Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[demiurge1138]

In other news, I like the idea of them automatically casting defensively. These guys are powerful enough that we might want to go with DR 10/bludgeoning and lawful.

Give them cold vulnerability? I'm not really sure if they have the fire subtype...

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews. (500th monster for that thread!)

 

[freyar]

I'll second DR 10.

demiurge, these things are actually somewhat resistant to cold (both with what Shade has and in the orginal text). Resistance to cold 10 is probably the right amount, though I could see an argument for 5 based on the fact that they're fiery.

The spell resistance line needs to say "burnbones" instead of "dark lord."

SLAs: should we just say that a burnbones prepares spells or gains spell slots as its divine caster class, but those spells are automatically converted to SLAs? Does that mean metamagic feats cannot apply?

Also, in the prereqs line, let's make it ability to cast 6th level divine spells or else divine caster level 12 (rather than divine spellcaster of 12th level, which feels slightly vague to me -- what about cleric 1/fighter 11, right?).

 

[demiurge1138]

Spells automatically convert to SLAs works for me, and I think the lack of metamagic is a good balance... although it could always take meta-SLA feats.

 

[freyar]

What bothers me is that these, as clerics, might have taken metamagic feats "before" becoming burnboneses.

 

[Shade]

I'm torn on how to handle the SLAs.

On the one hand, we could simply "lock them in", selecting a number based upon the cleric level at the time the template is acquired (and allowing for adding additionals if further cleric levels are taken).

On the other hand, I could see keeping the current divine spellcasting, and stating that the daily spells selected are then treated as 1/day SLAs. We could always state that they can be modified by Metamagic feats, prior to the "conversion" to SLAs.

A third option would be keeping the current divine spellcasting, and just stating that none of the spells require verbal, somatic, or material components. That would allow for the use of Metamagic feats.

 

[demiurge1138]

...Hm.

Let's take the third option.

 

[freyar]

...Hm.

Let's take the third option.

The second and third are almost the same (except for spontaneous inflicting for clerics, I guess). I'm agreed with the third also.

 

[Shade]

Like so?

Spells: A burnbones continues to prepare and cast divine spells as it did in life. However, as a gift from its dark deity, none of its spells require verbal, somatic, or material components.

A burnbones may attack with one hand and cast a spell with another simultaneously.

How's this?

Battle Casting (Ex?): When making an attack or full attack, a burnbones may cast one spell each round as a swift action. It may not use this ability in tandem with casting another spell.

 

[freyar]

Excellent, I missed that one! Free quickening, almost. Ex seems right, too, unless we also want to make this a gift from the dark deity.