Converting Monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[Cleon]

Updated.

Anyone wanna develop some flavor text and tactics?

How about this:

A monstrous hybrid of scorpion, eel and venomous fish found in tropical seas, fish-scorpions prefer living in tropical reefs and rocky shallows where they can easily hide. Fish-scorpions will climb out of the sea to attack creatures on land or aboard ships, they can breathe air for a few hours before their lung-gills dry out and they risk suffocating.

A fish-scorpion's body is covered in long spines covered in venomous slime, similar to those of a lionfish, which are an effective weapon of defense and attack.

A typical fish-scorpion is 6 feet long and weighs 300 pounds.

Combat
A fish-scorpion fights much as a scorpion does, seizing prey in its claws and stinging with their tail. In addition, they will stab with their envenomed spines, which may also injure opponents who attack the fish-scorpion.

A fish-scorpion is a vicious and dim-witted animal which does not like to flee from combat, if badly injured they try to shelter in a crevice or crawlspace and defend themselves with their numerous natural weapons.

Also, it's still got the 1 HD (Tiny) Advancement of a Scorpionfish. Shall we use standard triple HD Advancement or let them grow bigger?

Advancement #1: 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)
Advancement #2: 3 HD (Medium); 4-7 HD (Large); 8-12 HD (Huge)

Since I like the idea of Huge Fish-Scorpions I'll vote for #2.

 

[Shade]

Great stuff, and I agree with Advancement #2.

Updated. Finished?

 

[Cleon]

Great stuff, and I agree with Advancement #2.

Updated. Finished?

We're done.

Next!

 

[Shade]

In the far corner of the room is a swarm of wraith roaches—eerily silient beetles with ghostly white carapaces and gossamer wings. The swarm attacks a single target within 10 feet, draining one energy level with each successful attack. A victim drained of all levels dies and transforms into another swarm of wratih roaches (and cannot be raised). A victim who is nto slain by the swarm regainst lost levels at a rate of 1/day.

Wraith roach swarm: AL NE; AC 7; MV 9; FL 12 (A); HD 2; hp 14; THAC0 19; #AT 1 per swarm; Dmg nil; SA energy drain; SD impervious to edged/piercing weapons; hit only by magical blunt weapons and spells; SZ T; ML 15; XP 975.

Originally appeared in Dungeon #71 (1998).

 

[Cleon]

In the far corner of the room is a swarm of wraith roaches—eerily silient beetles with ghostly white carapaces and gossamer wings. The swarm attacks a single target within 10 feet, draining one energy level with each successful attack. A victim drained of all levels dies and transforms into another swarm of wratih roaches (and cannot be raised). A victim who is nto slain by the swarm regainst lost levels at a rate of 1/day.

Wraith roach swarm: AL NE; AC 7; MV 9; FL 12 (A); HD 2; hp 14; THAC0 19; #AT 1 per swarm; Dmg nil; SA energy drain; SD impervious to edged/piercing weapons; hit only by magical blunt weapons and spells; SZ T; ML 15; XP 975.

Originally appeared in Dungeon #71 (1998).

That's a fine idea for an monster. Are they Undead or Gravetouched Vermin? There's no mention of vulnerability to turning or holy water, but their energy drain and rapid "create spawn" (spawn swarm!) ability says Undead to me.

Two Hit Dice seems too low for such a nasty monster, I'd prefer at least 6 HD like a Locust Swarm.

Actually, basing them on a Locust Swarm would seem a good idea.

 

[Shade]

That's a fine idea for an monster. Are they Undead or Gravetouched Vermin? There's no mention of vulnerability to turning or holy water, but their energy drain and rapid "create spawn" (spawn swarm!) ability says Undead to me.

Two Hit Dice seems too low for such a nasty monster, I'd prefer at least 6 HD like a Locust Swarm.

Actually, basing them on a Locust Swarm would seem a good idea.

Agreed to all that.

 

[Cleon]

Agreed to all that.

What about the Undead/Gravetouched question?

 

[Shade]

I somehow missed the gravetouched mention. I'd say undead, since they do actually energy drain. That seems too much of a stretch for vermin...they'd have to be magical beasts at that point (which I can live with).

 

[Cleon]

I somehow missed the gravetouched mention. I'd say undead, since they do actually energy drain. That seems too much of a stretch for vermin...they'd have to be magical beasts at that point (which I can live with).

There's no mention of turning or undead immunities, so I think we'd better go for the Magical Beast option.

 

[Shade]

So be it! So, we're taking a locust swarm, making it a magical beast, and modify to suit our needs?