Cleon
Legend
I don't think there's anything left to do.
Well apart from filling the Xs in its Demoralising Appearance...
The DC works out to 12.
I'll update the Working Draft with 1d3 rounds for the duration.
Is that OK by you?
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Converting Al-Qadim creatures
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
I don't think there's anything left to do.
Well apart from filling the Xs in its Demoralising Appearance...
The DC works out to 12.
I'll update the Working Draft with 1d3 rounds for the duration.
Is that OK by you?
Cleon
Legend
In that case we're done with this beastie.
Cleon
Legend
Well the Pocket reference: Creatures from the Al-Qadim setting list hasn't been updated for a while, but I'm not seeing entries in the Creature Catalog for:
Ammut
Black Cloud of Vengeance
Bloodring
Coelenite
Living Idols (Animal, Death, Elemental, Healing)
Werehyena
Pahari
Rom
Serpent, Herald
Serpent, Teak
Talking Bird
Vilirij
Winged Cat (Lesser & Greater)
Wizard Lice
Haven't we already done the Coelenite and Rom?
Hmm, I can't see them in the Finished creatures awaiting upload to the CC list. Maybe I was mistaken.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Yeah, I agree with that assessment.
Ammut - updated in an unofficial source
Black Cloud of Vengeance - updated in an unofficial source
Bloodring - not yet updated
Coelenite - updated in an unofficial source
Living Idols - updated in an unofficial source
Werehyena - updated in an unofficial source
Pahari - updated in an unofficial source
Rom - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Herald - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Teak - not yet updated
Talking Bird - not yet updated
Vilirij - not yet updated
Winged Cat (Lesser & Greater) - not yet updated
Wizard Lice - not yet updated
Pick one of the "not yet updated" ones, since those reduce the total number of unconverted, while doing one of the ones that already has an unofficial conversion doesn't
Ammut - updated in an unofficial source
Black Cloud of Vengeance - updated in an unofficial source
Bloodring - not yet updated
Coelenite - updated in an unofficial source
Living Idols - updated in an unofficial source
Werehyena - updated in an unofficial source
Pahari - updated in an unofficial source
Rom - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Herald - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Teak - not yet updated
Talking Bird - not yet updated
Vilirij - not yet updated
Winged Cat (Lesser & Greater) - not yet updated
Wizard Lice - not yet updated
Pick one of the "not yet updated" ones, since those reduce the total number of unconverted, while doing one of the ones that already has an unofficial conversion doesn't
Cleon
Legend
Yeah, I agree with that assessment.
Ammut - updated in an unofficial source
Black Cloud of Vengeance - updated in an unofficial source
Bloodring - not yet updated
Coelenite - updated in an unofficial source
Living Idols - updated in an unofficial source
Werehyena - updated in an unofficial source
Pahari - updated in an unofficial source
Rom - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Herald - updated in an unofficial source
Serpent, Teak - not yet updated
Talking Bird - not yet updated
Vilirij - not yet updated
Winged Cat (Lesser & Greater) - not yet updated
Wizard Lice - not yet updated
Pick one of the "not yet updated" ones, since those reduce the total number of unconverted, while doing one of the ones that already has an unofficial conversion doesn't
I'd like to do the Werehyena in the Lycanthrope thread some time, but that can wait.
Hmm, the Bloodring and Vilirij are both blood-sucking parasite, making them pretty boring Hazard. Wizard Lice and spell-sucking parasites, which makes them a little more interesting.
The Talking Bird has a fine pedigree in Arabian folklore but isn't a particularly terrible threat to PCs...
I like the Winged Cats the most (since I'm fond of kitties), but I'm not sure how much they are Al-Qadim creatures. Also, how similar are they to the Tressym Winged Cat? That already has official 3.5 stats, I believe.
That leaves the Teak Serpent, so let's do that. It's a worthwhile monster, and we've already got a bunch of serpentine monsters awaiting update, so it won't be without company. I'd fancy doing the Herald Serpent too.
Cleon
Legend
Here's the original stats for the Teak Serpent.
Serpent, Teak
Climate/Terrain: Tropical/forests
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Treasure: B, Q (x10), S, T
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1-2
Armor Class: 3
Movement: 9, Cl 6
Hit Dice: 8+8
THAC0: 11
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1d6/2d6
Special Attacks: Constriction, surprise
Special Defenses: Camouflage
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: H (30’ long)
Morale: Average (10)
XP Value: 3,000
Two rare varieties of serpents can be found in the teeming eastern jungles of Zakhara, often in the company of other intelligent reptilian creatures.
Teak Serpent
Teak serpents are a variety of huge constrictor snakes inhabiting the teak and ironwood forests of Zakhara. Adults often reach lengths exceeding 30’.
Combat: These reptiles resemble branches of the hardwood trees they inhabit, lending them a -2 bonus on surprise and a superior Armor Class (AC 3).
