Converting "generic setting" second edition monsters

[BOZ]

Progeny: Str 4, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2

To make up for the lower Str, we could up the damage die or give it Improved Natural Attack.

hmm, but with a Strength dip like that, the damage is going to take a hard hit. We had a range of 3-6 damage per hit before. A Str 4 gives it a ?3 to damage. You?d have to have a damage die of say 2d4 to even come close to the original with such a penalty, and even then it would be weak.

Apodalypse: Str 31, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14

now that certainly is more to my liking.

 

[Shade]

No problem. I wouldn't raise the Str over 10, though, as it is Tiny.

 

[BOZ]

No problem. I wouldn't raise the Str over 10, though, as it is Tiny.

true. but there is always supernatural strength to account for. I’ll raise it to 8 then – still a damage penalty, but at least it’s not such a big one. 1d8 or 2d4 for the damage die? (or does it not matter, since there is a penalty?)

 

[Shade]

Good point. Taking that into consideration, I checked out the imp and quasit, and they are both Tiny and have Str scores of 10 and 8, respectively.

So if you want to keep it at 10, go for it!

 

[BOZ]

OK, 10 it is. I’m making the bite 2d4, that way it never does less than 2 damage.

Updating in homebrews!

 

[Knight Otu]

Looks good. Now the progeny just needs a note that a successful subsumption eventually results in an apodalypse.

 

[BOZ]

quite right. i will try to write up the flavor text over the weekend.

 

[BOZ]

OK, as threatened, I came up with flavor text for this bad boy.

This appears to be a wasp nest hanging from the ceiling, though in reality it is more like a tightly coiled snake with squamous flesh. At the end of the snake is an eyeless, shark-like head with a mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth.

An apodalypse progeny is the foul offspring of the evil parent creature. Like an adult apodalypse, this monster is partly undead and partly alive. A progeny can remain in a dormant state for years, even centuries, hanging and waiting for prey.

An apodalypse progeny is about 2 feet long when unfurled and weighs X pounds.

COMBAT
Progeny attack immediately when disturbed by living humanoids. They prefer to drop onto unsuspecting vitctims from above. Once active, a progeny can use its coiled length to leap up to 20 feet through the air, or to swim through water, and deliver a vicious bite.

An apodalypse progeny will try to burrow into flesh, in an attempt to subsume its victim and turn it into a mindless husk of flesh. If a progeny can maintain control over a husk for a full month, it transforms the victim?s body and becomes an adult apodalypse.



This creature from the darkest of nightmares has an unstable form, a patchwork made up of the skin of humanoids with screaming faces and flailing arms, contrasted with fish scales, octopoidal tentacles, and manta wings. This mess surrounds a massive, shark-like maw.


The apodalypse was the horrible result of a foolish experiment combining reanimated shark tissue implanted in living humanoids. The first apodalypse was created using formulae and recipes found in the unholy tome, The Nekton Fragments.

An apodalypse consists of an undead core, sheathed in a husk of still-living flesh that is constantly disintegrating and falling away. This aquatic monstrosity steals the flesh of the living to maintain its form and it?s semi-undead existence. It can spend days unmoving to conserve its stolen flesh before it is forced to go hunting for the living. When prey is plentiful, an apodalypse can release a clutch of progeny, each of which has the potential to grow into a full-fledged apodalypse.

An apodalypse is about 30 feet in diameter and weighs X pounds.

COMBAT
An apodalypse attacks with its savage bite, trying to swallow as many opponents as possible. Creatures that die within an apodalypse have their flesh cannibalized and incorporated into the evil horror. The flesh remains faintly living while it becomes a part of the beast.

 

[Shade]

Nice work!

For weights, 2 pounds for progeny and 10 tons for apodalypse?

 

[BOZ]

My, that’s a lot of growth in one month! of course, we are talking about getting four size categories larger…

skills & feats? Baby poddy has 6 skill ranks and 2 feats, while big poppa has 16 skills and 5 feats.

The progeny is described as eyeless, so maybe blindsense? It’s not clearly shown, in the text or picture, whether or not an adult apodalypse has eyes – but the faces of creatures it has incorporated into its body face outward, so maybe it can see through them?

 

[Shade]

Yep, one too many Wester Bacon Thickburgers.

A shark has blindsense, so why not. However, if it is eyeless, go with blindsight (blindsense is too weak for sole method of vision). Also, why not borrow from the shark:

Keen Scent (Ex): A shark can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile.

Progeny Suggested Skill Ranks: Escape Artist 5, Move Silently 1
Progeny Suggested Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse

Apodalypse Suggested Skill Ranks: Listen 8, Spot 8 (it doesn't really need anything else, does it?)
Apodalypse Suggested Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack (all but Multiattack and Power Attack borrowed from shark)

Also, should these critters have the amphibious quality (particularly the progeny)?

 

[BOZ]

Yep, one too many Wester Bacon Thickburgers.

never had one, but it does sound like it could make you 4 size categories larger.

A shark has blindsense, so why not. However, if it is eyeless, go with blindsight (blindsense is too weak for sole method of vision). Also, why not borrow from the shark:

Keen Scent (Ex): A shark can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile.

ok, blindsight 60 ft for the progeny, and keen scent for both.

Progeny Suggested Skill Ranks: Escape Artist 5, Move Silently 1
Progeny Suggested Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse

Apodalypse Suggested Skill Ranks: Listen 8, Spot 8 (it doesn't really need anything else, does it?)
Apodalypse Suggested Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack (all but Multiattack and Power Attack borrowed from shark)

that all sounds good, and I assume you meant to add Multiattack in there.

Also, should these critters have the amphibious quality (particularly the progeny)?

why yes, yes they do. Undead don’t need to breathe, but maybe these guys do.

 

[Shade]

Ooops! I did forget to add Multiattack in there.

 

[BOZ]

OK, nearly done with this one… a few remaining issues…

Damage reduction:
5/magic for progeny, 10/magic for apodalypse? Or something tougher?

SR 18 enough for adult?

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures inside an apodalypse’s interior gain X negative level(s) each round. The DC is 18 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is (Charisma)-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the apodalypse gains X temporary hit points.

CR… 3 or 4 for progeny, and 13-15 for adult?

 

[Knight Otu]

I could see silver as a DR component...

SR should be ok.

1 or 2 negative levels?

 

[Shade]

How about 5/good for progeny, and 10/magic and good for apodalypse? With their vulnerability to turning and holy water, good seems like a no-brainer.

SR sounds kinda low. Assuming CR 13 (which may be off), that is only CR + 5. Rather weak. I'd recommend we determine its CR first, then add at least 8 to it.

2 neg levels/5 hit points gained?

Proggy is about equivalent of an imp or quasit, which are both CR 2.

The apodalypse is about on par with the glabrezu, so CR 13 (ol' dogheaded pincer-boy has become my benchmark today...weird).

 

[BOZ]

How about 5/good for progeny, and 10/magic and good for apodalypse? With their vulnerability to turning and holy water, good seems like a no-brainer.

yeah… yes, it does. and the progeny doesn’t have much of a brain…

updating... another one bites the dust?

 

[Knight Otu]

updating... another one bites the dust?

How could it bite the dust when it is aquatic?

Looks good.

 

[Shade]

Another one gills the sand? Another one filter-feeds the plankton?

Out of the doorway the bullets rip (at a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range).

That song really suffers in an aquatic environment.

It looks good.

 

[BOZ]

whoops, forgot to add amphibious quality... good thing you guys reminded me of that LOL