Converting monsters from Dragon magazine
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Cleon
Legend
Hold your panthers!
We forgot its -1 attack penalty for being Large.
It should have +9 melee with claws and rake, +7 with tentacles and bite.
Apart from that they're good to go.
EDIT: Correction. It wasn't the size penalty. They had Str 21 in my first draft, and we dropped the Str to 19 but forgot to reduce the attack modifier. They've also still got a +5 damage on their claws which should now be +4.
Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d3+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d3+4) and 2 tentacles +7 melee (1d3+2) and bite +7 melee (1d8+2)
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +9 melee, damage 1d3+2.
Last edited:
Shade
Monster Junkie
Fixed.
And now for something completely different...
Squid, Vampire
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any Underdark
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY/CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: None
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 12
HlT DICE: 7+7
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 (tentacles) or 1 (bite)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 (x6) or 3-36
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ram
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spikes
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: H (24’ long)
MORALE: Fanatic (18)
XP VALUE: 5,000
Creations and servitors of the illithids, the vampire squid are tools of the mind flayers, meant to extend their masters’ reach into the waters of the sunless seas below the earth. It has lambent blue-green eyes and can see up to 150 yards through dark water; this sight, combined with its ability to reach an underwater “sprint” of up to 33 make it a deadly predator.
Combat: Though its tentacles are too weak to constrict its prey, the vampire squid has a maw full of spiky, needle-sharp teeth. It uses its tentacles to direct prey to its maw, where it can be dispatched quickly. Each tentacles that successfully holds a victim grants the mouth a +2 bonus to the attack roll; for example, a drow warrior held by three tentacles would suffer 1-4 points abrasion damage and (if the squid were to attempt to bite him) it would attack with a +6 bonus to the roll.
When it sights its prey, the vampire squid prefers to attack by surprise, gathering speed as it approaches on a collision course. The end of its body is a hardened shell; any creature struck by the squid at full speed suffers 2-24 hp damage and may drop any object it is holding if it fails a Wisdom check.
Furthermore, as a defensive measure it can turn its maw inside out, putting spiky teeth on the outside. This turns a retreating vampire squid into a mass of sword-sized spikes, much like an underwater hedgehog. Anyone attacking the vampire squid while it is in this form suffers a damage equal to the attacker’s AC (creatures with negative Armor Class suffer no damage).
Habitat/Society: Vampire squid are entirely devoted to their creators, the illithids, and obey their every command without hesitation. However, they are not innately evil, and if they can be charmed or otherwise lured away from their masters they are honorable, trustworthy creatures. Those few vampire squid that have been captured by other races often serve as transportation, able to pull great rafts or war-barges through the water; however, these captured vampire squid never reproduce; it is believed that they cannot bear young without magical or psionic assistance from the illithids, and that this accounts for their loyalty to the mind flayers.
Ecology: The vampire squid eat hundreds of pounds of fish, insects, and mollusks; they are almost always solitary for this reason as two such predators sharing the same space quickly destroy the local fish stocks. They gather together only to mate or to serve their masters, who provide them with land-based foodstuffs.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #227 (1996).
And now for something completely different...
Squid, Vampire
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any Underdark
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY/CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: None
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 12
HlT DICE: 7+7
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 (tentacles) or 1 (bite)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 (x6) or 3-36
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ram
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spikes
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: H (24’ long)
MORALE: Fanatic (18)
XP VALUE: 5,000
Creations and servitors of the illithids, the vampire squid are tools of the mind flayers, meant to extend their masters’ reach into the waters of the sunless seas below the earth. It has lambent blue-green eyes and can see up to 150 yards through dark water; this sight, combined with its ability to reach an underwater “sprint” of up to 33 make it a deadly predator.
Combat: Though its tentacles are too weak to constrict its prey, the vampire squid has a maw full of spiky, needle-sharp teeth. It uses its tentacles to direct prey to its maw, where it can be dispatched quickly. Each tentacles that successfully holds a victim grants the mouth a +2 bonus to the attack roll; for example, a drow warrior held by three tentacles would suffer 1-4 points abrasion damage and (if the squid were to attempt to bite him) it would attack with a +6 bonus to the roll.
