Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

Shade

Monster Junkie

• Sep 4, 2009

• #521

Good point. We could offer variety, noting different domains for different alignments.

I just remembered to look at the nagahydra, and we might be treading a bit too closely on its turf:

"A nagahydra is a serpentine monster with five heads, each of which can unleash a devastating barrage of spells."

Huge, 18 HD, Str 30, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 21

Nagahydras cast spells as 15th-level sorcerers, and can also cast spells from the cleric list and from the Destruction and Scalykind domains. A nagahydra can cast one spell per round per head, but all spells come from the common pool of spells available.

 

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freyar

Extradimensional Explorer

• Sep 5, 2009

• #522

Hmm. Where's that from?

But you're right. They almost seem like a conversion of master nagas as a monster. Some way we can spice this up? Or maybe we should think about that template idea.

 

demiurge1138

Inventor of Super-Toast

• Sep 5, 2009

• #523

Right! I thought there was a multi-headed naga somewhere.

 

Shade

Monster Junkie

• Sep 8, 2009

• #524

freyar said:

But you're right. They almost seem like a conversion of master nagas as a monster. Some way we can spice this up? Or maybe we should think about that template idea.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking we should fall back on the template concept, making each master naga an exemplar of its subtype.

 

demiurge1138

Inventor of Super-Toast

• Sep 8, 2009

• #525

Yeah, okay, I can see that... but each naga's not that different from each other. All of the master nagas are going to come out pretty much the same... unless we add a Su or Ex ability or two to each kind of naga's master template, like with the templates in Advanced Bestiary. So a spirit naga might have "carrion breath" that nauseates and does some sort of poison and become tomb-tainted, dark nagas might gain concealment in any light conditions other than full daylight and something thematically tied to their mind-reading, etc.

 

Shade

Monster Junkie

• Sep 8, 2009

• #526

That's an excellent idea!

 

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer

• Sep 8, 2009

• #527

Agreed!

I'm thinking that this template might be a kind that adds HD to the critter. Or do you think those are too messy?

 

Shade

Monster Junkie

• Sep 8, 2009

• #528

Hmmm...at the risk of falling into circular logic...maybe, since there are only a handful of core nagas (and only a few non-core), it would be simpler to just pick a HD, make the master naga, and note the differing abilities by type? The unique abilities Demiurge suggested are probably enough to differentiate them from nagahydras.

 

demiurge1138

Inventor of Super-Toast

• Sep 9, 2009

• #529

That might get a bit complicated, since there are abilities that not all nagas have already (spirit nagas have charming gaze, dark nagas have detect thoughts, guardian nagas spit their venom). I like the idea of it being a template, and I think it should add HD.

 

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer

• Sep 9, 2009

• #530

That sounds like a plan. And tabulate the extra special abilities depending on type of naga, kind of like a half-dragon?