Monsters In The Playground

[Fax Celestis]

The (Largely Ambiguous And Generally Followed According To Spirit Rather Than Letter) "Rules":
[hr]
[*]Anyone who contributes to the project (whether or not their entry is accepted) is eligible for being a judge on a later entry. Any contributor will be given credit for their entry. Any artist will similarly be eligible for being a judge if they so desire, and regardless of judging capability will be given credit for ther assistance. Entering a creature assumes you are willing to have your work published in a compliation.[*]Any monster is eligible for entry: we only ask that it be in the old-format when the book is compiled.[*]We need between 100 and 150 monsters, so anyone who contributes has a reasonable chance of getting on board.[*]Vorpal Tribble has volunteered his services as an impartial judge, since he has stated he won't be submitting anything.[*]To vote, you may either post a comment on a monster up for approval with a statement clearly defining your opinion (such as "MitP Vote: Yes"). If you wish to remain anonymous, you may PM Fax_Celestis or [anyone else who volunteers to receive votes; as of now, none] with your vote and it will be counted as normal.[*]Judges cannot vote on their own creation, and at least seven votes must approve a creation for it to be inserted into the book.[*]A no vote is subtracted from the final total, so a creature with five Yes votes and three No votes is considered to have 2 votes total.[*]When complete, the compliation, entitled "Monsters in the Playground", will be uploaded to Lulu.com and available for purchase for [as cheap a price as we can set it since we're not looking for profits]. Any profits that are made should probably go to GiantITP itself, since splitting it up between all contributors would be ghastly and difficult, while giving it to one person would be unfair. The book is being made because of the existence of GiantITP, so it's only fair that they receive the benefits.[*]Also, upon completion, the compliation will be available as a PDF for those who don't wish to purchase the final product. This PDF will be for free, although we'd prefer purchase of the book since it benefits the site that made all this possible.[*]If this goes well, we can later compile other books as well ("Prestige In The Playground", "Magic In The Playground", "Psionics In The Playground", etc.)

Book Editors[*]Demented One[*]Fax Celestis

Contributors[*]Abd al-Azrad[*]Asromta[*]Athanatos[*]Belboz[*]Bob the Mighty[*]Delcan[*]Demented One[*]Demon Hunter[*]Eros Darstariel[*]Fangthane[*]Fax Celestis[*]Fualkner Asiniti[*]Gezina the Red Shirt[*]Ghost Warlock[*]Hajih[*]High Priest of Banjo[*]I Got This Name[*]Leperflesh[*]Loopy Zebra[*]Lord Iames the CoP[*]Lord of Narf[*]Maerok[*]Mountain[*]Rimx[*]Saithis Bladewing[*]ShipWrecked[*]The Glitch[*]The Glyphstone[*]Thistle[*]Tormsskull[*]Umbral Arcanist[*]Vorpal Tribble[*]Winged One[*]Wippit Guud

[Fax Celestis]

Creatures Approved[*]Aberrant Automata[*]Adapter[*]Arachnid Template[*]Astral Devourer[*]Bladevine Bush[*]Bliss Vine[*]Brightshade[*]Cancer Engine[*]Cave Chameleon[*]Corpse Vine[*]Darkwomb Mother & Wombwoes[*]Deeptunnel Rover[*]Diamond Reaper[*]Dire Animals[*]Far Beasts[*]Fingerling Swarm[*]Floating Ooze[*]Forcehunter Sandworm[*]Glyphbearer[*]Inveigler[*]Kalkiut[*]Magma & Deep Crystal Golems[*]Mind Shard, Coma Zombie, Dead Mind[*]Mythweaver[*]Octomaw[*]Replicant and Replicant Mob[*]Spellfused[*]Subrosial[*]Wildrunner Template[*]Wrathling[*]Zeitgeist[*]Zhamach Trooper and Zhamach Bodyguard

