Troglodytes

Torchbearer Monstrous Compendium
1

So the basics for troglodytes are pretty easy to come up with. You can just use something like orcs as the base or the frogmen from the Petersen Bestiary. But what about their two special abilities. I have a few possible ideas.

Stink

  • Coming into close proximity of a troglodyte or entering one of their lairs requires a health test (maybe ob 3 or so)
  • Losing a drive off or capture conflict with them automatically sticks the group with the Sick condition. This might be too harsh since they’re not poisonous, just stinky, so maybe Exhausted instead.

Chameleon skin

  • Just a straight up defensive weapon in drive off/capture/kill
  • Make it -1s or -2s against ranged weapons specifically.
  • Are there many instances where you have PC groups rolling against monster ambushes? I’d set up some sort of ambush ability but not sure how it would work.
2

Stink:

  • I think the Health test is a great idea. Ob 3 sounds about right. What if failure means you suffer -1s(!) for the duration of the conflict?
  • The stench is actually from an oil they secrete from their skin. I’d be tempted to impose Sick on anyone that failed the Health test above and Exhausted on anyone who passed – assuming they lose the conflict.

Chameleon:

  • You might take a look at the Stone Spider’s Camouflaged Carapace. It may not be exactly what you want, but it’s a good start!
  • I think +1s for ambushes would be great. A successful ambush limits the party to the trogs’ designated conflict types, or even a subset of them.
3

Kill, Drive off, Flee/Pursue
Stink, +1D Attack, +1s Defend.

Drive off, Flee/Pursue
Chameleon +1s Defend, +1s Maneuver

Special: after finishing a Conflict with a troglodyte you get Sick in addition to any other compromises.

Stay cool :cool: