Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[Cleon]

Well, I guess you guys have pretty much finished this off!

Hold on, we forgot the description!

Hmm...

A monster like a dead tree shaped into a mockery of the human form, with a trunk split by frost and icicles dripping from its bare branches. The hatred in its eyes is as chilling as the unholy cold radiating from its body.

 

[Shade]

Updated. Finito?

 

[freyar]

Done! Well, up to any edits Cleon finds.

 

[Cleon]

Done! Well, up to any edits Cleon finds.

I've given it a once-over and can't find anything wrong.

 

[Shade]

Armor Boar
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Arctic to temperate
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Family
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-12 (2d6)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 7
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-24 (3d8)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (6' tall at shoulder)
MORALE: Average (10)
XP VALUE: 650

The armor boar is a giant-sized animal and is readily identified by its peculiar armor. The armor is actually hair, thick and stiff and similar to the horns of a rhinoceros. From a distance, the creatures appear to be simply large, shaggy boars with hair that sticks out in all directions. Closer, the hair looks like a spiny shell.

The boar is also noted for its elephant-sized tusks that nearly touch the ground. Most boars are 6' high at the shoulder and 10' long. However, some larger specimens have been sighted.

Combat: This ill-tempered and aggressive brute attacks quickly and with no planning. It will charge at creatures wandering through its territories. And when the boar itself is wandering, it will attack creatures it perceives as a threat or as competition for food.

It has one attack-a goring thrust made with its long tusks. In addition, the boar's armor also can inflict damage. Any creature striking, biting, or leaping upon the boar suffers 3-12 (3d4) points of damage because of the boar's penetrating hair-spines.

The boar does not back down from combat, fighting to the death.

Habitat/Society: Armor boars live in small family groups. A boar mates only once every two years, and it is more prolific than other giant boars, having up to 1d10 offspring per litter. If the maximum number of boars are encountered, the family will likely have one boar, one sow, and 10 young. The adult boars are very protective of the young and will fight to the death to defend them. Armor boars often make their homes in caves or in densely overgrown wooded areas. They can be found in hills, mountains, forests, broken terrain, and occasionally on plains.

Ecology: A voracious omnivore, the armor boar will attempt to eat anything within reach and will go out of its way to catch plump rodents. Although it is fond of flesh, it usually ends up eating more vegetable matter than other boars do because its size does not allow it to chase prey into hollow logs and other hiding spots. A boar which develops a taste for vegetables is quite capable of destroying a garden all by itself. Families of armor boars have been known to destroy entire fields. Thus, armor boars are considered a major nuisance in settled regions-a nuisance typically ill-armed peasants and farmers cannot deal with on their own.

While the armor boar has few natural predators, they are sometimes sought by butchers, as the meat is rich and sweet. However, an armor boar is difficult to butcher because of its hard, spiny shell. Butchers who have developed a technique for removing the armor increase their profits by selling the carapace to armorers who make it into shields and breastplates.

Armor made from the carapace is the equivalent protection of banded mail, plus it has a special property. Creatures striking the armor or shield with their hands or other body parts suffer 1-8 pounds of damage because of the remaining spiny ruffs. The armor is also prized because it will not rust.

Craftsmen value the tusks and lard of armor boar, which they make into art objects and soap, respectively.

Originally appeared in Polyhedron #67 (1992).

 

[Cleon]

Armor Boar
SIZE: M (6' tall at shoulder)

The boar is also noted for its elephant-sized tusks that nearly touch the ground. Most boars are 6' high at the shoulder and 10' long. However, some larger specimens have been sighted.

That sure doesn't sound like it's Medium-sized to me, despite what it says.

It's definitely Large!

Seems to have a lot of similarity to the SRD Dire Boar.

Take a Dire Boar, increase the NA and add a spiny defense SQ?

 

[Shade]

That sounds about right. The gore damage might be a bit higher as well, or have augmented critical.

 

[Cleon]

That sounds about right. The gore damage might be a bit higher as well, or have augmented critical.

Yes, 3-24 does seem to be a lot of damage. I'd rather raise the damage than give them augmented critical - it says their horns are big, but there's nothing about them being sharp.

A regular boar's tusks are 1d8, going to Large would make them 2d6.

Make the armor boar's tusks 2d8?

Statwise I'm thinking we should increase the Constitution. A Large Advanced Boar has Con 21 and a Dire Boar Con 17, so how about Con 19?

What armour class do you fancy for them, the original's AC 3 translates to AC 17 in 3E, but I could see it going a bit higher, probably +12 NA or so, halfway between a Dire Boar's +6 NA and a Razor Boar's +17 NA.

I'll put in +8 NA for the time being to match the original's AC.

Maybe throw in DR X/- or light fortification as well?

Are we keeping it a poor Will save regular animal or making it a Dire animal?

Anyhow, here's a rough draft:

Armor Boar
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 7d8+28 (59 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +8 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 17 [+12 natural?]
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+17
Attack: Gore +12 melee (2d8+12)
Full Attack: Gore +12 melee (2d8+12)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ferocity, "spiny defense?"
Special Qualities: DR 5/–, fortification, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary or herd (2–12)
Challenge Rating: 5?
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8–16 HD (Large); 17–21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Description

Armor boars grow up to 12 feet long and 6 feet tall at the shoulder, they weigh as much as X pounds.

Combat
Armor boars are dire animals, with all good saving throws.

Tactics.

Ferocity (Ex): An armor boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

Fortification (Ex): Whenever a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on an armor boar, there is a 50% chance (75% for Huge-sized armor boars) that the special attack is negated and its damage is rolled normally.

Spiny Defense (Ex): ?

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with making it "dire" if you'd like.

 

[Cleon]

I'm fine with making it "dire" if you'd like.

As you like, I'll update it appropriately.