Friday, April 17, 2009

D&D 4E Monster Stat Template

@Name
@Level # @Elite/Solo @Role (Leader)
@Size @origin @type (@keywords)
XP #
Initiative +# Senses Perception +#; @other senses
@Aura aura #; @effect.
HP #; Bloodied #; see also @power reference
AC #; Fortitude #, Reflex #, Will #
Immune @immunity; Resist @resistance; Vulnerable @vulnerability
Saving Throws +#
Speed #, climb # (spider climb), fly # (altitude limit #, clumsy, clumsy grounded, hover), overland flight #, swim #
Action Points #
Melee @Melee Basic (standard; at-will) Star @Keywords
Reach #; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Melee @Ranged Basic (action, recharge) Star @Keywords
Ranged #/#; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Melee @Melee (@action, @usability) Star @Keywords
Reach #; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Melee @Melee Recharge (@action; recharge Roll 2 Roll 3 Roll 4 Roll 5 Roll 6 ) Star @Keywords
Reach #; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Ranged @Ranged (@action, @usability) Star @Keywords
Ranged #/#; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Ranged @Ranged Recharge (@action; recharge Roll 2 Roll 3 Roll 4 Roll 5 Roll 6 ) Star @Keywords
Ranged #/#; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Close @Close (@action, @usability) Star @Keywords
Close @blast/burst #size; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Close @Close Recharge (@action; recharge Roll 2 Roll 3 Roll 4 Roll 5 Roll 6 ) Star @Keywords
Close @blast/burst #size; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Area @Area (@action, @usability) Star @Keywords
Area @burst/wall #size within #range; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
Area @Area Recharge (@action; recharge Roll 2 Roll 3 Roll 4 Roll 5 Roll 6 ) Star @Keywords
Area @burst/wall #size within #range; +# vs. @Def; #d# + # @type damage, and @other.
@Continuous Effect
@Effect.
@Non-Attack Power (@action, usable only @; @usability)
@Effect.
@No Action, Triggered Effect (when @trigger)
@Effect.
Alignment @Alignment
Languages @Languages
Skills @Skillname +#
Str # (+#)
Dex # (+#)
Wis # (+#)
Con # (+#)
Int # (+#)
Cha # (+#)
Equipment @equipment

Here is a stat block template for displaying a monster from the new D&D 4th Edition Monster Manual, as presented in the SRD. Theoretically, this is a complete template, and thus contains more information than anyone should need for a single monster.

There's a few things I'm not quite satisfied with, as far as this template goes - some indentation issues I want to clean up, for example - but for the most part it should work for presenting any monster created by myself or my fellow gamers.

My next project is building CSS templates for each type of power; At-Will, Encounter and Daily. Mostly it's just busy work now; I've got all the presentation stuff figured out, including an annoying glitch which was shortening one of my images by 10 pixels every time I edited the content of the block. I'm still not sure what was causing it, but the fix is simple and seems to have done the trick.

Speaking of CSS and all that, my current theme is based on one I found over at Blogger Templates. It was a little too narrow for my uses originally, but it was much easier to edit than the standard template I started with, and adding a couple hundred pixels (just enough for this text right here, in fact) was a simple matter of trial and error. Then I just had to undo a few changes which adversely affected my monster template, such as extra line space and borders around each of my images. Nice in theory, but not very helpful.

My motivation for building this D&D monster template and others to come is a surprise for later; we'll just say they're part of a couple of much larger projects. For now we'll call it a successful test of CSS as well as a learning experience.