Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[freyar]

I don't really like the combination of an attack roll and a save, which is why I suggested the critical hit mechanic. But if we do one or the other, I guess I'd go with Cleon's suggestion of just the save (Fort or Ref is fine).

 

[Cleon]

I don't really like the combination of an attack roll and a save, which is why I suggested the critical hit mechanic. But if we do one or the other, I guess I'd go with Cleon's suggestion of just the save (Fort or Ref is fine).

Well how close do we want to be to the original model? If we wanted a close match to the original it'd be a ranged touch for 2d8 poison damage (Fort save to half) which also blinds on a critical if the Fort save is missed (and it probably does double damage like most crits).

That'd be something like:

Acid Spit (Ex) #1: Once per day, a tzakandi can spit a ball of poisonous, corrosive saliva with a range of 30 feet, as a ranged touch attack. This attack deals 2d8 points of acid damage on a successful hit (DC X Fort save for half damage). On a successful critical hit, the target takes double damage, as per a normal critical hit, and in addition is blinded for 1d6 rounds if it fails the Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

That's a bit fiddly but is a close match to the original attack. The "just a save" version would be:

Acid Spit (Ex) #2: Once per day, a tzakandi can spit a ball of caustic saliva with a range of 30 feet, as a ranged touch attack. On a successful hit, the target takes 2d8 points of acid damage and must succeed at a DC X saving throw or be blinded for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Or we've got the "crit & save" version proposed by Shade:

Acid Spit (Ex) #3: Once per day, a tzakandi can spit a ball of caustic saliva with a range of 30 feet, as a ranged touch attack. This attack deals 2d8 points of acid damage on a successful hit. On a successful critical hit, the target is also blinded for 1d6 rounds unless it succeeds on a DC X Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Of the three I think I prefer #2, since (a) it's simpler and (b) is the most likely to be effective. These things only get one use of this attack, so I think it should count!

 

[Shade]

Yeah, #2 is best.

Updated. Finished?

 

[freyar]

I think so.

 

[Shade]

Here's the other ceremorph from that article:

Ceremorph, Mozgriken
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Community
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore (Brain Fluids)
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: None
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 9
HIT DICE: 4
THAC0: 19
NO. ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Psionics
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Psionics
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
SIZE: S (3')
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XPVALUE: 650

Psionics Summary:
Level: 5
Dis/Sci/Dev: 2/2/9
Att/Def: EW, MT/MB, TC
Score: =Int
PSPs: 3d6+30

Player's Option: #AT 1; MTHAC0 14; MAC 8

Telepathy-Sciences: probe; Devotions: conceal thoughts, invisibility, sight link, life detection, ESP
Psychometabolism-Sciences: metamorphosis, shadow form (bonus power, does not take up a slot); Devotions: cannibalize, chameleon, heightened senses, body weaponry

The hideous, diminutive ceremorphs known as mozgriken are the targets of constant scorn despite their usefulness. Although they can often infiltrate an enemy's camp, they are treated poorly because of their origin: they were once deep gnomes. Mozgriken are as small as their gnomish precursors. They have hunched backs and twisted limbs. Their heads resemble those of normal mind flayers save that they have only three tendrils and no mouth. This is a serious deformity to illithids, as mozgriken cannot ingest brains in the normal manner. Their skin is pitch black, and their tendrils appear to be nothing more than wisps of shadow, fading into nothingness at the tips. The mozgriken are tied to the Demiplane of Shadow and draw their formidable stealth from it.

Combat: Made meek by the harsh rule of their creators, mozgriken avoid combat whenever possible. They use their psionic powers of shadow form, invisibility, chameleon, and metamorphosis to hide among their foes and glean bits of vital information through the use of their other abilities, most notably sight link and probe. They are sent into enemy encampments for any number of tasks, such as estimating the size and strength of the foe, discovering their battle plans, and estimating the treasure that can be captured. If detected, mozgriken do everything in their power to escape, but if pressed into battle they can use their psionic attack forms and the body weaponry power. Even when they gain momentary advantage over their foes, mozgriken are more likely to seek escape over anything else.

Habitat/Society: Because of the hatred between illithids and svirfneblin, mozgriken find little respect within an illithid community. Compounding the bias against them is the fact that they've only three tentacles, a sign of imperfection, and can draw sustenance only from the fluids of the brain. They've eventually come to accept illithid rule because they know there is no other race in the Underdark that would take them in. Even if they all united, they would be too weak to survive.

Ecology: Gnomish body chemistry normally rejects attempts at larval implantation, often killing both illithid larva and the potential host. However, the Creative Breed has discovered that by using the very rare psychoportive science, summon planar energy (see The Will and The Way) to channel the essence of the Derniplane of Shadow along with a complicated process of psychic surgery and various psionic enhancement techniques, a gnome implantation can be stabilized and the ceremorph can gain a measure of power directly from the demiplane. The larvae chosen for gnomish implantation are usually the smallest, most timid specimens in the brine pool, fodder for the elder brain. Many gnomes and larvae die during the ceremorphosis, but since both are seen as inferior and expendable to the Illithid Empire, mozgriken transformation is seen as a nice alternative to simple extermination due to the effective servants the process creates.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #255 (1999).

 

[freyar]

Sweet! Modify mind flayer physical stats by svirfneblin racial modifiers?

 

[Cleon]

Sweet! Modify mind flayer physical stats by svirfneblin racial modifiers?

Sounds a good start.

These fellows are pretty close to being "half strength" illithids with powers focusing on stealth and infiltration.

Do we want to give them any other traits of an SRD Svirfneblin? Their 120 foot darkvision and low-light vision would seem a good fit, as does their stonecunning, continuous nondetection power, dodge bonus to AC and racial bonus to Hide.

I'm also wondering whether we should do something with their "direct link" to the shadow plane beyond just giving them shadow form as a bonus psionic power like the original.

Maybe just give them a Shadow Mastiff's Shadow Blend power?

 

[freyar]

I think the 120ft darkvision, low-light vision, and possibly nondetection. I think the stonecutting, dodge bonus, and Hide bonus are more cultural things (though it seems like mozgriken should have a Hide bonus anyway). Shadow blend is a definite maybe, depending on whether we think that's too far from the source material.

Anyone want to convert those psionic powers? SLA/PLAs again?

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

The psionics and psi-like abilities are currently just placeholders copied from the previous ceremorph.

I don't mind shadow blend, although a straight up racial bonus to Hide, which improves in areas of shadowy illumination, would probably work too.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm, I think I like the improved Hide bonus slightly better, but I don't have a strong opinion.