Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine
- Thread starter BOZ
- Start date
- Status
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
ok, onto the living web/duleep...
Dragon 89:
DULEEP
FREQUENCY. Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 6”
HIT DICE: 1 ½ -6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 shock
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning bolt
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Many immunities
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (varies)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II to V / 34 + 1/hp to 425 + 6/hp
Duleeps are small, amorphous creatures that resemble thick grey sheets, wisps, and filaments of dusty cobwebs. They are nomadic omnivores found in subterranean and wilderness areas, preferring stony surroundings such as caverns or ruins. They can sense the presence of other duleeps, vibrations, and variations in the heat of their surroundings very keenly to a maximum range of 8'. A duleep spends its life in an endless hunt for plant life, carrion, and live prey. It will wait motionless to drop onto or be blundered into by creatures it senses nearby.
Duleeps seem to flow over surfaces, moving like caterpillars on millions of tiny filaments, and may fuse together into larger creatures. They are unaffected by fire, water, heat, or cold attacks. Blows from edged weapons do full damage to these creatures, but when hit they will split into two smaller wisps, each of which will continue to advance upon prey (count each duleep "fragment" as having half the "parent's" remaining hit points, rounding fractions up). Duleeps attack instinctively and cannot be subdued or repelled by fear, repulsion, or similar spells. Blunt weapons do half damage to Duleeps the filaments of their bodies stretch and yield to absorb some of the shock of the blow.
Duleeps convert ingested matter into electrical energy, which they use to aid them in movement and to stun or slay prey, such as small rodents. The touch of a duleep is like a shocking grasp - the electrical shock does at least 1-4 points of damage per round (1 -6 if the duleep is of 3-5 HD, and 2-8 damage for a 6 HD type) to any creature whose bare skin or conductive armor or weaponry comes into contact with a duleep.
Duleep may also fire a miniature lightning bolt (2 " range, 3-12 damage) up to twice per turn; one with less than 9 hit points (or one that has been reduced to 9 hp or less) can only unleash one bolt per turn. All duleep fragments have this ability, so a duleep separated into two smaller ones may unleash two such attacks. Note that separation occurs only as a result of an opponent's attack or physical situation - a duleep cannot deliberately split into smaller wisps. Duleeps absorb all electrical energy, magical or natural, and will permanently gain one extra hit die for every 8 hp of electrical energy they absorb (the hit points gained from the new hit die are randomly determined), causing them to grow visibly. Duleeps move and act independently, but they can sense the direction and size of other duleeps within 8", and one will attempt to join with another wisp if the former is reduced to 8 hp or less (adding its hit points and hit dice to those of the larger creature, up to a 6 HD maximum).
Duleeps may climb the walls and ceilings of any material and texture; they never slip, and may grasp a surface so strongly that they cannot be removed by any physical or magical attack that fails to slay the creature.
Duleeps have no visible sensory organs or specialized body parts and appear to consist of colonies of microscopic, identical cells with limited sentience, highly developed locomotive and sensory faculties, and the ability to convert organic matter to electrical energy.
MC3:
Web, Living
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Caverns, ruins
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVEMENT: 6
HIT DICE: ½ to 6
THAC0: 1/2 to 2 HD: 19
3-4 HD: 17
5-6 HD: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (1” – 7”)
MORALE: Average (9-10)
XP VALUE: 650 to 2,000
Living webs, also known as carnivorous webs or duleep, are omnivores that roam caverns and ruins.
Living are small, amorphous creatures that resemble thick gray sheets, filaments, and filaments of dusty cobwebs. They lack visible sensory organs and specialized body parts. They appear to consist of colonies of microscopic, identical cells.
Combat: The touch of a living web delivers an electrical shock. This attack causes a minimum of 1d4 points of damage. Webs of 3-5 HD inflict I& points of damage, while those of 6 HD cause 2d4 points, of damage.
Living webs can fire a miniature lightning bolt (20 yard range, 3d4 points of damage) up to twice per turn. Living webs with less than 9 hit points can fire only one lightning bolt per turn. All web fragments have this power, thus a living web cut in two can fire four such bolts per turn.
Living webs absorb all electrical energy, whether natural or magical, and permanently gain 1 Hit Die for each 8 hit points of electricity absorbed. Such energy causes the web to visibly grow.
They are unaffected by fire, water, heat, and cold attacks. Blows from edged weapons inflict full damage to these creatures; such blows divide them into two smaller wisps, Each has half the parent's remaining hit points and will continue to advance on the prey. Blunt weapons cause only half damage as the living web stretches to absorb the damage without tearing. Note that separation occur,, only as a result of an opponent's attack or an accident; living webs cannot voluntarily divide.
Living webs attack instinctively; they are unaffected by fear, repulsion, or similar spells.
Habitat/Society: These are nomadic omnivores that perpetually roam subterranean and wilderness areas. They prefer locations such as caverns and ruins, places full of normal webs that living webs can hide among. They spend their lives in endless search of plant life, carrion, and live prey. Ingested matter is converted into the electrical energy they use for movement and attacks.
