Converting monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[BOZ]

Here's how I think we should do it: The draknor itself is immobile (0 ft. movement). However, it still has a Dex score and can make Reflex saves (even though immobile things usually cannot). Its "heat-seeking", noncombat tentacles still reach up to a mile (since it is necessary for it to survive), but its dorsal, "attack" tendrils have a reach more appropriate for a creature of its size (I'm thinking maybe 50 feet).

Ok, there we go, I wasn’t getting it… there are separate tendrils to attack and ones to feed. Let me take this, from the text, and spell it out clearly as night and day to avoid further confusion. And we will use the words “tendril” and “tentacle” to mean a specific set of parts:

Tendrils: There are 30 feeding tendrils, that lie under the draknor and can burrow in the ground up to a mile away. These it uses to regenerate from heat sources.

Tentacles: These four dorsal tentacles are used in combat, and allow the draknor to constrict.

It makes sense to give the tentacles 50’ reach, as there is no range given in the text (that I can see).

I’m wondering one thing, should the Dex be lower than 17? Maybe a good old 10 would do?

Here’s a first shot (stealing from Shade):

Tendrils (Ex): A draknor has 30 tendrils that it uses to feed on heat sources. These tendrils move independently of the draknor’s body, at a speed of 40 feet per round, and burrow through solid rock at a speed of 30 feet per round. The ends of these tendrils can reach up to a mile away from the draknor’s main body. If one or more of a draknor’s tendrils tap into a source of continual heat (such as magma), the draknor heals 3 points of damage per round (as fast healing). A draknor does not benefit from its fast healing in any round in which it uses its heat ray.

An opponent can attack a draknor’s tendrils with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A draknor’s tendrils have 10 hit points each. Severing one of a draknor’s tendrils deals 5 points of damage to the creature. If 10 or more of its tentacles are severed, its fast healing is reduced to 2 points per round, and if 20 or more are severed, it is reduced to 1 point per round. These tendrils do not grow back without healing magic, and if all are severed, the draknor will die of starvation in two weeks.

We could modify the weak spot ability from our very own great elder wyrm conversion.

Weak Spot (Ex): A confirmed critical hit on a natural 20 with a slashing or piercing weapon allows a creature to take advantage of an elder wyrm’s weak spot (if it remains exposed), increasing the weapon’s damage multiplier by one step (for example, a longsword which has a multiplier of x2 would have a multiplier of x3 against a great elder wyrm’s weak spot).

true… but I’m not so confident that this vulnerability is necessary.


“A draknor is hit only by +2 or better weaponry.”


here’s another attempt at these two… see if you can fix some of what is not clear about each one.

Earthquake Strike (Ex): A draknor can cause a minor, localized earthquake from the end of any of its tendrils as a standard action, once per round. This effect can affect up to three creatures, who must all be directly above in a 30-foot radius of the tendril on the ground level. These targets will be knocked prone, and must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save of be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Heat Ray (Ex): A draknor may spew the heat it channels through its tendrils into a ruby-red ray. This ray comes from its mouth, and has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increments, and the target takes 5d12 points of fire damage (Reflex DC X half). A draknor cannot strike itself with its own heat ray. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Is this a ray, as in it gets a ranged attack, or is it a line as in the target gets a Reflex save?

 

[Shade]

Ok, there we go, I wasn’t getting it… there are separate tendrils to attack and ones to feed. Let me take this, from the text, and spell it out clearly as night and day to avoid further confusion. And we will use the words “tendril” and “tentacle” to mean a specific set of parts:

Tendrils: There are 30 feeding tendrils, that lie under the draknor and can burrow in the ground up to a mile away. These it uses to regenerate from heat sources.

Tentacles: These four dorsal tentacles are used in combat, and allow the draknor to constrict.

It makes sense to give the tentacles 50’ reach, as there is no range given in the text (that I can see).

I picked 50 ft. out of the air. Since it is a Gargantuan creature, it has a reach of 20 ft. by default. Since tentacles often have a reach of more than double the normal reach, I went with 50 ft. I just looked at the kraken, another Gargantuan creature with tentacles, and it has a reach of 60 ft. So maybe we should bumb it to 60 ft.?

