Converting "generic setting" second edition monsters

[Aspect of BOZ]

hp 22

really? i didn't think Tiny creatures got bonus hp.

 

[Shade]

really? i didn't think Tiny creatures got bonus hp.

The hazards of cut n' paste. I say that so often, I think I'm going to start using THoCnP.

 

[Shade]

How about Str 10 (so we don't have a penalty and can keep the damage values as they were), Dex 17 (leaving natural armor at +7 to get 22), Wis 11, Cha 1?

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

perfecto!

 

[BOZ]

OK, here is the dragonet for your perusal. also, i've updated in homebrews; be aware that i've italicized some points that i think need reviewing.


STONE DRAGONET
Rockseer elves know the secret to crafting a magical construct called a stone dragonet. A rockseer must be 11th level or higher and have the Craft Construct feat. A stone dragonet resembles an incredibly intricate, slender stone statue of a dragon, though it moves as if perfectly articulated. A dragonet is one foot long, plus an additional 9-12 inches of tail, with extraordinary gems for eyes.

A creator can give the stone dragonet a special eyebite attack (see below) by placing gems of at least 5,000 gp value each as the dragonet's eyes, and casting the spell eyebite during the creation process.

A rockseer elf with the Improved Familiar feat and Rockseer Magic feat can take a stone dragonet as a familiar upon reaching Xth level. A wizard with a stone dragonet as a familiar gains a +2 (type) bonus on Armor Class and cannot be caught flat-footed.

Stone dragonet: Tiny construct; HD 2d10; hp 11; Init +3; Spd x ft. (x squares); AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +1; Grp -7; Atk +1 melee (1d3, claw); Full Atk +1 melee (1d3, claw) and +4 melee (1d4, bite); Space/Reach 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.; SA eyebite; SQ construct traits, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, resistance to earth spells, spell resistance X; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 17, Con ---, Int ---, Wis 11, Cha 1.

Eyebite (Sp?): A stone dragonet with the appropriate modifications (see above) can cast eyebite as a gaze attack once per day.

Resistance to Earth Spells (Ex): 75% resistance to Elemental Earth spells (maybe a saving throw bonus?)

 

[Shade]

OK, here is the dragonet for your perusal. also, i've updated in homebrews; be aware that i've italicized some points that i think need reviewing.


STONE DRAGONET
Rockseer elves know the secret to crafting a magical construct called a stone dragonet. A rockseer must be 11th level or higher and have the Craft Construct feat. A stone dragonet resembles an incredibly intricate, slender stone statue of a dragon, though it moves as if perfectly articulated. A dragonet is one foot long, plus an additional 9-12 inches of tail, with extraordinary gems for eyes.

A creator can give the stone dragonet a special eyebite attack (see below) by placing gems of at least 5,000 gp value each as the dragonet's eyes, and casting the spell eyebite during the creation process.

A rockseer elf with the Improved Familiar feat and Rockseer Magic feat can take a stone dragonet as a familiar upon reaching Xth level. A wizard with a stone dragonet as a familiar gains a +2 (type) bonus on Armor Class and cannot be caught flat-footed.

7th level seems about appropriate for selecting one as a familiar. For the AC bonus, I'd go with insight or deflection.

Stone dragonet: Tiny construct; HD 2d10; hp 11; Init +3; Spd x ft. (x squares); AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 19; Base Atk +1; Grp -7; Atk +1 melee (1d3, claw); Full Atk +1 melee (1d3, claw) and +4 melee (1d4, bite); Space/Reach 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.; SA eyebite; SQ construct traits, darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, resistance to earth spells, spell resistance X; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 17, Con ---, Int ---, Wis 11, Cha 1.

Spd 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.?

Since familiars gain spell resistance anyway, I'd rather give them immunity to most spells (like golems), or give them a low spell resistance that stacks with spell resistance granted from familiar benefits.

Eyebite (Sp?): A stone dragonet with the appropriate modifications (see above) can cast eyebite as a gaze attack once per day.

I think eyebite is too powerful for a 2 HD creature. Plus, eyebite has the [evil] descriptor, which seems out of place with the "usually neutral" alignment we gave the rockseers. I'd vote to make it a lesser version of eyebite, only sickening or panicking creatures. Maybe something like this?

