Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Thought Eater, Giant Tick, Tiger, Titan, Titanothere, Giant Toad, and Trapper

“T” is the last letter in the Monster Manual that needs to be split into more than one post. Once we get to “U” we will be combining letters as we hurl through the home stretch. Once again the Cyclopedia of Common Animals gets a real workout, as it contains four of the entries we are looking at today.

Giant ticks have always been a part of games I’ve run. Bengal tigers exist near Shanthopal (and parts south through the Unjaggi region). Siberian-type tigers can be found in some of the northern reaches beyond the Ibetyan Mountains. Sabre-toothed tigers of various types can also be found in some of the wilder regions of the Middle World.

Giant toads are another monster that, throughout years of gaming, I have used with some frequency. Like giant frogs and giant ticks, they are a monster that resonates with me – and probably anyone who grew up in the Midwest or the southern parts of Canada. Still, the Monster Manual has a couple of varieties not included in the Cyclopedia, which you will find here.

I have used trappers, although rarely. Like the lurker above, it is just too dangerous not to use sparingly, and only on the fringes of inhabited areas in large dungeon complexes. Of course, I cannot be certain, but I think the difference in frequency which Gary Gygax gives these two monsters is based on the fact that the lurker above can shift its location more easily than the trapper. Still, the “survival horror” elements of this monster make it one of the all-time greats.

The other three monsters in this post are three which I cannot recall ever using. I remember creating a society which used titanotheres and baluchiteriums as beasts of burden, but as that location was never found by any PCs it remains for some future game.

Titans, of course, are not only huge giants but a major part of Greek mythology. The titan write-up herein will serve as the basis for converting the monsters of the Greek Mythos when I get to that portion of my Deities & Demigods conversions (ongoing in my Patreon). If you have been following my work on Gods & Powers of the Middle World, you know that some Greek-inspired deities are included, which finally gives me an adequate place to include titans in the game.

(If it interests you, Shanthopal is intended as a cultural melting pot, but is primarily based upon Indian and Middle Eastern ideas, as they may have evolved centuries hence, following the collapse of our own civilization, a nuclear war, and the return of gods and magic to our world. This allows me to admix many ideas into a semi-cohesive whole while using the influence of various gods and powers to explain, to some degree at least, why things are as they are.)

During my 1st Edition days, psionic characters were so rare on the ground that I didn’t really use psionic monsters often. I cannot remember ever using a thought eater, although I am hoping that my conversion will make them more useful to DCC judges than I found them in AD&D. That isn’t really a criticism of the earlier system; I am sure many AD&D DMs made better use of the psionics rules than I did. Discerning readers will note that my write-up has nothing to do with the creature as presented, but does have an Appendix N root.

Thought Eater: Init +0; Atk siphon Intelligence; AC 8; HD 1d6; MV fly 20’; Act 1d20; SP non-corporeal, immunity to non-magical weapons, siphon intelligence (1d3 permanent Intelligence, 30’ range, DC 13 Will negates), lead vulnerability, sunlight and UV radiation vulnerability; SV Fort +0; Ref +0; Will +0; AL C.

Non-corporeal creatures which feed on intelligence, thought eaters are naturally invisible. To those capable of seeing them, they appear as transparent blobs of violet energy. When they get within 30 feet of an intelligent creature, they can attempt to permanently siphon off 1d3 points of Intelligence (DC 13 Will negates) each round, only being satiated when they have consumed a full 20 points of Intelligence.

Thought eaters are powerless in daylight, and find it painful, so they usually only operate at night or deep underground. Despite being non-corporeal, they cannot pass through even a thin coating of lead and can be harmed by lead or lead-coated weapons. If forced to remain in bright daylight for 2d6 rounds, they are slain. Devices which channel strong ultra-violet light can destroy them in a similar amount of time if they cannot escape.

Thankfully, there are few of these creatures in existence. Sages believe they were some failed and foolish experiment of the Shining Ones, and there are still occasionally lead-lined containers found from those Dark Ages, sealed in lead, and woe upon those unwise enough to open them!

Giant Tick: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Tiger: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for both tigers and sabre-toothed tigers, with some additional variety provided (Bengal vs. Siberian for normal tigers, and by size for smilodons.

Lesser Titan: Init +0; Atk sword or spear +16 melee (5d8+12) or spell; AC 22; HD 20d10; MV 50’; Act 1d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result 24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +12; AL C.

Greater Titan: Init +2; Atk sword or spear +20 melee (5d8+15) or spell; AC 26; HD 25d10; MV 60’; Act 2d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result 24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +20, Ref +5, Will +16; AL C.

Lesser titans are 1d4+20 feet tall and weigh as much as 15,000 pounds. Greater titans are even larger, being 1d8+24 feet tall and weighing as much as 25,000 pounds. Wherever they appear, they may be worshipped as gods although they have no clerics and cannot grant divine spells.

All titans can cast spells. To determine what class they cast spell as, roll 1d6: (1-2) wizard, (3-5) cleric, or (6) both. Lesser titans have 1d6+2 caster levels, and greater titans have 1d7+3 caster levels. If a titan casts spells as a cleric, it can also lay on hands and turn the unholy, and acts as the representative of some specific god. 

