Converting First Edition monsters from DRAGON magazine

[Shade]

Which gives me an idea… should they have an innate ability to recognize magical writing for what it is, or is that just something that is understood? Should they have detect magic and read magic or is that superfluous?

I was thinking the same thing, and don't really know. I'd err on the side of caution and give them a continuous detect magic, at least. We could even limit it to magical writings only, if necessary.

 

[BOZ]

a limitation might not be necessary if detect magic identifies the type of magic involved?

 

[Shade]

It will detect schools of magic, though I doubt the ekrat cares. I suggested the limitation in case you didn't want them knowing whether a sword, for example, was magic. Personally, I don't see it as a problem.

A continuous, or "at will", spell-like ability would raise the LA by +1 more, though.

 

[BOZ]

Giving it a continuous detect magic with no limitations doesn’t scare me at all. or perhaps arcane sight like we did with the feystag. And what about read magic?

 

[Shade]

Yeah, arcane sight may make more sense. As for read magic, does the ekrat actually care about what's in the tome, or only whether its "edible"?

 

[BOZ]

good point. have you even seen "city of lost children"? if so, i picture the ekrat as that little kid who doesn't stop eating through the whole movie.

 

[Shade]

I haven't see it, but it sounds intriguing.

 

[BOZ]

Arcane Sight (Sp): An ekrat is under the effect of a continuous arcane sight effect, as the spell (caster level Xth).

borrowed from the feystag, trimmed down a bit because the ekrat does not specialize in magic items (because it can eat glyphs, runes, symbols, and similar spells).

 

[Shade]

That'll work.

 

[BOZ]

Updating…