Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

[Shade]

Jishin Mushi
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 9'13"
HIT DICE: 5 + 4
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tremor
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT Neutral
SIZE: L (8'-10')
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: V/275 + 6/hp

The jishin mushi, or earthquake beetle, is a species of giant beetle. It is scintillating blue-green in color and covered with a hard carapace which hides its small wings. It prowls the temperate forests, looking for meat which forms its main diet. It is particularly attracted to the scent of oxen and sometimes attacks the animals as they work in the farmer's fields.

The jishin mushi attacks with its powerful mandibles, grasping its victims and dragging them back to the security of the trees. Fortunately, a character can easily slip free of these mandibles as they are poorly designed to clamp things. More dangerous are the thrumming tremors these creatures can create in the earth. By striking their abdomens on the ground, the jishin mushi sends out a small tremor, weak at first, but growing in intensity with repeated blows. On the first round, any creature within five feet of the jishin mushi must make a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon or be knocked to the ground. On the second round, this extends to a 10-foot radius. On the third round, the radius is 15 feet and those within five feet of the creature are thrown violently about for 1d6 points of damage and lose the opportunity to make an attack that round. On the fourth round, the radius is 20 feet and those within 10 feet take damage. On the fifth round the radii extend to 25 feet and 15 feet respectively. Cracks in the earth begin to appear within five feet of the creature. On the sixth round the radii are 30 feet and 20 feet. Furthermore the area within 10 feet of the beetle suffers the effects of an earthquake spell. At this point the jishin mushi takes to the air to avoid the consequences of its own deeds.

The ichor of the jishin mushi is greatly prized by incense makers, fetching as much as 2 tael for a flask.

Originally appeared in Oriental Adventures (1985).

Here's the Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix version...

Jishin Mushi
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate forests
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVE TIME: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 9, Fl3 (D)
HIT DICE: 5+4
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tremor
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (8-10' long)
MORALE: Average (8)

The jishin mushi is a giant carnivorous insect. Also known as the earthquake beetle, it is capable of generating tremors of extraordinary magnitude.

The jishin mushi has six legs and a plump body. A tough, bluegreen carapace covers its back, while thick gray plates protect its underside. Its legs are covered with black bristles and end in flat, bony hooks. These hooks are useless as weapons but helpful for digging.

The earthquake beetle’s carapace conceals a pair of wing sheaths. When it takes flight, the beetle raises the sheathes to expose four wings. The two smaller wings near the head help the creature maneuver. The two larger wings behind propel the insect through the air, beating so rapidly they nearly become invisible. When the beetle lands, it withdraws all four wings beneath the sheaths to keep them protected. Two antlerlike feelers extend from the top of the creature’s head. Both are covered with tiny hairs. The feelers are the beetle’s primary sensory organs, providing a powerful sense of smell. With them, a jishin mushi can smell prey up to 100 yards distant. A pair of bulbous black eyes sit atop the beetle’s head, and two strong mandibles curl out from its mouth. The jagged mandibles are well suited for crushing and tearing food, as well as for attacking enemies.

Combat: The jishin mushi is not aggressive by nature, attacking only to defend itself and to kill edible prey. Its powerful mandibles can inflict 2-16 (2d8) hit points of damage per bite. The mandibles also are used to grasp and drag victims back to the privacy of the forest. However, the mandibles are poorly designed to clamp objects, and most grasped victims easily can slip free. For this reason, the jishin mushi will ordinarily continue its attacks until its victim is dead or unconscious before dragging him off to eat.

The creature’s most dangerous weapon is its ability to create tremors in the earth. By striking its abdomen on the ground, the jishin mushi generates a small tremor, which grows in intensity with repeated blows. The effects of these tremors over successive rounds are as follows:
• Round 1: Any creature within 5 feet of the jishin mushi must make a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon or be knocked to the ground.
• Round 2: Any creature within 10 feet must make a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon or be knocked to the ground.
• Round 3: The radius of the tremors extends to 15 feet. Those within 5 feet of the creature are thrown violently about, suffering 1-6 hit points of damage and losing the opportunity to make an attack that round.
• Round 4: The radius extends to 20 feet. Those within 10 feet suffer 1-6 points of damage and lose the opportunity to attack.
• Round 5: The radius extends to 25 feet. Those within 15 feet suffer 1-6 points of damage and lose the opportunity to attack. Cracks in the earth begin to appear within 5 feet of the creature.
• Round 6: The radius extends to 30 feet. Those within 20 feet suffer 1-6 points of damage and lose the opportunity to attack. The area within 10 feet of the creature suffers the effects of an earthquake spell. At this point, the jishin mushi must take to the air to avoid the consequences of its own deeds.

