Cloverfield - The Immortal's Handbook 4E to 3.5 Conversion

[Upper_Krust]

Hey guys!

One interesting possibility is that the parasites mature into something nasty ... and so the PCs have to figure out how to hunt them all down (and by then they've spread really widely) before they turn into bigger monsters, or have to face those bigger monsters.

Thats an excellent idea.

Earlier in this thread I had mentioned that the parasites could be incorporated into the mob template which came out of the 3.5 DMG 2. I actually planned on finding the template and putting the mob together. It can be easily done now.

I thought of that, but going by my Army rules (which will be in the Vampire Bestiary) a mob (of Level 4 critters) would only be Level 10, or Level 16 for a massive 'swarm'.

In theory, multiple mobs of the parasites should be harder to handle . . . Of course, I haven't actually seen the movie (yet) and have no idea how these come out and spread.

Mate you need to rent this movie.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Does anyone else want to change anything about Cloverfield (or the Parasites)? Or are they ''done" to everyone's satisfaction (only eight-plus months after this thread was started - at this rate WOTC will be onto 6th Edition by the time we convert the Vampire Bestiary ).

Thats an excellent idea.

Thanks!

I thought of that, but going by my Army rules (which will be in the Vampire Bestiary) a mob (of Level 4 critters) would only be Level 10, or Level 16 for a massive 'swarm'.

Cool, looking forward to seeing that when the Bestiary comes out...

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy!

Does anyone else want to change anything about Cloverfield (or the Parasites)? Or are they ''done" to everyone's satisfaction (only eight-plus months after this thread was started - at this rate WOTC will be onto 6th Edition by the time we convert the Vampire Bestiary

Oi! I heard that.

I should have the Vampire Bestiary text all wrapped up by this time next week.

 

[dyspro]

Hello there!
As promised, I dug out the old 3.5 DMG II and statted up the Cloverfield parasites that Khisanth created as a mob. There are some things I think I should clear up before the stat block. First, a mob of CR 3 creatures is only CR 8 by this template. Second, though the mob template does not keep the distraction special quality that swarms have, I thought it was appropriate for this mob. I had to take out the group attack ability as it did not work with how mobs and swarms attack.

Cloverfield Parasite Infestationfficeffice" /><O></O>
Gargantuan Mob composed of Medium Vermin<O></O>
Hit Dice: 30d8+90 (225 hp)<O></O>
Initiative: +0<O></O>
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)<O></O>
Armor Class: 9 (-4 size, +3 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 9<O></O>
Base Attack/Grapple: +22/+36<O></O>
Attack: mob (5d6 and star chills)<O></O>
Full Attack: mob (5d6 and star chills)<O></O>
Space/Reach: 20 ft./0 ft.<O></O>
Special Attacks: Distraction (Fort DC 28), expert grappler, star chills, trample 2d6+3 (Ref DC 27)<O></O>
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., mob anatomy, vermin traits<O></O>
Saves: Fort +20, Ref +9, Will +9<O></O>
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, ffice:smarttags" /><ST1lace w:st="on"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com

Wis</st1:State></ST1lace> 10, Cha 7<O></O>
Skills: --<O></O>
Feats: Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun<O></O>
Environment: Temperate land and aquatic<O></O>
Organization: Infestation (2-5) or Pestilence (6-60)<O></O>
Challenge Rating: 8<O></O>
Treasure: None<O></O>
Alignment: Always neutral<O></O>
<O></O>
These creatures resemble 6-foot-long, 3-foot-tall versions of lice or fleas, only with more horrific mouthparts. Their bite carries a deadly plague.<O></O>
Individual Cloverfield parasites are relatively fragile - but they are never found alone; and an infestation, unless it is the result of an unwisely opened portal or gate, is the herald of a full-scale Cloverfield monster attack.<O></O>
<O></O>
COMBAT<O></O>
Cloverfield parasites infestations attack in groups, with each individual biting nastily. Their drive is to inflict as much suffering as they can.<O></O>
Disease (Ex): Star chills, Fort DC 28, 1d3 Con damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.<O></O>
Unlike normal diseases, star chills have an incubation period of 1 hour. In addition, every time a Fortitude save against star chills fails by 5 or more (fails to beat DC 23), the period in which it deals damage decreases (to every hour, to every 10 minutes, to every minute, and then to every round - star chills will never deal damage more than once per round.)<O></O>
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to the infestations’s damage that begins its turn with an infestation in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 28) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.<O></O>
Expert Grappler (Ex): A mob can maintain a grapple without penalty and still make attacks against other targets (normally, attack other targets while grappling imposes a -20 penalty on grapple checks). A mob is never considered flat footed while grappling.<O></O>
Mob Anatomy (Ex): A mob has no clear front or back and no discernable anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or sneak attacks. A mob cannot be flanked, tripped, grappled, or bull rushed.
Trample (Ex): A mob that simply moves over a creature and does not end its movement with that creature in one of its occupied squares can trample the creature. A trampled creature takes damage equal to 2d6+3. The victim can either make an attack of opportunity against the mob or make a Reflex save (DC 27) to take half damage.

