demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Replace Balance. It sounds like these guys stick to fairly flat terrain.
Converting Psionic Creatures
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
I think so. That's the last of 'em, right?
Shade
Monster Junkie
This one's barely "psionic", but I had earmarked it for the vermin thread before I realized it was clearly a magical beast.
Horseshoe Crab, Giant
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: 3 (top) / 6 (underside)
MOVE: 11"//18" (6")
HIT DICE: 6 + 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1 -4/1-4/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to will-force spells, cold, electricity; reflects psionic attacks; surprised only on a 1
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (up to 25 ' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/see below
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: V1/650 + 8/hp
These armored predators roam coastal waters and beaches, feeding on mollusks, worms, plants, carrion, and anything else they can catch. The giant horseshoe crab looks formidable, with its dark brown segmented carapace, fearsome-looking tail, and large compound eyes. The tail, in fact, is never used for fighting and can be safely grasped. It is powerful and highly mobile and is used as a prow when burrowing through sand and to right an overturned crab.
On its underside the crab has a sucking mouth flanked by two crablike claws. Behind this are bony, grinding ridges that crush food; all that a crab seizes is passed here by its claws and then transferred forward into the mouth, which will regurgitate undigestible material. (The crushing noise the crab makes while eating has earned it the nickname "chont.") Behind these are five pairs of legs. The first four can be used as pincers and have spurlike spikes to grip and break up food; the last pair sport leaflike "wings" which aid in swimming and clear away mud when the crab is burrowing. If a crab loses its claws, the foremost pair of legs will serve as weapons instead (same damage figures).
Behind these, under the second segment of the carapace, are five pairs of gills with long flaps that keep water moving over the gill membranes and aid in swimming.
Horseshoe crabs have three pairs of eyes: one set on the underside of its front rim, a large pair on the carapace, and a small hidden pair atop the abdomen. Thus, they can see the approach of creatures out to a 9" range (or the limit of sight in the surrounding waters, if less), and are rarely surprised. These eyes can distinguish movement and masses of color, but not images.
Huge numbers of horseshoe crabs come ashore on certain beaches at certain times to mate. The eggs they lay then hatch into marine larvae that slowly grow to full size (treat larvae as having 1-4 HD, with attacks of 1-2/1-2/1-6).
Giant horseshoe crabs differ from their smaller cousins in having magical powers. Chonts are immune to all mind-control spells and all cold and electrical attacks, and are able to reflect back all psionic attacks upon the attacker (but otherwise exhibit no psionic powers). They have the ability to cast one shocking grasp spell at will by touch every 10 turns, and the power to cast one 4d6 lightning bolt every 25 turns (range and other statistics as per the spell).
Chonts will always defend their smaller brethren if the latter are attacked nearby. Sailors report that these normally placid creatures occasionally attack and smash small craft, attacking in a group by ramming the boat with their armored snouts and then seizing creatures in the water.
An undamaged horseshoe crab brain is an ingredient in the magical inks for writing shocking grasp and lightning bolt spells.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #89 (1984).
Horseshoe Crab, Giant
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: 3 (top) / 6 (underside)
MOVE: 11"//18" (6")
HIT DICE: 6 + 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1 -4/1-4/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to will-force spells, cold, electricity; reflects psionic attacks; surprised only on a 1
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (up to 25 ' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/see below
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: V1/650 + 8/hp
These armored predators roam coastal waters and beaches, feeding on mollusks, worms, plants, carrion, and anything else they can catch. The giant horseshoe crab looks formidable, with its dark brown segmented carapace, fearsome-looking tail, and large compound eyes. The tail, in fact, is never used for fighting and can be safely grasped. It is powerful and highly mobile and is used as a prow when burrowing through sand and to right an overturned crab.
On its underside the crab has a sucking mouth flanked by two crablike claws. Behind this are bony, grinding ridges that crush food; all that a crab seizes is passed here by its claws and then transferred forward into the mouth, which will regurgitate undigestible material. (The crushing noise the crab makes while eating has earned it the nickname "chont.") Behind these are five pairs of legs. The first four can be used as pincers and have spurlike spikes to grip and break up food; the last pair sport leaflike "wings" which aid in swimming and clear away mud when the crab is burrowing. If a crab loses its claws, the foremost pair of legs will serve as weapons instead (same damage figures).
Behind these, under the second segment of the carapace, are five pairs of gills with long flaps that keep water moving over the gill membranes and aid in swimming.
Horseshoe crabs have three pairs of eyes: one set on the underside of its front rim, a large pair on the carapace, and a small hidden pair atop the abdomen. Thus, they can see the approach of creatures out to a 9" range (or the limit of sight in the surrounding waters, if less), and are rarely surprised. These eyes can distinguish movement and masses of color, but not images.