When it sights its prey, the vampire squid prefers to attack by surprise, gathering speed as it approaches on a collision course. The end of its body is a hardened shell; any creature struck by the squid at full speed suffers 2-24 hp damage and may drop any object it is holding if it fails a Wisdom check.
Furthermore, as a defensive measure it can turn its maw inside out, putting spiky teeth on the outside. This turns a retreating vampire squid into a mass of sword-sized spikes, much like an underwater hedgehog. Anyone attacking the vampire squid while it is in this form suffers a damage equal to the attacker’s AC (creatures with negative Armor Class suffer no damage).
Habitat/Society: Vampire squid are entirely devoted to their creators, the illithids, and obey their every command without hesitation. However, they are not innately evil, and if they can be charmed or otherwise lured away from their masters they are honorable, trustworthy creatures. Those few vampire squid that have been captured by other races often serve as transportation, able to pull great rafts or war-barges through the water; however, these captured vampire squid never reproduce; it is believed that they cannot bear young without magical or psionic assistance from the illithids, and that this accounts for their loyalty to the mind flayers.
Ecology: The vampire squid eat hundreds of pounds of fish, insects, and mollusks; they are almost always solitary for this reason as two such predators sharing the same space quickly destroy the local fish stocks. They gather together only to mate or to serve their masters, who provide them with land-based foodstuffs.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #227 (1996).
Cleon
Legend
Sorry about this, but I've just realized the skills are wrong too.
I'm afraid I've forgotten to adjust its skills for the stat differences between a Leopard and a Shadow Panther.
Balance should be +10 (+2 Dex, +8 racial)
Climb should be +12 (+4 Str, +8 racial)
Hide is OK, but there shouldn't be an asterisk after Hide as it doesn't have a bonus to Hide in undergrowth.
Jump should be +16 (+4 Str, +8 racial, +4 speed)
Move Silently should be +6 (+2 Dex, +4 racial)
Corrected Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +9*, Jump +16, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +6
What a cruel thing those illithids did to a sweet little Vampyroteuthis!
These creatures are significantly smaller than a regular Giant Squid. 7 HD Huge and 24' versus the AD&D Giant Squid's 12 HD Gargantuan and 60', but they're twice as big as an AD&D Giant Octopus (Large and 9-12') although they have lower Hit Dice.
So, make them Large and give them physical stats halfway between the SRD Giant Octopus and Giant Squid? Maybe something like:
Giant Octopus: Str 20, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 3
Giant Squid: Str 26, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Vampire Squid: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11 ?
The +7 in their 7+7 Hit Dice suggests it might have a higher Constitution though. Raise it to Con 15?
Vampire Squid
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+14 (52 hp)
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11 ?
Cleon
Legend
Fixed shadow panther again. Stop breaking things!
Dang blast it, I forgot to take the asterisk off after the Panther's Hide skill after pointing out it was wrong.
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +9, Jump +16, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +6
OK, the Vampire Squid's AC is the same as a Giant squid's, so we ought to give it NA + for an AC of 17.
Its tentacles do 1d4 but its bite is 3d12!
Do we want to keep that high a bite damage for a Large animal? I'd rather give it 2d8 like a Huge giant squid and add a 1.5 times Str bonus (like a True Dragon's tail-slap secondary attack) and an Augmented Critical. Maybe 18-20/×3?
Do you think that'd be nasty enough?
It's also got a ramming attack - we might as well adapt the same one we borrowed for the Giant Horseshoe Crab.
Finally, it's got a "ball of blades" defense. We've got a lot of similar abilities to use for inspiration.
