of a single elemental substance, usually from an elemental plane. Depending on your cosmology this could include a large number of mixed planes
  Examples: Dust devils, water elementals
• Fey
  Usually creatures with a large link to nature and supernatural abilities.
• Examples: fairies, nymphs and sprites.
• Giant
  If its humanoid, big (bigger than an Ogre apparently), strong and has few special abilities then its probably a giant.
• Humanoid
  Most things that walk upright with two legs, two arms and a head. All humanoids have a sub-type based on race, e.g. Human or Orc
  Examples: Orcs, Kobolds, Humans, Elves
• Magical Beast
  Similar to beasts but with magical or supernatural abilities.
• Monstrous Humanoid
  If it looks like a humanoid, but is either hideous looking, has supernatural abilities or extra arms of something then its probably a monstrous humanoid. If its looking too weird, then go for aberation instead.
• Ooze
  An ooze is an amorphous or mutable creature. Otherwise, again its an aberation.
• Outsider
  An outsider is a nonelemental creature that comes from another dimension, reality, or plane.
  Example: devils, demons, that kind of thing...
• Plant
  This type comprises vegetable creatures.
  Example: assasin vines, treants
• Shapechanger
  A strange little subcategory this - used for things that tend to like changing shape.
  Examples: dopplegangers, werebeasts
• Undead
  If its dead and still moving then its probably undead.
  Examples: lich, zombies, death knights, skeletons
• Vermin
  This type includes insects, arachnids, arthropods, worms, and similar invertebrates.
  Examples: Rats!

Example 1: OK, so our ooze being a bit on the intelligent side probably isn't actually an ooze. Therefore lets make it an aberation instead.

 

Example 2: Our big fella is a humanoid shape, but with three arms. He's also big, so he could be a giant or a monstrous humanoid. But he's not hugely strong so we'll go for monstrous humanoid.

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