Monster Mash

The bestiary for the core rules has grown from about 10 monsters into the range of 50. Going back to some of my original design concepts, the idea that the core rules should include everything you need for extended play – and using the old red D+D rules as a benchmark for a ‘complete’ game – I needed more monsters.

The fun thing about this is that, by making dozens of monsters, I’ve really been able to see the differences between the previous Resolute edition and this one very clearly. I also can see the differences between Resolute now and Mythweaver versions I’ve published. It comes down to this; a monster in Resolute: TSR has fewer abilities, a shorter stat block, and far more variety than any game I’ve published. You get so much more mileage out of a few numbers- and those numbers end up being manipulated in greater ways- that you end up with more dynamic and interesting foes.

It’s freaky awesome.

Both MW and previous Resolute editions required a beast to purchase a number of abilities just to cover some of the basics of attacking and defending in the various ways that it would need to attack and defend; it would need foundational abilities upon which to build other abilities; it would need abilities to open access to secondary abilities.

Resolute: TSR clears up all that jazz. My prime example is the ogre; it has three abilities. It has arms (allowing it to wear armor and carry weapons), it has intuition (allowing it to smell foes and react quickly to jump into combat) and it has a LOT of might (so it’s big, strong, and physically durable regarding poisons, toxins- it attacks well, deals considerable damage, and is very difficult to bind or constrict). That's all the other two versions of ogres could do too... but it took a lot more information to get there.

Just for fun, here are three stat blocks for ogres: mythweaver, Resolute 2E, and finally Resolute: TSR. See the difference?

Ogre Brute (Mythweaver)
Large Master Humanoid 10 (D12)
DEX 8; MGT 12; PWS 10; STA 12
ASP –4; INT 6; REA 1; WIL 7
Armor 13; Health 184; Initiative +8; Move 10
Talents Weapon access
Attacks Oversized great club +10 (+20 total damage; delay 11); -or- oversized sling +10 (+10 total damage; 6 unit range; delay 10)
Abilities Normal armor
Gear Animal skins +3
Treasure Normal

From Resolute 2E:
Ogre Brute (Level 4; 45 CPs) Wounds 10; Treasure +1
Arms +5 (melee +7; missile +3); Invulnerable +3; Might +7; Speed +2; Stamina +6; Willpower +2

And now, from Resolute TSR:

Ogre Rockbreaker (30 CPs)
Arms +4 (Armor +3/Melee +6/Missile +3); Intuition +3; Might +8