Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Cleon]

Are they really worth a conversion?

These just look like Huge 22HD Stone Golems to me with a bit of flavour text about their programming.

I don't think they need Double Damage vs Objects either. Doesn't their DR/adamantine allow their blows to strike as adamantine weapons, thus penetrating the DR any building they come across is likely to have? That should be enough for them to do their job.

I suppose we could give them Knowledge (architecture and engineering) so they know what to do to "maintain the glory of these structures and tear down anything that would detract from them".

 

[Shade]

I don't think they need Double Damage vs Objects either. Doesn't their DR/adamantine allow their blows to strike as adamantine weapons, thus penetrating the DR any building they come across is likely to have? That should be enough for them to do their job.

I do not believe that is the case. I thought DR only allowed the creature to penetrate similar DR. In fact, I can find nothing in the SRD to even indicate that having damage reduction of a certain type allows one to overcome similar DR.

The only thing I can find is that a creature with an alignment-based subtype overcomes DR bypassed by that alignment.

If anyone can find evidence for magic and special material DRs allowing a similar bypass of DR, please point it out.

 

[freyar]

I've never heard that a creature with DR overcomes the same type of DR. I could see the argument that these don't need conversion, but I think we can come up with enough new to make them at least marginally interesting.

 

[Shade]

I've never heard that a creature with DR overcomes the same type of DR. I could see the argument that these don't need conversion, but I think we can come up with enough new to make them at least marginally interesting.

Yeah, I think we can make it work.

 

[freyar]

With that in mind, I'll go for double damage vs objects, just to differentiate them a little.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

The Statues performed their duties for centuries until the magic-users and priests of the lizard-men who supplanted the builders found a method of stopping them (a very long and drawn-out ritual taking days and needing special glyphs to be drawn on everyone of the Statues.

Maybe glyphs of warding or symbols spells affect them in their immunity to magic entry?

The Statue will march into the town and, when it runs into a building, tear it down, then go on to the next one. The town is on the site of one of the monuments built thousands of years ago by the creators of the Statue. At this point, the remains of the monument are about 200 feet under the current ground surface, but the Statue knows where it should be by the number of paces he took to get to it, and he will keep tearing the town apart until he finds the monument or is certain that he cannot find the monument, at which time he becomes rigid again and waits for orders.

We could give it some sort of "keyed to structure" ability, wherein it always can find its warded structure (perhaps by a find the path or similar effect?).

 

[freyar]

I like both of those ideas. Maybe some kind of persistent programming or keying to an owner or something.

 

[Cleon]

Maybe glyphs of warding or symbols spells affect them in their immunity to magic entry?

We could give it some sort of "keyed to structure" ability, wherein it always can find its warded structure (perhaps by a find the path or similar effect?).

Hmm, those have possibilities. What about runes and sigil spells - although I guess they'd be immune to sepia snake sigil, since I doubt a mindless creature could read one!

 

[Cleon]

With that in mind, I'll go for double damage vs objects, just to differentiate them a little.

Well I suppose you're right about the DR/adamantine, but even without it a Huge Stone Golem does so much damage (Two 2d10+13 slams) it could bring down an ordinary stone or wooden building pretty quickly without double damage.

Still, if you want it I see no reason not to throw it in. It fits its "Building Expertise" shtick.

 

[freyar]

Hmm, those have possibilities. What about runes and sigil spells - although I guess they'd be immune to sepia snake sigil, since I doubt a mindless creature could read one!

Runes, sigils, that should all work.