If the judge so desires, a greater titan who casts wizard spells can be developed as a full patron. Likewise, powerful titans which cast clerical spells may become Demi-Powers or Least Powers at the judge’s discretion.

In any event, attacking a titan is almost certain suicide.

Titanothere: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Giant Toad: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals. I didn’t include an ice toad or poisonous toad, so I have included them below.

Ice Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged (20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d8); AC 10; HD 6d8+6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP entrap, swallow whole (19-20), cold aura (10’ range, 1d4 temporary Stamina, DC 10 Fort for half); SV Fort +4; Ref +0; Will +0 ; AL N.

These creatures are larger than common giant toads, and radiate intense cold within a 30’ radius, causing 1d4 temporary Stamina damage (DC 10 Fort for half). Victims who spend 1 turn warming up by a large fire heal this damage immediately if they succeed on a DC 5 Fort save; otherwise it heals normally as regular attribute damage.

On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal critical effect, an ice toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole, doing 1d6 damage and 1d3 Stamina damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical effects. As with giant frogs, giant toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per round unless it makes an opposed Strength check (vs +5), or sever its tongue (AC 13, 10 hp or Mighty Deed 4+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the ice toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat immediately.

Note that the Stamina damage to swallowed victims is not temporary, but can be healed as normal attribute damage.

Poisonous Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged (20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d6 plus venom); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP venom (1d3 Agility plus DC 15 Fort or 2d6 hp); entrap, swallow whole (19-20); SV Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +0; AL N.

Poisonous toads are similar to giant toads, except that they have a venomous bite. On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal critical effect, a poisonous toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole, doing 1d5 damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical effects. Poisonous toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per round unless the victim makes an opposed Strength check (vs +3), or sever its tongue (AC 13, 8 hp or Mighty Deed 3+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat immediately.

A thief can extract 1d4 doses of venom from a slain poisonous toad with a successful Handle Poison check, but there is a -2 penalty to this check.

Trapper: Init +0; Atk entrap +5 melee (crush); AC 20; HD 12d8; MV 10’; Act special; SP camouflage +12, crush (1d6 +AC bonus), ruin armor, underside vulnerability (AC 15, x2 damage); SV Fort +12, Ref -6, Will +0; AL C.

Trappers are flat, semi-amorphous creatures which can spread themselves over an area of up to 1d30 x 10 5-foot squares, matching the floor of the space – whether it is natural or worked stone – with an astonishing level of success. They are able to extrude part of their bodies into a vaguely chest-like protrusion which cannot pass for a real chest when potential victims are within 10 feet of it…but by then it is too late.

The trapper makes a single 1d20 attack against all creatures on its surface. Those it catches are entrapped, and on each following round it can crush all of its victims. Victims take 1d6 damage plus damage equal to the AC bonus of any armor worn as it is crushed into the victims’ bodies. Entrapped victims can take no action which requires motion, although mental powers may still be used. In most cases, victims rely upon any which escaped the trapper to survive.

In order to entrap victims, a trapper must expose its weaker underside. This has a lower AC (15) and attacks against it cause twice normal damage. If a trapper is reduced to half it hit points, it releases its victims and attempts to escape. Trappers are smarter than they would appear to be, and otherwise continue crushing their victims for 2d6+5 rounds before releasing them for consumption – strong and lucky creatures may be able to escape at this time.

Whether because they were released or slain, there is a chance equal to AC bonus on 1d20 that any armor worn by victims is ruined.

Trappers deposit slain victims beneath them, where they are slowly digested over 1d4 days. Although trappers do not care about treasure themselves, the remains of victims may include some non-organic items of use or value to adventurers.

Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Finishing the “S”s: Sprite, Giant Squid, Stag, Stirge, Strangle Weed, Su-Monster, and Sylph

This is it. Last post of the year, so we are going to finish off the “S”s today. 

The sylph is barely modified from an adventure I wrote for Purple Duck Games (Fire in the Mountain), which is, to be honest, the first and only time I have used sylphs in a game. In fact, we are delving today into quite a few monsters I have either rarely or never used when I was running 1st Edition AD&D. I mean, of course I used plenty of stirges, but the others today I generally did not use.

I used sprites as defined by Gary Gygax, but they never seemed to really hit the feeling that I wanted for faeries, and having to do this conversion is actually the reason for putting off this post so long. I had to do a write-up for sprites anyway for the Cyclopedia of Common Faeries, so I finally overcame my hesitation and jumped in. Overall, sprites suffer the same problems as I have noted with other fey creatures in AD&D: the game’s war gaming roots.

(Followers of my Patreon are up to Volume K on this project as of yesterday.)

I have also mentioned in previous posts the problem that giant squids both cause and fall victim to – getting PCs onto a ship when they know such creatures are out there!

I have used deer of all sorts, even back in the day, but giant stags were not a creature I used often. This is a pity, because they are a flavorful addition that would have fit well into many settings and adventures I ran. I include a giant stag statblock herein for your use.

The strangle weed and su-monster both suffered from their niche environments and their complexity. In the case of the strangle weed, I seldom has PCs venture into shallow tropical waters. Then, even if I was inclined to include such a monster, using it required the DM to determine the strength of each frond (with 3d4 fronds) and compare it against the trapped PC, then using that to determine how much (if any) damage is done as well as the PC’s chance of escaping. I hope that my version is easier to use.

