Hylian Handbook (3.5)

[String]

I think thats a tad overpowered. I like the idea of a PrC, though... Is anyone working on class revisions or inclusions?

[Triaxx]

Spin Attack
Prereq: BAB +1
Effect: Every 1d4 rounds you may use a spin attack after charging for one round, and make a single attack at your highest BAB to each adjacent square within 5'. Any creature hit by such an attack must make a Strength check or be thrown back 10'. Creature's one size category larger or more are immune to the knock back effect.
Normal: You may only attack one space at a time.

Great Spin
Prereq: Spin Attack, BAB +8
Effect: Every 1d6 rounds, while your health is full, you may make a Great Spin attack. One attack is made in each adjacent square at your highest base attack bonus, and one attack at your second base attack bonus at the adjacent squares 10' away. Any creature hit by either attack must make a Strength check or be thrown back 15'. Creature's one size category larger or more are immune to the knock back effect.
Normal: You may only attack one space at a time.

Of course it is, I forgot a BAB requirement.

[starwoof]

Darknuts should also have the Block Arrows feat from Heroes of Battle. It lets them automatically block one ranged weapon with their shield once per round.

[Knaight]

Feat: Mortal Draw

Mortal Draw
Prereq: Quick Draw, Dex 15, BAB +12
Effect: You may make an attack against your opponent for x4 damage by becoming flat-footed for one round. The opponent may attack you during this time, but you then immediately counter attack, drawing your sword and attacking in a single motion. The target is considered flat-footed during this attack, but armor and shield AC still applies.
Normal: You may only attack for normal damage.

Seems over powered, even with the BAB, but if you go with the fluff, and lose the flat footed(which is relatively minor for a lot of characters), but give a surviving opponent and all those near by the ability to use an attack of opportunity against you, with the surviving opponent doing double damage, it would be about fair.

[Triaxx]

In theory, no opponent should be able to survive this attack if it connects. That said a miss should provoke. And the armored lizards can and will block mortal draw, so flat-footed fits, because unarmored enemies won't survive, but armored ones can. I've also seen certain enemies SURVIVE the attack in TP, but I don't recall any off hand. Darknuts maybe.

Mortal Draw
Prereq: Quick Draw, Dex 15, BAB +12
Effect: By spending one round flat-footed, you may make an attack against a single enemy for x4 damage on your next turn. During your flat footed round and your attacking round you may not take the benefits of the dodge, Evasion, or Improved Evasion feats, additionally, you lack any benefits to AC provided by a shield. The opponent is considered flat-footed for the purposes of the single attack, though it may apply any armor or shield bonuses. Should Mortal Draw fail, including due to AC, the opponent may make an AoO against the user as may any adjacent targets.
Normal: You may only attack for normal damage.

Re-written, hopefully it's better.

I'm not familiar with Block Arrows, but it sounds good. I don't recall ever even considering arrows against Darknuts.

[lord of kobolds]

Skulltula:

