Converting Monsters from Dungeon Magazine

Good point! Maybe your idea of distraction only makes sense. The sawfly doesn't really want the swarm it summons to kill the victim, just keep it busy so it can make a surpise attack and feed. Thoughts?

Something like:

Gnat Swarm
Fine Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 3d8-3 (10 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 22 (+8 size, +4 Dex), touch 22, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/—
Attack:

Full Attack:
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats:
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Always neutral

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Skills: A gnat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
 

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I think that'll work, and should make for an interesting tactical approach to the encounter.

Good!

That leaves spell level / caster level then.

Since it now does no damage I'd suggest making it equivalent to a 1st level spell rather than 2nd level like like summon swarm? It still causes distraction, of course, but the DC is pretty feeble.

Caster level 3rd?

Summon Gnat Swarm (Sp): Once per day, a demonic sawfly can summon a swarm of gnats. This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a gnat swarm (see below) and is equivalent to a 1st level spell (CL 3rd).
 



Its Armor Class should be touch 13, flat-footed 10, not vica-versa.

Do we want to include any of this:

In its diminutive state, the sawfly can dodge any attack if it makes a successful saving throw vs. wands. However, any successful hit crushes it. It cannot attack in small form.

That suggests rewriting the Change Size SQ. How's this.

Reduce Size (Su): As a standard action, a demonic sawfly can magically reduce itself to Fine size. The demonic sawfly can remain in Fine size for as long as it wishes and it can return to normal size as a swift action. While Fine-sized, a demonic sawfly loses its natural attack, but gains an ability to evade its enemies' attacks. It has the following statistics:

Demonic Sawfly, Reduced
Fine Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 30 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 21 (+8 size, +3 Dex), touch 21, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-19
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: ½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Change size, masquerade, summon gnat swarm
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., evade attacks, improved evasion, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 10

Evade Attacks (Ex): Anytime a Fine-size demonic sawfly would be hit by a weapon attack, it may attempt to dodge the blow. If if succeeds at a Reflex save (including a +4 size bonus, for Ref +10) against a DC equal to the attack roll of its opponent, the sawfly dodges the weapon attack and takes no damage.

A Fine-sized demonic sawfly can also evade magical and unusual attacks that normally deals half damage on a successful Reflex saving throw. If the demonic sawfly makes a successful Reflex saving throw (Ref +10, including a +4 size bonus) against such an attack it takes no damage, it takes only half damage on a failed save.

A helpless demonic sawfly, or one with medium or heavy encumbrance, can not use evade attacks.
 

I'll fix the ACs. Thanks!

While I appreciate the effort, I'm not real fond of changing it any more than usual for its size reduction to Fine.

freyar?
 

I think the original monster was trying to model the improved AC due to changing size. I'd just leave it like the standard ability.
 


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