Converting Planescape monsters

Cleon said:

Okay, checked those pages and I must have been thinking of something else with the Grafts/Template. Maybe some later product with Modron elements?

The Modronoids in The Great Modron March are definitely regular monsters. There are two types equivalent to Base Modrons and Hierarch Modrons. The majority are humanoid-modron cyborg constructs covered with metal plates with retractile arm-blades but Valran Stonefist is basically a human mind in a Decaton body. However, his [its?] abilities are identical to a regular Decaton apart from spellcasting: the Decaton Modronoid has Varan's wizard spellcasting abilities rather than the Primus-based cleric spellcasting of a true Decaton.

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It's kind of strange because Modronoids are given their own stats, but the descriptions for how they are created sound more like a template (modron) being added to a humanoid. For example, the npc ally named Xaldra ends up appearing as a Modronoid (pg 56). The PCs clearly recognize it as Xaldra covered in metal plates with bladed arms. When it dies, the metal parts fade away (Modrons vanish back to Mechanus when killed) and Xaldra's mutilated body is all that remains.

The Modronoid stats on pg 59 are identical to the Modronoid Xaldra. So it seems like the humanoid parts are just visually distinct, but the stats are all the same. I suppose this would still be a living construct?

Like you pointed out, the Valran Stonefist Modronoid on pg 109 keeps his wizard spell casting, but has the decaton spell-like abilities. Would the Hierarch Modrons use a Modronoid/humanoid template to gain any existing spellcasting abilities, lose the modron spellcasting, and keep the modron spell-like abilities?

Oryan77 said:

It's kind of strange because Modronoids are given their own stats, but the descriptions for how they are created sound more like a template (modron) being added to a humanoid. For example, the npc ally named Xaldra ends up appearing as a Modronoid (pg 56). The PCs clearly recognize it as Xaldra covered in metal plates with bladed arms. When it dies, the metal parts fade away (Modrons vanish back to Mechanus when killed) and Xaldra's mutilated body is all that remains.

The Modronoid stats on pg 59 are identical to the Modronoid Xaldra. So it seems like the humanoid parts are just visually distinct, but the stats are all the same. I suppose this would still be a living construct?

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I read it that a Base Modronoid has some resemblance to the humanoid it used to be but is basically an entirely new creature.

If it was a template-equivalent then wouldn't some of the common Modronoids in the adventure have class levels or class abilities?

Oryan77 said:

Like you pointed out, the Valran Stonefist Modronoid on pg 109 keeps his wizard spell casting, but has the decaton spell-like abilities. Would the Hierarch Modrons use a Modronoid/humanoid template to gain any existing spellcasting abilities, lose the modron spellcasting, and keep the modron spell-like abilities?

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If you went that route I'd say a Hierarch Modronoid would use the host humanoid's mental attributes, or possibly a modification of them, since they are a humanoid brain in a modronoid body.

It sounds to me like a case could be made either for a template or a regular monster. What if we made it a kind of template that erases class levels but keeps some class features?

freyar said:

It sounds to me like a case could be made either for a template or a regular monster. What if we made it a kind of template that erases class levels but keeps some class features?

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Well the base Modronoid looks like a regular monster.

Could go for a template with the Hierarch Modronoid as described above. Figuring out how the CR / EL for such a Template would work may prove troublesome.

Although is such a Template terribly different from a wizard taking over a decaton's body using magic jar or casting shapechange and assuming the form of a decaton? Apart from it being permanent and due to some weird brain transplant rather than a spell. The game mechanical elements of it would be more or less the same.

Come to think of it, if the Template can give a character the body of a decaton or other Hierarch Modrons, then can it give a character the body of a Base Modron too? Can you have, say, a quadrone with the mind of a dwarf paladin or a Tridrone elf rogue?

But if the Template is some kind of brain transplant it begs the question as to what kinds of creatures the template allows a crazy wizard to stick a brain in, and what sort of donor said brain can come from. Science this mad might not be limited to humanoid brains in modron bodies!

Dang it, the whole thing is too vaguely defined. The basic idea is simple but the implications are too complicated.

The standard issue Modronoid is a lot clearer.

Let's start working on that one and see if we can come up with a better handle on the Brain-Transplant Modronoid later.

Anyhow, here's the relevant extracts from The Great Modron March:

Modronoid Xaldra
The first Modronoid encountered by the PCs is a buddy of theirs who vanished during a night of revelry and reappeared as a monstrous cyborg thing! She'd been kidnapped by thugs hired to get "experimental subjects" for the modron-grafting research of the mad wizard Valran Stonefist.

From Page 56:

Now you might wonder why the metal parts of the Modronoid vanish when it dies. Well the answer is… disturbing. Those parts are grafts from a Base Modron who is still alive. The life force of the unwilling modron donor and the humanoid host are surgically linked, so if one dies so does the other. Since the Modron is an extraplanar outsider, if it dies its body vanishes, including any severed parts grafted onto a Modronoid.

