Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Shade]

Now for the hard part...

Because of its construction, the vault guardian is vulnerable to earth magic. A rock to mud spell inflicts 2d10 points of damage on the creature and stops it from moving for one round, and earthquake or stone shape instantly kills the construct (no saving throw allowed).

OK, for starters, stone shape shouldn't kill it, especially when the lower-level transmute spell only damages it. Earthquake can't target the creature, so that should probably be replaced.

How about we borrow from the stone golem, and maybe add some effect for stone shape? Something like...

Vulnerability to Earth Magic (Ex): Certain spells and effects function differently against a vault guardian, as noted below.

A transmute rock to mud spell slows a vault guardian (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points.

A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round.

A stone shape spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but (halves its natural armor for 1 full round?).

 

[Cleon]

Now for the hard part...

OK, for starters, stone shape shouldn't kill it, especially when the lower-level transmute spell only damages it. Earthquake can't target the creature, so that should probably be replaced.

How about we borrow from the stone golem, and maybe add some effect for stone shape? Something like...

Vulnerability to Earth Magic (Ex): Certain spells and effects function differently against a vault guardian, as noted below.

A transmute rock to mud spell slows a vault guardian (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points.

A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round.

A stone shape spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but (halves its natural armor for 1 full round?).

Well the general impression I get is that these golems are more vulnerable to Earth spells than a standard Stone Golem, so rather than simply copying that golem's spell vulnerabilities how about adding a bit to the effects?

A stone shape spell checks the golem for 1 round and does 1d10 damage (no save)?

A transmute rock to mud spell slows the golem for 2d6 rounds and does 2d10 damage (no save)?

A transmute mud to rock spell heals all of its lost hit points?

A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1d4 rounds (no save).

An earthquake spell does 100 hit points of damage to all vault guardians within its area of effect (no save). [i.e. the spell affects them like structures]

 

[freyar]

You mean checks like in wind? Why not slow for 1 rd? Otherwise, I could go for Cleon's revisions.

 

[Shade]

I like all of Cleon's revisions except earthquake, but I can probably live with it.
Oh, and yeah, I don't like the "checks" bit either.

 

[freyar]

What would you rather do with earthquake?

 

[Shade]

Drop it. But I can live with Cleon's suggestion, since it works with the original intent of the spell.

 

[Cleon]

You mean checks like in wind? Why not slow for 1 rd? Otherwise, I could go for Cleon's revisions.

'Cause it's different, that's why. You know me, anything to get some attention...

Actually, I was trying to find a condition that matches the "stops it from moving" mentioned the original description gave rock to mud and didn't want to use "helpless", which just left me with "checked".

I'd be OK switching stone shape from checked to slowed.

We could add the immobilisation into rock to mud I suppose, something like "A transmute rock to mud spell does 2d10 damage to the vault guardian and immobilizes it for 1 round (rendering it helpless), the vault guardian is then slowed for 2d6 round (no save)." but that seems a bit too much of a penalty to me. I think I'd rather leave it as is.

So, how about this revised list of spell-effects:

A stone shape spell slows the vault guardian for 1 round (as per the slow spell) and does 1d10 damage (no save).

A transmute rock to mud spell slows the vault guardian for 2d6 rounds and does 2d10 damage (no save).

A transmute mud to rock spell heals the vault guardian of all its lost hit points.

A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the vault guardian's structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1d4 rounds (no save).

An earthquake spell does 100 hit points of damage to all vault guardians within its area of effect (no save).

 

[Shade]

The suggested revisions should work.

 

[freyar]

Works for me, too.

Let's make Ghost Strike an Su ability. That makes more sense to me.

Want to do anything with the command word business? I'm thinking something along the lines of a shield guardian's medallion.

During its creation, a vault guardian is given a certain key word that is used to control it. After creating the guardian, the wizard passes on this key word to the guardian’s new owner so she or he may properly control the creature and instruct it to guard a certain place or thing. A guardian’s key word can never be changed.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

The shield guardian bit works for me.