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

[Cleon]

Large it is. In my mind, this could also free us from the notion that they have to be called "cyclops", but that is a matter of opinion.

So Large fey, chaotic evil for the first line of the Whatever Cyclops?

 

[ilgatto]

So Large fey, chaotic evil for the first line of the Whatever Cyclops?

Agreed.

 

[ilgatto]

Well they seem pretty spooky and unnatural to me, and it might also derive from "elf" who could appear as strange and ghastly beings in old myths.

Hmm... not convinced.

You mentioned spriggans, well they and things like redcaps and other murderous fey could be considered "eldritch" in the weird and unnatural creature sense.

Eldritch just doesn't do it for me - too spooky and not murderous enough.

Also, you've got "Temple of the Eye" up there and you're telling me it's NOT appropriate for a Cyclops.

Whoa! Hadn't even realized that!

Although it is quite a step from "cyclops" I do believe I rather like "One-Eye", for it has a nice "lording it over goblins et al." ring to it, while it also has a connection to the original adventure.
Hmm... come to think of it, wasn't the mysterious wizard called "One-Eye"?

Hmm...

 

[ilgatto]

Monopticons!

I guess you could use a literal translation of Cyclops and call it a Circle-Eye, Round-Eye or possibly a Wheel-Eye if you want to reverse-stretch the definition backwards from a bicycle.

Monopticon isn't a bad approach at all!

Lemme think on that.

Monophthalmos too unwieldy?

Posts seem to be crossing each other at the moment!

 

[ilgatto]

I guess you could use a literal translation of Cyclops and call it a Circle-Eye (...).

Circlops? Naah...

 

[Cleon]

Agreed.

Updated.

It might be useful to have some other monsters to serve as a models or inspiration.

Like, say an Ogre or Troll are representative big nasty brutes of approximately the right size and threat level.

Anyhow, we can leave the name question on the back burner for the time being.

Next is Armor Class. The original has AC 6, which is pretty poor but not awful. That's the same AC as an AD&D Goblin (AC 15 in 5E) or Orc (AC 13 in 5E) and slightly worse than the AC 5 of an Ogre. Although Ogres only have AC 11 in 5E, which is pretty lousy.

So maybe AC 13?

 

[ilgatto]

Updated.

It might be useful to have some other monsters to serve as a models or inspiration.

Like, say an Ogre or Troll are representative big nasty brutes of approximately the right size and threat level.

Anyhow, we can leave the name question on the back burner for the time being.

Next is Armor Class. The original has AC 6, which is pretty poor but not awful. That's the same AC as an AD&D Goblin (AC 15 in 5E) or Orc (AC 13 in 5E) and slightly worse than the AC 5 of an Ogre. Although Ogres only have AC 11 in 5E, which is pretty lousy.

So maybe AC 13?

I've been looking to put them between ogres and hill giants as far as their stats are concerned. I think they should have a better AC than ogres for... gut-feeling. Although perhaps not very much better because they only have one eye!
However, I still haven't found a "standard" for 5E ACs. Is there some 5E equivlent for, say, 2E AC 10?


Oculus? (or is there a 3E thing called this?)
Monoculus? (from Latin “oculus”, eye)
(hmm… Homunculus)

Enaclops? (from Modern Greek “ena”, one)
Monoclops? (hmm… too biclops-y?)

EDIT: Kuklops?

 

[Cleon]

Although it is quite a step from "cyclops" I do believe I rather like "One-Eye", for it has a nice "lording it over goblins et al." ring to it, while it also has a connection to the original adventure.
Hmm... come to think of it, wasn't the mysterious wizard called "One-Eye"?

And I quote:

"One-Eye canyon had its name long before this cyclops came. Legends indicate that One-Eye was a magic user who dwell somewhere in the canyon."​

 

[Cleon]

However, I still haven't found a "standard" for 5E ACs. Is there some 5E equivlent for, say, 2E AC 10?

Yes, it's AC 10.

The numbers go in opposite directions, but at roughly the same rate, so an AC 5 (chainmail) in AD&D is AC 15 in 5E: both are five points away from 10.

The harder to hit monsters tend to have lower ACs in 5E though.

For example, a Giant Scorpion is AC 3 in AD&D (7 points from 10) but AC 15 in 5E (5 points).

Fiends, Dragons and the like tend to be more comparable to their 1E AD&D Armor Classes than their 2E incarnations.

I've been looking to put them between ogres and hill giants as far as their stats are concerned. I think they should have a better AC than ogres for... gut-feeling. Although perhaps not very much better because they only have one eye!

Certainly better than a 5E Ogre, as it's got a rather poor AC.

It might be helpful to pick a desired Challenge Rating for the Cyclops and see what the recommended AC for that is, then tweak it about a bit to taste.

In 5E, an Ogre is CR 2 and a Troll or Hill Giant is CR 5.

Trolls are tougher (better AC & more HP), do more damage, and can regenerate, although they have some similarities in mechanics. They are a bestial claw-claw-bite attacker after all. The main difference is a troll's special trick is regeneration, while the cyclops is its Hypno-Eye.

So I reckon we'd be aiming for Challenge 3 or 4.

Either one ought to do. We might as well see what comes out in the wash.

 

[ilgatto]

Yes, it's AC 10.

The numbers go in opposite directions, but at roughly the same rate, so an AC 5 (chainmail) in AD&D is AC 15 in 5E: both are five points away from 10.

The harder to hit monsters tend to have lower ACs in 5E though.

For example, a Giant Scorpion is AC 3 in AD&D (7 points from 10) but AC 15 in 5E (5 points).

Heh. So a 5E zombie has 2E AC 12. Blasphemy!

Fiends, Dragons and the like tend to be more comparable to their 1E AD&D Armor Classes than their 2E incarnations.

Certainly better than a 5E Ogre, as it's got a rather poor AC.

AC 11 being comparable to 2E AC 9. That's not good.
Still, I think the Enaclops having but one eye should be taken into account, unless that comes into play later and then still affects it AC.

AC 12 coz 1 worse than hill giant and orc?

It might be helpful to pick a desired Challenge Rating for the Cyclops and see what the recommended AC for that is, then tweak it about a bit to taste.

In 5E, an Ogre is CR 2 and a Troll or Hill Giant is CR 5.

Trolls are tougher (better AC & more HP), do more damage, and can regenerate, although they have some similarities in mechanics. They are a bestial claw-claw-bite attacker after all. The main difference is a troll's special trick is regeneration, while the cyclops is its Hypno-Eye.

So I reckon we'd be aiming for Challenge 3 or 4.

Either one ought to do. We might as well see what comes out in the wash.

CR 3 or 4 sounds alright in light of the above.