Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[freyar]

Oooh, nice idea. Would major creation or fabricate be out of line to add to the SLAs, or should we stick to the list as given? And does anyone know what vacancy does?

 

[Number 6]

One method I thought of using with Tasked Genies is to simply start them off with a couple of character levels... an Architect/Builder would probably have two or three Expert class levels. Since Tasked Genies don't quite seem to be born as developed over many years/decades of service.

That's probably not going to help all types, but it might provide some ideas.

 

[Number 6]

Oooh, nice idea. Would major creation or fabricate be out of line to add to the SLAs, or should we stick to the list as given?

I'm of the opinion that we stick to the list, but as Cleon can attest, adding suggestions for Greater versions don't hurt.

And does anyone know what vacancy does?

For your convenience, the 2nd edition source:

Vacancy
(Alteration, Illusion/Phantasm)

Range: 10 yds./level
Duration: 1 hr./level
Area of Effect: 10-ft. radius/level
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 4
Saving Throw: None

When a vacancy spell is cast, the wizard causes an area to appear to be vacant, neglected, and unused. Those who behold the area see dust on the floor, cobwebs, dirt, and other conditions typical of a long-abandoned place. If they pass through the area of effect, they seem to leave tracks, tear away cobwebs, and so on. Unless they actually contact some object cloaked by the spell, the place appears empty. Merely brushing an invisible object does not cause the vacancy spell to be disturbed: Only forceful contact grants a chance to note that all is not as it seems.
If forceful contact with a cloaked object occurs, those creatures subject to the spell can penetrate the spell only if they discover several items that they cannot see; each being is then entitled to a saving throw vs. spell. Failure means they believe that the objects are invisible. A dispel magic spell cancels this spell so that the true area is seen. A true seeing spell, a gem of seeing, and similar effects can penetrate the deception, but a detect invisibility spell cannot.

This spell is a very powerful combination of invisibility and illusion, but it can cloak only nonliving things. Living things are not made invisible, but their presence does not otherwise disturb the spell.

The wizard must have a square of the finest black silk to cast this spell. This material component must be worth at least 100 gp and is used up during spellcasting.

The fifth-level Sorcerer/Wizard spell Mirage Arcana seems to fit the bill... at least on first glance.

 

[Number 6]

Tasked Architect/Builder genies... based on the Dao, at least generally.

Spell-like abilities
3/day - minor creation, mirage arcana, and warp wood.
1/day - stone shape, stone tell, and passwall.
1/month - wish (granted in relation to buildings or construction).

Find & Exploit Structural Weakness, Direct Siege Engines, Collapse Structure... Extraordinary abilities perhaps?

 

[freyar]

That seems pretty good (except you mean mirage arcana in 3/day maybe?). Agreed to those Ex abilities along the lines demiurge suggested.

I don't think I want to add actual Expert levels, but lots of skills/bonuses would be good.

 

[Number 6]

I don't think I want to add actual Expert levels, but lots of skills/bonuses would be good.

It might work for the Artist, Slayer, or the Warmonger using Bard, Barbarian, and Fighter levels respectively. But as you say, skill ranks and racial bonuses and certainly feats might really be the way to go.

 

[Number 6]

How much do we want to borrow from the Dao?

GENIE, Dao
Large Outsider (Earth, Evil, Genie)
Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 20 ft, fly 60 ft (perfect), burrow 20 ft
AC: 17 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: Slam +12/+7 melee
Damage: Slam 1d8+7
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, earth mastery
Special Qualities: Plane shift, telepathy, darkvision 60 ft
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Appraise +9, Concentration +11, Craft (any one) +9, Escape Artist +10, Listen +11, Move Silently +10, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +9, Spot +11
Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative

Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary, company (2-4), or band (6-15)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 9-11 HD (Large); 12-24 HD (Huge)

A dao is a genie from the Elemental Plane of Earth. While they are generally found on that plane (though even there they are uncommon), the dao love to come to the Material Plane to work evil.

Dao speak Common, Auran and Terran.


COMBAT
Dao prefer to use their spell-like abilities in lieu of physical attacks in combat. A dao that is overmatched will turn invisible and/or plane shift away.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—transmute rock to mud; 1/day—grant 1 wish (to nongenies only), change self, detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only), passwall, and wall of stone. Once per day, a dao can assume gaseous form (as the spell) for up to 1 hour.

