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Converting monsters from Tales From The Infinite Staircase
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 7104191" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p>It's been a while since I read my notes on these and I'd forgotten about all their symbiot powers. That makes them about as complicated to convert as the Slaiyiths and Taker of Life to convert depending on how much of the above we include.</p><p></p><p>The Land Urchin is comparatively straightforward and the Fly Swarm is even simpler.</p><p></p><p>For comparison, here are their stats:</p><p></p><p>F<span style="font-size: 9px">LY SWARM</span> (insect swarm—10d10×5 Insects): AC 8; MV 3, Fl 18 (A); HD 1 hp per 20 insects; THAC0 N/A; #AT 1; Dmg 1; SA all within swarm have their vision reduced to 2d4 feet, and have a 90% chance of suffering 1 point of damage each round; SW Fire or smoke scatters the swarm; SZ T (20 insects per square foot); ML unsteady (6); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 100 if entire swarm is killed.</p><p></p><p>L<span style="font-size: 9px">AND URCHINS</span> (1d2): AC 3; MV 12; HD 3+3; hp 18 each; THAC0 17; #AT 6; Dmg 1d2 (×6) (spines); SA Can fire spines 180 yards (as a light crossbow), poison paralyzes foes for six turns; SZ S (3′ long); ML steady (11); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 420 each.</p><p></p><p>Land Urchins have full AD&D writeups:</p><p></p><p>Here's their 2E AD&D Writeup from the 1989 <em>Monstrous Compendium Volume Two</em>.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Urchin - Land</span></strong></p><p>CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any temperate to tropical land</p><p>FREQUENCY: Rare</p><p>ORGANIZATION: Pair</p><p>ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day</p><p>DIET: Scavenger</p><p>INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)</p><p>TREASURE: See below</p><p>ALIGNMENT: Neutral</p><p>NO. APPEARING: 1-2</p><p>ARMOR CLASS: 3</p><p>MOVEMENT: 12</p><p>HIT DICE: 3+3</p><p>THAC0: 17</p><p>NO. OF ATTACKS: 6</p><p>DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2</p><p>SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below</p><p>SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil</p><p>MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil</p><p>SIZE: S (3′)</p><p>MORALE: Steady (11)</p><p>XP VALUE: 420</p><p></p><p>Urchins are a family of marine creatures that, like oysters, are hunted for the value of the stones found in their bodies.</p><p></p><p>They resemble 3-foot-diameter balls covered with thousands of 3-inch-long, needle-sharp spines. There are several species of urchins, which can be distinguished from each other by their distinctive colors.</p><p></p><p><strong>Combat:</strong> Urchins can fire their spines with the distance and accuracy of light crossbows. An urchin can fire multiple spines per round as listed above under “No. of Attacks.” Urchins have no eyes with which to see their opponents; instead they possess an innate clairvoyance ability. This ability gives all spines fired by urchins a +2 bonus to the attack roll. Damage from an urchin spine varies from species to species and many spines contain paralytic or even lethal poisons. Since urchins are covered with thousands of spines, they have a virtually unlimited supply of ammunition. </p><p></p><p>*SNIP*</p><p></p><p><strong>Land Urchin</strong></p><p>These distant cousins of sea urchins live strictly on land. Land urchins move on five spindly legs. They are shy creatures and only attack if approached within ten feet. Their paralytic poison lasts for six turns. Land urchins have no organ-gem but often (80% chance) form pearls inside their bodies. Old urchins contain 2d6 such pearls, each valued at 1d6 x 100 gold pieces.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>Here's their original writeup from the 1983 <em>Monster Manual II</em>:</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">URCHIN, LAND</span></strong></p><p>FREQUENCY: Rare</p><p>NO. APPEARING: 1-2</p><p>ARMOR CLASS: 3</p><p>MOVE: 12″</p><p>HIT DICE: 3+3</p><p>% IN LAIR: Nil</p><p>TREASURE TYPE: See below</p><p>NO. OF ATTACKS: 2-12</p><p>DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2 + paralysis</p><p>SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysis</p><p>SPECIAL DEFENSES: Smoke cloud</p><p>MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard</p><p>INTELLIGENCE: Animal</p><p>ALIGNMENT: Neutral</p><p>SIZE: S (3′)</p><p>PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil</p><p>Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/nil</p><p>LEVEL/XP VALUE: III/150 + 4/hp</p><p></p><p>A land-dwelling distant cousin of the sea urchin, the land urchin's spine covered body is often mistaken for a bush. The land urchin is a scavenger that consumes virtually anything that is edible. Its small mouth is located on the underside of its body and it has a rasping tongue with which to saw through armor and gather food. It is a shy creature and will attack only if another creature approaches within 1″. It defends itself by shooting 2-12 spines (damage 1-2) per round, and the victim must save vs. poison or be paralyzed for 6 turns. If it must flee, the urchin will release a dark gas cloud with a 10-foot radius to aid in its escape. The land urchin has no visual organs but uses 2 small antennae to detect any movement within 1″. It has no front or back, and its 5 spindly legs can rotate to allow it to move in any direction.