Converting Greyhawk monsters

[Shade]

That seems a good start. I'd roll the second leg into the entry on the first, since a single yphoz won't be able to target both legs at once.

For the torso, perhaps a flat -1 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, Strength checks, and skill checks?

 

[freyar]

I agree with combining the legs; I don't know that two numb legs is really twice as bas as one numb leg (think about when your legs fall asleep). I can go with Shade's suggestion on the torso, too.

 

[Cleon]

That seems a good start. I'd roll the second leg into the entry on the first, since a single yphoz won't be able to target both legs at once.

For the torso, perhaps a flat -1 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, Strength checks, and skill checks?

I'd keep the legs separate. Two incapacitated legs is definitely worse than just one.

The -1 for the torso was my preference too.

 

[Shade]

I'd keep the legs separate. Two incapacitated legs is definitely worse than just one.

It appears you're outvoted. I'll be happy to include an increased detriment if legs are struck a second time, though.

The -1 for the torso was my preference too.

Cool.

Does someone want to try to summarize all this in ability form?

 

[Cleon]

It appears you're outvoted. I'll be happy to include an increased detriment if legs are struck a second time, though.

Cool.

Does someone want to try to summarize all this in ability form?

So far we've got something like:

Numbing Poison (Ex): A yphoz's tentacles are covered with a gummy contact poison. Any creature hit by a tentacle must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or the body part the tentacle hit will go numb (roll 1d6 for the location: 1-2 = legs, 3-4 = arms, 5 = torso, 6 = head) and be penalized according to the table below. The effects of numbness last Y rounds.

Body Part Numbness Effects

Legs (1-2) The first hit imposes -2 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks and Dexterity-based skill checks, plus reducing the victim's land speed by 5 feet. A second hit increases these penalties to -4, plus reducing the victim's land speed by 10 feet.

Arms (3=off-hand, 4=primary) The affected arm has a -2 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb checks and Swim checks, and skills checks requiring precise manipulation, such as Forgery and Open Locks checks. The victim has +10% spell failure for spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free.

Torso (5) The victim has a -1 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, Strength checks, and skill checks.

Head (6) The victim has a -4 penalty to Listen, Search and Spot checks.

Looking that over, I think the Legs numbness should also affect Climb and Swim checks.

 

[freyar]

I'd make a couple tweaks to reflect how I read the original ability, especially since we haven't given these tentacle attacks:

Numbing Poison (Ex): A yphoz's tentacles are covered with a gummy contact poison. Each round that a yphoz is attached to a creature, the victim must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or the body part the yphoz is attached to will go numb (roll 1d6 for the location: 1-2 = legs, 3-4 = arms, 5 = torso, 6 = head) and be penalized according to the table below. The effects of numbness last as long as the yphoz is attached and Y rounds thereafter. Effects of multiple attached yphoz are cumulative (but an attachment by a single yphoz for multiple rounds does not stack with itself). Creatures resistant to poison gain their usual bonus on the saving throw against this effect, and immunity to poison grants immunity to the numbing poison. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Body Part Numbness Effects

Legs (1-2) This imposes -2 penalty on Reflex saves, Swim and Climb checks, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, plus reducing the victim's land speed by 5 feet.

Arms (3=off-hand, 4=primary) The affected arm has a -2 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb and Swim checks, and skills checks requiring precise manipulation, such as Forgery and Open Locks checks. The victim has +10% spell failure for spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free.

Torso (5) The victim has a -1 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, Strength checks, and skill checks.

Head (6) The victim has a -4 penalty to Listen, Search and Spot checks.

 

[Cleon]

I'd make a couple tweaks to reflect how I read the original ability, especially since we haven't given these tentacle attacks:

For some reason I keep on thinking their "two long, whip-like tentacles" are what causes the numbness rather than their body's gummy secretion. Just got the idea stuck in my head. Better chance the start of it from "A yphoz's tentacles" to "A yphoz's body".

Still, it makes me wonder what the tentacles do - perhaps they're mostly sense organs?

Numbing Poison (Ex): A yphoz's tentacles are covered with a gummy contact poison. Each round that a yphoz is attached to a creature, the victim must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or the body part the yphoz is attached to will go numb (roll 1d6 for the location: 1-2 = legs, 3-4 = arms, 5 = torso, 6 = head) and be penalized according to the table below. The effects of numbness last as long as the yphoz is attached and Y rounds thereafter. Effects of multiple attached yphoz are cumulative (but an attachment by a single yphoz for multiple rounds does not stack with itself). Creatures resistant to poison gain their usual bonus on the saving throw against this effect, and immunity to poison grants immunity to the numbing poison. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Body Part Numbness Effects

Legs (1-2) This imposes -2 penalty on Reflex saves, Swim and Climb checks, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity-based skill checks, plus reducing the victim's land speed by 5 feet.

Arms (3=off-hand, 4=primary) The affected arm has a -2 penalty on attack rolls, Strength checks, Climb and Swim checks, and skills checks requiring precise manipulation, such as Forgery and Open Locks checks. The victim has +10% spell failure for spells with somatic components unless it has a remaining hand free.

Torso (5) The victim has a -1 penalty on Reflex saves, Dexterity checks, Strength checks, and skill checks.

Head (6) The victim has a -4 penalty to Listen, Search and Spot checks.

I'm still strongly in favour of having the legs treated separately or at least "first leg and second leg". I just don't see why you think someone can walk as easily with both legs numbed as with just one.

It also needs "A yphoz's body" at the start.

 

[freyar]

I think the tentacles are to help them attach.

If you read the ability, you'll note that multiple attached yphoz give cumulative effects, giving you double trouble with 2 legs.

 

[Cleon]

I think the tentacles are to help them attach.

If you read the ability, you'll note that multiple attached yphoz give cumulative effects, giving you double trouble with 2 legs.

It doesn't make it clear what it means by cumulative, I was thinking it could mean the -1 Str penalty from a torso hit adds to the -2 arm penalty. If the penalties stack then it'd solve the "two legs" problem, but it'll mean a bunch of yphoz's could practically immobilize a victim.

It also begs the question of how many yphozs can attach themselves to a victim - more of them would presumably fit on a Large creature than a Small one, and if we stack the penalties then the bigger opponent is potentially a lot worse off.

 

[freyar]

Well, you get a Fort save for each one. Maybe we could base the numbers on the reverse of Swallow Whole. So that would be 2 for a Small victim, 4 for Medium, etc. How's that?