Converting monsters from Dragon magazine (Part Two)

[demiurge1138]

Water and Weather work for me. Not as keen on evil.

 

[Shade]

Spells: An adaro casts spells as a 10th-level sorcerer. An adaro can also cast spells from the Water and Weather domains as arcane spells.

Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/7/6/4, save DC 15 + spell level):
0—9;
1st—5;
2nd—4;
3rd—3;
4th—2;
5th—1.

 

[demiurge1138]

How about:

0th: dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, read magic, touch of fatigue
1st: color spray, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, ventriloquism
2nd: bull's strength, blur, fog cloud, touch of idiocy
3rd: call lightning, suggestion, slow
4th: charm monster, control water
5th: cone of cold

 

[Shade]

Great! Updated.

Taking RavingRay's suggestion upthread, here's the piranha swarm for inspiration for our flying fish swarms...

Tiny Animal (Aquatic, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 8d8+11 (47 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction (DC 15)
Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing weapons, low-light vision, scent, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 4, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +10, Listen +9, Spot +8, Swim +5
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Environment: Warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary or school (2-4 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -


Reduce damage, add poison and some sort of "flight"?

According to various sites...

This fish has been captured "flying" out of the water for a full 45 seconds.
These fish have been know to reach speeds of over 60 mph and travel over 1300' in one glide.
The maximum size for one of these fish is about 1-1/2'.
The Flying Fish feeds mostly on plankton floating about.

 

[freyar]

Might be able to base the "flight" on the various crickets' leaping abilities.

 

[Shade]

Attempt #1...

Leaping Glide (Ex): A flying fish swarm may leap from the water and glide at a speed of x feet for up to x rounds. The swarm may reach a height equal to the result of its Jump check, then fly with x manueverability. It may descend, but cannot ascend during this travel.


Since flying fish have been recorded "flying" out of the water for a full 45 seconds, we could simplify that to 8 rounds. It says they have been know to reach speeds of over 60 mph and travel over 1300' in one glide. A cheetah can run from 70 to 75 mph, which translates to a sprint speed of 500 feet in 3.5, which would indicate something closer to 400 feet. But if we divide 1300 by 8, we get 162.5. Maybe we can just round that off to a fly speed of 160 feet?

 

[freyar]

I think that should work, provided we give them a healthy racial Jump bonus. 160 ft is ok for 8 rounds. Make them clumsy since they don't really have a means of propulsion once in the air.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good.

Suggested poison effects?

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, since it's lethal, Con damage leaps out at me.

 

[Shade]

1d4 Con for primary and secondary?

Should the fish have injury poison as well, or is it the venom from a "thrown fish" tranferred into the wound as if the victim had consumed poisonous flesh?