Gswiki:Style guide/Creatures
Creature pages have two sets of templates, one on the top, one on the bottom, and specified sections in between. In 2016 a new set of creature templates was made to slowly phase out the old ones. There is no need to add categories. The templates will automatically categorize the creatures, but the appropriate area names must be used (as shown with LOCATION).
All 4 steps (right side infoboxes, creature description, other sections, and near level creature template) must be done to complete a creature page. At a minimum, all of the copy/paste codes should be added. Other sections can be added as needed after the prescribed "Other Sections" copy/paste code and before the near level creature template.
Right Side Infoboxes
All instructions for the right side infoboxes are also contained in the copy/paste code subsection below.
- Template:Creature start2 - Contains the start code and the basic creature attributes.
- Creature Attack Attributes2 template - Lists the various attack attributes, such as AS and CS. See subsection below for details.
- Creature defense attributes2 template - Lists DS, TD, defensive spells, etc.
- Creature special other template - Use this template to list special actions of creatures such as hunch-backed dogmatists raising others, summoning another creature, turning bodies into zombies, etc.
- Template:Creature treasure - Attributes are coins, gems, magic items, boxes, skin, other. Not setting an attribute makes the line show with a question mark (?). Setting an attribute to no (case-sensitive) removes that line.
- Template:Creature end - Merely ends the creature template tables.
Creature start2
Please see the Copy/Paste Code Full section below for entire creature page template. This breakout section is intended to assist with understanding how to fill out this section of the template.
{{Creature start2 <!-- See Help:Creatures for full instructions on editing creature pages and copy/paste code. Copy/pasting code from an existing creature page may result in missing fields -->
| picture =
| caption = <!-- caption for the image, specifically for AI or player-created images for creatures.
| level = <!-- This will also be used at the end of the page in the Near level creature template -->
| family = <!-- Add creature to family page subcategory/list, which will be linked on preview/save -->
| type = <!-- Creature body type -->
| otherclass = <!-- Other classification limited to corporeal undead, non-corporeal undead, elemental, extra planar, magical; insert otherclass2= for 2nd classification (up to 3) -->
| area = <!-- For multiple areas, add area2, area3, area4 (through 8) fields if needed -->
| bcs = Yes <!-- All new creatures are BCS -->
| hitpoints =
| roundtime = <!-- Creature speed -->
}}
- To find the appropriate |family=, look at the creature families.
- To find the appropriate |type=, look at the creature body types.
- To find the appropriate |location=, look at both the LOCATION verb and also hunting areas.
Please note that when filling out these sections, words and letter casing must be exact to appropriately categorize.
Creature attack attributes2
Each category of ability has a number of built-in fields that will automatically add links to appropriate spells/weapons/maneuvers. Each section is abbreviated and all but misc. offensive spells and combat maneuvers have two fields, one for the name and one for the number, or range of numbers, or misc. info in the case of special abilities. Misc. offensive spells are non-bolt and non-warding spells. Special abilities are for creature maneuvers and other creature-specific abilities.
| Type | Field 1 (Description) |
Field 2 (Value) |
Auto-linked? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Attacks | PA1 through PA10 This should be a weapon (e.g. Longsword) |
PAA through PAJ | Yes |
| Bolt Spells | BT1 through BT10 This should be a bolt spell (e.g. Major Cold) |
BTA through BTJ | Yes |
| Warding Spells | WD1 through WD10 This should be a warding spell (e.g. Distintegrate) |
WDA through WDJ | Yes |
| Misc. Offensive Spells |
OS1 through OS10 (e.g. Elemental Wave, Boil Earth) |
N/A | Yes |
| Maneuvers | MN1 through MN10 This should be a recognized Combat Maneuver (e.g. Bearhug) |
N/A | Yes |
| Abilities | AB1 through AB10 This includes creature maneuvers |
ABA through ABJ (effect instead of value) |
No |
Creature defense attributes2
Full field list
| Type | Field | Auto-linked? |
|---|---|---|
| Armor | asg for natural armor, put 'N' after the asg number |
No |
| Immunities | IMM1 through IMM15 | Yes |
| Melee DS | Melee | N/A |
| Ranged DS | Ranged | N/A |
| Bolt DS | Bolt | N/A |
| UDF | UDF | N/A |
| Bard Base TD | BarTD | N/A |
| Cleric Base TD | CleTD | N/A |
| Empath Base TD | EmpTD | N/A |
| Paladin Base TD | PalTD | N/A |
| Ranger Base TD | RanTD | N/A |
| Sorcerer Base TD | SorTD | N/A |
| Wizard Base TD | WizTD | N/A |
| Minor Elemental TD | MnETD | N/A |
| Major Elemental TD | MjETD | N/A |
| Minor Spiritual TD | MnSTD | N/A |
| Major Spiritual TD | MjSTD | N/A |
| Minor Mental TD | MnMTD | N/A |
| Defensive spells | DSP1 through DSP15 | Yes |
| Special defensive abilities |
SDA1 through SDA10 | No |
Creature special other
This is a very simple template that should be removed if a creature does not have any unique non-offensive or non-defensive abilities. Some examples of these abilities are the ability to raise companions, summon other creatures, or turning bodies into zombies. For most creatures this template will not apply.
