Let's face it, the main reason GM's put beasts in their games is so that the players have something to fight. With these Random Beastiary Generators you should have no trouble coming up with creatures to challenge your players. These generators
are the perfect companion to the Fudge: RPG Interactive Version which is for sale at RPGNow.com.
This help file includes:
If your system uses a different set of statistics or an alternate combat system, the Random Beasts that you will create can easily be integrated into that system by applying whatever rules you use to the generated statistics. GM's who use a storytelling method instead of an objective method will be able to easily integrate the creature's named attacks, skills, and special abilities while ignoring the objective numerical data.
There are as many ways to handle combat in Fudge as there are Fudge GM's. One easy way to determine the outcome of a battle is to perform a series of 'Opposed Actions' in which each player rolls four Fudge Dice; the high roller is the 'Winner' of that round. The Relative Degree is the difference between the two numbers.
A common way to calculate the amount of damage is to add the Winner's Offensive Factors and subtract the Loser's Defensive Factors from the Relative Degree.
For example, Sven the Brave (Offensive Factors +3, Defensive Factors +5) attacks Flame the Red Dragon (Offensive Factors +10, Defensive Factors +2).
Each player rolls 4DF. Sven rolls +4; Flame rolls -1. Sven is the Winner of that round with a Relative Degree of 5. The number of wound levels that Flame loses is determined by adding Sven's Offensive Factors and subtracting Flame's Defensive Factors from the Relative Degree (5+4-2 = 7).
Combat continues as a series of such Opposed Actions until someone wins or flees.
Many examples of alternate combat rules are presented in the Fudge: RPG Interactive Version which is for sale at RPGNow.com.
Golem's Galore. The local pets, livestock, and even the pesky kobolds that typically steal them have all been reported missing. Hunters have reported seeing the remains of butchered livestock in various places throughout the woods. And yes, a mysterious green glow has been emanating from the previously abandoned Guard Tower on top of a dangerously high cliff.
Since no one is in a hurry to find the missing kobolds, everyone assumes that the events are mysteriously UNRELATED until bizarre patchwork creatures start wandering into town causing death, damage, and chaos during the once peaceful midnight hour.
Unable to ignore the new threat, the town hires the PC's to 1) Journey through the woods, 2) Climb the dangerously high cliff, and 3) Explore the once abandoned Guard Tower.
The players uncover a plot by a maniacal magician/clockmaker to take over the world with his army of Golems.
Creature Catalog. The PC's have been hired by a field biologist to escort him to a recently discovered island to take pictures and record other field observations of the island's native wildlife. They encounter a bizarre set of mutants and hybrids that were created when nuclear waste leaked into the water system. As it turns out, the World Government has been using this island as a place to dispose of nuclear waste for many years. The PC's end up battling their way though an island of bizarre creatures and a government compound full of well-armed guards whose sole mission is to make sure the government base is not discovered by any outsiders.
Post-Apocalyptic Picnic. The world has ended; well, for the most part. A handful of human survivors lives in a world dominated by Mutant and Gargantuan insects that are being controlled by a small group of Insect Fiends. The PC's have no hope of overthrowing the Fiends or destroying all of the Mutants, but they can strive to survive and re-establish a human base of operations.
Friend or Fiend. Forget kobolds, orcs, and dragons. The land is being pillaged and the livestock is being slaughtered by a well-organized clan of fiends. Mammal-like Fiends are the soldiers who roam about terrorizing the villages. Insect-like Fiends are waging all-out wars against the major kingdoms. Reptile-fiends are organizing the whole assault. A small group of highly evolved amphibian-like Fiends has decided to take pity on the human population by providing information about when and where the others will attack, as well as where the major weapons and treasure depots are located.
The PC's can either embark upon a single quest to destroy the weapons and steal the treasure, or the GM can plan a lengthy campaign involving multiple battles and many side-quests which ultimately result in the Fiends retreating into the mountains, rarely to be heard of again. Of course, the PC's thank the Amphibian Fiends by expelling them from their marshland in the name of progress.
Androids Among Us. The year is...whatever year your campaign is taking place. The PC's are taking a vacation at a newly opened resort on a secluded island where they stay inside, avoid the sunlight, and hide from crowds in an attempt to avert anything that might resemble an adventure. The more the PC's hide, the more determined the resort workers become to force the players into joining them in some form of relaxing activity. Even the island wildlife seems interested in getting the PC's attention.
After a few days, the PC's notice that even though no transports have left the island and a steady stream of new ones arrives daily, that the crowd level seems to be staying steady. After being confronted by several people whose friends and relatives are missing, the PC's decide to investigate.
They uncover a Mad Scientist's plot to take over the world by replacing people with physically identical androids. Even the island's native wildlife has been replaced. All of the androids are controlled by a super processor located deep within a cavern system below the island's surface.
The PC's must find the entrance to the cave, battle their way to the processor, destroy it, and rescue the humans that have been replaced. Once the processor has been destroyed, the androids will be nonfunctional; however, the Mad Scientist likely has a backup of cyborg or mutated cave creatures to keep the PC's busy if needed.
The following lists are taken from the Creature Creator, a free online tool available at Dimensions Game Software's website. Much more than physical descriptions go into creating believable beasts: general behavior, social structure, diet, day-night cycle, reproduction, etc. However, when your players have a clear idea of what the thing they are fighting looks like, then they are more likely to be drawn into the game. The rest of the details can be figured out as the PC's encounter the same type of beast multiple times over several sessions.
Roll a ten-sided die.
Roll a ten-sided die.
Roll a ten-sided die.
Dimensions Game Software
www.dimensionsgamesoftware.com
(c)2003 Jeffrey A. Mills, DVM
doctorjeff98@msn.com