24th-Level Monster Conversions

the Jester · Jun 19, 2010

This thread is a continuation of the Monster Project. This thread is for converting old-skool monsters that I feel sit at 24th level. I welcome suggestions on these beasties (or other monster suggestions).

Here is the list of monsters to be converted, along with what I am using as a "primary source":

24th Level Monsters on the List
Crawling Head (3e Fiend Folio)
Dao (1e Monster Manual 2, 2e Monstrous Manual, 3e MotP)
Megalodon (various)
Plasm (Spelljammer iirc? No- Mystara MC Appendix)
Ruin Chanter (3.5 MM5)
Scyllan (Stormwrack)
Ungulosin (Planescape MC Appendix 3)

24th Level Variants I've Already Done
Cunning elder behir (level 24 artillery)
Dragon turtle (level 24 artillery) Updated in this thread at the link
Abyssal morkoth (level 24 solo controller)
Living wall shrouder (level 24 controller)
Energized copper horror swarm (level 24 minion skirmisher)
Cloud titan (level 24 elite soldier) giant
Spell eater weaponcharged (level 24 soldier)
Sperm whale ascetic (level 24 soldier)

Higher Level Monsters to be Converted
Beholderkin, Hive Mother [29th level]
Blackball [30th level]
Corpse Gatherer [25th level]
Corrupture [30th level]
Deepspawn [27th level]
Elder Brain [30th level]
Elemental, Omnimental [26th level]
Elemental, Tempest [25th level]
Fiendwurm [27th level]
Flesh Jelly [26th level]
Froghemoth [25th level]
Gargantuan, Devastation Spider [27th level]
Genius Loci [30th level]
Golem, Adamantine [30th level]
Golem, Mithril [26th level]
Hellwasp Swarm [26th level]
Infernal [30th level]
Juggernaut [28th level]
Ki-Rin [26th level]
Kraken [30th level]
Living Holocaust [27th level]
Marid [25th level]
Nuckalavee [27th level]
Plague Spewer [25th level]
Planetar [28th level]
Plasm, Giant [26th level]
Siege Beetle [27th level]
Sirrush [25th level]
Solar [30th level]
Uvudauum [25th level]
Zaratan [27th level]

the Jester · Jun 20, 2010

So for the record, while I am going to start switching to the new stat block, I'm going to wait until the Monster Builder implements it since I am mostly cut & pasting at this point.

Anyway, if time allows I will have the first monsters up later today.

malcolm_n · Jun 20, 2010

Very cool. I'm not so good with the monsters, so I don't think I'll add anything. But, if you're taking requests, would you consider doing the juggernaut or the infernal first? Either of them would be awesome to have for my next game session this week.

SkidAce · Jul 3, 2010

I was hoping for the Dao and Marid to be in the MM3 also, but alas, it was not to be.

the Jester · Jul 3, 2010

SkidAce said:
I was hoping for the Dao and Marid to be in the MM3 also, but alas, it was not to be.

Yeah... I know they'll publish dao eventually since they've made a big deal about them in several books, but shrug.

It's the busiest part of the year for me- progress will doubtless remain slow until early September.

the Jester · Oct 4, 2011

Sooooo obviously I'm still not using the new Monster Builder, as it doesn't yet use MM3 math or export to a useful format. Aargh. Nonetheless...

Well, here's a pdf of my updated-to-MM3 standards dragon turtle, originally appearing in the 11th level list here. A few notes on the changes:

1. Updated the math and (due to its new cracking shell trait) increased its AC by a point.

2. Changed the origin to Fey. It just makes sense to me.

3. Added an aura of hot steam to make it dangerous to approach (it reduces your resist fire by 20) and harder to hit if you don't (if you're outside the aura the dragon turtle gains concealment).

4. Added a weakness to cold- rather than extra damage, you inflict a -2 AC and Fort penalty until the end of the dragon turtle's next turn.

5. Scalding squirt (ugh) becomes scalding spit, and instead of ongoing 5 fire I just made it "and take 10 fire damage at the start of your next turn". By 24th level, a lot of pcs will probably resist that anyway.

