Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Cleon]

Seems like we never wrote up the ability score booster, either.

• Caster Level: The goatling gains a +1 enhancement bonus to the caster level of the next spell it casts for every 3 empowerment points it expends (maximum caster level bonus +5). If the goatling does not cast a spell within three rounds, the empowerment point is wasted.
• Ability: The goatling gains a +2 enhancement bonus to a single ability score for every 5 empowerment points it expends (maximum bonus +10 to each ability score). This empowerment lasts for three rounds.

I'm not sure if CL can get an enhancement bonus, and I've left the EP cost negotiable.

There's nothing about limiting it to range/penetration/duration.

I was thinking something more like:

Caster Level: The next spell the goatling cast gains a +1 enhancement bonus to its caster level for every 3 empowerment points it expends (maximum bonus +5 caster levels). This caster level bonus only applies to the spell's range, duration and spell penetration checks. None of the spell's other level-based variables (damage, area of effect, number of targets, et cetera) are increased. If the goatling does not cast a spell within three rounds, the empowerment points are wasted.

 

[freyar]

I prefer not to limit it to range, duration, and spell penetration, which is why I left that out. If it's going to raise CL, it should raise CL. If you insist on limiting it to those, though, then (1) we should probably call it something else and (2) it shouldn't cost so many EP.

 

[Cleon]

I prefer not to limit it to range, duration, and spell penetration, which is why I left that out. If it's going to raise CL, it should raise CL. If you insist on limiting it to those, though, then (1) we should probably call it something else and (2) it shouldn't cost so many EP.

I'm fine renaming it to something like "Magnify Spell", but don't necessarily agree about the EP cost. We've been making EPs be fairly cheap so far. If 1 EP is worth +1 damage for one hit, how much would a whole caster level be since that can be a whole extra dice of damage, plus the greater range/duration/penetration/area et cetera.

The original ability says it increased a spell's "magnitude" but does not seem fit to explain what that means.

 

[Cleon]

I'm fine renaming it to something like "Magnify Spell", but don't necessarily agree about the EP cost. We've been making EPs be fairly cheap so far. If 1 EP is worth +1 damage for one hit, how much would a whole caster level be since that can be a whole extra dice of damage, plus the greater range/duration/penetration/area et cetera.

The original ability says it increased a spell's "magnitude" but does not seem fit to explain what that means.

i.e. make it something like:

Spell Magnitude: The next spell the goatling cast gains a +1 enhancement bonus to its caster level for every 3 empowerment points it expends (maximum bonus +5 caster levels). This caster level bonus only applies to the spell's range, duration and spell penetration checks. None of the spell's other level-based variables (damage, area of effect, number of targets, et cetera) are increased. If the goatling does not cast a spell within three rounds, the empowerment points are wasted.

 

[freyar]

I meant that it shouldn't cost so much if the CL bonus only deals with range, duration, and spell penetration (should we call it "overcoming spell resistance" instead?). I'd prefer 2 EP.

 

[Cleon]

I meant that it shouldn't cost so much if the CL bonus only deals with range, duration, and spell penetration (should we call it "overcoming spell resistance" instead?). I'd prefer 2 EP.

That still seems a bit too cheap to me, but I'm willing to go along with it - I'm hoping to finish this creature sometime next month!

Revising...

Spell Magnitude: The next spell the goatling cast gains a +1 enhancement bonus to its caster level for every 2 empowerment points it expends (maximum bonus +5 caster levels). This caster level bonus only applies to the spell's range, duration and checks to overcome spell resistance. None of the spell's other level-based variables (damage, area of effect, number of targets, et cetera) are increased. If the goatling does not cast a spell within three rounds, the empowerment points are wasted.

 

[freyar]

Can you type a bonus to caster level? Well, if so, enhancement is fine.

We still have

5 EP gives Reroll one failed action
10 EP gives Life Protection

Fate: As an immediate action, a goatling can expend 5 empowerment points to reroll one failed attack roll, saving throw, skill or ability check, or caster level check. The goatling must accept the result of the reroll.
Life Protection: As an immediate action, a goatling whose hit points are reduced below -10 can spend 10 empowerment points to protect its life. The goatling instantly becomes stable at 0 hp instead of dying.

 

[Cleon]

Can you type a bonus to caster level? Well, if so, enhancement is fine.

It's like Humpty Dumpty grammar, you've got to show those rules who's boss. That bonus will be typed and like it!

Updating the Goatling Working Draft.

Fate: As an immediate action, a goatling can expend 5 empowerment points to reroll one failed attack roll, saving throw, skill or ability check, or caster level check. The goatling must accept the result of the reroll.
Life Protection: As an immediate action, a goatling whose hit points are reduced below -10 can spend 10 empowerment points to protect its life. The goatling instantly becomes stable at 0 hp instead of dying.

I'd be tempted to increase the cost of Fate - like 10 empowerment points - since we've been been making these powers costlier due to the goatling having a lot more points to throw around. Also, the original version of Fate allowed a reroll on any failed roll, not just attack/save/skill/ability/caster level. There are some other success/failure rolls (like concealment miss chance) which wouldn't get Fate rerolls under the current draft.

Here's a question - is a damage roll a success/failure roll if it needs to beat a target's DR or hardness to hurt it?

The original version of "Life Protection" restored the goatling to 1 hit point, not 0, and costs all its remaining empowerment points. I think I might like that a bit better.

 

[freyar]

What about this?

Fate: As an immediate action, a goatling can expend 10 empowerment points to reroll any check or roll. The goatling must accept the result of the reroll.

We could do that with Life Protection, but I'd be tempted to put a minimum number of EP to use that ability.

 

[Cleon]

What about this?

Fate: As an immediate action, a goatling can expend 10 empowerment points to reroll any check or roll. The goatling must accept the result of the reroll.

That's fine by me. The original only allows Fate empowerment to reroll a failed roll, but allowing rerolls of successes would do little harm.

We could do that with Life Protection, but I'd be tempted to put a minimum number of EP to use that ability.

Yes, that makes sense.

Something like this, perhaps?:

Life Protection: A goatling with at least X empowerment points who is dead or dying can protect its life by spending all its empowerment points as an immediate action. The goatling instantly becomes stable at 0 hp. If the goatling died from Constitution loss or energy drain it stabilizes at Con 1 or 1 HD as appropriate. A goatling that has been struck dead must use this ability immediately if it wishes to save its life, it cannot wait until after the moment of its death then revive itself. Goatlings can use life protection when they are otherwise unable to act (stunned, paralyzed, unconscious, helpless et cetera).

I expanded it a bit to cover most of the multitudinous ways a character can die in D&D.