Converting monsters from Dungeon Magazine

[Shade]

Like so?

Manifestation (Su): An ether shadow dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When an ether shadow manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested ether shadow can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. A manifested ether shadow can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested ether shadow always moves silently. A manifested ether shadow can strike with its touch attack or with a ghost touch weapon. A manifested ether shadow remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested ether shadow can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The ether shadow's incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

When a spellcasting ether shadow is not manifested and is on the Ethereal Plane, its spells cannot affect targets on the Material Plane, but they work normally against ethereal targets. When a spellcasting ether shadow manifests, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless the spells rely on touch. A manifested ether shadow’s touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.

An ether shadow has two home planes, the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.

 

[freyar]

Sorry, been busy at work. Here's how I would change it: make manifestation permanent and allow other home planes besides material. So like this:

Permanent Manifestation (Su): An ether shadow dwells on the Ethereal Plane, but it is permanently manifested on the plane where it was created (usually the Material Plane; substitute in the following as needed). An ether shadow is therefore partly in the Material Plane and visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested ether shadow can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. A manifested ether shadow can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested ether shadow always moves silently. A manifested ether shadow can strike with its touch attack or with a ghost touch weapon. A manifested ether shadow remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested ether shadow can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The ether shadow's incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

Because an ether shadow is always manifested, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless the spells rely on touch. A manifested ether shadow’s touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.

An ether shadow has two home planes, the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.


On the other hand, since these are not templates, maybe we don't need the spellcasting part (unless we want to refer to SLAs or allow advancement by class).

 

[Shade]

Looks good!

On the other hand, since these are not templates, maybe we don't need the spellcasting part (unless we want to refer to SLAs or allow advancement by class).

Let's leave it, in case someone advances them by character class (regardless of what we put on the Advancement line).

Updated.

 

[freyar]

Let's add to "create spawn" that a creature reduced to Str 0 "dies and becomes a shadow..."

Also, let's insert a paragraph into permanent manifestation just before the last one:

A manifested ether shadow may take any shape it desires, but it always remains black or gray and appears somewhat insubstantial.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Drop the Extraplanar subtype, based on permanent manifestation?

Skills: 60 ranks
Shadows and greater shadows have Hide, Listen, Search, Spot

Feats: 4
Greater shadows have Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack

Environment: Any land or Ethereal Plane?

Organization: Solitary or x (ether shadow plus x shadows)?

Challenge Rating: 9? They are slightly better than greater shadows.

Advancement: 10-27 HD (Medium)?

Shadows and greater shadows cannot speak intelligibly. How about these guys?

 

[freyar]

Yeah, since ghosts aren't extraplanar, I guess these shouldn't be either.

Max those skills and also maybe Knowledge (the planes).

Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Ability Focus (nightmare), Stealthy?

Environment is good. So are CR and advancement.

Solitary or Umbra (ether shadow plus 1d6 shadows).

I think no speech.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

How about this for creating them...

A spellcaster of 16th or higher level can create an ether shadow by casting create greater undead as part of a dark ritual involving anointing the corpse with the blood of an ethereal creature.

 

[freyar]

Sounds good! Is it done then?

 

[Shade]

I think so!

 

[Shade]

Next!

At the head of the army march two constructs of the ghouls’ necromantic magic: battering rams made entirely of sculpted living flesh, each with 40 legs. Three ghoul officers ride on one; the army’s general rides on the other.

Necromantic battering rams (2): INT semi-; AL N; AC 2; MV 9; HD 16; hp 74, 70; THACO 5; #AT 1; Dmg 2d20; SA crush, trample; SD immune to mind-affecting spells; turned as “special”; SZ G (30’ long, 9’ tall); ML 18; XP 10,000.

If a battering ram strikes a foe with a natural 20, it destroys all items carried by the target unless they save vs. crushing blow at -5. When the ram strikes a foe, he must make an ability check equal to half his Strength (percentile Strength counts as 19 for this calculation). If the check fails, the victim suffers an additional 2d10 hp damage as the ram tramples him.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #70 (1998).