Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Should we give 'em a burrow speed? If so, 10 feet?

For the "hidden burrows", I like basing it off hallucinatory terrain. We could just give it to 'em as a 1/day SLA at CL 12th, which would last 24 hours. Otherwise, we could make a special "always active" effect upon any burrow they create.

These creatures speak their own language and can speak with any animal naturally. About 20% of them know the elven or Common languages, and 5% know the secret tongue of the druids.

Hurgeons speak Sylvan, Elven, and Common? Speak with animals as at will SLA?

Hurgeons gather local nuts, fruits, and berries, and several types of edible roots for their meals. Their vegetarian and inoffensive natures allow them to make friends with local woodland creatures and make arrangements for mutual assistance with them in times of need.

It sounds like skills should include Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), and Survival.

Hurgeons are tool-users and construct elaborate underground dwellings with numerous rooms branching off from the main tunnel.

Knowledge (dungeoneering) and/or Knowledge (architecture and engineering)?

They may use animal friendship, invisibility to animals, faerie fire, locate animals and plants, and pass without trace as often as they desire, one spell per melee round, at the 6th level of effect. They may also cast an entangle spell once per day at the 6th level of effect.

We'll need 3.5 replacements for animal friendship and locate animals and plants.

Perhaps replace animal friendship with wild empathy?

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

Should we give 'em a burrow speed? If so, 10 feet?

For the "hidden burrows", I like basing it off hallucinatory terrain. We could just give it to 'em as a 1/day SLA at CL 12th, which would last 24 hours. Otherwise, we could make a special "always active" effect upon any burrow they create.

I wouldn't give them a burrow speed. Plenty of creatures dig burrows without having a burrow speed.

As for the hidden burrow, I was thinking a power that takes it X hours to create a burrow entrance and it has to spend Y minutes per day to maintain it, although the 1/day for 24 hour approach is OK. Supernatural suits me better than Spell-Like though.

Hurgeons speak Sylvan, Elven, and Common? Speak with animals as at will SLA?

It sounds like skills should include Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), and Survival.

Knowledge (dungeoneering) and/or Knowledge (architecture and engineering)?

The languages are fine, including speak with animals. Should we note that some can speak Druidic?

Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), and Survival are all good, and obviously we'll want Hide, Move Silently, Spot & Listen too.

Don't think Knowledge (dungeoneering) or Knowledge (architecture and engineering) fit.

We'll need 3.5 replacements for animal friendship and locate animals and plants.

Perhaps replace animal friendship with wild empathy?

Wild Empathy is a good solution, for the locate animals and plants I was thinking:

Locate Animals and Plants (Sp): This power works like the locate creature spell except it can only locate animals and plants. It can locate mundane plants as well as Plant creatures such as treants. A hurgeon can locate animals and plants X times per day, this power is the equivalent of an Y level spell with caster level Z.

 

[Shade]

Let's just go with 4 ranks in each of the skills Cleon identified.

Updated.

How does this revision look?

Locate Animals and Plants (Sp): Three times per day, a hurgeon can locate a creature of a specific kind or a specific creature known to it. This works like the locate creature spell, except it can only locate creatures of the animal and plant types. It can locate mundane plants as with the locate object spell. This is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell (caster level 6th).


For the "hidden burrow", if we make it Su rather than Sp, the save DC will be 4 worse.

 

[Cleon]

Let's just go with 4 ranks in each of the skills Cleon identified.

Fine by me.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/5228695-post971.html

How does this revision look?

Locate Animals and Plants (Sp): Three times per day, a hurgeon can locate a creature of a specific kind or a specific creature known to it. This works like the locate creature spell, except it can only locate creatures of the animal and plant types. It can locate mundane plants as with the locate object spell. This is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell (caster level 6th).

The "a creature of a specific kind or a specific creature" reads a trifle oddly. CL 6th feels too low for a 4th level spell, I'd either make the spell 3rd level or increase the CL to 8th or so.

How about...

Locate Animals and Plants (Sp): Three times per day, a hurgeon can locate a creature of a specific kind (e.g. a wolf) or an individual creature known to it. This works like the locate creature spell, except it can only locate creatures of the animal and plant types. This spell-like ability can also locate mundane plants as per the locate object spell. This is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell (caster level 6th).

For the "hidden burrow", if we make it Su rather than Sp, the save DC will be 4 worse.

Well you could always give it a +4 racial bonus on the DC.

Okay, I'm only joking. I don't mind making it a (Sp) if our prefer. It's not like this is something a hurgeon will use in combat.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Feats: Dodge (B), Weapon Finesse (B), 1 more
I borrowed the bonus feats from the grig. I can see dropping Dodge, but think we should keep Finesse.

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Feats: Dodge (B), Weapon Finesse (B), 1 more
I borrowed the bonus feats from the grig. I can see dropping Dodge, but think we should keep Finesse.

I'd drop the Dodge bonus feat, they're not nimble little hoppers like Grigs and only have 20 ft. speed.

Maybe Great Fortitude for their feat? There's something about them that makes me think they're hardy little fellows.

 

[freyar]

Looks pretty good. I agree to dropping Dodge and taking Great Fort for the feat.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Challenge Rating: 1?

Treasure: 50% coins, no goods, standard items?
M (x10) works out to 20-80 gold pieces, while X is 1 misc. magic item plus 1 potion

Advancement: 2–3 HD (Tiny)?

Level Adjustment: +3? They are at least as good as a grig.

A hurgeon stands 1 foot tall and weighs x pounds.

 

[freyar]

I'll go with all that and add a weight of 5-7 lb.

 

[Shade]

Organization: Gang (2–4), band (6–11), or x (8–32 plus 2-10 noncombatant young)

Any idea what a group of hedgehogs is called?