Su-monsters were either inspired by, or I believed that they were inspired by, a cryptid from Patagonia. In my younger days, that informed where I thought the monsters should be encountered. I think that the only time I used them was when running The Ghost Tower of Inverness, but I could be wrong. The psionic system from 1e AD&D was a bit convoluted to run, few characters legitimately had access to the system, and there was little incentive to go through the headache of using these monsters. In my write-up, I have linked them to the Ape-God Zal-Rah and made their psychic powers easier to use at the table.

We are definitely past the half-way point now, and the home stretch is in sight.

Sprite: Init +4; Atk none; AC 18; HD 1 hp; MV 5’ or fly 60’; Act 1d20; SP glamour (DC 5 Will negates), invisible at will; SV Fort -8; Ref +10; Will +0; AL C.

Large Sprite: Init +2; Atk tiny sword +4 melee (1d3 plus sleep) or tiny bow +6 ranged (1d3 plus sleep); AC 14; HD 1d3; MV 15’ or fly 40’; Act 1d16; SP sleep (1d6 hours, DC 10 Fort negates), glamour (DC 10 Will negates), invisible at will; SV Fort -4; Ref +8; Will +2; AL C.

Sprite Swarm: Init +6; Atk swarming attack +4 melee (1 plus sleep) or harassment; AC 18; HD 3d6; MV 5’ or fly 50’; Act special; SP sleep (1d6 hours, DC 14 Fort negates), harassment (DC 10 Will negates), glamour (DC 15 Will negates), half damage from non-area attacks, invisible at will, counting vulnerability; SV Fort -8; Ref +15; Will +4; AL C.

Sprites are small faeries, only about 6 inches tall at the highest, with diaphanous insect-like wings, most often resembling those of a dragonfly, butterfly, or moth. They are too small to harm most humanoids, individually, although they can do so en masse as a swarm. Large sprites are up to 2 feet tall, and have individual weapons that can cause actual harm.

Sprites can create illusory glamours of the most basic kind individually – a slight change in appearance, a flower, sweet bird song – but a swarm of sprites can create illusions which seem real until interacted with, and use this ability to lead travelers astray. The weapons of large sprites and sprite swarms can cause mortal beings to fall into an enchanted slumber for 1d6 hours, from which only magic can awaken their victims. Finally, a swarm of sprites can harass their victim, visibly or invisibly, pinching, pricking with tiny weapons, snagging hair or clothing, and laughing or twittering the entire time. The victims of such harassment must succeed in a DC 10 Will save or move 10’ in a direction chosen by the sprite swarm. Sprites may use this ability to drive mortals into bogs, off cliffs, or into other dangers. In some cases, they may simply wish to force mortals away from an area they have claimed.

Because they can become invisible at will, it is even more difficult to count the number of sprites in a swarm than it is more mundane creatures, as which sprites can be seen or not changes round to round. However, if a victim can say aloud the true number of sprites in a swarm, the swarm is automatically dispersed and cannot harm that individual for seven days. A sprite swarm will have 4d10 + current hit points members.

Giant Squid: See the Colossal squid in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Stag: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for many varieties of deer, including 16 statblocks. Nothing quite matches the giant stag in the Monster Manual, so here is an additional statblock:

Giant Stag: Init +4; Atk gore +6 melee (2d8) or hoof +4 melee (1d4); AC 13; HD 5d8; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6; Ref +4; Will +4; AL N.

A giant stag is a majestically large deer, weighing 4d50+1,300 pounds and standing 1d3+5 feet tall at the shoulder. Giant stags may sometimes be ridden by faeries or woodland humanoids, and are more aggressive than their small kin, sometimes turning vengefully on would-be hunters.

Stirge: Init +0; Atk proboscis +0 melee (1d3 and attach); AC 12; HD 1d3; MV 5’ or fly 20’; Act 1d20; attach, blood drain (1d3 Stamina damage); SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0; AL C.

Folklore says that these creatures are the repository of the mortal souls of those greedy and hard-hearted enough to be reincarnated into bloodsucking monstrosities after death. Certainly there is something almost meanly human about their faces, with nose and mouth merged into a sharp but mobile tube for draining their victims.

A stirge attacks with its proboscis. If it hits, it remains attached to the victim until sated, one of the two is dead, or it is dislodged with a DC 15 Strength check or successful Mighty Deed. If an attached stirge is attacked by anyone other than its victim, a miss has a 1 in 3 chance of requiring a new attack roll using the same die as the original attack, similar to firing missile weapons into melee. The round after it hits, a stirge begins draining blood, automatically causing 1d3 Stamina damage per round. It requires 10 points of Stamina damage to satiate a stirge, so that they can easily be the death of those with weak or average constitutions.

Stirges often cache treasure in the areas they infest – coins, gems, and similar small items which the creatures can carry. This lends some credence to the theory that they possess the souls of deceased avaricious mortals.

Strangle Weed: Init -6; Atk frond +0 melee (entwine plus crush); AC 14; HD 3d12; MV 0’; SP plant, entwine (DC 8 Strength check to escape, +2 to DC for each frond beyond the first, -1d penalty while entwined), crush (automatic 1d4 per frond, DC 10 Strength for half damage); Act 3d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

A carnivorous form of kelp, with 3d6 fronds surrounding a central mass, strangle weed attempts to capture and crush creatures so that their remains may be used as nutrients. Entwined creatures have a -1d penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and spell checks.

