Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine

[Shade]

Sweetrock.

 

[Shade]

For AC, how about 36? (An old gold has AC 34)

Tail slap: 2d8 (as Gargantuan dragon)?

Reach 20 ft. with bite sounds good.

SR equal to CR + 11 (like linnorms) or around 27 (like old gold dragon)?

Treasure: Triple standard

Environment: Any land or underground

Tail sweep: 30 ft., 2d6+21, DC 34.

 

[Shade]

Frightful Presence (Ex): An elder great wyrm can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the wyrm attacks, charges, or leaps overhead. Creatures within a radius of 240 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the wyrm. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 33) remains immune to that wyrm's frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Wyrms ignore the frightful presence of other draconic creatures.

(The above was based off a dragon of the "old" age category.)

 

[Shade]

Crush: 4d6+21, DC 38.Weight: Skip it, like we are with the linnorms?

Add "immunity to sleep and paralysis" to the SQ line.

 

[BOZ]

nah, i say we give this one a weight for the hell of it.

 

[Shade]

Alrighty. The tarrasque is 70 feet long and 50 feet tall, and it weighs about 130 tons. So maybe 100-110 tons for our 60-foot long friend here?

 

[BOZ]

fair.

 

[Shade]

This guy should be about done.

 

[BOZ]

not so fast there, pilgrim. we're getting close though...

do we need to list all of these? isn't there a better way to say it?
SQ: Blindsense 60? ft, darkvision 60 ft, keen senses, low-light vision

how's this? (i had to switch awesome blow with weapon focus to qualify for some of those other feats):
Skills: Appraise +24, Bluff +27, Climb +24, Decipher Script +21, Diplomacy +31, Disguise +7 (in character +9), Gather Information +29, Intimidate +32, Jump +39, Knowledge (any five) +30, Listen +26, Search +26, Sense Motive +26, Spot +26, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Swim +24, Use Magic Device +22 (+24 scrolls)
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite)
Epic Feats: Devastating Critical (bite), Overwhelming Critical (bite)

to make the crush work, do we need to specify anything about how the jumping works, or can we just say "a jumping wyrm can..."

and most importantly, we need a CR.

now, after all that, we might just be done.

 

[Shade]

do we need to list all of these? isn't there a better way to say it?
SQ: Blindsense 60? ft, darkvision 60 ft, keen senses, low-light vision

Do it like the linnorms, and add just blindsense 60. ft. and keen senses to the SQ line. Add this below:

Keen Senses (Ex): A great elder wyrm sees four times as well as a human in low-light conditions and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision with a range of 120 feet.

how's this? (i had to switch awesome blow with weapon focus to qualify for some of those other feats):

Awesome Blow is still listed.

Skills: Appraise +24, Bluff +27, Climb +24, Decipher Script +21, Diplomacy +31, Disguise +7 (in character +9), Gather Information +29, Intimidate +32, Jump +39, Knowledge (any five) +30, Listen +26, Search +26, Sense Motive +26, Spot +26, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Swim +24, Use Magic Device +22 (+24 scrolls)
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite)
Epic Feats: Devastating Critical (bite), Overwhelming Critical (bite)

I think these skills and feats represent its description well. However, I'd max out jump at 35 ranks, which would give it a +49 modifier with its Str score. That way it could jump 20 ft. high without rolling (assuming a 20 foot running start), allowing it to use its crush attack on Medium creatures and many Large creatures.

to make the crush work, do we need to specify anything about how the jumping works, or can we just say "a jumping wyrm can..."

A jumping wyrm can is probably fine. It basically just needs to get enough height to get over the crushee. See my suggestions for Jump ranks above.

and most importantly, we need a CR.

It's equal in HD to a very old gold dragon, which is CR 22. Now, is it truly equal to a very old gold dragon? The great elder wyrm lacks flight, spells, and spell-like abilities. His ability scores are comparable. His breath weapon is a tad more deadly than the great wyrms, and he's got regeneration 5. All in all, I'd say he's slightly weaker than the very old gold, so I'd go with CR 21.

now, after all that, we might just be done.