Converting the Napga from X4: Master of the Desert Nomads
- Thread starter johnsemlak
- Start date
johnsemlak
First Post
Thanks from me as well Boz. Great find.BOZ said:
Sixten
First Post
johnsemlak said:
John, do you have a general X4 conversion thread? What creatures do you still need converted (and do you have the stats for the others anywhere)?
I was working on a conversion of X4 last summer (when I started that thread Boz linked to), and dug up the CD that had my notes on it. I have some conversions of a bunch of other OD&D creatures from that module that I was working on, as well as some character stats, etc. I'd love to pool effort on this (and maybe, you know, finish).
Were you planning on submitting your conversion to the ENWorld library when you're done?
johnsemlak
First Post
I really should create that. I had started an X1 thread, but that's been sidelined for a bit. I'll start one now.Sixten said:
I started another thread converting the Malakaz encounter, and I'll need some of the monsters from X5 converted.
I'm trying to add a little more spice to my version of the X4-5 campaing. For the wizard flying the wyvern near the beginning, I'm using modified version of the Zhentariam Skymage.
Anyway, I'll create a thread to discuss such details.
johnsemlak
First Post
X4-5 Conversion Thread:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1399890#post1399890
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1399890#post1399890
After further thought and consideration, and additional review of PC2, I have come up with the following version of the 3.5 Nagpa which I will be recommending to the Mystara3e conversion group:
Nagpa
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d8 (40 hp)
Initiative: +3 (-1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (-1 Dex, +8 natural armor), touch 9, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+7
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8-2) or Quarterstaff +7 melee (1d6-2)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8-2) or Quarterstaff +7/+2 (1d6-2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, Create Flames, Corruption, Paralysis
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., nagpa traits, spell resistance 18
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +9
Abilities: Str 7; Dex 8; Con 10; Int 16; Wis 14; Cha 12
Skills: Appraise +7, Concentration +12, Decipher Script +15, Knowledge(Arcana)+15, Knowledge (any other two) +15
Feats: Combat Casting, Diligent, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative
Environment: Subterranean crypts
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: 9-16 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
Nagpas look like a dried, withered human with the head of a vulture. They are highly intelligent and highly magical creatures thought to have originated from another plane. They prefer to live in gloomy subterranean crypts and mausoleums, many of which they have built to their own design – often through slave labor or the animated skeletons and zombies that they create to serve as workers and guards. They enjoy the atmosphere of corruption and death that such places possess.
Nagpa are dedicated scholars. They love knowledge – the more arcane or obscure the better – and are avid collectors of books and ancient manuscripts. They are also cold and cynical creatures with a strong sense of their own superiority. Even those who are not actually evil are manipulative and seek to dominate those around them.
COMBAT
Nagpa are physically quite weak and try to avoid melee combat wherever possible relying on their spell-like powers to protect them. They have supernaturally tough skin and disdain armor and shields in favor of more lightweight, magical, protections such as cloaks and rings. If forced to fight they employ simple, light, weapons or their staffs which they frequently carry as walking sticks.
Nagpa Traits (Ex): Nagpa possess the following racial traits:
- +1 racial bonus on all saving throws due to their magical nature.
- +1 spell resistance for every extra HD of monster advancement.
- Shapechange (Su): a nagpa with 12 or more monster HD gains the ability to turn into any Small or Medium humanoid and back again once per day. This functions like the druid's Wild Shape ability except that the form chosen must be a humanoid that the nagpa is familiar with. The effect lasts for 1 hour per HD, or until the nagpa changes back.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day – Darkness, Minor Image (DC 13); 1/day – Animate Dead. Caster level 9th. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Flames (Sp): 3/day – This causes any object of up to 10 lb per caster level within 60 feet of the nagpa to burst into flames for 1d3 rounds. Magical and attended objects receive a DC 13 Will save to avoid the effect. The flames do 2d6 damage per round. Anyone in contact with the object may make a DC 13 reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Charisma based.
