Cool new monster idea.

[Maul]

I've thought of this monster recently and decided that it's a unique and fun one that should make it to JADE. So here it is.

I named the monster "Disguiser", with its better versions "Skilled Disguiser" and "Master Disguiser". Basically, the monster would assume another monster's form - like a doppleganger, except that it doesn't transform into its victim. The player would see the disguiser as the monster he disguised as once he encounters him, and might have a chance to discover the disguiser's true identity each turn, depending on his/her perception (low perception would mean a really low chance though). The monster itself would be really good in melee, with some other skills (several, though not all - like confusion, different other spells, possibly some conventional missiles) which it would use depending on which monster it disguised himself as, or when discovered. This would mean a careless player could walk up to a kobold and discover that the little tyke just halved his HPs because it's not actually a kobold. Or one could try to scare away the player by becoming something strong. One could also discover the disguiser if it moves slower or faster than the monster it should be, or using the wrong attacks, although better disguisers would do a better job.

How do you like it, guys?

[Cash]

I think thats a cool idea, if i was a low level and it "disguised" itself an endgame beast i would probably run, or maybe the out of place monster would be the clue to tip me off to its true identity.

[The Metro Gnome]

Not bad, but with some problems. Would it be more like a level 20 monster disguised like a level 1? I can see some "WTF just happened!"'s coming.

[Fullmoon]

Interesting. Maybe game should warn player in some way, like displaying this monster in other color? Or this monster would normally appear only in tension rooms/vaults/other one-kind-of-monster rooms? You know, like mimics in shops.