6. Scalding blast becomes scalding cloud; other than updating the math, I also changed it from "recharge 5 6" to "recharge when first bloodied".

the Jester · Oct 4, 2011

Here's my take on the dao, focusing as much on illusion and deception as on earth stuff. I've always thought that their introduction in S4, in the "harem", was a classic take on the way dao ought to behave. My favorite dao moment from my campaign involved pcs hunting through a deadly dungeon for an ancient holy book. They came into a room- there it was! The pc whose quest it was rushed forward-

It was an illusion covering a pit.

the Jester · Oct 11, 2011

Here is the plasm, a monster found in the Mystara MC Appendix from 2e (and I presume in BECMI somewhere).

These guys have an interesting feature- when bloodied, they lose hit points as their substance dissolves. I did this in order to emulate a trait that it has in 2e, where it loses a HD per round on the Material Plane.

the Jester · Nov 28, 2011

Another monster I love from 3e: the crawling head.

Bah formatting issues.

I did two varieties, the crawling head wailer and the ravenous crawling head. The wailer has a "second failed save: you die" ability, and the ravenous guy has a vorpal bite encounter power that deals 8d12+8 damage (5d12+104 on a critical hit), half on a miss, with an effect that reads "If this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points or below, the crawling head decapitates the target and swallows its head. (In many cases, this will slay the target.)"

So 4e-style instant death.

Note too that at epic levels, death is a speed bump. It should happen more often imho. Then again I haven't yet actually played at epic levels, so....

CRAWLING HEAD
Source: 3e Fiend Folio.

Spawned from the severed head of a giant, a crawling head is a horrific undead monstrosity that resembles a huge, bloated head grown to enormous size, with a seething mass of arteries, veins and viscera depending from the wound of its neck. Just beneath the surface of its translucent skin, the crawling head contains many sacs that bulge with the severed heads it had devoured.

Created by Mortals: Because of their immense power and their origination from giants, which might lead one to think that crawling heads were creations of the primordials or beings of similar nature. In truth, however, they are the creation of a series of powerful mortal necromancers that dwelt in the City of Skulls that surrounded the Bleak Academy. The first crawling head destroyed its creator, but was brought under control by the vampiric headmistress of the academy. The secrets to creating these mostrosities have since spread, but the enigma of how to control them remains.

Deadly Headhunters: Crawling heads leave a trail of mangled bodies behind, but always eat the heads of their victims. These heads are then stored in the many bulging sacs half-visible beneath the skin of the crawling head, where they wail, producing the crawling head's cacophany aura. Over time, older heads gradually dissolve away, consumed by the crawling head for sustenance.

Insane but Intelligent: Although crawling heads are insane and often have no real ambition or goal other than the consumption of victims' heads, they are brilliant. Some grow bored and carry out intricate plots for their amusement; such plots always involve spreading misery and death and the devourment of many heads. Crawling heads, while not prone to ally with living creatures, sometimes do so for short periods in order to amuse themselves or spread confusion, but such alliances usually end in disaster for the living partners.

the Jester · Dec 6, 2011

Here's the megalodon. I have a previous version but this is updated to MM3 standards.

Cut and paste without much formatting:

Megalodon Shark
Level 24 Skirmisher
Gargantuan natural beast (aquatic) XP 6,050
HP 224; Bloodied 112 Initiative +23
AC 38; Fortitude 36; Reflex 38; Will 34 Perception +16
Speed Swim 11

TRAITS
Aquatic
The megalodon shark gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against creatures without the Aquatic trait in underwater combat.
STANDARD ACTIONS
(mbasic) Bite * At Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +29 vs. AC.
Hit: 4d6+18 damage.
(close) Huge Bite * At Will
Attack: Close blast 2 (each creature in blast); +27 vs. AC.
Hit: 3d8+11 damage.
(melee) Primeval Ram * Recharge 5 6
Effect: The megalodon swims its speed.
Attack: Melee 1 (one vehicle); +27 vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 3d12+22 damage, and the target is out of control until the pilot and crew use a total of three standard actions to regain control.
Effect: The megalodon makes a secondary attack against each creature on board the vehicle.
Secondary Attack: +25 vs. Reflex.
Hit: 2d10+10 damage and the target falls prone.
TRIGGERED ACTIONS
(melee) Blood Frenzy * At Will
Trigger: An enemy within 5 squares becomes bloodied.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The megalodon shark swims its speed to a space from which it can reach the triggering creature. It uses Bite on up to two enemies within reach at any time during this movement, including the triggering creature.
---
Str 26 Dex 29 Wis 19
Con 24 Int 7 Cha 14
Alignment unaligned