Converting Monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[Shade]

Minor creation and bull's strength are a good fit.

For the costs and DCs, the only other CR 2 golem I've found is the wax golem. (CL 5th; Craft Construct, alter self, endure elements, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 2,500 gp; Cost 1,500 gp + 80 XP; 500 gp reagents; DC 15 checks).

The CR 3 wood golem from Dragon Magazine #341 is as follows...

A wood golem's body must be crafted from 350 pounds of high-quality wood and treated with exotic oils and herbal preparations costing at least 1,000 gp. Carving the body requires a DC 15 Craft (sculpting) check. The golem must then be buried beneath the earth in an area containing a large number of trees or plants for one week.

CL 5th; Craft Construct, wood shape, barkskin, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 4,000 gp; Cost 2,500 gp + 120 XP.


So maybe...

A wooden press golem's body must be crafted from 250 pounds of high-quality wood and treated with exotic oils and herbal preparations costing at least 500 gp. Carving the body requires a DC 15 Craft (woodcarving) check.

CL 5th; Craft Construct, bull's strength, minor creation, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 2,500 gp; Cost 1,500 gp + 80 XP.

 

[Cleon]

So maybe...

A wooden press golem's body must be crafted from 250 pounds of high-quality wood and treated with exotic oils and herbal preparations costing at least 500 gp. Carving the body requires a DC 15 Craft (woodcarving) check.

CL 5th; Craft Construct, bull's strength, minor creation, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 2,500 gp; Cost 1,500 gp + 80 XP.

Hmm. I think the material are a bit costly, I'd prefer 250 gp for the oils & herbs.

Craft DC15 also seems a bit high, that makes them harder to assemble than the Craft DC13 Flesh Golem! Drop it to DC12?

Finally, the SRD Shield Guardian has Craft (carpentry) as a prereq, so I'd prefer the Wooden Press Golem to use that craft skill over woodcarving, or we could just list both.

That would make the construction:

A wooden press golem's body must be crafted from 250 pounds of high-quality wood and treated with exotic oils and herbal preparations costing at least 250 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 12 Craft (woodcarving) or Craft (carpentry) check.

CL 5th; Craft Construct, bull's strength, minor creation, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 2,500 gp; Cost 1,375 gp + 90 XP.

 

[freyar]

Just go with "or" for the Craft checks, and we're good to go, I think.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Finished?

 

[freyar]

Looks ok at a quick glance.

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Finished?

Looks that way!

 

[Shade]

The White Boar (of Kilfay)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Woodland/Any
FREQUENCY: Unique
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: High (14)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVEMENT: 18
HIT DICE: 9 (72 hit points)
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
SIZE: M (5’ tall at shoulder)
MORALE: Fanatic (20)
XP VALUE: 5,000

As explained in this adventure, the white boar was specially created by the Celtic deities to house the spirit of a godlike avatar sent do destroy Shivnar and his monstrous creation, the bulette-mutation. It resembles a huge member of the boar family, though it remains a solitary creature and normal boars will have nothing to do with it, even attacking their keepers to run away from it if necessary.

Combat: The white boar attacks in the manner of its form, biting and ripping with its tusks, though it does not hare the wild boar’s ability to fight into negative hit points. However, it requires a +2 or better weapon to cut through the monster’s hide, so it is somewhat better off than the creature it was modeled after. It uses its human-like intelligence to progress toward its goal—the destruction of Shivnar’s creation—and the DM should play it accordingly when the PCs encounter it.

Habitat/Society: The white boar remains a solitary creature in this adventure. If the spirit inhabiting its body has another social order on its own plane, that is a matter beyond the scope of this module.

Ecology: The white boar, being a unique creature, exists only as long as the bulette-mutation remains alive, or until the boar itself is slain in combat. It has no place in the natural order of the forest.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #37 (1992).

 

[freyar]

This could use a little jazzing up perhaps.

First of all, magical beast or outsider? 9 HD, or 72 hp/4.5? I think I favor the latter in both cases: 16 HD Medium Outsider (though maybe a 5 ft tall boar is Large). I wonder if some of the aspects might be decent inspiration if we decide to add a few abilities.

 

[Shade]

I can sign on for all that. And yes, I think 5' tall at the shoulder qualifies for Large.

 

[freyar]

Sounds good. Seems like it should have a hefty amount of DR. It would be DR/magic, but I think that's not very useful at that HD scale. Unfortunately, it's N, so the alignment-based DRs don't work either. Any better ideas?