Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Shade]

Here's the next one, by request!

Death Minnow
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Ocean depths
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE:Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 1 0
MOVEMENT: Swim 22
HIT DICE: 6
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 0
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Swallow whole, magic
SPECIAL DEFENSES: High agility
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: T to L (2” to 8’)
MORALE: Elite (20)
XP VALUE: 2,000

The death minnow is a bright orange fish only 2” in length (and the only completely magical invention in this article).

It is a magical extrapolation of the normal fishes of the ocean depths, created by some powerful, but unknown undersea sorcerers. (Aboleth? Sahuagin? The aquatic elf version of the drow? Who knows?) A potent guardian of undersea lairs and treasure troves, this critter is guaranteed to drive your players crazy. It relies on lateral lines to detect its prey.

Combat: The death minnow’s creators— whoever they were — incorporated into the fish an innate magical ability equivalent to the reversible spell enlarge/reduce. Simply put, this little fish can swim up to a creature of Size M or smaller, looking as innocuous as can be, then suddenly enlarge itself to the size of a giant angler fish, swallow the surprised victim with a single gulp, and then reduce both itself and the victim to minute size again. If no one else in the party is looking in the victim’s direction at the time (remember, there is apparently nothing large enough to be a threat in the vicinity), then the target will seem to have simply disappeared without a trace.

The act of swallowing itself causes no damage, as the victim is drawn into the fish’s mouth by suction. Once inside, however, he suffers 1d6 hp damage from his captor’s digestive juices until he either dies or is rescued. As always, striking weapons do full damage to the victim as well as their intended target. However, even bloated with prey, the death minnow can easily dodge most blows. Once the fish is slain (an ingrained magical instinct prevents it from releasing its prey under any circumstances), the victim instantly returns to normal size. And if any quick-witted mages are present in the party, casting dispel magic on the death minnow will cause it to grow back to its “monster size” of 8’, making it a far easier target.

Habitat/Society: There are no “wild” populations of death minnows. These are magical guard beasts, nothing more, and as they are created magically, they do not need to breed. In fact, it is uncertain if they even have male and female sexes.

Ecology: The death minnow serves no role in a natural ecology, except to ensure that the immediate vicinity around the spot it is set to guard doesn’t have any. If the party can kill one, its blood may be used as an ingredient in the ink used for penning enlarge or reduce spells on scrolls. If, instead, someone wants to return the swallowing favor by eating it, it tastes remarkably like kippered herring.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #235 (1996).

 

[Cleon]

Good idea. Updated.

That should be enough.

 

[Cleon]

Here's the next one, by request!

Death Minnow

Good!

This little fishy has been one of my favourites for a long time, and inspired me to create a similar monster I really must stat up in 3.5 some time.

Diminutive or Fine for the "Minnow Form"? I'm thinking Fine, just to make it that much funnier.

[When I first typed the previous sentence it had a "finnier" typo in it that I was badly tempted to leave in, but my grammatical punctiliousness got the better of me. ]

 

[Shade]

Diminutive or Fine for the "Minnow Form"? I'm thinking Fine, just to make it that much funnier.

Fine would be fin...er, acceptable.

[When I first typed the previous sentence it had a "finnier" typo in it that I was badly tempted to leave in, but my grammatical punctiliousness got the better of me. ]

'tis a shame. It'd been a halibut lot funnier if you hadn't floundered.

 

[Cleon]

'tis a shame. It'd been a halibut lot funnier if you hadn't floundered.

Don't you mean a halibut lot finnier?

I think I'll start a Working Draft.

I'll use our Giant Angler Fish conversion as the basis for the "Monster Size" death minnow, since it describes the beast as such.

 

[Cleon]

Death Minnow Working Draft

Death Minnow

Death Minnow, Minnow Form
Fine Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+8 size, +7 Dex), touch 25, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-15* (+15 with swallow whole)
Attack: Bite +15 melee (improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (improved grab)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, size-switching, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +5
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 24, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +23, Listen +11*, Move Silently +8, Spot +11*, Swim +15
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Fine); 13-24 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: —

Death Minnow, Monster Form
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus improved grab)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, size-switching, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -2, Listen +11*, Move Silently +3, Spot +11*, Swim +13
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

A bright orange fish the size of a human's little finger.

Death minnows are an artificial creature, fashioned by unknown undersea spellcasters to guard their wealth and secrets. There are no "wild" populations of death minnows, they are only ever encountered guarding a site or object. Death minnows are living fish but do not (or cannot) breed. They are created magically instead. Indeed, it is uncertain whether they even have male and female sexes.

Death minnows will attack any dangerous intruder who enters an area they're set to guard, whether animal predator or adventurers. They can go for extraordinary lengths of time between meals, since they can have the appetite of a minnow and the stomach capacity of a giant angler fish.

This magical beast has the supernatural ability to shrink to the size of a minnow, together with anything it has swallowed. Its natural size is a monstrous fish resembling a giant grouper, with the ugly head and protruding lips of an angler fish; this monster form is typically 8 feet long and weighs about 500 pounds. In minnow form it averages 2 inches long and weighs a fraction of an ounce.

COMBAT
A death minnow masquerades as innocuous looking little fish, switching to monstrous size for the split-second it needs to attack, then instantly shrinking again. A death minnow seek to gulp down intruders one by one; trying to swim up behind an victim and swallow them when none of their allies are watching. If a death minnow fails to swallow a victim it will usually release them and shrink to Fine-size rather than remain in monster form and make another attempt the next round, since this reduces its exposure to attack.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a death minnow must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can immediately attempt to swallow the foe as a free action.

