Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Cleon]

What about three or four basic stat blocks with positive levels? Or just reduce the number of steps?

Well the original only really needed seven stat-lines, since it goes in reverse for the last six.

I'll try that code trick:

[FONT=Courier New][SIZE=1][B][FONT=&quot][FONT=Courier New]-------Hit----hit-------------------------------------BAB/----Bite------Web------Saves[/FONT]
 [FONT=Courier New][U]Stage-Dice--points--Size-Space/Reach--AC-touch-flat-Grapple-Atk-&-Dam--range--For/Ref/Wil-Hide*[web][/U][/FONT][/FONT][/B][FONT=&quot][FONT=Courier New]
--[B][I]1[/I][/B]---3-HD---[B][I]—-[/I][/B](22)--S---5-ft./5-ft.--16---14---13---+3/–1---+7--1d3---25-ft.--+6/+6/+6----+17*[[I]+21[/I]]
--[B][I]2[/I][/B]---4-HD--[B][I]+10[/I][/B](32)--S---5-ft./5-ft.--17---14---14---+4/+2---+8--1d4---25-ft.--+7/+7/+7----+17*[[I]+21[/I]]
--[B][I]3[/I][/B]---5-HD--[B][I]+20[/I][/B](42)--M---5-ft./5-ft.--18---13---15---+5/+5---+9--1d6---50-ft.--+7/+7/+7----+13*[[I]+17[/I]]
--[B][I]4[/I][/B]---6-HD--[B][I]+30[/I][/B](52)--M---5-ft./5-ft.--19---13---16---+6/+8--+10--1d8---50-ft.--+8/+8/+8----+13*[[I]+17[/I]]
--[B][I]5[/I][/B]---7-HD--[B][I]+40[/I][/B](62)--L--10-ft./10ft.--20---12---17---+7/+11-+11-1d10---75-ft.--+8/+8/+8-----+9*[[I]+13[/I]][/FONT][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=1][FONT=&quot][FONT=Courier New]
-[/FONT][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=1][FONT=&quot][FONT=Courier New]-[B][I]6[/I][/B]---8-HD--[B][I]+50[/I][/B](72)--L--10-ft./10ft.--21---12---18---+8/+14-+12--2d6---75-ft.--+9/+9/+9-----+9*[[I]+13[/I]][/FONT][FONT=Courier New]
--[B][I]7[/I][/B]---9-HD--[B][I]+60[/I][/B](82)--H--15-ft./15ft.--22---11---19---+9/+17-+13--2d8--100-ft.--+9/+9/+9------+5*[[I]+9[/I]][/FONT][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]

Yup, that looks better.

 

[Cleon]

It looks like they start out Tiny and end up Huge. How about we just increase size with each rebirth, and give it a set number of HD at eac size?

Thus, it starts out 3 HD and Tiny, comes back the first time as 5 HD and Small, then 6 HD Medium, 8 HD Large, and finally 10 HD Huge? Then, the DM can simply switch to a new stat block with each rebirth, and not worry about any additional number-crunching?[/quote]

A smaller number of growth stages should make things easier, so we might as well try that.

In my conversion I had the phoenix spider start out at Small with 3 HD and go up a size with every 2 extra HD and maxing out at 9 HD, just for a smoother progression, but I would like a version which went up to 10 HD in whole size steps.

I would still prefer it to start out Small, e.g.:

Small - 3HD
Medium - 5HD
Large - 7 HD
Huge - 10 HD

 

[Shade]

I'm fine with starting Small.

 

[freyar]

That size/HD progression works for me. And it will make it a lot less complicated.

 

[Shade]

We can use the bebelith's ability scores as inspiration for the Huge version, then work our way down to Small.

Bebilith: Str 28, Dex 12, Con 26, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 13

Int is only low (5-7). I also imagine the phoenix spiders a bit less strong and a little more dexterous.

So maybe Str 24, Dex 16, Con 26, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11?

 

[demiurge1138]

Those ability scores look good for the final version. Maybe lower Con a bit, to 22-24.

 

[Shade]

Sure thing. It's not like they have to fear death (at least the first few).

 

[Cleon]

That size/HD progression works for me. And it will make it a lot less complicated.

It has the added advantage that a fewer number of steps means they're less tedious in play, with a maximum of six rebirths instead of twelve, and it has a better chance of reaching Large or Huge size before the adventurers figure out a way to kill it permanently.

 

[Cleon]

We can use the bebelith's ability scores as inspiration for the Huge version, then work our way down to Small.

Bebilith: Str 28, Dex 12, Con 26, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 13

Int is only low (5-7). I also imagine the phoenix spiders a bit less strong and a little more dexterous.

So maybe Str 24, Dex 16, Con 26, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11?

I agree with Demiurge's preference for dropping the Constitution by 2-4. Are you using standard Advancement increases to the stats? That would give it about Strength 4, Constitution 14 (or 12) at Small, e.g.:

Huge - Str 24, Dex 16, Con 24
Large - Str 16, Dex 18, Con 20
Medium - Str 8, Dex 20, Con 16
Small - Str 4, Dex 22, Con 14

I'd be tempted to give it an Advancement more like the Monstrous Spiders (+4 Strength and +2 Con per size, no change to Dex), and start the Strength at 10 for a Small Phoenix Spider, something like:

Huge - Str 22, Dex 17?, Con 24
Large - Str 18, Dex 17?, Con 20
Medium - Str 14, Dex 17?, Con 18
Small - Str 10, Dex 17?, Con 14

 

[freyar]

I could go either way on that. There is something sensible about using the monstrous spider advancement, though.