5E: Converting Monsters from White Dwarf Magazine for Fifth Edition

[Casimir Liber]

Okay - have changed from pseudopod to short-ranged psychic spell-like blast. Am persuaded by yr arguments. orignal description has number appearing 1-3, which suggests they are more solo operators in general. So musing on how to word their psychology on this but need to go to work now.

Am musing on going the other way (and warming to 8d4 hp and 10 CON, but what does that do to other stats....)

 

[Cleon]

Might write more later today, but just not feeling inspired at the moment.

Okay, let's try again…

Pine Kindred Initiation. A pine kindred jarl knows a special ritual spell that transforms humanoids of Medium size (living or dead) into pine kindred. This spell can only be cast in a sacrificial grove (see Groves of Death in Description) and its 20 minute casting time must end during the hour of midnight. Other pine kindred can assist the jarl with Pine Kindred Initiation. If their assistance is interrupted (to fight intruders, for example), it does not break the spell.

The living humanoids and corpses to become pine kindred are slowly drained of blood. A living humanoid will die 12 to 18 minutes into the ritual (average 150 rounds)*. Living victims must be immobilized or cooperative, for a single action can bind a victim's cut and stop the bleeding.
* If it matters, the exact round a living victim will bleed to death can be determined by rolling 3d20 + 1d4 + 116.

Finally, during the last two minutes of the ritual, the drained victim's empty veins are filled with pine sap from ceremonial vessels (at least a gallon of sap per body) and the pine kindred use Necrotic Sap Infusion to transition them into undeath.

The ritual can create any combination of pine kindred, pine kindred fircarls, and pine kindred resin-thralls the jarl desires. The requirements are as follows:

• To initiate a Pine Kindred requires a living sacrifice. The animation requires four doses of necrotic sap, at least two doses of which must come from a Jarl.
• To initiate a Fircarl requires a living sacrifice or fresh corpse (intact and less than three days old). The animation requires two doses of sap; if a corpse is used the necrotic sap must include at least half a dose from a Jarl.
• To initiate a Resin-Thrall requires only a body in any condition, although thralls without limbs are of little use. The animation requires one dose of necrotic sap, or half a dose for a living sacrifice.

Since Pine Kindred Initiation is in a sacrificial grove, pine kindred only take half of the 1d6 damage per dose from using Necrotic Sap Infusion on the initiates. They can split a single dose to give two initiates half a dose each.

The bodies rise as undead when the spell is finished. If an initiate received insufficient necrotic sap, it becomes the strongest type of pine kindred it qualifies for (three doses would create a fircarl, for example) or just a dead body.

 

[Cleon]

Okay - have changed from pseudopod to short-ranged psychic spell-like blast. Am persuaded by yr arguments.

It can still be called "Dominating Pseudopod", no need to change it to "Wave". That just makes it sound like it's a ranged attack rather than a touch attack.

orignal description has number appearing 1-3, which suggests they are more solo operators in general. So musing on how to word their psychology on this but need to go to work now.

Yes, personality-wise the Enslaver seems very unlike a Puppet Master.

The scenario suggests they, well, just don't care. It wasn't actually doing anything with the human body it had acquired. Why would a genius creature just sit outside a cave once it has a host? It could be pursuing a goal such as seeking out sensations, knowledge and power or crafting some strange device known to its kind but it just did nothing.

Maybe they're all clinically depressed by ennui because they remember everything from the ancestors they split from for the past millenia or eons and have just lost interest in a "been there, done that" manner? They might only try murdering good creatures out of boredom!

It's probably better to leave such speculation out, and just say they avoid each other and are rarely encountered in groups of more than two or three.

Am musing on going the other way (and warming to 8d4 hp and 10 CON, but what does that do to other stats....)

Apart from giving it 20 hit points, nothing!

 

[Cleon]

That reminds me, I did wonder about jazzing it up by adding a stunning effect and/or extra psychic damage if a Wisdom save is failed.

My thinking was if it can potentially stun an opponent for a few rounds it has a way of dealing with a few opponents before it manages to Enslave one. Since it can alternate hits to stun-lock a couple of enemies. It also makes it more feasible that it can turn an enemy into a host before its foe mulches it, since it can stun the some of the rounds it's trying to mind-whip them into obedience.