Despite the lack of visible sensory organs, the living web can sense vibrations, variations in heat, and the presence of other living webs. Such senses have a maximum range of 90 feet.
They seem to flow over surfaces, moving like caterpillars on millions of tiny filaments. The filaments can fuse together into a larger, denser mass. Living webs can climb walls and ceilings of any material, They never slip, and they grasp a surface so strongly that they cannot be removed by any physical or magical attack that fails to slay them.
Though living webs move and act independently, they sense the direction and size of other living webs within 90 feet. If a living web detects another web with less than 9 hit points, it attempts to join together with the weaker web, If successful, it adds the hit points and Hit Dice to its own total, up to a maximum total of 6 HD.
Ecology: Living webs are useful for their role in killing vermin. They may be caught and used for guards in normally unused section of habitats and caverns.
Knight Otu had reposted a conversion of the living web here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67895
First thing we should do with this fellow is determine the creature type. I know that Ooze is the popular choice, but I’m not so sure about that. I’m thinking more of an aberration with the Amorphous quality, such as the gibbering mouther. But if you all really want to see it as an ooze, I’m sure I can work that out.
The way I think this monster needs to be written up, to make sense to me at all that is, is to write it up as a 1 HD monster standard. I would give it the ability to join more than one creature together to make a higher HD monster (maximum 6) – and this is in the description if you look for it. It would have a split ability (like the black pudding) that would divide the HD back down into separate monsters again.
What I’m saying is, let’s say a pair of 2HD living webs encounter each other and decide to join. Then you would have one 4HD living web. If it gets hit with a slashing weapon, then you’re down to a couple of 2HD ones again. More lower level ones get fewer attacks, but fewer higher level ones attack better. This is sort of how Knight’s description works, but making them 1HD standard instead of ½ will make this work a lot easier, I think.
Otherwise, we might just use Knight’s writeup as a base for the 3.5 version and fix it up as needed.
Dragon 89:
DULEEP
FREQUENCY. Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 6”
HIT DICE: 1 ½ -6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 shock
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning bolt
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Many immunities
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (varies)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II to V / 34 + 1/hp to 425 + 6/hp
Duleeps are small, amorphous creatures that resemble thick grey sheets, wisps, and filaments of dusty cobwebs. They are nomadic omnivores found in subterranean and wilderness areas, preferring stony surroundings such as caverns or ruins. They can sense the presence of other duleeps, vibrations, and variations in the heat of their surroundings very keenly to a maximum range of 8'. A duleep spends its life in an endless hunt for plant life, carrion, and live prey. It will wait motionless to drop onto or be blundered into by creatures it senses nearby.
Duleeps seem to flow over surfaces, moving like caterpillars on millions of tiny filaments, and may fuse together into larger creatures. They are unaffected by fire, water, heat, or cold attacks. Blows from edged weapons do full damage to these creatures, but when hit they will split into two smaller wisps, each of which will continue to advance upon prey (count each duleep "fragment" as having half the "parent's" remaining hit points, rounding fractions up). Duleeps attack instinctively and cannot be subdued or repelled by fear, repulsion, or similar spells. Blunt weapons do half damage to Duleeps the filaments of their bodies stretch and yield to absorb some of the shock of the blow.
Duleeps convert ingested matter into electrical energy, which they use to aid them in movement and to stun or slay prey, such as small rodents. The touch of a duleep is like a shocking grasp - the electrical shock does at least 1-4 points of damage per round (1 -6 if the duleep is of 3-5 HD, and 2-8 damage for a 6 HD type) to any creature whose bare skin or conductive armor or weaponry comes into contact with a duleep.
Duleep may also fire a miniature lightning bolt (2 " range, 3-12 damage) up to twice per turn; one with less than 9 hit points (or one that has been reduced to 9 hp or less) can only unleash one bolt per turn. All duleep fragments have this ability, so a duleep separated into two smaller ones may unleash two such attacks. Note that separation occurs only as a result of an opponent's attack or physical situation - a duleep cannot deliberately split into smaller wisps. Duleeps absorb all electrical energy, magical or natural, and will permanently gain one extra hit die for every 8 hp of electrical energy they absorb (the hit points gained from the new hit die are randomly determined), causing them to grow visibly. Duleeps move and act independently, but they can sense the direction and size of other duleeps within 8", and one will attempt to join with another wisp if the former is reduced to 8 hp or less (adding its hit points and hit dice to those of the larger creature, up to a 6 HD maximum).
Duleeps may climb the walls and ceilings of any material and texture; they never slip, and may grasp a surface so strongly that they cannot be removed by any physical or magical attack that fails to slay the creature.
Duleeps have no visible sensory organs or specialized body parts and appear to consist of colonies of microscopic, identical cells with limited sentience, highly developed locomotive and sensory faculties, and the ability to convert organic matter to electrical energy.
