Monster Monday - Guest Post - Bulette

When I included the bulette on my Facebook poll, I had forgotten that I had done an early Monster Monday about it, here. Ian McGarty stepped in and said he wanted a turn. So, here is his Monster Monday, bulette:

The Bulette

This creature has been around since the early days of Dungeons & Dragons. Tim Kask created this monster after being handed a cheap plastic toy representing Japanese monsters. This creature was first featured in The Dragon in 1976 and has subsequently been included in every version of D&D. In its introduction, it couldn’t even leap! I love the possibilities of this creature burrowing through your campaign setting and frightening your players.  In most versions, this creature is formidable (Pathfinder removed its claws) and can wipe out an unwary party. I particularly enjoy the early edition use of a variable armor class and weak underbelly for this burrowing tank. This weak underbelly was originally a weak spot behind its armor plates on its head. This creature always loves to eat halflings and horses but will only kill dwarves and elves rather than eating them (too chewy and stringy respectively I imagine). The longevity of this monster speaks to its potential. In my own campaigns, I have used numerous versions of this creature. I have made them chromatic and given them breath weapons, I have adapted them for multiple environments like snow/ice.
Many players know of my love of this creature and its fearsome attacks. I recently ran a large group of 12 players against a pair of these monstrosities. They knew they were in a large sandy area. They made a plan to lure them out and a vicious battle followed with 4 players and both creatures dead at the end. I emphasized the weak underbellies and allowed players to use their creativity and ingenuity to cause the bulette to rise up and become vulnerable for their prepared archers.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy this monster. When faced with near dire outcomes, players surprise me with their ideas and overcome what seemed to be an impossible fight.

Ian McGarty

Monster Monday - Guest Post

A friend of mine wanted to add to the Monster Monday mayhem! So, today, for the first time, we have a guest post. The following is written by Ian McGarty.

Oh $&*# Run!

The rumble of galloping horses died down as the group slowed to a halt near a large tree standing alone on the flat grasslands. The group seemed perplexed though as some rumbling sound continued. A keen-eyed elf scanned the horizon, a robed wizard looked to the skies, a warrior and priest drew forth their weapons and shields, and a slight dark clothed figure dismounted and pressed a hand to the ground. At that moment, the ground collapsed in under the wizard’s horse and all of the mounts spooked at the scream of pain and terror from the horse being pulled under. A sickening crunch followed as the wizard scrambled out of the hole. The group ran towards the tree. The elf screamed as a 15’ long creature of armor, sinew, and muscle shot from the ground with a single push of its powerful clawed legs. A mouthful of razor sharp teeth claimed the elf who had little time to react. The warrior and cleric rushed forward and slashed and banged their weapons against a thick armored body of the torpedo like creature to no avail. The slight man threw a fusillade of daggers which bounced harmlessly against the creature which continued to crunch chew upon the elf.

Monster. The word evokes imagery of fantastical creatures for all of us who are enamored by fantasy games and role-playing. Its roots come from Middle English and Old French and the word monstre  meaning ‘to warn’. RPG’s have changed in focus from tricking, trapping, and avoiding monsters to a grind to assault and slay them all. This has in part been made possible by the changes which have occurred in more ‘rules heavy’ game systems like Pathfinder which has diminished the ferocity and deadly aspects of many monsters. Myself, I prefer the ‘OSR’ monsters that can kill in a single pass, with a single failed saving throw, and must be overcome with more wits than rolls.  It seems that these newer systems have lost that original meaning and warning about the monsters.

For example, let’s compare the creature described in the interlude above, the Bulette. In first edition, this creature had a nigh-impenetrable shell, unless you discovered its weak underbelly. The damage dealt by this creature was massive and could kill a player in a single swipe. Paizo’s bulette has lost its teeth and can be killed by a group of 3^rd level characters! The danger of monsters has been watered down and this has made players less clever in my opinion. Danger breeds creativity.

So what are the effects of this change? In my opinion, it has caused players to become less creative and more reliant on a simple die roll to determine everything, from what plan they can enact and think of, to the swing of their swords. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. Some people crave a game with structure and tactics that have clear, intricate rules to describe any possible outcome. These people want to participate in a game that has a rigid and static order and procedure they can rely on. The resurgence of the OSR type games has also been excited by groups of players that want more than just a die roll to determine what their characters can figure out.