Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

OK, I'm now convinced of the grass camoflauge.

So 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con for primary and secondary, or 1d6 Con/1d6 Dex?

 

[freyar]

Let's do 1d3 of each both times. I like that.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Skills: 10 ranks
Current modifiers look like this: Balance +8, Climb +12, Hide +6*, Jump +20, Move Silently +8, Spot +5

Feats: 3

Environment: Warm plains (like a lion)?

Treasure: x
Type B looks like standard treasure.

Alignment: Always chaotic neutral?

Advancement: x

 

[Cleon]

The physical description is

Given the golden fur and tarantula-like description for the thorax and abdomen, I'm ok with the racial bonus. Of course, we also mean dry, yellowish grass even for the lion part, which makes even more sense for me with the tarantula.

Glad we agree.

Poison damage sounds like Con plus a progressive web effect (or we could make it Con and Dex). At 7HD, we could do 1d6/1d6 Con.

Why the progressive Dex effect? Isn't it their solidifying webs that gradually restrict their victim's mobility, while their venom just kills and liquefies?

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Skills: 10 ranks
Current modifiers look like this: Balance +8, Climb +12, Hide +6*, Jump +20, Move Silently +8, Spot +5

3 skill points apiece in Hide & Move Silently and 4 points in Spot?

Feats: 3

The original has a potent (-2 save) venom, so Ability Focus (poison) would make sense.

Lions have Alertness and Run, so we could give it one or both of those. Run seems surplus to requirements though, since it has such a high speed. I'd be happy to swap it for something more combat-worthy.

Maybe something that exploits their high Dex - Weapon Finesse? Combat Reflexes? Improved Initiative (like a Phase Spider?)

Weapon Finesse is the most all-round useful, since it improves all its attacks by 2.

I'm not that enamoured of Alertness either, and wouldn't mind Multiattack instead.

Ability Focus (poison), Multiattack, Weapon Finesse ?

Environment: Warm plains (like a lion)?

Treasure: x
Type B looks like standard treasure.

Alignment: Always chaotic neutral?

Standard treasure and Always CN is fine by me.

Advancement: x

I currently don't have strong feelings about any particular advancement.

 

[freyar]

Why the progressive Dex effect? Isn't it their solidifying webs that gradually restrict their victim's mobility, while their venom just kills and liquefies?

You know, I was confused when I read the poison before and mixed it up with the web. Should we somehow revise the web (to make it progressively harder to escape) and poison back to Con damage only (adding liquification maybe)?

Cleon's skills and feats sound good to me.

Advance it like a lion: 8-13HD (Large)?

 

[Shade]

I'm not real fond of the "solidifying webs", as it will result in a clunky mechanic. I think the Con and Dex damage poison is a reasonable replacement. But I'll bow to the majority if that's what you all prefer.

If the creature's main niche was that it created stony webs or something similar that explained the need for the solidifying webs, I'd be more amenable to the concept, even if it will be a pain to implement. But since this creature is essentially just a variant griffon (blending spider rather than hawk), and the base creatures have nothing similar, this ability feels tacked-on.

If we do go that route, we should model it off the thorciasid.

The liquefication could be mimiced with the usual "can't be raised" mechanic, and is probably reasonable at its CR like the barghest.

 

[Cleon]

You know, I was confused when I read the poison before and mixed it up with the web. Should we somehow revise the web (to make it progressively harder to escape) and poison back to Con damage only (adding liquification maybe)?

Cleon's skills and feats sound good to me.

Advance it like a lion: 8-13HD (Large)?

I'd like it to advance a size, so perhaps 8-13HD (Large); 14-21 (Huge)?

 

[Cleon]

I'm not real fond of the "solidifying webs", as it will result in a clunky mechanic. I think the Con and Dex damage poison is a reasonable replacement. But I'll bow to the majority if that's what you all prefer.

I'll go along with whatever the majority fancies regarding the Solidifying Web. It makes little difference to me.

The liquefication could be mimiced with the usual "can't be raised" mechanic, and is probably reasonable at its CR like the barghest.

That's what I'd go for, maybe with a liquefaction onset time so it can be slowed or prevented by delay poison or neutralize poison.

 

[demiurge1138]

I'd rather not have the solidifying webs, but I do like the liquification foiling raise dead. Not ressurection, though. If disintegrated ashes count for ressurection, so should a bucket full of PC.

I do agree with Cleon's feat suggestions.