Converting Epic Level Beings

[Shade]

OK, did a little bit of work on this here and there. We could merge this back into a single paragraph later if that seems like a good idea.

Breath Weapon (Su): The Midgard linnorm has three types of breath weapon: a line of boiling water, a cone of dust, and a cone of wind. It may use any breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.

All writeups looks good so far.

I notice that the original has the dust coming in a cloud form. The above text alternates between cone and cloud.

I just did it for flavor. Cloud-shaped breath weapons no longer exist...they all appear to be cones now (see gold dragon, green dragon, etc.)

I like that one better – the first one is more like suffocation than drowning. How about:

Air breathing creatures with less than 7 Hit Dice must succeed on a DC X Constitution check, or their lungs fill with water and they begin drowning immediately, and are treated as if beneath water in terms of being able to breathe. Creatures that fail the Constitution check may attempt a new check every round to cough the water out.

Yeah, I think I like that better.

you know what, I think I’d like to see a different effect for each breath weapon. How about blown away for the wind?

Cool. It would probably be best just to state that it is equivalent to a certain wind speed, rather than just picking an automatic condition (since conditions are based on size).

How about "tornado-force" wind, causing Large or smaller creatures to be blown away, Huge creatures to be knocked down, and Gargantuan or Colossal creatures to be checked?

 

[BOZ]

i think it's time to post this one in homebrews, just to see where we're at on it.

 

[Shade]

Suggested Feats: Ability Focus (Breath Weapon), Awesome Blow, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite)
Suggested Epic Feats: Epic Prowess, Devastating Critical (bite), Overwhelming Critical (bite), Superior Initiative

Attack: bite or tail slap

Damage: bite (8d6+Str), claws (4d8+1/2 Str), tail slap (4d8+1 and 1/2 Str)

30 foot reach with bite?

Damage reduction 15/epic and cold iron?

 

[BOZ]

no alertness, flyby attack, and multiattack like the other linnorms?

CR... (and then SR is that +14?)

skills - how about a selection from at least:

Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival

(he can have 18 maxed out skills, or more than 18 skills if not all are maxed out)

 

[Shade]

no alertness, flyby attack, and multiattack like the other linnorms?

Well, Flyby Attack ain't gonna help much if we don't give him a fly speed.

As for the other two, I would definitely add Multiattack. I missed it because I just took Jormy's list and paired it down, and he didn't need that feat. I'd drop Epic Prowess to make room for it. Alertness isn't really that beneficial at such a high level, but I suppose we could swap out Blind-Fight for it.

CR... (and then SR is that +14?)

Looking at the comparable-HD epic dragons, it would place his CR between 34-37. Considering the high damage die of his breath weapon and variety of these weapons, I'd place him on the high end. CR 37, SR 51.

skills - how about a selection from at least:

Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival

(he can have 18 maxed out skills, or more than 18 skills if not all are maxed out)

Sounds good. I'd go maxxed out in all the following: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device.

 

[BOZ]

okie dokie. updated again. there are a few other values there to consider...

i'll work on coming up with the flavor text ASAP.

 

[Shade]

Based on this...

The Midgard linnorm stores his wealth within the deepest chambers. Discarding coins and gems, the serpent elects to keep primarily magical treasure, and he employs some of that magic when venturing out of his lair. Also in his lair are remnants from visits to the surface-prows of Viking ships, statues from villages, large shields, and other trinkets.

...I'd make the treasure line something like: no coins; standard goods; triple items.

Breath weapon save DCs = 45. The check DCs should probably be the same, even though they are incredibly difficult. Of course, this is an epic opponent.

Constrict = tail slap damage (4d8+19)?

Crush = 8d6+13.

Tail sweep = 4d6+19.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - create water, detect thoughts (DC 21), protection from energy, water breathing; 1/day - acid fog, arcane eye, charm person (DC 20), charm monster (DC 23), control water, fog cloud, greater invisibility, greater teleport (DC 26), hypnotic pattern (DC 21), power word blind, power word stun, see invisibility, shapechange, solid fog, telekinesis (DC 24), veil (DC 25), wall of ice (DC 23), whispering wind. Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[BOZ]

I'd make the treasure line something like: no coins; standard goods; triple items.

since this was a weird one, I went and looked up the actual stats from the 2E DMG. Remember, that each of these are x5 as per the MC entry.

S: 1-8 potions
T: 1-4 scrolls
U: 90% chance of 2-16 gems, 80% chance of 1-6 art objects, and 70% chance for 1 magic item
V: 2 magic items
W: 5-30 gp, 1-8 pp/ep, 60% chance of 2-16 gems, 50% chance of 1-8 art objects, 60% chance of 2 magic items
X: 2 potions

thus, assuming all the percentage rolls were favorable, Midgy would have:

5-20 scrolls
15-50 potions
25 additional random magic items
20-160 gems
10-70 art objects
25-150 gp
5-40 pp

so your assertion was close but needs a bit more. Coins (while not negligible, are not impressive either), maybe 50% or even 10% standard. Double goods, easily. Items should be double or even triple.

 

[Krishnath]

Why not simply give it the dragon standard? i.e. Triple standard

 

[Shade]

Why not simply give it the dragon standard? i.e. Triple standard

Because randomly, that would turn up much more coins and goods than items, and he's not really into coins.

Based on BOZ's findings, how about: 10% coins; double goods; triple items?