Converting "generic setting" Second Edition monsters
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
Cleon
Legend
Cleon
Legend
You need to get rid of an are from the "Tombhearts are are" in the first paragraph of the fluff, but apart from that it looks good to go.
Shade
Monster Junkie
The following critter is part of a spell...
Question Ball (Alteration/Conjuration)
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Area of effect: One ball
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Explanation/Description: This spell transforms a normal crystal ball into a unique question ball, which answers any questions put to it. The material components of the spell are a crystal ball, a gem of seeing, and a pound of pure sulphur. The caster piles the sulphur in a heap and burns it with the gem and the crystal ball in the middle. While the flames consume the gem and crystal ball, the caster performs the verbal and somatic components of the spell, upon the completion of which the gem and crystal disappear in a sulphurous explosion (no damage) marking the creation of the question ball.
The ball is a partial manifestation of an extraplanar humanoid being of divine nature, who uses the gem of seeing and its own powers to discern the answers to the caster.s questions. The being speaks common and 2-3 other languages, as well as tongues exclusive to his mysterious plane. The being, as payment for the gem of seeing, is bound to answer a number of questions equal to the caster’s level. A percentile roll of less than 50 minus the level of the caster indicates that the being tells a carefully fabricated and reasonably believable lie. When the being has answered a number of questions equal to the level of the caster, the question ball will darken and crumble to useless powder.
The being can be released on the Prime Material Plane, the ball shattering and all of the being’s possessions (including the gem of seeing) appearing in its place, if any of the following things happen to the question ball:
1. If any attempt is made to move the ball to another plane;
2. If trap the soul, gate, monster summoning VII, or cache is cast on the ball;
3. If the ball is destroyed using any of the methods for destruction of artifacts or relics (see the DMG, p. 164);
4. If a wraith or similar creature performs an energy drain on the ball.
The being is neutral in alignment, AC 2, HD 10 +6, # ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1-6 (plus 5% chance of disease) by claws, and 2-12 (plus poison, save at -2) by fangs. Its poison causes sleep for 1-6 days, during which time the being will eat its victim. Its claws are infected with a terminal blood disease, as per the DMG. The being has all the spell-like abilities of a type I demon, and it can travel in the Astral and Ethereal Planes. Its other possessions number 2-12, each having a 20% chance of being magical in nature.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #106 (1986).
The Wizards Spell Compendium has a slightly different stat block:
Being of the Ball: AC 2; MV 9 Fl 18 (B); HD 10+6; THAC0 11; #AT 3; Dmg 1d6/1d6 (claw), 2d6 (fang); SA disease (claw, 5%/hit), poison (fang, save at -2), spells; SD spells; AL N; SZ M; ML 15; XP 6,000. The being's poison causes sleep for 1d6 days, during which time the being eats its victim. The being has all the spell-like abilities of a vrock (greater tanar'ri), and can travel in the Astral and Ethereal Planes. Its other possessions number 2d6, each having a 20% chance of being magical in nature.
Question Ball (Alteration/Conjuration)
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Area of effect: One ball
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Explanation/Description: This spell transforms a normal crystal ball into a unique question ball, which answers any questions put to it. The material components of the spell are a crystal ball, a gem of seeing, and a pound of pure sulphur. The caster piles the sulphur in a heap and burns it with the gem and the crystal ball in the middle. While the flames consume the gem and crystal ball, the caster performs the verbal and somatic components of the spell, upon the completion of which the gem and crystal disappear in a sulphurous explosion (no damage) marking the creation of the question ball.
The ball is a partial manifestation of an extraplanar humanoid being of divine nature, who uses the gem of seeing and its own powers to discern the answers to the caster.s questions. The being speaks common and 2-3 other languages, as well as tongues exclusive to his mysterious plane. The being, as payment for the gem of seeing, is bound to answer a number of questions equal to the caster’s level. A percentile roll of less than 50 minus the level of the caster indicates that the being tells a carefully fabricated and reasonably believable lie. When the being has answered a number of questions equal to the level of the caster, the question ball will darken and crumble to useless powder.
The being can be released on the Prime Material Plane, the ball shattering and all of the being’s possessions (including the gem of seeing) appearing in its place, if any of the following things happen to the question ball:
1. If any attempt is made to move the ball to another plane;
2. If trap the soul, gate, monster summoning VII, or cache is cast on the ball;
3. If the ball is destroyed using any of the methods for destruction of artifacts or relics (see the DMG, p. 164);
4. If a wraith or similar creature performs an energy drain on the ball.
The being is neutral in alignment, AC 2, HD 10 +6, # ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1-6 (plus 5% chance of disease) by claws, and 2-12 (plus poison, save at -2) by fangs. Its poison causes sleep for 1-6 days, during which time the being will eat its victim. Its claws are infected with a terminal blood disease, as per the DMG. The being has all the spell-like abilities of a type I demon, and it can travel in the Astral and Ethereal Planes. Its other possessions number 2-12, each having a 20% chance of being magical in nature.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #106 (1986).
The Wizards Spell Compendium has a slightly different stat block:
Being of the Ball: AC 2; MV 9 Fl 18 (B); HD 10+6; THAC0 11; #AT 3; Dmg 1d6/1d6 (claw), 2d6 (fang); SA disease (claw, 5%/hit), poison (fang, save at -2), spells; SD spells; AL N; SZ M; ML 15; XP 6,000. The being's poison causes sleep for 1d6 days, during which time the being eats its victim. The being has all the spell-like abilities of a vrock (greater tanar'ri), and can travel in the Astral and Ethereal Planes. Its other possessions number 2d6, each having a 20% chance of being magical in nature.
Shade
Monster Junkie
We can convert the spell as an underbar, but I think we should come up with some flavor text for other ways to encounter them to make for a better stand-alone monster.
In addition to the name-drop, since the HD are the same, we can probably use the vrock as a basis for stats.
Downsizing a vrock to Medium yields...
Str 15, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16
I might consider boosting Int to 18 or 20, due to its oracle-like nature.
In addition to the name-drop, since the HD are the same, we can probably use the vrock as a basis for stats.
Downsizing a vrock to Medium yields...
Str 15, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16
I might consider boosting Int to 18 or 20, due to its oracle-like nature.
Cleon
Legend
Downsizing a rock seems a good start.
They've got all the SLAs of a vrock, plus a sleep-poison bite and a "terminal blood disease" in their claws.
I'm thinking that rather than giving them all a gem of seeing we should just give them continuous true seeing plus the divination powers of a top-of-the-range crystal ball - scrying, see invisibility, detect thoughts and telepathy.
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