Size-Switching (Su): A death minnow can instantaneously switch its size as often and whenever it desires, switching between a Fine-sized minnow and a Large-sized monstrous fish. Anything the death minnow swallows in monster form will be reduced in size when the fish shrinks to Fine size.

The Large-sized form is the death minnow's natural size; thus, a true seeing spell will reveal the minnow in its Large monster form. If a death minnow is slain while in minnow form it reverts to its natural size, together with anything it had swallowed. A swallowed opponent interacts with the death minnow as if both are their natural sizes. Further, a victim who escapes being swallowed instantanly reverts to natural size.

If a dispel magic or break enchantment spell is targeted at a death minnow, it must succeed at a Will save or be forced to assume its monster form for 2d6 rounds. A death minnow within an anti-magic area is similarly forced to take its monster form.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A death minnow can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than its monster form by making a successful grapple check. A death minnow always uses its monster form's grapple modifier to make swallow whole checks, since it switches to its larger size for the brief moment it makes the swallowing attempt. This attack is so sudden the victim just seems to vanish. Any creature able to see the victim must succeed at a Spot check against a DC of 30 to notice the death minnow appear and swallow its opponent (DC 10 if the observer is closely watching the victim during the swallowing); those who fail this Spot check did not see why the minnow's victim just vanished.

Once swallowed, the opponent takes 2d6+7 points of crushing damage plus 6 points of acid damage per round from the minnow's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 10). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large death minnow's interior can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, 128 Diminutive, or 512 Fine opponents.

Skills: A death minnow has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. Death minnows use either their Dexterity or Strength modifier for Swim checks, whichever is better.

*A death minnow has pressure-sensitive lateral lines that grant it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.

 

[freyar]

Ok, that's just hilarious! More later...

 

[Cleon]

Ok, that's just hilarious! More later...

Curious, I thought it was a perfectly sensible monster.

Where did the spaces after the colons disappear to from the stats?

I'd better fix those.

Time to think of some feats, methink...

Alertness, Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes is the first selection that comes to mind.

EDIT: Scrub that, it will usually use its Fine forms 24 Dex.

Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will?

I'm thinking it should also have a regular bite attack, for when it can't or won't use its Gulp. Maybe 1d8 damage?

Oh, and should we increase its Wisdom and Charisma? It's a guard beast, so would benefit from an ability bonus to sense skills and Will saves, and it has a supernatural power that implies a better Cha.

Wis 12, Cha 12?

 

[Cleon]

They could do with some rules mechanism as to how they swallow a victim without anyone noticing.

How's this?:

Swallow Whole (Ex) A death minnow can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than its monster form by making a successful grapple check. A death minnow always uses its monster form's grapple modifier to make swallow whole checks, since it switches to its larger size for the brief moment it makes the swallowing attempt. This attack is so quick that a death minnow can swallow a victim without anyone noticing, provided it succeeds in a Sleight of Hand check opposed by the observer's Spot check. The minnow's Sleight of Hand check has a -20 penalty if the observer is closely watching the victim during the swallowing. Once inside, the opponent takes X points of crushing damage plus Y points of acid damage per round from the minnow's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 10). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large death minnow's interior can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, 128 Diminutive, or 512 Fine opponents.

 

[Shade]

Ok, that's just hilarious! More later...

Curious, I thought it was a perfectly sensible monster.

Perfectly sensible hilarity!

Time to think of some feats, methink...

Alertness, Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes is the first selection that comes to mind.

EDIT: Scrub that, it will usually use its Fine forms 24 Dex.

Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will?

Combat Reflexes doesn't offer much, since it lacks reach. I'd prefer something more often beneficial, like Weapon Focus (bite).

I'm thinking it should also have a regular bite attack, for when it can't or won't use its Gulp. Maybe 1d8 damage?

Agreed. I'm not sure I like "gulp". Why not stick with a bite attack with the usual swallow whole mechanics? If we do decide on something other than bite/grab/swallow, I suppose this precedent is closest...

Gulp (Ex): A leviathan can swallow a Huge or smaller creature by making a successful bite attack. The monster's interior contains a mass of surging water. Each swallowed creature must make a Swim check (DC 15) every round. Success means the swallowed creature takes 1d3 points of subdual damage but can attack the leviathan from inside with any weapon other than a bow or crossbow. Failure means the swallowed creature takes 1d6 points of subdual damage and must immediately make a second Swim check (DC 15) to avoid going underwater and starting to drown. Anyone attacking the leviathan from the inside hits automatically. If the leviathan takes 50 points of damage from the inside, it disgorges the entire contents of its stomach.

Oh, and should we increase its Wisdom and Charisma? It's a guard beast, so would benefit from an ability bonus to sense skills and Will saves, and it has a supernatural power that implies a better Cha.

Wis 12, Cha 12?

Yes to the Wis, Cha could probably 10.

They could do with some rules mechanism as to how they swallow a victim without anyone noticing.

How's this?:

Swallow Whole (Ex) A death minnow can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than its monster form by making a successful grapple check. A death minnow always uses its monster form's grapple modifier to make swallow whole checks, since it switches to its larger size for the brief moment it makes the swallowing attempt. This attack is so quick that a death minnow can swallow a victim without anyone noticing, provided it succeeds in a Sleight of Hand check opposed by the observer's Spot check. The minnow's Sleight of Hand check has a -20 penalty if the observer is closely watching the victim during the swallowing. Once inside, the opponent takes X points of crushing damage plus Y points of acid damage per round from the minnow's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 10). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large death minnow's interior can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, 128 Diminutive, or 512 Fine opponents.

Not sure about Sleight of Hand for a fish. It makes sense thematically, but feels like an odd skill choice here. I'm not sure I've got a better suggestion, though.