Converting monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[Shade]

Levels 1-2.

 

[Shroomy]

I'd still go swarm and base them off the CR 2 bat swarm with its wounding ability.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. They should gain natural armor to account for the plate-like chitin. AC 0 translates to AC 20 by the conversion guide.

Modifying the bat swarm stats...

Diminutive Fey (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 3d6 (10 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 20 (+4 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, wounding
Special Qualities: Immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 4
Skills: 30
Feats: 2
Environment: x
Organization: x
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral evil?
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

Int was given (9). We should probably boost Cha to at least 9 as well.

I modified the speed by the conversion guidelines.

 

[Shroomy]

I like the stats though AC 20 seems a little rough for a CR 2 monster. Then again, pretty much only area of effect and splash weapons can harm it anyways, so maybe this is not such an important factor. I agree that the Cha should be higher and I think that the alignment should be "Always NE" as these things seem to be pretty nasty.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Skills: 30
Feats: 2
Environment: Any forest?
Organization: x ("band" is mentioned if we need a term for mulitple swarms)

 

[freyar]

5 skills at 6 ranks each: Hide, Move Silently, Listen?, Spot?, ?

Feats: Imp. Init, Stealthy?

 

[Shade]

That all looks good. The 5th skill could be Initmidate, Knowledge (nature), or Survival.

 

[Shroomy]

How about the 5th skill being "Disguise" and then play up the fact that they can be mistaken for a beetle swarm (maybe a racial bonus to the skill).

 

[freyar]

How about the 5th skill being "Disguise" and then play up the fact that they can be mistaken for a beetle swarm (maybe a racial bonus to the skill).

That's a very cool idea. Make the racial bonus apply only to pretending to be beetles.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. How about a +10 racial bonus when attempting to Disguise itself as a beetle swarm?