Converting Castle Whiterock

[Jack99]

So, the plan is to use Castle Whiterock at least partially as my first 4e campaign. I have just started converting parts of it. For the moment I am waiting on the MM, since it might have appropriate low-level thugs and such, to replace the slavers in chapter one. So for now, I am focusing on the named foes.

Feedback if of course more than welcome.

Ikenvar (human male)
level 1 elite skirmisker, 200 xp
medium natural humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +3
senses perception +1
HP 80 bloodied 40
AC 17, F 14, R 15, W 13
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 6
action point 1
--------------------------------------------
b longsword (standard, at-will)
+6 vs AC, 1d8+2 damage
m dagger (standard, at-will)
+7 vs AC, 1d4+3 damage
r dagger (standard, at-will)
+7 vs AC, 1d4+3 damage
r Stenchpot (standard; encounter)
Range 5, +7 vs AC 1d6+3 damage and follow-up
- follow-up +5 vs fort. Hit: blinded. Saves ends
m Double Strike (standard; at-will, recharge 4, 5, 6)
+6 vs AC, 1d8+2 damage and follow-up
- follow-up: +7 vs AC 1d4+3
m Feinting Attack (standard; at-will, recharge 6)
+5 vs will and follow-up
- follow-up +9 dagger 1d4+3+2d6 damage
Sneak Attack: +2d6 damage when Ikenvar has combat advantage
-------------------------------------------
alignment unaligned
languages common, giant
skills acrobatics +8, bluff +7, insight +6, thievery +8, Stealth +8, Intimidate +7
Str 14(+2) Con 14(+2) Dex 16(+3) Int 11(+0) Wis 12(+1) Cha 14(+2)
equipment longsword, dagger

Melchin, human male
level 1 solo controller, 500 xp
medium natural humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +7
senses perception +7
HP 150 bloodied 75
AC 17, F 15, R 15, W 14
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 7
action point 2
--------------------------------------------
b Unarmed (standard, at-will)
+7 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage
r Shuriken (standard, at-will)
+6 1d4+3 damage
m Monk’s Surge (standard, usable only while bloodied; encounter)
Melchin makes a basic melee attack and heals 37 hps.
m Stunning Fist (standard, at-will, recharge 5, 6)
+7 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage and follow-up
- follow-up: +5 vs fort, target is stunned, save ends
m Circle Kick (standard, at-will, recharge 4, 5, 6)
+7 vs AC, 2d6+3 damage. Target is pushed 3 and knocked prone
a Whirling Kick (standard, at-will, burst 1, recharge 6)
+6 vs AC, 1d6+3 damage
-------------------------------------------
alignment evil
languages Common, giant, elf
skills history +6, athletics +8, acrobatics +8
Str 16(+3) Con 14(+2) Dex 16(+3) Int 12(+1) Wis 14(+2) Cha 10(+0)
equipment

Minus, The Pygmy Minotaur
level 2 solo brute, 625 xp
medium magical? humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +6
senses perception +8, darkvision
HP 250 bloodied 125
AC 18, F 18, R 15, W 14
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 6, +2 when charging
action point 2
--------------------------------------------
b Greataxe (standard, at-will)
+7 vs AC 1d12+4 damage (crit 1d12+16)
m Great Cleave (standard; at-will; recharge 6)
+7 vs AC 1d12+4 damage and follow-up
follow-up: +7 vs AC, 1d12+4 damage against an adjacent foe
m Gore Attack (standard; at-will)
+7 vs AC, 1d6+4 damage and push 2 (2d6+8 damage and push 4 on a charge)
Ferocity (Immediate; at 0 hp)
+7 vs AC, 1d12+4 damage (crit 1d12+16)
-------------------------------------------
alignment evil
languages Common
skills Dungeoneering +12*, Stealth +8
Str 18(+5) Con 20(+6) Dex 14(+3) Int 8(+0) Wis 12(+2) Cha 10(+0)
*Including a racial bonus
equipment

