Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine

[BOZ]

let's start here:

Living Web (Duleep)
Tiny Ooze
Hit Dice: 1d10+X (X hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: 15 ft (3 squares)
Armor Class: X (+2 size, +X Dex), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+X
Attack: Electricity ray +X ranged touch (3d4 electricity)
Full Attack: Electricity ray +X ranged touch (3d4 electricity)
Space/Reach: 2 ½ ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Electricity ray, shock 1d4
Special Qualities: Absorb electricity, blindsight 90 ft, damage reduction 5/slashing or piercing, fuse, immunity to cold and fire, ooze traits, split, tremorsense
Saves: Fort +0 Ref +0 Will +0
Abilities: Str X Dex X Con X Int --- Wis X Chr X
Skills: --- (climb bonus?)
Feats: ---

Environment: Any underground
Organization: Solitary or pack (1-8)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2-3 (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: ---



COMBAT



Originally found in Dragon Magazine #89 (“Creature Catalog”, September 1984, Ed Greenwood), and Monstrous Compendium MC3 – Forgotten Realms (1989).

 

[Shade]

Since Knight Otu already did alot of the work, let's use the following from his conversion to fill in some of the blanks:

AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2
Stats: Str 1, Dex 14, Con 11, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 1

The electricity ray should be +2 ranged touch.

 

[BOZ]

i like the electricity ray idea, rather than a "miniature lightning bolt" like the text describes. makes more sense, i think.

 

[Knight Otu]

The electricity ray should be +2 ranged touch.

From the Dex bonus, I assume? What about the size bonus?

 

[Shade]

From the Dex bonus, I assume? What about the size bonus?

Oops! Good catch...it should be +4.

 

[BOZ]

some discussion...

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'.

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.

we gave it blindsight and that is good, but does the rest of this make a difference? (note that things must have been measured differently between 1E and 2E. when possible, I take the 2E measurement rather than the slightly awkward 1E)


modifying this part from the black pudding a bit, we get:
Split (Ex): When struck by a slashing or piercing weapon, a living web splits into two identical webs, each with half of the original’s Hit Dice (round down) and half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A web with only 1 Hit Die or hit point cannot be further split; it is destroyed.

As far as the fuse action though, I took it a bit differently that Otu did. I don’t see it as quite an attack, even if the write-up did make it sound that way somewhat.
(Flavor text): Living webs can increase their Hit Dice by fusing together. If a living web detects the presence of a weaker web, it will seek out that web to join with it.
Fuse (Ex): By moving into the same square, two or more willing living webs can join together to create a larger, stronger creature. One web adds its Hit Dice and hit points to another, increasing the creature’s overall base attack bonus and saving throws. A single fused living web can have no more than 6 Hit Dice.

For example, if a living web with 3 Hit Dice and 17 hit points encounters a web with 1 Hit Die and 4 hit points and decides to fuse with it. The newly fused web would have 4 Hit Dice and 21 hit points, a base attack of +3. If this same living web is later hit with a slashing weapon for 3 points of damage, it would split into 2 webs with 2 Hit Dice and 9 hit points each.

(let’s see how messy that mechanic can get when used too many times!)

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.

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 1d6 points of damage, while those of 6 HD cause 2d4 points, of damage.

should it scale like in Otu's description? Do we make this a touch attack (dropping on foes for example, spreading out over a doorway to catch you in the face) or just reserve it for anyone unlucky enough to touch it on purpose?

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.

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.

electricity ray. Note that a turn is roughly a minute/ten rounds now; I don’t think we want to force it to wait that long! Maybe once every 1dX rounds, like a dragon’s breath weapon.

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.

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.

I like the growth, but I still say max 6 HD for the creature.

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.

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.

spider climb?


And keeping from Otu:
Skills: A living web receives a +10 circumstance bonus to Hide checks when hiding among normal spider webs.

 

[BOZ]

sounds good?

 

[Shade]

I'm sorry, I missed this update for some reason the other day.

we gave it blindsight and that is good, but does the rest of this make a difference? (note that things must have been measured differently between 1E and 2E. when possible, I take the 2E measurement rather than the slightly awkward 1E)

I think blindsight will be sufficient.

modifying this part from the black pudding a bit, we get:
Split (Ex): When struck by a slashing or piercing weapon, a living web splits into two identical webs, each with half of the original’s Hit Dice (round down) and half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A web with only 1 Hit Die or hit point cannot be further split; it is destroyed.

As far as the fuse action though, I took it a bit differently that Otu did. I don’t see it as quite an attack, even if the write-up did make it sound that way somewhat.
(Flavor text): Living webs can increase their Hit Dice by fusing together. If a living web detects the presence of a weaker web, it will seek out that web to join with it.
Fuse (Ex): By moving into the same square, two or more willing living webs can join together to create a larger, stronger creature. One web adds its Hit Dice and hit points to another, increasing the creature’s overall base attack bonus and saving throws. A single fused living web can have no more than 6 Hit Dice.

For example, if a living web with 3 Hit Dice and 17 hit points encounters a web with 1 Hit Die and 4 hit points and decides to fuse with it. The newly fused web would have 4 Hit Dice and 21 hit points, a base attack of +3. If this same living web is later hit with a slashing weapon for 3 points of damage, it would split into 2 webs with 2 Hit Dice and 9 hit points each.

(let’s see how messy that mechanic can get when used too many times!)

I think this mechanic seems feasible, but can definitely get messy.

should it scale like in Otu's description? Do we make this a touch attack (dropping on foes for example, spreading out over a doorway to catch you in the face) or just reserve it for anyone unlucky enough to touch it on purpose?

I'd vote for making it a touch attack.

electricity ray. Note that a turn is roughly a minute/ten rounds now; I don’t think we want to force it to wait that long! Maybe once every 1dX rounds, like a dragon’s breath weapon.

Agreed. I'd go every 1d4 like breath weapons.

I like the growth, but I still say max 6 HD for the creature.

Agreed.

spider climb?

Yes!

And keeping from Otu:
Skills: A living web receives a +10 circumstance bonus to Hide checks when hiding among normal spider webs.

I like this.

 

[BOZ]

I think blindsight will be sufficient.

is tremorsense necessary if it has blindsight?

 

[Shade]

is tremorsense necessary if it has blindsight?

Not really. About the only time tremorsense would supercede blindsight is if the creature lacks line of effect.