Casimir Liber
Adventurer
Oh yeah, okay. Agree wholeheartedly on standard formatting.
Fiend Factory (White Dwarf) conversions
Cleon
Legend
Seems we're agreed then. So guess we'll give Dr Simon a couple of days while working on other conversions.
Dr Simon
Explorer
Hi, thanks both for the helpful input!
The flavour text specifically says that the spinescale is good at hiding in water, which is why I gave it Advantage under a specific set of circumstances, but I've no objection to it also having proficiency in Stealth (giving it a modifier of +3). My only qualm would be that this would also mean that the spinescale was relatively efficient at, say, sneaking up behind people, which I don't think it would be.
However, there's no reason that an "advanced" version of the spinescale couldn't have it, alongside some boosted stats. And also, taking on board @Cleon's suggestion about the weapon resistances, give the advanced version resistance to all three types of weapon damage.
I'm happy to put this into the standard format, might be a few days before I can post anything again though.
Also coming up, Issue 4's Death Snake.
Oh, Edit concerning the digression on Stealth, my general method while doing these conversions is that if a creature is specifically described as being "sneaky" or "good at hiding" or even "possessing Thief skills" then it gets proficiency in Stealth, but sometimes if the description is more specific (the spinescale being a prime example) then it may or may not, and sometimes gets a specific ability instead. That's been my rule of thumb.
The flavour text specifically says that the spinescale is good at hiding in water, which is why I gave it Advantage under a specific set of circumstances, but I've no objection to it also having proficiency in Stealth (giving it a modifier of +3). My only qualm would be that this would also mean that the spinescale was relatively efficient at, say, sneaking up behind people, which I don't think it would be.
However, there's no reason that an "advanced" version of the spinescale couldn't have it, alongside some boosted stats. And also, taking on board @Cleon's suggestion about the weapon resistances, give the advanced version resistance to all three types of weapon damage.
I'm happy to put this into the standard format, might be a few days before I can post anything again though.
Also coming up, Issue 4's Death Snake.
Oh, Edit concerning the digression on Stealth, my general method while doing these conversions is that if a creature is specifically described as being "sneaky" or "good at hiding" or even "possessing Thief skills" then it gets proficiency in Stealth, but sometimes if the description is more specific (the spinescale being a prime example) then it may or may not, and sometimes gets a specific ability instead. That's been my rule of thumb.
Cleon
Legend
I'm happy with it just getting Advantage when lying motionless in water. Wouldn't bother with the Stealth proficiency.
Would you have any objections to me posting a "standard format version" here and filling in the details we've agreed on?
That should be quite straightforward.
It's basically a Constrictor Snake that's undead with Life Drain on its bite and constriction attacks, plus a slight lowering of its AC and HP.
Casimir Liber
Adventurer
Yeah, Dr Simon you make a good point about the sneaking so dropping stealth is prudent.
Cleon
Legend
Spinescale
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armour)
Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Amphibious. The spinescale is able to breathe air and water.
Aquatic Camouflage. The spinescale has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in water, when viewed from land.
Terrestrial Clumsiness. When the spinescale is in terrain that cannot be crossed by swimming it has disadvantage on attack rolls, Dexterity ability checks and Dexterity saving throws.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Description
???.
???.
Subsection. ???.
???.
Subsection. ???.
???.
(Originally appeared in White Dwarf Magazine #2 (Aug/Sept 1977) as part of "Treasure Chest", in "New Monsters For Use in Wilderness Campaigns" by Ian Livingstone.)
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armour)
Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 3 (–4) | 10 (+0) | 6 (–2) |
Damage Resistances bludgeoning and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Amphibious. The spinescale is able to breathe air and water.
Aquatic Camouflage. The spinescale has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in water, when viewed from land.
Terrestrial Clumsiness. When the spinescale is in terrain that cannot be crossed by swimming it has disadvantage on attack rolls, Dexterity ability checks and Dexterity saving throws.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Description
???.
???.
Subsection. ???.
???.
Subsection. ???.
???.
(Originally appeared in White Dwarf Magazine #2 (Aug/Sept 1977) as part of "Treasure Chest", in "New Monsters For Use in Wilderness Campaigns" by Ian Livingstone.)
Last edited:
Cleon
Legend
A few words of explanation on the above.
Dr Simon approved of disadvantage on attack rolls while on land but we didn't give the trait a name so I used the "Terrestrial Clumsiness." It also seemed appropriate to propose it includes disadvantage on Dex ability checks and saves if it has such trouble moving on dry ground that it fights half as effectively as in the water.
Similarly, it seems appropriate to add "Aquatic" to the Camouflage" trait name as a reminder it only works in water. I also see no reason the camouflage should only work against creatures on land so would like to cut the "when viewed from land" bit out.
Finally, with these various improvements it works out to somewhere around Challenge 1/2 to Challenge 1 depending on how effective its damage resistance prove. I opted on the lower end of CR 1/2.
Dr Simon approved of disadvantage on attack rolls while on land but we didn't give the trait a name so I used the "Terrestrial Clumsiness." It also seemed appropriate to propose it includes disadvantage on Dex ability checks and saves if it has such trouble moving on dry ground that it fights half as effectively as in the water.
Similarly, it seems appropriate to add "Aquatic" to the Camouflage" trait name as a reminder it only works in water. I also see no reason the camouflage should only work against creatures on land so would like to cut the "when viewed from land" bit out.
Finally, with these various improvements it works out to somewhere around Challenge 1/2 to Challenge 1 depending on how effective its damage resistance prove. I opted on the lower end of CR 1/2.
Casimir Liber
Adventurer
I'll happily clone it for DnDbeyond too once finalised (if that's ok with Dr Simon) 
Cleon
Legend
Looking at the Spinescale, the bite's poison damage just being a flat d8 seems weird.
I'd prefer a CON save like most poison attacks. After all, it does inject venom with a pair of fangs like a Poisonous Snake.
So maybe:
I added an extra proficiency bonus to the save DC as the original "automatically" injected venom, which presumably accounted for it making no mention of a save. Without double-proficiency the poison DC is 11.
I'd prefer a CON save like most poison attacks. After all, it does inject venom with a pair of fangs like a Poisonous Snake.
So maybe:
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
I added an extra proficiency bonus to the save DC as the original "automatically" injected venom, which presumably accounted for it making no mention of a save. Without double-proficiency the poison DC is 11.
