Shroomy
Adventurer
I've been toying with ideas on how to convert spawn/son of kyuss's after reading this thread and I have some thoughts. Here are some of my ideas:
1. For a CR5 creature, 4HD is way, way too low. Glancing at the MM, most CR5 monsters have between 8-12 HD (some like the night hag have much more!). Luckily, the troll - perhaps the most iconic regenerative creature in the game - is also CR5. It has 8HD; based on that, I'd peg the spawn at 8HD. BTW, based on the 2e sources I was looking at, I'd also duplicate the troll's ability to reawaken if reduced to 0 hit points.
2. Ditch Turn Resistance. That's an artifact of the HD based 3e turn system (which in turn was trying to replicate 1e & 2e rules that had the spawn being turned as a mummy). Most creatures with turn resistance or turn immunity have story reasons for having it - while the Spawn of Kyuss is a potent undead creature, it is one of Kyuss's weakest creations.
3. Likewise, I'd get rid of zombie fortitude. The spawn of kyuss has enough staying power on its own.
4. Curative Transformation. Turning the spawn into a zombie is a needless complication (plus, it's really ambiguous regarding how it works even in 3e). Instead, I'd have them lose their regeneration, horrifying visage, and ability to create spawn (maybe the disease too). That way, they essentially become a tough zombie without any additional work for yourself.
5. Like other posters have suggested, I'd model the Kyuss's Gift disease on the mummy's ability.
6. I haven't worked it out yet, but I think the create spawn ability needs some work. I think the intellect devourer is probably a good model, but I need to think about it some more.
1. For a CR5 creature, 4HD is way, way too low. Glancing at the MM, most CR5 monsters have between 8-12 HD (some like the night hag have much more!). Luckily, the troll - perhaps the most iconic regenerative creature in the game - is also CR5. It has 8HD; based on that, I'd peg the spawn at 8HD. BTW, based on the 2e sources I was looking at, I'd also duplicate the troll's ability to reawaken if reduced to 0 hit points.
2. Ditch Turn Resistance. That's an artifact of the HD based 3e turn system (which in turn was trying to replicate 1e & 2e rules that had the spawn being turned as a mummy). Most creatures with turn resistance or turn immunity have story reasons for having it - while the Spawn of Kyuss is a potent undead creature, it is one of Kyuss's weakest creations.
3. Likewise, I'd get rid of zombie fortitude. The spawn of kyuss has enough staying power on its own.
4. Curative Transformation. Turning the spawn into a zombie is a needless complication (plus, it's really ambiguous regarding how it works even in 3e). Instead, I'd have them lose their regeneration, horrifying visage, and ability to create spawn (maybe the disease too). That way, they essentially become a tough zombie without any additional work for yourself.
5. Like other posters have suggested, I'd model the Kyuss's Gift disease on the mummy's ability.
6. I haven't worked it out yet, but I think the create spawn ability needs some work. I think the intellect devourer is probably a good model, but I need to think about it some more.