Monster Harvesting System

In the World of Phrelle, we have adopted a Monster Harvesting system based off of the Hamund Handbook which we have altered from its base system.

## Appraising

Before a player begins hacking and butchering their hunt, they may instead choose to take a moment first and appraise the creature to be harvested. To do this, they must spend 1 minute examining the creature to be harvested and then roll an Intelligence check, adding their proficiency bonus if they are proficient in the skill corresponding to that creature (see table below).

The DC of the check is equal to 8 + the Harvested Creature’s CR (treating any CR less than 1 as 0). Success on this check grants the player full knowledge of any useful harvesting materials on the creature, the DC requirement to harvest those materials, any special requirements to harvest them, and any potential risks in doing so. A party may only attempt one appraisal check per creature.

## Harvesting

In order to harvest a creature, a character must make a Dexterity ability check using the same skill proficiency as listed in the above appraising table. For example, a character attempting a harvest check on an Aberrant would receive a bonus equal to their Dexterity modifier and their proficiency in Arcana (if they have any).

This check reflects a character’s ability to not only properly remove the intended item without damaging it, but it also involves any ancillary requirements of the harvest such as proper preservation and storage techniques.

Only one harvesting attempt may be made on a creature. Failure to meet a certain item’s DC threshold assumes that the item was made unsalvageable due to the harvester’s incompetence.

For most creatures, the time it takes to harvest a material is counted in minutes and is equal to the DC of that material divided by 5. For huge creatures however, it is equal in DC of that material, while for gargantuan creatures, it is equal to the DC of that material multiplied by 2.

#### **Particularly Violent Deaths**

This guide assumes that most creatures you attempt to harvest died in direct combat and thus already accounts for the idea that you are harvesting creatures that are not in pristine condition. However, some deaths are more violent than others and can make harvesting useful materials either extremely difficult or downright impossible. Such examples include burning by fire, dissolving from acid, or being completely crushed under a pillar of stone. In these cases, raise the DC for harvesting any of that creature’s materials by 5. Alternatively, the DM may decide that well-orchestrated hunts result in a carcass that is prime for harvestings, such as creatures killed mostly through psychic damage, or those killed in one clean attack. In these cases, the DM should lower the DC for harvesting any of that creature’s materials by 5.

Furthermore, the DM may adjudicate whether or not some of a creature’s individual materials have been made useless due to effects imposed by them in the course of their death. Examples may include blood being tainted from poisoning, or their pelt being worthless due to excessive slashing/piercing damage.

## Carcass Degradation

This guide mostly assumes that harvesting takes place on a freshly killed corpse and that little to no decomposition has yet occurred. However, in some cases, a player may desire to harvest a creature that has been dead for quite a while. In these cases, the DM may declare that certain body parts have already withered away and become unharvestable or may decide to increase the DC’s of all harvestable materials as if the creature had died a particularly violent death. If corpse decomposition is too advanced, it is entirely within the DM’s right to deny harvesting the creature altogether.

As a quick guide, the following timeline may be observed to decide on decomposition levels:

* **1 hour after death:** The carcass’ hide has ruptured from bloating and has become useless.
* **1 day after death:** The carcass’ blood has become too tainted to be useful, and soft tissues like the eyes have putrefied.
* **3 days after death:** The carcass’ internal organs have decomposed
* **7 days after death:** The carcass has undergone extensive purification and none of its soft tissue remains harvestable.
* **Note:** Harder materials like bones, teeth, claws, and hair do not generally undergo decomposition and will remain usable indefinitely.

## Monster Knowledge and Harvesting

In the world of Phrelle: Reign of Tiamat most of the useful information about harvesting monsters and creating items from them has been lost to time. Thus as people get out and harvest monsters we will be uncovering the various parts of them!

Credit to both Wizards of the Coast for monster types and monster owned by them from both the Monster Manuel and Various adventures. Credits to the base system to Drifters game workshop which was published under the Dungeon Masters Guild. Please support them if you wish to see more of the system.