Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off giants and their kin

[freyar]

I'd also like to drop rend. For the weapon, is there anything swordish but primitive to use rather than greatclub? Somehow that's the image I get from these, though I have to confess I don't entirely know why.

[demiurge1138]

Macahuitls!

[Shade]

From another thread...

Originally Posted by demiurge1138

The only thing I'm finding for "maca" is a plant. Maca is probably short for macahuitl, an obsidian-edged club used in lieu of a sword in pre-ironworking Central and South America. They appear in MMIV as two-handed martial weapons that do 1d10 x2 bludgeoning and piercing damage, although that should probably be bludgeoning and slashing.

Which sucks.

I say make them the equivalent of a greatsword, which is how they were used. 2 handed, martial, 2d6 19-20x2.

So, essentially give them greatswords, but refer to them as macahuitls on the attack lines and indicated in the flavor text that they are obsidian-edged clubs that functions in all other ways like a greatsword?

[demiurge1138]

Sure!

[Shade]

Updated.

CR 3?

[demiurge1138]

With regeneration and all those hit points, I'd say CR 4.

[Shade]

Fair enough!

[Shade]

Troll, Snow
Climate/Terrain: Any arctic or subarctic land
Freq: Rare
Org: Solitary/pair
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Carnivore
Int: Low (5-7)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: CE
# App: 1-2
AC: 4
Movement: 9
Hit Dice: 7
THAC0: 13
# AT: 2
Dmg/Att: 1d8+2 (x2)
SA: See below
SD: regeneration, resist cold
MR: nil
Size: L (8' tall)
Morale: Elite (13-14)
XP Value: 1,400

Slightly smaller and broader than its fearsome cousin, the snow troll is still a frightening sight. It closely resembles the common troll, but the snow troll's skin is much paler, and large parts of its body are covered with white fur. The snow troll's broad, furry feet allow it to move quickly over snow and rock, and its strong claws and arms allow it to climb as well as any troll.

Some snow trolls speak a few words of Common, but most only know their own high-pitched, sing-song tongue. The snow troll language has 20 words for "prey."

Combat: Unlike the common troll, the snow troll attacks with its two clawed hands only, but like the troll, the snow troll can engage two opponents at once. It also possesses the ability to regenerate 3 hit points per round, starting three rounds after first being wounded, and the snow troll is extremely resistant to cold and cold-based attacks. If a saving throw is successfully made, the snow troll suffers no effects from any cold-based attack form, and it suffers just half damage if the saving throw is failed. Conversely, the snow troll is particularly vulnerable to fire and suffers double damage from any fire-based attacks, while normal damage is sustatined if the saving throw succeeds.

The snow troll is a formidable oponent, who will fight to the death at all times. It is fearless enough to attack small villages single-handed, but its preferred method of attack is to occupy a cave or similar dwelling along a well-traveled route, covering the entrance with snow or rock. The snow troll becomes intimately acquainted with the area around its home and is able to detect its prey in a number of ways: it can pick up minute changes in the surface tension of the snow surrounding its lair, it can detect sound vibrations caused by movement over rock or sand, or it can use (like all trolls) its acute sense of smell to sniff out its prey. In any event, the snow troll waits until it detects prey outside its lair, whereupon it bursts forth, surprising its victims with the ferocious nature of its attacks. A snow troll has a 6-in-10 chance of surprising prey; and is itself surprised only on a 1 in its home territory.

Habitat/Society: The snow troll is a solitary creature, leaving its territory only once every three years, during the mating season. Each third year, dozens or even hundreds of snow trolls gather in the mid-winter darkness to mate in dark mountain valleys unknown to other creatures. The males abandon their mates shortly thereafter, leaving them to raise their young alone; pairs are always a mother and her offspring.

A snow troll's clawed hands helps it climb glaciers, snowy mountains, and treacherous ice floes. A female snow troll seeks solitude in high places or on icebergs when she is about to bear young, and this territory gives her the same surprise bonuses as her home territory. Young snow trolls grow to full maturity within a year. They are reputed to be the most dangerous because they eat twice as much as other snow trolls.

Adapted well to the harsh conditions it prefers, the snow troll can live 120 years. It does not work with other races, as it finds all humans and nonhumans equally tasty.

Ecology: The snow troll is a rapacious predator, able to pursue prey over difficult terrain and, unlike its temperate cousins, patient enough to wait hours for prey to wander into striking range. It establishes and maintains a territory covering hundreds of square miles, and it will fight and kill polar bears, humans, and other competitors for food. White dragons are their only natural predators. Snow trolls and ice trolls are natural rivals who fight endlessly over territory.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994).

