Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

Speaking of that shout, it says they usually use it immediately after being attacked. That suggest either they rely on a good Concentration check (since they're most likely still being attacked) or it could be a (Su) rather than a (Sp). If we do the latter, we don't have to worry about Concentration and we can max-out all the skills.

Hmm...an immediate action Su ability? Has potential...

 

[freyar]

I like the sympathetic entanglement in the end. But you guys have to let me catch up!

Skills look good, and an immediate shout seems interesting to me too.

 

[Cleon]

I like the sympathetic entanglement in the end. But you guys have to let me catch up!

Skills look good, and an immediate shout seems interesting to me too.

Before we get too carried away, I wasn't being literal when I said immediately. Let's check the original text...

"If this ability [double vision] fails, a suwyze magically shouts for help, blasting opponents in the process"

So, its shout should be usable in combat, but doesn't have to be an immediate action.

Still, I wouldn't mind it being a 3/day Su rather than an SLA.

Although it specifically lists shout among its Spell-Like Abilities, so maybe we should just leave it there. I'd still fewer skill ranks in Arcana and more in Search, e.g. something like:

Skills #1: Concentration 5, Knowledge (arcana) 4, Listen 7, Search 5, Spot 7.
Skills #2: Concentration 5, Knowledge (arcana) 2, Listen 7, Search 7, Spot 7.

 

[Shade]

I realize you weren't being literal, but I thought it would be fun to make in an immediate action Su ability. 3/day works fine.

Making it a Su ability renders little need for Concentration (invisibility being the only combat-related SLA), so I'd still rather ditch it for the other ranks.

Thus:

Knowledge (arcana) 7, Listen 7, Search 7, Spot 7.

 

[Cleon]

I realize you weren't being literal, but I thought it would be fun to make in an immediate action Su ability. 3/day works fine.

Making it a Su ability renders little need for Concentration (invisibility being the only combat-related SLA), so I'd still rather ditch it for the other ranks.

Thus:

Knowledge (arcana) 7, Listen 7, Search 7, Spot 7.

Well I'm still not convinced that we need maxed-out ranks in Knowledge (arcana) just because they fancy themselves philosophers. There's little more justification for that than if we gave them Use Magic Device because they sometimes wear magic items.

For that matter, Knowledge (religion) covers a lot of philosophical ground too, why not put a few ranks in that?

Oh yes, I happened to check the original Dragon Mountain version of this beastie which is pretty clear about its tendril attacks causing the double vision:

If forced into melee, a suwyze attacks with its feeding tendrils, each a 10-foot-long whiplike appendage covered with coarse, sandpapery skin. These abrasive whips cause 1-6 points of damage when each strikes. A more important talent of suwyze is their ability to induce magical double vision in their opponents as a play for sympathy: Unless the victim of an attack rolls a successful saving throw vs. spells, the attacker begins seeing the combat from the suwyze’s point of view, in a somewhat doctored form. The disorientation this causes imposes a –3 penalty upon all attack rolls. Hearing the piteous cries of the suwyze and seeing the magically exaggerated effects of each blow are so eerie that opponents suffer a –1 penalty to damage rolls as well. If this ability fails, a suwyze magically shouts for help, blasting opponents in the process.

 

[Shade]

Well I'm still not convinced that we need maxed-out ranks in Knowledge (arcana) just because they fancy themselves philosophers. There's little more justification for that than if we gave them Use Magic Device because they sometimes wear magic items.

The types of item they wear don't tend to require UMD checks.

For that matter, Knowledge (religion) covers a lot of philosophical ground too, why not put a few ranks in that?

I'd be fine with shifting a few ranks to Knowledge (religion).

 

[Cleon]

The types of item they wear don't tend to require UMD checks.

I had a feeling that'd be your response, my precognition is on a roll this week.

I'd be fine with shifting a few ranks to Knowledge (religion).

So, Knowledge (arcana) 3, Knowledge (arcana) 4, Listen 7, Search 7, Spot 7?

 

[Shade]

Yep. Updated skills and feats.

For the discussed revision to shout above, something like this?

Retalitory Shout (Su): Three times per day, a suwyze may unleash a supernatural scream as an immediate action after taking damage. This functions a shout spell (caster level 8th, DC X). The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Cleon]

Yep. Updated skills and feats.

For the discussed revision to shout above, something like this?

Retalitory Shout (Su): Three times per day, a suwyze may unleash a supernatural scream as an immediate action after taking damage. This functions a shout spell (caster level 8th, DC X). The save DC is Charisma-based.

That'd work, although personally I'm leaning more and more towards leaving it an SLA. The DC is 17 either way.

 

[freyar]

A bit more standard to leave it as an SLA, but then we need to pilfer some ranks for Concentration.