Interesting topic. Darkspawn seemed to have been ironed out pretty well so I'm not sure how much more there is to go in that direction, maybe dive into the Ghouls a bit. Demons, The Fade, and possessions though I think has a lot of room to expand and grow your "creature catalog". Another flying beast of some sort would be interesting as well. A bigger variety of common beasts is also a good way to go. Serpents, big cats, and large mammals would add more flavor to the game and also allow you to expand more into the taints effect on natures beasts.
New Creatures?
Débuté par
David Gaider
, janv. 09 2010 08:13
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#54
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:40
le_cygne
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I'd personally love to see more variation in the humanoid enemies. The above-mentioned resurrector is a great idea, and other things that force strategic change would be wonderful. How about Qunari artillery support, or enemy mages dedicated to debuffs or crowd control? The Genlock Conjurer is a good example of a creature that comes off as much more unique than the average Emissary, and the Broodmother is a great example of a strategically unique monster.
If background lore permits, demonic possession of darkspawn seems like it could provide some wonderful story opportunities, interesting enemies, and potentially difficult choices. "Sure, hero. I'll force my overconfident Emissary puppet to lead its regiment to their doom. If you give me Bann MacGuffin to replace him, of course." The idea of the demons playing arms dealer between the Wardens and post-Archdemon darkspawn is intriguing to me, and something that would play out very differently depending on a character's attitude toward religion, demons, and the costs of fighting the darkspawn. And besides, who wouldn't want to fight the Ogre-equivalent of a Revenant?
Most importantly, I hope you stick with your rules on beasts and especially "always Chaotic Evil" humanoids. Notions that characters like Shale or Caridin are truly special, that the soul may be a concrete thing in Thedas, and that the Anvil is really that dangerous lose a lot of their impact if every fantastical creature engages in banter with the party. Enacting the Rite on the Tower or slaying Witherfang and wearing its heart as a necklace are similarly more resonant when the player character hasn't already brought genocide to the goblins.
Finally, pardon my going off topic, but thanks to you and the team for the marvelous writing and characters.
If background lore permits, demonic possession of darkspawn seems like it could provide some wonderful story opportunities, interesting enemies, and potentially difficult choices. "Sure, hero. I'll force my overconfident Emissary puppet to lead its regiment to their doom. If you give me Bann MacGuffin to replace him, of course." The idea of the demons playing arms dealer between the Wardens and post-Archdemon darkspawn is intriguing to me, and something that would play out very differently depending on a character's attitude toward religion, demons, and the costs of fighting the darkspawn. And besides, who wouldn't want to fight the Ogre-equivalent of a Revenant?
Most importantly, I hope you stick with your rules on beasts and especially "always Chaotic Evil" humanoids. Notions that characters like Shale or Caridin are truly special, that the soul may be a concrete thing in Thedas, and that the Anvil is really that dangerous lose a lot of their impact if every fantastical creature engages in banter with the party. Enacting the Rite on the Tower or slaying Witherfang and wearing its heart as a necklace are similarly more resonant when the player character hasn't already brought genocide to the goblins.
Finally, pardon my going off topic, but thanks to you and the team for the marvelous writing and characters.
#55
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:41
TeleProd
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How about tainted deep road creatures driven to the surface by the darkspawn taint during the Blight? Brontos, deep stalkers or something completely new. Would fit the lore as well justify them not appearing in the previous games (they were hidden deep within the deep roads). They could be inspired by real-world creatures but also have a twist by having them transform into something hideous by the blight. I don't know if this is the kind of "new creature" you're looking for, since they are just creatures corrupted by the darkspawn taint.
An example of a new creature: A big feline creature usually living underground. Excellent hearing but poor sight. Fast moving and driven to fury by the corruption. Hunts alone, pounces on enemies, and tries to flank. Stealth would fit but is optional.