In my opinion, I like how Cloverfield looks as a monster. The addition of the parasites completes the creature and gives something for the epic characters' followers to fight. Another idea, if it was not said already, was to have the infestation spread and the characters have to help the innocents while fending off Cloverfield.

Sixth edition! Who knows, WotC is probably working on it right now. Fifth edition was probably ready to go in 2008 . . .They just have to finish publishing all of their 4e books and wait about six months before they announce 5e.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Hello there!
As promised, I dug out the old 3.5 DMG II and statted up the Cloverfield parasites that Khisanth created as a mob.

Thanks, looks great; I don't have that book so that's a big help. (Nitpick, though: some formatting error has added lots of smilies to the stats.)

In my opinion, I like how Cloverfield looks as a monster. The addition of the parasites completes the creature and gives something for the epic characters' followers to fight.

Thanks!

Another idea, if it was not said already, was to have the infestation spread and the characters have to help the innocents while fending off Cloverfield.

Definitely... just because the PCs could squash the parasites like bugs doesn't mean they might not have relatives or friends, say, in an infested area and in danger. Should they go save those people and allow the big monster to cause more death while they do so, or take down the big monster to save more lives ... but lose someone they care about? Plenty of good plot opportunities.

Howdy!

Oi! I heard that.

I should have the Vampire Bestiary text all wrapped up by this time next week.

I meant the conversion to 3.5e ... not the release time. This thread has taken about 8 months ... if there are (say) 36 monsters in the Vampire Bestiary
converting them all would take 24 years at this rate!

Of course hopefully that conversion thread will be more active than this one


On a more serious note ... does Clover look done to your satisfaction? How about the parasites?

The only change I might want to make at this point is adding in the "messy explosion" feature of dying from the star chills disease, treated like in U_K's 4e stats on the website; everybody within 5 feet needs to save or contract the disease. I'm not sure what the DC should be though, since in this case basing it on the monster/parasite's HD and Con makes less sense...

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Incidentally, has anyone watched the D-War (Dragon Wars) movie? I picked it up cheap a week or so ago and watched it the other night. Terrible movie, but the monster(s) and CGI were pretty cool.

One notable point was when they analysed a scale of the Snake/Dragon/Imoogi (whatever) and found it was stronger than diamond. Which is what it would need to be for such a mega-sized monster.

Of course then they still have a couple of attack helicopters give it a hard time in the big 'King Kong inspired' skyscraper battle.

I meant the conversion to 3.5e ... not the release time. This thread has taken about 8 months ... if there are (say) 36 monsters in the Vampire Bestiary
converting them all would take 24 years at this rate!

At that rate I'll be able toput my name on it and no one will be any the wiser - sounds like one of my books alright.

Of course hopefully that conversion thread will be more active than this one

On a more serious note ... does Clover look done to your satisfaction? How about the parasites?

Base damage looks too weak for me, hit dice also looks too low.

I'd go with at least the minimum for Macro-Fine (128), and ensure it has the Improved Natural Damage feats for every attack. That should mean its doing more akin to 10d10 base, double that for a squish.

The only change I might want to make at this point is adding in the "messy explosion" feature of dying from the star chills disease, treated like in U_K's 4e stats on the website; everybody within 5 feet needs to save or contract the disease. I'm not sure what the DC should be though, since in this case basing it on the monster/parasite's HD and Con makes less sense...

Don't look at me, I have forgotten most of 3E.

 

[paradox42]

To be fair, this thread took so long because those of us who started it effectively lost interest and moved on to other things. If we had a book to make it'd turn out very differently.

 

[Alzrius]

To be fair, this thread took so long because those of us who started it effectively lost interest and moved on to other things.

Yeah, I'm more guilty of that than anyone else.

If we had a book to make it'd turn out very differently.

I like to think so.

 

[Belzamus]

I should be able to help more with future conversions, since I'll actually have the material. Having never seen Cloverfield, it was kind of hard to offer insight. (And yes, UK, I know, I should watch it. I just don't watch movies very often.)

Of course, vampires aren't my favorite monster, but I'll still be buying the PDF and be willing to help with the conversion.

 

[dyspro]

Glad you guys liked the mob infestation. Sorry about the formatting, I guess I'm still getting used to the transfer from a word file to online.

I agree that if there was a book to focus on, conversions would be faster and more focused. Count me in on conversions too!

I don't run 4e and don't play 4e often but having any epic style material to work from is always interesting.

By the way, I'm going to borrow Cloverfield from my friend and watch it.