Converting Greyhawk monsters

[Cleon]

I for one cannot understand why these are NE when they have animal intelligence and aren't associated with negative energy or an outer plane of any sort.

I think the adhesive can be dealt with by flavor explaining the racial grapple bonus and giving them a "wallcrawling" ability to hang on the ceiling.

I prefer that approach. Since it's merely "gummy" I don't think it would offer an adhesive hazard like a tanglefoot bag.

Agreed on the tentacles.

I like the idea of using the specific limb damage rules, though we need to give a random way to determine where a yphoz attaches. Dex damage is another viable alternative for the numbing effect.

In AD&D most monsters with constricting tentacles had specific limb damage rules, but in 3E they all lost that ability.

If we follow that example we should give Yphoz standard constrict.

 

[freyar]

It's not constrict, it's a numbing poison. Dex damage does seem simpler, or maybe a condition that applies some general penalties, like sickened.

 

[Cleon]

It's not constrict, it's a numbing poison. Dex damage does seem simpler, or maybe a condition that applies some general penalties, like sickened.

Ah yes, sorry I was confused by the tentacle references.

In that case I prefer a limb-by-limb numbing over Dex damage. It's more interesting.

 

[Shade]

I for one cannot understand why these are NE when they have animal intelligence and aren't associated with negative energy or an outer plane of any sort.

Good point. Neutral it is!

I like the idea of using the specific limb damage rules, though we need to give a random way to determine where a yphoz attaches. Dex damage is another viable alternative for the numbing effect.

In that case I prefer a limb-by-limb numbing over Dex damage. It's more interesting.

It sounds like we're agreed. Just go with a random limb chart?

 

[freyar]

Yes on the random limb chart. We should also adapt the penalties to 3.5, I suppose.

 

[Shade]

We can probably borrow the random limbs from this ability...

Sever Limb (Ex): The tail blade of a murdakus is extremely sharp, capable of severing limbs or heads on a successful critical hit. The victim must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + damage dealt) or lose an extremity. Randomly determine which extremity is severed based on the creature's number of limbs and heads (for example, a d6 for a typical humanoid, with a 1 and 2 severing an arm, a 3 and 4 severing a leg, a 5 beheading the opponent, and reroll a 6). A severed leg imposes a -4 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, and reduces the victim's land speed by 10 feet. A victim who loses all its legs falls prone and its land speed is reduced to 5 feet. A severed arm imposes a -4 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb checks, and Swim checks, and makes it impossible for the subject to use objects or cast spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free. The victim also loses the ability to wield a weapon two-handed (unless it has at least two arms left). A severed head kills most creatures instantly. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads.

 

[Cleon]

We can probably borrow the random limbs from this ability...

Sever Limb (Ex): The tail blade of a murdakus is extremely sharp, capable of severing limbs or heads on a successful critical hit. The victim must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + damage dealt) or lose an extremity. Randomly determine which extremity is severed based on the creature's number of limbs and heads (for example, a d6 for a typical humanoid, with a 1 and 2 severing an arm, a 3 and 4 severing a leg, a 5 beheading the opponent, and reroll a 6). A severed leg imposes a -4 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, and reduces the victim's land speed by 10 feet. A victim who loses all its legs falls prone and its land speed is reduced to 5 feet. A severed arm imposes a -4 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb checks, and Swim checks, and makes it impossible for the subject to use objects or cast spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free. The victim also loses the ability to wield a weapon two-handed (unless it has at least two arms left). A severed head kills most creatures instantly. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads.

Why reroll the 6 when we can use a d10 with 1-4 arm, 5-8 leg, 9-10 head for the same result?

 

[Shade]

I have no problem with that idea.

We might also add "torso" for "no additional effect".

 

[freyar]

We'll need to change it a bit, since it's numbing and not severing, but that's a good starting point. Torso could have some kind of milder but broader effect.

 

[Cleon]

We'll need to change it a bit, since it's numbing and not severing, but that's a good starting point. Torso could have some kind of milder but broader effect.

Maybe halve the effects?

Arm -2 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb checks, and Swim checks, +X% spell failure for spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free. I'd add manual skills like Open Locks.

One leg -2 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, and reduces the victim's land speed by 5 feet.

Two legs -4 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, and reduces the victim's land speed by 10 feet.

Head -4 to Listen, Search and Spot checks?