Teak serpents wait patiently in the upper canopy of trees for an unsuspecting victim to pass underneath, attacking from above with a combination bite (1d6 points of damage) and constriction attack. If a constriction attack is successful, the serpent will have wound part of its massive length around the victim, squeezing for 2d6 points of damage. The coils of a teak serpent are stronger than ironwood, requiring the combined efforts of 80 points of Strength to release a trapped victim. With their prodigious length, one of these serpents can constrict up to three human-sized victims simultaneously!
Habitat/Society: Because of their ferocity and immense size, teak serpents are feared in the jungles they inhabit. Teak serpents usually subsist on a diet of large animals (preferring baby elephants, when they are available), but they will attack a small group of human-sized creatures without hesitation. They often sleep for up to a week after feeding.
Ecology: The scales of a teak serpent, if used while casting barkskin, provide a +2 bonus to Armor Class for the duration of the spell. In the eastern jungles, teak serpents are sometimes captured by powerful kahins and bound into magic staves (see staff of the teak serpent in Chapter Seven of the Campaign Guide).
Originally appeared in Al-Qadim: Ruined Kingdoms (1994)
The Teak Serpent also appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) with basically identical stats. The only significant difference is the Treasure, which is:
Treasure: Nil (B, Qx10, S, T)
Serpent, Teak
Climate/Terrain: Tropical/forests
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Treasure: B, Q (x10), S, T
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1-2
Armor Class: 3
Movement: 9, Cl 6
Hit Dice: 8+8
THAC0: 11
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1d6/2d6
Special Attacks: Constriction, surprise
Special Defenses: Camouflage
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: H (30’ long)
Morale: Average (10)
XP Value: 3,000
Two rare varieties of serpents can be found in the teeming eastern jungles of Zakhara, often in the company of other intelligent reptilian creatures.
Teak Serpent
Teak serpents are a variety of huge constrictor snakes inhabiting the teak and ironwood forests of Zakhara. Adults often reach lengths exceeding 30’.
Combat: These reptiles resemble branches of the hardwood trees they inhabit, lending them a -2 bonus on surprise and a superior Armor Class (AC 3).
Teak serpents wait patiently in the upper canopy of trees for an unsuspecting victim to pass underneath, attacking from above with a combination bite (1d6 points of damage) and constriction attack. If a constriction attack is successful, the serpent will have wound part of its massive length around the victim, squeezing for 2d6 points of damage. The coils of a teak serpent are stronger than ironwood, requiring the combined efforts of 80 points of Strength to release a trapped victim. With their prodigious length, one of these serpents can constrict up to three human-sized victims simultaneously!
Habitat/Society: Because of their ferocity and immense size, teak serpents are feared in the jungles they inhabit. Teak serpents usually subsist on a diet of large animals (preferring baby elephants, when they are available), but they will attack a small group of human-sized creatures without hesitation. They often sleep for up to a week after feeding.
Ecology: The scales of a teak serpent, if used while casting barkskin, provide a +2 bonus to Armor Class for the duration of the spell. In the eastern jungles, teak serpents are sometimes captured by powerful kahins and bound into magic staves (see staff of the teak serpent in Chapter Seven of the Campaign Guide).
Originally appeared in Al-Qadim: Ruined Kingdoms (1994)
The Teak Serpent also appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995) with basically identical stats. The only significant difference is the Treasure, which is:
Treasure: Nil (B, Qx10, S, T)
Cleon
Legend
Looking at that, it doesn't look that different from a standard oversized Constrictor Snake. It just has tougher scales.
It has less HD than the SRD Giant Constrictor.
However, an AD&D Giant Constrictor Snake has 6+1 HD and is Large (30'+ long), suggesting we should do one of the following:
Give it 16 Hit Dice?
Probably increase the Strength and Constitution significantly. Maybe +4 to both? I was tempted to reduce the Dexterity by -2 as well.
For its "scales harder than ironwood", I'd suggest giving it a higher natural armor and DR 6/—, since ordinary wood is hardness 5 and I don't want to make it as hard as stone (8/—) or actual iron (10/—).
I'm thinking +9 NA (AC 20), but would go for +7 or +8 NA.
It also needs a heft racial bonus to Hide checks when in forests.
Shall I start a Working Draft with the above?
It has less HD than the SRD Giant Constrictor.
However, an AD&D Giant Constrictor Snake has 6+1 HD and is Large (30'+ long), suggesting we should do one of the following:
- Make it a Large monster with 8 Hit Dice.
- Make it a Huge monster and give it more Hit Dice than the SRD Giant Constrictor's 11 HD.
Give it 16 Hit Dice?
Probably increase the Strength and Constitution significantly. Maybe +4 to both? I was tempted to reduce the Dexterity by -2 as well.
For its "scales harder than ironwood", I'd suggest giving it a higher natural armor and DR 6/—, since ordinary wood is hardness 5 and I don't want to make it as hard as stone (8/—) or actual iron (10/—).
I'm thinking +9 NA (AC 20), but would go for +7 or +8 NA.
It also needs a heft racial bonus to Hide checks when in forests.
Shall I start a Working Draft with the above?