I’m wondering one thing, should the Dex be lower than 17? Maybe a good old 10 would do?

That is probably reasonable, since immobile creatures usually have no Dex score. A 10 is a blessing.

Here’s a first shot (stealing from Shade):

Tendrils (Ex): A draknor has 30 tendrils that it uses to feed on heat sources. These tendrils move independently of the draknor’s body, at a speed of 40 feet per round, and burrow through solid rock at a speed of 30 feet per round. The ends of these tendrils can reach up to a mile away from the draknor’s main body. If one or more of a draknor’s tendrils tap into a source of continual heat (such as magma), the draknor heals 3 points of damage per round (as fast healing). A draknor does not benefit from its fast healing in any round in which it uses its heat ray.

An opponent can attack a draknor’s tendrils with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A draknor’s tendrils have 10 hit points each. Severing one of a draknor’s tendrils deals 5 points of damage to the creature. If 10 or more of its tentacles are severed, its fast healing is reduced to 2 points per round, and if 20 or more are severed, it is reduced to 1 point per round. These tendrils do not grow back without healing magic, and if all are severed, the draknor will die of starvation in two weeks.

This Shade fella is clueless.

true… but I’m not so confident that this vulnerability is necessary.

Agreed. Let's ditch it. It just complicates an already complicated monster.

“A draknor is hit only by +2 or better weaponry.”

I'm thinking either DR 15/magic or DR 5/epic. I'd prefer the latter.

here’s another attempt at these two… see if you can fix some of what is not clear about each one.

Earthquake Strike (Ex): A draknor can cause a minor, localized earthquake from the end of any of its tendrils as a standard action, once per round. This effect can affect up to three creatures, who must all be directly above in a 30-foot radius of the tendril on the ground level. These targets will be knocked prone, and must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save of be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

I'd change "this effect can affect" to simply "this can affect" or "this ability affects". I'd also change it simply to a 30-foot-radius rather than up to three targets within the radius.

Heat Ray (Ex): A draknor may spew the heat it channels through its tendrils into a ruby-red ray. This ray comes from its mouth, and has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increments, and the target takes 5d12 points of fire damage (Reflex DC X half). A draknor cannot strike itself with its own heat ray. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Is this a ray, as in it gets a ranged attack, or is it a line as in the target gets a Reflex save?

The original text seems to indicate a ray, since it only hits one target. Therefore, I'd abandon the Reflex save.

 

[BOZ]

I picked 50 ft. out of the air. Since it is a Gargantuan creature, it has a reach of 20 ft. by default. Since tentacles often have a reach of more than double the normal reach, I went with 50 ft. I just looked at the kraken, another Gargantuan creature with tentacles, and it has a reach of 60 ft. So maybe we should bumb it to 60 ft.?

50, 60… it’s all the same to me. it’s still a hell of a reach, and will confound most attempts to combat the draknor. Want to go 60?

This Shade fella is clueless.

heh. so, does that mean you want to keep this writeup?

Tendrils (Ex): A draknor has 30 tendrils that it uses to feed on heat sources. These tendrils move independently of the draknor’s body, at a speed of 40 feet per round, and burrow through solid rock at a speed of 30 feet per round. The ends of these tendrils can reach up to a mile away from the draknor’s main body. If one or more of a draknor’s tendrils tap into a source of continual heat (such as magma), the draknor heals 3 points of damage per round (as fast healing). A draknor does not benefit from its fast healing in any round in which it uses its heat ray.

An opponent can attack a draknor’s tendrils with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A draknor’s tendrils have 10 hit points each. Severing one of a draknor’s tendrils deals 5 points of damage to the creature. If 10 or more of its tentacles are severed, its fast healing is reduced to 2 points per round, and if 20 or more are severed, it is reduced to 1 point per round. These tendrils do not grow back without healing magic, and if all are severed, the draknor will die of starvation in two weeks.

I'm thinking either DR 15/magic or DR 5/epic. I'd prefer the latter.

yeah… that will do just fine, I think.