Creatures Up For Judging[*]Abyssal Centaur - 4 "no"s[*]Acoilain - 4 total[*]Afterborn[*]Ageless Template - 4 votes[*]Alarus[*]Aozo Template - 2 votes
[*]Blacktoad - 2 votes[*]Blood Beast - 4 votes[*]Blood-Tainted Creature[*]Blood Weasel - 1 vote[*]Brainspawn - 0 total
[*]Cheval - 3 votes[*]Chittermonk - 3 votes[*]Chronnour - 2 total[*]Coinbug[*]Consternatio - 5 votes[*]Corpsekin - 2 votes[*]Corrupted[*]Crystal Caryatid[*]Crystal Eidolon - 3 votes[*]Cyaegha Steambeast - 3 votes
[*]Daemonic Template - 1 "no"[*]Desert Eel
[*]Eldenwhorl Tree - 2 votes[*]Entrancer - 1 "no"[*]Erender - 1 "no"
[*]Fanlesiten[*]Flameblood Touched[*]Fluffawump - 4 votes[*]Forgotten Golem - 1 vote[*]Forsaken Golem[*]Fuzz Finger
[*]Gleiphir Steam Titan[*]Gold Lizardfolk - 1 vote[*]Goldenborn Colossia - 1 vote[*]Grraaacht - 3 total[*]Gruarru - 3 total
[*]Half-Halfling - 0 total[*]Hextomb Bound - 3 votes[*]Hin-Kri - 1 "no"[*]Horgita Jackalope - 2 votes[*]Hungry Dragon - 1 total
[*]Illusion Spider - 1 vote[*]Indefatigable[*]Intestine Bird - 1 vote[*]Ision - 0 total
[*]Jumpdog - 1 vote
[*]Khazradi - 4 votes[*]Kolumakan Races
[*]Lepidus[*]Lifescorned Template - 2 votes[*]Lunar Progeny Template - 4 votes[*]Lustdriven Template - 1 "no"[*]Lycaon's Brood - 2 votes
[*]Magnok - 2 votes[*]Minimic - 2 votes[*]Mudmaw
[*]Narco-Alchemic Ooze - 3 votes[*]Nensha - 2 votes
[*]Oakbred Juggernaut - 4 votes[*]Oracle Cat[*]Ork Cow - 5 votes
[*]Phorusrhacoid - 1 vote[*]Photosynthetic Creature Template[*]Porifyra[*]Pulture[*]Pyreling - 3total
[*]Raven Lady - 4 votes[*]Redclaw Steamling - 3 vote[*]Runtfiend
[*]Sacred Heifer[*]St. Dymphna's Ring - 1 vote[*]Scorpiox[*]Sewer Serpent - 2 total[*]Shadow Sprite - 1 "no"[*]Shiney Demon - 1 vote[*]Silverborn Crusader - 1 vote[*]Silverborn Whisperthief - 1 vote[*]Sinspawn - 1 vote[*]Skewered Seer - 1 vote[*]Slaughter Engine[*]Somnawyrm - 2 votes[*]Sower of Ash - 3 votes[*]Spellcraved - 4 votes[*]Steamdraken - 1 vote[*]Steamknight - 1 vote[*]Storm Crow - 2 total[*]Sublimatid[*]Surat - 3 votes[*]Survaria Flower
[*]Terror Wight - 3 votes[*]Tikelen - 5 votes[*]True Beast Template
[*]Ursham - 1 "no"
[*]Vereor - 0 total
[*]Worms - 3 votes
[*]Xig-Yu - 3 votes

Last Update: 10-07-06, 1:55 PM PST (GMT -8)

[martyboy74]

I'd like to submit this, because it's perfect, even though it's not mine.

[Fax Celestis]

Waitwaitwait, we need approvers first.

[Saithis Bladewing]

I'd be willing to volunteer. I'm active and I'm better at analysing whether a creature is cool and nifty than I am at creating the creature. Also, do we have to create a new thread, or do we have to post them here, or can we do either way? I'd just like to know where we are before I even consider submitting entries.

