Converting First Edition Monsters

[Cleon]

Nonmagical barriers do not obstruct an Unhallowed Aura. A hallow spell will block the effects of the aura, while a protection from evil, or magic circle against evil spell will weaken the Aura by 2 (e.g. a +4 turn resistance becomes +2 turn resistance).

Incidentally, my original draft used a "level counterbalance" mechanism for apotropaic spells, but I dropped it as too complicated.

e.g.:

A hallow or magic circle against evil spell will weaken an Unhallowed Aura on a level-by-level basic. For example, a 9th level hallow will weaken a 13th level Unhallowed Aura to 4th level, resulting in a -2 turn undead penalty. This will partially counter the +4 sacred bonus to turn undead checks of the hallow spell, for a net +2 modifier.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with the turning check version, as it's the closest to unhallow.

You know, I think I'd rather have a better idea about attacks, etc, leading to the CR of these things before choosing an SR.

 

[Cleon]

Let's go with the turning check version, as it's the closest to unhallow.

Fine by me, I was preferring the turn check version too, for the same reason.

Updating the Bone Tyrant Working Draft.

You know, I think I'd rather have a better idea about attacks, etc, leading to the CR of these things before choosing an SR.

Fine by me. We've still got a lot of stats to fill in.

I think we're finished with the special abilities, so shall we start on the numbers?

To recap the stats we haven't converted yet:

Master Bloody Bones
Move: 12"
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-12
Magic Resistance: 10%
Alignment: Lawful evil

Bloody Bones Minion
Move: 12"
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-6
Magic Resistance: 5%
Alignment: Lawful evil

OK, that's saying Speed 30 ft. for them both.

For the attacks, the text doesn't specify what they use but the adventure includes an illustration of the Master Bloody Bones holding a staff or polearm of some sort - it's head isn't in the picture, so I can't say for sure what it is.

How about giving the Minions shortspears and the Master a Large spear, then their weapon damage will match the original entries?

Alignment looks like "Always lawful evil" to me.

 

[freyar]

That all seems good to me.

Just thinking, don't we need to write up an SQ that the masters are bound to a specific location?

 

[Cleon]

That all seems good to me.

Just thinking, don't we need to write up an SQ that the masters are bound to a specific location?

I'm suspecting that's less an innate property of the Masters than part of the spell that can be used to summon Bone Tyrants to the Prime Material and bind them to be tomb guardians. When they're down in the Nine Hells they appear to be able to wander about as they please.

We should definitely include it somewhere, but I was expecting we'd whip up a "Bind Bone Tyrant" spell and mention in the description that Bone Tyrants on the Prime Material are usually under the effects of said spell.

 

[freyar]

We could do something like we did with the Guardian Yugoloths:

Devoted Guardian (Su): A guardian yugoloth that agrees to protect an object is mystically bound to it. Until it completes its term or service or is released from its agreement, it may not move more than 300 ft from the object it guards. If the yugoloth is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the treasure, as if by a word of recall spell.

This seems a bit simpler than writing a new spell specific to bone tyrants.

 

[Cleon]

We could do something like we did with the Guardian Yugoloths:

This seems a bit simpler than writing a new spell specific to bone tyrants.

That'd do I guess. It'd be simple enough to rework it from a guarded object to an unhallowed altar.

If we want to include summoning rules we can include them in the flavour text.

I'm thinking maybe a special application of greater planar ally.

 

[freyar]

Devoted Guardian??? (Su): A master bone tyrant is mystically bound to an unhallowed altar by the terms of its summoning. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move more than 300 ft from the altar. If the bone tyrant is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.

The name might need work, but I think it's good otherwise. I agree to using greater planar ally spells for the summoning. We should make it pretty expensive, too, since the master plus minions are going to add up to more than the 18 HD cap.

 

[Cleon]

Devoted Guardian??? (Su): A master bone tyrant is mystically bound to an unhallowed altar by the terms of its summoning. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move more than 300 ft from the altar. If the bone tyrant is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.

300 feet is too long. In the original adventure, the master could not leave the room it was summoned into.

The name might need work, but I think it's good otherwise. I agree to using greater planar ally spells for the summoning. We should make it pretty expensive, too, since the master plus minions are going to add up to more than the 18 HD cap.

Hmm, it might be easiest to say only the Master's HD count against the planar ally/planar binding limit but that the additional minions/altar pose an additional XP and gp cost. Maybe require an unhallow on the altar too.

Hmm, if we use the unhallow we can use the 40 ft. radius of the spell as the limit of the Master's movement.

 

[freyar]

Again, I agree on the planar ally/binding tweaks, but I think that should go in the background text.

Like this?

Devoted Guardian??? (Su): A master bone tyrant is mystically bound to an unhallowed altar by the terms of its summoning. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move outside of the unhallowed area. If the bone tyrant is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.