Copy/Paste Code Full
Text within <!-- and --> will not appear on the page; these notes are hidden instructions and should be left in the pages to inform future editors.
{{Creature start2 <!-- See Help:Creatures for full instructions on editing creature pages and copy/paste code. Copy/pasting code from an existing creature page may result in missing fields -->
| picture =
| caption = <!-- caption for the image, specifically for AI or player-created images for creatures.
| level = <!-- This will also be used at the end of the page in the Near level creature template -->
| family = <!-- Add creature to family page subcategory/list, which will be linked on preview/save -->
| type = <!-- Creature body type -->
| otherclass = <!-- Other classification limited to corporeal undead, non-corporeal undead, elemental, extra planar, magical; insert otherclass2= for 2nd classification (up to 3) -->
| area = <!-- For multiple areas, add area2, area3, area4 (through 8) fields if needed -->
| bcs = Yes <!-- All new creatures are BCS -->
| hitpoints =
| roundtime = <!-- Creature speed -->
}}
{{Creature attack attributes2 <!-- ALL WEAPONS, SPELLS AND COMBAT MANEUVERS WILL LINK AUTOMATICALLY. -->
| PA1 = <!-- Physical attacks insert up to PA10 and corresponding value/range up to PAJ -->
| PAA =
| BT1 = <!-- Bolt spells insert up to BT10 and corresponding value/range up to BTJ -->
| BTA =
| WD1 = <!-- Warding spells insert up to WD10 and corresponding value/range up to WDJ -->
| WDA =
| OS1 = <!-- Miscellaneous offensive spells (non-bolt and non-warding) insert up to OS10 -->
| MN1 = <!-- Combat Maneuvers insert up to MN10 -->
| AB1 = <!-- Special abilities insert up to AB10, include creature maneuvers here, manually link if appropriate -->
| ABA = <!-- Special abilities right column, use respective corresponding right column as needed for misc info -->
}}
{{Creature defense attributes2 <!-- Replace ? with value or range, but do not include when the creature is under the effects of disabling statuses (stun/knockdown/interference/curse/etc.) -->
| asg = ? <!-- Insert asg # and template will automatically convert to include type of armor -->
| IMM1 = <!-- add IMM2 (up to 15) for additional immunities -->
| Melee = ?
| Ranged = ?
| Bolt = ?
| UDF = ?
| BarTD = ?
| CleTD = ?
| EmpTD = ?
| PalTD = ?
| RanTD = ?
| SorTD = ?
| WizTD = ?
| MjETD = ?
| MnETD = ?
| MjSTD = ?
| MnSTD = ?
| MnMTD = ?
| DSP1 = <!-- Defensive spells insert up to DSP15, they will automatically link -->
| SDA1 = <!-- Special defensive abilities list insert up to SDA10, these will not link automatically -->
}}
{{Creature special other|?}} <!-- Replace ? with unique special ability, such as raising others, summoning another creature, turning bodies into zombies, etc. Remove entire template if the creature does not have a unique non-offensive or non-defensive special ability -->
{{Creature treasure
| coins = ?
| magic items = ?
| gems = ?
| boxes = ?
| other = ?
| skin = ?
}}
{{Creature end}}
Creature Description
This will appear at the top of the article. Paste the in-game description of the creature as follows:
<pre{{log2|margin-right=26em}}><!-- Creature description text from in-game verb DESCRIBE goes here.--> </pre>
Other Sections
Copy/Paste Code
==Hunting Strategies==
{{addmetext}} <!-- Remove when adding to section -->
==Other Information==
{{addmetext}} <!-- Remove when adding to section -->
<!-- Logs should be added using: <pre{{log2|margin-right=26em}}>, insert a return and paste log, no formatting needed most of the time, close with /pre tag -->
Near Level Creature Template
At the bottom of each creature page is the Near level creature template, which will display a table of same-level creatures and also within +/- 2 levels. Once the level of a creature is determined, it needs to be added to the appropriate Level X creature template.
Copy/Paste Code
{{Nearlevel
|levelm2 =
|levelm1 =
|level =
|levelp1 =
|levelp2 =
}}