Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Updated.

 

[freyar]

Looks good! Done?

 

[Shade]

I think so!

 

[Cleon]

I think so!

Yup, can't see anything wrong with it.

What's up next?

 

[Shade]

Rummele
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (10% chance of 4-16)
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 18"//15"@15"
HIT DICE: 5 + 10
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: F
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Various immunities; never surprised
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Average to very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral or chaotic good
SIZE: M (3’ at shoulder)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VI/550 + 6/hp

Rummeles are from the planes of Gladsheim (see DRAGON® Magazine, issue #90), though they are also found on Limbo, Olympus, and the Prime Material Plane. These canids are good-natured and are particularly friendly toward humans and demi-humans. Though they are somewhat unreliable, rummeles generally mean well.

A rummele can blink as a blink dog does, with the same chance of attacking from behind and the same ability to teleport away entirely. It may also activate the following spell-like powers at will, one per round, at the 6th level of ability: detect evil/good, diminution (as per the potion), enemy detection (as the wand), find the path (or its reverse), haste (once per day), invisibility, polymorph other (once per day), and polymorph self (to humanlike form only). A rummele may also create food and drink and other non-metallic items as a djinni does. A rummele has infravision and ultravision out to 90’, and can regenerate 1 hp per turn. This regenerative power can be transferred to one other being, by touch, for as long as physical contact is maintained.

The rummele is immune to diseases, poisons, effects of the Positive and Negative Material Planes (including life-level draining), and to petrification and polymorph effects. It is immune to certain will-force spells as if it had a 20 wisdom (see the DEITIES & DEMIGODS. Cyclopedia). Its magic resistance is of the uniform sort, equally effective regardless of the level of the spell or its caster; there is always a 30% chance that a spell will fail against it.

These agile creatures can dodge ordinary missiles or knock them out of the air on a roll of 8 or better on 1d20. They have prehensile paws and flexible joints, and may climb walls as 10th-level thieves. If they fall, they take no damage for the first 30’ of the descent, taking normal damage afterwards (4d6 for 40’) etc.). Rummeles cannot be surprised because of their keen senses and high dexterity.

A rummele looks somewhat like a longlimbed, shaggy dog with pendant ears and a long, slender muzzle. Its woolly coat may be of almost any color, and it has shiny black eyes. A rummele’s charisma is 19 with respect to other canids (dogs, wolves, etc.), including intelligent or magical beasts like winter wolves, and it can communicate with any dog, wolf, jackal, or fox. Though it is voiceless in its natural form, the rummele has telepathy (as per the psionic discipline). Because of its fondness for humans and demi-humans, a rummele sometimes travels polymorphed as them. The astute and informed may recognize a polymorphed rummele by its prominent nose and bright black eyes, which are retained even in polymorphed form. If it learns that it has been identified, however, a rummele will almost always leave the area.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #94 (1985).

 

[Shade]

These should be fairly easy. We can probably modify the blink dog's stats (Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11) slightly. Compared to a 2e blink dog, the damage is doubled, Int skews 2 points higher, bonus hp are 8 better, and AC is 1 better.

So maybe Str 18, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13?

It may also activate the following spell-like powers at will, one per round, at the 6th level of ability: detect evil/good, diminution (as per the potion), enemy detection (as the wand), find the path (or its reverse), haste (once per day), invisibility, polymorph other (once per day), and polymorph self (to humanlike form only).

That polymorph self should become change shape, like a genie. Diminution could work like reduce self, but apply to the rummele.

I'm not sure what to do with enemy detection.

A rummele may also create food and drink and other non-metallic items as a djinni does.

That would be...

1/day—create food and water, create wine (as create water, but wine instead), major creation (created vegetable matter is permanent).

A rummele has infravision and ultravision out to 90’, and can regenerate 1 hp per turn. This regenerative power can be transferred to one other being, by touch, for as long as physical contact is maintained.

Darkvision 90 ft. and low-light vision?

I think fast healing makes more sense here than regeneration.

The rummele is immune to diseases, poisons, effects of the Positive and Negative Material Planes (including life-level draining), and to petrification and polymorph effects.

Immunity to death effects, disease, poison, petrification, and polymorph?

Borrow this?

Divine Equilibrium (Ex): Movanic devas are immune to the effects of negative-dominant or positive-dominant planar energy traits (see Chapter 1 in Manual of the Planes).

It is immune to certain will-force spells as if it had a 20 wisdom (see the DEITIES & DEMIGODS. Cyclopedia).

I'll have to look this up.

These agile creatures can dodge ordinary missiles or knock them out of the air on a roll of 8 or better on 1d20.

Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat? Maybe evasion or improved evasion?

They have prehensile paws and flexible joints, and may climb walls as 10th-level thieves. If they fall, they take no damage for the first 30’ of the descent, taking normal damage afterwards (4d6 for 40’) etc.).

We can just give 'em a climb speed for the former, and slow fall like a monk for the latter.

Rummeles cannot be surprised because of their keen senses and high dexterity.

Racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

So is this going to be an outsider or extraplanar magical beast? (My guess would be outsider, since the hell hound, yeth hound, shadow mastiff, vorr, and moon dog all are.)

 

[freyar]

I agree with you on basically everything. I feel like we've done something with or similar to enemy detection recently -- minidragons maybe? Improved evasion, I think.

Edit: ninja'd by GrayLinnorm! Yeah, I guess it seems like it should be an outsider if a shadow mastiff is.

 

[Cleon]

I remember these fellows as having a particularly embarrassing illustration in Dragon's Creature Catalog II.

EDIT: I checked the magazine and its picture's not bad for art of that period, it's certainly better than some of the monster illustrations in that issue! I suspect I got it mixed up with another canine monster. Maybe that dog with hands and a human face that goes around stealing magic items? :ENDEDIT

Anyhow, I'm agreeing with most of the things I see so far. Outsider is the way to go, methinks.

As for the enemy detection, I would give them the psionic power detect hostile intent or a Su power with the same effects.

 

[freyar]

Detect hostile intent or similar Su makes a lot of sense to me.