Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Shade]

Updated. All done?

[freyar]

I don't see anything obvious missing.

[Shade]

These guys are linked to the latest epic conversion...

The Blood Riders (Blood Warriors)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any (Moonshaes)
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Unit
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: LOW
TREASURE: As when alive
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
No. APPEARING: 50-500
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: As when alive
HIT DICE: 8 (40 hp each)
THAC0: 13
No. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: None
SIZE: M
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: Varies (1,400 for a Blood Rider)

The Blood Warriors are a type of undead soldier created by Kazgaroth. The Beast used his corrupting mass charm ability to transform a troop of normal living beings into his fanatically loyal, undead servants.

These beings never check Morale, and the Beast can create one such unit each time he appears.

The beings cursed with this affliction quickly come to resemble zombies, with gray, dessicated flesh. Their eyes glow a fierce, infernal red, however.

Blood Warriors must kill to maintain their strength. For every week the troop goes without killing, each warrior loses 5 hp. If a Blood Warrior is killed by any means, all remaining Blood Warriors also lose 1 hp. Blood Warriors regain hit points by killing; for each victim, each member of the troop regains 1 hp. No Blood Warrior’s hp total can exceed 64 hp.

Blood Warriors also have the capacity to enter a hasted state before combat. To gain this ability, a ritual slaying of a sentient being(s) must take place, and each member of the troop must be anointed with the blood of the victim. The unit’s leader must perform this ritual, and the resulting haste effect lasts for 4d6 combat rounds. As undead, the aging side effect of the haste has no effect on Blood Warriors.

The most recent incarnation of the Blood Warriors is known as the Blood Riders, a troop of Northmen cavalry that took part in Thelgaar Ironhand/Kazgaroth.s invasion of the isle of Gwynneth. The band’s leader, Laric, even managed to kidnap Robyn the druid from Caer Corwell during the battle there. The other heroes tracked, defeated, and killed Laric just before he could sacrifice the Earthmother’s priestess however.

Originally appeared in Villains’ Lorebook (1998).

[demiurge1138]

The "weakened by not killing, empowered by killing" mechanic seems rather complicated. Could we simplify it from hit point damage to negative levels/positive levels? Positive levels were a mechanic introduced in MMIII's glossary, but never actually used.

[Shade]

Originally Posted by demiurge1138

The "weakened by not killing, empowered by killing" mechanic seems rather complicated. Could we simplify it from hit point damage to negative levels/positive levels? Positive levels were a mechanic introduced in MMIII's glossary, but never actually used.

Sure! I've been dying to use positive levels for some time now. I even had a few queries in to dragon with some monsters using those mechanics. <sigh>

[freyar]

Oooh, sounds neat! Definitely yes to that.

These would probably work as monsters, but there are hints they should be a template. What do you think?

[demiurge1138]

I'm leaning towards monsters, although I could see the argument for template. If we were to templify them, we should have a clause about dropping HD from class levels.

[freyar]

Let's go with monsters. They seem to be mostly pretty uniform.

[Shade]

Monsters it is! Lets figure out ability scores.

Int is Low (5-7).

Medium Zombies have +2 natural armor and Str 12, Dex 7-8. Nothing seems to imply that these creatures lack agiliy, so I think at least Dex 10.

[freyar]

Probably something like Str 19, Dex 12, Con -, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 9? Or should we boost it a little for their HD?

[demiurge1138]

I think those ability scores look fine. We might want to bump up Cha if we decide to give them unholy toughness or unholy prowess (Cha to attack and damage rolls, something I gave to the more martial undead I converted from MMII).

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Unholy toughness sounds like a good fit, so I bumped Cha to 13. Do we need to go higher?

Unholy prowess sounds interesting!

Give 'em damage reduction 5/slashing like zombies?

Give 'em a slam attack like zombies? If so, go with 1d10 like the original text or follow the zombie template with 1d6?

Shall we use the Blood Riders as the basic model, tailoring armor, weapons, feats and skills to fit a cavalry-type warrior?

[demiurge1138]

Agree to tailoring to calvary. Agree to 1d10 slam.

...what do they ride?

[Shade]

Originally Posted by demiurge1138

...what do they ride?

Good question...maybe skeletal/zombie steeds?

Do you have a writeup for unholy prowess handy?

[demiurge1138]

Here we go--it seems I forgot the name, but I like "unholy prowess" better anyway.

Unholy Power (Su): A deathbringer gains a profane bonus to attack rolls, grapple checks and Strength-based skill checks equal to its Charisma bonus. This bonus is already factored in above.

[freyar]

Skeletal horses are good. There are also other undead steeds, I think called gaunts, in FR lore, but those go with other undead cavalry, so I guess we shouldn't rip them off. (Don't know if the CC has them anyway.)

[Shade]

Updated.

I don't see the gaunt in the CC.

Is Cha 13 enough?

Give 'em damage reduction 5/slashing like zombies?

Suggested armor? Stick with +2 natural armor like Medium Zombies?

Skills: 22 (Ride 11?)

Feats: 3 (Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge?)

[demiurge1138]

Stick to +2 natural armor, then give them... banded mail?

[Shade]

Updated.

Shall we work on the positive/negative level mechanic now?

[demiurge1138]

Sure!