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Skulltula
Large Vermin
HD 6d8+6 (33 HP)
Speed 15 ft. (3 squares); climb 20 (4 squares)
Init: +3
AC 20 (+3 Dex +8 AC -1 size); touch 12; flat-footed 17
BAB +4; Grp +9
Attack slam +9 20/x2 (1d6+7)
Full-Attack slam +9 20/x2 (1d6+7)
Space 10ft, (5ft hanging on a strand)
Reach 5 ft, (10ft hanging on a strand)
Special Attacks Rush,Web, Whirl
Special Qualities Darkvision 60ft, Tremorvision 60 ft, Vermin traits, Immune to death effects
Saves Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +2
Abilities Str 20, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills Climb +16, Hide +10, Spot+7, Move Silently +10
Feats -
Environment underground
Organization Solitary, Colony (2-5)
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure Standard
Alignment neutral evil
Advancement 7-10 (Large)
Level Adjustment -
Some say Skulltulas were once humanoids and have since been cursed by a horrible existence that bears warning to others – other's say it's just a large mean spider with a giant's skull protecting it's thorax. Skulltulas are not as aggressive as they are reputed to be, but are very territorial. For this reason, the creatures themselves seem to seek out territory where few humanoids were meant to travel.
Skulltulas typically hang from a ceiling and drop down on passerby. A Skulltula usually remains on it's strand (as long as it can), attacking at a distance by swinging it's body or attacking multiply foes that close in with using its Whirl attack. A Skulltula cut from it's strand is vastly weakened, and it occasionally retreats to webbed surfaces when this occurs, despite it's lack of intelligence.
Rush (Ex): A Skulltula need not make a climb check to charge on a web. When doing so, a Skulltula moves as though it had a base movement +20ft higher and deal an extra +2d6 on their slam attack.
Web (Ex):Skulltulas often wait in their webs on the wall or ceiling, then lower themselves on silk strands and diving at prey passing beneath (this controlled fall can be treated as a Rush special attack). A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Attempts to cut the string a Skulltula hangs from with reach equal to or less than that of a Skulltula provoke an attack of opportunity. These strands have 12hp and 5 hardness. Skulltulas cannot throw a webs as a net attack.
Skulltulas often create sheets of sticky webbing about 15 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become entangled and can escape with a DC 13 Escape Artist check, DC 17 Str check, or 12 hp of damage to the web (5 hardness). Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free.
A Skulltula can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Whirl (Ex):As a full-round action, a Skulltula hanging from a thread can make a slam attack against each target within 5 ft. A Skulltula can make a free trip attack against any target that dealt damage by this Whirl attack.
Tremorsense (Ex):A Skulltula can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Skills: A Skulltula has +8 racial bonus to Climb and Hide checks as well as a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Move Silently checks. A Skulltula can always take 10 on climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Gold Skulltulas: Gold Skulltulas are lawful neutral, and have a solid gold skull back. This is worth 5,000gp.

There needs to be something about using their carapace to block attacks from one side, as they do in OoT.

[Triaxx]

There needs to be something about using their carapace to block attacks from one side, as they do in OoT.

Web (Ex):Skulltulas often wait in their webs on the wall or ceiling, then lower themselves on silk strands and diving at prey passing beneath (this controlled fall can be treated as a Rush special attack). A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Attacks against a Skulltula hanging from it's thread must roll a d4 to determine if it's carapace is treated as a tower shield with it's bonus to AC. Attacks that fail against a shielding Skulltula provoke an Attack of Opportunity. Attempts to cut the string a Skulltula hangs from with reach equal to or less than that of a Skulltula provoke an attack of opportunity. These strands have 12hp and 5 hardness. Skulltulas cannot throw a webs as a net attack.
Skulltulas often create sheets of sticky webbing about 15 feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become entangled and can escape with a DC 13 Escape Artist check, DC 17 Str check, or 12 hp of damage to the web (5 hardness). Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free.
A Skulltula can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

How's that?

[Fizban]

I was just looking through Complete Scoundrel, and found their Rod of Ropes. In addition to being a grappling hook style hookshot with a max range of 300', it can also pull a zip line manuever, and just extrude normal rope. Instead of dazing weak targets, it simply hits for weak damage and a short bull rush.

The kicker? The Rod of Ropes is 4,000gp. Definitely going to have to rework my Hookshot/Clawshot if I'm going to remain competitive. Not tonight though.

As for statting up link: I am quite confident that Link can be done with either a straight fighter or warblade. There are feat chains that duplicate nearly all of Link's abilities, and I'm sure someone could find something for mortal draw. I'm guessing one of those gambit style attack me if you dare feats. Warblade has Diamond Mind for the mortal draw, and Iron Heart for whirlwind attack, and there's even a PrC that gives you an invincible helper that shows you different attacks (could be either Navi or the golden wolf, depending on your preference). There's no need to homebrew feats or PrC's to make Link unless you want a new magic system to represent his magic meter.

Oh, and I have killed the armored dinolfos with the mortal draw. It's mostly luck (about 50/50 once you've got the timing), but it can be done, and it is so awesome.

[Triaxx]

True, but will it grab an item and retrieve it? Or let you pull yourself to multiple objects by wielding two?

True, plus there's also an 'Initiate of the Green Tunic' here on the Homebrew board. I can think only of the spin attack that isn't duplicated somewhere.

It is totally awesome. The best time seems just as they attack.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

I hate to jump in without reading the whole 5 pages, but I have full stats for the Goron race on my computer that I made some time ago. Has anyone done Gorons yet, or can I post them for review?

