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

[Casimir Liber]

Ok, am converting the Sunfire's Heart to 5e (appeared in WD 56/57) and have been playing around with the Buggane..incorporating folklore plus the original description...

 

[Cleon]

Ok, am converting the Sunfire's Heart to 5e (appeared in WD 56/57) and have been playing around with the Buggane..incorporating folklore plus the original description...

I'll need to pull out my copy of White Dwarf to make a detailed critique but first impressions are (a) Shouldn't it have Shapechange as a Special Trait rather than a Bonus Action; (b) Fiendish Blessing seems a bit pointless, I'd just include it in its regular (un)natural armor; and (c) should it be able to Multiattack and use Claws and Bite in bull, calf and humanoid form as well as it can in its true giant shaggy monster form?

 

[Casimir Liber]

good points -will get on it. main thing is I think the shapechange should be a bonus action rather than an action as such as if combat lasts 3 rounds is a very expensive trait for little benefit and undermines the whole point of shapechanging.

 

[Cleon]

good points -will get on it. main thing is I think the shapechange should be a bonus action rather than an action as such as if combat lasts 3 rounds is a very expensive trait for little benefit and undermines the whole point of shapechanging.

But a Werewolf doesn't have "Shapechanger" listed under Actions.

If you want it to be a bonus action, just use the Shapechanger formula and change "the [name] can use its action" to "the [name] can use its bonus action" while leaving it in Special Traits.

Although it might be advisable to add a modifier to emphasize it's faster than normal shapechanging, maybe Rapid Shapechanger.

 

[Casimir Liber]

ok called it an "Adept shapechanger", which allows me to put at top alphabetically

 

[Cleon]

ok called it an "Adept shapechanger", which allows me to put at top alphabetically

I don't think you need that excuse, since the protocol appears to be to put Shapechanger as the first Special Trait regardless of whether it is first alphabetically, since officially published Lycanthropes have Keen sensory Special Traits after their Shapechanger trait.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Well then "Adept" as it changes with a bonus action rather than an action, so functionally different from the base shapechanger trait

 

[Cleon]

Well then "Adept" as it changes with a bonus action rather than an action, so functionally different from the base shapechanger trait

I'm fine with it being called Adept Shapechanging, I was pointing out that if it follows the priority ordering of regular Shapechanging it does not need the "allows it to be put at top alphabetically" excuse.

If we statted up a Orycteropusthrope and gave it Aardvark Summoning and Adept Shapechanging as Special Traits, the Adept Shapechanging could be at the top despite Aa coming before Ad alphabetically.

 

[Cleon]

Shouldn't we finish off the Chthon before getting too distracted with a new White Dwarf conversion?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Shouldn't we finish off the Chthon before getting too distracted with a new White Dwarf conversion?

oh crap, yes. now where were we...

Ok - I thought you'd decided on the wording of Rooted Stability

thought about the following as an at-will action:

Charm Beast or Plant. The chthon attempts to charm a beast it can sense within 60 ft. The beast must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, or be charmed for 1 hour. If territorial or naturally aggressive, it can be influenced to attack opponents. A maximum of twenty subjects may be affected in this way.

(I also made its wisdom 14 as it is presumably strong-willed