Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

freyar said:

I'm ok with the hp total as is, but I think it could use some clarification. Maybe change the first paragraph of Multiple Bodies to

"The Veiled Maidens is a single being with seven bodies. Each body has 24 hit points. Destroying a body does 10 points of damage to the Veiled Maidens. If the Veiled Maidens is reduced to a single body, damage to that body also damages the Veiled Maidens. The only way to damage the Veiled Maidens is through the bodies."

Do we need any more stats at this point?

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Shouldn't it include a mention of its "Special Weakness - Veils"?

How about:

The Veiled Maidens is a single being with seven bodies. Each body has 24 hit points. Destroying a body does 10 points of damage to the Veiled Maidens. If the Veiled Maidens is reduced to a single body, damage to that body also damages the Veiled Maidens. The Veiled Maidens can only be damaged by attacks against its bodies or its veils (see Special Weakness - Veils). To destroy the Veiled Maidens, all seven of its bodies must be destroyed.

That'll work. Given the larger effective number of hp, do you think they're worth a higher CR?

Did we agree on any tactics? It seems to me the various bodies should flank and use various special attacks in tandem.

freyar said:

That'll work. Given the larger effective number of hp, do you think they're worth a higher CR?

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Updating the Veiled Maidens Working Draft.

Hold on, the last update I did to add the Feats has disappeared. Better redo it.

freyar said:

That'll work. Given the larger effective number of hp, do you think they're worth a higher CR?

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I'm fine with CR 8, since they're not that strong on a "per body" basis.

Do they feel about equal to half a dozen ghasts or ogres, which is an EL 8 fight?

freyar said:

Did we agree on any tactics? It seems to me the various bodies should flank and use various special attacks in tandem.

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I don't recall us discussing that yet, but I was thinking their tactics should be along those lines.

Putting it that way, CR 8 does seem reasonable.

Tactics: Veiled Maidens use their multiple bodies to flank opponents. The bodies coordinate their attacks cunningly, with some using special attacks to open an opponent to another body's weapons.

freyar said:

Putting it that way, CR 8 does seem reasonable.

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Let's leave it at that then.

freyar said:

Tactics: Veiled Maidens use their multiple bodies to flank opponents. The bodies coordinate their attacks cunningly, with some using special attacks to open an opponent to another body's weapons.

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How about:

A Veiled Maidens is an extremely clever enemy who can quickly devise cunning tactics to deal with its opponents. The Maidens uses its multiple bodies to flank opponents and make perfectly coordinated combination attacks. It tries to exploit its veils' 15 ft. reach to attack from outside the reach of its opponents' own weapons. Its preferred tactic is to entangle opponents in the veils of some of its bodies to limit or control their movements, while inflicting damage with the attacks of its other bodies.

That'll do.

Do we want the veils to count as magic (or something else) for the purpose of bypassing DR?

Description: Seven identical women wrapped in flowing veils and scarves

freyar said:

That'll do.

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Updating the Veiled Maidens Working Draft.

freyar said:

Do we want the veils to count as magic (or something else) for the purpose of bypassing DR?

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A 4th level monk has ki strike (magic), so I'd fancy "the Veiled Maidens' unarmed strike and veil attacks are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction."

freyar said:

Description: Seven identical women wrapped in flowing veils and scarves

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The Veiled Maidens were originally described as "seven beautiful, identical women holding gauzy, azure veils. They speak not a word, but smile and begin to dance, whipping and tossing their veils and turning gracefully".

They appear to have an association with the colour azure, since they are encountered in a flagstone courtyard "filled with the flutter of wind-whipped azure banners, with one by each entrance. Each banner bears the graceful T-shaped character for hearth and home.".

So for the description I'd go for:

Seven beautiful women dressed in sky blue silk, each gracefully holds a long veil of azure gauze. The women are uncannily identical to each other, as if they were one woman reflected in seven mirrors.

I've noticed something else rereading the Veiled Maidens part of the adventure.

The original encounter says "Touching any veil summons this spirit (carelessly walking through the entrances might have this effect", but there's no mention of any veils near the entrances, instead the only objects mentioned there are the "azure banners".

So it's possibly (or should I say probable) that the "azure banners" are "veils" as far as the Maidens' special weakness goes, in which case we should consider modifying the description of that Weakness.

My preference is to add a "banner veil" to the current description:

Special Weakness - Veils (Ex): Each of the seven swords have a different special weakness. The Veiled Maidens' is that its existence is tied to its veils. Any damage done to a veil while it is separated from a Veiled Maidens' body is also inflicted upon the body the veil is tied to. Should a Veiled Maidens' body be destroyed, all veils that are tied to that body are also destroyed.

Each Veiled Maidens body has a "banner" veil that is permanently separated from its body. This typically takes the form of a flag or wall-hanging made from the same silk as the veils the Maidens fight with.

The veils a Veiled Maidens fights with can be separated from a Maidens' body by being disarmed, sundered, stolen by Sleight of Hand, and so forth. A Veiled Maidens can "re-attach" lost portions of its fighting veils as a free action, simply by regaining possession of the veil(s) with any of its bodies.

Or would you prefer changing it so only the "banner" veil is a weakness?

Your descriptions are always great, but you have a disturbing fondness for comma splices. I'd prefer

Seven beautiful women dressed in sky blue silk, each gracefully holding a long veil of azure gauze. The women are uncannily identical to each other, as if they were one woman reflected in seven mirrors.

I think I prefer just the banner as the weakness. It's simpler that way.

freyar said:

Your descriptions are always great, but you have a disturbing fondness for comma splices. I'd prefer

Seven beautiful women dressed in sky blue silk, each gracefully holding a long veil of azure gauze. The women are uncannily identical to each other, as if they were one woman reflected in seven mirrors.

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I'll begrudgingly go along with your less interesting grammatical preferences regarding the description.

Updating the Veiled Maidens Working Draft.

freyar said:

I think I prefer just the banner as the weakness. It's simpler that way.

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It's unfortunate the original adventure was more clearly phrased. I kind of like the more complicated "Veils" version, but a "Banner" version is likely to be closer to the original intent.

A banner only version would be something like:

Special Weakness - Banners (Ex): Each of the seven swords have a different special weakness. The Veiled Maidens' is that its existence is tied to seven identical "banners" made from the same azure silk as its clothing and veils. The banners typically take the form of a flag or wall-hanging about 5 feet square.

Each Veiled Maidens body is linked to a "banner". Any damage done to a banner is also inflicted upon the body the banner is tied to. Should a Veiled Maidens' body be destroyed, the banner tied to that body is also destroyed.