Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[freyar]

Aren't monsters with NPC levels generally supposed to use the nonelite array? Not a big deal to go non-standard, but just wondering.

I believe a 9th level bugbear adept is CR 8 by the character class rules. To be continued...

 

[Shade]

Aren't monsters with NPC levels generally supposed to use the nonelite array? Not a big deal to go non-standard, but just wondering.

That is correct. However, with a template, it could go either way. And since this is a "lord" among ghasts, I figured it outta be elite.

 

[Cleon]

Aren't monsters with NPC levels generally supposed to use the nonelite array? Not a big deal to go non-standard, but just wondering.

I believe a 9th level bugbear adept is CR 8 by the character class rules. To be continued...

Adept levels are Non-Associated, so they add half a CR each until they match the bugbear's base HD.

So, 2 CR for Bugbear, +1.5 for first three levels, +6 for final six levels, for a Challenge Rating of 9.5; you round down I believe, giving CR 9 for a Bugbear 9th level adept.

Then you add the template modifier on top of that.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Feats: Multiattack (B), Toughness (B), 5 more

Challenge Rating: 9 (+2 for template?)

Level Adjustment: +1 (+2 for template?)

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Feats: Multiattack (B), Toughness (B), 5 more

How about Alertness, Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Focus (necromancy), Stealthy.

Challenge Rating: 9 (+2 for template?)

Level Adjustment: +1 (+2 for template?)

CR11 seems awfully high. If it were a straight monster I wouldn't rate it higher than CR 8 or 9.

What's the CR and LA for the Ghoulish Creature template again? That would give us a ballpark figure.

 

[Shade]

The suggested feats appeal. Do we want to bother with a familiar?

Ghoulish Creature: CR +1, no LA given
Ghastly Creature: CR +2, no LA given
Gravetouched Ghoul: CR +1, LA +2

This is better than all three of those.

 

[Cleon]

The suggested feats appeal. Do we want to bother with a familiar?

Might as well. Maybe a Raven?

Ghoulish Creature: CR +1, no LA given
Ghastly Creature: CR +2, no LA given
Gravetouched Ghoul: CR +1, LA +2

This is better than all three of those.

How about CR +2, LA +2?

 

[Shade]

All appeals. Updated.

What's left?

 

[Cleon]

All appeals. Updated.

What's left?

The celebratory victory dance?

Apart from a "stastics" typo in Creating a Ghast-Lord it looks good.

I'm still tempted to do a plain monster version of it though.

 

[Cleon]

Hold on, it's a ghast-lord, not a ghoul-lord. Its paralysis should include the SRD ghast's "even elves are affected by this paralysis."

EDIT: Oh, and why does the sample bugbear ghast-lord have "Solitary" as an organization?