She's back! The swanmay

[BOZ]

SWANMAY (template)
Swanmays are a special sisterhood of rangers who act as independent protectors of the forests and the wildlife within. They actively oppose evil or destructive creature who may threaten the lands under their protection. Swanmays form a unique sorority of shapechangers who attain their abilities through the acquisition of a special swan token. Swanmays are extremely secretive and selective about this sorority. Other than only admitting female rangers, its requirements to join are unknown, but it is supsected that applicants are invited to join after unknowingly performs a great service for a swanmay. Player characters who become swanmays usually retire from adventuring to devote themselves to their new responsibilities.
Swanmays are special for their ability to transform into swans. These women are guided by their swan personalities. They are friendly with fey creatures and wood elves, and occasionally associate with druids and the rare ranger.
Swanmays in humanoid form appear as they did before their transformation, but may be recognized for what they are by their swan token. They normally carry the same items as a ranger does: light armor and assorted gear, as well as swords, daggers, and bows. These items do not transform with the swanmay into swan form, and thus must be hidden. The swan token becomes part of the swan's plumage, or perhaps worn on a leg.

CREATING A SWANMAY
"Swanmay" is a template that can be added to any female humanoid of good alignment with at least one level of ranger (referred to hereafter as the "character"). The character's type changes to "shapechanger". A swanmay uses all the character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Speed: The character's land speed increases by 10 ft. In swan form, the swanmay's speed is 10 ft, fly 50 (poor).
AC: The character's natural armor class improves by +3.
Attacks: Same as the character in humanoid form; in swan form attacks as swan.
Damage: Same as the character in humanoid form; in swan form damage as swan.
Special Attacks: In humanoid form, the swanmay retains all the special attacks of the character.
Special Qualities: In humanoid form, the swanmay retains all the special attacks of the character, and also gains those listed below.

Alternate Form (Su): A swanmay's natural form is that of the woman she was at the time she first became a swanmay. All swanmays can shift into swan form as though using the polymorph self spell (though their gear does not change). Changing to or from swan form is standard action.
In humanoid form, the swanmay is the same as she was before she became a swanmay. In swan form, she uses the attack forms of a swan (but with the bonuses she has gained as an experienced character), and gains the damage reduction and spell resistance abilities.
A swanmay remains in one form change in form until she chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, nor does the swanmay revert to her natural form when killed. A true seeing spell, however, will reveal the swanmay's natural form if she is in her swan form.
Swan Token: This special token used by swanmays usually takes the form of a feather token, a feathered garment, or a signet ring, and only reveals its magical nature when exposed to a detect magic spell. This token is necessary for the swanmay's transformation power to function, and without this item, a swanmay becomes stuck in her current form. This item only functions for swanmays.
Damage Reduction (Su): In swan form, the swanmay is magically protected from attack. The swanmay has damage reduction 15/+1.
Spell Resistance: In swan form, the swanmay has spell resistance 10 +1 for every hit die the swanmay possesses.
Abilities: The character's ability scores all increase by +2. In swan form, the character's Strength becomes 10, and Dexterity is a minimum of 16.
Skills: Swanmays receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen, Spot, and Swim checks. Otherwise, same as the character.
Feats: Swanmays gain the Weapon Finesse feat for the swan's wing and bill attacks.

Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest and marsh and aquatic
Organization: Solitary or flock (2-5)
Challenge Rating: Same as the character +2.
Treasure: Same as the character.
Alignment: Same as the character.
Advancement: By character class.




SAMPLE SWANMAY
This example uses a 5th-level human ranger as the character.