Corruption (Su): 3/day – This causes any object within 60 feet of the nagpa to be subjected to a burst of negative energy, instantly decaying or rotting into an unusable state. Magical and attended objects receive a DC 16 Will save to avoid the effect. Objects must weigh no more than 10 lb per level of the nagpa. This ability is not available to nagpa's of Good alignment. The save DC is Wisdom based.
Paralysis (Su): 3/day – All creatures of Good alignment within 10 feet of the nagpa are subjected to a burst of negative energy and must make a DC 16 Will save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. This ability is not available to nagpa's of Good alignment. The save DC is Wisdom based.
Regards
Thrombin
Nagpa
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d8 (40 hp)
Initiative: +3 (-1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (-1 Dex, +8 natural armor), touch 9, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+7
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8-2) or Quarterstaff +7 melee (1d6-2)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8-2) or Quarterstaff +7/+2 (1d6-2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, Create Flames, Corruption, Paralysis
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., nagpa traits, spell resistance 18
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +9
Abilities: Str 7; Dex 8; Con 10; Int 16; Wis 14; Cha 12
Skills: Appraise +7, Concentration +12, Decipher Script +15, Knowledge(Arcana)+15, Knowledge (any other two) +15
Feats: Combat Casting, Diligent, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative
Environment: Subterranean crypts
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: 9-16 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
Nagpas look like a dried, withered human with the head of a vulture. They are highly intelligent and highly magical creatures thought to have originated from another plane. They prefer to live in gloomy subterranean crypts and mausoleums, many of which they have built to their own design – often through slave labor or the animated skeletons and zombies that they create to serve as workers and guards. They enjoy the atmosphere of corruption and death that such places possess.
Nagpa are dedicated scholars. They love knowledge – the more arcane or obscure the better – and are avid collectors of books and ancient manuscripts. They are also cold and cynical creatures with a strong sense of their own superiority. Even those who are not actually evil are manipulative and seek to dominate those around them.
COMBAT
Nagpa are physically quite weak and try to avoid melee combat wherever possible relying on their spell-like powers to protect them. They have supernaturally tough skin and disdain armor and shields in favor of more lightweight, magical, protections such as cloaks and rings. If forced to fight they employ simple, light, weapons or their staffs which they frequently carry as walking sticks.
Nagpa Traits (Ex): Nagpa possess the following racial traits:
- +1 racial bonus on all saving throws due to their magical nature.
- +1 spell resistance for every extra HD of monster advancement.
- Shapechange (Su): a nagpa with 12 or more monster HD gains the ability to turn into any Small or Medium humanoid and back again once per day. This functions like the druid's Wild Shape ability except that the form chosen must be a humanoid that the nagpa is familiar with. The effect lasts for 1 hour per HD, or until the nagpa changes back.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day – Darkness, Minor Image (DC 13); 1/day – Animate Dead. Caster level 9th. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Flames (Sp): 3/day – This causes any object of up to 10 lb per caster level within 60 feet of the nagpa to burst into flames for 1d3 rounds. Magical and attended objects receive a DC 13 Will save to avoid the effect. The flames do 2d6 damage per round. Anyone in contact with the object may make a DC 13 reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Charisma based.
Corruption (Su): 3/day – This causes any object within 60 feet of the nagpa to be subjected to a burst of negative energy, instantly decaying or rotting into an unusable state. Magical and attended objects receive a DC 16 Will save to avoid the effect. Objects must weigh no more than 10 lb per level of the nagpa. This ability is not available to nagpa's of Good alignment. The save DC is Wisdom based.
Paralysis (Su): 3/day – All creatures of Good alignment within 10 feet of the nagpa are subjected to a burst of negative energy and must make a DC 16 Will save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. This ability is not available to nagpa's of Good alignment. The save DC is Wisdom based.
Regards
Thrombin
Last edited:
johnsemlak
First Post
Ah, one question.
I've forgotten what PC2 is, which product is that?
I've forgotten what PC2 is, which product is that?
Yes. PC 2 is the Creature Crucible called Top Ballista. It details the flying city of Serraine, home of the Skygnomes.
