Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Cleon]

Updated.

That finishes off the Fish of the Great Glacier.

Huzzah!

Next...


Gray Flatfish: Int Non; AL N; MV Sw 3; HD 1 hp; #AT 1; Dmg nil; THAC0 20; SA victim has an 80 percent chance of being poisoned if he steps on or handles a flatfish (spines can puncture leather or equivalent); SZ T (1’ long); ML 2; XP 35.

The gray flatfish of the River Arkhen resemble granite stones about a half-inch thick and a foot in diameter. They lie perfectly still on the bottoms of shallow streams, eating any algae or refuse that happens to drift by. Travelers wading across streams may step on these fish by accident, as they’re virtually indistinguishable from stones. Pressure on the flatfish’s back causes dozens of inch-long spines to become erect; the tough spines can easily penetrate shoe leather. The spines inject poison that inflicts extreme, debilitating pain lasting as long as a week.

These look mighty like a hazard to me.

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

That finishes off the Fish of the Great Glacier.

Hold your nippers! I've just noticed a few niggles with the Crystal Nipper Swarm.

Firstly, the stats include the following lines:

Immunities: Weapon damage
Weaknesses: Swarm vulnerabilities
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages: &#8212

We've been using the SRD 3.5 format for our monsters, so do we want to reintegrate that information into Special Qualities and cut out the "Languages: &#8212" line?

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits
​

Secondly, it's got "Treasure: see text" but no mention of treasure in the text. The FR14 Crystal Nipper has Treasure: Nil, but then the AD&D version of the Rot Grub has the Nil Treasure too.

Do we want to adapt the Rot Grub Swarm's "Rot grubs leave inorganic treasures in their wake. They devour wood, leather, and other goods. They have normal treasure for their Challenge Rating" from Dungeonscape?

Treasure: Standard (inorganic only)

Crystal nippers are distant cousins of the rot grub, found in cold aquatic environments. A swarm of crystal nippers will eat anything living or once-living in its path, leaving inorganic treasures in their wake. They devour wood, leather, and other goods as well as flesh.
​

Thirdly, there's a stray "rot grubs" in the Death hazard that should be "crystal nippers":

Death Hazard (Ex): Upon destroying a crystal nipper swarm, 1d6 crystal nippers remain, spreading throughout the space inhabited by the swarm. These rot grubs behave as the hazard (see below). Destroying these remaining crystal nippers does not provide any additional experience points.
​

Apart from that I think we're good.

 

[GrayLinnorm]

Although they're obviously living creatures, mechanically them seem (at least to me) more like a hazard.

Mortis

No....just no.

Actually, they sound like the dragonfish, which is NOT a hazard.

 

[Shade]

Fixed crystal nipper.

Let's try to make the gray flatfish creatures, as hazards are so uninspiring.

 

[Cleon]

Fixed crystal nipper.

Let's try to make the gray flatfish creatures, as hazards are so uninspiring.

If it bothers you, I have no objection to making them creatures. It just seems surplus to requirement.

How about basing it on the scorpionfish conversion we did?

 

[Shade]

How about basing it on the scorpionfish conversion we did?

Let's give it a try and see where it leads.

 

[Cleon]

Gray Flatfish Working Draft

Let's give it a try and see where it leads.

Here's a Working Draft then, I'll start by posting the Scorpion Fish:

Fish, Gray Flatfish
Diminutive Animal (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 1/4d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: Swim 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+4 size, -1 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-16
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, spiny defense
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 9, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +12*, Listen +2, Move Silently +0, Spot +2, Swim +4
Feats: Ability Focus (poison)
Environment: Temperate aquatic?
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-4)?
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: —

This little, stout-bodied fish resembles a rock with fins. A row of spines runs down its back.

Scorpionfish are slow-moving bottom dwellers that most commonly live in reefs. Scorpionfish get their name from their venomous, slime-coated spines that cause excruciating pain to any creature they injure.

A scorpionfish's resemblance to a rock or piece of coral makes them extraordinarily hard to spot among the reefs where they prefer to live. They are usually red or brown in color.

Most types of scorpionfish are very small, typically 4 to 8 inches in length and an ounce or two in weight, the largest species can grow up to 18 inches long and 5 pounds in weight.

COMBAT
Scorpionfish are not aggressive. If they see an enemy they hide, freezing in place until the threat departs. Should this fail, they rely on their venomous spines to defend them.

Poison (Ex): Injury (spines), Fortitude DC X; initial damage intense pain (-2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks) for 2d6 minutes; secondary damage intense pain for 2d4 days. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spiny Defense (Ex): Any creature that hits a gray flatfish in melee with a natural or handheld weapon (but not a reach weapon) must succeed on a DC 11 Reflex save or take 1 point of piercing damage from its many spines and be exposed to its poison. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Skills: A gray flatfish has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

*A gray flatfish has a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks when lying on mud.

 

[freyar]

Should we vary the abilities any, just for differentiation?

 

[Shade]

Should we vary the abilities any, just for differentiation?

Sure. The limited description suggests a lower Dex and higher Con score to me. Since they aren't predators, possibly a lower Str as well.

 

[Cleon]

Sure. The limited description suggests a lower Dex and higher Con score to me. Since they aren't predators, possibly a lower Str as well.

The above's OK by me, but I'd be more concerned about working on the poison. That's were most of the practical differences between these little fishies will be.

We'd better lower the scorpionfish's Swim speed, too.