Hey all. I've been lurking here for a while and I've seen massive threads for custom Ancient Ones, custom Heralds, even a few custom Investigators. But you know what I haven't seen too many of? Custom monsters. They're always part of an expansion or somesuch, never monsters for monster's sake. But they're equally important, surely? So, here's a thread where I'll post monsters, boatloads of them, all for your perusal.

They'll usually be themed after a certain game, because I'm not very original that way, but there'll be a few of my own. I encourage you all to do the same. Contribute to The Freakshow, ladies and gentlemen! Step right up and view the most horrid beasties you could ever wish for! Stay a while! Post a comment! Add your own pets to the pile...

The theme of The Freakshow's opening night...Monster from way back then! The demons of the 1993 classic (and it's '94 sequel) DOOM! (Has to be in caps)

The Arachnotron: An elite tier on monster, with generally high stats. The Weapon Immunity is due to their being constructed of magic Hell metal, Nightmarish is explained by the fact that these are some of the games more gruesome foes and as for their movement rules, they can really move, in addition to being smart enough to hunt.

Even worse, Arch-Viles are among the game's nastiest foes. Tough, monster-summoning beasts with homing fire attacks (Hence Overwhelming. These guys WILL hurt you.)

And the hits keep coming! The first boss fight in DOOM involves a pair of these. There's not much to them, they're just pure tanks. Heavy metal fans among us may recognize the artwork to boot.

Phew. The first mid-level monsters in tonight's presentation, the Cacodemons are basically flying mouths that spit lightning, exploding in a powerful flash when you bring 'em down. Maybe these beasts are finally getting reasonable.

Whoops! Spoke too soon. By far DOOM's most famous adversary, and unofficial mascot, the Cyberdemon is the absolutely vicious second boss of the original game. He's scarier than even the final boss, but hey, a 30-foot tall rocket-launching monster man is a tough act to follow. Oh, what's that you say? It has rocket launchers? Afraid so. A blast from this monster isn't something your Investigator's walking away from in one piece. I may have overdone it here, but honestly, any DOOM fan will forgive me. It's the Cyberdemon! Run away!

Ah, a breather. The regular Demons or "Pinkies" are DOOM's bridge between the low and middle tier of enemies. Still tough as the Hell they came from though, especially on higher difficulties. It's ability represents it's ferocious, bull-like charging. Even if you do kill it, you'd better kill it good or it may get the last laugh after all.

The toughest of the game's three Zombie enemies, the Former Commando is a chaingun-toting tough guy, whose abilities represent his random spray-firing and the lethal effects of bullets on Investigators, respectively.

Finally, something easy! The weakest of the three Zombies, this specimen was just your average Marine before going undead. His ability, again, represents the crippling effects of bullets one Investigators. Despite his low status, you'll still be crossing your fingers tight.

The middle-tier of Zombies (That's still low), the Former Sergeant is supposed to be toting a shotgun, but, well, I liked this picture and the dual handguns could still fit thematically. His first ability is the Zombie's shared "Bullet effect". Arkham Horror's pretty tough with damage, and I feel that you can't just shrug off being given cranial ventilation. His second ability is my attempt to reverse the effects of the shotgun Common Item. Now it's being used against the Investigators.

I don't have much to say here, really. The Hell Knights are just scaled-down non-Boss versions of the Barons Of Hell, and that's all I've done here too.

The game's weakest actual demons (except, perhaps, Lost Souls) the Imps are skittering, fireball hurling nuisances at best. Their ability represents the folly of punching something that's covered in spikes, as our friends here are.

Partly demons, partly zombies, the Lost Souls are tough, quick little irritants. Not too much worth mentioning. Their ability is a slightly buffed Endless, just to drive home how near-constant the little buggers are. Just when you think you've killed them all, three more come swooping down at you.

Returning us to our tough monsters, the Mancubi are lazy buggers, but dangerous all the same. The extreme heat of their dual-flamethrowers ruins any dusty old texts exposed to them, hence their ability. These guys keep librarians awake at night. Oh, and everyone else.

My apologies in advance, as this may be a little difficult to read. I'll just post the text here...

Every time this creature moves to and from the Sky, draw a Lost Soul from the monster cup and place it in the space vacated by this creature

Whenever you fail a Combat check against this creature you must draw a Lost Soul from the monster cup and immediately fight it

If there are no Lost Souls available from the cup, simply move one from the board to the appropriate space on the map.