Goresh, male orc
level 4 artillery (leader), 175 xp
medium natural humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +5
senses perception +2, low-light vision
HP 43
AC 17, F 17, R 15, W 12
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 6, +2 when charging
--------------------------------------------
b Handaxe (standard; at-will)
+8 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage
m Double Surge Attack (standard; at-will, recharge 6)
Make two basic melee attacks, if both hit, Goresh heals 11 hps
r Handaxe (standard; at-will) ranged 5/10
+8 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage
r Hamstring (standard; at-will; recharge 6) ranged 5/10
+8 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage and follow-up
- follow-up: +6 vs Fort: Target slowed, save ends
r Volley of Axes (minor; at-will; recharge 5, 6) ranged 5/10
+8 vs AC, 1d6+5 damage
a Rally the Dogs (standard; encounter) burst 5
activates all trollhounds' healing surge +3 hps
-------------------------------------------
alignment Chaotic Evil
languages Giant
skills +8 Endurance
Str 20(+7) Con 13(+3) Dex 16(+5) Int 8(+1) Wis 10(+2) Cha 12(+3)
equipment

Trollhound
level 2 brute, 125 xp
medium magical? animal/beast
-------------------------------------------
initiative +3
senses perception +7
HP 45
AC 15, F 14, R 13, W 11
immunities
vulnerabilities fire 5
speed 6
--------------------------------------------
b Bite (standard, at-will)
+6 vs AC, 1d6+3 damage
m Locking Jaws (standard, at-will, recharge 4, 5, 6)
+6 vs AC, 1d6+3 damage, immobilize automatic damage every round
standard action Athletics or acrobatics vs fort to escape
m Troll Frenzy (standard, encounter, only when bloodied)
+6 vs AC, 1d6+3 damage and heal 11 hps
Scent of Blood +5 damage against bloodied foes
-------------------------------------------
alignment unaligned
languages none
skills endurance +9
Str 16(+4) Con 15(+3) Dex 15(+3) Int 2(-3) Wis 10(+1) Cha 10(+1)
equipment none

Kaernga, male orc berserker
level 2 elite brute, 250 xp
medium natural humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +2
senses perception +3, low-light vision
HP 92 bloodied 46
AC 16, F 18, R 16, W 15
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 6, +2 when charging
action point 1
--------------------------------------------
b Greataxe (standard, at-will)
+6 vs AC, 1d12+4 damage (crit 1d12+16)
m Warrior Surge (standard, usable when bloodied, encounter)
Kaernga makes a basic melee attack and regains 23 hit points.
Bloodied Rage Whenever bloodied, Kaernga deals an extra 1d6 damage on any melee attack
-------------------------------------------
alignment chaotic evil
languages common, giant
skills +10 endurance, +6 intimidate
Str 20(+6) Con 16(+5) Dex 15(+3) Int 10(+1) Wis 14(+3) Cha 10(+1)
equipment

Tarik, male orc whipmaster
level 2 elite controller, 250 xp
medium natural humanoid
-------------------------------------------
initiative +8
senses +1
HP 80 bloodied 40
AC 17, F 18, R 15, W 15
immunities
vulnerabilities
speed 6, +2 when charging
--------------------------------------------
b Whip (standard, at-will)
reach 2, +7 vs AC, 1d6+4 damage
m Warrior Surge (standard, usable when bloodied, encounter)
Tarik makes a and regains 23 hit points.
m Trip (standard, at-will, recharge 4, 5, 6)
reach 2, +7 vs AC, 1d6+4 damage and follow-up
follow-up: +5 vs reflex, target is prone
m Disarm (standard, at-will, recharge 6)
reach 2, +7 vs reflex, 1d6+2 damage and follow-up
follow-up: +7 vs fort, slide target's weapon 4
m Blinding Whip (standard, at-will, recharge 6)
reach 2, +7 vs reflex, 1d6+4 damage and target blinded, save ends
-------------------------------------------
alignment chaotic evil
languages common, giant
skills +8 intimidate, +11 endurance
Str 20(+6) Con 16(+4) Dex 14(+3) Int 10(+1) Wis 8(+0) Cha 14(+3)
equipment

 

[Jack99]

Notes on conversion:

First of all, I know I suck at coming up with names for powers, no need to point that out more than once

Ikenvar:
Ikenvar is originally half-orc Fig2/rog1 who dual-wields longsword and dagger, and has a stench-pot, which I couldn't find any stats on, during my read-through.

The 4e version is a human, but that is only because it fits better with certain other things in my world, mostly that ½-orcs do not exist!

He still dual-wields longsword and dagger, and since he will be fighting alongside several other slavers, I "only" made him an elite. I did however also give him some possibilities to defend himself toe-to-toe, such as feinting attack, which works much like improved feint from 3.x. The stench-pot seems like a good way to put a caster out of the game, at least for a little while. Is it too powerful?