[starwoof]

Post them and we'll look it over! We've only got tentative stats for them so far.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

Okay. Use however much you want to use. Here we go:

Goron

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Goron Racial Traits -

+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence: Gorons are strong and hardy folk, but often slow to react and sometimes a little slow on the uptake.

Medium

Goron base land speed is 20 ft.

+2 Natural Armor: A Goron’s rocky body absorbs some blows.

Heat Immunity: Gorons automatically succeed on Fortitude saves made to resist extreme heat. Gorons often live in exceptionally hot environments and have adapted to them.

Fire Resistance 5: Gorons spend lots of time in volcanoes and other flaming environment, and their ”special crop” has a tendency to explode, so they’ve learned to shrug off some damage from fire.

Defensive Roll: As a standard action, a Goron can roll into a ball. While in this ball, the Goron gains a +2 bonus to natural armor and his move speed doubles, but he can take no action other than moving or attacking with a slam that deals 1d8 damage (plus the Goron’s strength modifier, as if using a weapon one handed.) This attack is made at a -4 penalty, and you can only attack if you have moved that turn or at the end of your previous turn. Rolling into a ball is an extraordinary ability that provokes an attack of opportunity. A Goron wearing medium or heavy armor cannot use this ability.

+1 racial bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures of the dragon type, and +2 on reflex saves to avoid a dragon’s breath weapon: Gorons frequently face Dodongos and other dragon-like foes, and have learned how to fight them.

Automatic Languages: Common and Goron. Bonus Languages: Undercommon, Terran, Ignan, Dwarven, Gnome, Orc, Kobold, Goblin, and Hylian.

- 4 penalty on all swim checks – A Goron’s rocky body doesn’t float very well.

Level Adjustment: +1

Favored Class: Ranger

Goron Feats:

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Improved Defensive Roll:
You are better than most Gorons at controlling your defensive roll.
Prerequisites: Goron
Benefit: The bonus to armor class granted by your defensive roll increases to +4, your speed increases by 5 ft., and the penalty for the attack roll decreases to -2.


Powerful Roll:
Your defensive roll can be used a potent weapon.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: Your defensive roll deals 1d12 damage. Also, you can add 1½ times your strength modifier to damage.
Normal: A defensive roll deals 1d8 damage plus your strength modifier.

Armored Roll:
You know your armor so well, it does not interfere with your Goron abilities.
Prerequisites: Goron, Proficiency with selected Armor, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +6
Benefit: Choose a type of medium armor you are proficient with. You can make a defensive roll while wearing armor of that type.
Normal: A Goron can only make a defensive roll when wearing light or no armor.

Greater Defensive Roll:
You have mastered the power of your defensive role, and can employ it far more effectively than most members of your race.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Quick Roll, Powerful Roll, Base Attack +12
Benefit: The bonus to your armor class while in a roll increases to +6. Your speed increases by five feet again, to a total of 50ft. You take no penalty to your attack roll. Your roll now deals 2d6 damage, and you provoke no attack of opportunity by rolling into it.

“Special Crop” Farmer:
You come from a family of Gorons who get lit on fire rather a lot, and have learned to take it.
Prerequisites: Goron, 1st level
Your fire resistance increases to 10. You gain a +2 bonus on reflex saves to avoid explosions.

Bomb Specialist:
You have trained extensively in the use of bombs.
Prerequisites: Goron or 5 ranks in Craft: Alchemy, “Special Crop” Farmer or Grenadier, Quick draw.
Benefit: If you draw a bomb as a free action, you can move half your speed while lighting it. The reflex save DC of your bombs increases to 16.

Goron Items:

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Bombs: Removing one of these from your bag and lighting it is a move action, throwing or planting one is a standard action. Bombs explode one round after they are lit, regardless of whether or not they have been thrown. Anything in the same square as the bomb when it goes off takes 3d6 point of fire damage (Reflex half, DC 14.) Anyone in an adjacent square takes 1d6 points.

Some of the defensive roll feats might be kinda overpowered - or underpowered. I have yet to test this at higher levels.