An example of a new creature: A big feline creature usually living underground. Excellent hearing but poor sight. Fast moving and driven to fury by the corruption. Hunts alone, pounces on enemies, and tries to flank. Stealth would fit but is optional.
#56
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:43
Psychoray
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Swarm-like creatures. LOTS of small spiders for example. (Or something different, for the arachnophobics.) Maybe a creature form of the flying swarm spell.
More corrupted animals, or corrupted plant life. A corrupted halla would be nice to see, with some sort of ramming attack.
Airborne creatures that swoop down and are only hittable by ranged attacks 80% of the time. (20% of the time they spend on the ground, maybe performing a special attack or something.) If they'd be 100% airborne only then melee parties could get stuck.
Or:
- Creatures that perform hit and run attacks (not airborne.)
- Blob like creature maybe?
- Land octopus?
- Creatures that activate when stepped on? (Trap mechanic.) This could be a plant, a worm with it's toothy mouth on the surface (like a hole), or maybe even something like Dune's sandworms.
- Invisible creatures. (Hit and run, again. Maybe they only uncloak when attacking immediately cloak again.)
Or: Tarrasque.
More corrupted animals, or corrupted plant life. A corrupted halla would be nice to see, with some sort of ramming attack.
Airborne creatures that swoop down and are only hittable by ranged attacks 80% of the time. (20% of the time they spend on the ground, maybe performing a special attack or something.) If they'd be 100% airborne only then melee parties could get stuck.
Or:
- Creatures that perform hit and run attacks (not airborne.)
- Blob like creature maybe?
- Land octopus?
- Creatures that activate when stepped on? (Trap mechanic.) This could be a plant, a worm with it's toothy mouth on the surface (like a hole), or maybe even something like Dune's sandworms.
- Invisible creatures. (Hit and run, again. Maybe they only uncloak when attacking immediately cloak again.)
Or: Tarrasque.
#57
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:44
Arrtis
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deepstalker mother
large ugly and the sister of the brrod mother
WASPS
we can transform into them but we never fight them
large ugly and the sister of the brrod mother
WASPS
we can transform into them but we never fight them
Modifié par Arrtis, 09 janvier 2010 - 09:45 .
#58
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:44
ReubenLiew
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No flyign creatures. Ever.
Ever never never ever.
There is nothing worse than mobs that cannot be touched except by ranged combat 80% of the time.
Ever never never ever.
There is nothing worse than mobs that cannot be touched except by ranged combat 80% of the time.
#59
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:45
Arrtis
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the insect transformation is flying..
#60
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:47
ReubenLiew
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The dragon was bad enough, fortunately it only flew 5% of the time.
It doesn't count as flying if you can melee it.
It doesn't count as flying if you can melee it.
#61
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:48
frylock23
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If Bioware were to program this large, wooden badger ...
#62
Guest_Colenda_*
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:51
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Even if vampires do make sense in DA, I'd be happier if they were given a rest. Vampires have been all over pop culture for the last ten years. Not that I don't expect to be outvoted. Everyone except me seems to love vampires. 
Also, it's raining and there's no cake.
Also, it's raining and there's no cake.
Modifié par Colenda, 09 janvier 2010 - 09:54 .
#63
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:57
Ulicus
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It's okay, I'm sure they wouldn't sparkle. 
Modifié par Ulicus, 09 janvier 2010 - 09:59 .
#64
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 09:59
TheMadCat
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Nah, the whole "modern" vampire thing has been done to death the last few years. A Nosferatu style vampire would be fresh and interesting, but I don't see it having ANY place in Thedas's lore. Hell Gaider even said sentient humanoid monsters were to be avoided.
Modifié par TheMadCat, 09 janvier 2010 - 10:01 .
#65
Guest_Puddi III_*
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:01
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Bhatair wrote...
What about creatures of the fade that aren't specifically demons, just things of pure nightmare.
I like this.
