Converting Greyhawk monsters

Cleon

Legend
Hmm, come to think of it the Blade Golem has a DR 10 points higher than a Flesh Golem, 6 points more AC, spiked defense and a 2-point higher Strength modifier (and hence attack and damage).

That makes it a significantly nastier melee fighter, so perhaps we should up the Challenge Rating and/or cut the DR.

How about making it DR 10/adamantine and Challenge Rating 8?

The halved weight appeals.

Blending the iron golem's construction mechanics with the flesh golem's DCs and pricing yields...

Construction
A spiked golem’s body is sculpted from 2,500 pounds of assorted metals, smelted with rare tinctures and admixtures costing at least 500 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 13 Craft (armorsmithing) check or a DC 13 Craft (weaponsmithing) check.

CL 8th; Craft Construct, geas/quest, keen edge, limited wish, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 20,000 gp; Cost 10,500 gp + 780 XP.

Does that work?

Those spells look fine to me, but I think it should cost more than a Flesh Golem, since it's a bit tougher. The high-quality metals and tinctures should probably cost a bit more too.

Maybe 27,000 gp price with materials costing 2,000 gp?:

Construction
A spiked golem’s body is sculpted from 2,500 pounds of assorted metals, smelted with rare tinctures and admixtures costing at least 2,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 13 Craft (armorsmithing) check or a DC 13 Craft (weaponsmithing) check.

CL 8th; Craft Construct, geas/quest, keen edge, limited wish, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 27,000 gp; Cost 14,500 gp + 1,000 XP.
 

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Cleon

Legend
That all sounds reasonable.

Updated. Finished?

I'm pretty happy with it.

We could add an improved critical threat range to its melee attacks (a rapier's 18-20 or a longsword's 19-20) to make them more like blades, but that might be guilding the lily.

EDIT: Blasted typo, should be gilding the lily.
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
One round after the characters arrive, an extraplanar beast reveals itself and attacks. The thing looks like a 20-foot ovoid mass of looping and twining intestines that seem to fold in and out of reality. It attacks by extending loops or ends of the tubular growths and constricting or flailing at its prey. While it is visible it makes a terrible gibbering sound, like a mad chorus of inhuman opera singers.

The Thing That Should Not Exist: AC 1; MV Fl 12; HD 13; hp 62; THAC0 8; #AT 3; Dmg 1d10x3 (constriction or flailing); SA confusion or fear on its first appearance, immolation; SD +2 or better weapon to hit, invisible at will; MR 20%; SZ L (20' diameter); ML Champion (15); Int non (0); AL NE; XP 11,000.
Note: Its appearance causes fear (50%) confusion (50% for 1d4 rounds to all that see it for the first time (save vs. wands negates). The Thing can become invisible at will (although it becomes visible if it attacks). Once per day it can immolate a target within 100 feet, surrounding it in eldritch flames that burn for 6d8 damage (save vs. breath weapon for half).

Originally appeared in Crypt of Lyzandred the Mad (1998).
 


freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
Definitely aberration, and I think it sounds Huge. Somehow it reminds me of a gibbering mouther, except it's the appearance that causes problems and not the sound.
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Indeed it does. It also reminds me a bit of a darktentacles

Boosting a mouther to Huge gives us...
Str 26, Dex 9, Con 30, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 13

Boosting a darktentacles to Huge...
Str 27, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12

This thing was mindless, we can probably use the golem standard Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1, so long as its abilities are all Con-based.

Perhaps...
Str 27, Dex 13, Con 25, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1?
 

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
I'd actually like their special attacks to be Cha-based, as they're definitely Su. On the other hand, they don't seem super aware, so maybe Wis 8, Cha 14?
 


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