[String]

Suggestions on balancing the Goron feats (Also, I'd like to see some way to make it a +0 La, since I think that would be much more fun than being behind others.)
--
Changes or additions in bold
Suggested Omissions are striked through
--

Improved Defensive Roll:
You are better than most Gorons at controlling your defensive roll.
Prerequisites: Goron
Benefit: The bonus to armor class granted by your defensive roll increases to +4, your speed increases by 10 ft, and the penalty for the attack roll decreases to -2.

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I think that since it's available at first level, this is too powerful

Quick Roll:
You can roll up faster than other Gorons, even when under pressure.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: You can go into your defensive roll as a move action, rather than a standard action. In addition, you gain a +4 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity made against you as you are rolling into a ball.

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Combined with Improved Defensive roll, this grants a total +10 (+2 from goron, +4 from roll/defensive roll, +4 from this feat) to AC at fourth level without armor. Add that to dexterity modifier and a chainshirt , and you can easily hit a plus +14-16 at fourth level. Tad overpowered?

Powerful Roll:
Your defensive roll can be used a potent weapon.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: Your defensive roll deals 1d12 damage plus your strength modifier. Also, you can add 1½ times your strength modifier to damage, instead of the standard one and a half times. Also, the penalty to your slam attack lessens by 2, becoming -2.Normal: A defensive roll deals 1d8 damage plus your strength modifier and you take a -4 penalty to attack rolls.

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yet another nerf. Sorry. These are all just my opinions. I think that going from 1d8 to 1d12 is enough of a bonus to damage. However! I think the lessening of the penalty here fits.

Armored Roll:
You know your armor so well, it does not interfere with your Goron abilities.
Prerequisites: Goron, Proficiency with selected Armor, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +6
Benefit: Choose a type of medium armor you are proficient with. You can make a defensive roll while wearing armor of that type.
Normal: A Goron can only make a defensive roll when wearing light or no armor.

Evasive Roll:
You can avoid damage especially well while in your defensive roll.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Quick Roll, Base Attack +8
Benefit: You gain Evasion, but only when in your defensive roll. If you already have Evasion from a class feature, you gain Improved Evasion instead, but only when using your roll.
[/spoiler] Class feature as a feat?[/spoiler]

Greater Defensive Roll:
You have mastered the power of your defensive role, and can employ it far more effectively than most members of your race.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Quick Roll, Powerful Roll, Base Attack +12
Benefit: The bonus to your armor class while in a roll increases to +6. Your speed increases by ten feet, to a total of 50ft. You take no penalty to your attack roll. Your roll now deals 2d6 damage, and you provoke no attack of opportunity by rolling into it. Also, you can now roll up as a swift action.

[starwoof]

Okay. Use however much you want to use. Here we go:

Goron

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Goron Racial Traits -

+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence: Gorons are strong and hardy folk, but often slow to react and sometimes a little slow on the uptake.

Medium

Goron base land speed is 20 ft.

+2 Natural Armor: A Goron’s rocky body absorbs some blows.

Heat Immunity: Gorons automatically succeed on Fortitude saves made to resist extreme heat. Gorons often live in exceptionally hot environments and have adapted to them.

Fire Resistance 5: Gorons spend lots of time in volcanoes and other flaming environment, and their ”special crop” has a tendency to explode, so they’ve learned to shrug off some damage from fire.

Defensive Roll: As a standard action, a Goron can roll into a ball. While in this ball, the Goron gains a +2 bonus to natural armor and his move speed doubles, but he can take no action other than moving or attacking with a slam that deals 1d8 damage (plus the Goron’s strength modifier, as if using a weapon one handed.) This attack is made at a -4 penalty, and you can only attack if you have moved that turn or at the end of your previous turn. Rolling into a ball is an extraordinary ability that provokes an attack of opportunity. A Goron wearing medium or heavy armor cannot use this ability.

+1 racial bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures of the dragon type, and +2 on reflex saves to avoid a dragon’s breath weapon: Gorons frequently face Dodongos and other dragon-like foes, and have learned how to fight them.

Automatic Languages: Common and Goron. Bonus Languages: Undercommon, Terran, Ignan, Dwarven, Gnome, Orc, Kobold, Goblin, and Hylian.

- 4 penalty on all swim checks – A Goron’s rocky body doesn’t float very well.

Level Adjustment: +1

Favored Class: Ranger

I still think that gorons deserve a +1 LA if were going to accurately express their abilities. Any reason you chose the ranger for favored class rather than something else?

