Converting Creatures from Other Campaign Settings

[Cleon]

I still think we should stick to the normal rule that summoned creatures fit into the CR and not have conditional CR/EL for these. Is the reason you want to do this the 1 minute summoning time? If so, we could shorten it.

No, the reason is that according to the Encounter Numbers rules in the DMG, a sand-shifter with the minimum summoning of two petrified ancestors is equivalent to a CR 10 encounter (three CR 7 opponents) while one with the maximum of six ancestral allies is equivalent to CR 13 (seven CR 7 opponents).

That's a significant spread, so I'd like at least an optional rule to cover it and using Encounter Level adjustment is in keeping with the RAW.

That said, it makes sense to fold the whole thing into one EL section rather than having that "Sand-shifter Challenge Ratings includes the petrified ancestors and stony steeds" paragraph before it.

Something like:

Optional Rule - Sand-Shifter Encounter Levels: A petrified ancestor is just as powerful as a desert giant, so four ancestors plus an adult sand-shifter are as physically dangerous as five CR 7 desert giants, which would normally be an EL 12 encounter. A sand-shifter's Challenge Rating of 10 allows for the fact that all the petrified ancestors would crumble into the dunes the instant their sand-shifter falls. However, the DM should consider whether to apply a Encounter Level adjustment to reflect favorable or detrimental conditions. For example, a sand-shifter could have a –1 EL adjustment (EL 9) for 2 petrified ancestors or +1 (EL 11) for 6 ancestors, while one who sends 5-6 ancestors to attack intruders while keeping itself somewhere secure from counter-attack could even be +2 (EL 12). An adult sand-shifter has an EL of 7 without any summoned allies; immature sand-shifters are EL 3 for a child, EL 5 for an adolescent.

Oh, and the Immature Sand-Shifter section needs a bit of tweaking to reflect the above. It also has a sloppy usage of "child" which was subsequently used to identify the smaller size of juvenile sand-shifter:

Immature Sand-Shifters
Immature desert giant sand-shifters appear to be normal juveniles, but are CR 9 due to their sand-shifting abilities. They summon stony steeds for the tribe's warriors to ride into battle and are then kept far away from danger, often with a single adult desert giant relative to protect them. Although juvenile desert giants are meant to be non-combatants they sometimes carry weapons. If armed, they will only have spears and/or javelins – lances and hurling spears are prizes a desert giant earns when attaining adulthood.

Immature sand-shifters may be Large adolescent desert giants (9 Hit Dice, Str 21, Con 17, NA +8) or desert giant children of Medium size (6 Hit Dice, Str 17, Con 15, NA +7). They have Charisma 13 and their other abilities are the same as an adult desert giant plus the following special ability:

 

[Cleon]

Oh, and the Challenge Rating should be "7 (sand-shifter 10, immature sand-shifter 9)".

Updating the Desert Giant Working Draft.

 

[Cleon]

Also, why on earth did I call it "junior sand-shifting" rather than "immature sand-shifting"?

Better change it!

Updating the Desert Giant Working Draft.

Updating the most recent Immature Sand-Shifter Statblocks.

 

[Cleon]

Dang it, I just realized I left off the alignment from all the compact statblocks!

The immature sandshifters, stony steed and petrified ancestors should all start "(N" since they're Neutral.

 

[Cleon]

So are we finished with the basic Desert Giant and Sand-Shifter's stats?

I'm game to start on the background/flavour or stat up the Chieftain.

 

[Cleon]

So are we finished with the basic Desert Giant and Sand-Shifter's stats?

I'm game to start on the background/flavour or stat up the Chieftain.

Oh, and the Desert Giants As Characters and In Zakhara sections need completing as well.

 

[freyar]

As long as the Sand-Shifter EL rule is optional, I'm fine with it.

Why don't we deal with the fluffy stuff first, then do the chieftain?

 

[Cleon]

As long as the Sand-Shifter EL rule is optional, I'm fine with it.

Why don't we deal with the fluffy stuff first, then do the chieftain?

Works for me.

Let's see…

A giant figure swathed in lightweight clothing the color of sand and rock, they could be human if it were not for the size, for they are twice the height. The being's eyes are a startlingly bright blue. What skin can be seen is wrinkled and leathery brown, as if burned by decades of desert sun.

Desert giants are a nomadic race with a fearsome reputation as mercenaries and raiders, although most sustain themselves by herding livestock. The desert giant lifestyle is very similar to that of human desert nomads (since they face similar challenges from the desert). They prefer cattle for their meat and milk, but cows and bulls are hard to keep alive while wandering the desert so they will also have camels or sheep. Peaceful encounters often lead to trading for goods the giants cannot obtain from the desert, they prize cloth, salt, spices, and wood.