Su-Monster: Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (1d4) or psychic attack; AC 14; HD 2d6; MV 20’ or climb 40’; Act 1d20; SP psychic attack 3/day, brachiation; SV Fort +1; Ref +4; Will +4; AL C.

These unnatural, leathery-skinned monkeys are almost as big as adult humans, and just as intelligent. They have the ability to project a psychic attack three times each day. When a su-monster makes a psychic attack, roll 1d3: (1) a psychic blast in a 30’ wide cone with a 30’ base, causing 2d6 damage to all sentient targets ca

ught therein (DC 13 Will for half), (2) a single target within 30’ must succeed in a DC 13 Will save or take 2d3 Intelligence damage, or (3) a single target within 30’ takes 1d3 Personality damage and must succeed in a DC 13 Will save or the su-monster can direct its next action as a physical melee attack.

Su-monsters roam unhealthy jungles where chaotic forces are strong. Luckily for nearby inhabitants, they are usually found in troops of no more than a dozen individuals, and they avoid civilization. Su-monsters are said to guard fallen temples and ruins dedicated to a certain Ape-God, and are feared for their cruel wickedness.

Sylph: Init +5; Atk none; AC 25; HD 3d3; MV fly 70’; Act 1d20; SP 50% chance of being unhurt by non-magical weapons, power spells; SV Fort -6, Ref +20, Will +0; AL C.

Sylphs are faerie creatures related to elemental air, who dwell amongst the clouds but occasionally descend to cavort around mountain peaks, especially at night. They appear to be foot-high elven women, with no hair and skin of the palest hue. During daylight hours, they are translucent nearly to the point of actual transparency.

Because of their elemental nature, half of all attacks using non-magical weapons pass through them without causing harm.

If a sylph can be captured and bound, its life force can be used to power wizard spells, at a rate of 1 hp per bonus to the spell check. As the wizard has no way to determine the sylph’s initial hit points, draining the creature in this way has a good chance of destroying it.

A sylph regains 1d3-2 hp per day (1d3-1 per day of complete rest), so that the wizard can never be entirely sure how far it is safe to drain the creature.

A faerie sylph can be bound in this way using the following means:

• A modified find familiar spell (-1d to cast, minimum result 14; 1d3 sylphs bound with a result of 24+).

• Invoke patron cast for that purpose, minimum result 12; 1d3 sylphs bound with result of 20-31; 2d3 sylphs bound with result of 32+.

• Binding.

• Ritualized magic devised for that purpose; see p. 124 of the core rulebook.

Revisit the Original

In December of 2012, with the artistic renderings of Bygrinstow and the hand-drawn maps of your truly, the first (unofficial) holiday adventure for DCC became available. In 2013, it was republished with a follow-up adventure by Purple Duck Games on December 16th. A week later, Michael Curtis' masterpiece, The Old Gods Return, hit DriveThruRPG as the first of many Goodman Games DCC holiday modules.

The link for the original version of The Thing in the Chimney is long dead, but this holiday season, why not revisit the original? This link to the original version of the adventure will be active through the month of December. If you find you like it, why not throw Purple Duck a few pennies for the sequel? 

In fact, the sequel was designed to allow judges to create a campaign out of yuletide occurrences, with the Cinder Claws being a patron who sends PCs on quests to rectify events which would otherwise disrupt the Christmas season.

At the waning of every year, as the sun grows closer to the horizon, and spends less time in the sky, there comes a time of terrible cold and deep snow to the lands of the north.   The world waits with hushed breath for this, the longest night of the year, to be over.  Soon, the sun will begin to climb higher each day, and the days grow longer.  Although long stretches of cold weather are yet to come, this is the night in which winter’s back is broken.  After tonight, the world turns slowly back to warmth and light. 

But that is after tonight.

Good gaming and Happy Holidays! 

Deal of the Day

Deities & Powers of the Middle World: Preview Edition is today's Deal of the Day at DriveThruRPG!

If you've been following this blog, you know the spiel. Still, $4 for 61 pages of content is as low as this is ever going to get.

I have been running games since late 1979, and over the course of many years I have used various gods, either of my own creation or with my own spin. Moving into the realm of Dungeon Crawl Classics, the path of least resistance was to simply use the gods in the core rulebook.

But those old gods refused to go away. They showed up in The Falcate Idol, The Crimson Void, The Invisible Man Has Risen from the Grave, and others. I am 59 as I write this, and I have begun the task of pulling over four decades of role- playing game materials into a cohesive whole. The goal is to present a world others may wish to run games in. To create something which will, I hope, live on long after I am gone.

So, I have been working on these gods, both because Player Characters need them in order to define their relationship to the divine, and also because these beings tend to anchor towns, villages, and whole societies.

Deities & Powers of the Middle World: Preview Edition is both part of my world-building for the Middle World campaign setting, and an answer to my need for real information related to the gods. This work is far from completed, but I hope to have the final version out by late 2026, with new spells, patrons, rules for Luck, etc. The Preview Edition contains the opening article, a list of deities which will eventually populate the work, and a few mostly-developed gods (new spells and god-as-patron write-ups are not included).

