Converting "generic setting" Second Edition monsters

[Cleon]

First off, this should be called out as a sonic effect.

Making it sonic suits me.

Switching the base stat to Constitution would mean it wouldn't need a curiously high Charisma to power the Shriek.

Not that I mind it having a curiously high Cha score to support a special attack. That's what the SRD Krenshar does, after all.

Giving the Leaper a Charisma 10 would suit me as much as switching the Shriek to Con-based.

Let's see what Shade thinks.

Second, I'd suggest probably making this Ex and Con-based. And, finally, that's an odd mechanic. Why not say that a victim cannot be affected by another shriek for a round after a successful save?

Basically, I wanted to ensure that if a victim gets hit with shrieks with different DCs (say, a Water Leaper with Ability Focus (stunning shriek)) they need to save versus the highest-DC shriek.

Admittedly, that's rather an edge case since all the Water Leapers in an encounter are likely to have the same shriek DC.

That said, the "cannot be affected for 1 round after a successful save" approach is an acceptable compromise.

Let's see what Shade thinks. Again.

Oh, and I'm not fond of (Ex) instead of (Su). It is a Magical Beast, after all, so we might as well give it something magical.

 

[Shade]

Sorry guys, I've been super busy at work.

Let's see...I prefer sonic, Su, Con-based, one save and 24-hour immunity thereafter, and simply using the highest DC of the group (I know we've done that before).

 

[Cleon]

Sorry guys, I've been super busy at work.

Let's see...I prefer sonic, Su, Con-based, one save and 24-hour immunity thereafter, and simply using the highest DC of the group (I know we've done that before).

I'm strongly in favour of 1-round immunity, one save, and highest DC in the group.

 

[freyar]

Seems like we can agree on sonic, Su, probably Con-based (a sonic thing strikes me as more Con-based since it has a Fort save, as opposed to the krenshar's scare).

I'm a bit confused about the corner case if we base the DC on the group, though. What if the different shriekers have different inits, and the higher-DC leaper has a lower init score. How do you know if it's going to shriek at the time the victim has to make the save (when the lower-DC leapers shriek earlier in the round)?

 

[Cleon]

Seems like we can agree on sonic, Su, probably Con-based (a sonic thing strikes me as more Con-based since it has a Fort save, as opposed to the krenshar's scare).

I'm a bit confused about the corner case if we base the DC on the group, though. What if the different shriekers have different inits, and the higher-DC leaper has a lower init score. How do you know if it's going to shriek at the time the victim has to make the save (when the lower-DC leapers shriek earlier in the round)?

That's why I originally proposed the "roll one save and use the result for all the saves that round" mechanism.

 

[Shade]

That's why I originally proposed the "roll one save and use the result for all the saves that round" mechanism.

How about the more simplistic "Use the highest DC of water leaper currently shrieking"?

Realistically, once you factor in initiative order, it should really just be "save vs. first water leaper that shrieks" in a given round. Unless you want to have them maintain the shrieking through concentration.

 

[Cleon]

How about the more simplistic "Use the highest DC of water leaper currently shrieking"?

Realistically, once you factor in initiative order, it should really just be "save vs. first water leaper that shrieks" in a given round. Unless you want to have them maintain the shrieking through concentration.

It seemed simple enough to save vs the first leaper and remember the save result for any subsequent leapers in that round.

If you use a "currently shrieking" approach the leapers could stagger their initiative by using delayed actions, thereby forcing their opponents to make multiple separate saves. I'd prefer the "1 round immunity on a successful save" approach to that.

Who'd have thought this simple SA would lead to so much debate?

 

[freyar]

It's all because of the nonstandard "make a save and keep it" mechanic. That's why I came up with the 1 round immunity. Shade mentioned a group-based DC we did before --- anyone think they can find that?

 

[Cleon]

It's all because of the nonstandard "make a save and keep it" mechanic. That's why I came up with the 1 round immunity. Shade mentioned a group-based DC we did before --- anyone think they can find that?

Any clues as to what kind of creature had it?

 

[Shade]

Any clues as to what kind of creature had it?

Here's one...

Screech (Su): Ba'atun can emit a loud, piercing and chilling screech as a free action. All creatures within 60 feet of the ba’atun must make a successful Will save (DC 17) or be struck by fear and be cowering for one full round. Each round that the screeching lasts, victims must make another successful saving throw at the beginning of initiative to be able to act. Only one saving throw per round is required (at the highest DC within range of each character), no matter how many ba'atun there are. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.