Converting monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[Shade]

it does mention becoming ethereal.

Well, I'd say that answers that question.

and why would they mention dispel magic as a threat - does/did that spell affect summoned creatures?

Sure enough. From the dispel magic spell description: "If an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by monster summoning) is in the area, you can make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured that object or creature (returning it whence it came) in addition to attempting to dispel spells targeting the creature or object."

 

[BOZ]

aha! but these guys are not summoned via a spell, so then dispel magic would not work anyway?

 

[Shade]

I agree with you. Ditch the text.

 

[BOZ]

ok, posting in homebrews.

this might seem like a silly request, but could you please go to the main GMT forum, and post a link to this thread in this thread?

 

[Shade]

A Medium air elemental weighs 2 lbs. Should these guys weigh much more?

Perhaps for the "go ethereal" power (borrowed from the ethereal marauder and phase spider):

Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A shimmering wrath can shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move action. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 15th).
I'd go with CR 3. The ethereal marauder is CR 3, with one more HD but no other abilities other than the ethereal jaunt. These guys have some immunities and two ways to deal damage, so I'd say that makes up for the lower HD and lack of skills and feats.

 

[BOZ]

that'll do.

for the weight, they should weigh very little. less than 10 lbs sounds good. or maybe we could go with the line from that wierd al song, "and my shadow weighs 42 pounds, can you tell me once again, who's fat!"

ok, updating. one of the nice things about no skills and feats, is that we're probably done now.

 

[Shade]

Yep, mindless makes things easy. That's why I love creating golems. They take all of five minutes. Pick a theme, assign a Str and Dex score, pick X/adamantine DR, decide what spells affect it, slap a CR on it, and you're done.

We still need to fill in the "X feet of the victim" of the cursed summons ability. How about the usual 30 feet?

 

[BOZ]

i just threw that part in there to make it make more sense. 30 feet sounds good - i would expect it to be within visual range (to be more intimidating for the victim) but not necessarily right on top of the person.

if everything else looks good, then we're done.

 

[Shade]

I think we've got it. I've already typed up the Dungeon stats for the house hunter and tuyewara. Just let me know when you're ready for them.

 

[BOZ]

Tuyewera

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical land
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Band
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Any evil

NO. APPEARING: 1d3
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVEMENT: 6
HIT DICE: 6
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4 or by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Steal breath, cause disease
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (6' tall)
MORALE: Special
XP VALUE: 975

The tuyewera is a horrible type of undead monster created by evil clerics in remote jungle villages. The cleric takes the corpse of a man slain by death magic spells and ritually removes the legs at the knees. The tongue is also severed. The, cleric then enchants the corpse, bringing the ancestral spirit of a wizard or priest into it, which gives the corpse a horrid animation.

The tuyewera moves about on its hands and leg stumps. It is as intelligent as a man and has the following thieflike skills: MS 50%; HS 90%; OL 50%. It serves as a thief and bodyguard to the cleric in addition to being an assassin.

Combat: A tuyewera can use a weapon in melee, but it is restricted to using weapons that can be held in one hand, since the other hand is needed for balance and movement. If disarmed, a tuyewera will strike with its gnarled hand for 1d4 points of damage. Furthermore, each successful hit by the hand has a 25% chance to inflict a fatal disease on its opponent (as per the spell cause disease).

The deadliest attack of the tuyewera is its ability to drain breath. If it encounters a sleeping, unconscious, or helpless person, a tuyewera can suck the breath out of the victim's mouth, thereby slaying him. This requires one full round, at the end of which the victim must roll a successful saving vs. death magic with a -4 penalty. If he fails to save, he is instantly slain, but if he successfully makes his saving throw, he falls into a deathlike coma for 1d4 days.

As undead, tuyeweras are immune to all mental attacks, cold, sleep, and fear. Holy water inflicts 2d4 points of damage per successful attack with a full vial. Tuyeweras are turned as spectres, but an evil cleric cannot take control of a tuyewera away from the cleric who created it.

A special enchantment goes into the making of a tuyewera that renders it immune to all weapons (turning and destructive magic such as fireball are still effective). However, dispel magic removes this enchantment for 1d4 rounds. Clerics who create tuyeweras keep this counterspell handy just in case they meet someone else's tuyewera.

Habitat/Society: The spells and counterspells used for creating tuyeweras are granted only by the deities of evil witch doctors in tropical lands. Such spells are not normally available to PCs who do not visit these lands. It is recommended that PCs be unable to create such monsters, but they should be able to use the counterspells to make tuyeweras vulnerable to attack.

Ecology: As created undead, tuyewera have nothing to contribute to the ecology. They are little more than despicable machines made to do their misguided masters' bidding. They eat nothing, and there is no known use for their parts once they are slain.



some preliminary stats for the tuyewera:

Tuyewera
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+X Dex, +X natural), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+X
Attack: Weapon +X melee (X+X) or slam +X melee (1d4+X plus disease)
Full Attack: Weapon +X melee (X+X) or slam +X melee (1d4+X plus disease)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: steal breath, cause disease
Special Qualities: immunity to weapons, darkvision 60 ft, undead traits
Saves: Fort +(2) Ref +(2) Will +(5)
Abilities: Str X, Dex X, Con X, Int 10, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: 36
Feats: 3 (bonus to Move Silently, Hide, Open Locks)

Environment: Any warm land
Organization: Solitary or band (2-3)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always evil (any)
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: +X


A tuyewera is 6 feet tall and weighs X pounds.


COMBAT


Originally found in Dungeon Magazine #X (“title,” month/year, author), and Monstrous Compendium Annual One (1994).