Converting "generic setting" Second Edition monsters

[freyar]

Shade's suggestion works for me. Why not 2d8 within 10 ft, 1d8 within 20 ft, plus heat metal? Every 1d4 or 1d6 rounds?

 

[Cleon]

I was actually thinking of an actual heat wave akin to this aspect of wall of fire:

"One side of the wall, selected by you, sends forth waves of heat, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage to creatures within 10 feet and 1d4 points of fire damage to those past 10 feet but within 20 feet."

Atop that, add in the heat metal aspect for something like...

Heat Wave (Su): Once every x rounds, a dwarf crusher can emit a wave of volcanic heat. All creatures within x feet suffer xdx points of fire damage to creatures, while those x to x feet from the construct take xdx points of fire damage. All metal equipment carried by creatures within the area is also subject to a heat metal effect (caster level 12th, Will DC X negates). The save DC is Constitution-based.

That would work.

Once every 1d4+1 rounds like an Iron Golem's breath weapon?

Lava does either 20d6 or 2d6 fire damage, followed by 1d3 rounds of half damage (10d6/1d6). We could change the secondary damage to a "heat metal" type effect. That's still rather a lot, so maybe tone it down to the same damage as a fireball.

0-10 foot radius for 12d6 damage, then 11-20 foot radius for 6d6 damage, with 1d3 rounds of secondary damage doing 6d6 or 3d6 to opponents with metal items?

Oh, and it obviously can't be Constitution based since it's a Construct - switch to Strength or Charisma?

I fancy strength, since these things should be nasty!

 

[freyar]

That would be way more damage than it does by melee, and it's sort of better than a breath weapon since the wave of damage doesn't get a save. Maybe slightly less than 12d6/6d6? Str-based for the heat metal DC makes some perverse sense.

 

[Shade]

Oh, and it obviously can't be Constitution based since it's a Construct - switch to Strength or Charisma?

Not true! Check out the iron and stone golem's special abilities.

A lack of a Con score is treated as 10 for purposes of determing save DCs.

That said, I could see Cha-based, but I'm not really feeling Str-based for something that doesn't involve it's actual physical prowess.

 

[freyar]

An interesting point. Well, mark me down as ambivalent about this.

 

[Cleon]

Not true! Check out the iron and stone golem's special abilities.

A lack of a Con score is treated as 10 for purposes of determing save DCs.

It was a perfectly good story until you ruined it with your meddling facts!

That would be way more damage than it does by melee, and it's sort of better than a breath weapon since the wave of damage doesn't get a save. Maybe slightly less than 12d6/6d6? Str-based for the heat metal DC makes some perverse sense.

That said, I could see Cha-based, but I'm not really feeling Str-based for something that doesn't involve it's actual physical prowess.

We could give it a save for half damage - maybe Fort to "endure the heatstroke" instead of the usual Reflex?

Overall I prefer Cha-based, but we'll likely want to up the Cha to 10+.

 

[freyar]

Make it Cha 12 to get that +1. Definitely include a Fort save, and I still think 12d6/6d6 is too much since it's a big burst in melee range. CR 11 dragons don't typically get quite that much. How about 10d6/5d6, more in line with a CR 11 young adult green dragon?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. Updated.

 

[freyar]

Tactics? It obviously likes melee and should probably use the heat wave as often as possible, I guess.

Ideas for construction? Wall of fire seems appropriate, as does heat metal. Probably limited wish, too.

 

[Shade]

Good ideas. Maybe add bane to account for the dwarfbane property? Shatter for the reflexive sunder?

Summarizing...

Construction
A dwarf crusher's body is chiseled from a single block of hard stone, such as granite, weighing at least 3,000 pounds. The stone must be of exceptional quality, and costs 5,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 17 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 17 Craft (stonemasonry) check.

CL 14th; Craft Construct, bane, heat metal, limited wish, shatter, wall of fire, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 90,000 gp; Cost 50,000 gp + 3,400 XP.