</p><p></p><p>Occasionally, a land urchin will eat a bit of material that it cannot digest or eliminate. It will coat the object with a shiny greenish-black substance, forming "pearls" similar to oyster pearls worth 100-600 gp each. Very old urchins may have up to a dozen pearls.</p><p></p><p>So which do you fancy converting?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 7104191, member: 57383"] It's been a while since I read my notes on these and I'd forgotten about all their symbiot powers. That makes them about as complicated to convert as the Slaiyiths and Taker of Life to convert depending on how much of the above we include. The Land Urchin is comparatively straightforward and the Fly Swarm is even simpler. For comparison, here are their stats: F[SIZE=1]LY SWARM[/SIZE] (insect swarm—10d10×5 Insects): AC 8; MV 3, Fl 18 (A); HD 1 hp per 20 insects; THAC0 N/A; #AT 1; Dmg 1; SA all within swarm have their vision reduced to 2d4 feet, and have a 90% chance of suffering 1 point of damage each round; SW Fire or smoke scatters the swarm; SZ T (20 insects per square foot); ML unsteady (6); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 100 if entire swarm is killed. L[SIZE=1]AND URCHINS[/SIZE] (1d2): AC 3; MV 12; HD 3+3; hp 18 each; THAC0 17; #AT 6; Dmg 1d2 (×6) (spines); SA Can fire spines 180 yards (as a light crossbow), poison paralyzes foes for six turns; SZ S (3′ long); ML steady (11); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 420 each. Land Urchins have full AD&D writeups: Here's their 2E AD&D Writeup from the 1989 [I]Monstrous Compendium Volume Two[/I]. [B][SIZE=5]Urchin - Land[/SIZE][/B] CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any temperate to tropical land FREQUENCY: Rare ORGANIZATION: Pair ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day DIET: Scavenger INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1) TREASURE: See below ALIGNMENT: Neutral NO. APPEARING: 1-2 ARMOR CLASS: 3 MOVEMENT: 12 HIT DICE: 3+3 THAC0: 17 NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil SIZE: S (3′) MORALE: Steady (11) XP VALUE: 420 Urchins are a family of marine creatures that, like oysters, are hunted for the value of the stones found in their bodies. They resemble 3-foot-diameter balls covered with thousands of 3-inch-long, needle-sharp spines. There are several species of urchins, which can be distinguished from each other by their distinctive colors. [B]Combat:[/B] Urchins can fire their spines with the distance and accuracy of light crossbows. An urchin can fire multiple spines per round as listed above under “No. of Attacks.” Urchins have no eyes with which to see their opponents; instead they possess an innate clairvoyance ability. This ability gives all spines fired by urchins a +2 bonus to the attack roll. Damage from an urchin spine varies from species to species and many spines contain paralytic or even lethal poisons. Since urchins are covered with thousands of spines, they have a virtually unlimited supply of ammunition. *SNIP* [B]Land Urchin[/B] These distant cousins of sea urchins live strictly on land. Land urchins move on five spindly legs. They are shy creatures and only attack if approached within ten feet. Their paralytic poison lasts for six turns. Land urchins have no organ-gem but often (80% chance) form pearls inside their bodies. Old urchins contain 2d6 such pearls, each valued at 1d6 x 100 gold pieces. * * * Here's their original writeup from the 1983 [I]Monster Manual II[/I]: [B][SIZE=4]URCHIN, LAND[/SIZE][/B] FREQUENCY: Rare NO. APPEARING: 1-2 ARMOR CLASS: 3 MOVE: 12″ HIT DICE: 3+3 % IN LAIR: Nil TREASURE TYPE: See below NO. OF ATTACKS: 2-12 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2 + paralysis SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysis SPECIAL DEFENSES: Smoke cloud MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral SIZE: S (3′) PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/nil LEVEL/XP VALUE: III/150 + 4/hp A land-dwelling distant cousin of the sea urchin, the land urchin's spine covered body is often mistaken for a bush. The land urchin is a scavenger that consumes virtually anything that is edible. Its small mouth is located on the underside of its body and it has a rasping tongue with which to saw through armor and gather food. It is a shy creature and will attack only if another creature approaches within 1″. It defends itself by shooting 2-12 spines (damage 1-2) per round, and the victim must save vs. poison or be paralyzed for 6 turns. If it must flee, the urchin will release a dark gas cloud with a 10-foot radius to aid in its escape. The land urchin has no visual organs but uses 2 small antennae to detect any movement within 1″. It has no front or back, and its 5 spindly legs can rotate to allow it to move in any direction. Occasionally, a land urchin will eat a bit of material that it cannot digest or eliminate. It will coat the object with a shiny greenish-black substance, forming "pearls" similar to oyster pearls worth 100-600 gp each. Very old urchins may have up to a dozen pearls. So which do you fancy converting? [/QUOTE]
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