Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[freyar]

Sure. Based on your reasoning, though, I'd like to say they can take damage if they're unconscious (though I'm also willing to leave it more vague as follows). And let's make the stunning random. How about this?

Controlled Falls (Ex): A falling drop spider (which is not entangled or immobilized) can deploy a mesh between its legs to guide its descent. A parascending drop spider can move 5ft sideways for every 10 feet it falls. Further, due to unique leg structure, a drop spider never takes damage from falls. However, a drop spider must make a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft fallen) or be stunned for 1d3 rounds as it recovers its equilibrium.

 

[Cleon]

Sure. Based on your reasoning, though, I'd like to say they can take damage if they're unconscious (though I'm also willing to leave it more vague as follows). And let's make the stunning random. How about this?

Controlled Falls (Ex): A falling drop spider (which is not entangled or immobilized) can deploy a mesh between its legs to guide its descent. A parascending drop spider can move 5ft sideways for every 10 feet it falls. Further, due to unique leg structure, a drop spider never takes damage from falls. However, a drop spider must make a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft fallen) or be stunned for 1d3 rounds as it recovers its equilibrium.

I don't think we need to add unconscious, since an unconscious creature is also helpless.

Anyhow, that looks pretty good. I still prefer the 1 round stun though.

Not sure I like the name, can you think of any alternatives? Perhaps "Control Drop", since they are Drop Spiders?

 

[freyar]

Controlled Drop works for me. That does make sense...

 

[Shade]

Anyhow, that looks pretty good. I still prefer the 1 round stun though.

As do I. 2 or 3 rounds could be devastatingly punishing against a creature simply using its niche ability.

 

[Cleon]

As do I. 2 or 3 rounds could be devastatingly punishing against a creature simply using its niche ability.

Agreed.

I'm also in favour of retaining the "minimum fall distance" for the stun to occur.

So are we all content with:

Controlled Drop (Ex): A drop spider never takes damage from falls, but if the spider falls 100 ft. or more it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft fallen) or be stunned for 1 round. A falling drop spider can deploy a mesh between its legs which allows it to slow and precisely guide its fall by parascending. A parascending drop spider can move 5 feet sideways for every 10 feet it falls [OR 5 feet sideways for every 5 feet it falls?]. A drop spider can only parascend if it is carrying a light load and is not entangled or immobilized.

 

[freyar]

You know what, I think we should drop the term "parascend," which doesn't actually appear in the dictionary.

Controlled Drop (Ex): A drop spider never takes damage from falls, but if the spider falls 100 ft. or more it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft fallen) or be stunned for 1 round. A falling drop spider can deploy a mesh between its legs which allows it to slow and precisely guide its fall. A drop spider can move 5 feet sideways for every 10 feet it falls [OR 5 feet sideways for every 5 feet it falls?]. A drop spider can only direct its fall if it is carrying a light load and is not entangled or immobilized.

 

[Cleon]

You know what, I think we should drop the term "parascend," which doesn't actually appear in the dictionary.

Controlled Drop (Ex): A drop spider never takes damage from falls, but if the spider falls 100 ft. or more it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft fallen) or be stunned for 1 round. A falling drop spider can deploy a mesh between its legs which allows it to slow and precisely guide its fall. A drop spider can move 5 feet sideways for every 10 feet it falls [OR 5 feet sideways for every 5 feet it falls?]. A drop spider can only direct its fall if it is carrying a light load and is not entangled or immobilized.

No objections to that.

Do you prefer the 30 degree "parascending" or the 45 degree "parascending"?

 

[freyar]

I think I prefer 45 degrees if it's all the same to you folks.

 

[Cleon]

I think I prefer 45 degrees if it's all the same to you folks.

Updating Working Draft.

 

[freyar]

Skills: it gets 5 ranks, and it currently has 4 in Climb based I assume on copying from other spiders. How about Climb 2, Hide 3?

Then make Weapon Finesse a bonus and give it Skill Focus (Hide)?