Converting Planescape monsters

[freyar]

Hmmm. I like the damage variant of Susceptibiilty to Air, too. Let's go with that.

As for the tactics, there's some option ("typically"), but we could say
The presence of an atmosphere seems to enrage them, and they often spend some rounds of their void storm as soon as they are exposed to sufficient air before decide to reserve some capacity to damage vile air breathers.

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm. I like the damage variant of Susceptibiilty to Air, too. Let's go with that.

Me too!

Updating Vacuum Quasi-Elemental.

As for the tactics, there's some option ("typically"), but we could say
The presence of an atmosphere seems to enrage them, and they often spend some rounds of their void storm as soon as they are exposed to sufficient air before decide to reserve some capacity to damage vile air breathers.

That's the approach I was thinking of taking as well.

 

[Cleon]

I've just noticed (or re-noticed?) that the AD&D versions of the Vacuum Quasi can replenish their Void Storm ability by waiting or resting for an hour. Should we use this for our conversion instead of the current "every 24 hours" approach?

Planescape Appendix: " it must then stop and rest for an hour before using this power again."

Dragon #128: "after which they cannot do so again for one hour."

 

[freyar]

That's better! I'd go for a one hour rest. Or even a 1d4 hour rest if you want some variability.

 

[Cleon]

That's better! I'd go for a one hour rest. Or even a 1d4 hour rest if you want some variability.

An hour's fine by me.

I'll update the Vacuum Quasi-Elemental Working Draft with.

A vacuum quasi-elemental becomes "filled up" once it has used its void storm for the maximum duration listed in the table. It cannot use this ability again until it has rested for an hour.

 

[freyar]

Sounds good.

I had suggested the following; how is it?
Tactics: Vacuum quasi-elementals are usually quite hostile to strangers, flying past and attacking with slams. The presence of an atmosphere seems to enrage them, and they often spend some rounds of their void storm as soon as they are exposed to sufficient air before decide to reserve some capacity to damage vile air breathers.

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good.

I had suggested the following; how is it?
Tactics: Vacuum quasi-elementals are usually quite hostile to strangers, flying past and attacking with slams. The presence of an atmosphere seems to enrage them, and they often spend some rounds of their void storm as soon as they are exposed to sufficient air before decide to reserve some capacity to damage vile air breathers.

Well the phrasing could do with some tidying up, and I wonder whether some of it would belong in the background information instead.

Oh dang it to dangery, I've just realized we've forgotten a major special ability of these Quasi-Elementals. The main reason the AD&D version has a higher Armour Class is that they're invisible.

Planescape MC: "The things’re completely invisible, and their shape is that of an amorphous, rubbery, hollow skin."

Dragon #128: "They are invisible by nature, though if their presence is detected (by detect invisible, true sight, etc.), they appear as amorphous, three-dimensional “skins” of force (similar to an ochre jelly in zero-gee)"

We should have given them a natural invisibility SQ, not a deflection bonus!

 

[freyar]

Hmm, initial attitude is often part of tactics, so, while editing seems reasonable, I don't think I'd move any of the information to background.

We should certainly add natural invisibility, but I'm not sure about removing the deflection bonus (entirely). The AC will be pretty low without deflection, especially for the bigger ones which won't find invisibility quite as useful against higher-level parties.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, initial attitude is often part of tactics, so, while editing seems reasonable, I don't think I'd move any of the information to background.

We should certainly add natural invisibility, but I'm not sure about removing the deflection bonus (entirely). The AC will be pretty low without deflection, especially for the bigger ones which won't find invisibility quite as useful against higher-level parties.

Let's get the invisibility question out of the way first, since replacing a missing core power seems more urgent than polishing the tactics.

The thing is, in AD&D invisibility grants a -4 improvement to AC, which is exactly the difference between the Vacuum Quasi's AC -1 and a "standard" Elemental's AC 3.

That suggests the original author was probably expecting it to be AC 3 against opponents with see invisible or the like, who would attack it as easily as, say, an Air Elemental.

 

[freyar]

Here's a thought: keep (possibly adjust) deflection, add invisibility, drop NA. It makes some sense given that they're bags of force.