Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

Organization: Solitary, class (2-20), school (10-100), night college (1-3 swarms) or university (2-8 swarms)

Don't make me add "finishing school".

No need to include the swarms on the non-swarm's Org line.

1d3 rounds paralysis for an individual, 1d4+1 rounds for a swarm?

That's probably fine, but I think 1d3 rounds is a bit much for a CR 1/3 critter...we'll probably need to boost it to CR 1.

 

[Cleon]

Don't make me add "finishing school".

No need to include the swarms on the non-swarm's Org line.

That's probably fine, but I think 1d3 rounds is a bit much for a CR 1/3 critter...we'll probably need to boost it to CR 1.

1d2 suits me just as well.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Treasure: 1d4 coins or gems?

Wattleys range from 6 inches to 1 foot long and weigh x. (Less than a pound?)

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Treasure: 1d4 coins or gems?

Well a literal translation would be something like "5% goods or item (non organic only)" with a note that it's been swallowed.

Wattleys range from 6 inches to 1 foot long and weigh x. (Less than a pound?)

I'd go for "about 1 pound". They're practically circular, so probably are pretty hefty for their length, like a sunfish or moonfish.

 

[Shade]

Well a literal translation would be something like "5% goods or item (non organic only)" with a note that it's been swallowed.

My fear with that is if a template that increases CR, but not its size, is applied, then ingested treasure no longer makes sense. The way I wrote it limits the physical amount of treasure, but allows for increased value, no?

 

[Cleon]

My fear with that is if a template that increases CR, but not its size, is applied, then ingested treasure no longer makes sense. The way I wrote it limits the physical amount of treasure, but allows for increased value, no?

I don't mind 1d4 coins or gems, but it has difficult fitting to the 3E treasure system - how do you determine the type or coin or the value of gem?

Maybe it'd be easier to just have "None" and include a flavour note that large specimens occasionally contain treasure.

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with that.

Shall we move on to the swarm?

For starters, how many HD?

 

[Cleon]

I'm fine with that.

Shall we move on to the swarm?

For starters, how many HD?

I would guess somewhere around 7-9 HD.

They've got four times the HD of a Rat and a higher Constitution, which I suppose argues for the higher value.

9 HD?

 

[Shade]

Updated, with swarm as an underbar to individual.

We'll need 3 more feats.
Piranha Swarm has Alertness, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Hetfish Swarm has Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes

CR 4 or 5? It has one more HD and its poison makes it deadlier than a piranha swarm (CR 4), but it has 1 less HD and 15 fewer HD than a CR 5 hetfish swarm. I think I'm leaning toward 5, since paralyis and automatic swarm damage is a deadly combo.

For the treasure, shall we just assume a number of the fish have coins or gems within their gullets?

 

[Cleon]

Updated, with swarm as an underbar to individual.

We'll need 3 more feats.
Piranha Swarm has Alertness, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Hetfish Swarm has Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes

I'd go Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative.

CR 4 or 5? It has one more HD and its poison makes it deadlier than a piranha swarm (CR 4), but it has 1 less HD and 15 fewer HD than a CR 5 hetfish swarm. I think I'm leaning toward 5, since paralyis and automatic swarm damage is a deadly combo.

Definitely CR 5.

For the treasure, shall we just assume a number of the fish have coins or gems within their gullets?

I think we could put something in their treasure line.

The swarm will have about 300 fish in it, so something like:

Treasure: 25% coins (maximum of 3d100 coins), standard goods (gems only), 10% items (only items under 1/10th pound in weight)