Habitat/Society: Jishin mushi establish lairs in the deep woods, beneath piles of decaying vegetation, in crevasses, or–in especially large forests–in the trunks of rotting trees that have fallen to the ground. Occasionally, the beetles will burrow tunnels if the earth is soft enough. In any case, a jishin mushi’s lair is only temporary. The creature spends all waking hours prowling the forests in search of food. After a strenuous night of hunting, it rests in the nearest suitable lair.

Ecology: A jishin mushi eats all types of meat. It is particularly fond of oxen and sometimes attacks these animals as they work in a farmer’s fields.

The ichor of the jishin mushi is greatly prized by incense makers, fetching as much as 2 tael for a flask. Certain primitive tribes consider larval jishin mushi a delicacy.

 

[GrayLinnorm]

Vermin or magical beast?

 

[Shade]

My vote's for magical beast.

 

[GrayLinnorm]

The jishin mushi is not to be confused with the earthquake beetle of Mystara. Has that been converted yet?

 

[Shade]

Not officially, but Echohawk's index shows a conversion here:
Earthquake Beetle

 

[freyar]

I'm a bit torn between vermin and magical beast. It all really comes down to whether the "thrumming" should be Su or Ex. I get the feeling it needs "magical powering," so I guess I'd go with magical beast also.

 

[Shade]

The animal intelligence also lends support to magical beast. Let's go that route, so we can give it feats.

For ability scores, here are the most similar creatures:
Giant Stag Beetle: Str 23, Dex 10, Con 17, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 9
Knell Beetle: Str 26, Dex 10, Con 23, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 11

In fact, the knell beetle may be loosely based upon this creature. Check out this ability...

Shake the Earth (Ex): A knell beetle can channel some of the sonic energy within its body by performing a rhythmic stomping on the ground as a standard action. Any creature within 5 feet of a knell beetle when it activates this ability must make a DC 24 Reflex save or fall prone as the ground lurches and buckles beneath it. Knell beetles are immune to shake the earth generated by themselves or other knell beetles and never need to save against the effect.

If multiple knell beetles activate their shake the earth ability in the same round, the radius of the effect expands as the resonance in the ground combines. For every knell beetle within 5 feet using shake the earth, the radius of the effect expands by another 5 feet. Thus, two knell beetles within 5 feet of one another generate a shaking that affects all creatures within 10 feet of either knell beetle. Three knell beetles within 5 feet using the ability would generate an effect that affects all creatures within 15 feet of any one of the knell beetles.

Creatures with stability or that are considered stable against trip attempts receive a bonus on their Reflex save as if they were being tripped (so a dwarf would receive the +4 bonus on the save to resist being knocked prone). The save DC is Strength-based.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with Str 26, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 9.

You know, that knell beetle ability is probably better balanced for a 5HD critter than something that can potentially create an earthquake spell effect.

 

[Cleon]

I'd definitely go for Magical Beast.

Let's go with Str 26, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 9.

Hmm, the original has a +4 add to its HD suggesting a superior Constitution, so I'd go for Con 19. The rest of the stats suit me fine.

You know, that knell beetle ability is probably better balanced for a 5HD critter than something that can potentially create an earthquake spell effect.

I like the Knell Beetle's Shake the Earth too, but would like the Jishin Musho's version to do some damage as well.

Maybe 1d6 sonic damage based on the original description.

Possibly 2d6 against structures built on the ground?

Perhaps more sonic damage for bigger / more numerous beetles?

 

[freyar]

Yes, and maybe ramp up the damage a little as time goes on. But I think earthquake is too much.