Converting Maztica and Horde monsters

[demiurge1138]

Isn't it just magic jar? Or is this different. It mentions "draining", so it could be magic jar + negative levels...

 

[Shade]

We could use the possession rules from BoVD and the Fiendish Codices as inspiration as well.

So, getting started, incorporeal undead?

Stick with 12 HD, or use the "divide by 4.5" rule for unique beings, which gives it 16 HD? Note that we gave his servants, the dowagu, 12 HD.

We know Int is 19. Cha should probably be at least that high. Con is -, and Str probably is as well. Wis and Dex are probably decent to high as well.

 

[freyar]

I think we should go with 16HD, since we gave the dowagu 12.

Str -, Dex 18, Con -, Int 19, Wis 18, Cha 21?

 

[Shade]

Looks good to me.

 

[freyar]

Let's think about possession a little. Do we want to go the magic jar + negative levels route or enhance it somewhat to boost the host body's hp, etc?

 

[Shade]

I think the magic jar + neg levels should suffice. Anyone else?

 

[demiurge1138]

I like it.

 

[freyar]

I was just going to try to write this up now, but I have a question about magic jar: if you possess someone else using magic jar, do you keep your Ex, Su, and Sp abilities? You keep your "mental abilities" and do not get the host's Su or Sp abilities, but it's not clear on this point. For this guy, though, his attacks seem to include a fear effect and energy drain. He also seems to keep his Con drain gaze attack. Also, possessed creature suffers one negative level per day w/o getting a Fort save to remove (until the possession ends)?

 

[Shade]

Dunno.

Magic jar, like astral projection and a few other fiddly rules, I tend to avoid like the plague in play.

 

[freyar]

Well, I'll just make things explicit.

Possession (Su): Once per round, Ambuchar Devayam can attempt to merge his incorporeal body with a creature on the Material Plane. This ability functions as the magic jar spell, except that it does not require a receptacle and as outlined below. To use this ability, Ambuchar Devayam attempts to move into the creature's space; if the creature fails a DC X Will save, Ambuchar Devayam merges with the creature and takes possession of it. If the save succeeds, Ambuchar Devayam does not possess the creature and cannot move into its space, and the creature is immune to Ambuchar Devayam's possession for 1 hour. Attempting to possess a creature does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

While possessing a creature, Ambuchar Devayam keeps his Su and Sp abilities, including his gaze and touch attacks. In addition, each day that Ambuchar Devayam possesses a creature, the possessed creature suffers a negative level. These negative levels cannot be removed in any way while the creature is possessed, but they also do not result in actual level loss until the possession ends. However, as normal, a creature with as many negative levels as HD still dies.