The gods included herein are Aedor (Lord of the Forge), Amaethon (the Master of Grain), Death (the Silent Reaper), Fortuna (the Coin-Tosser), Hermes (Thief of the Gods), and Zal-Rah (the Ape-God). Because the cleric class as it existed did not fit Fortuna, I devised a new class for Her devotees. Right now, the project consists of 49 gods, some of which are also patrons for wizards and elves. I have been using these gods in my open-table online Shanthopal game, and they have been very well received so far. Unique spells and patron write-ups are not included. A list of gods for the full release (when available) is included, with alignment and portfolios. 

When I wrote The Crimson Void for Purple Duck Games, I created an expanded format for gods which was, unfortunately, not used in the DCC Annual. In Deities & Powers of the Middle World, I am combining and expanding upon these two formats. Some gods grant spellburn even to non-client wizards, and I have included tables for those. More importantly, each deity has a “When Offended” table so that the judge can quickly and easily determine what response follows a theft at some temple, killing a monster sacred to some power, or forcefully thwarting a god’s plans.

This work is far from finished. You will see references to patron write-ups which do not yet exist, for instance, as well as unique spells. I hope it gives you some useful material though, and whets your appetite for things to come. I am hoping to have a completed book by late 2026. As you can see, the scope of the work is massive.

The full release will also include four druidic branches, one of which is mentioned in my write-up for Death. These first appeared in my games in the early 90s. Because these gods have lived in my psyche and my games for so long – in some cases since the 80s – some of them have appeared in my previous published adventures. Hopefully, that will give people some fun connections to play with.

So, at the end of the day, the Preview Version is intended to drum up interest in a final version. It is also intended to help me see that interest, because this is a monumental project and your interest (or lack thereof) helps me decide how much time and energy I should devote to it.

What I’m Up To

During the pandemic, I discovered two things which would profoundly affect my life going forward. The first was that I had inherited a genetic degenerative ataxia affecting speech and motor control. The second, happier, discovery was that a player in a game I ran during the late 80s to early 90s in California was still being run. One of my players had taken over as DM, and he was still running the same world to the best of his notes and memory.

The first discovery means that I have limited time to contribute meaningfully to the community, but the second affirmed that others had found meaning in the material I had created. I had previously published adventures, of course, and I have received some awesome feedback on those over the years. Writing is a lonely business, though, and there is never really enough feedback to keep imposter syndrome at bay!

(I am not really better than anyone else at providing feedback, and our community has some tremendously talented and honestly lovely people who I still haven’t written – or written enough – about!)

Anyway, I have finally decided that I don’t have enough time to make other people’s visions come to life. I really only have enough time and energy to focus on the projects I want to see come to fruition. That doesn’t mean I will never contribute to others’ projects again, but it will no longer be a focus of my work. I decided that I need to become my own publisher if I want to make the material I want to exist. Hence Crowking Press. I cannot write quickly anymore….things I could do over a weekend now take months….but I think what I am writing is worth the time spent.

Fasten your seat belts. The sales pitches are coming.

The Cyclopedia of Common Animals is something I’ve wanted forever. Game stats for animals are always useful, and this book comes with tools to help them become more useful. It starts with a long(ish) article on using animals in rpgs, and includes information on climate, habitat, and the relatively rarity of animals within these. Generating encounter tables is discussed, and I included a revised faerie animal class with a plethora of options…including faerie dinosaurs!

I also included rules for diseases like malaria, rabies, and sleeping sickness, rules for homing pigeons, and expansions on the core rules for donkeys, mules, warhorses, and the like.

But nothing explains like examples, so here are four examples taken at random:

Giant Banana Spider: Init +3; Atk +2 melee (1d4 plus venom); AC 14; HD 1d8; MV 30’ or climb 30’; Act 1d20; SP venom (Fort DC 17, 1d4+2 Strength and 1d4+2 Stamina damage on a success, 2d4+2 Strength and 3d5+2 Stamina on a failure plus save again or permanent impotence), camouflage +6; SV Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +2; AL N.

Getting bitten by the normal version of this highly venomous tropical spider isn’t due to an attack roll; it is due to being unlucky. These spiders hide during the day in dark places such as termite mounds, beneath logs, or in bunches of bananas. At night, they roam the jungle floor in search of prey. A potential victim coming into contact with a banana spider with exposed skin may attempt a Luck check to avoid being bitten. Within their range, the judge may include banana spiders as a potential encounter, and may include these spiders as a potential consequence of searching a location one is hidden in.

Giant banana spiders are halfling-sized nocturnal predators. Their camouflage ability typically comes into play while hiding during daylight hours. A thief may extract 1d4 doses of venom from a giant banana spider with a successful Handle Poison check.

Other names: wandering spider.

Cassowary: Init +0; Atk claw +0 melee (1d4) or peck +1 melee (1); AC 10; HD 1d6; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +1; Ref +1; Will -2; AL N.

This flightless bird is usually 5 feet + 1d12 inches tall, with a maximum height of 6 feet 3 inches. Males weight 1d12+63 pounds, and females weight an average of 2d30+100 pounds, with a maximum recorded weight of 187 pounds. Although their normal diet consists of fruit, fungi, insects, and small animals, they can be aggressive, leaping to kick with dagger-like inner claws.

