Converting Creatures from Other Campaign Settings

[Cleon]

Hmm, I think I'd have a few quibbles with that, but it's a good start.

Quibble away.

1) The original ability doesn't kill the creature, just draws energy from a dying one. (This is a problem with death knell, too.)
2) It should work out to a 10 ft radius.
3) I'm not sure that it should get a concrete benefit (though I'm not against that per se), but it needs to be dependent on having a positive level all the time.

How's this work?

Death Drain (Su): A death shade drains the life force from a dying creature. For every creature (HD of creature?) that dies within 10 ft of the death shade's host, the death shade gains 1 positive level for 24 hours. If a death shade gains Y positive levels, it reproduces by splitting into two, with each death shade retaining Y/2 positive levels. One death shade remains in the host, but the second death shade must quickly find its own host or die. Additionally, a death shade is dependent on positive levels; if it has no positive levels, both the death shade and host fall unconscious. Each day that the host is unconscious, the host/death shade must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 plus the number of days unconscious after the first) or both host and death shade die. If a creature comes within 10 ft of an unconscious death shade and host, the death shade rouses the host in a controlled rage and must kill the creature to drain its energy or die in X rounds. If the death shade gains a positive level, both it and the host survive, but the host must make a DC Z Fortitude/Will? save or take 1d3 points of Intelligence drain. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Some of that is pretty much taken from the original write-up, and some is modified. I'm not married to the specific mechanics, but I'd like to see that basic flavor retained.

I still think it should apply a negative energy level to victims of its death drain, just to respect conservation of energy.

I'd rather it consumed all the positive levels in the process of reproduction, just to save on book keeping.

We'd better split the revised version into two (or more) paragraphs.

How's this:

Death Drain (Su): A death shade drains the life force from a dying creature. For every creature that dies within 10 ft of a death shade, the death shade gains 1 positive level, it loses these positive levels at a rate of 1 level per 24 hours. If a death shade gains X positive levels, it reproduces by splitting, this process consumes all the death shade's positive levels and leaves two full-strength death shades. One death shade remains in the host, the second death shade must quickly find its own host or die.

A death shade is dependent on positive levels; if it goes for more than Y days with no positive levels, both the death shade and host fall unconscious. Each day that the host is unconscious, the host/death shade must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 plus the number of days unconscious after the first) or both host and death shade die. If a living creature comes within 10 ft. of the unconscious death shade and host, the death shade rouses the host in a controlled rage and must kill the creature to drain its energy or die in Z rounds. If the death shade gains a positive level, both it and the host survive, but the host must make a DC W Fortitude/Will save or take 1d3 points of Intelligence drain. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[freyar]

The reason I'd had the positive levels split was because the original had them catatonic any time they have 0 positive levels. But this works for me if we set Y=1. What do you think about Fort vs Will for the save against Int drain?

 

[Cleon]

The reason I'd had the positive levels split was because the original had them catatonic any time they have 0 positive levels. But this works for me if we set Y=1. What do you think about Fort vs Will for the save against Int drain?

One day's fine.

As for the save, I'm not committed either way, but I guess Will makes slightly more sense.

We still need values for X, and Z.

Revising...

Death Drain (Su): A death shade drains the life force from a dying creature. For every creature that dies within 10 ft of a death shade, the death shade gains 1 positive level, it loses these positive levels at a rate of 1 level per 24 hours. If a death shade gains X positive levels, it reproduces by splitting, this process consumes all the death shade's positive levels and leaves two full-strength death shades. One death shade remains in the host, the second death shade must quickly find its own host or die.

A death shade is dependent on positive levels; if it goes for more than 1 day with no positive levels, both the death shade and host fall unconscious. Each day that the host is unconscious, the host/death shade must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 plus the number of days unconscious after the first) or both host and death shade die. If a living creature comes within 10 ft. of the unconscious death shade and host, the death shade rouses the host in a controlled rage and must kill the creature to drain its energy or die in Z rounds. If the death shade gains a positive level, both it and the host survive, but the host must make a DC 18 Will save or take 1d3 points of Intelligence drain. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[freyar]

Well, the original text would suggest X=40, but that's an awful lot of bonuses (and recall that the original mechanic didn't grant any bonuses).

For Z, do you fancy something fixed or random? I could go with something like 4 or 1d6 maybe.

 

[Cleon]

Well, the original text would suggest X=40, but that's an awful lot of bonuses (and recall that the original mechanic didn't grant any bonuses).

For Z, do you fancy something fixed or random? I could go with something like 4 or 1d6 maybe.

I'd go for 10 positive levels, 1 more than its average HD.

As for Z, something random would be my preference.

2d4 rounds plus host's Constitution modifier?

 

[freyar]

10 positive levels and 2d4 plus Con modifier both sound fine.

Death Drain (Su): A death shade drains the life force from a dying creature. For every creature that dies within 10 ft of a death shade, the death shade gains 1 positive level, it loses these positive levels at a rate of 1 level per 24 hours. If a death shade gains 10 positive levels, it reproduces by splitting, this process consumes all the death shade's positive levels and leaves two full-strength death shades. One death shade remains in the host, the second death shade must quickly find its own host or die.

A death shade is dependent on positive levels; if it goes for more than 1 day with no positive levels, both the death shade and host fall unconscious. Each day that the host is unconscious, the host/death shade must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 plus the number of days unconscious after the first) or both host and death shade die. If a living creature comes within 10 ft. of the unconscious death shade and host, the death shade rouses the host in a controlled rage and must kill the creature to drain its energy or die in a number of rounds equal to 2d4+ the host's Constitution modifier. If the death shade gains a positive level, both it and the host survive, but the host must make a DC 18 Will save or take 1d3 points of Intelligence drain. The Will save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Shade]

Looks pretty good. Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Looks pretty good. Updated.

So skills and feats next.

Listen, Spot, Tumble would be useful methinks. What do you fancy for the other skill?

Ability Focus for Merge With Host, since it's vital for its survival? Maybe Ability Focus (incite host) as well?

Or we could use some of a Will o' Wisps feats - Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Improved Initiative and Weapon Finesse (B).

How about this:

Feats: Ability Focus (merge with host), Blind-Fight (B), Dodge, Improved Initiative

 

[Shade]

That all looks good, and I'd recommend Hide for the remaining skill.

Updated.

Did we ever decide on damage for its incorporeal touch attack?

 

[Cleon]

That all looks good, and I'd recommend Hide for the remaining skill.

I'd thought about Hide, but the problem is it's only got a few rounds to find a host before it dies so wouldn't it be rushing about looking for a victim rather than lurking out of sight in the hopes one would wander by?

Well, I suppose it'd help it sneak up on a prospective host, so Hide it is.

Updated.

Did we ever decide on damage for its incorporeal touch attack?

I'd forgotten we'd decided to give it one!

Maybe a bit of Wisdom damage, anything from 1 point to 1d4 Wis?