Converting Planescape monsters

[Cleon]

Ehh, let's stick with a +2 natural armor bonus.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a XXth-level spell.

Not sure how to determine the spell level, since each warden beast will be a different CR. I'm also flexible on uses per day and if we want a percent chance on the summons.

I've added the NA bonus.

As for the summon warden beast spell-equivalent, I suppose we could go for a spell level derived from the base creature's CR, maybe 2 + half CR (max spell level 9th).

 

[freyar]

I'm fine with that type formula for the spell level, though HD-based seems more natural (if less logical). Either way.

 

[Cleon]

I'm fine with that type formula for the spell level, though HD-based seems more natural (if less logical). Either way.

Well the examples of summoned creatures in the summon monster spells seem more to do with CR than HD.

Here's a rough write up:

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a CR 6 tiger warden beast will summons another CR 6 tiger warden beast, which is equivalent to a 5th level spell (2 plus half of 6).

We may have to change the numbers or the sample creature, depending on what we decide to do with the Challenge Rating.

 

[freyar]

That looks pretty good, and I'm fine with leaving the red numbers tentative until we have some samples.

 

[Cleon]

That looks pretty good, and I'm fine with leaving the red numbers tentative until we have some samples.

Updated Working Draft

Still got the rest of the red stuff.

"Call of the Beastlands" is next on the list.

Do we want to make this equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell with some additional flavour?

Something like this:

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

 

[freyar]

Works for me.

 

[Shade]

Animal empathy and telepathy 100 ft. work.

I'm in favor of spell reistance equal to CR + 8.

 

[freyar]

All that sounds good.

I feel like we did a "sense territory" type SQ for one or more of the variant unicorns, but I can't find it with the CC down at the moment. Shade, do you remember where those are in the homebrew threads?

 

[Cleon]

All that sounds good.

I feel like we did a "sense territory" type SQ for one or more of the variant unicorns, but I can't find it with the CC down at the moment. Shade, do you remember where those are in the homebrew threads?

You're referring to the Psychic Warning Fence of the Brown Unicorn.

I'd considered that, but it didn't seem a terribly good match:

Psychic Warning Fence (Sp): A brown unicorn can use its horn to trace an invisible barrier of mental energies around an area of up to 1 square mile. The barrier warns any creatures with a psi-like ability, power point reserve, or telepathy that they are entering the brown unicorn's territory. A psychic warning fence lasts for 1 week, and can be dispelled as if it were a spell-like ability (caster level equals unicorn's HD). A brown unicorn may only have one psychic warning fence active at a time; creating a second immediately removes the first.

I think a variation of the Cariad Ysbryd's Lifesense makes better sense:

Lifesense (Su): A cariad ysbryd can mystically sense every living or undead creature within her territory (an area up to 5 miles across). If strangers enter her territory she immediately senses it. If a living creature is wounded or damaged within her territory the cariad instantly senses it.

As a standard action, a cariad ysbryd can link her lifesense to living or undead creatures within her territory, but to no more than 1 creature per Hit Dice the cariad possesses. This allows her to monitor the direction and distance to the creature(s) and any conditions affecting them: unharmed, wounded, disabled, staggered, unconscious, dying, nauseated, panicked, stunned, poisoned, diseased, confused, or the like. A cariad ysbryd can stop lifesense-monitoring as a free action; otherwise the monitoring will continue until the monitored creature dies, leaves the cariad's territory, or the cariad ysbryd is destroyed.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a cariad ysbryd's lifesense. Lifesense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

 

[freyar]

Agreed on the cariad ysbryd ability. That should probably work with pretty slight modification. Maybe just drop the "linking" bit. Do you agree? Good memory, by the way.