[The Demented One]

How are we picking the council? Volunteers, community poll dealie, or just a secret cabal form by FC? Also, how would being on the council affect submitting your own material? I have a sneaky suspicion council member's would have an easier time getting in than normies's. Apart from that, I'd be eager to work on this.

[martyboy74]

How are we picking the council? Volunteers, community poll dealie, or just a secret cabal form by FC? Also, how would being on the council affect submitting your own material? I have a sneaky suspicion council member's would have an easier time getting in than normies's. Apart from that, I'd be eager to work on this.

Yeah, you should probably pick 8 members, and randomly select who's on the board for that monster, unless it's a members monster. Then, they're the one booted off.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I won't be submitting any monsters to this for the time being, so I'm willing to help look over and judge monsters impartially.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, we could go by making it so that anybody who wants to vote has to submit a monster. And, due to his admitted impartiality, we could volunteer VT to pick five judges for each monster.

So, if you've submitted a monster (whether or not it's approved), you're eligible to vote for a different monster.

[Lord Iames Osari]

That being said, we'll need a committee of say, seven people (like the Supreme Court) to approve what goes into the book and what doesn't.

Um... Fax? The Supreme Court has 9 members.

[martyboy74]

Um... Fax? The Supreme Court has 9 members.

They don't all rule on every case, and that's sorta immaterial (No offense).

[Cornugon]

Love the idea, I might cook up a few monsters and try to get in on this, but I'm pretty sure I won't be that great of a choice for a judge. Aside from the fact of being relatively unknown on the forums, I generally don't have that much free time (thus explaining why I'm pretty much unknown on the forums).

[Brickwall]

I volunteer...The Demented One!

[TheThan]

Guys to make this fair and official we should get the Giant and his evil minions the website staff in this. Since we would be putting his name on the cover (or at least his website’s name), we should really get permission and his good blessing before we proceed any further.

[martyboy74]

Guys to make this fair and official we should get the Giant and his evil minions the website staff in this. Since we would be putting his name on the cover (or at least his website’s name), we should really get permission and his good blessing before we proceed any further.

Alright, the next SMBG thread: HEY GIANT!

[storybookknight]

I'm going to say that the first thing we need is not judges but rather some poor mook to be in charge of this silly project in an administrative fashion. Has anyone asked the Mods if one of them would like to oversee the project? Alternately, does Fax Celestis or Vorpal Tribble want to do it?

As I see it, we need more than one thread to have this run efficiently - a temporary thread to start where judges can volunteer and be voted on (I recommend an odd number of main judges plus a 'swing' judge if one of the judges wants to submit one of their own creations) should be the first priority.

Next would probably be one or several creature submission threads; if I were administrating I would probably set up low, medium, and high-CR monster threads.

There should definitely be a standardized submission format to make things easier on the judges - if people have seen the MM4 format, I sort of recommend that as being a good way to make things playable and evaluate CR.

A side project people might be interested in would be to make a generic party of four characters and to have people tactically playtest some of these monsters, to make sure CR is accurate and to maybe suggest tweaks to one ability or another - save DCs on poisons, for example.

Any more administrative suggestions?

[martyboy74]

I'm going to say that the first thing we need is not judges but rather some poor mook to be in charge of this silly project in an administrative fashion. Has anyone asked the Mods if one of them would like to oversee the project? Alternately, does Fax Celestis or Vorpal Tribble want to do it?

As I see it, we need more than one thread to have this run efficiently - a temporary thread to start where judges can volunteer and be voted on (I recommend an odd number of main judges plus a 'swing' judge if one of the judges wants to submit one of their own creations) should be the first priority.

Next would probably be one or several creature submission threads; if I were administrating I would probably set up low, medium, and high-CR monster threads.

There should definitely be a standardized submission format to make things easier on the judges - if people have seen the MM4 format, I sort of recommend that as being a good way to make things playable and evaluate CR.

A side project people might be interested in would be to make a generic party of four characters and to have people tactically playtest some of these monsters, to make sure CR is accurate and to maybe suggest tweaks to one ability or another - save DCs on poisons, for example.

Any more administrative suggestions?

