Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Cleon]

I'd be happy with just assigning it some number of HD and being done with it. We can give it some penalty when healing the host if we like. You know, we don't have even a basic write-up for these. Would it help to get a basic statblock written down?

I'm thinking it ought to have HD connected to its rank in some fashion. Maybe have its HP/HD be based on its linked caster in a similar fashion to a familiar?

Oh, and it is well past time we started a stat block.

What type did we decide on in the end? Was it Construct?

 

[freyar]

Are you trying to pull something over on me? Go read post 217, it's an Aberration.

Maybe we could do the HD like a familiar. But I don't recall other symbionts doing that.

 

[Cleon]

Are you trying to pull something over on me? Go read post 217, it's an Aberration.

I was just too lazy to check.

Maybe we could do the HD like a familiar. But I don't recall other symbionts doing that.

Well regardless, I think it should at least get more HD when it becomes higher rank. That's similar to how it works in the original, and linking higher ranking bonuses to a higher HD turban would make sense.

 

[freyar]

What if we just say that these can only be used if they are the familiar? That takes care of the HD, right?

 

[Cleon]

What if we just say that these can only be used if they are the familiar? That takes care of the HD, right?

Didn't someone object to that idea? I vaguely remember us discussing it.

Anyhow, I wouldn't mind doing both - HD increase as it gains in rank and "minimum effective HD = host's caster level".

 

[freyar]

I think we decided that they wouldn't be familiars, but that the HD would work like familiar HD. Check posts 213/214. No one seemed to object. I'm not sure I want it to get HD from both the ranks and the host; seems like too many.

 

[Cleon]

I think we decided that they wouldn't be familiars, but that the HD would work like familiar HD. Check posts 213/214. No one seemed to object. I'm not sure I want it to get HD from both the ranks and the host; seems like too many.

If we're using the familiar approach it wouldn't get actual HD from the host, just effective HD "for the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice", such as how a sleep or holy word spell will affect it. That's not too awful.

 

[freyar]

But the hp = 1/2 master's hp, right? Then we just give it 1/2 or 1 HD, which doesn't matter for hp or "effective HD" unless it's unbonded.

 

[Cleon]

But the hp = 1/2 master's hp, right? Then we just give it 1/2 or 1 HD, which doesn't matter for hp or "effective HD" unless it's unbonded.

Well, the original version only had 1-10 hit points (1 hp/rank) with no HD listed, which is a better match to a "low HD version", so I can go along with that. Just give it a single Hit Dice, I guess.

Hmm, although there is something tempting about a high-HD turban on a 1st level wizard, so the hat's the real power in the relationship. That doesn't fit the flavour text though, which says a vizier's turban never disagrees with its wearer unless asked for its opinion.

Maybe those are elite character Vizier's Turbans with character levels in sorcerer or psion?

 

[freyar]

Well, I guess advancement on these will be "special" due to the whole familiar thing... But I'm not quite sure about character levels.

Ok, let's give it 1HD but familiar hp. Just so it can survive area attacks and such. Agreed?