I also like the idea of the water dragon leviathan in Lake Calenhad. (or anywhere else appropriate, really)
I'd also like to suggest a golem variant with a mage spin, say, a "Fade Marionette" or such, where they bind the essence of the fade into puppets which they can manipulate remotely, in a sense similar to the "Blood Control" spell. And perhaps they can channel their mana across that distance and have the puppet cast spells. And perhaps this could be a new specialization... Of course, I mention this in a thread about creatures because presumably some of them would go rogue, such as they are. Or maybe they'd be found guarding an apostate's tower/dungeon/what-have-you. Or perhaps in the Aeonar, because the rulers of the prison found it too dangerous to guard over that many apostates with real people.
I would also like to cast an anti-vote on vampires. Just cuz. And a + vote on flying creatures.
#66
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:02
Arrtis
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werewolves came from a fade spirit trapped in a wolf so just find a bat if they exist but...i never saw one.i dislike vampires but since im not gonna be playing as one i dont see why we shouldnt kill them.
#67
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:03
Drax_Lyonsbane
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Vampires! No no no no no, no vampires, Ruck doesn't deserve vampires and soft words and stew...
Tell the Vampires they are dead and never coming back... vampires suck, in many different ways.
Tell the Vampires they are dead and never coming back... vampires suck, in many different ways.
#68
Guest_Colenda_*
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:03
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Ulicus wrote...
It's okay, I'm sure they wouldn't sparkle.
They also musn't be thin, pale, handsome, angsty/sensuous or originate from the Anderfels. If that much is conceded, I suppose I could put up with them.
ETA: In other news, how about a wyrm? I like wyrms. And the Ferelden people could put them in their fabulous stews.
Modifié par Colenda, 09 janvier 2010 - 10:05 .
#69
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:04
Ulicus
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Vampires are already mentioned in the lore. They're living beings possessed by hunger demons and slot neatly into the first type. No-one said they had to be pretty.TheMadCat wrote...
Nah, the whole "modern" vampire thing has been done to death the last few years. A Nosferatu style vampire would be fresh and interesting, but I don't see it having ANY place in Thedas's lore. Hell Gaider even said sentient humanoid monsters were to be avoided.
Modifié par Ulicus, 09 janvier 2010 - 10:07 .
#70
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:05
TheMadCat
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The dragon was bad enough, fortunately it only flew 5% of the time.
It doesn't count as flying if you can melee it.
No reason a flying creature creature can't have it's fighting styled to that of Dragon's. If they want to do any damage to you they'd have to get in close anyways, swoop in and fight on the ground if it's big enough.
#71
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:06
Ryllen Laerth Kriel
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Hey, David's alive! We're glad to hear from you.
Okay, I'll take a shot at this (Bioware modelers are going to hate me for these):
-Giant snakes, or small ones would be nice to add to swamp areas. I admit, I love the first Conan movie too much not to mention giant snakes. Giant insects would be nice, whether ants or beatles, take your pick! Some nature-based animals are always good to add to the scenery and variety. Bats in caves for example, and rats and wildcats. Turtles crawling on a beach, perhaps giant hungry turtles? Plus natural creatures don't need motivation other than hunger of feeling threated so it's easy for the quest writers and area builders.
-Gryphons, as others have said. It would be great to discover they are still alive somewhere in Thedas. It could lead to a great quest line to sneak into a gryphon roost for a Grey Warden to try to cultivate and tame more gryphons for the Wardens.
-A type of Blood Magic driven vampire-ish cult would be cool, I think. If blood sacrifice is the source of Blood Magic, then why couldn't a mage discover a way to use the blood of others? Perhaps it could only work with the blood of other mages so Circle magicians could start disappearing, the templars cannot even track them. Or when the templars find them, their bodies are mysteriously drained...ect. It could lead into a fun witch hunt. Some of the Blood Magic cult might take the use of live blood of their victims to the next level, it could turn into ritualized cannibalism pretty easily from that point. And along the more traditional vampire vein (terrible pun) perhaps they discover a way to extend their lives through harnessing said life energy.
