Converting Creatures from Other Campaign Settings

[freyar]

I might list a daylight spell there with the continual flame, but that looks really good! I'm glad you remembered the amber lotus. The only other change I'd make is to alter the last sentence to:

"While shimmerweed is not directly dangerous, creatures confused by a shimmerweed's defensive lightshow may be attacked by any dangerous creatures that live nearby."

 

[Cleon]

I might list a daylight spell there with the continual flame, but that looks really good! I'm glad you remembered the amber lotus.

What, you mean "such as a continual flame or daylight spell cast on the square occupied by the plant"?

I don't like that much, I'd rather have a daylight affect a wide area - especially as it's supposed to be sensitive to daylight.

Something like "If shimmerweed with open flowers is suddenly exposed to intense light such as a daylight spell (or a continual flame spell in the same square as the plant)"

The only other change I'd make is to alter the last sentence to:

"While shimmerweed is not directly dangerous, creatures confused by a shimmerweed's defensive lightshow may be attacked by any dangerous creatures that live nearby."

No objections to that.

Revising...


Shimmerweed (CR 1)
Shimmerweeds are magical wildflowers found in temperate woods and plains. This beautiful plant resemble a dandelion gone to seed that has been spun from fine glass. Shimmerweed grows in small patches which occupy a single 5-ft square. The plants are too small for the square to count as difficult terrain. All the shimmerweed plants in a patch are connected to each other through their roots.

Shimmerweed feeds on moonlight. It cannot tolerate bright sunlight on its delicate petals, which overloads its magical ability to feed on light, so only opens its dandelion-like flowerhead at night. The flowerhead catches the moonlight and refracts it into a dazzling spray of colors. This lightshow can cause confusion (as the spell) in any creature within a 15 ft. radius of the patch (DC 16 Will save to resist, duration 2d6 rounds). The confusion is a mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effect. Shimmerweed is completely harmless during the day and on moonless nights.

A patch of shimmerweed plants is easy to destroy (AC 10, 2 hit points), but will regrow within a month unless its roots are killed. If shimmerweed with open flowers is suddenly exposed to intense light such as a daylight spell (or a continual flame spell in the same square as the plant), the entire patch shatters into dust and is permanently destroyed.

While shimmerweed is not directly dangerous, creatures confused by a shimmerweed's defensive lightshow may be attacked by any dangerous creatures that live nearby.

 

[Shade]

The latest revision looks good.

 

[Cleon]

The latest revision looks good.

Shall we go back to the Kender Vampire, then?

 

[Shade]

Shall we go back to the Kender Vampire, then?

Sure! Where were we?

 

[Cleon]

Sure! Where were we?

Here's the Working Draft.
We've got to figure out their Insanity Howl and Paralyzing Drain special attacks, Poltergeist Form, and flesh out their Weaknesses.

 

[Shade]

The kender vampire has the ability to throw back its head once per hour and release a hideous laugh. Those within 20 yards of the vampire when it cackles must save versus spells or be affected as if they had looked upon a symbol of insanity. Those under the influence of a remove fear or similar spell are immune to this attack.

Howl of Madness (Su): Once per hour, a kender vampire can unleash a hideous cackling. Anyone within 60 feet who can hear the vampire must succeed on a DC X Will save or become insane (as the insanity spell). This is a sonic, mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

(Since insanity is simply permanent confusion, we could limit the duration and just make it as the confusion spell, if this seems too powerful).

 

[freyar]

Insanity does seem a bit powerful for a 4HD critter. I think I'd vote for confusion.

Anyone struck by the claws of the kender vampire feels far more than the pain of a physical wound. Their attacks reach beyond the mortal body of their victim and strike directly into his spirit. The shock and pain caused by this attack is great, requiring the victim to make a saving throw vs. paralysis or be unable to act on the next combat round. Whether or not they make their saving throw, they suffer a loss of 1 point each from their Intelligence and Wisdom scores. Those kender who die from the spirit-rending attack of the kender vampire are in no danger of becoming vampires themselves, however, for these foul creatures are the product of dark sciences and magical experimentation that can only be duplicated with the direct intervention of Lord Soth of Sithicus.

Not sure this is quite paralysis, looks more like dazing.

"Dazing Drain" (Su or Ex?): A creature hit by a kender vampire's claw attack must make a DC X Fortitude save or be dazed for 1 round and take 1 point each of Int and Wis damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.

I could easily go for a Will save instead, since it's resisting "pain," which could be mental rather than physical (given the effects, especially).

 

[Cleon]

Howl of Madness (Su): Once per hour, a kender vampire can unleash a hideous cackling. Anyone within 60 feet who can hear the vampire must succeed on a DC X Will save or become insane (as the insanity spell). This is a sonic, mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

(Since insanity is simply permanent confusion, we could limit the duration and just make it as the confusion spell, if this seems too powerful).

Well permanent confusion is pretty nasty, but it does say that's what the effect does.

We could have it do confusion for a duration plus some Wisdom damage, and if the damage brings the victim down to Wis 0 they go permanently mad?

Alternatively, we could have two saves - an initial save for X rounds of confusion, then a second save for permanent confusion.

Hmm, actually I'd like to combine the two - Will save or take primary damage of X rounds of confusion (and possibly Wis damage), if primary save fails then 1 minute later make a secondary Will save or take another X confusion plus Y Wis damage. Wisdom of 0 => permanent madness.

 

[freyar]

I guess it comes down to whether you like low-CR monsters to have really nasty effects, a la the cockatrice. There was a definite move away from that in 3.X. I could see confusion plus Wis damage, Wis 0 leading to insanity, but I don't want to do too many different saves. Well, if you both like, I can go along with straight insanity.