Building Versus Modifying

Parent page Chapter 2: Tools

Many times, a small adjustment to an existing creature, item, adventure, or other part of the game can serve you just as well as building something brand new. Before you delve into creating your own new content, ask yourself a few questions. First, does something similar already exist? When answering this question, look beyond the surface level. Maybe you want a 5th-level clawed centipede creature that can make Attacks of Opportunity and that regenerates unless hit by acid or fire damage. It might not look very much like a troll on the surface, but the statistics for a troll are going to get you most or all the way there. Ask yourself what you’ll need to change between your idea and the existing material.