Converting "generic setting" second edition monsters

[Shade]

Updated.

Anything else?

 

[freyar]

Looks good. Those are rather fun!

 

[Big Mac]

The only issue I have with you increasing the water production of the fish is that the original blurb says that the fish can't turn off its water production and eventually kills itself:

In contrast, it also needs to be in a place where some of the water it produces can run off, or it wiil create enough water pressure to crush itself.

This reminds me (in some ways) of the way that the teeth of rodents grow forever. If a rat stops wearing its teeth down they grow so much that they kill it. But most rats are able to wear their teeth down as they grow. If this fish is placed in a sealed area the pressure is going to build up. Just like the rat needs to wear down its teeth, this fish needs to spill some of its water.

I think this issue needs explaining in the Water Stream (Su) section. It might even need some formal rules. I'd say that it would be similar to the rules for suffocation in stale air. The larger the sealed area the fish is in, the longer it has to survive.

(The fish would probably have been better off if you slowed it down.)

 

[Shade]

Hmmm....while logical, I'm not sure that it really adds enough to the creature to retain that, beyond maybe flavor text.

Any other thoughts?

 

[freyar]

Can't it always just swim up to the top of the lake it produces and avoid the crushing pressure that way? In addition, the text says it can produce water continuously, not that it is unable to stop. So I think we're ok as is.

 

[Shade]

Good point. Since the water production is voluntary, and the fish is intelligent, it probably need not worry about this. That appears to be a contradiction in the original creature as well.

 

[Shade]

Let's move on. BigMac, if you feel strongly on the water matter, we can revisit it later.

Splanxty
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOUR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 15”//15"
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: 100%
TREASURE TYPE: Q
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (bow) and 2 (special)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 + special (see below)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENCES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral
SIZE: S (18” tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III/113+2 per hit point

Splanxties are mischievous water-dwelling creatures related, it is said, to both nixies and leprechauns. They live in swiftmoving bodies of water (mountain streams, rapids, waterfalls, and so on) and never move far from such torrents. They are never surprised and, while in contact with flowing water, can hide so as to be 50% undetectable (cf. thief's hide in shadows ability).

Although they are fairly intelligent, splanxties are extremely childish and have a correspondingly irritating sense of humour. They delight in harrassing and fooling people with practical jokes, harmless traps and riddles, and will often arrogantly demand tribute in the form of gems.

So long as a splanxty is not attacked and its victims provide it with amusement, it will not use any of its abilities in an aggressive manner. However, if those victims attack it or refuse to 'play along' it will attack wildly, in a fit of childish temper, using every means at its disposal. When so annoyed, the splanxty will usually (80% chance) jump up and down in irritation and so reveal its location.

Splanxties carry fine, tiny bows (similar to those of pixies). Their arrows are all +4 to hit, cause 1-3 hit points of damage and a loss of 1 point of strength for 1-4 hours. These bows and arrows can only be used by splanxties.
Once per day, a splanxty can create an illusion with both audible and visual components which lasts without concentration for d6+10 rounds or until magically dispelled. Splanxties are also able to throw their voices (cf. ventriloquism spell) and to imitate the speech of all humans and demihumans (although they are only able to speak in the common tongue).

A splanxty can animate small quantities of water (up to 60 feet away) to create irritating splashes, jets and so forth. Alternatively, the jets can be made to strike out at creatures within 5 feet of the torrent. Up to two attacks per round can be made in this way, and thc splanxty may perform other actions at the same time. Each jet has a THAC0 of 16, and causes 1 hit point of damage. Striking at the water with weapons will not affect these attacks in any way. Once every 3 rounds a splanxty can move instantaneously between any two points joined by flowing water (up to 100 feet apart).

Physically, splanxties resemble small, thin children. Their loose-fitting robes are actually made of white linen but, while being worn by a splanxty appear to be made of constantly moving water.

Originally appeared in UK5 - Eye of the Serpent (1984).

 

[Shade]

Splanxties are mischievous water-dwelling creatures related, it is said, to both nixies and leprechauns.

Aquatic fey? Should we make them sprites, like nixies?

They are the same size as grigs, so Tiny.

Grig: Str 5, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14
Nixie: Str 7, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 18
Pixie: Str 7, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 16

Int is Very (11-12).

I’d recommend borrowing the grig’s physical ability scores and the nixie’s mental scores, giving us…

Str 5, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 18

They live in swiftmoving bodies of water (mountain streams, rapids, waterfalls, and so on) and never move far from such torrents.

They are never surprised and, while in contact with flowing water, can hide so as to be 50% undetectable (cf. thief's hide in shadows ability).

*Nixies have a +5 racial bonus on Hide checks when in the water.

Splanxties carry fine, tiny bows (similar to those of pixies). Their arrows are all +4 to hit, cause 1-3 hit points of damage and a loss of 1 point of strength for 1-4 hours. These bows and arrows can only be used by splanxties.

Modeling after pixies…

Special Arrows (Ex): Splanxties sometimes employ arrows that deal 1 point of Strength damage.

Or…

Special Arrows (Ex): Splanxties sometimes employ arrows that inflict a -1 Strength penalty on a victim for 1d4 hours.

Once per day, a splanxty can create an illusion with both audible and visual components which lasts without concentration for d6+10 rounds or until magically dispelled.

Programmed image?

Splanxties are also able to throw their voices (cf. ventriloquism spell) and to imitate the speech of all humans and demihumans (although they are only able to speak in the common tongue).

Ventriloquism as an at-will SLA?

Borrow this?

Sound Imitation (Ex): A juvenile or older blue dragon can mimic any voice or sound it has heard, anytime it likes. Listeners must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s frightful presence) to detect the ruse.

A splanxty can animate small quantities of water (up to 60 feet away) to create irritating splashes, jets and so forth. Alternatively, the jets can be made to strike out at creatures within 5 feet of the torrent. Up to two attacks per round can be made in this way, and thc splanxty may perform other actions at the same time. Each jet has a THAC0 of 16, and causes 1 hit point of damage. Striking at the water with weapons will not affect these attacks in any way.

Unique SLA or Su ability?

Once every 3 rounds a splanxty can move instantaneously between any two points joined by flowing water (up to 100 feet apart).

Something like tree stride, but with water?

 

[freyar]

Let's make them sprites. Abilities look good.

In addition to the hide bonus, what about giving them hide in plain sight as long as they're in the water?

I like the standard Str damage for the special arrows.

Have to get back to the rest of this later...

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews based on the comments so far.