Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[freyar]

Well, I don't think we can forget a Gargantua Carp!

 

[Shade]

Although carrion crawlers are now "product identity", I still think its OK to use one for a sample creature. (Besides, it'll never come off the unconverted list otherwise!)

Applying it to a carrion crawler...

Mystaran Gargantua Carrion Crawler
Gargantuan Aberration
Hit Dice: 24d8+192 (300 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (-4 size, +2 Dex, +18 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+44
Attack: Tentacle +40 melee (1d4+7 plus paralysis)
Full Attack: 8 tentacles +40 melee (1d4+7 plus paralysis) and bite +35 melee (3d6+7)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Paralysis, swallow whole, trample xdx+21
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., scent
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +16
Abilities: Str 38, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 1, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Climb +46, Listen +28, Spot +28
Feats: Alertness (B), Combat Reflexes, Snatch (B), Track, 7 more (2 can be epic)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or cluster (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 4+x
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 25-48 HD (Gargantuan); 49-72 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a carrion crawler's tentacle attack must succeed on a DC 30 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A Mystaran gargantua carrion crawler can swallow opponents up to three size smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, an opponent takes takes crushing damage equal to the creature's bite attack plus 8 points of acid damage from the creature's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 19). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Mystaran gargantua carrion crawler's interior can hold 2 Large opponents, 8 Medium opponents, and 32 Small or smaller opponents.

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 46. The save DC is Strength-based.

Skills: Carrion crawlers have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks even if rushed or threatened.

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Somewhere along the way we lost the trample damage values in both Cleon's working draft and the main template. Ditto for the original attack that dealt no damage (I added it back, but I may not have done it the way we agreed).

 

[Cleon]

Although carrion crawlers are now "product identity", I still think its OK to use one for a sample creature. (Besides, it'll never come off the unconverted list otherwise!)

Applying it to a carrion crawler...

I'm still not sure how kosher doing the Carrion Crawler is, wouldn't it be safer upgrading some other monsters?

Anyhow, the stats look OK, except for a couple of quibbles.

First, I thought we'd settled on +3 sizes, so it should be Colossal, not Gargantuan.

Second, doesn't the template change the Organization to "Solitary"?

According to my rough draft of the Challenge Rating table the MGCC should be CR 16, which seems about right.

Somewhere along the way we lost the trample damage values in both Cleon's working draft and the main template. Ditto for the original attack that dealt no damage (I added it back, but I may not have done it the way we agreed).

We didn't lose it, the table's still there.

The table says 4d8 trample for a base size of Large. 4d8+21 isn't too shabby.

 

[freyar]

I still think we need a carp.

EDIT: if we're really worried about the name, why not just change to Mystaran Gargantua Carcass Crawler or something obvious but not trademarked?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

I still think we need a carp.

EDIT: if we're really worried about the name, why not just change to Mystaran Gargantua Carcass Crawler or something obvious but not trademarked?

There's a giant carp in Oriental Adventures/Monstrous Compendium, Kara-Tur Appendix. We could convert that when we're done with the flame spirits.

 

[freyar]

Is that one AC9? Cleon had it pegged as a gargantua, which was his hope for a water blast attack. Actually, did we ever agree on that?

 

[Cleon]

I still think we need a carp.

EDIT: if we're really worried about the name, why not just change to Mystaran Gargantua Carcass Crawler or something obvious but not trademarked?

I like the ring of Carcass Creeper better.

 

[Cleon]

There's a giant carp in Oriental Adventures/Monstrous Compendium, Kara-Tur Appendix. We could convert that when we're done with the flame spirits.

The MC6 Giant Carp is a lot smaller than the BECMI edition Gargantua and doesn't have a waterblast attack.

The Giant Carp is basically the same as AD&D's Giant Catfish (1E in MM2 and 2E in MC2 and MM), just a bit bigger and with slightly higher HD (8-12 HD and 20-30 feet for the Carp, 7-10 HD and 16-24 feet for the Catfish).

The Gargantua I'm talking about is 50 feet long and has 15 Hit Dice. It's listed in the index Carp, Gargantua and Fish, Gargantua Carp and Gargantua Carp. Incidentally, AC9 has a separate entry for Giant Catfish under Fish, Giant.

Here's its AC9 stats:

GARGANTUA
Armour Class: 4 Save As: Fighter: 7
Hit Dice: 15* Morale: 11
Move (swimming): 90’ (30’) Treasure Type: A
Attacks: 1 tail / 1 bite or breath Intelligence: 2
Damage: 2-20/3-18 or Alignment: Neutral
see below XP Value: 2300
No. Appearing: 0 (1)

The gargantua is a gigantic fish of the carp family. It is 50 feet long with a large tail and a sucker mouth lined with many sharp teeth. It prowls the ocean floor scavenging for its meals, and often devours the contents of sunken ships. Any treasure it might have will be found in its belly. On an unmodified Hit Roll of 20 it will swallow any opponent of less than giant size. The gargantua’s digestive juices do 2d6 points of damage each round. Each round, it can strike with its tail, and either bite or use its breath weapon (25% chance). The breath is a 30-foot-wide and 60-foot-long blast of water which knocks down any opponent and hurls him or her 100 feet away (negated by a successful Saving Throw vs. Dragon Breath). The water blast does no damage, but the landing might.

 

[freyar]

Weird description; if it's a bottom-feeder, why did it evolve a water blast that clearly works above the surface of the water?

I'd suggest making a water blast that does bludgeoning damage and bull rushes any victim. Sound right?

 

[Cleon]

Weird description; if it's a bottom-feeder, why did it evolve a water blast that clearly works above the surface of the water?

I'd suggest making a water blast that does bludgeoning damage and bull rushes any victim. Sound right?

The original didn't do any damage (unless its victims get blown onto something hard), but I was wanting something that did some damage.

I was thinking of reworking the windblast SA we did for Mothra the Insectoid Gargantua so it affects a Cone/Line instead of a Spread/Cone. That would get us most of the way there.