monsters & number of attacks

[Greyblade]

Hey guys,

I'm sorry I may be a bit daft but can you tell me how many attacks per round monsters get?

I mean the m&t tells us that "2 attacks; another attack" mean three attacks in a round. However most monsters entries indicate "2 attacks, 1 attack" or something like that.

So whats the rule here?

Say for exemple stone giant : "2 fists 2d8, weapon 2d6+6"

Dors that mean 2 fists PLUS weapon or either fists or weapon?

Cheers

[Go0gleplex]

Generally the entry should tell you but we are dealing with Troll typists.

So if the entry is 2 claws, bite then you are looking at three attacks. If it was 2 claws or bite, then the monster gets either the 2 claws without the bite or the bite without the claws.

Your example of the stone giant looks to be missing the "or" between fists and weapon. It should be either the two fists or the weapon.

Always good to check the creature description to just as a cross check.

[Treebore]

Fists OR weapons, but dependent on the level of the party, I may do weapon and 1 fist, plus I have given the larger giants a devastating kick attack for decades. But "by the book", its one or the other.

[Greyblade]

Allright,

And what about the ";" mentioned in the attacks description at the beginning of the book.

Typo?

[Go0gleplex]

Fists OR weapons, but dependent on the level of the party, I may do weapon and 1 fist, plus I have given the larger giants a devastating kick attack for decades. But "by the book", its one or the other.

Yup. Nothing says that the attack entry HAS to limit how the creature or attacks with what. Tree gives his giants kicks. My dragons get not only claw and bite but wings and tail or use other tactics like stomping, wind blasts with the wings, etc. The attack entry mainly establishes damage and a recommended attack pattern within reason for the creature's physical attributes.

The ";", without reference for context at the moment, if I remember correctly is sort of the same as the "or" statement in the attack string in that it acts as a separator between style or pattern. So you might have Slam (2d8); Club (1d10) or Slam; Tail...

[serleran]

I take issue with those saying this is a typo. The original manuscript had clear guidelines on how to read the Attacks line.

However, I have not looked at M&T since the first print so I have no idea what it says.

I can say that some shortcuts were used to imply multiple attacks or a choice. For example a comma was supposed to indicate multiple attacks -- like Claw x 2 (1d8), Bite (2d6). The word "or" was to be used for distinguishing singular attack options. The semicolon was to separate attack "routines" like Bite, Claw, Smack; Sword, Headbutt, Buttbutt.

At least that was the intention from the beginning.

So, maybe it's become a "typo." Not sure.

[Captain_K]

Don't forget the simple, "Dragon Roll". Anything the size of a bus simply needs to lay on you for a few rounds to crush and suffocate while pinning your weapons uselessly.

When in doubt be logical. Personally I hate the ones that get horns, hooves, bite and X... I think horns or bite, but not both in same round UNLESS the guy is the equivalent of two attacks per round.

But as you're hearing, judge, decide, change, its all for fun, nothing is hard and fast.

Personally, I love taking "common" monsters that some players "know everything about.." or so they think and change things. Grey Ooze with 20 foot reach. A tribe of Goblins that fight two weapon style but loose shield.

[Traveller]

ATTACKS (ATTACKS) list the variety of weapons, both natural and manufactured, that monsters may use in battle. All of the monster’s physical attack forms are listed here. The number of attacks is listed first. If there is no number, then only one attack per round is assumed. The form of attack is listed next. Damage from each form of attack is included in the adjacent parentheses. An attack listing of 2 Claws (1d6); Bite (1d8) would mean that the creature can attack three times per round: twice with claws, for 1d6 points of damage each, and once with a bite, for 1d8 points of damage.

Italics mine, but the semicolon in the italicized text should be a comma. The only use of the semicolon I found in a quick look at my editing copy was in the Bird of Prey, and that was to separate the attacks of the normal variety from the giant variety. To the best of my recollection I didn't change any of the punctuation in the Attacks line. The only thing I tried changing in that line was to make things plural. For example, "2 claw" would become "2 claws".

So, "2 claws, 1 bite" is three attacks. A choice of attack types in a monster entry should be separated by an "or". The giants and some other creatures such as the gnoll and harpy should have an "or" between their natural attack and their weapon attack. For example, in the case of the storm giant, its attacks should be "2 Fists (2d8), or Weapon (7d6), or Long spear (5d6)".

[T1Hound]

Fists OR weapons, but dependent on the level of the party, I may do weapon and 1 fist, plus I have given the larger giants a devastating kick attack for decades. But "by the book", its one or the other.

Tell more about the kick attack!

[Treebore]

Fists OR weapons, but dependent on the level of the party, I may do weapon and 1 fist, plus I have given the larger giants a devastating kick attack for decades. But "by the book", its one or the other.

Tell more about the kick attack!

Generally I give any "giant" 12 foot or over in height a kick attack, it does the same damage as their fists, BUT it also forces the target back 1d6x10 feet (10 to 60 feet), and has them land prone, but not helpless. Unless they go over a cliff, then falling damage may be added in.