Converting "generic setting" second edition monsters

[freyar]

So something like this?

Earth Glide (Ex): A shadowcrawler can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A shadowcrawler can also carry a grappled Medium or smaller creature through earth.

A phase door or move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing shadowcrawler kills the shadowcrawler and any creature it carries instantly if they fails a Fortitude save (DC determined as usual by spell level and caster ability modifier).

 

[Shade]

Looks good.

 

[freyar]

Filling in x's:

weigh 100 lb?
1d4 Con damage for blood drain?
+8 skill bonus, increasing Hide to +12 in areas of shadowy illumination (since they are shadowcrawlers, after all).

Any other SAs we want?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. Shall we borrow some skill bonuses from cats and spiders?

Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Cats have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.

Monstrous spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A monstrous spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. *Hunting spiders have a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.

How about...

Skills: Shadowcrawlers have a +8 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently checks. Shadowcrawlers use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump checks, whichever is higher.

*A shadowcrawler's racial bonus on Hide checks improves to +12 in areas of shadowy illumination.

 

[freyar]

Hmm, maybe based on the cat and spider, we should reduce the Hide, Move Silently, and Spot bonuses to +4 (+8 Hide in shadowy). You did drop the Balance bonus, but I'm not sure that makes up for increasing the other so much. What do you think?

 

[Shade]

Hmm, maybe based on the cat and spider, we should reduce the Hide, Move Silently, and Spot bonuses to +4 (+8 Hide in shadowy). You did drop the Balance bonus, but I'm not sure that makes up for increasing the other so much. What do you think?

Oops! I didn't mean to drop the Balance bonus. Lets add Balance back, and lower the other bonuses as you suggested.

I'm also picturing these things with Tumble, but we can just give them ranks in it rather than a racial bonus.

 

[freyar]

Agreed to that. Maybe only +4 on Balance, since spiders don't have that and these have a lot of skill boni.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Skills: 30
Balance 5, Hide 5, Jump 5, Move Silently 5, Tumble 10?

Feats: 3
Acrobatic, Multiattack/Weapon Focus (claw), Stealthy?

About once every four years, a shadowcrawler will seek a mate, its yowling mating cry echoing from the stone walls of the tunnels it prowls. After a brief affair, the shadowcrawlers return to theik respective homes.

The creature's gestation period is three months, after which the female lays a large egg sac, hiding it away in a safe place. After another month of development, 2-12 shadowkittens hatch from the egg sac and scatter. Most are slain before they are able to adequately defend themselves and only 1-2 reach maturity, which occurs after a year of growth.

Organization: Solitary, mated pair, or shadowkitten clutch (2-12 noncombatant young)?

Alignment: Always? neutral evil

Advancement: x

 

[demiurge1138]

Usually neutral evil. Acrobatic, Multiattack and Stealthy work for me.

 

[freyar]

All the above looks good. Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium), 15-22 HD (Large), 23-30 HD (Huge)?