[WFB2/40K:RT] Monsterous Manual

Zhu Bajie

Baron
Converting the AD&D Monster manual monsters for Warhammer.

monster_manual.jpg


Many of the creatures in Warhammer / Rogue Trader are already direct translations of AD&D monsters, from the humble Orc, to the Regenerating Troll through to the Umber-Hulk / Ambull and Ferrobeast / Rust Monster.

So I thought... why not finish the job and do the rest?

So without further ado...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h2zQ-p7CZErj5vpHYuONwL-LR3PMiaHFzWOczvZ1whk/edit?usp=sharing

Much of this is taken from my personal notes, so It's a bit rough, messy and focussed on 2nd (which pays forward into 3rd, but still). Feel free to have a look and a play, I thought I'd open it up as a collaborative project, for a start to see if anyone was actually interested in this kind of thing, and secondly to get some fresh ideas and approaches.

So what needs doing?

A whole bunch of creatures need statting up - Demons need more differentiation, so do dragons and the different types of humans.
A whole bunch of special rules / psychology etc.
Playtesting. :lol:

Project aims & goals

Make a useful compilation of weird monsters for DMs to have in their games.
Strike an over all balance between the Old School D&D and Old School Warhammer, leaning towards the more generic.
Explore the history and relationships between Warhammer and D&D.
Eventually create a PDF suitable for print, with nice written descriptions and fully illustrated.
 
Re: [WFB2/3/40K:RT] Monster Manual Collaborative Project

Excellent initiative ! Having an extended bestiary for our games is definitely a good thing and making links between the sources is definitely an intersting way to spend some times in old books.

I'll probably give this a try after BOYL. How do you want to do this Zhu? Are we meant to just fill in the blanks ?
 
Re: [WFB2/3/40K:RT] Monster Manual Collaborative Project

Yep. Basically create statlines + special rules for anything there you see that isn't already filled in, and refine those that are there. I dunno, maybe there's an oldhammerist who is a secret palaeontologist with some cool ideas about dinosaurs who could work up those entries much better than my attempts !?!

Just noticed I've put Blink Dog as Astral Hound, but not summarised the Astral Hounds special rules from RT, so there's a bunch of stuff like that, where because I have the rules it's just notes and pointers.

Normally I start with a "counts as" mentality (Orcs are Orcs) select a troop type, make adjustments per the special rules, move, HD from the MM. Or read the MM entry and just make something up.
 
Re: [WFB2/3/40K:RT] Monster Manual Collaborative Project

Mister Rab":2r4f3of7 said:
This sounds like an interesting project, Zhu, and I'd certainly be keen to try my hand at a couple. Actually, I was thinking about something similar, although more limited and ad hoc in scale, after reading this blog post about the origins of some of those unusual Gygaxian creatures: http://diterlizzi.com/home/owlbears-rust-monsters-and-bulettes-oh-my/.
Click to expand...

That is a great article Mister Rab, Gary was hugely inventive, but mostly because he had to be, and didn't have legions of miniatures companies producing fantasy critters for him to choose from! Our Harry with his He-Man action figure giant and Jonas with his toy monkeys are nicely continuing the tradition :)

Feel free to add in an ad hoc fashion. There's no deadline or anything.
 
Re: [WFB2/3/40K:RT] Monster Manual Collaborative Project

Update

Just added the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1e carrers as statline upgrades in the "Class" sheet. So you can apply a Champion, Hero, Minor Hero and Major Hero upgrade template, you can also apply an Alchemists Apprentice or Woodsman. Why? Data! (Also, Rat Catcher Kobolds)

N.B. The W modifier as 1/4 of that given in WFB so that it scales to WFB, and all decimal stats dropped a decimals (IIRC the conversion to decimals happened late in WFRP's development) - and PVs calculated for the upgrade.
 
Update!

Since last time, added Psionics from Rogue Trader, added Descriptions to the RT Equipment, and added 2nd Edition Battle, Necromantic and Demonic Spells. Once the Elementals are in, port in the AD&D spellbook for comparison (Cure light Injury = Cure Light Wounds - ha!) and fill any gaps. Funny how all the Psionics in 40k are exactly the same as the 2nd Ed Battle spells, apart from 2 exceptions. Still combining them means the extra Demonic spells can bind Warp Entities and Space Undead!

The AD&D monsters are still stuck, not sure what to do about the aquatics (sharks, eels etc.) or the massive hierarchies of devils and demons, as even Realm of Chaos doesn't really differentiate them to the same level.

Need to take "Space Marine" out of races and make it a Class template for humans.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing
 
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