Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Cleon]

Well, assuming the party figures it out! But I agree with CR 4.

EDIT: Wait, why are these Tiny again? They read like Diminutive or even Fine. That would potentially make them a bit tougher.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I though they should be Tiny because the original version could be harmed by normal weapons (although they were "hard to hit"). If we made them smaller that wouldn't be an option.

 

[Shade]

Nice catch, freyar! They are supposed to be "1-inch sparks", which is a far cry from Tiny.

So it looks like they should be Fine, and thus much tougher to kill. That vulnerability to water just became much more important.

Updated.

So, bump to CR 5?

 

[freyar]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I though they should be Tiny because the original version could be harmed by normal weapons (although they were "hard to hit"). If we made them smaller that wouldn't be an option.

I think this is just an example of different editions having different mechanics. I'd much rather match the original flavor than change their basic nature (ie, size) just to match one mechanical issue.

Nice catch, freyar! They are supposed to be "1-inch sparks", which is a far cry from Tiny.

So it looks like they should be Fine, and thus much tougher to kill. That vulnerability to water just became much more important.

Updated.

So, bump to CR 5?

Yes, I'd bump it.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

All done?

 

[freyar]

Looking good to me, though we should see what Cleon thinks.

 

[Cleon]

I think this is just an example of different editions having different mechanics. I'd much rather match the original flavor than change their basic nature (ie, size) just to match one mechanical issue.

Yes, I'd bump it.

I'd prefer to keep the original mechanics (damage from normal weapons) and fix the size to fit rather than vica-versa. There are some swarm-like entities in AD&D that are functionally immune to weapon damage, but the original Tymher-haid is not one of them.

Still, it wouldn't bother me if you want to drop them to Fine, but it should certainly increase the CR to 5.

Nice catch, freyar! They are supposed to be "1-inch sparks", which is a far cry from Tiny.

Maybe it's a AD&D dungeon movement scale inch, and they are actually ten feet across.

EDIT: Oh yes, the stats look fine to me, so we can declare it finished if you prefer a Fine sized swarm.

 

[Shade]

I'm Fine with it.

Tyerkow
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 6
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: E
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite or 1 weapon
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 or by weapon type ( + 2 for strength)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood drain, charm person, summon rats (only)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Regeneration, special spell and poison immunities
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

A speech- and tool-using, man-eating, undead monster. The tyerkow does not drain life levels, but its bite drains 1-4 hp per round from its charmed victims. It has the same powers of regeneration, summoning, and charming that normal AD&D game vampires have, but it cannot assume gaseous form or shape change. Garlic, holy symbols, holy water, running water, mirrors, and sunlight affect tyerkows just as they do normal vampires. Additionally, taking the skin of a tyerkow and burning it dooms the monster, for it will disintegrate forever at dawn. A tyerkow is a city-dwelling vampire. It can move about normally by day while wearing its skin, even in direct sunlight (though it dislikes doing so). A tyerkow always operates alone, and it has a strength of 18 (nonpercentile).

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #122 (1987).

 

[freyar]

Umm, variant vampire template?

 

[Cleon]

Umm, variant vampire template?

It's a lot weaker than a true vampire. I'd say a regular non-template monster, using the Vampire Spawn as a foundation.

Take the Vampire Spawn, Increase Strength to 18, maybe reduce its Dex or NA since it's only got AD&D AC7, although I would think we should aim for something a tad better than Armour Class 13. Drop the Energy Drain (I'd let it keep Blood Drain though), Damage Reduction and Gaseous Form, Add a reduced form of the Template Vamp's Children of the Night (1d3 rat swarms?) and add a 'skin trick' SQ.

Upon reflection, I'd keep the Vamp Spawn's +3 natural armour and +2 Dex, that's still pretty weak for a 6HD Undead, I could even see tweaking it up to a ghast's +4 NA.

So, 6 Hit Dice, Natural Armour +3, Str 18, Dex 14, Con -, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 14.

Now, I'm guessing the 'skin trick' will let it masquerade as a living creature, but is it the Tyerkow's original skin, or does it steal the skin of a victim?

There's no mention as to how they propagate, make them Create Spawn from creatures they've blood-drained to death?

 

[Shade]

So comparing to vampire template...

SA
Blood drain = unchanged
Children of the night = rat swarms only
Create Spawn = ??
Dominate = unchanged
Energy drain = drop

SQ
Alternate Form = drop
Damage Reduction = unchanged?
Fast Healing = remove the "forced into gaseous form" portion
Gaseous Form = drop
Resistances = unchanged?
Spider Climb = unchanged?
Turn Resistance = unchanged?

Weaknesses
Drop the coffin/stake portions, and give it a special "wear skin" ability to move about in daylight, along with a vulnerability to having its skin destroyed?