Brilliant Glare (Su): Once per day, a stone dragonet can release a blast from its gem-eyes, targeting one creature within 60 (?) feet. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or become sickened for X rounds. If the target has less than X hit points, it is also panicked for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Resistance to Earth Spells (Ex): 75% resistance to Elemental Earth spells (maybe a saving throw bonus?)

See below.

Addressing the italicized bits...

Bonus on saves vs. spells with the earth descriptor, or spell resistance equal to 11 + character level vs. spells with the earth descriptor?
-1 racial penalty on saves against spells with the air descriptor?
(Not reflected in the saving throw modifiers given here.)

Rockseer Magic [General]
Your training has emphasized skills that help you spread the word of your faith. (is that what we want it to say?)
Prerequisite: Rockseer elf, ability to prepare and cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Benefit: You gain +1 caster level when casting a spell with the earth descriptor. Your racial bonus against spells with the earth descriptor also increases by +1 (or if we go the spell resistance route, it increases by 1).

I think the bonus vs. saves with the earth descriptor is more elegant than the conditional spell resistance. Should it be a flat bonus, say +2, or variable, based on Cha modifier or HD?

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

7th level seems about appropriate for selecting one as a familiar. For the AC bonus, I'd go with insight or deflection.

insight seems more appropriate. what sorts of bonuses are typical for improved familiars?

Spd 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.?

that's fine.

Since familiars gain spell resistance anyway, I'd rather give them immunity to most spells (like golems), or give them a low spell resistance that stacks with spell resistance granted from familiar benefits.

they're not always necessarily familiars though, are they? we can certainly make them immune to earth spells also, if that would make more sense.

I think eyebite is too powerful for a 2 HD creature. Plus, eyebite has the [evil] descriptor, which seems out of place with the "usually neutral" alignment we gave the rockseers. I'd vote to make it a lesser version of eyebite, only sickening or panicking creatures. Maybe something like this?

Brilliant Glare (Su): Once per day, a stone dragonet can release a blast from its gem-eyes, targeting one creature within 60 (?) feet. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or become sickened for X rounds. If the target has less than X hit points, it is also panicked for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

eh, we can kill the eyebite. your replacement seems fine, and we can just give that to all the dragonets rather than just a few.

I think the bonus vs. saves with the earth descriptor is more elegant than the conditional spell resistance. Should it be a flat bonus, say +2, or variable, based on Cha modifier or HD?

i'm fine with a flat bonus. since the rockseer got 50% resistance to earth spells, do you want to make the bonus more than +2?

 

[Shade]

insight seems more appropriate. what sorts of bonuses are typical for improved familiars?

Improved familiars don't generally impart bonuses to the master. The few that did appear to grant unnamed bonuses.

they're not always necessarily familiars though, are they? we can certainly make them immune to earth spells also, if that would make more sense.

Since they are most likely only created by rockseer wizards, most of them are.

That said, it probably isn't right to just assume they are familiars. We could give them SR = 25% MR (using the conversion guide's forumal, 25/5 = 5 +11 = 16, or more accurately for 25% of the time at 2 HD, SR 8). Otherwise, I'm fine with simple immunity to earth spells.

i'm fine with a flat bonus. since the rockseer got 50% resistance to earth spells, do you want to make the bonus more than +2?

Since most of the standard races have +2 bonuses on their "niche saves", I think +2 will suffice.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

Improved familiars don't generally impart bonuses to the master. The few that did appear to grant unnamed bonuses.

we can go with an untyped bonus, then.

Since they are most likely only created by rockseer wizards, most of them are.

That said, it probably isn't right to just assume they are familiars. We could give them SR = 25% MR (using the conversion guide's forumal, 25/5 = 5 +11 = 16, or more accurately for 25% of the time at 2 HD, SR 8). Otherwise, I'm fine with simple immunity to earth spells.

i'd rather go with the 16, just to make it useful. how shall we state the immunity to earth spells?

Since most of the standard races have +2 bonuses on their "niche saves", I think +2 will suffice.

i guess that will work. "+2 racial bonus on saves against spells with the earth descriptor"?

 

[Shade]

we can go with an untyped bonus, then.

Okely-dokely.

i'd rather go with the 16, just to make it useful. how shall we state the immunity to earth spells?

Earth Immunity/Earthborn/Earth Affinity (Ex): A stone dragonet is immune to the harmful effects of any spell with the earth descriptor.

(This way, it can still benefit from positive effects from earth spells)

i guess that will work. "+2 racial bonus on saves against spells with the earth descriptor"?

Sounds good.