Stonefish: Init +0; Atk spine +0 melee (venom); AC 10; HD 1 hp; MV swim 20’; Act 1d16; SP venom (see below), camouflage +8; SV Fort +0; Ref +0; Will -4; AL N.

These fish are found in warm tropical seas, or more rarely rivers, and often in coral reef areas. They average 11 inches, but can grow up to 16 inches. Like the closely related scorpion fish, they are not aggressive, but unlucky adventurers who step on or touch them may be subject to a defensive attack before the creature attempts to retreat. Because stonefish can survive out of the water for a full 24 hours, even touching an unmoving stonefish on the beach may result in a sting.

Stonefish venom is especially deadly, requiring a DC 12 Fort save. Even if the save succeeds, the victim takes 1d4 Strength damage and is incapacitated by pain for 2d5 turns. If the save fails, the victim takes 1d3 permanent Strength damage and must make a second DC 12 Fort save. If the second save fails, the victim is paralyzed for 1d7 days and must succeed in a third DC 12 Fort save or die in 1d3 hours. Ingestion of the venom has the same effect, but the Fort save DC is increased to 16. Nonetheless, stonefish is considered a delicacy, and if properly prepared, it is not poisonous. Heating the venom can also destroy its potency (determine with a Luck check).

A thief can extract 2d3 doses of stonefish venom from a dead stonefish with a successful Handle Poison check.

Quokka: Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (disease); AC 8; HD 1-2 hp; MV 30’ or climb 10’; Act 1d14; SP disease; SV Fort +1; Ref +2; Will +1; AL N.

This cat-sized marsupial weighs 1d6+5 pounds. Related to wallabies, they have pleasant-seeming faces which appear to be smiling and large front teeth. They also seem to have little fear of humans, although that is probably due to lack of familiarity more than anything else. They can bite if touched and the person disturbing them fails a Luck check, and they may carry diseases, as determined by the judge. The bitten target is allowed a second Luck check to avoid possible exposure.

And, because dinosaurs are always useful, here is an example from the appendix detailing them (along with several other prehistoric creatures):

Pachycephalosaurus: Init +0; Atk head butt +2 melee (2d6) or bite +1 melee (1d4); AC 15; HD 3d8; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP Charge (head butt +4 to hit and +2d6 damage), trample for 1d6 per creature; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will -4; AL N.

At 1d6+12 feet long, these dinosaurs have thick, reinforced skulls which allow them to use their heads as rams, both to establish herd dominance and as a method of defense. Typical herds consist of 4d6 members.

I am currently working on a companion volume, the Cyclopedia of Common Faeries, which I hope to have completed next year. A third volume in the series, the Cyclopedia of Common Monsters of the Middle World is intended for late 2026 or 2027.

Best yet, any published material approved by Goodman Games can use up to 10 complete write-ups from the Cyclopedia of Common Animals with proper attribution. I also released the revised text of the Golden Lion rule into the public domain. I intend to include similarly generous terms in the other two volumes.

The Cyclopedia Domestica is a digest-sized companion volume to the Cyclopedia of Common Animals, which includes those animals likely to appear in DCC funnels or owned and utilized by characters in later play. If you need to know the AC of a goose, or the hit points of a goat, this book is a handy reference. Everything herein is reproduced in the larger Cyclopedia of Common Animals, but if you travel to conventions or your friend’s house to play, the Domestica is smaller and lighter.

Another way to imagine it is that the Cyclopedia of Common Animals is designed for world-building and adventure creation, and is therefore primarily judge-facing. Assuming it is allowed in play, the Cyclopedia Domestica contains a sub-set of stats and rules used primarily in actual game play, and is primarily player-facing.

I believe that both fill a real niche, even though the contents of the smaller work is also contained in the larger.

Deities & Powers of the Middle World: Preview Edition is both part of my world-building for the Middle World campaign setting, and an answer to my need for real information related to the gods. This work is far from completed, but I hope to have the final version out by late 2026, with new spells, patrons, rules for Luck, etc. The Preview Edition contains the opening article, a list of deities which will eventually populate the work, and a few mostly-developed gods (new spells and god-as-patron write-ups are not included).

The gods included herein are Aedor (Lord of the Forge), Amaethon (the Master of Grain), Death (the Silent Reaper), Fortuna (the Coin-Tosser), Hermes (Thief of the Gods), and Zal-Rah (the Ape-God). Because the cleric class as it existed did not fit Fortuna, I devised a new class for Her devotees. Right now, the project consists of 49 gods, some of which are also patrons for wizards and elves. I have been using these gods in my open-table online Shanthopal game, and they have been very well received so far.

When I wrote The Crimson Void for Purple Duck Games, I created an expanded format for gods which was, unfortunately, not used in the DCC Annual. In Deities & Powers of the Middle World, I am combining and expanding upon these two formats. Some gods grant spellburn even to non-client wizards, and I have included tables for those. More importantly, each deity has a “When Offended” table so that the judge can quickly and easily determine what response follows a theft at some temple, killing a monster sacred to some power, or forcefully thwarting a god’s plans.