Huge numbers of horseshoe crabs come ashore on certain beaches at certain times to mate. The eggs they lay then hatch into marine larvae that slowly grow to full size (treat larvae as having 1-4 HD, with attacks of 1-2/1-2/1-6).
Giant horseshoe crabs differ from their smaller cousins in having magical powers. Chonts are immune to all mind-control spells and all cold and electrical attacks, and are able to reflect back all psionic attacks upon the attacker (but otherwise exhibit no psionic powers). They have the ability to cast one shocking grasp spell at will by touch every 10 turns, and the power to cast one 4d6 lightning bolt every 25 turns (range and other statistics as per the spell).
Chonts will always defend their smaller brethren if the latter are attacked nearby. Sailors report that these normally placid creatures occasionally attack and smash small craft, attacking in a group by ramming the boat with their armored snouts and then seizing creatures in the water.
An undamaged horseshoe crab brain is an ingredient in the magical inks for writing shocking grasp and lightning bolt spells.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #89 (1984).
Shade
Monster Junkie
Stormwrack's got us covered. 
Monstrous Crab, Large
Large Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d8+9 (36 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+17
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+5, improved grab
Special Qualities: Amphibious, low-light vision, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 11, Con 12, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +0, Spot +4
Feats: ToughnessB
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or colony (2–5)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7–11 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Monstrous Crab, Huge
Huge Vermin (Aquatic)
12d8+27 (81 hp)
Initiative: +0
30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (–2 size, +14 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+28
Attack: Claw +14 melee (2d6+7)
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (2d6+7)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 4d6+7, improved grab
Special Qualities: Amphibious, low-light vision, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 11, Con 14, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide –4, Spot +4
Feats: ToughnessB
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or colony (2–5)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: e None
Alignment: tral Always neutral
Advancement: 13–23 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Monstrous Crab, Large
Large Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d8+9 (36 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+17
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+5, improved grab
Special Qualities: Amphibious, low-light vision, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 11, Con 12, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +0, Spot +4
Feats: ToughnessB
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or colony (2–5)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7–11 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Monstrous Crab, Huge
Huge Vermin (Aquatic)
12d8+27 (81 hp)
Initiative: +0
30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (–2 size, +14 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+28
Attack: Claw +14 melee (2d6+7)
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (2d6+7)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 4d6+7, improved grab
Special Qualities: Amphibious, low-light vision, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 11, Con 14, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills: Hide –4, Spot +4
Feats: ToughnessB
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or colony (2–5)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: e None
Alignment: tral Always neutral
Advancement: 13–23 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Cleon
Legend
Not sure I'd rate this chap as a psionic monster.
As for converting its "reflect back all psionic attacks" I'm thinking that'd work better as reflecting mind-affecting attacks that regular Spell Resistance.
Stat-wise it looks like the Large Monstrous Crab is a good start.
Its got animal intelligence and spell use, so we'd need to improve its mental stats a bit. Its best SLA is lightning bolt, so I'm thinking Cha 13 or so?
Something like:
Giant Horseshoe Crab: Str 21, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 13
It's got weaker claws than the Monstrous Crab but adds a powerful bite, which I'm thinking it also uses for its Constrict.
1d4 claws and 2d8 bite?
For the SLAs, how about shocking grasp plus lightning bolt, both at CL5?
A literal translation of the frequencies would be a shocking grasp every minute and lightning bolt every 4 yours but that seems a little ungainly, so I suppose:
Spell-Like Abilities: At-will—shocking grasp (DC12), 3/day—lightning bolt (DC14) at caster level 5, the save DCs are Charisma-based.
As for converting its "reflect back all psionic attacks" I'm thinking that'd work better as reflecting mind-affecting attacks that regular Spell Resistance.
Stat-wise it looks like the Large Monstrous Crab is a good start.
Its got animal intelligence and spell use, so we'd need to improve its mental stats a bit. Its best SLA is lightning bolt, so I'm thinking Cha 13 or so?
Something like:
Giant Horseshoe Crab: Str 21, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 13
It's got weaker claws than the Monstrous Crab but adds a powerful bite, which I'm thinking it also uses for its Constrict.
1d4 claws and 2d8 bite?
For the SLAs, how about shocking grasp plus lightning bolt, both at CL5?
A literal translation of the frequencies would be a shocking grasp every minute and lightning bolt every 4 yours but that seems a little ungainly, so I suppose:
Spell-Like Abilities: At-will—shocking grasp (DC12), 3/day—lightning bolt (DC14) at caster level 5, the save DCs are Charisma-based.
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