Earth Mastery (Ex): A dao gains a +1 attack and damage bonus if both it and its foe touch the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the dao suffers a –4 penalty to attack and damage. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

Plane Shift (Sp): A dao can enter any of the elemental planes, the Astral Plane, or the Material Plane. This ability transports the dao and up to six other creatures, provided they all link hands with the dao. It is otherwise similar to the spell of the same name.

Telepathy (Su): A dao can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, let's not give them actual class levels, but we can definitely allow for advancement by character class.

Here's the 2e Dao for comparison...

Dao
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Earth
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Khanate
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low to very (11-12)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 9, Fl 15 (B), Br 6
HIT DICE: 8+3
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-18 (3d6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (8'-11' tall)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE: 5,000

 

[Cleon]

One method I thought of using with Tasked Genies is to simply start them off with a couple of character levels... an Architect/Builder would probably have two or three Expert class levels. Since Tasked Genies don't quite seem to be born as developed over many years/decades of service.

That's probably not going to help all types, but it might provide some ideas.

I don't much care for that approach, I'd rather make them straight monsters. I see tasked genies as creatures that have been literally reshaped to perform a particular task, not ones that just developed a particularly high skill in it.

Since they were originally Dao it would seem to make sense to use a Dao's stats as a baseline, but there are a lot of differences so it may be easier to work them up from scratch.

How about this for a start:

Size/Type: Large Outsider (Earth, Genie)
[As a Dao less the Evil]

Hit Dice: 9d8 [9d8+36 (76 hp) if we use the proposed Con 18]
[since they've got one more HD than a basic Dao]

Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), burrow 20 ft. [or higher?]
[They've got a 15" speed. They can't fly like a Dao. I think they should have a Burrow speed though, as they're native to the Great Dismal Delves, even if they're not listed as having such in the original.]

Abilities: Str 24, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 15
[The original does 4-24 damage versus the Dao's 3-18 but is more or less the same size, so I reckon they should be stronger - seems suitable for a burly builder type. Thus, I applied +4 Str, -2 Dex and +2 Con to a Dao's physical stats. They're also a lot smarter than a regular Dao, being genius's, so I just upped the Int to 17.]

Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, demolition, earth mastery
[I like #6's proposals for the SLAs. I am tempted to add a Dao's transmute rock to mud (and the reverse mud to rock) and wall of stone abilities, which are really useful for creating buildings, but that would give them far better SLAs than the original. I suppose they can easily be emulated with wish-granting.]

3/day - minor creation, mirage arcana, warp wood.
1/day - stone shape, stone tell, passwall.
1/month - wish (granted in relation to buildings or construction).

Special Qualities: Telepathy 100 ft, darkvision 60 ft
[ I don't think most tasked genies would have plane shift, since they're "fixed in plane" to perform their tasked duties. Telepathy makes sense though, so they can be instructed by their masters and order their workers.]

 

[Number 6]

...I am tempted to add a Dao's transmute rock to mud (and the reverse mud to rock) and wall of stone abilities, which are really useful for creating buildings, but that would give them far better SLAs than the original. I suppose they can easily be emulated with wish-granting.]

I think you're right... upon further thought, add them. If there's any concern that better SLAs will change Tasked Builders maybe add rock to mud, mud to rock, and wall of stone at only 1/day each instead of the Dao standard of 3/day.

With those in mind, is wish (granted only for constructions) even useful at 1/month? I suppose it makes sense for instant construction.

[ I don't think most tasked genies would have plane shift, since they're "fixed in plane" to perform their tasked duties. Telepathy makes sense though, so they can be instructed by their masters and order their workers.]

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).

They get summoned or called, they are bound magically or by reasonable bargain, and then they leave possibly returning to their plane of origin (or simply by mundane means off to the wilderness).

I might need to grab my old Complete Sha'ir's Handbook to refresh my memory... and see if we have anything else that should get thrown into the mix. I don't think the CSH added anything, but it could be useful.

We might consider fleshing out the details for summoning/calling tasked genies... or if you just summon/call them like regular genies, but the main difference is in the bargaining. I never used to worry about it, but it seems worth looking at now.