Desert giant culture does not recognize settled people as having any right to grazing or water, and a tribe will graze their herds of a settlement's grassland or even crops with no apologies or compensation. Trying to force the giants to leave can be hazardous, so they are usually persuaded to move on by offers of mercenary work or "gifts" that are basically bribes.

These giants are skilled riders but have difficulty finding mounts large enough to carry them, so sometimes resort to bizarre steeds such rocs, monstrous spiders, animated objects, or even undead. Some groups have no steeds, so must rely upon the power of a sand-shifter (see below) to ride into battle.

Sand-shifters are desert giants born with the ability to summon the spirits of the tribe's ancestors and their steeds and grant them bodies formed from the sand of their home. A child sand-shifter can only call up animal spirits to serve as mounts, known as stony steeds, it takes an adult sand-shifter to summon the desert giant's petrified ancestors.

When a desert giant becomes decrepit with age their eyes turn from bright blue to brown and their flesh gradually grows denser and earthier in a process of slow fossilization that continues until the giant dies of old age. [The deceased giant's relatives then bury the petrified corpse in the sands of their ancestral homeland. ?]

Adults are about 12 feet tall and normally weigh about 1,400 pounds. Desert giants can live to be 400 years old. A desert giant who's ancient enough to suffer from fossilization may weigh up to 3,500 pounds.

Desert giants speak Giant. Those with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher also speak Common.

Combat
Unlike normal giants, desert giants do not hurl rocks but are experts in throwing spears or javelins, including a special type of spear they have developed, the hurling spear (see below). Each hurling spear is a lovingly-crafted heirloom a desert giant will go to considerable length to recover and repair after throwing it at an enemy. The best hurling spears are masterwork weapons or even enchanted.

Desert giants are skilled in desert guerilla tactics and favor ambushes prepared with their desert camouflage ability. If they have mounts they can make devastating charges. The best-coordinated bands may have their sand-shifters summon sandy-steeds beneath their camouflaged ambushers, so the desert giant warriors appear to rise out of the ground already seated upon their mounts!

In Zakhara
The desert giants of Zakhara are a fading race, the curse of fossilization has slowly decreased them from a once-great civilization to a handful of small clans. As their situation becomes more desperate they have increasingly turned to banditry and mercenary work, and many young desert giants have gone to the cities to find work as warriors to sustain their families.

 

[Cleon]

I've updated the Desert Giant Working Draft.

We're missing a few scraps from the Desert Giants As Characters.

Namely Bonus Languages, Favored Class, Cleric Domains and a bit of fluff.

For the Bonus Languages, I'm thinking we can combine the standard Giant Languages (Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc) plus the Jann's Elemental Languages (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, or Terran).

I'll remove Draconic, since there are no Dragons in Al-Qadim, and pick Earth and Fire as the two elements they learned from their Jann neighbours, since those seem most appropriate - they're not going to be meeting many Water Elementals in the desert!

Desert Giants As Characters
Desert giants with character classes generally pursue martial classes, particularly their favored class of [fighter]. Most started out as young desert giants seeking mercenary work to feed their tribe. The majority of spellcasters are clerics or druids, arcane spellcasting desert giants are rare and are usually bards or sorcerers, a desert giant wizard is extremely unusual. A standard desert giant cleric has access to two of the following domains: Earth, Sun, Travel, War (most choose Travel or War, some choose both).

● Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Elven, Goblin, Ignan, Orc, Terran.
● Favored Class: fighter.

Maybe we could just cut out the Cleric Domains? Neither the Hill Giant or Frost Giant bothers with them.

Desert giants with character classes generally pursue martial classes, particularly their favored class of fighter. Most started out as young desert giants seeking mercenary work to feed their tribe. The majority of spellcasters are clerics or druids, arcane spellcasting desert giants are rare and are usually bards or sorcerers, a desert giant wizard is extremely unusual.

Nah, I kind of like the Domains.

That said, I'm thinking maybe we should make Common an Automatic language?

Desert giants speak Common and Giant. Those with Intelligence scores of 12 or higher will also speak additional languages.

● Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus Languages: Elven, Goblin, Ignan, Orc, Terran.

 

[freyar]

Flavor text looks pretty good, and I'm ok keeping the red text. We should separate out "they prize cloth, salt, spices, and wood." and "it takes an adult sand-shifter to summon the desert giant's petrified ancestors." into separate sentences.

I like the revised languages and fighter as favored class. I could go either way about listing cleric domains, but I do like the ones you've listed. So we might as well keep them. Just split "a desert giant wizard is extremely unusual" into a separate sentence, and it's good to go.