Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[freyar]

Is dominate unchanged or reduced to charm person/monster? How's the fast healing going to work when they get to 0 hp (ie, do they just go comatose on the battlefield for an hour unless opponents perform a special vampire coup-de-grace)?

I guess I could still go either way on monster vs template. They're between vampire spawn and vampires to me.

 

[Shade]

Good questions!

I can't seem to find any information on the real-world inspiration of this creature (it's from the "Monsters of Africa" article that also gave us the chepekwe, dingonek, and ngojama).

Your power level assumption is spot-on, though, as the 1e vampire had 8+3 HD. So I'd be fine with either template or monster.

It's still tough to figure out what happens upon reaching 0 hp, since they lack gaseous form.

 

[freyar]

Well, I guess we get to make stuff up!

First question first: I lean toward template slightly, but Cleon's preference for monster may be stronger. Cleon, how do you feel about this?

 

[demiurge1138]

I could go either way. I'd prefer monster, but only slightly.

 

[Shade]

Let's just go the monster route, and add an underbar with notes on modifying the vampire template to make a templated version.

 

[Cleon]

Well, I guess we get to make stuff up!

First question first: I lean toward template slightly, but Cleon's preference for monster may be stronger. Cleon, how do you feel about this?

I'm not seeing any good cause for making them a template, so I'll back base monster. There's nothing in the description to point to any more individuality in these undead than a standard bodak, wight or ghoul.

Let's just go the monster route, and add an underbar with notes on modifying the vampire template to make a templated version.

Sounds fine to me.

We could copy our take on the Netherese Zombie and have the template require a base creature with 6 or more hit dice.

 

[Cleon]

So comparing to vampire template...

SA
Blood drain = unchanged
Children of the night = rat swarms only
Create Spawn = ??
Dominate = unchanged
Energy drain = drop

SQ
Alternate Form = drop
Damage Reduction = unchanged?
Fast Healing = remove the "forced into gaseous form" portion
Gaseous Form = drop
Resistances = unchanged?
Spider Climb = unchanged?
Turn Resistance = unchanged?

Weaknesses
Drop the coffin/stake portions, and give it a special "wear skin" ability to move about in daylight, along with a vulnerability to having its skin destroyed?

Looks good.

I was going to drop the Damage Resistance, and keep the Spider Climb, Cold & Electricity Resistance and Turn Resistance.

Regarding the Fast Healing at 0 hit point problem, I suppose they could "drop dead" for an hour, then spring back to live if the body is not staked/burnt/doused in holy water (or whatever) first.

 

[freyar]

If we're doing monster, I don't really see a need for a template underbar, actually.

Cleon's suggestions are pretty good, though I think I'd rather keep DR and drop spider climb. Not a big deal, though.

 

[Shade]

If we're doing monster, I don't really see a need for a template underbar, actually.

Fair enough, and a great timesaver.

Cleon's suggestions are pretty good, though I think I'd rather keep DR and drop spider climb. Not a big deal, though.

I'm neither here nor there on spider climb, but the DR needs to stay.

 

[demiurge1138]

Keep DR--melee undead are fragile.

Drop spider climb.