[freyar]

Start with troll, remove bite attack. Evasion or Imp Evasion vs cold attacks (which would be nonlethal for it anyway), vulnerability to fire. Sounds like they have tremorsense and scent. Probably bonuses to Hide, Listen, and Spot. Looks like most of the rest is just flavor.

[Shade]

I also think they should have bonuses to Climb or a climb speed, as well as something like one of these:

Surefooted (Ex): Brantas ignore all movement penalties associated with snow on the ground. They also receive a +4 racial bonus on Balance checks when walking on ice or snow.

Icewalking (Ex): This ability works like the spider climb spell, but the surfaces the dragon climbs must be icy. It is always in effect.

[demiurge1138]

I like sure footed. I'd get rid of the evasion vs. cold thing and just give them the cold subtype or cold resistance.

[freyar]

Originally Posted by demiurge1138

I like sure footed. I'd get rid of the evasion vs. cold thing and just give them the cold subtype or cold resistance.

Fair enough. Cold subtype would be efficient, since it would take care of vulnerability to fire, too.

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

They also have 1 more HD than normal trolls.

Thoughts on racial bonus on Climb checks vs. climb speed?

Skills: 10
Normal trolls have Listen and Spot. I could see Hide and Survival for these fellows as well.

Feats: 3
Normal trolls have Alertness, Iron Will, and Track

[demiurge1138]

I like your skill suggestions.

Frankly, I say we boost the Wisdom on these guys. Give them Stealthy instead of Alertness.

[freyar]

I'll second everything.

[Shade]

Updated.

They are a foot shorter, but broader, than normal trolls, which weigh 500 pounds. Stick with the same weight?

CR 6? They are on par with a desert troll, maybe slightly better.

[demiurge1138]

Same weight, CR 6.

[freyar]

Well, that was fast!

[Shade]

Do we want to do anything with these?

Bjerg-trolde
The bjerg-trolde's abilities are identical to those of an ordinary troll. However, it lives in desert and hilly regions, and its hide is brown to tan.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #158 (1990).


Obviously, that alone isn't worthy of conversion. However, we might be able to make something cool out of it.

For inspiration:

BJERGFOLK, BJERGTROLDE: Old Norse, hill folk. This race dwelt inside hill mounds and hillocks and is usually considered confluent with Dwarf, Troll, or Trold (which,see). Thesefolk were ruled by kings and sometimes lived in great societies butsometimes dwelt apart as single families. They were regarded as extremelyrick, and on festive occasions, when their hill-tops were raised upon redpillars, people observed hill interiors furnished in crystal and gold and chestsfull of valuables. They might be obliging and neighbourly, but had a weaknessfor thievry, which extended to mortal women and children. "They marry andhave children, bake and brew", but have an intense dislike for noise, and weresupposedly driven out of Scandinavia by the sound of church bells (http://rodneymackay.com/writing/pdf%.../worldmyth.pdf)

"The latter, on the contrary, who were 'classified after their abodes in air, sea, and earth, were not regarded in so favourable a light. It was believed that they, particularly the land ones, the ðaiµoνes επίχθόνίοί of the Greeks, constantly and on all occasions sought to torment or injure mankind, and that they had their dwelling partly on the earth in great thick woods, whence came the name Skovtrolde8 (Wood Trolls), or in other desert and lonely places, partly in and under the ground, or in rocks and hills; these last were called Bjerg-Trolde (Hill Trolls): to the first, on account of their different nature, was given the name of Dverge (Dwarfs), and Alve, whence the word Ellefolk, which is still in the Danish language. These Dæmons, particularly the underground ones, were called Svartálfar, that is Black Spirits, and inasmuch as they did mischief, Trolls." (http://www.celtic-twilight.com/other..._and_sagas.htm)

BERG PEOPLE
European Folklore
A.K.A. Berg Dwarfs, Bjerg-Trolde, Skovtrodle (wood troll)
A type of Dwarf or Troll

They are a species of troll often appearing in the shape of a toad. There is a well-known tale of a mid-wife who, on her way home from a successful human delivery, notices in the road a fat toad with white stripes and remarks to it that she will gladly deliver it too. A fortnight later, on hearing a cart draw up outside her door, she sees a little man with a long white beard. He entreats her to attend to his wife just as she had promised. This the midwife does, but she cannot help remarking on their poor abode. The little new mother tells the midwife to anoint her eyes with the liquid nearby, whereupon a vision of great beauty and wealth was revealed to her, and she receives much gold for her service. The little mother then tells her to jump from the cart when she reaches the boggy ground, otherwise the little man will not take the midwife home and may dispose of her. In fear she does as she was told and arrives home safely with her reward. Some time later in the market place she recognizes and greets the little old man who immediately pokes her eyes out.
(http://myths.freshcaffeine.com/2006/04/berg_people.html)

[freyar]

Trolls with a shape changing ability, maybe?