Hmm, you sound like you're good at this stuff. I volunteer you! (Either as head mook or vice mook) ;D

[Fax Celestis]

I have no problem spearheading the effort. I'll contact mods too, see what they have to say.

[Randomman413]

I'd be happy to help judge monsters.

Can't say I'm that great at making them, though.

[The Demented One]

I'd really rather we go with the old format. The new format's kinda messy, a lot of people aren't used to using/reading it, and there are some (i.e., me) that really just plain dislike it.

[Saithis Bladewing]

I strongly recommend we used the old format as more people are likely to know it and its the format used by the SRD.

[Fualkner Asiniti]

I Think we should have a commitee, but they shouldn't be all powerful. the public should have a say in what goes in and what doesn't.

I won't judge, but I'll submit monsters like the dickens.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Well, I think that for submissions, monsters should be presented in the old format, as seen in the MM1. Monsters-in-progress are easier to see that way, as are any math errors. However, when the time comes for the final presentation, I would recommend converting to the new format, because the organization of the new blocks greatly facilitates gameplay, and gameplay is, after all, a large part of why we're doing this.

Oh yeah,and actually I'm pretty sure all 9 Justices rule on everything. Not that it has anything to do with this thread.

[martyboy74]

Well, I think that for submissions, monsters should be presented in the old format, as seen in the MM1. Monsters-in-progress are easier to see that way, as are any math errors. However, when the time comes for the final presentation, I would recommend converting to the new format, because the organization of the new blocks greatly facilitates gameplay, and gameplay is, after all, a large part of why we're doing this.

Oh yeah,and actually I'm pretty sure all 9 Justices rule on everything. Not that it has anything to do with this thread.

I looked it up, and the answer is "Not always, but often." Go figure. ::)

[Randomman413]

How are the formats all that different?

[Fax Celestis]

How are the formats all that different?

Legibility, really.

Let's use the old format, for simplicity's sake.

[Fualkner Asiniti]

Legibility, really.

Let's use the old format, for simplicity's sake.

I agree. the old format is easier to read. so let's go with that.

[DMgrinder]

Wow, this is really happening!

I'm so stoked. I don't know what you guys are talking about with the judges etc. but I would like to help in any way I can.

Could someone explain to me all the tech gibber jabber that we're discussing?

[Fax Celestis]

Here's the rundown:
[*]Anyone who contributes to the project (whether or not their entry is accepted) is eligible for being a judge on a later entry. Any contributor will be given credit for their entry. Any artist will similarly be eligible for being a judge if they so desire, and regardless of judging capability will be given credit for ther assistance. Entering a creature assumes you are willing to have your work published in a compliation.[*]Any monster is eligible for entry: we only ask that it be in the old-format when the book is compiled.[*]We need between 100 and 150 monsters, so anyone who contributes has a reasonable chance of getting on board.[*]Vorpal Tribble has volunteered his services as an impartial judge, since he has stated he won't be submitting anything.[*]Judges cannot vote on their own creation, and at least five judges must approve a creation for it to be inserted into the book.[*]When complete, the compliation, entitled "Monsters in the Playground", will be uploaded to Lulu.com and available for purchase for [as cheap a price as we can set it since we're not looking for profits]. Any profits that are made should probably go to GiantITP itself, since splitting it up between all contributors would be ghastly and difficult, while giving it to one person would be unfair. The book is being made because of the existence of GiantITP, so it's only fair that they receive the benefits.

For first submission, I will submit one of my own creatures: the Toveaxdirupetara. However, according to what I've said above, that'd mean I'm the only person eligible to vote on this, a thought that is patently ridiculous. Therefore: voting will commence when at least four more people have entered creatures.

[Fualkner Asiniti]

I submit this beast: the Gruarru!

Hey Fax, let me thank you for pulling this together. just the fact that I'll have a D&D book with my name on it is awesome enough. I don't need cash.

Just for putting this all together, I vote for your Toveax-spazamatron.

(How did you come up with that name? Random keys? sat on the keyboard? what did you do?)