Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine

[BOZ]

i was just reading the responses to that thread, but i will take more time to look at it after lunch (food makes me think better, theoretically)

 

[Shade]

BOZ--Off topic a tad, but I was looking at my old Creature Catalogs from Dragon last night and got all nostalgic when I got to the great wyrm. I'd like to put in a request to do this guy sometime after we wrap up the nogra and anything else you have on the agenda. You gotta love a monster with a breath weapon that catastrophic.

Besides, this may be the first monster we update whose name we have to change.

 

[BOZ]

how about this?

Contact with magical light sources also causes physical harm to a nogra. If a nogra is targeted by a spell with the [Light] descriptor, or struck by an object that is the subject of such a spell, the magical energy of the spell deals 1d4 damage plus 1d4 damage per level of the spell to the nogra if it fails a Fort(?) Save (DC X). Additionally, the searing light, sunbeam, and sunburst spells deal double damage to a nogra.

 

[Shade]

I like it. However, it doesn't address whether the light source remains or goes away. Are we going to ditch that aspect of the nogra, or try to work it in?

 

[BOZ]

remains active you mean? i would say so, although the light itself is inactive while in the aura of darkness. any spells that actually can be cast on the nogra itself should be dispelled though - can we get a list of spells with the [light] descriptor?

 

[Shade]

The nogra had the ability to actually absorb, and thereby dispel, the light spell that came into contact with it.

Some spells from the PHB with Light descriptor:
Light (duh)
Daylight
Continual Flame
Dancing Lights
Faerie Fire
Flare
Sunbeam
Sunburst

 

[BOZ]

The nogra had the ability to actually absorb, and thereby dispel, the light spell that came into contact with it.

not exactly, check that out again:

A Light spell cast at a Nogra will be absorbed (if the creature misses its saving throw) and have no apparent effect, but the energy of the spell will do 1-4 points of damage to the creature. Continual Light has the same properties, except that it can cause 2-8 points of damage if absorbed.
Light and Continual Light spells which are cast directly at a Nogra and not absorbed will simply dissipate. If either type of spell is cast in proximity to Nogra, with the intention of illuminating the area, the Nogra must be checked to see if they retreat as per the procedure above.

Emphasis mine. The nogra only absorbs spells of which it is the target. We’re changing that up a bit due to rules changes, but I’d say the nogra still cannot absorb spells already in effect, since it could not before. And none of the spells you listed can target a single creature.

I’d say that light, daylight, and continual flame would be cast on an object which could then touch and harm a nogra. Dancing lights, faerie fire, and flare would cause no damage to a nogra, but would make it flee. Sunbeam and sunburst blind normal creatures and do enough damage to kill a nogra easily if the damage is doubled.

Naturally, none of these effects would blind a nogra since it is already blind. Here’s how I think of the way light affects a nogra. You know how if you sense heat nearby but it’s not close enough to actually hurt you, you tend to stay away from the heat source? Same thing here. The nogra knows the light can “burn” it if it touches the creature.

 

[Shade]

You're right. I got confused with the part about the light spells cast in proximity to the nogra, which has them check for fleeing, not absorbing the spell.

Your suggestions sound good, and I'd stick with your revised light vulnerability from earlier in the thread.

Whew! Why is it always the little creatures that take forever?

 

[BOZ]

the only real reason we had a problem here was because one of the attributes of the creature was seriously affected by a relatively minor rules change.

 

[BOZ]

here's another idea. the nogra has no rake attack, but should we give it a pounce anyway? automatic claw damage if it wins a grapple check?