One thing I have been thinking about is combining the various slimes into one basic creature, but with random effects. This is not original–I’m not the first guy with this idea. But it still intrigues me…
"I Collect Slimes, Molds and Funguses…"
When I was in middle school, I read a story about this black slime-like creature that killed people. That story scared the crap out of me… and left a lasting impression on me that I carried into my gaming years–and to this day. It gave me a deep appreciation for the true horror that slime-like creatures can provide.
Carry that forward to today, in the modern gaming world. Over the (ah hem, 40-odd) years since I started gaming, I have seen slimes, molds and funguses be relegated into "just" nuisance creatures–and not the true horrors they could really be. Slow… impersonal… deadly… implacable… All of those features can be played up as true terrors for characters–and their players.
Break… Break… Another thing I have considered (again, not my original idea) was to have dragons have random colors and random abilities. Not tied to the classic AD&D chromatic idea of certain colors have set abilities… but having random colors of dragons have random abilities.
Take that a step further… do dragons have to have only one color? How about a dragon with green scales, but a red belly and black wings? That has a lightning bolt breath weapon? Anything can apply, and it will all keep the players on their toes…
Where Does This Apply?
Where am I going with this? What I am saying is this: what if slimes, molds and funguses were all the same basic creature type–but with different colors and effects?
Much like dragons, could we mix and match the various slime-like creatures into a basic type, then give them random features. Instead of the players always breaking out torches when they see a green growth on the dungeon walls, they might step back and reconsider what they need to do…
And that uncertainty, that… fear… that a key part of the game. Aside from Referees being tired of too many players who have memorized monsters’ stats, the fear players have when encountering slimes, let alone any creature, is part of the wonder that makes roleplaying so much fun.
That is what I want, and what I am going for here. Fear. Wonder. And fun, too!
Future Plans
Well, to do this, I’m going to do two things: One, I am going to change the write-ups for these creatures in the Untold Realms Bestiary. Not sure what I will call them, but you won’t see entries for Slimes, Puddings or Funguses.
The next thing I am going to do is create a slime generator. I seem to remember seeing something like this somewhere else on the Interwebs, but can’t find it now. Maybe it was a series of tables, but not an automatic generator. Regardless, I’m going to create my own, one I can tailor to my worlds.
And that is a good question, too–how do you tailor your slimes to your setting? For me, what is the difference between slimes in the Middle Lands and ones on the Isle of Eladun? The first setting has far fewer fantastical creatures, so the slimes there may be more natural-seeming. The second setting has more magic, and would have more wild combinations. Something to think through…
But that is about it. Asking myself what makes up a slime/pudding/mold/fungus led me to rethink how the creatures are presented, and built in my worlds. Like may other creatures, the plethora of types could be combined into a basic creature–with random features. All that adds more spice–and just plain fun–to the game.
So how do you handle slimes in your games? Do you treat them as just nuisance creatures and skip over them, or are they major obstacles for your players to overcome? Let me know in the comments below!
Marko ∞