-A type of mountain troll would be cool. I know the design principles said no sentient monsters, but I think there was a loophole to that in the Werewolf/Dalish conflict since the tribe of werewolves were both sentient and monsters. I agree at the principle of it all, however, alot of fantasy games just toss an orc tribe at you and they are suddenly an easy, cheap threat for the PC to eliminate. The mountain trolls would be nice as a form of semi-giant humanoids, another culture that isn't necessarily evil but a fantasy staple with possible conflict or alliances for the PC. Just add a spin to it like the werewolf quest in the O.C. Maybe make Orlesian nobles the badguys, like the old western movie Cattle Rancher vs. Family Ranch or Farmer vs. Rail Road baron. Don't worry about being formulaic, I mean it's the same funamental Avatar was built on and Cameron is making millions.
-More ghosts! There were spirits in the elven ruins, perhaps give us more varieties of ghosts that aren't posessed or originating from the Fade. Forelorned spirits like banshees could be a nice twist. Perhaps our PCs could stumble into the ruins of the Dales where alot of elves were slaughtered on the Exalted March. Since Elves have a different belief system/religion, perhaps they relationship with the Fade is slightly different. Sure they can contact humans in the Fade but who is to say the experience is exactly the same? Perhaps Elven spirits are more tied to Thedas, a link to their rumored once semi-immortality? Echos of their living spirits, seated in the old ways of their people, could be entrenched in the world even after physical death.
-Fade posessed non-organic objects. Let's face it, I just want a posessed, talking sword, but this could have other applications. A mad magician could be running an isolated tower where all the doors, chairs, wall hangings could have a spirit trapped within them. Or maybe he/she could of placed spirits in mechanical devices like the dwarves with the golems.
An easy story around this could be that a group of templars slaughtered his/her family after rumors in a nearby village led people to fear them due to bad crops, plague, any superstitious cause. Though not a bad, or posessed mage, his/her ways were different and they became a scapegoat. The head of the family escaped but suffered psychological trauma from losing all his/her loved ones. The mage could be trying to bring them back from the Fade, it could turn creepy and fun with automaton-like golems (Marrionettes?) named for the slaughtered family members but filled with the wrong spirits.
The spirits could be benevolent or malevolent and the tower the mage lives in could be a series of traps. Basicly a big, twisted and dark Peewee's Playhouse...yes, I just likely shot down my entire idea but it's a funny thought and I had to say it. Combining a tower and a few jaunts into the Fade, it could end up being a major dungeon. Some of the real fun could come up from unlikely spirtual allies along the way. Perhaps a normally malvolent demon could ally itself just to get out of a predicament. An example of this could be an Envy demon is placed in too beautiful a marrionette, and it has nothing left to want for, longing imperfection. To have it's form destroyed and escape back to the Fade, it plans to join the PC. Or a Spirit of Loyalty could turn on the PC for trying to stop the mad mage. Though the spirit is esentially good, it is stuck in a marrionette and must be loyal to it's new master.
(Hmm, I'll try to come back and post more random ideas. Hopefully some of these help, hopefully they aren't utter crap, but right now I need to see if my leg of lamb is defrosted enough for dinner.)
P.S. Ahhh, crap. Some people already posted some of my ideas while I was typing out this monster post. Oh well, I tossed in a bunch of duplicate ideas it seems. Blah!
Okay, I'll take a shot at this (Bioware modelers are going to hate me for these):
-Giant snakes, or small ones would be nice to add to swamp areas. I admit, I love the first Conan movie too much not to mention giant snakes. Giant insects would be nice, whether ants or beatles, take your pick! Some nature-based animals are always good to add to the scenery and variety. Bats in caves for example, and rats and wildcats. Turtles crawling on a beach, perhaps giant hungry turtles? Plus natural creatures don't need motivation other than hunger of feeling threated so it's easy for the quest writers and area builders.
