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

[Cleon]

I suspect the latter - Mike Shea talks about this often (official dnd monsters doing too low damage for their CR) - but clearly some are the other way. Maybe they rushed them...who knows

The CR Calculator does seem broken though. It gives the same adjustment for immunities as it does resistances: +100% effective hit points for both. If I remember correctly it's supposed to be +50% for resistances, +100% for immunities.

Not that it matters in this case, since a Lycanthrope has damage immunity.

Anyhow, so are we using the Calculator DPR of 15 to 32?

That'd make the Weresnake a bit of a glass cannon, but the original kind of was since it had a save-or-die venom and not that many hit points.

The maximum physical DPR is 6½ slashing (scimitar) plus 5½ piercing (bite) for 12 damage, meaning its poison can do anywhere from 3 to 20 damage according to the Calculator.

 

[Cleon]

The CR Calculator does seem broken though. It gives the same adjustment for immunities as it does resistances: +100% effective hit points for both. If I remember correctly it's supposed to be +50% for resistances, +100% for immunities.

Speaking of Hit Points, I'm starting to toy with the idea of tweaking its ability scores from DEX 16 (+3) CON 13 (+1) to DEX 17 (+3) CON 14 (+2) which will give it Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) and increase its poison DC by one.

That makes its Dexterity is halfway between a Poisonous Snake (DEX 16) and a Giant Poisonous Snake (DEX 18).

The main reason is it gives it a Defensive CR of 1/2 rather than 1/4 according to the CR Calculator.

That doesn't change the DPR range since it's such a glass cannon.

What do you think?

 

[Casimir Liber]

sounds good to me/done

 

[Cleon]

sounds good to me/done

Updating the Weresnake Working Draft.

Also updated the Index of 5E White Dwarf Magazine Conversions since I'd forgotten to add the Weresnake.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Looking at the pink segments - reiterating that yes needs te poisonous bite and poison darts. And bite needs to carry risk of lycanthropy

 

[Cleon]

Looking at the pink segments - reiterating that yes needs te poisonous bite and poison darts. And bite needs to carry risk of lycanthropy

For the poison, I was thinking maybe give it the same damage as a Giant Poisonous Snake. That'd be:

Bite (Snake or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a humanoid target takes poison damage from the bite and survives, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with weresnake lycanthropy. [?]

Blowgun (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 25/100 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. [?]​

If the above looks good to you, I reckon that's it for the Weresnake's mechanical gubbins.

 

[Cleon]

If my calculations are correct, we could increase the poison damage a bit and keep it Challenge 2.

If the allowable spread is 3 to 20 that allows for poison damage of 11 (2d10), 13 (3d8), 14 (4d6), 16 (3d10), 17 (5d6) or even 18 (4d8).

However, 10 (3d6) seems about right. It'd feel odd for its venom to be much deadlier than a 5E Giant Poisonous Snake or Bone Naga.

If you prefer a nastier venom I'd accept boosting it to 14 (4d6) poison damage but don't fancy anything higher.

 

[Casimir Liber]

given it's CR, 10 (3d6) seems fine to me (pink text looks fine)

 

[Cleon]

given it's CR, 10 (3d6) seems fine to me (pink text looks fine)

Updating the Weresnake Working Draft.

So we've just got a description to knock out.

 

[Casimir Liber]

The weresnake is a shapeshifter that can adopt the form of a humanoid, a giant snake or a snake-humanoid hybrid with a humanoid torso, arms and head (albeit with snakelike eyes and fangs) and the lower body of a giant snake.

Even in human form, their speech takes on hissing sibilant tones and they have a slow stealthy movement.

They generally dwell in warmer climes - swamps, forests or (less commonly) urban areas, and enjoy company of serpents of all kinds.