Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

Shade · Oct 18, 2010

That looks good. "Minor Haunting" for a name?

Cleon · Oct 19, 2010

Shade said:
That looks good. "Minor Haunting" for a name?

I'd prefer Lesser Haunting, since it's a Lesser Ghost.

Besides, "Minor Haunting" sounds too much like there's hauntin' in the coal shafts.

Shade · Oct 20, 2010

There's ghosts in them thar hills!

I was trying to avoid using "lesser", since it implies a greater version exists. How about "limited haunting", or just play "haunting"?

Edit: Added to Homebrews.

Cleon · Oct 21, 2010

Shade said:
There's ghosts in them thar hills!

I was trying to avoid using "lesser", since it implies a greater version exists. How about "limited haunting", or just play "haunting"?

Edit: Added to Homebrews.

Of those two I prefer plain "haunting".

Shade · Oct 22, 2010

I'll make it so.

“Not really. What I was referring to are lesser ghosts. They’re merely restless spirits whose passing on to the next world is prevented for a number of reasons: For instance, the person may have died with an urgent need to pass on an important message to someone or accomplish some sort of unfinished task. Thus, it remains on the Prime Material Plane, unable to rest until the message is delivered or the task completed. In another case, the lesser ghost may, as true ghosts, be angered over its betrayal and murder in life, and the creature cannot rest until the one who committed the crime against it is properly punished. A lesser ghost might also, through its own misbehavior in life, find itself bound to an unhappy existence between worlds until it finds some sort of way to atone for its deeds. Lastly, the relatively weak spirit might remain under the domination of a greater ghost, free from obeying it, but tormented and unable to rest until the creature is destroyed.”

Retain rejuvenation?

“As true ghosts, lesser ghosts likewise are limited to staying near the area of their original demise. They may, however, wander about the general vicinity, although their weakness makes it difficult for them to make their presence known. In some rare cases, lesser ghosts have been known to be tied to particular objects—usually something it was fond of in life—accompanying the object when it is removed elsewhere.

Do we want some sort of "tied to place" ability, or just let 'em wander like standard ghosts?

“During their wanderings, lesser ghosts are entirely invisible, for it is only at the location where they died, or where their body lies, that they may become visible to the living. Their presence might otherwise be noted through a gentle wafting of air as they pass by, and some individuals seem able to even sense their presence.”

Natural invisibility?

Cleon · Oct 23, 2010

Shade said:
Retain rejuvenation?

Do we want some sort of "tied to place" ability, or just let 'em wander like standard ghosts?

Natural invisibility?

Yes to rejuvenation.

Yes to "tied to place".

Instead of natural invisibility, we could just limit their manifestation ability to the site of their death since they'd be invisible from the Prime Material when they're ethereal.

freyar · Oct 25, 2010

There's something funny in the flavor text: should these have weight?

For "tied to place," just steal from dryads like usual, taking some bits from guardian daemons?

X (Su): A lesser ghost is mystically bound to its place of death or possibly some object held dear by it during life. It may not stray more than 300 yards; if it does, it instantly returns as if by a word of recall spell.

If they can't move from their special place, does the limit on manifestation make sense? On the other hand, I'm not sure invisibility is needed either, since they can just be ethereal, like Cleon says.

Shade · Oct 25, 2010

OK, I'll drop natural invisiblity (and weight, duh!) and add the "bound to deathsite" and rejuvenation.

Updated.

Skills: 24
Ghosts have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Do we want to retain this, or give lesser bonuses in these skills?

Feats: 2
Ability Focus (haunting)? Iron Will?

Cleon · Oct 26, 2010

freyar said:
If they can't move from their special place, does the limit on manifestation make sense? On the other hand, I'm not sure invisibility is needed either, since they can just be ethereal, like Cleon says.

Well I was thinking the ranges would be different, i.e. Lesser Ghosts can't move beyond 300 yards from their death site, and must be within 30 yards of their death site to manifest.

Cleon · Oct 26, 2010

Shade said:
Skills: 24
Ghosts have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Do we want to retain this, or give lesser bonuses in these skills?

I like +8 to Hide and +4 to the other three, but would be OK halving the racial bonus to +4 for all four.

Evenly divide the SPs between those 4 skills?