Monster Flags

[fizzix]

I've been thinking about adding some new monster flags. There are specifically 4 that I would like to add.

SMALL
LARGE
HUGE
FLYING

For game effects, I only want basic effects at first. SMALL monsters have a penalty when trying to bash doors, LARGE and HUGE monsters get a bonus. FLYING monsters can fly over rubble, provided they are not LARGE or HUGE. That's really all I'm thinking for the first go. It would have some gameplay in that Zephyr Hounds (small) will have more difficulty bashing down doors.

If we implement climbing/clearing rubble for monsters, SMALL monsters will get a bonus to climbing, LARGE monsters get a penalty, and HUGE monsters have to clear the rubble to proceed.

You can also envision some combat changes with HUGE monsters getting a penalty to hit, but an increase in critical chances.

[ghengiz]

Immediate consequence:
If the monster also have a ranged attack, FLYING would also give a melee penalty to the player (the monster would stay near the ceiling...), not too big for HUGE, but more and more for LARGE and SMALL monsters

[will_asher]

I have that kind of thing in DaJAngband as a number in monster.txt instead of a flag.
the scale:
size 1 - sprites
2 - magic cats, some spiders, most floating eyes, some jellies
3 - hobbits, kobolds, wolves, the early hounds
4 - humans and human-size monsters
5 - nagas, gargoyles, the smaller ogres
6 - most golems, hydras, tree monsters, giants
7 - collosus, ancient dragons, titans

[fizzix]

I have that kind of thing in DaJAngband as a number in monster.txt instead of a flag.
the scale:
size 1 - sprites
2 - magic cats, some spiders, most floating eyes, some jellies
3 - hobbits, kobolds, wolves, the early hounds
4 - humans and human-size monsters
5 - nagas, gargoyles, the smaller ogres
6 - most golems, hydras, tree monsters, giants
7 - collosus, ancient dragons, titans

If you don't mind, can you remind me what effect size has in DJA?

[will_asher]

All the effects of size in DJA:
- a larger opponent has a slightly reduced armor class against a smaller opponent and vice versa (applies to the PC and monsters the same way).
- size factors in heavily whether a monster succeeds pushing pash another monster. (and sometimes small flying monsters fly past other monsters).
- size factors in how hard it is for monsters to bash down doors (like you said)
- small flying monsters fly over rubble, like you said except that large flying monsters don't even get the FLY flag.
- the PC and many monsters are slowed by water, but large monsters don't get slowed by water (neither do PASS_WALL monsters or water-dwelling monsters obviously)
- monsters size 6 or larger effectively have no stealth if they are in your line of sight and not invisible. Also, you can see large monsters which are one space outside of your light radius.