Essentially, these floating freaks spew out Lost Souls like a cross between the above Cacodemons and the world's worst vending machine having a clear-out sale. The faster you can kill these big-mouthed mutants, the better.

The Revenants, another difficult class of foe, are essentially armoured, demonic skeletons packing shoulder-mounted RPGs. You're given a little more mercy than with the Cyberdemon, but it would just irritate me far too much to have an explosive projectile to the face deal three or four damage. Hey, just be glad I left out the Revenant's rockets ability to home in on their target. For the uninitiated among us, DOOM is a hard game.

Invisible, buffed-up versions of the Demons, these shadowy nightmares are...a litle overpowered. Yeah. But I like 'em this way. Sue me.

And as a fitting book end to tonight's entertainment, the Spider Mastermind, grand-daddy of the Arachnotrons and DOOM's final boss. I opted not to give this creature the "Crippling Bullets" I love so dearly, in interests of keeping it a little simpler and a little easier. Both of his abilities represent his massive chaingun, which requires Speed to dodge and randomly sprays hot lead when it hits.

Well kids, I hope you've enjoyed tonight's show. On the off-chance that anyone wants to use these, I'd be happy to present higher quality images, but for now, comments are both welcome and adored.

Good night everybody!

Your going to have to hand out some really nasty weapons. If you don't beat a monster in one turn it still has it's full toughness. Take an Arch-VIle as example. -4 Combat Rating, 4 Toughness. That means you need a minimum of 8 dice to beat it, and you have to roll a success on all 4 dice you get to keep. Unless you hand out some killer items, and make them easy to get and/or keep, most of these will rip an investigator to pieces.

Boy, I been playing Arkham Horror near 4 years now. I know how the combat system works

These guys are intended to be hard as Hell, because so is DOOM. And Arch-Viles, as any player of that game can attest, will destroy you quickly. I have a few other thematic monsters modeled after some easier games, like Silent Hill. But believe me son, DOOM is hard and it'd be a crying shame if I made the monsters anything less than total nightmares.

Besides, I've heard people here say they like a challenge. How about it folks? Care for a scuffle?

While I applaud these as thematically very cool ( hey, it is DOOM ), I believe most of them are too tough for actual game play. Toughness 4+ added to Resistances and/or Immunities ( on top of the Combat penalties ) is really pushing the limit. The Baron of Hell, Cyberdemon, Mancubi and Spider Mastermind in particular do not invoke a sense of "a real challenge" but "just skip the combat and go to the Hospital/Asylum to save time".

Looking forward for the Silent Hill creations.

Agreed, I have to roll my eyes at cyberdemon in particular because I can't think of a single scenario in which he would be beatable and in that case you could save space on his token by simply including the words "you are devoured".

Yes, yes, I already responded to the difficulty issues, Jesus. I'm aiming for the creatures to be thematically correct, and if a heavily-armed futuristic space marine has trouble, what are a couple of ignorant 1920's hicks gonna do? And yes, Veet, I get what you're saying about rolling eyes at over-powered creatures, "Here's this idiot cranking all the numbers in Strange Eons, thinking he's hot and grinning like the chimp he is", but here's the deal. The Cyberdemon is 30-feet tall, a powerful general of Satan's army, powered up by demonic cybernetics, packing a rocket launcher and capable of squashing people by flexing his enormous pectorals if they happen to be too close. It's like you mixed Chuck Norris, a tank and the devil into a creature, and guess what? If do you go near it you are devoured, because unless Ashcan Pete has a "Medallion Of Invulnerability Against Rocket-Propelled Grenades" he is a smoldering heap of burnt giblets, game balance be damned!

Anyway, that aside, here's some (more balanced) Silent Hill stuff. I'd like to point out that these were made before the DOOM things as part of an attempt at an expansion and that the DOOM things were made for fun. I point this out so that I don't look like an absolute bell-end, suddenly powering things down to look respectable (Something I couldn't accomplish without the aid of four wizards, minimum).

Oh, and I should mention, any monster with the red Spawn symbol is a Boss. They only spawn via certain Mythos cards and once killed, they're returned to the box, with the player who brought them down gaining 5 Clue tokens.

Yeah, yeah, put the pitchforks down folks, I know it's powerful. This here's the boss version you fight in Silent Hill 2. His Madness causing an Ally eating represent the fact that he's an incredibly repulsive creature, even by SH standards and by Ally sacrifice, to ties into the guilt theme of SH2.

