Converting "generic setting" Second Edition monsters

[freyar]

I'm with you guys.

For flavor, perhaps they are (slightly) redeemed vrocks of some sort?

 

[Cleon]

I'm with you guys.

For flavor, perhaps they are (slightly) redeemed vrocks of some sort?

Don't much care for that notion. I'd rather leave it mysterious.

What are we going to call these creatures anyway? I fear any name containing "ball" might lead to sophomoric humour. Since it's a "Question Ball" maybe it's called a "Question Keeper" or something similar?

 

[Cleon]

Okay, here's a rough draft of the "Questioner".

Medium Outsider (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 10d8+50 (95 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 22 (+3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+12
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d6+2 plus disease)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+2 plus disease) and bite +10 melee (2d6+1 plus poison) and 2 talons +10 melee (1d6+1 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease, poison, spell-like abilities, true seeing
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, scrying, spell resistance 17, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +12
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 16
Skills: 12 skills at 13 ranks
Feats: Multiattack plus 3 others
Environment: ?
Organization: Solitary?
Challenge Rating: 9?
Treasure: Standard?
Alignment: Always neutral?
Advancement: 11-14 HD (Medium); 15-30 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Combat

Disease (Ex): ?

Poison (Ex): Fort save or unconsciousness for X hours?

Scrying (Su): This ability is similar to a scry spell (caster level 14th) except the scrying lasts as long as the [Whatever they're called] continues to concentrates on it, and the [Whatever they're called] may use any detect spell or the message spell through the scrying sensor with no chance of failure.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect thoughts, mirror image, telekinesis (DC 18), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only); 1/day—heroism. Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

True Seeing (Su): A [Whatever they're called] has continuous true seeing as the spell (caster level 14th). If this true seeing is dispelled the [Whatever they're called] can restart it on its next round as a free action.

Skills: [Whatever they're called] have a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

 

[freyar]

Magic 8 Ball?

 

[Shade]

I'd rather we stick with it's given name, Being of the Ball.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

First off, we should drop the DR x/good from the vrock, as these aren't evil creatures. I could see replacing with /silver or /cold iron, though.

The original lacked SR, but I'm fine with granting it some.

The being speaks common and 2-3 other languages, as well as tongues exclusive to his mysterious plane.

A being of the ball speaks Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal and its own language?

A percentile roll of less than 50 minus the level of the caster indicates that the being tells a carefully fabricated and reasonably believable lie.

Good Bluff skill ranks and possibly racial bonus.

Its poison causes sleep for 1-6 days, during which time the being will eat its victim.

That's a crazy-long duration for sleep. Knock it down to hours, or even minutes?

Its claws are infected with a terminal blood disease, as per the DMG.

Demon fever seems a good fit (1d6 Con drain).

The being has all the spell-like abilities of a type I demon, and it can travel in the Astral and Ethereal Planes.

Astral projection and ethereal jaunt as SLAs, or borrow these?

Plane Shift (Sp): A spectral hound can travel from the Astral Plane to any plane that borders the Astral Plane and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell, except that the spectral hound can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

Ethereal Jaunt (Su): An ethereal marauder can shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move action. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 15th).

Its other possessions number 2-12, each having a 20% chance of being magical in nature.

Treasure: Double items?

 

[freyar]

Generally agreed to all that.

Knock sleep down to minutes. But really, if it tries to eat you, doesn't the damage give you a chance to wake up?

Demon fever, I guess borrow the unique abilities (still thinking on that). Yes to double treasure.

 

[Cleon]

First off, we should drop the DR x/good from the vrock, as these aren't evil creatures. I could see replacing with /silver or /cold iron, though.

Could we make its DR something crystalline, to its harmed by a substance matching the ball that binds it?

A being of the ball speaks Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal and its own language?

That makes sense. Maybe throw in Draconic as well?

That's a crazy-long duration for sleep. Knock it down to hours, or even minutes?

I'm OK with the long duration since they'll be woken up if the Being wounds them (although they would have to save vs sleep again if it uses its bite).

If we're going to cut it down I'd prefer hours.

Demon fever seems a good fit (1d6 Con drain).

I agree.

Astral projection and ethereal jaunt as SLAs, or borrow these?

Plane Shift (Sp): A spectral hound can travel from the Astral Plane to any plane that borders the Astral Plane and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell, except that the spectral hound can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

Ethereal Jaunt (Su): An ethereal marauder can shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move action. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 15th).

Plane shift is my favourite among those suggestions.

Treasure: Double items?

The original owned a gem of seeing which is worth 75k in 3rd edition, that suggests a fairly good treasure.

I'm also thinking it's likely to collect gemstones.

How about Treasure: Triple goods (gems only), double items ?

 

[Shade]

Could we make its DR something crystalline, to its harmed by a substance matching the ball that binds it?

Nope, since that's nonstandard. Sorry!

That makes sense. Maybe throw in Draconic as well?

Sure!

I'm OK with the long duration since they'll be woken up if the Being wounds them (although they would have to save vs sleep again if it uses its bite).

If we're going to cut it down I'd prefer hours.

Hours it is.

Plane shift is my favourite among those suggestions.

Plane shift it is. Like so?

Plane Shift (Sp): A being of the ball can travel from the Astral Plane or Ethereal Plane to any plane that borders either and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell, except that the being of the ball can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

The original owned a gem of seeing which is worth 75k in 3rd edition, that suggests a fairly good treasure.

I'm also thinking it's likely to collect gemstones.

How about Treasure: Triple goods (gems only), double items ?

That works for me.

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Plane shift it is. Like so?

Plane Shift (Sp): A being of the ball can travel from the Astral Plane or Ethereal Plane to any plane that borders either and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell, except that the being of the ball can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

Fine by me.