Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

[Cleon]

Ummmm, Undercommon for the last language? Some other human language would make sense, but that's not exactly an option. Infernal could work, too.

Either of those would work fine. Heck, why not just give it both - then we won't have to decide!

The general can speak Common, Draconic, Infernal and Undercommon.

Yeah, I just meant to ask if you're happy just copying, pasting, and modifying from one of the others.

Well if that's what you meant you should have said it.

How's this:

Special Weakness - Sword Rest (Ex): Each of the seven swords have a different special weakness. The General's is that its existence is tied to a sword rest that's used to store the crimson katana when the General is not carrying it. This sword rest is made of red-lacquered wood and has AC X, hardness Y, break DC Z, and weighs W lbs. Any damage done to the sword rest is also inflicted upon the General. Should the General be destroyed, the sword rest is also destroyed.

 

[freyar]

Languages are fine.

OK, wood is usually hardness 5, but maybe we can go to hardness Y=6 to account for the lacquer. I'd go with 10 or 15 hp, too. AC should be X=4 if we assume it's a Small object. The break DC could be as low as 13 (like a simple wooden door), but I'd probably go with 15 to 17. Weight, ummm, 20 lb?

 

[Cleon]

Languages are fine.

OK, wood is usually hardness 5, but maybe we can go to hardness Y=6 to account for the lacquer. I'd go with 10 or 15 hp, too. AC should be X=4 if we assume it's a Small object. The break DC could be as low as 13 (like a simple wooden door), but I'd probably go with 15 to 17. Weight, ummm, 20 lb?

The sword rest should have the same hit points as the General. That's how our other "Weakness" items worked.

I'd certainly make the Break DC higher than a simple wooden door. It is a "fatal weakness" item after all.

 

[freyar]

Oh, right, forgot about that. hp=General's hp.

Want to set the break DC to 20 or 22? That's moderately tough for a fighter of the appropriate level.

 

[Cleon]

Oh, right, forgot about that. hp=General's hp.

Want to set the break DC to 20 or 22? That's moderately tough for a fighter of the appropriate level.

That seems way too low to me. We made the Veiled Maiden's veils Break DC 22 and they're not even a fatal weakness.

What other objects could we compare it to. I guess it's kind-of-like a Lich's phylactery, which is Break DC 40. That feels too high though.

Let's see, a Lich's phylactery is made of Iron and an Iron Door is normally Break DC 28, so the Phylactery is +12 DC higher.

If we presume the sword-stand is equivalent to a good wooden door (Break DC 16/18) or a strong wooden door (DC 23/25), then applying the same +12 would make it DC 28-37.

So maybe DC 30? That'd require a creature with fire giant strength (Str 30) or an exceptionally strong human (Str 22) with a couple of other creatures using Aid Another to have a chance of breaking it.

That means its easier just inflicting damage by attacking the sword rest, which I think is a desirable feature. The original adventure just had the Weakness items transmitting damage and there was no mention of them being breakable by "bend bars" checks or the like.

We could make it vulnerable to Slashing and/or Fire damage if you want to make the General a bit easier to destroy by wailing on its sword rest.

 

[freyar]

DC 30 is ok. I wouldn't mind vulnerability to fire, but I'm not sure I'd go that far, I guess.

 

[Cleon]

DC 30 is ok.

Updating The General Working Draft.

Just out of curiosity, I checked out the SRD rules on Aid Another and it makes no mention of Ability checks. It describes it applying to attack rolls, AC, saves and skills.

You've got to check the Ability Checks entry of Using Skills and use a bit of deductive reasoning. "An ability check is a roll of 1d20 plus the appropriate ability modifier. Essentially, you’re making an untrained skill check." So you can apply Aid Another to a Strength check because it's "essentially" a Skill Check.

That a relief. I vaguely remember the Aiding an Ability Check rule being buried somewhere, but had forgotten the details.

I wouldn't mind vulnerability to fire, but I'm not sure I'd go that far, I guess.

I don't much mind either way.

I'll leave it up to you. Would you like me to slap vulnerability to fire on it?

 

[Cleon]

Oh by the way, I set the weight to 5 pounds.

Sword stands aren't that big or heavy, so 20 pounds would be way too high.

I weighed a small folding wooden table I had to hand and it was around 5 pounds. It was a bit bigger than some sword stands I've seen in movies (since they are often short things so a swordsman can sit cross-legged on the floor and pick up a sword from its rest).

Checking amazon for sword stands, most of them had shipping weights of about 2 pounds, the heaviest was 10 pounds, but this one was 5 pounds.

So 5 pounds seems possible for a particularly large and sturdy double-rest wooden sword stand.

I'd be OK with 2 pounds if you prefer a more typical weight.

 

[freyar]

Ehh, 5 lb is ok. This one is pretty sturdy.

I couldn't find quickly in the SRD if wood is normally vulnerable to fire, but I'm going to say that the sword stand is obviously magically treated and therefore not vulnerable.

 

[Cleon]

Ehh, 5 lb is ok. This one is pretty sturdy.

So we're agreed!

I couldn't find quickly in the SRD if wood is normally vulnerable to fire, but I'm going to say that the sword stand is obviously magically treated and therefore not vulnerable.

It's not standard RAW for wooden objects to have vulnerability to fire, so I'm fine leaving it out.