Here we go. One of the games most common, basic creatures, his ability represents the facts that it's attracted to your radio and that one bursts into a diner to get at you near the beginning of the game. These guys do not stick to streets alone.

The Bloodsucker. A basic, leech-like enemy. Actually, the picture looks nothing like the in-game monster, but I liked it enough and it fit theme. Plus it's a lot more threatening than three leeches tied together.

A serious contender for "Franchises Most Popular Monster", mostly because the Internet is 99% perverts and 1% boardgaming perverts, she's one of the more powerful creatures because these things are actually far and away some of SH2's worst. Her ability represents her perversion of hospitals. On an unrelated note I had no trouble finding artwork of this creature, but definite trouble not finding any soul-killing pornography in the process.

I quite like the mechanics I gave this Unit and in case you can't read the tiny text, here they are.

This creature's Horror and Combat modifiers are equal to the number of Creepers on the board (including this one)

If there are two or more Creepers on the board they gain the Nightmarish 1 ability

If there are three of more Creepers on the board they gain the Overwhelming 1 ability

If all four Creepers are on the board, they cause the Teror level to rise by 1 every time they reduce an Investigator to 0 Sanity or 0 Stamina

Also, they're Endless

Yeah...I'll need to type these too. Also, she has crippling bullets. Sue me.

Ambush

This creature's Combat modifier is equal to the current Terror level +4 (Max. -7)

If you fail your Combat against this creature you are reduced to 0 Stamina and draw a Madness (Due to getting paranoid over the fact that people can be possessed)

If you pass your Combat check against this creature, return the Cybil Bennett Ally card to the box. Then search the Common Item deck for a .357 Magnum and take it. If there are none left, you get no additional reward.

Essentially just a toned down Abstract Daddy, moving along...

A lot of rules that I shall type up and explain...

Physical Resistance - These things have no recognizable vitals and are partially wrapped in metal

Magical Resistance - As specific manifestations of Jame's guilt, these creatures are directly reinforced by the town

Nightmarish 1 - LOOK AT THEM.

Overwhelming 1 - It's tough to hurt these things within the enclosed space in which you fight them without taking a hit.

If you are knocked unconcious or driven insane by this creature you are devoured - They have a special death animation where they drag the players corpse up into the ceiling, probably to eat (and ****, knowing Silent Hill) you. You are literally devoured.

If you roll four or more successes against this creature, they only count as three successes - You can only target one of the three monsters at a time

A Combat check against this Unit is considered to have been failed only if no successes were rolled - Two reasons; These things are rather slow moving; To stop their high health from making them impossible

Successes against this creature are cumulative - As they are multiple monsters, one or two can be dead while the other(s) live on.

I admit it, this one's overpowered. I'm man enough to admit it. I guess, maybe, remove the Physical Resistance (Something I forgot to do).

The ability of these representing their stabbing you in the legs and messing up your calfs something fierce.

Their ability representing what happens when you block a ravening dog with your forearm.

One of the more powerful creatures, the firs two abilities representing their hooked claws grabbing your stuff, their second ability representing how scary these things are, causing amnesia or serious mental illness.

Ability representing the way these things skitter about if you knock 'em down.

Physical Immunity and ability representing the fact that these things live underground and attack by grabbing from below.

Ability representing their erratic, stuttering movement.

Ability representing the highly painful wounds these things leave behind,

The horrific, sanity-destroying big brother of the Air Screamer.

*To my agent* Really? I have to type all this? Mother of...Anyway.

Undead

Physical Resistance

When this creature is drawn from the monster cup do not place it on a gate, instead place it on Arkham Asylum.

When this creature moves, roll a dice. On a 1-2 it moves to St. Mary's Hospital. On a 3-4 it moves to Arkham Asylum. On a 5-6 it moves to the Science Building. If this creature moves to a Location it already inhabits, it remains where it is.

If an encounter anywhjere but St. Mary's Hospital, Arkham Asylum or the Science Building causes a Puppet Doctor to be drawn, draw another monster instead.

If you pass the Combat check against this creature, return it to the box and gain 3 Clue tokens.

Almost identical, except it starts in the Hospital rather than the Asylum and merely results in a Trophy if killed (The Doctor was a unique monster in-game, but not a boss).

Anyone who needs to know why this guy's tough doesn't know his Silent History well enough.

