Converting Epic Level Creatures

[Cleon]

Suggested amount of Constitution drain? Do we want to limit it to long-term exposure, like the original writeup, or simplify it to say 1 or 1dx points per round of exposure?

I would go for a few Con points per day (1 to 1d3) but make it extraordinarily difficult to heal as per the original description of "nothing short of a wish".

Something like:

Death Aura (Su): The radiant golem radiates an invisible but deadly aura. Any living creature that spends at least an hour of any 24-hour period within 30? ft. of the golem must succeed at a DC 30 Fortitude save or take 1d3? Constitution drain. The damage caused by the death aura is particularly tenacious and can only be healed by [something difficult]. Once a creature takes damage from the death aura it can not be harmed again by the radiant golem's death aura until 24 hours has passed. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[Cleon]

DR 15/adamantine and epic

100 ft telepathy is ok

Per round seems too fast, but adjudicating a day of exposure is tricky. Need to think about that one.

That DR and telepathy looks fine to me, I gave my suggestion for the Death Aura in the previous post.

It can't have regeneration, but constructs can have fast healing. Fast healing 5 or 6 would hit the average from the original text.

Yes, I was thinking Fast Healing as well.

5-6 points seems too low, I was thinking more Fast Healing 10-15.

An AD&D Troll regenerates at 3/round, or about half the average of a Radiant Golem's 1d10/round.

A 3E Troll regenerates at 5/round, suggesting a Radiant Golem should Fast Heal about 10/round.

However, we've doubled the golem's Hit Dice so I would think we'd better boost the Fast Healing as well. Either double it to Fast Healing 20, or average the two to Fast Healing 15.

For the sake of argument, I'll say Fast Healing 15.

 

[Shade]

Agreed to fast healing 15. The thing is unique and epic, after all.

The revised death aura looks a good start, but I'm still a bit worried about requiring an hour of exposure. Is that continuous? Can you step out after 59 minutes and be OK? Does the poor DM have to tally every non-consecutive minute of exposure?

What if, instead, it simply dealt the Con drain upon immediate contact, but it could only affect a single individual once every 24 hours?

I too agree with the tenacity, and requiring something more amazing than greater restoration to fix it.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with fast healing 15!

I think Shade's solution for the timing of the Con drain is pretty good! It's not quite the original intent, but it still penalizes people who hang around it a lot as intended.

Well, greater restoration is already 7th level, so anything more than that is going to be miracle, right?

 

[Shade]

Thus...

Life-Draining Aura (Su): The radiant golem is continuously surrounded by a deadly aura to a radius of 30 feet. Any living creature within the area suffers 1d3 points of Constitution drain (Fortitude DC 30 negates). Once a creature suffers Constitution drain in this manner, it is immune to the radiant golem's aura for 24 hours. The golem cannot voluntarily suppress this ability. The Constitution drain caused by the life-draining aura is particularly tenacious and can only be healed by a wish or miracle spell. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Look OK?

 

[freyar]

Seems good to me!

 

[Shade]

Since that time, the radiant golem has drifted from crystal sphere to crystal sphere in an attempt to find friends. It longs to have companions who do not flee from it or succumb to its deadly presence. As such, it often latches onto parties of adventurers and tries to join their ranks. The golem is helpful to such companions, offering advice, lifting heavy weights, and doing everything a servant might do to make their lives easier (but shorter).

The golem does not know about its death aura, and it will not understand or believe in the aura if told of its existence. Aware that it is almost immortal, the golem simply assumes that living things die very quickly. In fact, the golem often bemoans the fact the fate has made mortals so fragile. All it wants, as it will tell adventurers, is a friend.

Skills: 43
Max out Diplomacy? Or put some ranks in Sense Motive?

Feats: 14 (7 can be epic)
It should probably have quite a few noncombat feats, as it is not aggressive. However, the original text does imply Power Attack and Improved Sunder, at the very least.

 

[Cleon]

Thus...

Life-Draining Aura (Su): The radiant golem is continuously surrounded by a deadly aura to a radius of 30 feet. Any living creature within the area suffers 1d3 points of Constitution drain (Fortitude DC 30 negates). Once a creature suffers Constitution drain in this manner, it is immune to the radiant golem's aura for 24 hours. The golem cannot voluntarily suppress this ability. The Constitution drain caused by the life-draining aura is particularly tenacious and can only be healed by a wish or miracle spell. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Look OK?

Looks good to me!

 

[Cleon]

Skills: 43
Max out Diplomacy? Or put some ranks in Sense Motive?

I don't think I'd put any in Sense Motive. It seems to be oblivious to its deadly effect on living things, so I doubt it has much understanding of other creatures.

Does the description support an Epic level skill in Diplomacy? I'd rather divide its skills between Diplomacy, Listen and Spot.

14 in Listen and Spot and 15 in Diplomacy?

Feats: 14 (7 can be epic)
It should probably have quite a few noncombat feats, as it is not aggressive. However, the original text does imply Power Attack and Improved Sunder, at the very least.

Power Attack and Improved Sunder do make sense.

Since it tries to flee combat, maybe Run to increase its speed?

It may try to push through opponents to escape, so perhaps Awesome Blow, Improved Overrun and Improved Bull Rush?

 

[freyar]

Cleon's suggested skills are fine.

Same with feats. I'll need to think about more.