-Gryphons, as others have said. It would be great to discover they are still alive somewhere in Thedas. It could lead to a great quest line to sneak into a gryphon roost for a Grey Warden to try to cultivate and tame more gryphons for the Wardens.
-A type of Blood Magic driven vampire-ish cult would be cool, I think. If blood sacrifice is the source of Blood Magic, then why couldn't a mage discover a way to use the blood of others? Perhaps it could only work with the blood of other mages so Circle magicians could start disappearing, the templars cannot even track them. Or when the templars find them, their bodies are mysteriously drained...ect. It could lead into a fun witch hunt. Some of the Blood Magic cult might take the use of live blood of their victims to the next level, it could turn into ritualized cannibalism pretty easily from that point. And along the more traditional vampire vein (terrible pun) perhaps they discover a way to extend their lives through harnessing said life energy.
-A type of mountain troll would be cool. I know the design principles said no sentient monsters, but I think there was a loophole to that in the Werewolf/Dalish conflict since the tribe of werewolves were both sentient and monsters. I agree at the principle of it all, however, alot of fantasy games just toss an orc tribe at you and they are suddenly an easy, cheap threat for the PC to eliminate. The mountain trolls would be nice as a form of semi-giant humanoids, another culture that isn't necessarily evil but a fantasy staple with possible conflict or alliances for the PC. Just add a spin to it like the werewolf quest in the O.C. Maybe make Orlesian nobles the badguys, like the old western movie Cattle Rancher vs. Family Ranch or Farmer vs. Rail Road baron. Don't worry about being formulaic, I mean it's the same funamental Avatar was built on and Cameron is making millions.
-More ghosts! There were spirits in the elven ruins, perhaps give us more varieties of ghosts that aren't posessed or originating from the Fade. Forelorned spirits like banshees could be a nice twist. Perhaps our PCs could stumble into the ruins of the Dales where alot of elves were slaughtered on the Exalted March. Since Elves have a different belief system/religion, perhaps they relationship with the Fade is slightly different. Sure they can contact humans in the Fade but who is to say the experience is exactly the same? Perhaps Elven spirits are more tied to Thedas, a link to their rumored once semi-immortality? Echos of their living spirits, seated in the old ways of their people, could be entrenched in the world even after physical death.
-Fade posessed non-organic objects. Let's face it, I just want a posessed, talking sword, but this could have other applications. A mad magician could be running an isolated tower where all the doors, chairs, wall hangings could have a spirit trapped within them. Or maybe he/she could of placed spirits in mechanical devices like the dwarves with the golems.
An easy story around this could be that a group of templars slaughtered his/her family after rumors in a nearby village led people to fear them due to bad crops, plague, any superstitious cause. Though not a bad, or posessed mage, his/her ways were different and they became a scapegoat. The head of the family escaped but suffered psychological trauma from losing all his/her loved ones. The mage could be trying to bring them back from the Fade, it could turn creepy and fun with automaton-like golems (Marrionettes?) named for the slaughtered family members but filled with the wrong spirits.
The spirits could be benevolent or malevolent and the tower the mage lives in could be a series of traps. Basicly a big, twisted and dark Peewee's Playhouse...yes, I just likely shot down my entire idea but it's a funny thought and I had to say it. Combining a tower and a few jaunts into the Fade, it could end up being a major dungeon. Some of the real fun could come up from unlikely spirtual allies along the way. Perhaps a normally malvolent demon could ally itself just to get out of a predicament. An example of this could be an Envy demon is placed in too beautiful a marrionette, and it has nothing left to want for, longing imperfection. To have it's form destroyed and escape back to the Fade, it plans to join the PC. Or a Spirit of Loyalty could turn on the PC for trying to stop the mad mage. Though the spirit is esentially good, it is stuck in a marrionette and must be loyal to it's new master.
