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

[ilgatto]

Maybe instead of a statblock, stat out the generic hybrid as a playable race?

I don't know how much work would be involved in that, but I have found that I'm having some trouble allocating stats to the hybrids. I mean, how does one allocate stats to a 'human' other than giving them all average stats to begin with? Somehow, that was a lot easier for the non-humans we've done so far. An interesting quirk.

 

[Cleon]

My gut says to go for the higher-end option coz I suppose the young fighting with the adults wouldn't be nippers but probably more like teenagers, so more damage on average. But I haven't done any numbers on it so I will bow to your wisdom.

I'll just leave it as-is then.

 

[Cleon]

Is important as I am not the best on attention to detail...

Speaking of which, fixed depth perception so now here

It's still missing Skills Perception +1.

 

[Cleon]

Sooo, as to the Amiraspian hybrids and griffon riders, I do believe I've now got to go and find out what the stats for the average human are.

Well the most average of average 5E humans would use the stats for a Commoner, but I was thinking it'd be better to use a Guard or something similar as they'd be a bit more combat-worthy.

 

[Cleon]

Maybe instead of a statblock, stat out the generic hybrid as a playable race?

I'm slightly more inclined towards just doing it as a creature and calling it a period of 24 hours, but if you fancy doing a "Amiraspians As Characters" writeup as well I'd go along with it.

 

[Cleon]

I don't know how much work would be involved in that, but I have found that I'm having some trouble allocating stats to the hybrids. I mean, how does one allocate stats to a 'human' other than giving them all average stats to begin with? Somehow, that was a lot easier for the non-humans we've done so far. An interesting quirk.

My basic plan for an ordinary Amiraspian Hybrid was to take an NPC Guard, slap on the two Cyclopian traits we came up with, and increase its STR and CON a bit, since the original flavour for Amiraspians says they are more muscular and hardy than ordinary humans.

 

[Casimir Liber]

It's still missing Skills Perception +1.

aargh - fixed to here

 

[Cleon]

aargh - fixed to here

Still got reach 10 ft. in Bite, Claw and Greatclub. Those all need reach 5 ft.

Oh, and the action's called Claw, not Claws.

Haven't removed the "amiraspian" from the Monocular Illusion Resistance, Poor Depth Perception and Aggressive. Those only need "cyclops" in their description.

See the Amiraspian Cyclops for the wording.

EDIT: Just noticed another one.

The D&D Beyond version Poor Depth Perception "has disadvantage on any attack roll" while the Enworld Amiraspian Cyclops "has disadvantage on its attack roll".

However, upon reflection I prefer:

Poor Depth Perception: The cyclops has disadvantage on attack rolls with a ranged weapon or melee weapon if the target is more than 5 feet away.​

Mostly as that allows for an effective cyclops spellcaster by omitting spell attacks.

What do you think? Should I change the Cyclops to the above?

 

[Cleon]

Anyhow, for the Amiraspian Hybrid I'm thinking it'd basically be a tweaked version of a Half-Orc.

So maybe:

Amiraspian Hybrid Traits

Your amiraspian hybrid character has certain traits deriving from your cyclops ancestry.

Ability Score Increase: Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age: Amiraspian hybrids mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.

Alignment: Amiraspian hybrids ???.

Size: Amiraspian hybrids are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision: Thanks to your cyclops blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Sight: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Monocular Illusion Resistance: You have advantage on saving throws against illusions that include visual elements you can see.

Poor Depth Perception [Original]: You have disadvantage on attack rolls if the target is more than 5 feet away.

Poor Depth Perception [Revised]: You have disadvantage on attack rolls with a ranged weapon or melee weapon if the target is more than 5 feet away.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and either Giant, Gnoll, or Goblin (choose one of these languages).​

 

[Casimir Liber]

Done cyclops here

 

[Cleon]

Done cyclops here

The Multiattack ends with two morningstar attacks without any rocks, the Amiraspian Cyclops has "or it makes two attacks with its greatclub or rocks".

Which is odd, I remember the D&D Beyond version's Multiattack saying greatclub or rocks in a previous version and the current one has Greatclub and Rock as Actions.

 

[Cleon]

Alignment: Amiraspian hybrids ???.

Undecided on this point. The original text makes no mention of alignment in its very barebones description of the cyclopes's half-human offspring.

Any preferences? I'm thinking it'd be more interesting if they covered as wide a range as humans, which have:

Alignment: Humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.​

Maybe give them a bit of a tendency towards Chaotic or extreme alignments? So a random cyclops is more likely to be Lawful Good or Chaotic Evil than Neutral?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Agree - unrestricted alignments for the hybrids. Cylops fixed to here

 

[Cleon]

Agree - unrestricted alignments for the hybrids.

So are we including a tendency towards chaos and/or evil like their cyclopian parent or keeping it uniform?

How about this:

Alignment: Like humans, amiraspian hybrids can be any alignment and the best and the worst are found among them. They inherit a slight tendency toward chaos from their cyclopean ancestry but sometimes reject this in favor of law. Amiraspian hybrids embrace extreme alignments more often than humans, so are more likely to be chaotic good or lawful evil than neutral. Those hybrids that favor neutrality favor radical neutral philosophies like those of a druid or modron.​

Cylops fixed to here

Looks fine.

Will update the Indexes in due course.

I need to to some minor tweaks to the Cyclops Chief and Young Cyclops to match that final version, but are there any significant additions to the mechanical section you fancy?