Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Shade]

Peek up one post, and you'll have my answer.

 

[Number 6]

Peek up one post, and you'll have my answer.

Sweet... I thank you, but my Al-Qadim group might not thank you.


These fellas seem to be medium-sized aberrations... and while they might be fairly straight forward to convert, I wonder what to do about creating them.

Regarding advancement, which has been on my mind for a while... do we worry whether or not the caster needs a Craft Wondrous Item to enchant the fruit, or simply a Craft (alchemy) check (presumably with a couple of weeks of work)?

Also, if the tainted fruit is created like a magical item... do we let them gain Fighter or Warrior levels, or do you count additional levels in on the creation process and require a higher level caster and more material costs?

 

[Cleon]

Peek up one post, and you'll have my answer.

I must have hopped over your post on my single misshaped leg while drafting my reply.

 

[Cleon]

Sweet... I thank you, but my Al-Qadim group might not thank you.


These fellas seem to be medium-sized aberrations... and while they might be fairly straight forward to convert, I wonder what to do about creating them.

We can probably use a big chunk of our latest Fachan conversion.

Regarding advancement, which has been on my mind for a while... do we worry whether or not the caster needs a Craft Wondrous Item to enchant the fruit, or simply a Craft (alchemy) check (presumably with a couple of weeks of work)?

Craft Wondrous Item would be my preference.

Also, if the tainted fruit is created like a magical item... do we let them gain Fighter or Warrior levels, or do you count additional levels in on the creation process and require a higher level caster and more material costs

They don't seem to have much independent will or motivation, so I doubt many would gain class levels. Just gaining additional Hit Dice as they mature seems more likely.

 

[Cleon]

Shall we start talking stats.

The Fachan we did was Str 19, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 6

Nasnas are Stronger (18/95), so should have Strength 20-21.

"They are tireless warriors, needing very little food and sleep to survive" so presumably have high Cons and possibly Endurance as a bonus feat.

I'm thinking they should have a mediocre dexterity, unlike the agile Fachan. They wear armour but still only have a mediocre AC6 - the AD&D Armour Class of an average goblin.

So, either a mail shirt or hide armour, or something lighter like leather plus a bit of natural armour.

Their propensity for insanity suggests a low Wisdom to me. Maybe around 5-7, like their Intelligence?

Their fear aura will need a decent Charisma to power it.

How about this for a beginning?

Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) [includes some sort of armour - studded leather?]
Armor Class: 14 (+1 natural, +3 studded leather), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Special Attacks: Fear aura, monodextrous
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR X/cold iron or magic
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 8, Cha 12
Feats: One plus Endurance (B)
Skills: Jump (with racial bonus) plus what else?

 

[Number 6]

...I'm thinking they should have a mediocre dexterity, unlike the agile Fachan. They wear armour but still only have a mediocre AC6 - the AD&D Armour Class of an average goblin.

So, either a mail shirt or hide armour, or something lighter like leather plus a bit of natural armour...

One major consideration, albeit a nitpicky one of practicality...

When a spellcaster creates these things he's going to need to pay for keeping them to some extent... if not for a token amount of food, then at least space. Do we have them "grow" to useful size within a matter of days, weeks, or months? I suspect you could simply use one of the two lowest standards of living from the Upkeep rules in the DMG.

More importantly, their armor: again, this is going to sound like a very pain-in-the-ass question... but is it custom made, or does the spellcaster buy the armor and hire out some cut rate armorer to slap together two improvized suits for two nasnas?

 

[Number 6]

Before I go on, I should add that you're quite right about nasnas getting class levels... but I'm not sure about them gaining Hit Dice as the years go on.

Mostly because they are not expected to live very long. I suspect wizards and clerics would come up with a way to expend more resources to create them with more Hit Dice. Maybe spellcasters could enchant a fruit for consumption that would create a 2 HD version, a 4 HD version, and a 6 HD version.

Less important, I keep speculating that these things probably don't grow uber-rapidly after birth (such as infant to fighting-form in a matter of days), but perhaps still quite fast (perhaps over the course of one year).

...How about this for a beginning?

Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) [includes some sort of armour - studded leather?]
Armor Class: 14 (+1 natural, +3 studded leather), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Special Attacks: Fear aura, monodextrous
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR X/cold iron or magic
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 8, Cha 12
Feats: One plus Endurance (B)
Skills: Jump (with racial bonus) plus what else?

I'm not convinced yet that since they are fairly twisted and insane that they should have a Wisdom score with a negative modifier... in fact in this case they might be all the more strong willed because of their determination to simply remain upright and dangerous. That said, I wouldn't argue against a low Wisdom for long.


Regarding their ability to cause fear: Should we assume that under most combat situations, nasnas will hoot and bark and scream, therefore they have a fear aura... or should they have this as a Spell-Like Ability used at will or a number of times per day?


Also, should they get a bump to the Will save DC against the fear effect for multiple nasnas in the area who are screaming and hooting?


Regarding the Damage Reduction, will DR 5 be too lean... or is DR 10 getting too tough?


Regarding skills, I imagine they would have a racial bonus to Balance as well... but I might be too generous.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I don't think they should have class level advancement, but I could see giving them the martial training ability we've given in the past, granting a creature fighter BAB and treated as a fighter of a level equal to its HD for the purposes of qualifying for feats, etc. I definitely agree with the assessment that they can be advanced to higher HD to reflect creating a more powerful nasnas.

DR 5 seems appropriate for their probably CR.

I don't mind a racial bonus to Balance, and I think we should retain the fachan's +12 racial bonus to Jump.

For the hoot, I'd recommend modifiying this...

Bay (Su): When a shadow mastiff howls or barks, all creatures except evil outsiders within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same mastiff ’s bay for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Maybe something like this...

Frightening Hoot (Su): When a nasnas hoots and screams, all creatures except its creator and other nasnas within a 10-foot spread must succeed on a DC X Will save or become frightened (panicked?) for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same nasnas's hoot for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Number 6]

...Frightening Hoot (Su): When a nasnas hoots and screams, all creatures except its creator and other nasnas within a 10-foot spread must succeed on a DC X Will save or become frightened (panicked?) for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same nasnas's hoot for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Hmmm, Panicked... I like the idea that these brutes can cause normal men to go running off in random directions!

Possibly leaving a few Attacks of Opportunity for the nasnas to claim... or at least a number of targets without Dex modifiers to their AC.

 

[Cleon]

One major consideration, albeit a nitpicky one of practicality...

When a spellcaster creates these things he's going to need to pay for keeping them to some extent... if not for a token amount of food, then at least space. Do we have them "grow" to useful size within a matter of days, weeks, or months? I suspect you could simply use one of the two lowest standards of living from the Upkeep rules in the DMG.

It says they mature quickly, but doesn't say how quickly. I'd prefer it to be a matter of months - say another nine months to reach full growth?

"needing very little food and sleep to survive" suggests a "poor" diet would be enough. The 1sp/day cost for their growth to maturity should be included in their creation cost.

More importantly, their armor: again, this is going to sound like a very pain-in-the-ass question... but is it custom made, or does the spellcaster buy the armor and hire out some cut rate armorer to slap together two improvized suits for two nasnas?

I'd think their bizarre physionomy should mean their armour uses the "Armor for Unusual Creature's" nonhuman costs, so twice the normal price.

That's a good reason for equipping them in something cheap, like leather.