Converting Greyhawk monsters

[Shade]

OK, we'll no longer need attach. Leech swarms simply do blood drain from creatures they damage:

Blood Drain (Ex): Any living creature damaged by a leech swarm also takes 1 point of Constitution damage as the swarm drains its blood. This damage repeats every round thereafter unless the creature successfully exits the swarm and spends a full-round action removing leeches from its body.


We'll need to modify the numbing poison to represent a number of creatures. We could just combine all the effects (assuming a creature gets struck on all parts simultaneously), but that's alot of separate effects to track. We could retain the randomness, and state that a random number strike the victim (rolling that many times). Finally, it might be best to just simplify it to a single greater effect (like paralysis), to simulate the overwhelming shock to the victim's system.

 

[Mortis]

Didn't someone request a swarm form of these things?

That was me [he responds a week later].

Paralysis looks like a good idea - seeing that the swarm will be covering multiple locations.

Or looking at the list of effects perhaps 'just' a -4 penalty to victim's rolls and a 15% chance of spell failure.

Mortis

 

[Cleon]

We'll need to modify the numbing poison to represent a number of creatures. We could just combine all the effects (assuming a creature gets struck on all parts simultaneously), but that's alot of separate effects to track. We could retain the randomness, and state that a random number strike the victim (rolling that many times). Finally, it might be best to just simplify it to a single greater effect (like paralysis), to simulate the overwhelming shock to the victim's system.

I was going to go for the "yphoz on each limb" penalties.

Adding a save vs. paralysis is tempting, though.

 

[Shade]

I was going to go for the "yphoz on each limb" penalties.

Adding a save vs. paralysis is tempting, though.

Give in to temptation.

 

[Cleon]

Give in to temptation.

I'm ... trying to ... but ... I ... can't ... m-o-v-e...

 

[freyar]

Well, if we consider the swarm to be made of "juvenile" yphoz, they could be Diminutive. That would explain the HD; I think I like that solution, too. Makes them that much harder to damage.

For the numbing poison, how about failure = paralysis for 1 or 2 rounds followed by 1d6 rounds of the -4 penalty/15% ASF suggested by Mortis, while success is just 1d3 rounds of the penalties?

 

[Cleon]

Well, if we consider the swarm to be made of "juvenile" yphoz, they could be Diminutive. That would explain the HD; I think I like that solution, too. Makes them that much harder to damage.

I'd rather keep them Tiny, but if Shade's OK with Diminutive I won't stand in your way.

For the numbing poison, how about failure = paralysis for 1 or 2 rounds followed by 1d6 rounds of the -4 penalty/15% ASF suggested by Mortis, while success is just 1d3 rounds of the penalties?

That approach sounds good, although I'd increase the penalties, possibly -5 on rolls and 25% spell failure to all somatic spells (NOT just ASF).

 

[Shade]

I'd rather keep them Tiny, but if Shade's OK with Diminutive I won't stand in your way.

I'm OK with it, so step aside!

That approach sounds good, although I'd increase the penalties, possibly -5 on rolls and 25% spell failure to all somatic spells (NOT just ASF).

Agreed. Probably reduce speed as well.

 

[freyar]

I'm happy with the increased penalties, too. BTW, I noticed when going back to the single yphoz that numbing poison isn't listed on the special attacks line.

How's this for a start?

Numbing Poison (Ex): A yphoz's tentacles are covered with a gummy contact poison. Any time that a creature takes swarm damage from an yphoz swarm, the victim must make a DC X Fortitude save or become paralyzed for 2? rounds. After the paralysis wears off, the victim suffers a -5 penalty to all attack and damage rolls, Dexterity and Strength checks, and Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks as well as a 25% spell failure chance on all spells with somatic components and a 10? ft reduction to all speeds for 1d6? rounds. A successful Fortitude save negates the paralysis and reduces the duration of the penalties to 1d3? rounds. 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.

Feel free to change numbers with ? marks.

 

[Cleon]

I'm OK with it, so step aside!

I'm stepping! I'm stepping! I don't fancy being trampled.

Agreed. Probably reduce speed as well.

Yes, cut it to half speed?