Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Shade has the special moderator-level counterspelling ability. You know that's beyond epic, right?

Put the ranks into Tumble? That seems spidery. I think we have to put Ability Focus (death throes) in there, unless we're giving that ability a racial bonus.

Yeah, AF seems mandatory (barring a racial bonus to the DC). Tumble sounds good to me.

 

[Cleon]

Shade has the special moderator-level counterspelling ability. You know that's beyond epic, right?

All DMs are beyond epic in their own multiverses, you know. It's at the borders that the problems start...

Put the ranks into Tumble? That seems spidery. I think we have to put Ability Focus (death throes) in there, unless we're giving that ability a racial bonus.

I'm preferring a racial bonus for Death Throes to Ability Focus.

I'd like some points in Move Silently and Spot, like the SRD Phase Spider, but agree some points in Tumble would be appropriate (and useful).

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Since we aren't using Ability Focus, what shall we give it for the feat? Stealthy? Dodge?

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

I'd give its Explosive Death Throes a higher racial bonus than +2.

A delayed blast fireball is a 7th level spell, so would have a DC of 20+. (spell level plus bonus from 17+ controlling stat).

Maybe give it something inbetween, like a +4 or +6 racial bonus?

Since we aren't using Ability Focus, what shall we give it for the feat? Stealthy? Dodge?

I'm not entirely against Ability Focus if you can't think of anything more interesting for it.

Of your two suggestions, I prefer Dodge. Or Ability Focus (death throes) plus a +4 racial bonus?

 

[freyar]

Give it a +6 racial bonus and Dodge, if you ask me.

 

[Cleon]

Give it a +6 racial bonus and Dodge, if you ask me.

Fine by me!

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Environment: Any temperate or warm land and underground?

Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or swarm (6–11)?

Challenge Rating: x

Advancement: x

A typical doomspider is 2-1/2 feet in diameter, 3 inches tall, and weighs x pounds.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Environment: Any temperate or warm land and underground?

Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or swarm (6–11)?

Challenge Rating: x

Advancement: x

A typical doomspider is 2-1/2 feet in diameter, 3 inches tall, and weighs x pounds.

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Environment: Any temperate or warm land and underground?

Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or swarm (6–11)?

Challenge Rating: x

Advancement: x

A typical doomspider is 2-1/2 feet in diameter, 3 inches tall, and weighs x pounds.

I prefer Solitary for the organization.

We were talking about Advancing it to Large or Huge, if I remember correctly, which suggests something like:

Advancement #1: Small (2-3 HD); Medium (4-7 HD); Large (8-12 HD)

Advancement #2: Small (2-3 HD); Medium (4-7 HD); Large (8-15 HD); Huge (16-20 HD)

Challenge Rating is a bit tricky. It's effectively a "living fireball trap" and an 8d6 damage fireball trap is CR 5 according to the SRD. That feels too high, so I'd prefer CR 4 or so.

 

[Shade]

I prefer Solitary for the organization.

That might work for "in the wild", but doesn't suffice since it's usually found on Xakhun vessels or in the presence of its mistress.

The usual complement for a Xan Kraban is as follows: one doomspider (the captain’s “pet”), one spider rigger (for maintaining and repairing a ship’s rigging), and either 1d6+4 drop spiders or 1d4+1 leaping sword spiders.

How about: Solitary or Xan Kraban (1 plus 1 rigger and 2-10 drop spiders or 2-5 leaping sword spiders)

We were talking about Advancing it to Large or Huge, if I remember correctly, which suggests something like:

Advancement #1: Small (2-3 HD); Medium (4-7 HD); Large (8-12 HD)

Advancement #2: Small (2-3 HD); Medium (4-7 HD); Large (8-15 HD); Huge (16-20 HD)

I prefer #2, because I'm wicked.

Challenge Rating is a bit tricky. It's effectively a "living fireball trap" and an 8d6 damage fireball trap is CR 5 according to the SRD. That feels too high, so I'd prefer CR 4 or so.

Yeah, they're awfully squishy. Against an archer, they're less than CR 1. Maybe split the differnce between that and the fireball trap and go CR 3?