That'd give us:
Vampire Squid
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+14 (52 hp)
BAB/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Tentacle +12 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 6 tentacles +12 melee (1d4+6) and bite +7 melee (2d8+9/18-20×3)
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11
Special Attacks: Augmented critical, constrict 1d4+6, improved grab, ramming
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ink cloud, jet, low-light vision, "spiked defense"
Ramming (Ex): As a standard action, a vampire squid can swim at up to quadruple speed (X feet) and ram a waterborne target (such as a ship or another creature). To ram, the vampire squid must end its movement in the target's space. This attack deals 2d12+9? points of damage. If the target is a creature, it can attempt either an attack of opportunity or a DC Y Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Strength-based.
Upon ramming a ship, the vampire squid can make a Strength check to breach its hull, which causes the ship to sink in 1d10 minutes. The break DC varies with the type of vessel rammed, as follows: rowboat DC 20, keelboat DC 23, sailing ship or longship DC 25, warship DC 27, or galley DC 30. (See Chapter 5 of the DMG for information about ships). Regardless of the check result, every creature aboard must attempt a DC 15 Reflex saving throw. Success means the creature takes 1d6 points of damage from being thrown about by the impact; failure means the creature is hurled overboard.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Dang blast it, I forgot to take the asterisk off after the Panther's Hide skill after pointing out it was wrong.
Fixed.
Sounds good (whatever the phantom number might be).
Its tentacles do 1d4 but its bite is 3d12!
Do we want to keep that high a bite damage for a Large animal? I'd rather give it 2d8 like a Huge giant squid and add a 1.5 times Str bonus (like a True Dragon's tail-slap secondary attack) and an Augmented Critical. Maybe 18-20/×3?
Do you think that'd be nasty enough?
Sure, for the basic version. When I advance one for a home campaign, it will of course also have Improved Critical (bite).
Yup.
Yep. Gotta love that.
Cleon
Legend
Sounds good (whatever the phantom number might be).
I make it:
Armour Class: 17 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Sure, for the basic version. When I advance one for a home campaign, it will of course also have Improved Critical (bite).
Well that (and Improved Natural Attack) goes without saying.
Filling it in a bit more...
We've basically only got its skills, feats and "Spiked Defense" special quality to figure out.
Vampire Squid
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+14 (52 hp)
Speed: Swim 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armour Class: 17 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Tentacle +12 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 6 tentacles +12 melee (1d4+6) and bite +7 melee (2d8+9/18-20×3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks: Augmented critical, constrict 1d4+6, improved grab, ramming
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ink cloud, jet, low-light vision, "spiked defense"
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will 3
Skills: 20 - Listen ?, Spot ?, Swim +14
Feats: 3 - ?
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually lawful neutral ?
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Large) 13-21 HD (Huge) ?
Level Adjustment: —
Jet (Ex): A vampire squid can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 120 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.
Ramming (Ex): As a standard action, a vampire squid can swim at up to quadruple speed (120 feet) and ram a waterborne target (such as a ship or another creature). To ram, the vampire squid must end its movement in the target's space. This attack deals 2d12+9 points of damage. If the target is a creature, it can attempt either an attack of opportunity or a DC 19 Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Strength-based.
Upon ramming a ship, the vampire squid can make a Strength check to breach its hull, which causes the ship to sink in 1d10 minutes. The break DC varies with the type of vessel rammed, as follows: rowboat DC 20, keelboat DC 23, sailing ship or longship DC 25, warship DC 27, or galley DC 30. (See Chapter 5 of the DMG for information about ships). Regardless of the check result, every creature aboard must attempt a DC 15 Reflex saving throw. Success means the creature takes 1d6 points of damage from being thrown about by the impact; failure means the creature is hurled overboard.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Let's give this a try:
Voluntary Barbed Defense (Ex): A vampire squid can invert its toothy maw as a defensive measure; in this form, it cannot use its bite attack and takes a -X penalty on tentacle attacks. However, any creature striking it with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes X points of piercing and slashing damage from the squid's exposed teeth. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.
Voluntary Barbed Defense (Ex): A vampire squid can invert its toothy maw as a defensive measure; in this form, it cannot use its bite attack and takes a -X penalty on tentacle attacks. However, any creature striking it with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes X points of piercing and slashing damage from the squid's exposed teeth. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.
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