Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[LegacyKing]

Cool, just wanted to make sure the movement figure had been accounted for and I wasn't missing something. Speedy little devils!

Yeah, I would love a copy of the LA adjustment factors, that thing does help.

Scary High Level Kercpa... Agreed.

*ADDED: Low level though the three arrows only do 1 pt of damage per arrow, which granted could take down a goblin or orc in a round or two...

DC:20 seems right, those orcs and other have about a 1 in 20 being an untrained observer.*

I think the LA should be +2 though. Looking at the LA+1 for three or more racial bonuses on skill checks isn't that redundant because they gain the Racial Climb bonus from the fact they have a Climb movement? Or is that because of a circumstantial bonus when in the Forest (Hide & Move Silent). We are already tacking on LA+1 for the Climb Speed. (Is that any climb speed or higher than 30?)

Wow, just about finished. Thanks Boz and Shade.

 

[Shade]

I think the LA should be +2 though. Looking at the LA+1 for three or more racial bonuses on skill checks isn't that redundant because they gain the Racial Climb bonus from the fact they have a Climb movement? Or is that because of a circumstantial bonus when in the Forest (Hide & Move Silent). We are already tacking on LA+1 for the Climb Speed. (Is that any climb speed or higher than 30?)

Wow, just about finished. Thanks Boz and Shade.

According to the Savage Species method, just having a climb speed is an instant +1. I figured the 3 or more bonuses to be Listen, Spot, and the situational bonus in their favored environment. I wouldn't recommend going any lower than +3, because that arrow swarm is very potent.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[LegacyKing]

No, thank you. You're the ones doing the hard part, I'm just the armchair quarterback.

I'm just looking to learn how to convert in case anything else I find in the old books looks interesting.

 

[Shade]

Converting is largely practice and having the right resources. Some good sources of conversion information are the Monster Manual, the old 2E to 3E conversion guide from WOTC, the 3.5 conversion guide, Savage Species, and these forums.

Keep the feedback coming...it keeps us honest.

 

[BOZ]

agreed!

 

[LegacyKing]

Hey no problem, I appreciate the timely responses I am getting today.

Shade: That arrow swarm is a nifty ability and I agree it should warrant a CR of 1, but the ability to cause 3 hp of damage in one round isn't really all that big, at least in the grand scheme of things. Give that ability to a 1st level human fighter and then we'd see some serious damage, 3d8 or so... Or heavy Xbow 3d10. But a Kercpa would need some serious magic boost to make the Arrow Swarm more significant. That is why I think the LA+2 is a better deal. Especially at the trade offs.

Size makes their physical attacks null, they get no AoO and provoke one if they engage in meele, their damage is low and their movement is the same as a small creature, so LA-1 sounds good;
They get to climb, ok LA+1 (Does that also apply to creatures able to fly?)
They have those Racial skills that make them harder to be found and operate better in their home turf LA+1, compared to an Elf (no LA at all) who have three Racial Skills and have immunity to magic sleep and a +2 bonus against enchantment school spells, well I find the comparison very telling. So I'd drop the LA+1 for that, since a standard elf is LA+0 for the racial skills, not to mention the fact they have some innate resistance.
Kercpa get a +2 save bonus which compared to the elf or a halfling or dwarf isn't bad at all.
LA+1 for Unbalanced Ability Scores, Yes, I agree that seems very appropriate.
LA+1 for Natural Armor? Wow, 1 whole point... Kercpa should be avoiding battle, so does that really matter? Ok, ok they can get the Natural Armor feat to increase it by one, I cannot see a Kercpa wearing armor.

Now, if we have a Kercpa Rogue then, maybe then I might agree that the Arrow Swarm could be huge. Sneak Attack 1+1d6 or 1+2d6, those three extra attacks would cool, but a human rogue could get the same feat and still do more damage. So again a moot point. Kercpa are more guerilla tactics, combat commandos.

LA+3 range are Gnome, svirfneblin; Kuo-toa; natural Lycanthrope.
LA+2 range are Drow, Centaur, Githyanki, Githzerai, Ogre, Minotaur, Trolodyte, Afflicted Lycanthrope.

So, what makes the Kercpa equal to a Natural Lycanthrope and better than a drow?

Sorry got into a kinda rant mode, but I feel better now. As Boz said, we don't need to follow the guidelines religiously.
All: Should the Kercpa get auto prof. with the weapons listed? ie. Long Sword, Spear & Long Bow.

