Special Conversion Thread: Tasked Genies

freyar · Nov 16, 2010

Skills look right. Imp Sunder just seems weird with only claw attacks, and Power Attack and Cleave don't seem to fit the MO of these, either. Since they're meek (as much as a genie can be, it seems), we should maybe lean away from combat feats. Maybe Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, Endurance?

Shade · Nov 16, 2010

freyar said:
Skills look right. Imp Sunder just seems weird with only claw attacks, and Power Attack and Cleave don't seem to fit the MO of these, either. Since they're meek (as much as a genie can be, it seems), we should maybe lean away from combat feats. Maybe Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, Endurance?

Ahh, but they are only pretending to be "meek".

They are a universally grim, self-pitying lot, prone to fits of sudden rage. They are solitary throughout their entire lives; miner genies do not congregate for any reason and will fight to avoid each other’s company.

They know that, individually, they are too weak to kill yakmen, but as they are not magically bound to serve the yakmen, there is always the chance that they might revolt and kill their masters. Although they know that the dao are helpless against the yakmen, the miners are irrationally angry that the dao do nothing to save them.

So how about keeping Power Attack (or rather Reckless Offense), and adding your recommendations of Alertness and Endurance? I'm tempted to replace Alertness with Diehard or Skill Focus (Knowledge [dungeoneering]).

Cleon · Nov 17, 2010

freyar said:
Very busy! I'd love to have a vacation just to catch up here! Of course, it would help if you stopped posting so much.

The new version looks good. I'd just want to change "bury zone" to slide zone to avoid confusion with the SRD cave-ins. Like this:

Collapse Mine (Su): As a standard action, a miner genie can strike the wall of ceiling of any excavation that was constructed or repaired by a miner genie, causing a collapse. All creatures within a 20 ft. radius must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or be buried and take 3d10 damage (similar to the slide zone of a cave in). Those that save take half damage and are not buried. A buried creature takes 1d6 nonlethal damage per round until it is freed (which requires a DC 19 Strength check by either the buried creature or an ally). Furthermore, any creature within a 30 ft. spread but outside the slide zone must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or take 1d10 damage. The save and check DCs are Strength-based.

Looks fine by me.

I've just thought we might make it "1d10 damage from falling debris" instead of just "1d10 damage". Do we want to remind the DM that the genie's immunity to earth applies to this attack?

e.g.

Collapse Mine (Su): As a standard action, a miner genie can strike the wall of ceiling of any excavation that was constructed or repaired by a miner genie, causing a collapse. All creatures within a 20 ft. radius must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or be buried and take 3d10 damage (similar to the slide zone of a cave in). Those that save take half damage and are not buried. A buried creature takes 1d6 nonlethal damage per round until it is freed (which requires a DC 19 Strength check by either the buried creature or an ally). Furthermore, any creature within a 30 ft. radius spread but outside the slide zone must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or take 1d10 damage from falling debris. Collapse mine does not affect miner genies, due to their immunity to earth effects. The save and check DCs are Strength-based.

Cleon · Nov 17, 2010

So, just to be clear, the current proposal is:

Skills: Appraise, Craft (gemcutting), Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot?

Feats: Improved Initiative (B) plus 3
#1 Power Attack or Reckless Offense
#2 Endurance
#3 Alertness or Diehard or Skill Focus (Knowledge [dungeoneering])

Now I like Power Attack and Improved Sunder for them. They've got more cause for Improved Sunder than Dao - they've got claws they use to split rock all day, while Dao just have slam attacks.

Alertness doesn't work for me, although I like Endurance. Diehard is tempting, but seems surplus to requirements - unless you fancy it as a bonus feat.

As for SF (dungeoneering) I was thinking they should have a racial bonus on Appraise, Craft, Knowledge and Profession skills related to stone and stonework.

Speaking of which, they need Profession (miner) among their skills. I suggest either cutting Search, Spot and Sense Motive and using the saved points to max it out or swapping Craft (gemcutting) for it. I prefer cutting Spot, since I'm imagining these genie as having poor eyesight, like moles...

So, my proposal is:

Skills: Appraise 9, Craft (gemcutting) 9, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) 9, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Listen 9, Profession (miner) 9, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spot 6

Feats: Endurance Improved Initiative (B), Improved Sunder, Power Attack

Shade · Nov 18, 2010

Looks good. Updated.

Suggested value of racial skill bonuses?

Cleon · Nov 19, 2010

Shade said:
Looks good. Updated.

Suggested value of racial skill bonuses?

Well they've literally been moulded to dig out mines, so +4 seems reasonable.

A miner genie has a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks. Miner genies have a +4 racial bonus to Appraise, Craft, Knowledge and Profession checks that relate to stone, stonework or excavations.

Shade · Nov 19, 2010

Updated.

Challenge Rating: 4-5?

Level Adjustment: +6?

freyar · Nov 21, 2010

Probably CR 4.

Cleon · Nov 21, 2010

freyar said:
Probably CR 4.

I prefer Challenge Rating 5.

A Miner Genie looks in the same ballpark as the CR5 Djinni - higher AC (20 vs 16) and damage (2d6+5 vs 1d8+4), faster ground speed & burrow (but Djinn have 60 ft. perfect flight), same HPs (45 each), similar attack bonus (+10 slam vs +11 claw). A Djinni has better SLAs and a much better Reflex save, and Collapse Mine is roughly as nasty as a Whirlwind.