Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

Cleon · Feb 15, 2010

freyar said:
Suggestions above all work for me, including Cleon's summon weapon and keeping polymorph. I could see some SR since evasion only works on area effect spells, but it's not a biggy.

Spell resistance would seems appropriate for them, indeed it's curious that the original's stats are missing a Magic Resistance line.

SR = CR+10 ?

It certainly needs some kind of shapechanging power, and polymorph as an X-day SLA would seem to fit - the original could do it 2/day, but I wouldn't mind increasing it.

The Men-Shen also has the ability to become astral at will. This isn't astral projection, but seems pretty key to their duties, since they usually watch over their charges while astral. They also presumably use this power to travel to and from "Heaven".

Maybe we should give them a modified version of an Ethereal Filcher's Astral Jaunt ability, so they can "pop out of nowhere" and attack when physical evil threatens somewhere they're meant to guard?

Something like:

Astral Jaunt (Su): A men-shen can shift from the Astral Plane to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move action. A men-shen can also shift from the Astral Plane to any Outer Plane (or vica versa) as a standard action. This ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 15th).

Shade · Feb 16, 2010

Updated.

AC was omitted in the original. The original writeup does not seem to inidicate that they wear armor. We could borrow from the sword archon once again, and go with +14 natural.

+8 for the racial bonus on Listen and Spot?

Skills: 9 at 13 ranks
Concentration, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot...

Feats: 4
Improved Critical (longsword), Weapon Focus (longsword)...

Cleon · Feb 16, 2010

Shade said:
Updated.

AC was omitted in the original. The original writeup does not seem to inidicate that they wear armor. We could borrow from the sword archon once again, and go with +14 natural.

Rather than put it all in natural armour, I'd be tempted to give it an ability like the monk's +Wis to AC.

No, scrub that, it adds its Charisma bonus to its AC. A men-shen's awesome presence is so strong it deflects weapons!

That should make it:

Armor Class: 26 (–1 size, +4 Cha, +3 Dex, +10 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 23

Shade said:
+8 for the racial bonus on Listen and Spot?

Sure, why not. I'd be tempted to throw in a racial bonus to Intimidate and Sense Motive too.

Shade said:
Skills: 9 at 13 ranks
Concentration, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot...

Tumble?

Going by the movies all Chinese martial artists, spiritual or otherwise, have Tumble.

Use Rope for tying up wrongdoers?

I'm not sure it really needs Concentration, since it probably won't use its SLAs much in combat.

Perhaps give it Autohypnosis instead?

Shade said:
Feats: 4
Improved Critical (longsword), Weapon Focus (longsword)...

Combat Reflexes and Power Attack?

I'd have picked Weapon Specialization (longsword) if it could meet the fighter level prerequisite.

Shade · Feb 17, 2010

Deflection bonuses based upon Cha aren't unheard of among powerful outsiders, so I'm game.

Tumble sounds good, as does Autohypnosis. I think Concentration still has merit, as it is common among asian-themed classes and creatures, even if it lacks a distinct purpose (see monk's class skills, for example).

I could see an underbar for folks with Oriental Adventures to substitute Iaijutsu Focus for one of the skills.

So we've got Autohypnosis, Concentration, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Rope. That leaves one more. Knowledge (the planes)?

Combat Reflexes and Power Attack seem a good fit.

Cleon · Feb 17, 2010

Shade said:
Deflection bonuses based upon Cha aren't unheard of among powerful outsiders, so I'm game.

Tumble sounds good, as does Autohypnosis. I think Concentration still has merit, as it is common among asian-themed classes and creatures, even if it lacks a distinct purpose (see monk's class skills, for example).

I could see an underbar for folks with Oriental Adventures to substitute Iaijutsu Focus for one of the skills.

So we've got Autohypnosis, Concentration, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Rope. That leaves one more. Knowledge (the planes)?

Hmm, the description says they deal with "evil spirits" which are likely to be Evil Outsiders or Undead, so I'd think either Knowledge (the planes) or Knowledge (religion) would fit. They'd also tie up with their off-duty stay with the Gods (religion) in Heaven (the planes).

Problem is, I like both Planes and Religion equally. Shall we cut one of the current skills (yes, I'm still looking at Concentration), boost Int to give it an extra maxed-out skill, or shave off a skill point here and there to put into an additional skill?

Shade said:
Combat Reflexes and Power Attack seem a good fit.

That's OK then.

Shade · Feb 18, 2010

Let's drop Concentration, and if others feel strongly about retaining it, we can shave off points for it later.

Updated.

Challenge Rating: 9? They are about as deadly as a vrock.

Treasure: x
The original was listed as "nil", but they are often presumably guarding wealthy areas, so standard?

Advancement: 11-30 HD (Large)?

A men-shen stands 8 feet tall and weighs x pounds.

freyar · Feb 20, 2010

Well, this seems pretty good to me! Maybe 400-450 lb?

Cleon · Feb 21, 2010

Shade said:
Let's drop Concentration, and if others feel strongly about retaining it, we can shave off points for it later.

Updated.

Challenge Rating: 9? They are about as deadly as a vrock.

Treasure: x
The original was listed as "nil", but they are often presumably guarding wealthy areas, so standard?

Advancement: 11-30 HD (Large)?

Seems fair, except I would be just as happy giving them Treasure: None, to reflect that they have no interest in material wealth.

freyar said:
Well, this seems pretty good to me! Maybe 400-450 lb?

That's more or less ideal as far as I'm concerned.

Shade · Feb 22, 2010

Updated.

Finished?

freyar · Feb 23, 2010

Seem fine!

Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

Cleon

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Shade

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Cleon

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Shade

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