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Converting Forgotten Realms monsters
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
- Status
Shade
Monster Junkie
Now for the first of two related creatures...
Bi-Nou, Rockworm
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: Special (eggs)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 2
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVEMENT: 9
HIT DICE: 7
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d12/1d12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: M (5’-7’ long)
MORALE: Champion (15)
LEVEL/XP VALUE: 2,000
Closely related to bi-nou, rockworms appear as stone snakes with arms. They move along the ground like reptiles. Rockworms are not capable of upright stance. They travel like ungainly snakes along cavern floors, using their jagged arms to help propel themselves. Sages speculate that rockworms are the predecessors of standard bi-nou, magically-created beings with which their maker or makers were not satisfied. (This is not true, however. Rockworms and bi-nou were created simultaneously from different experiments.)
Rockworms are malicious, seeming to hate all creatures that walk rather than crawl. Their attacking small groups of standard bi-nou to vie for cavern territory or to claim food killed by their upright kin is not unheard of. Like bi-nou, the rockworms particularly hunt out humans and demihumans as thieves of their eggs.
Unlike the bi-nou, rockworms do not attempt to hide in their surroundings-they lumber to the attack as soon as they see a potential meal. Rockworms do not fear alerting their prey to their presence. The segmented creatures know their thick skin is impervious to most attacks and believe they can eventually overtake most quarries.
Like standard bi-nou, rockworms lay valuable eggs. However, unlike their kin, they warm their own eggs, leaving them only for short times to catch nearby food. In this respect they act as parents, while bi-nou in a clan are assigned to egg-warming duty and never know which young are their own. Dwarves are more careful when hunting rockworms. Although the stone snakes are less intelligent, they can be more deadly.
Originally appeared in Ruins of Undermountain II: The Deep Levels (1994).
Bi-Nou, Rockworm
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: Special (eggs)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 2
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVEMENT: 9
HIT DICE: 7
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d12/1d12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: M (5’-7’ long)
MORALE: Champion (15)
LEVEL/XP VALUE: 2,000
Closely related to bi-nou, rockworms appear as stone snakes with arms. They move along the ground like reptiles. Rockworms are not capable of upright stance. They travel like ungainly snakes along cavern floors, using their jagged arms to help propel themselves. Sages speculate that rockworms are the predecessors of standard bi-nou, magically-created beings with which their maker or makers were not satisfied. (This is not true, however. Rockworms and bi-nou were created simultaneously from different experiments.)
Rockworms are malicious, seeming to hate all creatures that walk rather than crawl. Their attacking small groups of standard bi-nou to vie for cavern territory or to claim food killed by their upright kin is not unheard of. Like bi-nou, the rockworms particularly hunt out humans and demihumans as thieves of their eggs.
Unlike the bi-nou, rockworms do not attempt to hide in their surroundings-they lumber to the attack as soon as they see a potential meal. Rockworms do not fear alerting their prey to their presence. The segmented creatures know their thick skin is impervious to most attacks and believe they can eventually overtake most quarries.
Like standard bi-nou, rockworms lay valuable eggs. However, unlike their kin, they warm their own eggs, leaving them only for short times to catch nearby food. In this respect they act as parents, while bi-nou in a clan are assigned to egg-warming duty and never know which young are their own. Dwarves are more careful when hunting rockworms. Although the stone snakes are less intelligent, they can be more deadly.
Originally appeared in Ruins of Undermountain II: The Deep Levels (1994).
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
I would say the bi-nou is CR 4. It's got the same hp as a gargoyle, but a higher AC. Less attacks and no DR, but SR, SLAs and grappling.
Cleon
Legend
I'd suggest changing the Treasure to "Treasure: 50% coins; standard goods (gems and metallic goods only); standard items (crystalline and metallic items only)", so it can have items made of non-metallic but tough materials, such as stone or crystal.
Plus, I'm not keen on Always Chaotic Evil. I'd rather they be Usually CE, like Ropers.
Apart from those quibbles it looks fine.
Cleon
Legend
Good points, I'll agree CR4 would suit them.
Cleon
Legend
Makes sense.
Increase natural armour to +10.
Halve Intelligence to Int 6.
Perhaps increase the Strength, as they do more damage - Str 19? - although we could just increase the damage dice.
Drop the Climb and Hide skills, leaving only the Move Silently?
Drop the Constrict, Improved Grab, Telepathy and Spell-Like Abilities?
I like leaving them the Bi-Nou's Dig SA, since it seems appropriate.
Cleon
Legend
OK, I'll apply those changes to the Bi-Nou's stats to see what that gets us.
Shall we give the Rockworm CR4 or 3?
It lacks most of the Bi-Nou's supernatural abilities, but is a bit tougher, I guess CR3 will do.
EDIT: I changed its organization to solitary or pair, and its Treasure to goods (special - see below), since its eggs appear to be its only valuables.
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