The original monster didn't have the problem that it'd need a few rounds to enslave a victim, since it could do it with a single touch, but doesn't allow for the ebb-and-flow of combat like the "psychic damage" approach does.

Another idea is making it more "spell-like" by having the pseudopod attack do dice-only damage (i.e. no ability or proficiency bonus) and have that halved or neutralized with a save.

Or a combination of the above? Consider the following.

I'll take an extra order of stun!:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #1). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) psychic damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

or extra damage:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #2). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) psychic damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom save or take an additional 1d10 psychic damage. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

or perhaps both:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #3). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) psychic damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom save or take an additional 1d8 psychic damage and be stunned for 1 round. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

A "spell-like" version could be:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #4). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d8) psychic damage, half damage if the target succeeds at a DC 14 Wisdom save. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

Or if it stuns too, maybe:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #5). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) psychic damage and stunned for 1 round, if the target succeeds at a DC 14 Wisdom save they take half damage and are not stunned. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

 

[Cleon]

Or if it stuns too, maybe:

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #5). Melee Spell Attack, +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) psychic damage and stunned for 1 round, if the target succeeds at a DC 14 wisdom save they take half damage and are not stunned. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

Okay, I've had a night's sleep, so here's a few more ideas to consider.

Firstly, I'm thinking there's no rule forbidding the use Intelligence on a Weapon Attack to hit if we wanted to, so it doesn't have to be "Spell Attack" in there.

Secondly, I'm thinking we can increase the Dexterity and use that for the Attack if we wanted to.

Thirdly, We used Int for its Stealth when it should be Dex! Its –3 Dex modifier means it'll only have Stealth –1 with regular proficiency. If we gave it increased Dex as mentioned above that'd allow for a decent Stealth skill.

Fourthly, the original monster uses "saving throw vs paralyzation" to determine domination. Paralyzation is a saving throw type a target is more likely to succeed against in 1E AD&D (i.e. it has the equivalent of a low DC), so I'm thinking we should use Charisma instead of Intelligence for DC 12 (or 14 for Enslave).

Fifthly, if we wanted to use a "save for half damage" mechanism, we can still include an ability modifier in the damage if we wanted to.

Sixthly, I can't help wondering "does it really need Wisdom 18?" It's a chaotic loner who can't even be bothered looking after it's host, there's no indication it's more observant that a regular creature, and it's immune to many effects that require Wisdom saves (like charm). It deserves a high Charisma to reflect its dominating personality.

Seventhly, It should be immune to Dominated as well as Charmed.

Putting that all together would be.

All the tweaks!:

STR​	DEX​	CON​	INT​	WIS​	CHA​
5 (−3)​	13 (+1)​	14 (+2)​	18 (+2)​	14 (+2)​	15 (+2)​

Skills Deception +6, Perception +4, Stealth +5
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, dominated, frightened
Senses passive Perception 13

Dominating Pseudopod (Variant #6). Melee Weapon Attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) psychic damage and stunned for 1 round, if the target succeeds at a DC 12 Wisdom save they take half damage and are not stunned. This psychic damage cannot reduce the target to negative hit points. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the enslaver can use Enslave (see Reactions).

An enslaver cannot use Dominating Pseudopod if it has a creature dominated with Enslave.

Enslave (Variant #2). [Wisdom save becomes DC 14]

EDIT: Just noticed my previous post had some "wisdom saves" that should be capitalized to "Wisdom". They've been corrected. :ENDEDIT

 

[Cleon]

Okay, let's try again…

Pine Kindred Initiation. A pine kindred jarl knows a special ritual spell that transforms humanoids of Medium size (living or dead) into pine kindred. This spell can only be cast in a sacrificial grove (see Groves of Death in Description) and its 20 minute casting time must end during the hour of midnight. Other pine kindred can assist the jarl with Pine Kindred Initiation. If their assistance is interrupted (to fight intruders, for example), it does not break the spell.

The living humanoids and corpses to become pine kindred are slowly drained of blood. A living humanoid will die 12 to 18 minutes into the ritual (average 150 rounds)*. Living victims must be immobilized or cooperative, for a single action can bind a victim's cut and stop the bleeding.
* If it matters, the exact round a living victim will bleed to death can be determined by rolling 3d20 + 1d4 + 116.