The final version will also contain a druid class and four branches of druidism, which first appeared in my games in the early 90s. Because these gods have lived in my psyche and my games for so long – in some cases since the 80s – some of them have appeared in my previous published adventures. Hopefully, that will give people some fun connections to play with.

Finally, D120 Treasures is a system-agnostic collection of 120 treasures, mostly non-magical, which you can throw directly into your game. Or published adventure, as all of the treasures are Open Gaming Content. The pdf is only $2.00, so I think that is a good value for a small investment…even if the pdf is not pretty!

As a side note, if it interests you, many of these items are based on actual items which were on display when I visited the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. I am currently also working on a follow-up containing just magic items, although many of them are minor. Like the first volume, I intend this one to be system-neutral and open for others to use. I am not sure yet what that will look like, but it will probably look the same as in D120 Treasures.

I sincerely hope that I can open up my game world to your tables.

I have even started a book on how I GM, because both blog posts and Dispatches articles on the topic have proven popular. I have no idea how long that will take me. Some days are better than others.

I started off this blog post mentioning ataxia, and I will end on the same note. I am not morose about this, but things take much longer to accomplish than they used to. I am no longer able to do non-hobby work. If I was able to keep the same schedule I could 10 years ago, most of this stuff I’ve mentioned would be out by Christmas, and all of it by the next Gary Con in March. If you do end up picking any of these things up, your feedback is important to me. It helps me keep writing!

Get Your Gods Here!

 

Announcing Deities & Powers of the Middle World Preview Edition!

I have been running games since late 1979, and over the course of many years I have used various gods, either of my own creation or with my own spin. Moving into the realm of Dungeon Crawl Classics, the path of least resistance was to simply use the gods in the core rulebook.

But those old gods refused to go away. They showed up in The Falcate Idol, The Crimson Void, The Invisible Man Has Risen from the Grave, and others. I am 59 as I write this, and I have begun the task of pulling over four decades of role- playing game materials into a cohesive whole. The goal is to present a world others may wish to run games in. To create something which will, I hope, live on long after I am gone.

So, I have been working on these gods, both because Player Characters need them in order to define their relationship to the divine, and also because these beings tend to anchor towns, villages, and whole societies.

This work is far from finished. You will see references to patron write-ups which do not yet exist, for instance, as well as unique spells. I hope it gives you some useful material though, and whets your appetite for things to come. I am hoping to have a completed book by late 2026. As you can see, the scope of the work is massive.

Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Lich, Lion, Giant Lizard, Lizard Man, Locathah, and Lurker Above

Here are some fun monsters to throw into your DCC game! I was tempted to call this post “Liches Need Stitches” because, of course, the lich has to be one of the most iconic monsters out there! My goal with it was to simplify creation of unique liches for your campaigns, but, of course, there is no really “wrong” way to deal with any of these beings!

Lions, giant lizards, and lizard men are all covered in the Cyclopediaof Common Animals or the core rulebook, but the Monster Manual offers some variety in giant lizards, which I have provided below.

I never used the locathah to my memory while I was running AD&D, and that is kind of a shame. These beings are the “humans” of underwater adventuring, in that they are not necessarily hostile, and not necessarily on your side. Of course, writing and running underwater adventures can be difficult, as one must keep all three dimensions in mind at all times.

Speaking of keeping all three dimensions in mind, we round out this post with the lurker above, which I hope I have made suitably deadly. Gary Gygax, in the Monster Manual, made this creature “uncommon”, and I have certainly used them, but I hope the second paragraph of my write-up elevated them beyond a mere “gotcha!” monster. Certainly, I have never had lurkers above appear as frequently as the Monster Manual suggests, which would make dungeon exploration a bit too hazardous for my tastes!

Anyway, here is some stuff for you to use in your games. I certainly intend to use all of these in my games, which is why I avoided using direct quotes from the Monster Manual in these write-ups! Some of these beings have already been placed in the ruined tunnels beneath Shanthopal….

Lich: Init +0; Atk Dagger +4 melee (1d4) or claw +2 melee (1d3 plus 1d4 cold) or spell; AC 13; HD 7d12; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead, phylactery, spellcasting; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +12; AL C.

Liches are powerful spellcasters who have extended their existence through un-death. These beings bind their life-force into a phylactery or similar charm. If this item is within 500 feet of the lich when it reaches 0 hp, it does not permanently die, but its intellect enters the phylactery, allowing the lich to reconstitute its body over 3d6 months no matter how utterly it was destroyed. True death requires both that the lich be reduced to 0 hp and the charm destroyed. For this reason, most liches keep their phylacteries nearby, but hidden or disguised, and have many false charms among their possessions to trick any who would destroy them.

In order to determine who a lich was in life, roll 1d12: (1-8) wizard, (9-11) elf, or (12) cleric. To determine level, roll 1d14: (1-7) 7th level, (8-11) 8th level, (12-13) 9th level, or (14) 10th level. Liches gain spells as though they have 18 Intelligence or Personality, as appropriate, with a Caster Level +4 bonus to their spell checks. They are unable to spellburn, but conversely can ignore spellburn requirements for those spell normally calling for mandatory spellburn. If a lich has a god, patron, or familiar, it is important to make these rationally match the lich’s transition to un-death.

