Converting monsters from First Edition modules

[BOZ]

you're thinking outsider?

and do we need all the statblocks? i think that might be overdoing it...

i'll look more at this one later

 

[Shade]

you're thinking outsider?

Yep. I chose to go with the latter option of this passage:

"From where the ba'atun first came no one is sure. Some claimed they were demons made from snow, while others thought they were exiles, banished from a frozen parallel world."

and do we need all the statblocks? i think that might be overdoing it...

That seems to be the standard for monsters with different abilities at different HD levels. See elementals, tojanida, salamanders, arrowhawks, varrangoin...

Plus, it is easier for someone to use a swarm leader "on the fly", without having to adjust all the relevant stats for increased HD and so on.

 

[BOZ]

ok, we'll work on the ordinary ba'atun first, then the heirarchy afterwards.

and outsider (native) is ok by me. more later...

 

[Shade]

ok, we'll work on the ordinary ba'atun first, then the heirarchy afterwards.

and outsider (native) is ok by me. more later...

Sounds good!

 

[BOZ]

I think the best way to work these guys out is to start at the bottom, with the weakest variety, and work up from there. I gave these guys the same Str, Dex, and Con as baboons, +1.

Ba’atun
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 25 ft (5 squares), fly 60 ft (average)
AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Screech
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, resistance to cold 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: 40 (Climb, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Spot?)
Feats: 1 (Flyby attack, ability focus screech?)

Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, squad (8 plus 1 wing sergeant), flight (16 plus 2 wing sergeants, plus flight leader), or swarm (32 plus 4 wing sergeants plus 2 flight leaders plus 1 swarm leader)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: X

This creature has a baboon-like appearance, with a long snout and sharp fangs set in its red maw. Its bright blue eyes are red-rimmed. Its fur is an icy blue color, and it has a hairless monkey-like red rump. What makes it clear that this is no ordinary primate is its set of large, white, bat wings.

Ba’atun are slightly less than 6 feet tall, and weigh about X pounds.

COMBAT
A group of ba’atun will usually begin a combat by screeching.

Screech (Su): Ba'atun can emit a loud, piercing and chilling screech as a free action. All creatures within 60 feet of the ba’atun must make a successful Will save (DC X) or be struck by fear and be cowering for one full round. Each round that the screeching lasts, victims must make another successful saving throw at the beginning of initiative to be able to act. Only one saving throw per round is required, no matter how many ba'atun there are. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Originally found in module UK7 – Dark Clouds Gather (1985, Jim Bambra and Phil Gallagher).

 

[Shade]

I think the best way to work these guys out is to start at the bottom, with the weakest variety, and work up from there. I gave these guys the same Str, Dex, and Con as baboons, +1.

Nice call on the physical stats.

For the screech, why not simplify it to those that fail their saves are panicked?

Panicked: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

Ability Focus (screech) would probably be a good choice, since they seem to really rely on the screech attack.

Another idea...

Ba’atun Characters
Many groups of ba'atun include clerics. A ba'atun cleric has access to two of the following domains: Death, Destruction, Law, or Water.

(I picked Water because it is the ony core domain to include cone of cold and ice storm, which were the closest core domain spells to emulate the high priest's "ray of cold and ice shards").

 

[BOZ]

For the screech, why not simplify it to those that fail their saves are panicked?

because the foes weren't meant to run. i chose Cowering instead (DMG p 300), as it is essentially the same as shaken, but is a fear effect and doesn't require the affected to drop their weapons. i thought that was the most appropriate effect.

 

[Shade]

Ahh, nice. I didn't catch that cowering was in the condition summary, probably because it wasn't listed as part of the "fear tree" (skaken-frightened-panicked). Cowering is definitely more appropriate. Good catch.

 

[BOZ]

here are some updated stat blocks:

Ba’atun
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 25 ft (5 squares), fly 60 ft (average)
AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Screech
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, resistance to cold 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +7, Hide +9, Intimidate +9, Listen +7, Spot +7, Tumble +8
Feats: Ability Focus (screech) (B), Flyby Attack

Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, squad (8 plus 1 wing sergeant), flight (16 plus 2 wing sergeants, plus flight leader), or swarm (32 plus 4 wing sergeants plus 2 flight leaders plus 1 swarm leader)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +X


Ba'atun, Wing Sergeant
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (average)
AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +1 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Screech
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, resistance to cold 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills: 54
Feats: 2

Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, squad (8 plus 1 wing sergeant), flight (16 plus 2 wing sergeants, plus flight leader), or swarm (32 plus 4 wing sergeants plus 2 flight leaders plus 1 swarm leader)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +X

-------------------------

Ba'atun, Flight Leader
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 5d8+0 (0 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (average)
AC: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d6+4) or sling +8 ranged (1d4+4?)
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d6+4) and 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) or sling +8 ranged (1d4+4?)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Ice shards, screech, web stones
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, resistance to cold 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: 80
Feats: 2

Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, squad (8 plus 1 wing sergeant), flight (16 plus 2 wing sergeants, plus flight leader), or swarm (32 plus 4 wing sergeants plus 2 flight leaders plus 1 swarm leader)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +X

-------------------------

Ba'atun, Swarm Leader
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Native)
Hit Dice: 7d8+35 (66 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares), fly 60 ft (average)
AC: 19 (+4 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+12
Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d6+5) or ice javelin +11 ranged (1d6+5 plus ice splinters)
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d6+5) and 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+2) or ice
javelin +11 ranged (1d6+5 plus ice splinters)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Cold ray, ice shards, screech
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, resistance to cold 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 19
Skills: 120
Feats: 3

Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, squad (8 plus 1 wing sergeant), flight (16 plus 2 wing sergeants, plus flight leader), or swarm (32 plus 4 wing sergeants plus 2 flight leaders plus 1 swarm leader)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +X

 

[Shade]

Cool..something to look at. I'm bored at work, so I'll see what I can come up with on these guys.

BOZ - did you get a chance to look at this thread?
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73170

I've been gathering info this afternoon. If you're interested, I could post some prelims to work on.