Applying Passives
One of the most powerful and versatile ways to make a Monster a unique, interesting, and thematically appropriate threat is through Passive abilities.
Passive abilities are special properties of a Monster that are always in play, similar to Feats for Heroes. Monsters don’t need to spend time activating Passives, and may not even need to be conscious for them to cause Heroes problems. If an effect requires the Monster to take an action to activate, it’s better off as a custom Spell or Technique.
Most Passives only work in certain circumstances – for instance, when someone touches the Monster, while it’s trying to hide, or when it’s shrouded in darkness. This allows the Monster to be very good (or very bad) at a skill in a particular circumstance, or for it to have innate effects that are otherwise impossible to replicate with existing Traits and Feats.
Passives should work to make a Monster better fit its theme, or to better fulfill its Role. Passives should not be used as a way to simply boost a Monster’s destructive power. For example, a Passive that causes a Monster to Distract all foes adjacent to it is a great way to reinforce its Role as a Protector, while a Passive that causes anyone who touches a Monster to catch On Fire helps reinforce that this creature is wreathed in flames.
Because Passives can cover a wide range of potential effects, require broad or narrow circumstances, and are otherwise difficult to quantify, GMs are advised to limit Monsters to possessing only about 3 Passive abilities –but remember that ‘more’ is not always ‘more fun’, just ‘more complicated’.