(Hmm, I'll try to come back and post more random ideas. Hopefully some of these help, hopefully they aren't utter crap, but right now I need to see if my leg of lamb is defrosted enough for dinner.)
P.S. Ahhh, crap. Some people already posted some of my ideas while I was typing out this monster post. Oh well, I tossed in a bunch of duplicate ideas it seems. Blah!
Modifié par Ryllen Laerth Kriel, 09 janvier 2010 - 10:10 .
#73
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:07
Arrtis
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how about a beast that constantly changes shape? doesnt talk not a person
just beasts who age and size change constantly
anyone do that?
just beasts who age and size change constantly
anyone do that?
#74
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:08
Xandurpein
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I suppose a Blood mage possessed by a Desire demon would make a decent vampire substitute.
I really think you should mainy stick to the sick/dranged/possessed/generally evil humans (or elves or dwarves) for enemies. It's so much more satisfying with a sentient adversary that talks to you, to make you really hate them...
Maybe some sort of spirit that isn't a demon, but more fey. I understnad that demons feed on human emotions and that there are other spirits that have ounterparts in human virtue, like the valor spirit in the Mage Orgin, but is that all?
Maybe some spirits are not evil just amoral, or maybe spirits of other emotions. A spirit that feeds on fear while bound by it's own fear? It would be a very solitary spirit as it would not trust anything it couldn't control. It could make for a climatic end when the shrivelling fearful spirit at the end of a terrifying adventure is unmasked.
I really think you should mainy stick to the sick/dranged/possessed/generally evil humans (or elves or dwarves) for enemies. It's so much more satisfying with a sentient adversary that talks to you, to make you really hate them...
Maybe some sort of spirit that isn't a demon, but more fey. I understnad that demons feed on human emotions and that there are other spirits that have ounterparts in human virtue, like the valor spirit in the Mage Orgin, but is that all?
Maybe some spirits are not evil just amoral, or maybe spirits of other emotions. A spirit that feeds on fear while bound by it's own fear? It would be a very solitary spirit as it would not trust anything it couldn't control. It could make for a climatic end when the shrivelling fearful spirit at the end of a terrifying adventure is unmasked.
#75
Posté 09 janvier 2010 - 10:08
Johnny Jaded
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Griffons! It's stated that they disappeared and are thought to be extinct but not known for certain. Maybe have another Haven-like secret village in the mountains that protects and/or worships the last family of griffons. Or at the very least maybe some actual in-game proof that they actually existed, like a griffon boneyard.
Also, I think it'd be nice to see more draconic races, maybe wyverns (as one is represnted on Loghain's shield) and the basilsk and leviathan ideas seem plausible too.
The vampire thing might work if it's done as a possessed mindless corpse (maybe give it the overwelm ability) rather than the cliche intelligent stalker of the night, but then that seems awfully like the fanged skeleton
I agree with previous posters that, it would definitely be interesting to see what would happen if Demons (or even Spirits) managed to find a way to possess a darkspawn, especially since that they are said to have no soul it's arguable that it would be easier to possess than a human(/Elf/Dwarf/Qunari)
Trap-triggered hostile flora would make an interesting enemy, similar to the echinopes/archspore of the Witcher, as oppossed to triffid-esque ambulatory ones
Also, I think it'd be nice to see more draconic races, maybe wyverns (as one is represnted on Loghain's shield) and the basilsk and leviathan ideas seem plausible too.
The vampire thing might work if it's done as a possessed mindless corpse (maybe give it the overwelm ability) rather than the cliche intelligent stalker of the night, but then that seems awfully like the fanged skeleton
I agree with previous posters that, it would definitely be interesting to see what would happen if Demons (or even Spirits) managed to find a way to possess a darkspawn, especially since that they are said to have no soul it's arguable that it would be easier to possess than a human(/Elf/Dwarf/Qunari)
Trap-triggered hostile flora would make an interesting enemy, similar to the echinopes/archspore of the Witcher, as oppossed to triffid-esque ambulatory ones
