Converting monsters from First Edition modules

Mortis said:

The original had three range brackets of 3/6/9 for a maximum range of 45 feet. So if we have a increment of 10 that gives a maximum range of 50 feet, close enough?

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That'll work.

It looks like all that's left is flavor text.

Shade said:

It looks like all that's left is flavor text.

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Perhaps the glommer is to the chimpanzee what the giraillon is to the gorilla?

Regards
Mortis

Mortis said:

Perhaps the glommer is to the chimpanzee what the giraillon is to the gorilla?

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I like it!

Here's one to keep you busy while I'm on vacation next week...

Chak
(New Monster)
Armor Class: 5 (AC 0 if armored)
Move: 9*21
Hit Dice: 5
No. of Attacks: 1 weapon, 2 lightwand, or bite
Damage: by weapon or 1d6 + poison
THACO: 15
Alignment: Any
Size: L
Intelligence: Avg. to High
STs: 14
STw: 13
Special Attacks: poisonous bite, weapons, lightwands (13 charges each)
Special Defense: shift out of phase

The Chak are a race of intelligent beings closely related to phase spiders. They are the dominant creatures in Part 3 of this adventure. The Chak have prospered as merchants, trading among many of the races of the Inner Planes of Existence. Their society is large and advanced. Planets are ruled by local kings serving an emperor who rules from the race's home planet somewhere in the Prime Plane.

Individual Chak may be of any alignment but tend to associate only with those of similar alignment (at least along good-evil lines). The average Chak lives over a thousand years. All Chak speak a common language of the same name, and many have learned to speak human Common and several other tongues through their dealings with other races. When speaking a "foreign language," their speech patterns mimic their teachers. They develop some odd colloquial expressions, and these habits are hard to break. (The "gee whiz" phrase came into their vocabulary from contact with a paladin some 800 years past.)

Noble Chak are 1-4 Hit Dice larger than the average, with a corresponding damage bonus (1-4), and are AC 3. Kings have at least 10 Hit Dice, with bite damage 2d10 and AC0.

The most common weapon used by the Chak is the lightwand, a seemingly innocent, light-producing device which, when fitted with a special control ring, can be fired as a laser (range 120', #AT 2/round, Dmg 2d8, save vs. wands for 1/2 damage; target treated as AC 10 modified for magic or dexterity only). Other small weapons, such as daggers or hand axes, are also used. In their lair, over 40% of the Chak encountered are armed with lightwand weapons.

Chak spin webs, but only in their residences, not throughout a Chak community. A webbed victim of 18 or greater Strength can break free in one round. For each point of Strength under 18, it takes one additional round to break free of Chak webbing.

Though Chak can shift out of phase as normal phase spiders, entering the Ethereal Plane at will and returning when desired, they consider it very impolite to do so. Besides, the Ether is cold and possibly dangerous, so it is normally used only as a route to other planes, except in emergencies (such as attacks). In addition, items carried by the Chak do not go to the Ethereal Plane with them.

From I11: Needle

Well we can obviously use the Phase Spider's stats as a basis.

We just need to increase Int to 10+ (12?) and include some rules for the 'lightwand'.

Environment and Organization will need changing too.

Include By character class to Advancement?

Alignment: Any?

Give them a Level Adjustment?

Should we alter Ethereal Jaunt to reflect that chaks canot take objects with them?

Borrowing the web entry of monstrous spiders, which we should be able to shorten.

SRD said:

Web (Ex)
Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinners can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the spider. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are given in the table below. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.

Web-spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points given on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.

A monstrous spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

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For a Large spider a web has the following stats the Escape Artist DC is 13, Break DC 17, and has 12 hp.

Regards
Mortis

Ok to kick start this one here are most of the stats

CHAK
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (42 hp)
Initiative: +7? (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative?)
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 5 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+12
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+4 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d6+4 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ethereal jaunt, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills: 24
Feats: 2 (Improved Initiative)

Environment: X
Organization: X
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: X
Alignment: X
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: X



Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A chak can shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move action (or during a move action). The ability is otherwise identical with ethereal jaunt (caster level 15th) except that the chak can take no equipment with him.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d8 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Web (Ex): Chaks can create sheets of sticky webbing (up to X feet square). These webs are almost always spun in the chak's own residence not outside. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become entangled. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 13) or burst it with a Strength check (DC 17). Both are standard actions. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 12 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.
A chak can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

Skills: A chak has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.


Regards
Mortis

These guys are a lot like the planar spiders from the D&D Masters' Set (they later appeared in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium).

GrayLinnorm said:

These guys are a lot like the planar spiders from the D&D Masters' Set (they later appeared in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium).

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Hmmmm!!!!

Regards
Mortis

GrayLinnorm said:

These guys are a lot like the planar spiders from the D&D Masters' Set (they later appeared in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium).

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Interesting. They appear to be the same creatures.

Added to Homebrews.