Goron Feats:

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Powerful Roll:
Your defensive roll can be used a potent weapon.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: Your defensive roll deals 1d12 damage. Also, you can add 1½ times your strength modifier to damage.
Normal: A defensive roll deals 1d8 damage plus your strength modifier.

Armored Roll:
You know your armor so well, it does not interfere with your Goron abilities.
Prerequisites: Goron, Proficiency with selected Armor, Improved Defensive Roll, Base Attack Bonus +6
Benefit: Choose a type of medium armor you are proficient with. You can make a defensive roll while wearing armor of that type.
Normal: A Goron can only make a defensive roll when wearing light or no armor.

Evasive Roll:
You can avoid damage especially well while in your defensive roll.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Quick Roll, Base Attack +8
Benefit: You gain Evasion, but only when in your defensive roll. If you already have Evasion from a class feature, you gain Improved Evasion instead, but only when using your roll.

Greater Defensive Roll:
You have mastered the power of your defensive role, and can employ it far more effectively than most members of your race.
Prerequisites: Goron, Improved Defensive Roll, Quick Roll, Powerful Roll, Base Attack +12
Benefit: The bonus to your armor class while in a roll increases to +6. Your speed increases by ten feet again, to a total of 60ft. You take no penalty to your attack roll. Your roll now deals 2d6 damage, and you provoke no attack of opportunity by rolling into it. Also, you can now roll up as a swift action.

“Special Crop” Farmer:
You come from a family of Gorons who get lit on fire rather a lot, and have learned to take it.
Prerequisites: Goron, 1st level
Your fire resistance increases to 10. You gain a +2 bonus on reflex saves to avoid explosions.

Bomb Specialist:
You have trained extensively in the use of bombs.
Prerequisites: Goron or 5 ranks in Craft: Alchemy, “Special Crop” Farmer or Grenadier, Quick draw.
Benefit: If you draw a bomb as a free action, you can move half your speed while lighting it. The reflex save DC of your bombs increases to 16.

No comment, I'm not very good at feats.

Goron Items:

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Bombs: Removing one of these from your bag and lighting it is a move action, throwing or planting one is a standard action. Bombs explode one round after they are lit, regardless of whether or not they have been thrown. Anything in the same square as the bomb when it goes off takes 3d6 point of fire damage (Reflex half, DC 14.) Anyone in an adjacent square takes 1d6 points.

Bombs should ignore the hardness of items, otherwise that thing would never break through a wall!

[Fizban]

Speaking of premade stats, I don't think (but I could be wrong since I don't want to re-read the whole thread) that anyone's mentioned the Zelda d20 book. It's a full sized community made free pdf with a new magic system and stats for a bunch of stuff up through Wind Waker. Can't say I agree with most of it, but there's no harm taking a look. The magic system seemed kinda cool, but it's really complicated and you'd have to use it in play to see how well it works I think. You should be able to find a link to download it with a search or torrent easy.

[Triaxx]

The magic system proposed there is needlessly complex, and it doesn't go far enough. Plus the strongest regular monster they have is the Iron Knuckle, which is CR 13. Ganon isn't even stated as a monster, so Volvagia is the most powerful enemy period, with a CR of 18. And I'm sorry to say that my Darknut would splatter Volvagia.

Not only that, but that project seems to have died shortly after adding some of the Wind Waker content. We're just adding MP across the board, rather than seven specific kinds.

[starwoof]

SO what I'm hearing is: this project needs to be more structured?

[Darkkwalker]

That Darknut sounds more like an ironknuckle than a darknut. To my recallection the darknut was the knight that could only be attacked from the back. and the ironknuckle was the armoured thing that had a giant axe. Though this has probably changed in the newer games.
I haven't played wind waker or phantom hourglass, nor 4swords.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

(Also, I'd like to see some way to make it a +0 La, since I think that would be much more fun than being behind others.)

Agreed, but I'm not sure what to give up to balance it. Some stat bonuses, obviously, and the fire resistance can probably go, but would that be enough?

Combined with Improved Defensive roll, this grants a total +10 (+2 from goron, +4 from roll/defensive roll, +4 from this feat) to AC at fourth level without armor. Add that to dexterity modifier and a chainshirt , and you can easily hit a plus +14-16 at fourth level. Tad overpowered?

