Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine

[Shade]

I agree that the name should change. I was thinking elder wyrm, although they are relatively similar to the landwyrms. Perhaps elder landwyrm to join the two ideas?

 

[BOZ]

I don’t want to start associating them with the landwyrms; this is a separate species. Elder wrym might just work. Maybe even great elder wyrm.

Did some work on the stat block:

Wyrm, Great
Gargantuan Dragon (Air?)
Hit Dice: 32d12+256 (467 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: X (-4 size, +X natural), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+40
Attack: Bite +24 melee (4d10+15)
Full Attack: Bite +24 melee (4d10+15) and 2 claws +19 melee (4d6+7)
Space/Reach: 20 ft/15 ft
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, fast healing X, frightful presence
Special Qualities: Blindsense 60? ft, darkvision 60 ft., immunities (disease, paralysis, sleep), low-light vision, see invisibility?, spell resistance X
Saves: Fort +26, Ref +18, Will +25
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 10, Con 27, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 24
Skills: 385 (Knowledges)
Feats: 5

Environment: X
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: X
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 14-26 HD (Gargantuan); 27-39 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: ---

Speak Draconic and “any”

COMBAT

Originally found in Dragon Magazine #94 (“Creature Catalog II,” February 1986, Roger Moore).

 

[Shade]

Now that's a much more worthy stat block!

 

[BOZ]

glad you approve.

 

[Shade]

A great wyrm is capable of breathing out a cloud of poisonous gas four times a day; such a cloud is 60 yards long, 30 yards wide and 26 yards high, and all who are caught within it must save vs. breath weapon or suffer the poison’s effects. Victims who breathe the fumes will be immediately incapacitated by choking and nausea, collapsing at once without defending themselves or attacking in any way. The victims will then die in 1-4 rounds. Saving against the breath weapon will reduce the victim to half of his former hit points (round fractions up) and will leave him choking and gasping; he will, however, be able to attack at -2 “to hit” odds, and can defend himself, though without armor class bonuses for dexterity. These latter effects will last 4-16 rounds.

This sounds kinda like a cloudkill spell, doesn't it?

Here's a stab at it...

Breath Weapon (Su): A great wyrm has one type of breath weapon, a 60-foot cone of poisonous gas. Creatures with more than 6 HD within the cone must succeed on a DC 34 Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Constitution damage on its turn each round for the next 4 rounds. In addition, the creature is suffocating (see the Dungeon Master's Guide for details). A creature who saves successfully takes only the initial 1d4 points of Constitution damage and is sickened for 4d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[Shade]

Some other observations:

We should give it a crush attack. Linnorms have it. Dragons have it. Although it cannot fly, it could easily have a good Jump modifier, considering its high Strength.

Tail sweep and/or tail slap would also probably be appropriate.

Keen senses too? Both dragons and linnorms have 'em.

 

[Shade]

It is entitled to 7 nonepic and 4 epic feats. Since this guy lacks spells and spellcasting, he'll need to be a melee powerhouse. Here are my suggestions.

Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Snatch.

Epic Feats: Devastating Critical (bite), Dire Charge, Overwhelming Critical (bite).
Alternatively, I could see replacing Improved Init and Dire Charge with Improved Critical (claw) and Overwhelming Critical (claw).

 

[BOZ]

I know you really want me to get on this guy. I’m not ignoring it, just focused on other things… keep posting, I will come back to it and read it sooner or later (hopefully sooner!)

 

[Shade]

No rush. I'm just really interested in this one so I'm spending more time on it than some of the others. I'm just posting my ramblings as they come to mind. Take your time.

 

[BOZ]

np.