MC3:
Web, Living
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Caverns, ruins
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVEMENT: 6
HIT DICE: ½ to 6
THAC0: 1/2 to 2 HD: 19
3-4 HD: 17
5-6 HD: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (1” – 7”)
MORALE: Average (9-10)
XP VALUE: 650 to 2,000
Living webs, also known as carnivorous webs or duleep, are omnivores that roam caverns and ruins.
Living are small, amorphous creatures that resemble thick gray sheets, filaments, and filaments of dusty cobwebs. They lack visible sensory organs and specialized body parts. They appear to consist of colonies of microscopic, identical cells.
Combat: The touch of a living web delivers an electrical shock. This attack causes a minimum of 1d4 points of damage. Webs of 3-5 HD inflict I& points of damage, while those of 6 HD cause 2d4 points, of damage.
Living webs can fire a miniature lightning bolt (20 yard range, 3d4 points of damage) up to twice per turn. Living webs with less than 9 hit points can fire only one lightning bolt per turn. All web fragments have this power, thus a living web cut in two can fire four such bolts per turn.
Living webs absorb all electrical energy, whether natural or magical, and permanently gain 1 Hit Die for each 8 hit points of electricity absorbed. Such energy causes the web to visibly grow.
They are unaffected by fire, water, heat, and cold attacks. Blows from edged weapons inflict full damage to these creatures; such blows divide them into two smaller wisps, Each has half the parent's remaining hit points and will continue to advance on the prey. Blunt weapons cause only half damage as the living web stretches to absorb the damage without tearing. Note that separation occur,, only as a result of an opponent's attack or an accident; living webs cannot voluntarily divide.
Living webs attack instinctively; they are unaffected by fear, repulsion, or similar spells.
Habitat/Society: These are nomadic omnivores that perpetually roam subterranean and wilderness areas. They prefer locations such as caverns and ruins, places full of normal webs that living webs can hide among. They spend their lives in endless search of plant life, carrion, and live prey. Ingested matter is converted into the electrical energy they use for movement and attacks.
Despite the lack of visible sensory organs, the living web can sense vibrations, variations in heat, and the presence of other living webs. Such senses have a maximum range of 90 feet.
They seem to flow over surfaces, moving like caterpillars on millions of tiny filaments. The filaments can fuse together into a larger, denser mass. Living webs can climb walls and ceilings of any material, They never slip, and they grasp a surface so strongly that they cannot be removed by any physical or magical attack that fails to slay them.
Though living webs move and act independently, they sense the direction and size of other living webs within 90 feet. If a living web detects another web with less than 9 hit points, it attempts to join together with the weaker web, If successful, it adds the hit points and Hit Dice to its own total, up to a maximum total of 6 HD.
Ecology: Living webs are useful for their role in killing vermin. They may be caught and used for guards in normally unused section of habitats and caverns.
Knight Otu had reposted a conversion of the living web here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67895
First thing we should do with this fellow is determine the creature type. I know that Ooze is the popular choice, but I’m not so sure about that. I’m thinking more of an aberration with the Amorphous quality, such as the gibbering mouther. But if you all really want to see it as an ooze, I’m sure I can work that out.
The way I think this monster needs to be written up, to make sense to me at all that is, is to write it up as a 1 HD monster standard. I would give it the ability to join more than one creature together to make a higher HD monster (maximum 6) – and this is in the description if you look for it. It would have a split ability (like the black pudding) that would divide the HD back down into separate monsters again.
What I’m saying is, let’s say a pair of 2HD living webs encounter each other and decide to join. Then you would have one 4HD living web. If it gets hit with a slashing weapon, then you’re down to a couple of 2HD ones again. More lower level ones get fewer attacks, but fewer higher level ones attack better. This is sort of how Knight’s description works, but making them 1HD standard instead of ½ will make this work a lot easier, I think.
Otherwise, we might just use Knight’s writeup as a base for the 3.5 version and fix it up as needed.
Last edited:
Shade
Monster Junkie
BOZ said:
I'll second your motion for aberration. Since it was semi-intelligent (Intelligence 2-4), it doesn't fit the ooze subtype, which says that all oozes are mindless.
BOZ said:
It would definitely be easier using a 1 HD base. I hate dealing with creatures with less than 1 HD.
Knight Otu
First Post
I'll comment on this thread for a change. 
I agree with changing the living web to a 1 HD creature. The 1/2 HD is a nightmare. As for the aberration/ooze thing... Even though the writeup gave it a low intelligence, the creature simply didn't seem truly intelligent to me, and IIRC, there have also been a few oozes that were intelligent in previous editions and lost that intelligence in the conversion.
As a compromise, it could be one of the rare oozes with an intelligence score.
I agree with changing the living web to a 1 HD creature. The 1/2 HD is a nightmare. As for the aberration/ooze thing... Even though the writeup gave it a low intelligence, the creature simply didn't seem truly intelligent to me, and IIRC, there have also been a few oozes that were intelligent in previous editions and lost that intelligence in the conversion.
As a compromise, it could be one of the rare oozes with an intelligence score.
- Status
Similar Threads
