Converting "generic setting" Second Edition monsters

[freyar]

If it's like glass, it should be hardness 1 and only 1/hp per inch "thickness" (diameter I guess). So how about 3 hp, hardness 1, break DC 15 maybe? I could go with maybe doubling that (or boosting the break DC to maybe 20) because it's magic, but I'd prefer to let the Being out more often.

 

[Shade]

Doubling to 6 hp, hardness 2, break DC 20 appeals. Updated.

 

[freyar]

I guess it's done!

 

[Cleon]

I guess it's done!

I'm happy to make the ball more fragile, since it'll let the Being out to play more often.

So it's still done.

 

[Shade]

Since we're working on lammasu-like creatures, we might as well tackle this one too...

Lammasu
Lesser Greater
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: ---Warm, with visits to other climes---
FREQUENCY: Rare Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Pride Solitary (Pride)
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day Day
DIET: Herbivore Herbivore
INTELLIGENCE: Genius (17-18) Supra-genius (19-20)
TREASURE: R, S, T Nil
ALIGNMENT: Lawful good Lawful good
NO. APPEARING: 2-8 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 6 3
MOVEMENT: 12, Fl 24 (C) 15, Fl 30 (B)
HIT DICE: 7+7 12+7
THAC0: 13 7
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6 2-12/2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30% 40%
SIZE: L L (5' high at shoulder)
MORALE: Elite (14) Champion (16)
XP VALUE: 4,000 8,000

Greater Lammasu
These creatures are slightly larger than a lesser lammasu and one or two may be found dwelling with a pride of six or more lesser lammasu. Greater lammasu can travel the Astral and Ethereal Planes, become invisible, teleport without error and dimension door, all at will. They radiate protection from evil in a 20' radius (-4 penalty to evil attacks and +4 bonus to saving throws) and have the curative powers of their lesser cousins. Their priest spells consist of five 1st-level, four 2nd-level, three 3rd-level, two 4th-level, and one 5th-level spell. Fifty percent of greater lammasu can speak a holy word as well. They cast spells as 12th-level priests.

Greater lammasu have empathy, telepathic communication, and speak their racial speech and the common tongue. Despite their greater stature, these lammasu are just as gentle and humble as their lesser brethren.

Originally appeared in Monster Manual II (1983). This is the Monstrous Manual version.

The MMII version had one additional power: “The cures of the greater lammasu are double strength and based on 1d6+1, so that a cure light wounds will cure 4-14 lsot hit points and a cure serious wounds has double effect (8-28).”

I intentionally left the standard lammasu stats in the above stat block for ease of comparison.

 

[Cleon]

Since we're working on lammasu-like creatures, we might as well tackle this one too...

Greater Lammasu

I intentionally left the standard lammasu stats in the above stat block for ease of comparison.

Blast you, I was having enough trouble keeping the Narra and Opinicus apart.

Well we ought to start by upgrading the SRD Lammasu.

Greater Lammasu are super-geniuses, so +4 to all their mental stats?

They do twice the damage with their paws, so raise the Str by +4 and make the paws 1d8 damage?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good!

Added to Homebrews.

Greater lammasu can travel the Astral and Ethereal Planes,

Borrow these?

Depart (Su): Once per week, a narra may cast astral projection (caster level 18th). The ability affects only the narra.

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

become invisible, teleport without error and dimension door, all at will.

Move the standard narra's greater invisibility and dimension door to at will? Make greater teleport (self only) at will as well?

Fifty percent of greater lammasu can speak a holy word as well.

Let's just make this standard. 1/day?

Greater lammasu have empathy, telepathic communication, and speak their racial speech and the common tongue.

Take the standard lammasu's languages and add telepathy? 60 ft.? Do anything with empathy?

The MMII version had one additional power: “The cures of the greater lammasu are double strength and based on 1d6+1, so that a cure light wounds will cure 4-14 lsot hit points and a cure serious wounds has double effect (8-28).”

Give them an ability that treats all cure spells as Empowered?

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good!

Borrow these?

Depart (Su): Once per week, a narra may cast astral projection (caster level 18th). The ability affects only the narra.

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

I'd rather give them a genie's Plane Shift supernatural power.

Move the standard narra's greater invisibility and dimension door to at will? Make greater teleport (self only) at will as well?

Yes to at-will for all three of those SLAs, except I'd make it regular invisibility.

Oh, and I was going to go for holy word 1/day for them all as well.

Take the standard lammasu's languages and add telepathy? 60 ft.? Do anything with empathy?

I was going to go for 100 foot telepathy and add a couple of languages for their greater intelligence.

Maybe Abyssal and Infernal, so they can understand what the enemy are saying?

Give them an ability that treats all cure spells as Empowered?

Yes, how's this:

Blessed Healer (Sp): Any healing spell or spell-like ability a greater lammasu casts has all variable, numeric effects increased by one-half. This increase stacks with that from Empower Spell or Empower Spell-Like Ability, so if a greater lammasu cast an empowered cure light wounds it would do +100% healing.

Speaking of spell casting, what level clerical spellcasting should we give them? The listed spell levels (five 1st-level, four 2nd-level, three 3rd-level, two 4th-level, and one 5th-level spell) correspond to a 9th level cleric, but it then says "They cast spells as 12th-level priests."

A regular lammasu casts as a cleric of a level equal to its Hit Dice (7th level cleric and 7 HD), so I favour making the greater version 12th level clerics to match their 12 Hit Dice.

 

[Shade]

I'd rather give them a genie's Plane Shift supernatural power.

Not I. Too much fudging to get the planes right, when we've already got these abilties from monsters in the same "family".

Freyar, the ball's in your court.

Yes to at-will for all three of those SLAs, except I'd make it regular invisibility.

I can live with that, as long as we also keep greater invisibility 3/day like the standard lammasu.

Oh, and I was going to go for holy word 1/day for them all as well.

One step ahead of you.

I was going to go for 100 foot telepathy and add a couple of languages for their greater intelligence.

Maybe Abyssal and Infernal, so they can understand what the enemy are saying?

That works for me.

Yes, how's this:

Blessed Healer (Sp): Any healing spell or spell-like ability a greater lammasu casts has all variable, numeric effects increased by one-half. This increase stacks with that from Empower Spell or Empower Spell-Like Ability, so if a greater lammasu cast an empowered cure light wounds it would do +100% healing.

That'll work, except it shouldn't be Sp. Probably Su.

Speaking of spell casting, what level clerical spellcasting should we give them? The listed spell levels (five 1st-level, four 2nd-level, three 3rd-level, two 4th-level, and one 5th-level spell) correspond to a 9th level cleric, but it then says "They cast spells as 12th-level priests."

A regular lammasu casts as a cleric of a level equal to its Hit Dice (7th level cleric and 7 HD), so I favour making the greater version 12th level clerics to match their 12 Hit Dice.

I'd assumed we'd go with 12th. Since you like it as well, let's go with 12th.

 

[Cleon]

Not I. Too much fudging to get the planes right, when we've already got these abilties from monsters in the same "family".

I'm OK with astral departure and ethereal jaunt if we make them both standard actions going both ways. Just don't want them to use the as an "ethereal mugging" power.

I can live with that, as long as we also keep greater invisibility 3/day like the standard lammasu.

It's a deal.

That'll work, except it shouldn't be Sp. Probably Su.

That's OK by me, I just couldn't make up my mind which it should be.

Is a Metamagic feat (Su) or (Sp)?

I'd assumed we'd go with 12th. Since you like it as well, let's go with 12th.

Well I reserve the right to change my mind...

*Ahem*

12th it is then!