Turning a Humanoid into a Modronoid normally drives it insane. Crazed modronoids tend to try to kill themselves, attack everyone they meet, and pace like rabid wild animals (see 10b Modronoid Prison and 8 Prison, below).

However, there are ways around this "modron madness," for example, Xaldra can be restored to sanity by restoring her memories and mind, which presumably also somehow returns the spirit which was driven "from her flesh"…

From Page 58:

The madness can be "fixed" by a modron brain graft, as explained by the Modronoids' creator Valran Stonefist below (see New Modronoids).

Original Modronoids
The following encounter Locations relate to the first batch of Modronoids, which included Xaldra. Note how the Modronoids have identical stats despite being made with grafts from three different ranks of Base Modron (pentadrones, tridrones and monodrones).

From Page 59:

New Modronoids
Considerable later in the adventure, the PCs discover Valran Stonefist in a decaton's body who reveals he has invented an improved version of the Modronoid that is often sane enough to follow orders! Fortunately for the party, all these New Modronoids are away on various tasks so the PCs doesn't have to fight any. Still, it would have been nice to have seen if their stats were any different from the insane Original Modronoid described above.

From Page 107 & 109:

From Pages 109-110:

Are these the only stats we have? Looking at the actual statblocks, I have to say that Xalra/base modronoids look like monsters and not templates, a lot like a vampire spawn is a monster. As for Valran, at the moment I'm inclined to make him a unique modronoid monster, though that depends if there are other possible "special" modronoids statted out that we could use to make a template that would include Valran. But I don't see stats for Valran that would even allow us to convert a monster!

freyar said:

Are these the only stats we have? Looking at the actual statblocks, I have to say that Xalra/base modronoids look like monsters and not templates, a lot like a vampire spawn is a monster.

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Yes, the Base Modronoid are definitely not templates since there's no difference between one made from a monodrone and one made from a pentadrone.

freyar said:

As for Valran, at the moment I'm inclined to make him a unique modronoid monster, though that depends if there are other possible "special" modronoids statted out that we could use to make a template that would include Valran.

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Valran is the only "Special." While the Xalradrone has a name in the adventure, mechanically it's no different from the other Modronoids.

freyar said:

But I don't see stats for Valran that would even allow us to convert a monster!

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I'll post Valran's stats later. My post above was just for the regular Modronoid.

Didn't want to do both in one post as I thought it'd be confusing.

Oh heck, let's get this ball rolling…

Modronoid
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. ( squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attack: Arm blade +9 melee (1d6+4/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 arm blades +9 melee (1d6+4/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Arm blades
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., living construct traits, low-light vision, spell resistance 10, vulnerability to metal-affecting powers
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +3
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 9
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (arm blades)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, team (2–4), squad (5–12), patrol (13–25), platoon (26–84), or company (85–144)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement:—
Level Adjustment: —

Description.

Background.

Combat
Modronoids attack with howling fury, hurling themselves into melee combat with their arm blades. An "insane" modronoid, or one left to its own devices, tries to kill any non-modron or non-modronoid it sees. A "sane" modronoid being directed by its creator, or a supervisor its master ordered it to obey, will slavishly and unimaginatively follow any order its controller gives it.

Unless otherwise directed, modronoids fight until they kill all their opponents or die. They have no fear of death, which would end the agonising pain of their existence.

Arm Blades (Ex): Each of the modronoid's arms is fitted with a retractable short-sword sized blade. An arm blade does 1d6 piercing damage and threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 19–20.

Living Construct Traits: Immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain. Cannot heal damage naturally. Subject to stunning, ability damage, and ability drain. Subject to spells that target either constructs or living creatures.

Vulnerability to Metal-Affecting Powers (Ex): A modronoid takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from effects that target its metallic components, such as the chill metal and heat metal spells, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.

A modronoid is affected normally by rust attacks, such as those of a rust monster or a rusting grasp spell.

The spell transmute metal to wood gives the modronoid a –2 penalty on the attack and damage rolls of its arm blades and –2 reduction to its natural armor bonus. If it rolls a natural attack roll of 1 or 2 with a transmuted arm blade the weapon splinters, reducing the damage to 1d3+4 piercing with no critical threat multiplier. Every time a transmuted modronoid is struck with a natural attack roll of 19 or 20 it loses an additional point of armor bonus.

The spell repel metal or stone pushes a modronoid away from the caster as if it were a hurricane force wind that uses the caster's spell DC for its Fortitude saving throws. See the Weather rules for Powerful Storms for the wind effects of a hurricane.

Originally appeared in The Great Modron March (1997).

Yeah, these sound like they could be templates, but I think they're really just normal monsters with a single unique monster.

I see you have the possibility of a decaton modronoid in the org line. I don't recall seeing stats for those. Did I just miss them, or are they somewhere else?