The +4 is only against the opportunity attack granted by rolling up, therefore, you would never have it at the same time as the bonus from the roll. I don't think that's overpowered. The rest of your suggestions I pretty much agree with.

Any reason you chose the ranger for favored class rather than something else?

I'm sure there was, but I can't remember it now. Any suggestions?

Bombs should ignore the hardness of items, otherwise that thing would never break through a wall!

Agreed.

Not sure about the posting rules in a thread like this: should I edit the original post or make a new post with the modified version?

[Triaxx]

The trend is to edit the original.

No, the Armos is the one that can only be attacked from behind. Darknuts were just powerful swordsmen. In WW you had to strip away the armor with the Parry, but they were still master swordsmen. TP Darknuts are the big sword and shield wielders that swap down to the single sword and kick you in the face when you use shield bash. Iron Knuckles are the big axe weilders from OoT, and MM.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

I made some changes to the feats.

[Galileo]

I also reckon making the Goron +0 LA would make it way more fun. I suggest scrapping the Natural Armour, and increasing the Swim penalty a lot, perhaps even going so far as to say Gorons cannot swim, fullstop. They can walk on the riverbed just fine, but they can't float or swim.

[Knaight]

Removing the ability to swim would work, however they need either DR or natural armor.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

What if we keep the natural armor and just lose the fire resistance? The Heat Immunity covers the fluff well enough.

[Knaight]

Sure, but have gorons have access to a feat chain that lets them get it back, as some of the tougher ones have been in and out of lava before without any real issues.

[Darkkwalker]

The trend is to edit the original.

No, the Armos is the one that can only be attacked from behind. Darknuts were just powerful swordsmen. In WW you had to strip away the armor with the Parry, but they were still master swordsmen. TP Darknuts are the big sword and shield wielders that swap down to the single sword and kick you in the face when you use shield bash. Iron Knuckles are the big axe weilders from OoT, and MM.

MMMmmm. upon further inspection you are correct. I must confess I am not as familiar with the newer games. If, though, you refer to the older games, armos can be attacked from any direction and remain frozen till you touch them, and Darknuts can only be hit from the side and back.

[Triaxx]

Truthfully, after replaying bits of TP and WW with Darknuts, both games have them only attackable from behind at first, until you strip the armor.

And Armos also stay frozen until you touch or approach. The big ones as well in WW.

[Galileo]

I still fail to see why Gorons need Natural Armour desperately. I don't remember taking any less damage cause I was in Goron form.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

They're made of rock.

[Thane of Fife]

No, the Armos is the one that can only be attacked from behind. Darknuts were just powerful swordsmen. In WW you had to strip away the armor with the Parry, but they were still master swordsmen. TP Darknuts are the big sword and shield wielders that swap down to the single sword and kick you in the face when you use shield bash. Iron Knuckles are the big axe weilders from OoT, and MM.

Darknuts can only be attacked from behind. It goes all the way back to the first Zelda, in which they were just about the most annoying enemies ever. Minish Cap treats them similarly. They're also represented in TWW and TP, and in both games have heavy armor which essentially needs to be knocked off from behind (there are other ways too, but hitting them in the back is easiest). The ones in Link's Awakening are kind of similar to these, needing to be hit either from their non-shielded sides or simply being archers.

Iron Knuckles first appear in AoL, as far as I recall, where they use sword and shield - but those could be Darknuts. Otherwise, they appear only in OOT and MM, where they have those big axes. They're generally portrayed as lifeless beings, like golems (although that one has a person inside of it).

Armos are the statues which can be destroyed only/most effectively by bombs, usually. There are also Armos Knights, which are much bigger and generally need to be shot with arrows. In DnD, Darknuts would probably be humanoids, while Armos and Ironknuckles would be constructs. Probably.


On magic, I think it probably does need to be divided up at least somewhat. You will note, for example, that most sorcerer enemies tend to specialize in one element of sorts - Vaati uses wind, Ganondorf uses darkness, Koume and Kotake specialize in Fire and Ice, though I forget which is which. Zelda's magic is almost always based on light. Link uses multiple spells, but he needs the crystals/medallions to cast them. Agahnim is the only sorcerer who comes to mind who really uses multiple types of energy.