Melchin:
Melchin is originally a human monk level 2. As I read it, the party is supposed to encounter him on their own, so I made him a solo monster, the first of Castle Whiterock.

Since there is no monk in 4e, at least until October 1st, I came up with a couple of powers that should give my players the feeling they indeed are fighting a monk, all the while giving him options while facing off 5 foes. I could easily imagining him starting off by moving close to the players (maybe hiding and jumping down, as in the original module) using a whirlwind kick to hit as many as possible, then a stunning fist on any obvious casters or healers.

Minus:
Minus is originally a medium sized minotaur. He is also supposed to be encountered alone, and thus I decided to make him a solo as well.

I used some of the powers from the Champion of Baphomet from the DDM cards, and made me a "mini-mino". I added the cleave attack to keep players on their feet, and to give Minus the possibility of damaging more than one creature at the same time.

Goresh
Goresh is probably the convert that changed the most. In 3.x, he is a longbow-using orc. I didn't like the flavor of that, and from the orc preview, it seems that orcs in 4e are more into hand-axes than bows.

Goresh will encounter the PCs with his dogs at his side, so he was made an elite monster.

I gave him some measure of battlefield control via the hamstring power, and emphasized his link to the dogs (trollhounds) via his rally the dogs power. Normally orcs get the warrior surge, but I tweaked it a bit, to better fit the dual-wielding-axe-flavor I had going.

Trollhound
In the 3.x version, the trollhound grapples by the bite. I thought it was a great picture, this nasty-looking hound that grabs you with it's jaws, and never lets go. As you become more wounded, it only arouses it, making it bite down harder. The fast healing it had was changed to Troll Frenzy - maybe that should be troll-hound frenzy?

Kaernga
Probably the most simple to convert. Orc barb3 becomes orc berserker (from excerpt). I just de-leveled him a bit, and made him an elite creature, and gave him the standard berserker abilities. I did think he should have a bit more, so he got bloodied rage, which makes him hit harder when bloodied

Tarik
In the original module, Tarik is a orc fig3, who uses a whip, and has imp. disarm and imp. trip.
Sounds like a controller to me, and ofc, I made him elite. After all, I don't want my "named" to be push-overs. I thought it was surprisingly easy to convert disarm and trip, but then again, maybe all of you think the powers stink. /shrug
Between disarm, trip and the blind powers (imagine you get whipped right over the eyes), I think he came out okay. I am going to make sure to pair him with lots of slavers with the sneak attack ability, to maximize the usefulness of his trip and blind powers.

In advance, thanks for any feedback.

Cheers

 

[malcolm_n]

A few minor tweaks here and there, and they look good. Note, you don't have to include the At-will with recharge; i'm pretty sure it's assumed you can use it any time you charge it.

Also, 2 attacks to trip somebody? for a controller in particular, i'd make it part of the original attack. For a noncontroller or a one trick pony I'd say a second attack is fine.

Otherwise, looks fine. Oh, and stink pot could be as easy as close burst 1 or 2 1d4 damage and target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Wow! I like your monk.

 

[Jack99]

A few minor tweaks here and there, and they look good. Note, you don't have to include the At-will with recharge; i'm pretty sure it's assumed you can use it any time you charge it.

Makes sense.

Also, 2 attacks to trip somebody? for a controller in particular, i'd make it part of the original attack. For a noncontroller or a one trick pony I'd say a second attack is fine.

Going to have to think about that one, on one hand, I do agree with you, on the other hand, I do still feel the follow-up attack version is closer to simulating a trip.

Otherwise, looks fine. Oh, and stink pot could be as easy as close burst 1 or 2 1d4 damage and target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

Good idea, I think I will make it burst 1 instead of just target.

 

[Jack99]

Wow! I like your monk.

Thanks mate.

 

[PeelSeel2]

Awesome!!

My players asked if I was going to scrap my Castle Whiterock 3.5e campaign, and I said no, we will convert to 4e. The players characters are 4-7 level right now. I love Whiterock. It has blossomed into a fine campaign.

I like what you did with the Pygmy Minus and all the other characters. In 3.5e I really 'upped' Minus, but in 4e, he can be run like he is supposed to. A solo bad-a&& that will challenge the entire party.

One suggestion on Minus, make his Gore attack an immediate reaction to being hit in close combat.