Obviously those that become Fighters, Warriors and Rangers would get the Martial Feat Automatically, but what about Clerics, Druids & the Shamans?

Arrow Swarm sounds like bows, not a crossbow... But I re-wrote this cause I re-read it and it did say any ranged attack. Just can't see Kercpa toting a crossbow...

I only ask cause the Kercpa I have in my game is the party cleric. He's more effective with spells than physical combat. Ping! Ouch 1 hp of damage! vs. Knifespray 1d6+4...

Thanks guys.

 

[Shade]

Technically, they work out to be a +4 LA, so I already cut them some slack.

I think you hit the nail on the head for arrow swarm, in that its real effectiveness lies not in straight damage, but sneak attacks, delivering energy burst arrow enhancements, and so forth. Anything that grants extra attack is especially deadly.

The drow have great spell resistance and superior darkvision. Past that, they aren't any more impressive than a +0 race.

Lycanthropes should, by their own rules, have a higher LA than +3. Damage reduction, natural armor, really unbalanced ability scores, and extra feats should bump them up much higher. A better comparison for +3 in this case would be the grig. The grig doesn't appear any more powerful than the kercpa, does it?

Monstrous humanoids are proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in their entries, so it would gain auto proficiency with longsword, longbow, and spear.

Another thought: Should kercpa be allowed to enter the arcane archer class, due to their affinity with elves? The reason I say that is this passage from Races of Faerun:

"Prestige Classes: Centaurs can become arcane archers, members of a prestige class normally reserved for elves and half-elves. They do not have any special prestige classes of their own."

It would seem that kercpa spend far more time fighting with elves than centaurs, and it would add a nice bit of flavor to them.

 

[BOZ]

Another thought: Should kercpa be allowed to enter the arcane archer class, due to their affinity with elves? The reason I say that is this passage from Races of Faerun:

"Prestige Classes: Centaurs can become arcane archers, members of a prestige class normally reserved for elves and half-elves. They do not have any special prestige classes of their own."

It would seem that kercpa spend far more time fighting with elves than centaurs, and it would add a nice bit of flavor to them.

that might be a pretty cool idea.

 

[LegacyKing]

Ok, I just took a glance at the Grig and I was blown away. In a head-to-head combat the grig wins. No challenge, period.

Grig has: Damage Reduction 5/cold iron (I'm a tough bugger); Spell Resistance 17 (I'm resistant to your spells); Spell like abilities cast at 9th level (I'm good with me spells) with the DC being charisma (+1 DC) - Those spells are Disguise Self, Entangle, Invisibilty, Pyrotechnics & Ventriloquism. All can be used 3/day. Add the Fiddle (Su) with Otto's irresistible dance for a duration as long as the fiddler plays (Oh I feel an all nighter coming boys!)... +8 Racial bonus to jump; in the forest a +5 to Move Silently. Hide is also 16 naturally (I hide better than that overgrown squirrel).
They also begin with one bonus feat and standard feat.
Comparitively the Stats are the same as being unbalanced. I can understand the LA+3

Kercpa has: Arrow Swarm (Gain ability to add additional two shots with all three at -5 to hit); Camouflage (I can Hide anywhere natural) , Sylvan Bond (+1 to hit when adjacent to elf)
Same two feat set-up (1 bonus and one normal)

Now please, tell me how a Kercpa even compares to the grig except for being the same size...

The Arrow Swarm can be deadly in anybodies hands. I'm assuming that the description mean arrow swarm only requires that you first have PSB and it's open to anyone, correct? So I take a 1st level human rogue and those same feats are available, or an Elf Fighter. So again, that Arrow Swarm is handy but not exclusive. The write-up also indicates Kercpa prefer peaceful means over combat (Shucks, they let evil creatures wander around the area without molestation, UNLESS they are causing mischief).
So, the LA seems a bit overblown. All the abilities I see give them a better ability to hide and ensure they can drive off their enemies. The Sylvan bond bestows a +1 when Adjacent, which means el Kercpa needs to get near an elf (Essentially a free bless spell).

Grig - Spell Resistance & spells as 9th level makes it the same as a drow. Add the Damage Reduction and now we have LA+3

Kercpa - "I can hide and shoot my bow three times"

Arcane Archer - Sounds awesome, good idea Shade!

 

[Shade]

Ok, maybe the grig wasn't such a good example.

You are obviously passionate about the +2, and since I've never met anyone so passionate about an LA before, I'm tempted to give in. If BOZ is OK with the +2, I can live with it.