Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Number 6]

[I like #6's proposals for the SLAs.

That's because we're both smart.

Demolition (Ex)

• Collapse Structure

Maybe they get a +4 bonus on checks to Break construction. Is that even enough? Should this be similar to a disintegrate spell but only effecting structures (and more than merely a 10-foot cube)?

Demolition (Ex)

• Find & Exploit Structural Weakness

Demiurge suggested that Builder tasked genies can, "make Know (architecture and engineering) checks to ignore x points of hardness". Sounds good... and their telepathy is the perfect method for passing on those details to allies or at least the summoner/binder.

How we set the DC for the structure might be as easy as using the Craft skill's DCs for various types of items... accept these items are quite a bit bigger.

Very simple construction: DC 5
Typical construction: DC 10
High-quality construction: DC 15
Complex or superior construction: DC 20
Magical or geniecraft construction: DC 25 or higher

The number of points of Hardness to ignore? Perhaps every five points the genie's check succeeds equals a Hardness point. Is that enough or too much? Does it effect the whole construction, or just one part of it? A wall or a tower versus the whole fortress.

Direct Siege Engines (Ex)

Is there something in the Hirelings section of the DMG that might apply here? Or do we simply allow the Builder tasked genie to add a +2 circumstance bonus to siege engines used under his direction?

 

[Number 6]

I presume that most tasked genies (mainly those other than the Guardians, Oathbinders, Slayers, Warmongers, and similar types) might swap out the combat related feats with feats more practical to their task.

If this is something we run with, we might give the Builder/Architect a pass and allow both Power Attack and Improved Sunder for obvious reasons.

 

[freyar]

I'm getting a little overwhelmed with all the text , but I think this is going in the right direction.

 

[Number 6]

I'm getting a little overwhelmed with all the text , but I think this is going in the right direction.

It's been slow at work.

 

[Cleon]

I don't remember tasked genies being fixed in plane at all... but I'm getting old. I see genies having the plane shift ability as a matter of being genies... the genie-doubles being the exception since they were cursed (or something like that).

From what I remember, most tasked genies don't have plane shift so are stuck in whatever plane they're called/sent to perform their tasks in. Of course, I may me misremembering.

 

[Cleon]

Demiurge suggested that Builder tasked genies can, "make Know (architecture and engineering) checks to ignore x points of hardness". Sounds good... and their telepathy is the perfect method for passing on those details to allies or at least the summoner/binder.

How we set the DC for the structure might be as easy as using the Craft skill's DCs for various types of items... accept these items are quite a bit bigger.

Very simple construction: DC 5
Typical construction: DC 10
High-quality construction: DC 15
Complex or superior construction: DC 20
Magical or geniecraft construction: DC 25 or higher

The number of points of Hardness to ignore? Perhaps every five points the genie's check succeeds equals a Hardness point. Is that enough or too much? Does it effect the whole construction, or just one part of it? A wall or a tower versus the whole fortress.

The basic idea is sound but I think we can make it a good deal simpler. For a start, it'd easier to have an all-or-nothing effect. Something like:

Demolition (Ex): A builder genie can study a construction to find its weak spots. This requires a full-round action and a Knowledge (Architecture) check against a DC equal to the construction's Break DC. If successful, the genie's attacks on the construction do full damage and ignore its hardness (and do an additional X damage per attack?).

Is there something in the Hirelings section of the DMG that might apply here? Or do we simply allow the Builder tasked genie to add a +2 circumstance bonus to siege engines used under his direction?

We could use some variation of the Aid Another action for the Direct Siege Engine. Something like "A genie can use the Aid Another action to give another creature the benefit of its Demolition ability when using a siege engine to attack a construction it has studied."

 

[Number 6]

Simplified is better!

Demolition (Ex): A builder genie can study a construction to find its weak spots. This requires a full-round action and a Knowledge (Architecture) check against a DC equal to the construction's Break DC. If successful, the genie's attacks on the construction do full damage and ignore its hardness (and do an additional X damage per attack?).

Ignoring a structure's Hardness all together might be too potent... perhaps the Builder genie can treat the structure's Hardness as half of the original.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I think we should keep plane shift, as that is a function of all genies. It seems to me that most tasked genies will be assigned their tasks via planar ally/planar binding effects, so it won't matter if they plane hop.

I think Cleon's proposed Demolition ability works well as written, without the red text (additional damage).

 

[Number 6]

We might want to add to the Earth Mastery ability: that it affects foes and structures. It might seem silly to add it, but there are cloud castles for giants and elementals in the air and floating structures on water.


Possible feats?
Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Knowledge: architect & engineering), Power Attack, Improved Sunder?

Skills?
Climb, Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (architecture & engineering), Listen, Spot, Search... maybe focusing on Craft, Knowledge, and Search?



With the addition of a few SLAs, should the CR go from 7 to 8?

 

[freyar]

We could add to Earth Mastery, but Demolition might be enough against structures! Besides, most buildings are easy enough to hit.

Well, you've got 8 skills listed and we need 11. Maybe go with 3 different Crafts and one additional Knowledge?