These savage gorilla-like monsters were among the first game's toughest foes. Their sheer violence, as opposed to the other monsters mindless wandering, is what warrants an ability here. They'll keep beating you, even after you fall.

The franchise's first boss, whose abilities are explained by his in-game insta-kill and by the fact that a book tells you how to beat him.

A boss with rather complex rules that I suspect nobody cares about, but shall list anyway!

Physical Resistance

Nightmarish 1

If you fail a Combat check against this Unit, your maximum Stamina is reduced by 1 for the following turn.

If takes two successful, consecutive Combat checks to defeat this monster.

When this monster moves roll a die. On a 1-3 it remains stationary. On a 4-6 it moves as a normal monster but the space it leaves becomes Acidic for one turn.

Any Investigator entering an Acidic space must make a Speed (-1) check or lose 1 Stamina.

It's a scavenger.

And that's it for monsters. As a bonus treat, here's three Investigators, two Ancient Ones, a Heral and a Guardian

OPINIONS! I DEMAND OPINIONS!...You know, if you've got a minute or sixty to read all this crap.

Canjul said:

Well you did say you wanted oppinions. Based on your description of the monster here my question would be why isn't he a GOO? Based on your description of the investigators and balance of the game my question is why not just make a DOOM game?

I am making thematically correct monsters for my favourite board game. I do not expect anyone ever to play with these things. The Cyberdemon is a monster because he's a general of Satan, not Satan himself (Or the Icon Of Sin, DOOM's Big Bad). I always viewed Arkham Horror as being best if played realistically. I absolutely freaking love the 1920's style. I'm actually a huge fan of Lovecraft's writing, not an ignorant douchebag who wants explodey guns only. I also OWN THE DOOM BOARDGAME. There is no need for an Arkham Horror DOOM expansion, but monsters can be dropped in anyway to add flavour. No reason the forces of Hell can't attack during the twenties rather than the future, but it does not diminish my point that 20's folk aren't as well equipped as future marines.

What's next on my list, oh, yes. Arkham Horror is HORROR. The key difference between horror and other genres is constant danger. Die Hard would suck if John McClane realistically got his ass blown to pieces by machine gun fire fifteen minutes into the movie. But protagonist death and monsters that you simply can not beat are an acceptable part of horror. In order to accurately portray the Cyberdemon, he needs a rocket launcher and in order to accuractely portray a rocket launcher, Investigators need to die.

Now, instead of lingering on the Cyberdemon for the rest of the thread, how about commenting on those 30 or so other, much more reasonable monsters you skipped past after reading one friggin' paragraph of my post and zooming down here to whine about it like a whipped dog?

Was simply asking questions to provide feedback, did not mean to offend, I will just be quiet now since I don't want to start a fight and the theme here doesn't really interest me.

Mm. It's just irritating to post a metric ton of creatures and have one guy go on and on about the flaws of one specific monster.

Veet said:

Watcher at the pyramid, flute of the elder gods, or an investigator with several fight allies a blessing, and a good fight skill (and clue tokens). Oh, and time bomb and gate closings. Off the top of my head.

Hrm... The idea of making monsters difficult because they're difficult in another game, well, it doesn't really work mechanically (and besides, I'm sorry, you can defeat Elder Gods in combat in this game design, because it's important to game design if not to theme, if an investigator can do that, they can do anything a space marine can).

Avi_dreader said:

THANK YOU.

As for the second thing, well, I suppose it's a matter of how interpret Ancient One battles. I always saw it as battle the bits of the beast that are slowly emerging from an enormous portal, a doable if incredibly difficult feat. Besides, you just proved that the Cyberdemon is beatable, playing him in same "Tough but beatable" category, as was intended.

Though this is still irritating. Nobody has anything to say about the second bunch?

I don't really comment on custom monsters since I can't use them, although I glance through this thread and the investigators thread every now and then just to see if there are any new ideas I can build into a herald or ancient one.

I also have a bit of a pet peeve against video game creations or TV creations. It doesn't feel right to me. That being said ;') I'm more sympathetic to creations I'm more familiar with or stuff friends made ;'D so, in other words, I'm shamelessly holding a double standard here.

Ahh, these sure bring back memories! Some of the "Big Guys" are still a bit daunting in an AH setting but overall a very interesting group. Some of the smaller critters are actually very nice ( The Bloodsucker, Grey Child and Groaner ). Beatable but very irritating if the combat does not go the Investigators way.