Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[freyar]

Works for me.

 

[Shade]

Skills: 22

Feats: Improved Critical (scythe)(B), 3 more

 

[demiurge1138]

Why is the attack bonus of the scythe so low? Also, we've also got the "banished by holy water" in ankou weaknesses.

How 'bout Imp. Init, Power Attack and Weapon Focus?

 

[Cleon]

So putting it all together...

Cart Of the Dead (Su): An ankou is followed everywhere it goes by an invisible cart pulled by an equally invisible ox or horse. The cart and its beast of burden produce noise and leave a trail of wheel-ruts and hoof-prints like a normal horse- or ox-cart would. The Cart of the Dead can travel over any terrain without any penalty, even rolling across or through water, and can carry a load of up to 1,000 pounds. The cart can only carry inanimate objects, which become as invisible and intangible as the cart itself. Only the ankou can load or unload the cart, but if the cart is dismissed any objects it is carrying regain physicality and fall to the ground. Neither cart nor beast can be damaged by any weapon or spell, although it can be dismissed from existence by an exorcism, dispel evil or a similar higher-level banishment spell. The ankou can resummon a banished Cart of the Dead the following night.

Edit: I know you liked the pun, Cleon, but I think most folk will think the ability name of "Cart Off the Dead" is a typo when we refer to "Cart of the Dead" in the description.

That looks fine to me.

I wasn't being entirely serious about the extra "f", so I'll forgive you the excisement.

 

[Cleon]

Why is the attack bonus of the scythe so low? Also, we've also got the "banished by holy water" in ankou weaknesses.

How 'bout Imp. Init, Power Attack and Weapon Focus?

It seems to missing its Strength bonus, I reckon it should get scythe melee +10 [assuming it has Weapon Focus (scythe)] and slam melee +9.

Those feats look OK to me.

As for skills, my first thought was maxed-out Hide and Move Silently since it's pretty slow, so may want to sneak up on its victims, but upon reflection its got that creaking cart behind it, so MS isn't much use.

Also, doesn't the original say something about it tracking its victims? That implies the Survival skill and the Track feat. It doesn't need Spot or Listen to find its victims, since it's got blindsight.

Give it Track instead of Power Attack or Track as a bonus feat? It's got a pretty mediocre attack bonus for its HD, so it may not get much value out of Power Attack, but overall I prefer it as a bonus feat.

So, 11 ranks in Hide & Survival, giving it Hide +10, Survival +14, plus Track as a bonus feat?

 

[freyar]

I'd go with Track as a bonus feat because it's something all ankou should probably have. Skills sound fine.

 

[Cleon]

I'd go with Track as a bonus feat because it's something all ankou should probably have. Skills sound fine.

That was my reasoning too.

 

[Shade]

Good suggestions all around.

Updated.

Challenge Rating: x

Treasure: None?

Advancement: 9-24 HD (Medium)?

Ankou speak Abyssal, Common, and Infernal?

 

[freyar]

CR 6? Other suggestions seem good.

Let's mention that the ankou can plane shift its cart, too.

 

[Cleon]

CR 6? Other suggestions seem good.

Let's mention that the ankou can plane shift its cart, too.

Well it obviously should, we can just add "The ankou's Cart of the Dead and everything it carries will plane shift with the ankou."

Not sure about CR6. It doesn't have much in the way of special attacks, has mediocre AC, is slow on its feet and doesn't do that much damage. Challenge Rating 4-5 would seem more appropriate.

I'll be generous and propose CR5.