Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Pyschic Pandemonium (Sp): This psionic attack delivers a massive assault on the thought pathways of a single target within 60 feet. The victim takes 6d10 points of damage. A successful DC X Will save halves the damage. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +3 racial bonus. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell.

The racial bonus is to emulate the augmented save DC due to manifester level.

Also, I was mistaken. The illithid's mind blast ability is Sp, not Su, emulated above.

To "Pandemoniumize" it, how about adding a secondary effect of confusion for 2d4+1 rounds if the save is failed? This would emulate many of the wind effects on Pandemonium.

 

[freyar]

This all looks good, including the confusion. But then I think we're going past the equivalent of a 1st level spell.

 

[Shade]

Good point, although I see no problem with making the equivalent of a higher-level spell.

 

[RavinRay]

Late comment on the scintillating effect from the wings; it's reminiscent of the 2e mercury dragon's blinding wings and the scintillating scales of many neutral dragons.

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, seeing as it's augmented to 6th manifester level, it should be the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. Also, mind thrust is save-for-none.

 

[Shade]

Revising...

Psychic Pandemonium (Sp): This psionic attack delivers a massive assault on the thought pathways of a single target within 60 feet. The victim takes 6d10 points of damage (no save) and is confused for 2d4+1 rounds (DC X Will negates). The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +3 racial bonus. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.


Should we limit it to once every 1d4 rounds, or maybe 3/day?

 

[Cleon]

Revising...

Psychic Pandemonium (Sp): This psionic attack delivers a massive assault on the thought pathways of a single target within 60 feet. The victim takes 6d10 points of damage (no save) and is confused for 2d4+1 rounds (DC X Will negates). The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +3 racial bonus. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.


Should we limit it to once every 1d4 rounds, or maybe 3/day?

6d10 no save is too high surely, it would rarely use any other attack. I'd cut the damage to 1d10 and make it an at-will.

 

[demiurge1138]

Not no save, save-for-none. As in, a successful save negates the effect.

 

[Cleon]

Not no save, save-for-none. As in, a successful save negates the effect.

Yes, that's how Mind Thrust works, but the description of Psychic Pandemonium says "6d10 points of damage (no save)", which doesn't say save-for-none to me.

It looks like it needs rewriting to something like:

Psychic Pandemonium (Sp): This psionic attack delivers a massive assault on the thought pathways of a single target within 60 feet. The victim takes 6d10 points of damage and is confused for 2d4+1 rounds, a DC X Will save negates both effects. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +3 racial bonus. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

 

[freyar]

Save negates sounds right.