It describes the use of Faenare, Skygnomes, Gremlins, Harpies, Nagpa, Pegataurs, Sphinxes and Tabi as player characters.
There is a lot more background info on Nagpa than was in X4. It also details a progression beyond their NM (9 HD) level up to a 9th level Nagpa with additional abilities such as polymorph self (into humanoid form), animate dead 1/day, anti-magic protection of 20% and the ability to summon a homunculus or tabi as a servant/companion.
I decided to fold the animate dead into their standard abilities because it isn't really that high a spell in 3e and I wanted to ensure they could hold their own a bit better. I deferred the polymorph to a higher HD but decided not to address the summoning part. It was portrayed as a secret ritual known only to high-level Nagpa and, as such, didn't really seem tied to the nagpa itself. Also, the Nagpa in X4 had a tabi so I didn't want to require the nagpa to be max level before it could acquire one.
You may notice I've changed my mind on a couple of things since my last set of suggestions. I've increased the Con to 10 because, given the level of the module it was created for, I don't want it to be too weak and the original 0e Nagpa had the full 9d8 hit points. For CR purposes I'm modelling on the Green Hag and that actually had a Con bonus.
I decided to go with natural armor instead of a deflection bonus. I figure you can increase natural armor with magic just as easily as provide a deflection bonus with magic and natural armor is more standard.
The racial saving throw bonus is based on PC2 which actually gives them an increasing magical bonus on saves from +1 at 9HD to +4 at max HD.
I went with an advancement of HD rather than by character class. This is partly based ofthe Hag entry and partly because of the way they advance in PC2 (where it explicitly states they can't take spellcasting levels as shaman or wiccas).
I also decided to keep the treasure type as standard. PC2 describes them as collectors of rare books and manuscripts as well as mentions a penchant for protective and quick-escape type magic items. I figure they're going to need money to purchase that stuff!
Regards
Thrombin
It describes the use of Faenare, Skygnomes, Gremlins, Harpies, Nagpa, Pegataurs, Sphinxes and Tabi as player characters.
There is a lot more background info on Nagpa than was in X4. It also details a progression beyond their NM (9 HD) level up to a 9th level Nagpa with additional abilities such as polymorph self (into humanoid form), animate dead 1/day, anti-magic protection of 20% and the ability to summon a homunculus or tabi as a servant/companion.
I decided to fold the animate dead into their standard abilities because it isn't really that high a spell in 3e and I wanted to ensure they could hold their own a bit better. I deferred the polymorph to a higher HD but decided not to address the summoning part. It was portrayed as a secret ritual known only to high-level Nagpa and, as such, didn't really seem tied to the nagpa itself. Also, the Nagpa in X4 had a tabi so I didn't want to require the nagpa to be max level before it could acquire one.
You may notice I've changed my mind on a couple of things since my last set of suggestions. I've increased the Con to 10 because, given the level of the module it was created for, I don't want it to be too weak and the original 0e Nagpa had the full 9d8 hit points. For CR purposes I'm modelling on the Green Hag and that actually had a Con bonus.
I decided to go with natural armor instead of a deflection bonus. I figure you can increase natural armor with magic just as easily as provide a deflection bonus with magic and natural armor is more standard.
The racial saving throw bonus is based on PC2 which actually gives them an increasing magical bonus on saves from +1 at 9HD to +4 at max HD.
I went with an advancement of HD rather than by character class. This is partly based ofthe Hag entry and partly because of the way they advance in PC2 (where it explicitly states they can't take spellcasting levels as shaman or wiccas).
I also decided to keep the treasure type as standard. PC2 describes them as collectors of rare books and manuscripts as well as mentions a penchant for protective and quick-escape type magic items. I figure they're going to need money to purchase that stuff!
Regards
Thrombin
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
some reference material, if you like:
http://66.34.111.89/Eric/conversions/X4monsters.zip
http://66.34.111.89/Eric/conversions/X5Monsters.zip
http://66.34.111.89/Eric/conversions/X4monsters.zip
http://66.34.111.89/Eric/conversions/X5Monsters.zip
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