Finally, during the last two minutes of the ritual, the drained victim's empty veins are filled with pine sap from ceremonial vessels (at least a gallon of sap per body) and the pine kindred use Necrotic Sap Infusion to transition them into undeath.

The ritual can create any combination of pine kindred, pine kindred fircarls, and pine kindred resin-thralls the jarl desires. The requirements are as follows:

• To initiate a Pine Kindred requires a living sacrifice. The animation requires four doses of necrotic sap, at least two doses of which must come from a Jarl.
• To initiate a Fircarl requires a living sacrifice or fresh corpse (intact and less than three days old). The animation requires two doses of sap; if a corpse is used the necrotic sap must include at least half a dose from a Jarl.
• To initiate a Resin-Thrall requires only a body in any condition, although thralls without limbs are of little use. The animation requires one dose of necrotic sap, or half a dose for a living sacrifice.

Since Pine Kindred Initiation is in a sacrificial grove, pine kindred only take half of the 1d6 damage per dose from using Necrotic Sap Infusion on the initiates. They can split a single dose to give two initiates half a dose each.

The bodies rise as undead when the spell is finished. If an initiate received insufficient necrotic sap, it becomes the strongest type of pine kindred it qualifies for (three doses would create a fircarl, for example) or just a dead body.

Okay, I've updated the Jarl a slightly tweaked version of the above (mostly I changed "This spell can only be cast in a sacrificial grove (see Groves of Death in Description)" to "This spell can only be cast in a "Grove of Death" (see Description)" and added a comma.

Also tweaked the initial wording of Necrotic Sap Infusion to "The blood-sap of Pine Kindred" in both the Jarl and the Thane.

Mechanically, I'm pretty content with them now. Can you think of any changes to suggest?

Otherwise, I'll start working on the Descriptions.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Right, have incorporated changes to enslaver as suggested, though I like 1d12 +4 for damage as a bit more unpredictable, and DnDbeyond does no have "immune to dominated" as a slot annoyingly

 

[Cleon]

Right, have incorporated changes to enslaver as suggested, though I like 1d12 +4 for damage as a bit more unpredictable, and DnDbeyond does no have "immune to dominated" as a slot annoyingly

There are a few minor errors in version #7 but I've got things to do for the rest of the day so they'll have to wait.

1d12 + 4 damage is fine by me. The dodecahedron doesn't get enough love!

We could use those in Enslave too (i.e. 1d12 for breaking control, plus 4d12 if the second save fails). The damage is almost the same (6d10 averages 33, 5d12 averages 32.5).

Shall I put immunity to dominated in the Text version still?

Toodles for now!

 

[Casimir Liber]

Okay, I've updated the Jarl a slightly tweaked version of the above (mostly I changed "This spell can only be cast in a sacrificial grove (see Groves of Death in Description)" to "This spell can only be cast in a "Grove of Death" (see Description)" and added a comma.

Also tweaked the initial wording of Necrotic Sap Infusion to "The blood-sap of Pine Kindred" in both the Jarl and the Thane.

Mechanically, I'm pretty content with them now. Can you think of any changes to suggest?

Otherwise, I'll start working on the Descriptions.

I do like what you've done - the necrotic sap stuff is really good.

*"hour of midnight" ...errr, is this before or after....
*...requires a living sacrifice." - I'd probably say "requires a living victim."
*I'd describe it as a "sacred grove" not "sacrificial grove" to emphasise its other lair-like qualities I guess

My initial thinking was that pine kindred proper could also be freshly-dead but I think it the gradation suits yr current layout. Also makes for more interesting tactics by the kindred I imagine.

I like the idea they mainly live off dark druidic energy. They live in dark forests os definitely don't need sunlight.

I like the idea of a tree-jotun as a rare boss encounter

Anyway...gotta sleep now

 

[Casimir Liber]

There are a few minor errors in version #7 but I've got things to do for the rest of the day so they'll have to wait.

1d12 + 4 damage is fine by me. The dodecahedron doesn't get enough love!

We could use those in Enslave too (i.e. 1d12 for breaking control, plus 4d12 if the second save fails). The damage is almost the same (6d10 averages 33, 5d12 averages 32.5).

Shall I put immunity to dominated in the Text version still?

Toodles for now!

damn was just brushing my teeth. let me know about errors - will be asleep for next 6 hours anyway. yeah to dominated intext version. Will sleep on other idea