Liches are unique individuals. When creating a lich, roll 1d8 on the following table 1d5-1 times, or use it to formulate unique powers of your own.

1. Lich’s claw attack also drains 1d3 XP from victim (Will DC 13 negates). If rolled more than once, bring the amount of XP drained up by +1d per additional roll, and increase the Will save DC by +2.

2. Lich is stronger than normal, having an additional 1d3 Hit Dice.

3. Lich gains an additional 1d20 action die which can be used to cast spells.

4. Lich is prophetic, and is able to make astoundingly accurate predictions. Lich gains a +6 bonus to Initiative and Reflex saves due to foreknowledge. If rolled more than once, increase these bonuses by +2 per additional roll.

5. Lich is noncorporeal (as a ghost). If rolled more than once, the lich can change from noncorporeal form to corporeal form (or vice verse) once each day per time it is rolled (including the first time).

6. Lich gains 1d3 x 10% magic resistance. Additional rolls can stack.

7. Lich is immune to non-magical weapons. If rolled more than once, the magical bonus needed to strike the lich increases by one step. I.e., +1 if rolled once, +2 if rolled twice, +3 if rolled three times, and +4 if rolled four times.

8. Lich has spell knowledge that can be imparted for a price. If rolled more than once, increase the number of secrets the lich can impart.

Lion: See the Cyclopediaof Common Animals for various lions, including the mountain lion and cave lion (referred to as a spotted lion in the Monster Manual).

Giant Lizard: See the core rulebook, page 420. The Monster Manual offers some specific giant lizards, which are converted below.

Giant Fire Lizard: Init -3; Atk bite +5 melee (3d4) or claw +4 melee (1d6) or breath weapon; AC 17; HD 8d8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP breath weapon (3/day, cone of fire 10’ long with a 5’ base), camouflage +10, immune to fire; SV Fort +2, Ref -2, Will -2; AL N.

Proto-dragons, these creatures instinctively collect shiny objects, including coins and gems. They sleep roughly half the time, but are ravenously hungry when awake.

Giant Minotaur Lizard: Init -3; Atk bite +5 melee (3d6) or claw +3 melee (1d8); AC 17; HD 5d8; MV 30’; Act 3d20; SP grabbing bite (DC 10 Reflex negates), camouflage +6; SV Fort +5, Ref -4, Will -2; AL N.

This truly enormous lizard (at 2d10+30 feet long) is large enough that its bite can grab a human-sized creature unless it succeeds in a DC 10 Reflex save, preventing the creature from taking its next action and allowing the minotaur lizard to automatically bite it on the next round (which requires a new save or the target remains in the lizard’s mouth).

Minotaur lizards can carry away victims caught in their mouths, and will do so if possible.

Giant Subterranean Lizard: Init +2; Atk bite +5 melee (3d4); AC 16; HD 3d8; MV 50’ or climb 50’; Act 1d20; SP infravision 120’, camouflage +8; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will -2; AL N.

The giant subterranean lizard can run along walls or ceilings as easily as it can run on the ground.

Lizard Man: See the core rulebook, page 420.

Locathah: Init +2; Atk by weapon +0 melee (by weapon); AC 14; HD 2d6; MV 30’ or swim 40’; Act 1d20; SP water-breathing; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

These pale yellow humanoid fish are not necessarily hostile, and sometimes trade with land-dwelling humanoids. They are generally nomadic, but maintain carved coral “castles” along their travel routes, allowing them to rest at time in comparative safety. Because they live underwater, their weapons are typically spear, tridents, and similar thrusting weapons which work well in that environment.

A typical band of locathah numbers (1d4 x 10) + 1d10 members. Every band has a leader with 4 Hit Dice, and for every 10 locathah in a band, there will also be one with 3 Hit Dice. A “castle” is usually inhabited by 1d4+1 times this number, and has a 6 Hit Die leader with one 5 Hit Die lieutenant per 100 locathah.

These creatures have no special ability to communicate with undersea life, but they are clever, and are able to use marine life for their protection either by training certain individuals or by creating suitable environments for desired creatures to dwell. 

See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for creatures the locathah may use.

Lurker Above: Init +0; Atk wrap +6 melee (smother); AC 14; HD 10d8; MV 1’ or fly 20’; Act 1d20; SP wrap, smother (1d6 per round), camouflage +10; SV Fort +8, Ref -4, Will +0; AL N.

This terrible creature somewhat resembles a flat manta ray which covers a 20 foot square space. It underside resembles a stone ceiling, allowing the lurker above to remain motionless and wait for prey to enter its area, often achieving surprise when the first creature reaches the center below the area where it waits. The lurker above then drops, making a single attack roll against all creatures in its area. Those which are hit are wrapped tight, taking 1d6 damage each round thereafter, and helpless to act (unless the action is purely mental). A DC 30 Strength check will allow a creature to escape, and an unwrapped character who makes a Mighty Deed of 6+ made for that purpose can effect the escape of a trapped victim.

Lurkers above have no mouths. Rather, they digest the organic remains of their victims while they are wrapped – a process that takes 1d6+2 days and leaves non-organic weapons, armor, etc., pitted with the creature’s digestive enzymes. These leavings may hint at the presence of a lurker above, and it is even possible to encounter the creature while digesting other victims!