I've been making a lot of wood-block minis, lately, and need a good color-coding system.
Here's what I've settled on:
Ethereal, Fay, Grubby, Haunting,
Inflamed, Moist
Each category is associated with a basic color term. I tried to make the split be along aesthetic and thematic lines, so that the color-coding of a monster indicates something about the style of game encounter it leads to, as opposed to indicating something about the monster's appearance or physiology.
For example: Werewolves are fully alive, but in terms of thematic associations, interactions, and weaknesses, they're very similar to vampires. (As recognized by pretty much every piece of 21st century pop culture.) So Instead of having a category for "undead", I have "Haunting monsters", which draws a big circle around that whole chunk of slightly tragic halloweeny horrors.
Artificial
Creatures of artifice. Robots, golems, and alchemical oozes.
Thematic Commonalities:
- Rigid programming gone awry. (Golem guards preventing people from stealing, but doing nothing to retrieve stolen items. Oozes mindlessly cleaning all 'filth', including living creatures.)
- Unhealthy relationships between creation and creator.
- Unique specimens trying to make more of their kind (with potentially apocalyptic consequences if they succeed)
- The dangers of hubris.
Mechanical Commonalities:
- Very durable.
- Aversion to water or fire. (Sinks or short-circuits; overheats or explodes)
Edibility:
- Extremely inedible.
- You can eat these things, but they will really do a number on your digestion.
- 0/5. Would not recommend steel nachos dipped in alchemical cheeze.
Bestial
Thematic Commonalities:
- Hunting, being hunted.
- Uncomplicated Nature, red in tooth and claw.
- Straightforward fights. Brutal but necessary actions.
- Overcoming adversity, making new friends (bestial creatures are the most likely to be tamable as pets.)
Mechanical Commonalities:
- No fancy tricks. Just brute force and animal cunning.
- Will attack if they have the advantage, and retreat if they don't (unless enraged).
- Wary of loud noises and fire (but only because they don't understand it.)
- Trying to exploit some other sort of clever weakness (like smelling salts or holy water) is more likely to drive such a creature into a murderous rage than it is to actually scare them off.
Edibility:
- Yes, very edible.
- Delicious too.
- Just be warned that the feeling is mutual.
Chimerical
Whimsical creatures of folklore, especially those composed of two real beasts stapled together. Cryptids, centaurs, fearsome critters, and the like. I'm including flying-saucer style aliens here too.
Thematic Commonalities:
- Solitary and elusive creatures, often the only one of their kind.
- Tall-tales. Chasing rumors. Piecing together clues. Monsters as mysteries.
- Fairytale-style allegories. Storybook logic.
- The wonder of the unknown.
Mechanical Commonalities:
- Flashy magical abilities.
- Some exploitable eccentricity. Easy to trick, if you did your research.
- If all else fails, it will probably help to play soothing music.
Edibility:
