Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Shade]

How does this look?

Change Size (Su): As a standard action, a helion can magically twist its body in an extraordinary range of motion, allowing it to effectively change size. This works just like a enlarge person or reduce person spell (the helion chooses when using the ability), except that the ability can work on the helion and allows it to change from Tiny to Huge size.

I figured it should be Su (or even Ex) rather than spell-like, since it comes from twisting its body, not through magic.

Transmute rock to lava is a bit too powerful for these guys. For earth to fire, how about this?

Earth to Fire (Sp): Three times per day, a helion may transform x 10-foot-cubes of earth into elemental fire of equal size. Creatures hitting touching the fire take fire damage as though hit by the burn ability of a fire elemental of equivalent size, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a DC X Reflex save. This is the equivalent of an Xth-level spell.

Creatures of the earth subtype must succeed on a DC X Reflex save or take x points of fire damage. Earth elementals that fail their saves are transformed into a fire elemental of the same size for x rounds.

 

[Big Mac]

I've just chased my tail over this monster. At first I thought the Helion might be related to the Helian from Spelljammer (and later Planescape), but they are very different. (Although I only found that out after digging out SJR2 Realmspace.) Maybe the Helian was a reboot of this monster.

This looks like a fun monster. I'll have to have a think about it and see if I can come up with any useful ideas.

 

[Big Mac]

I like Imp Grab and Constrict with the option to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty (would constrict take a penalty to the grapple check if you tried to do nonlethal?).

I might have missed the answer to this but if this monster should this monster gain Improved Unarmed Strike?

That would seem to fit in with the spirit of the words: "It can squeeze its captured foe for 2d8 points of damage per round, but it rarely tries to damage opponents this way, preferring to negotiate peaceful terms."

If it grabs people without burning them, and then surrounds them, but tries not to squash them, I'd say it would be logical for it to try to knock opponents out unless it really needed to kill them.

I've got a question about this creature. It forms a ring around its opponent as part of its attack form. So are you going to:

a) Make it roll an attack roll to be able to surround people or,
b) Let it surround people and then shrink down?

Because if it can form a big circle I can see it gaining a flanking bonus when it tries to shink down.

This reminds me in a way of the Engulf ability of a Gelatinous Cube:

Engulf (Ex)
Although it moves slowly, a gelatinous cube can simply mow down Large or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it engulfs. The gelatinous cube merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the cube, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC 13 Reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the cube moves forward. Engulfed creatures are subject to the cube’s paralysis and acid, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is Strength-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.​

I wonder if the Helion should have some sort of "Encircle" ability. Maybe something like this:

Encircle (Ex)
A helion can simply surround and grapple X or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it engulfs. The helion merely has to move around the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the helion, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC X Reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the helion moves in a circle. Engulfed creatures are subject to the helion’s constriction, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is X-based and includes a +X racial bonus.​

In fact, the original creature would appear to be unable to make any slam attacks and only seems to do constriction damage.

 

[demiurge1138]

Improved Unarmed Strike is useless to creatures that already have a natural attack. The easiest way to model something grappling and constricting is to give a slam attack, with imp. grab onto it. Engulf is certainly possible, but I think constriction is it.

 

[Shade]

OK, here are the two approaches...

Encircle (Ex): A helion can simply surround and grapple X or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it engulfs. The helion merely has to move around the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the helion, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC X Reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the helion moves in a circle. Engulfed creatures are subject to the helion’s constriction, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is X-based and includes a +X racial bonus.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a helion must hit an opponent of X size or smaller with a slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.


How's this for the constriction?

Constrict (Ex): A helion deals 2d8+2 points of damage plus 2d6 points of fire damage with a successful grapple check. A helion may choose to deal nonlethal damage instead, and may suppress its fire damage.

 

[freyar]

I think I'm going to switch over to the Encircle/Engulf camp, but we need to change the "engulf" references to "encircle" in the ability text. Constrict looks good.

 

[Shade]

So...

Encircle (Ex): A helion can simply surround and grapple X or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it encircles. The helion merely has to move around the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the helion, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC X Reflex save or be encircled; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the helion moves in a circle. Encircled creatures are subject to the helion’s constriction, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is X-based and includes a +X racial bonus.

Constrict (Ex): A helion deals 2d8+2 points of damage plus 2d6 points of fire damage with a successful grapple check. A helion may choose to deal nonlethal damage instead, and may suppress its fire damage.

 

[freyar]

I like it. Let's make the encircle DC Dex-based and maybe a +2 racial bonus. Any objections?

 

[Big Mac]

Improved Unarmed Strike is useless to creatures that already have a natural attack. The easiest way to model something grappling and constricting is to give a slam attack, with imp. grab onto it. Engulf is certainly possible, but I think constriction is it.

Thanks for the heads up.

Encircle (Ex): A helion can simply surround and grapple X or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it encircles. The helion merely has to move around the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the helion, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC X Reflex save or be encircled; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the helion moves in a circle. Encircled creatures are subject to the helion’s constriction, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is X-based and includes a +X racial bonus.

Constrict (Ex): A helion deals 2d8+2 points of damage plus 2d6 points of fire damage with a successful grapple check. A helion may choose to deal nonlethal damage instead, and may suppress its fire damage.

That is a big improvment.

I like it. Let's make the encircle DC Dex-based and maybe a +2 racial bonus. Any objections?

The encircle move seems more like a dance move than a brute force thing, so I'm onboard with Dex. I'm not sure about the +2 racial bonus, but will go with your judgement as I don't have a better idea.

 

[Shade]

Updated.