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

[Cleon]

Hmmm. Okay I take your point about nudging it downwards in an effort to align it near the vrock. Okay, so going with 2d8+6 gore, 2d10+6 and 1d8+6 tail.....?

I was thinking we could make the Gore 2d10 + 6 damage as well as the Stomp to honor the d10s used in the original's two attacks.

Once the Paralysis is factored in I suspect it'll come out to higher than CR 7 but we can cross that hurdle when we come to it.

Shall I update with 2d10+6 gore, 2d10+6 and 1d8+6 tail?

The trunk is a bit of a special case, as the original was a "pick up and toss" attack that did unspecified (but doubled) falling damage.

So I'm thinking that if it hits an opponent of Large size or smaller it tries to scoop them up and hurl them, but if it's larger than that it can only try to trip them up. I'm thinking we might allow the target to use either DEX or STR on their saving throw, whichever is best for them.

I'd have it do a bit more than 1d6 falling damage though. Maybe 2d6 as the original did "double" a normal fall? That matches a 20 foot vertical fall, suggesting it can hurl a creature further away than the 3d6 feet we've got listed. Maybe make it 4d6+6 feet for an average of 20?

 

[Casimir Liber]

(a) yes - 2d10+6 gore, 2d10+6 and 1d8+6 tail is fine.
(b) yeah 20 (4d6+6) ft for 2d6 damage - DC 18 STR or DEX to avoid

 

[Cleon]

(a) yes - 2d10+6 gore, 2d10+6 and 1d8+6 tail is fine.
(b) yeah 20 (4d6+6) ft for 2d6 damage - DC 18 STR or DEX to avoid

Okay, does the following look OK to you?

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.​

​

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that must be prone or Medium size or smaller. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.​

​

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. [?], one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.​

​

Trunk. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. [?], one target. Hit: No damage on hit, but target must make a DC Dexterity or Strength saving throw (target's choice). The target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage on a successful save, but on a failed save the target suffers the following:​

 If the target is Large size or smaller, they are scooped up and hurled a distance of up to 20 ft. (4d6+4), or 10 ft (2d6 + 3) for a Large creature. The gurgotch can hurl the target in any direction and may throw them to land a shorter distance away than the listed maximum range if it desires. When the target hits the ground it takes 7 (2d6) falling (bludgeoning) damage and lands prone. If the gurgotch hurls its victim over a cliff or into a pit that also causes falling damage, the target takes whichever falling damage rolls higher (do not add together the trunk's 2d6 damage to the cliff or pit's falling damage).​

 If the target is Huge size or bigger, the trunk sweeps their legs and slams them into the ground, the target takes 7 (2d6) falling (bludgeoning) damage and falls prone.​

I'm not 100% decided on the Reach of the Trunk and Tail attacks, especially the Tail. Basically I kept dithered between the 10 ft. of the Gore or the 5 ft. of the Stomp and eventually settled on 10 ft. for the Trunk (as its nose is about as long as its tusks) and 5 ft. for the Tail (as it needs to reach around and the Gurgotch presumably can't aim directly behind it very effectively since its butt would be in the way).

I would be OK giving its tail reach 10 ft. if you prefer.

So, any preferences?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Happy with this - had come to same conclusions so looks like t his now

 

[Cleon]

Happy with this - had come to same conclusions so looks like t his now

It's got a surplus question mark in Trunk as a holdover from one of the proposal's red questions [?].

Why is Stomp between the Trunk and Tail attacks? Shouldn't it be ahead of them.

Updating the Gurgotch.

 

[Cleon]

Updating the Gurgotch.

Upon updating, the "do not add together the trunk's 2d6 damage to the cliff or pit's falling damage" looks slightly clunky, I'm inclined to change it to either:

• Trunk #2. (do not add the trunk's 2d6 falling damage to other falling damage.)
• Trunk #3. (do not add together the trunk's 2d6 damage and other falling damage.)

Which do you prefer?

 

[Cleon]

Trunk. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. [?], one target. Hit: No damage on hit, but target must make a DC Dexterity or Strength saving throw (target's choice). The target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage on a successful save, but on a failed save the target suffers the following:

Oops! Forgot to include a number for the Trunk's save DC!

I'm OK with the DC 18 of your previous drafts.

Updating the Gurgotch.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Ok go with Trunk #2. Looks good thus far/all other changes/corrections incorporated

 

[Cleon]

Ok go with Trunk #2. Looks good thus far/all other changes/corrections incorporated

Updating the Gurgotch.

So that just leaves the Breath Weapon, for which the main questions are:

(a) What area should it cover? A cone like many dragon's breath? An ##-foot-radius sphere like a stinking cloud spell?
(b) How do we represent the "paralyzed from the neck down" effect? It's not regular paralysis as the victim should be able to look around themselves, speak, and take actions that only require them to "use their head" (literally).

 

[Casimir Liber]

Updating the Gurgotch.

So that just leaves the Breath Weapon, for which the main questions are:

(a) What area should it cover? A cone like many dragon's breath? An ##-foot-radius sphere like a stinking cloud spell?
(b) How do we represent the "paralyzed from the neck down" effect? It's not regular paralysis as the victim should be able to look around themselves, speak, and take actions that only require them to "use their head" (literally).

So the (b) could be equivalent to restrained or grappled . Boils down to how much importance there is to shoehorning it to an existing condition or improvising. Alternate would be like paralyzed but can cast spells with verbal components and talk.
(a) The original was just on one creature in front of it, but that seems a bit silly for a huge creature to parp out such a tiny weapon. So maybe is better as a cone - thinking as it shoots out of its snout. So like a hell hound maybe.