I'd change "this effect can affect" to simply "this can affect" or "this ability affects". I'd also change it simply to a 30-foot-radius rather than up to three targets within the radius.

you know what, this does make a lot more sense now:

Earthquake Strike (Ex): A draknor can cause a minor, localized earthquake from the end of any of its tendrils as a standard action, once per round. This can affect all creatures in a 30-foot radius directly above the tendril, on the ground level. These targets will be knocked prone, and must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save of be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

The original text seems to indicate a ray, since it only hits one target. Therefore, I'd abandon the Reflex save.

true… but taking away that Reflex save makes this a very deadly attack. The ranged touch attack would be at +13 to hit, and that’s a lot of fire damage with no saving throw. Is there any precedence for such a ray attack having a Reflex save for half?

Heat Ray (Ex): A draknor may spew the heat it channels through its tendrils into a ruby-red ray. This ray comes from its mouth, and has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increments, and the target takes 5d12 points of fire damage (Reflex DC X half). A draknor cannot strike itself with its own heat ray. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[Shade]

50, 60… it’s all the same to me. it’s still a hell of a reach, and will confound most attempts to combat the draknor. Want to go 60?

"But these amps go to 11."

Yeah, let's go 60.

heh. so, does that mean you want to keep this writeup?

Tendrils (Ex): A draknor has 30 tendrils that it uses to feed on heat sources. These tendrils move independently of the draknor’s body, at a speed of 40 feet per round, and burrow through solid rock at a speed of 30 feet per round. The ends of these tendrils can reach up to a mile away from the draknor’s main body. If one or more of a draknor’s tendrils tap into a source of continual heat (such as magma), the draknor heals 3 points of damage per round (as fast healing). A draknor does not benefit from its fast healing in any round in which it uses its heat ray.

An opponent can attack a draknor’s tendrils with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A draknor’s tendrils have 10 hit points each. Severing one of a draknor’s tendrils deals 5 points of damage to the creature. If 10 or more of its tentacles are severed, its fast healing is reduced to 2 points per round, and if 20 or more are severed, it is reduced to 1 point per round. These tendrils do not grow back without healing magic, and if all are severed, the draknor will die of starvation in two weeks.

Yep, it still looks good to me.

you know what, this does make a lot more sense now:

Earthquake Strike (Ex): A draknor can cause a minor, localized earthquake from the end of any of its tendrils as a standard action, once per round. This can affect all creatures in a 30-foot radius directly above the tendril, on the ground level. These targets will be knocked prone, and must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save of be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rockin!

true… but taking away that Reflex save makes this a very deadly attack. The ranged touch attack would be at +13 to hit, and that’s a lot of fire damage with no saving throw. Is there any precedence for such a ray attack having a Reflex save for half?

Heat Ray (Ex): A draknor may spew the heat it channels through its tendrils into a ruby-red ray. This ray comes from its mouth, and has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increments, and the target takes 5d12 points of fire damage (Reflex DC X half). A draknor cannot strike itself with its own heat ray. The save DC is Constitution-based.

I believe there is precedence, but I can't find it. Arrowhawks don't allow a save with their electricity rays.

And although it seems like alot of damage, consider what it could do instead with its melee attacks.

 

[BOZ]

I believe there is precedence, but I can't find it. Arrowhawks don't allow a save with their electricity rays.

And although it seems like alot of damage, consider what it could do instead with its melee attacks.

well, true… by comparison, a measly 5d12 points of fire damage is way less than what it could do with its melee weapons – and it would forego those weapons to use the ray anyway. Consider the full attack line as I have it now:

Full Attack: 2 claws +23 melee (3d6+12) and 4 tentacles +18 melee (2d4+6) or heat ray +13 melee (5d12 fire)

So, how about this? (removed the damage, since it is in the attack line already)

Heat Ray (Ex): A draknor may spew the heat it channels through its tendrils into a ruby-red ray. This ray comes from its mouth, and has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increments. A draknor cannot be struck with its own heat ray. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[Knight Otu]

Well, since there is no save, you might want to remove the last sentence, but otherwise, looks good.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, what he said.

 

[BOZ]

guess this guy's powers were a lot easier to figure out than i thought.

 

[Shade]

We just needed to step away from them for awhile and get a fresh perspective.

 

[BOZ]

it has worked previously with other conversions (Eye and Hand anyone?)