Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Cleon]

That's how I see my job here.

I can go with that kind of racial bonus. I see that you've added a feat selection to it, too. But, truthfully, I'd prefer something like Snatch or Awesome Blow to both of those feats.

There's nothing in the original description to suggest that Super-Eels are COMBAT MONSTERS!, but I'll give you Snatch and Awesome Blow if we increase the racial bonus to Stealth skills.

Say, +4 to MS and +8 to Hide (with +12 in weeds)?

 

[freyar]

There's not much to suggest these are much of anything.

Anyway, we can't add Awesome Blow without Improved Bull Rush. Tell you what, I'll give you the +8 Hide (+12 in weeds) and Stealthy if you'll use Snatch for the last feat.

 

[Cleon]

There's not much to suggest these are much of anything.

Anyway, we can't add Awesome Blow without Improved Bull Rush. Tell you what, I'll give you the +8 Hide (+12 in weeds) and Stealthy if you'll use Snatch for the last feat.

Erm, what's the point in Snatch when they have all Constrict, Chew and Improved Grab special attacks?

 

[freyar]

You can throw things for damage if you have Snatch! But if you don't like that, what about a save booster like Iron Will?

 

[Cleon]

You can throw things for damage if you have Snatch! But if you don't like that, what about a save booster like Iron Will?

Neither of those seem terribly eel-like, but I find the Iron Will the less objectionable of those two.

 

[freyar]

Would you prefer Lightning Reflexes? That seems sort of eelish.

 

[Cleon]

Would you prefer Lightning Reflexes? That seems sort of eelish.

Yeah, and it'd go well with the Improved Initiative.

So, we're talking something like:

Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Stealthy
Racial Bonuses: +4 Move Silently, +8 Hide (+12 Hide in weeds)
Skills Ranks: Hide 4, Listen 4, Move Silently 4, Spot 4
Skills: Hide +7 (+11 in weeds), Listen 7, Move Silently +7, Spot +7

 

[freyar]

Yes, let's do that.

CR 6 seems a bit low compared to the giant squid or giant constrictor snake. Or the remorhaz. Shouldn't we boost it a bit; it has a lot of hp and decent special attacks.

 

[Cleon]

Yes, let's do that.

Updating the Super Eel Working Draft.

CR 6 seems a bit low compared to the giant squid or giant constrictor snake. Or the remorhaz. Shouldn't we boost it a bit; it has a lot of hp and decent special attacks.

Well I am game for making it CR 7 but wouldn't admit anything higher than that. The CR 6 was just an initial rough estimate.

The Giant Constrictor snake is CR 5, and the Super-Eel isn't that much better, so I wouldn't consider more than 1-2 CR higher. It's special attacks are pretty much the same. Sure it's got lots of hit points, but its superior saves are as strong an argument for a better CR. That good Will save for being Dire can make a significant difference.

A Giant Squid tends to be a lot nastier in a fight due to its multiple attacks and long reach giving it an impressive damage capacity. The Remorhaz is a better comparison - it may have less HPs, but its heat aura gives it a better damage output and an impressive weapon-melting special defense.

Hmm, shall we make it CR 7 then?

 

[freyar]

I'd go with CR 7. Crush ship isn't so bad itself.

 

[Cleon]

I'd go with CR 7. Crush ship isn't so bad itself.

That depends whether you're a ship.

Updating the Super Eel Working Draft.

We just need a bit of background text and we can move on to the next one.

 

[freyar]

Working draft.

You want to put in some flavor about cryptozoology?

 

[Cleon]

Working draft.

You want to put in some flavor about cryptozoology?

Maybe a bit. I don't want to overburden the Super-Eel with fluff because they have very little to start with. I guess we should mention the "giant elver".

 

[freyar]

I await your fluff text. I don't have a lot to say about these.

 

[Cleon]

I await your fluff text. I don't have a lot to say about these.

Your wait is over!

An enormous eel, at least ten times longer than a human is tall.

A super eel resembles a conger eel or moray eel of titanic size. They are secretive beasts who are so seldom seen that many surface-dwellers consider them legends or sailor's lies. Super eels prefer warmer waters and are most often found roaming open oceans, kelp forests or sargassos. Their young live in the depths of the sea and are comparatively enormous - a super eel larva is about 6 feet long, while a normal eel's is only a few inches.

 

[freyar]

That'll do for me. Are we ready for the next one?

 

[Cleon]

Are we ready for the next one?

Updating the Super Eel Working Draft.

Are we ready for the next one?

Yup!

Any preferences for which Sea Monster to do next?

If we continue in the same order as the Dragon #190 article the next one's the Super Otter.

 

[freyar]

The Super Otter will work. Post away!

 

[Cleon]

Super otter
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Arctic waters
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: SW 12
HIT DICE: 12
THAC0: 9
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: G (65’-100’)
MORALE: Average (10)
XP VALUE: 2,000

Super otter: This is a primitive aquatic mammal, probably closely related to whatever carnivorous mammal first returned to life in the sea. It may also be a real sea serpent that does not exist any more; the last definite sighting was in 1848, so it may have been driven into extinction, possibly through competition with the Long-necked (see below). It has a flat, elongated head, small eyes, a slender-neck of medium length, and a long tail that ends in a point. Its spine is so flexible that it can form six or seven bends visible when the animal is on the surface. It has webbed feet with definite toes, making it the least specialized of sea serpents. It has no fins or other appendages on its back; its skin is rough or wrinkled, a light or grayish brown in color. It lives only in Arctic (generally Scandinavian) waters, and Heuvelmans makes the point that melting ice makes polar waters the least salty in the world, making it easier for a land animal to adapt itself to life in the sea. Remember, this is where the polar bear lives.

Originally appeared in Dragon #190 (1993)

 

[freyar]

I guess Gargantuan would work if it's serpentine in shape. Start by upsizing our dire otter?