Swanmay
Medium-Size Shapechanger
Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (42 hp)
Initiative: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft; 10 ft, fly 50 (poor) as swan
AC: 21 (+4 Dex, +4 studded leather (+1), +3 natural)
Attacks: Masterwork longsword +8 melee; or masterwork longsword +6 melee, masterwork short sword +6 melee; or masterwork composite longbow +9 ranged
as swan: 2 wings +9 melee, 1 bill +4 melee
Damage: Masterwork longsword 1d8+3, masterwork short sword 1d6+3; or masterwork composite longbow 1d8+3
as swan: Wing 1+3, bill 1d2+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Spells, favored enemies
Special Qualities: Alternate form, swan token; as swan: damage reduction 15/+1, SR 15
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +12, Move Silently +12, Listen +6, Spot +19, Wilderness Lore +10, Swim +7
Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finess (wing, bill)

Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest and marsh and aquatic
Organization: Solitary or flock (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: By character class

This swanmay can cast one first level spell per day, and her favored enemies are goblinoids, and undead.


The swanmay first appeared in the Monster Manual II (Gary Gygax, 1983).

[BOZ]

SWAN
Medium-Size Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 10 ft, fly 50 ft (poor)
AC: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
Attacks: 2 wings +3 melee, 1 bill +2 melee
Damage: Wing 1, bill 1d2
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Blind
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +6
Feats: Weapon Finess (wing, bill)

Climate/Terrain: Temperate marsh and aquatic
Organization: Solitary, flock (2-16)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium-Size)

Swans are beautiful aquatic birds that inhabit rivers, ponds, lakes, and marshes. These avains are peaceful creatures, and spend most of their time floating on the water in family groups. If a lone swan is encountered, it is always male, but otherwise a group of swans is formed of mated pairs and their young. Very rarely, a swanmay will be found swimming with a flock of swans, in her swan form.

COMBAT
Swans are not agressive and will usually fly or swim away when threatened. If their acute senses detect intruders, all swans join in a loud warning chorus and flee. They will, however, defend a nest of eggs or their young. In combat, the adult swans attack forcefully with a flying leap, trying to blind and disorient the intruder.
Blind (Ex): If a swan hits an opponent with any of its wing or bill attacks, the opponent will be blinded and confused for that round and the following one, if he fails a Reflex save (DC 13).
Skills: Swans recieve a +6 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks.

Swans first appeared in the Monster Manual II (Gary Gygax, 1983).

[Krishnath]

Very nice conversion Boz.

[BOZ]

bump! for the sake of leopold's sanity.

[Leopold]

thank you i was gonna go nutz looking for her!!

[BOZ]

see? told ya i was looking out for your sanity.

[Darth Biere]

I like the conversion, it's about time someone converted it. It seems that you left off an extra feat for the sample human swanmay. Also what would the ECL be? I'm thinking a +1 or no more than a +2.

[Grazzt]

Originally posted by BOZ
SWANMAY (template)
Damage: ... or masterwork composite longbow 1d8+3
as swan: Wing 1+3, bill 1d2+2
Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finess (wing, bill)

Unless the longbow is "Mighty", Str bonus does not apply. Also- 3e attempts to list all damage as a range rather than a "hard" number (like Wing 1 +3). I would set the damage at 1d2.

Lastly, Darth Biere is correct. There seems to be a feat missing.

Remember Boz-man, shapechangers get 1 + Int modifier (+1 per 4 EHD) for feats. So, that would give the swanmay 3 feats plus her bonus Weapon Finesse feat. So, she should have 4 total feats.

[Reveille]

Hey Boz! Do you have a 3.5 update for this?

[Gothenem]

Hmmmm, there is a 3.5 version of the Swanmay in the Book of Exalted Deeds, where it was offically converted. It is a prestige class there.

[Reveille]

Originally Posted by Gothenem

Hmmmm, there is a 3.5 version of the Swanmay in the Book of Exalted Deeds, where it was offically converted. It is a prestige class there.

I'll have to check that out, thanks for the FYI!

[BOZ]

there you go.

[Reveille]

Originally Posted by BOZ

there you go.

Ayup!

[Reveille]

I ran out with my dad erlier to get a new pair of shoes. While we were out, my dad took me to the Game Store and I looked over the Sanmay in the BoED. I must admit, I like it very much. I went ahead and bought the book.

DnD 3.X Book Colletion = DnD 3.X Book Colletion +1