Converting First Edition Monsters

[Cleon]

fair points all. ....grave domain?

An NPC cleric doesn't need to have a full set of domain abilities, remember. We could just give it clerical Spellcasting. If it's Challenge 3, it's likely to be a decent spellcaster, maybe 6th level or so?

We could add on one or two Special Traits that feel appropriate for a Trog shaman if we feel like it, but it's not a necessity.

As for which domains to use as inspiration, isn't Grave more to do with necromancy than reptiles and caves? It doesn't seem terribly appropriate. Besides, is it SRD?

 

[Cleon]

ask and ye shall receive (I forgot to publish....)

Updated the Fifth Edition Monster Index.

 

[Casimir Liber]

An NPC cleric doesn't need to have a full set of domain abilities, remember. We could just give it clerical Spellcasting. If it's Challenge 3, it's likely to be a decent spellcaster, maybe 6th level or so?

We could add on one or two Special Traits that feel appropriate for a Trog shaman if we feel like it, but it's not a necessity.

As for which domains to use as inspiration, isn't Grave more to do with necromancy than reptiles and caves? It doesn't seem terribly appropriate. Besides, is it SRD?

The range of domains is pretty slim in 5e - and nothing I see seems to fit well (Grave not listed in srd page so I guess not). Ok can just roll with some spells.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Updated the Fifth Edition Monster Index.

aawww, what you got against Demogorgon?

 

[Cleon]

aawww, what you got against Demogorgon?

Nothing, apart from that he's a fiend bent on the ruination of life and the multiverse.

However, if you're referring to a certain bicephalic Homebrew of yours () I was waiting to hear whether (a) it was Completed and (b) whether you wanted it on the Index or not.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Nothing, apart from that he's a fiend bent on the ruination of life and the multiverse.

However, if you're referring to a certain bicephalic Homebrew of yours () I was waiting to hear whether (a) it was Completed and (b) whether you wanted it on the Index or not.

yes to both - pending any glaring errors I'd missed that you can see...

 

[Casimir Liber]

Now, speaking of first edition monsters. Been musing on basilisk variants since watching (and greatly enjoying) the witcher. Found the idea of bird-reptile hybrid being essentially a velociraptor a brilliant idea - only issue is that basilisks have been steadfastly crawling cold-blooded reptilian things in all five editions. The two-step petrification makes them less instakill in 5e but un-petrifying is still a massive pain in the neck for players to fix.

In my campaign, there is a naturally porous region where (in ancient times) an unhealthy influx of shadowfell and elemental plan of earth warped some reptiles to make basilisks and swavain basilisks, chickens to make cockatrices, constrictor snakes to make boalisks (which were in 1e but I can't find them in 2e monstrous compendium...so wanna buff for here)

The Witcher's agile jumping basilisks strike me as possible dracolisks - we could have black dracolisks (from the canon - hybrid of black dragon and basilisk) and more powerful white dracolisks (the big critter at end) - we can say it was more powerful as...larger stock? unexpected hybrid vigour?) - they have small wings and can use to leap but not really fly for any period. (Alternately we can describe then as transformed velociraptors - "Raptorlisks"?

In lore, area around basilisk lair gets icky - so can do Greater Basilisk with Lair Actions - also in keeping with cold-blooded critters getting larger with age.......

I can see pyrolisks and abyssal basilisks in Open Source, which is great.

Reason I am prioritising these is all have a niche in my campaign....and witcher was really really cool

 

[Cleon]

Now, speaking of first edition monsters. Been musing on basilisk variants since watching (and greatly enjoying) the witcher. Found the idea of bird-reptile hybrid being essentially a velociraptor a brilliant idea - only issue is that basilisks have been steadfastly crawling cold-blooded reptilian things in all five editions. The two-step petrification makes them less instakill in 5e but un-petrifying is still a massive pain in the neck for players to fix.

In my campaign, there is a naturally porous region where (in ancient times) an unhealthy influx of shadowfell and elemental plan of earth warped some reptiles to make basilisks and swavain basilisks, chickens to make cockatrices, constrictor snakes to make boalisks (which were in 1e but I can't find them in 2e monstrous compendium...so wanna buff for here)

The Witcher's agile jumping basilisks strike me as possible dracolisks - we could have black dracolisks (from the canon - hybrid of black dragon and basilisk) and more powerful white dracolisks (the big critter at end) - we can say it was more powerful as...larger stock? unexpected hybrid vigour?) - they have small wings and can use to leap but not really fly for any period. (Alternately we can describe then as transformed velociraptors - "Raptorlisks"?

In lore, area around basilisk lair gets icky - so can do Greater Basilisk with Lair Actions - also in keeping with cold-blooded critters getting larger with age.......

I can see pyrolisks and abyssal basilisks in Open Source, which is great.

Reason I am prioritising these is all have a niche in my campaign....and witcher was really really cool

If you want to create more Basilisks, that seems more a job for Homebrews than General Monster Talk.

An agile jumping basilisk variant strikes me as a type of cockatrice rather than a true basilisk, formed from some predatory avian or other. Maybe something like a Helmeted Hornbill?

Incidentally, Pyrolisks are cockatrices not basilisks despite the "lisk" in their name.

 

[Cleon]

yes to both - pending any glaring errors I'd missed that you can see...

Might as well transcribe an Enworld version and update the Fifth Edition Monster Index then.

If I come across any glaring errors in the Stain of Demogorgon I'll let you know…

 

[Cleon]

If I come across any glaring errors in the Stain of Demogorgon I'll let you know…

Updated the Fifth Edition Monster Index.

EDIT: I noticed one minor issue, see the thread in question.