Converting monsters from Dragon magazine


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I do believe so.

We're talking the following:

The original SLAs are cause fear and charm person thrice per day; two suggestion spells per day; phantasmal killer and emotion daily. AD&D emotion was split into multiple spells in 3E, I suggest substituting crushing despair.

Caster level should be at least 7th methinks, since the most powerful SLA is a 4th level spell. Maybe call it 12th?

I'd like to make the saves Wisdom-based rather than the standard Charisma, so its SLAs become stronger as the knight-terror saps its victim's wills.

e.g.:

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—cause fear, charm person; 2/day—suggestion, 1/day—crushing despair, phantasmal killer. Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
 

I'm not comfortable with Wisdom-based. SLAs are always Cha-based.

I'd be fine with an additional temporary modifier based on the amount of Wisdom drained. Something similar to the temporary hp usually granted by ability drain.

Since it's a template, I'd rather set the caster level equal to HD than locking it in.
 

I'm not comfortable with Wisdom-based. SLAs are always Cha-based.

I'd be fine with an additional temporary modifier based on the amount of Wisdom drained. Something similar to the temporary hp usually granted by ability drain.

Since it's a template, I'd rather set the caster level equal to HD than locking it in.

Both those suggestions are fine by me.

Revising...

Will-Sapping Bolt (Su): At will, a knight terror may make a ranged touch attack against any creature within 30 ft. If the attack succeeds, the victim suffers 1d4 points of Wisdom damage, and the knight terror temporarily gains 1 point of Wisdom and Strength (up to its base ability score +10). Will-sapping also augments a knight terror's spell-like abilities, giving them a +1 save DC for every 2 points of increased Wisdom. The knight terror loses these temporary Str and Wis bonuses at a rate of 1 point every 12 hours; see Wisdom Dependent (below).

Wisdom Dependent (Su): Every 12 hours, a knight terror loses one point each of Wisdom and Strength. This is not ability damage or drain and cannot be recovered via spells such as restoration. The knight-terror can only regain this lost Wisdom and Strength by using its will-sapping bolt. When the knight terror's Wisdom drops below its base ability score, it suffers a -1 morale penalty on attack rolls and saving throws against fear effects. Furthermore, for every 2 points of Wisdom it loses, the knight terror gains a -1 penalty to its spell-like abilities' save DCs.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—cause fear, charm person; 2/day—suggestion, 1/day—crushing despair, phantasmal killer. Caster level equals Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The save DCs are Charisma-based and are further modified by the knight terror's will-draining abilities, a +1 bonus for every 2 points of Wisdom gain, a -1 penalty for every 2 points of Wisdom loss (see Will-Sapping Bolt and Wisdom Dependent).
 


I don't really see any need to put in ability modifications. Especially to Wis, given the special abilities. But I guess I could be persuaded to put +2 in Int and Cha.
 

The thought behind the Int boost was the original's Exceptional (15-16) Intelligence. I'm OK with just boosting Cha, though.
 

Updated.

Did we ever decide upon these amounts?

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +x, Wis +x, Cha +x.

The original had Exceptional (15-16) Intelligence, which is pretty high for an ex-fighter. Also, being "terrors" they presumably have good Charisma.

AD&D Vampires have Exceptional Intelligence, so how about the same Intelligence and Charisma racial bonuses as an SRD Vampire?

+2 Int, +4 Cha?

I agree with freyar about them not needing a racial bonus to Wisdom.
 

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