Converting First Edition Monsters

[Cleon]

Yet another alternative would have the forelegs cause no damage, like the original monster. If you did that I'd definitely consider increasing the Bite damage dice so it's bite damage is appropriate for a Challenge 2 or 3 opponent.

Oh, and here's yet another possibility for Multiattack with the "nonlethal legs" option.

Option #5
Multiattack. The solifugid makes two foreleg attacks against the same target. If it hits, it can make a bite attack against the target, with Advantage if it hits with both forelegs, without Advantage if it hits with one foreleg.

Foreleg. Melee Weapon Attack: +# to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: No damage, but the target is grappled (escape DC ##). The solifugid can grapple only target at a time.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +# to hit (with Advantage if target already grappled), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: # (#d# + #) piercing damage.

[EDIT] Come to think of it, should any of the previous versions also have "against the same target?" I'll leave that as an exercise for the concerned reader. [ENDEDIT]

 

[Casimir Liber]

*Ok - went for option #3 as it sounded good when I read it.

*these critters are known for being fast-moving, so I like them having a higher dex to differentiate them from other arachnids.

*I went for 5+ HD initially as all the spiders had kept them - but I like the idea of buffing them, mainly to differentiate the giant ones from the smaller two, to diversify encoutners they might be used in. So will buff for biggest critter

*I'll concede on blindsight - been listening to Dungeoncast where they moan how everyone has Darkvision.

*I really like option #5 - will use

 

[Cleon]

EDIT: I'll comment further on the Large and Huge versions in a later post. [ENDEDIT]

You should probably modify the names of the smaller versions, maybe Giant Solifugid, Medium for the "Huge Solifugid" and Giant Solifugid, Lesser for the "Large Solifugid"?

Later editions were sensible enough to have the size in the name match the size of the monster, as illustrated by the Medium-Sized AD&D Huge Scorpion becoming a "Medium Monstrous Scorpion" in 3E and a "Giant Scorpion, Medium" in 5E.

The name change issues are mentioned in the above stats, so now for the stats.

Most of the general comments on the Giant Solifugid also apply to the smaller version.

The "Large Solifugid" and "Huge Solifugid" both have their Dexterity way too high at 18.

The Medium sized 5E Giant Wolf Spider has Dex 16, the same as the Large sized Giant Spider, and the Tiny sized Spider is only Dex 14.

Even if I didn't feel that Dex 16 was a bonus or two too high, I wouldn't make the smaller version even higher.

There also doesn't seem enough to distinguish between the two - which was a problem with the original AD&D version too. Maybe make one or two of them a bit weaker/stronger so there's more to distinguish them?

If, say, the "Lesser Giant Solifugid" had 3 Hit Dice like the original Large Solifugid, the "Giant Solifugid (Medium)" had 5 Hit Dice like a 5E Giant Spider (since they both have the same 4+4 HD in AD&D) and the "Giant Solifugid" had maybe 8 Hit Dice (one more than the Giant Scorpion, like the AD&D Solifugid's 6+6 vs the AD&D Scorpion's 5+5) there'd be a bit more of a step up from one strength of Solifugid to the next.

 

[Cleon]

*Ok - went for option #3 as it sounded good when I read it.

*these critters are known for being fast-moving, so I like them having a higher dex to differentiate them from other arachnids.

*I went for 5+ HD initially as all the spiders had kept them - but I like the idea of buffing them, mainly to differentiate the giant ones from the smaller two, to diversify encoutners they might be used in. So will buff for biggest critter

*I'll concede on blindsight - been listening to Dungeoncast where they moan how everyone has Darkvision.

*I really like option #5 - will use

Glad to be of help!

 

[Casimir Liber]

there

 

[Cleon]

*these critters are known for being fast-moving, so I like them having a higher dex to differentiate them from other arachnids.

Fast-moving yes, as in they can run quickly. I haven't heard that they're super agile.

To me that suggests either a higher speed than a Scorpion's 40 ft. rather than a better Dexterity than a Scorpion, or possibly some special trait to allow it to dash or charge at a faster speed than normal, perhaps only for a few rounds.

What kind of endurance do Solifugid's have? If they're only faster over short distances, I'd go for the latter option.

[EDIT]That said, keep the Dex at 16 if you prefer. Real-life scorpions aren't any less fast or agile than a wolf spider of similar size, so it's not that inappropriate for the Solifugid.[/EDIT]

 

[Cleon]

there

Those revised stats look fine to me, except should it have "to hit (with Advantage if target already grappled)" in the Bite?

 

[Casimir Liber]

ok "huge" now "medium" ("medium-giant" sounds lame...I can't bring myself to use two adjectives like that)

 

[Casimir Liber]

okay smallest I called "flyweight" - small but feisty

 

[Cleon]

ok "huge" now "medium" ("medium-giant" sounds lame...I can't bring myself to use two adjectives like that)

Personally I'm fine with "Lesser Giant Solifugid", or perhaps "Giant Solifugid (Medium)", but use what you're happiest with.

Or maybe follow the precedent of the "Huge Spider" becoming a "Giant Wolf Spider" and call it a "Giant [Something] Solifugid" such as "Giant Desert Solifugid".

Then perhaps "Lesser Desert Solifugid" for the 3 HD version.

You could crib off 3E and call the 5 HD version a "Monstrous Solifugid" I suppose, in which case the 3 HD version could be the "Giant Desert Solifugid".