Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Sounds like a good plan. Definitely yes on claws.

 

[Cleon]

If we don't mind deviating from the original version, I wouldn't mind increasing Int and Cha both to 18.

As for wear skeleton, yup, I'm ready. Seems like it should grant a +5 natural armor bonus. Maybe the visceraith should only have a land speed if wearing a skeleton, too. And, finally, some skeletons grant bite or claw attacks. If that sounds right, I'll write it up.

I don;t see anything in the original text that suggests a "naked" visceraith doesn't have a land speed.

Something like:

Wear Skeleton (Ex): A visceraith can inhabit the skeleton of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature of its own size. While wearing a skeleton, a visceraith gains a +5 natural armour and two claw attacks (doing 1d4 damage for a Medium-sized visceraith). A skeleton-wearing visceraith can use the skeleton to wield weapons and perform other physical actions.

 

[freyar]

Well, the land speed business was just because they're a mass of dangling organs without appendages. What about a compromise for a 20 ft land speed "naked" and 30 ft with a skeleton? It just makes more sense to me that they could get around better with legs. We also need to add the possibility of a bite attack and increase the claws to 1d6 (per the original). And add a blurb about putting on and taking off the skeleton. Here's a go at it:

Wear Skeleton (Ex): A visceraith can inhabit the skeleton of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature of its own size. While wearing a skeleton, a visceraith gains a +5 natural armour, a 10 ft increase in land speed, and two claw attacks (doing 1d6 damage for a Medium-sized visceraith). A skeleton-wearing visceraith can use the skeleton to wield weapons and perform other physical actions. A visceraith requires 1 minute to don a skeleton but only a full round action to remove itself.

Some visceraiths wear alternative skeletons. For example, a visceraith that uses a skull from a creature with a natural bite attack gains a bite attack (1d8 damage?).

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Let's also put this in the "spells" entry to prevent confusion:

When wearing a skeleton, a visceraith uses its skeletal limbs to perform somatic components for spells; however, a visceraith without a skeleton can still perform somatic components perfectly by manipulating its internal organs.

 

[Cleon]

Well, the land speed business was just because they're a mass of dangling organs without appendages. What about a compromise for a 20 ft land speed "naked" and 30 ft with a skeleton? It just makes more sense to me that they could get around better with legs. We also need to add the possibility of a bite attack and increase the claws to 1d6 (per the original). And add a blurb about putting on and taking off the skeleton. Here's a go at it:

Wear Skeleton (Ex): A visceraith can inhabit the skeleton of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature of its own size. While wearing a skeleton, a visceraith gains a +5 natural armour, a 10 ft increase in land speed, and two claw attacks (doing 1d6 damage for a Medium-sized visceraith). A skeleton-wearing visceraith can use the skeleton to wield weapons and perform other physical actions. A visceraith requires 1 minute to don a skeleton but only a full round action to remove itself.

Some visceraiths wear alternative skeletons. For example, a visceraith that uses a skull from a creature with a natural bite attack gains a bite attack (1d8 damage?).

I would rather keep them with the same speed in both forms. Maybe they use their supernatural flight to augment their land speed when moving around "naked"?

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Let's also put this in the "spells" entry to prevent confusion:

When wearing a skeleton, a visceraith uses its skeletal limbs to perform somatic components for spells; however, a visceraith without a skeleton can still perform somatic components perfectly by manipulating its internal organs.

Looks OK, although I'm tempted to jazz up the last bit:

When wearing a skeleton, a visceraith uses its skeletal limbs to perform somatic components for spells; however, a visceraith without a skeleton can still perform somatic components perfectly by gesturing with its viscera.

 

[freyar]

I like the jazzing to the spells. You have a gift for description.

I think we're going to need to appeal to Shade on the movement speeds.

 

[Cleon]

I like the jazzing to the spells. You have a gift for description.

I just write what my gut instinct tells me to.

I think we're going to need to appeal to Shade on the movement speeds.

Looks that way. At least with three people we had a tie-breaker!

 

[Shade]

I got the impression that they didn't have a land speed in "organs only" form.

Do you think they should be able to fly while wearing a skeleton?

 

[Cleon]

I got the impression that they didn't have a land speed in "organs only" form.

Do you think they should be able to fly while wearing a skeleton?

Where did you get that idea from?

I don't see anything in the description to suggest its movement modes are limited to either "bone wearing" and "naked gut" forms, so I'm sticking to fly and land speeds for both forms.

 

[Shade]

MOVEMENT: 12 or Fly 9 (D)

My justification: In previous editions, "or" was never used on Movement lines except for strange cases like this, where the creature had more than one form.

Besides, I think it's more fun if the skeleton form can't fly. <shrug>

 

[freyar]

Well, that's an interesting tidbit. I'm less concerned about the skeleton form flying, but I can see the appeal of dropping flight in that case. Neat flavor.