Converting monsters from Dragon magazine (Part Two)

[freyar]

Hmmm, what about Str 27, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 12?

 

[Leopold]

Feats: Constrict and Improved grab stand out for me. Add in Improved Initiative for this "Surprise" ability. If worse comes to work toss it in as bonus feat.

 

[freyar]

Right, those, the breath weapon, and the poisonous secretion will be the main abilities, I think.

 

[Shade]

Should we give it a tail slap attack to initiate constrict (like the sea serpents), or transfer to coils after biting like some creatures?

 

[Leopold]

transfer to coils after a bite, these things lay in wait then pounce with their mouth. Says so right in their combat log as they bite something then transfer it down to constrict and crush the enemy.

These are more snakelike than dragonlike.

 

[Cleon]

Let's start Huge but still boost to 18-20 HD. What do you think?

Huge sounds good to me, it's appropriate for a 30-40' serpentine monster.

As for the Hit Dice, I'm a bit divided. If you want to give it True Dragon scale Hit Dice I agree something like 16-20HD seems appropriate.

However, 8 Hit Dice is in the same ballpark as a Giant Constrictor Snake (11HD), a Huge Monstrous Centipede (6HD) or a one-size category downscaled Purple Worm (which would be around 8HD, as a Gargantuan one's 16HD), the much stockier Dragon Turtle is only 12HD and a Dragonne advanced to Huge is only 13HD.

So, I'd be tempted to leave it at 8HD but give it a wide Advancement range, say 9-16HD (Huge), 17-32 (Gargantuan).

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm, what about Str 27, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 12?

I'd be tempted to bump its Dex up to 17, the same as a Giant Constrictor Snake, and drop its Int to 6, the same as a Dragonne. But then, I don't much care for draconic creatures with mediocre dexterity.

 

[Cleon]

Should we give it a tail slap attack to initiate constrict (like the sea serpents), or transfer to coils after biting like some creatures?

I agree with Leopold, Improved grab bite and then Constrict like a snake, plus a breath weapon. The write-up indicates they can constrict one victim in their coils while biting another, I think that'd better carry over into the 3E version.

Now I was wondering, since its magical secretions can cause a whole pool to boil, wouldn't they burn creatures that touch them? If I was writing the thing up from scratch I'd be tempted to have them do additional fire (or cold) damage to anything they grapple/Constrict.

 

[freyar]

Huge sounds good to me, it's appropriate for a 30-40' serpentine monster.

As for the Hit Dice, I'm a bit divided. If you want to give it True Dragon scale Hit Dice I agree something like 16-20HD seems appropriate.

However, 8 Hit Dice is in the same ballpark as a Giant Constrictor Snake (11HD), a Huge Monstrous Centipede (6HD) or a one-size category downscaled Purple Worm (which would be around 8HD, as a Gargantuan one's 16HD), the much stockier Dragon Turtle is only 12HD and a Dragonne advanced to Huge is only 8HD.

So, I'd be tempted to leave it at 8HD but give it a wide Advancement range, say 9-16HD (Huge), 17-32 (Gargantuan).

Dragonnes become Huge at 13HD. I don't think these should be as low on HD as giant animals or vermin, either. So I'd be willing to go as low as 13HD, even though I'd prefer higher.

I'd be tempted to bump its Dex up to 17, the same as a Giant Constrictor Snake, and drop its Int to 6, the same as a Dragonne. But then, I don't much care for draconic creatures with mediocre dexterity.

Higher Dex is ok with me.

I agree with Leopold, Improved grab bite and then Constrict like a snake, plus a breath weapon. The write-up indicates they can constrict one victim in their coils while biting another, I think that'd better carry over into the 3E version.

Now I was wondering, since its magical secretions can cause a whole pool to boil, wouldn't they burn creatures that touch them? If I was writing the thing up from scratch I'd be tempted to have them do additional fire (or cold) damage to anything they grapple/Constrict.

Imp Grab based on bite is fine. We definitely need to think about the secretion, too.

 

[Shade]

Let's start 'em at 18 HD.

Added to Homebrews.

The secretion damage sounds plausible to me.