Converting monsters from First Edition modules

[Shade]

i was considering that. let me have another look at the abilities and see how that works out.

do we have a precedent for aquatic swarms yet?

Yes, the bloodbloater ooze in the Fiend Folio is an aquatic swarm.

 

[BOZ]

thanks, i'll look that up.

 

[BOZ]

ok, yes, i've decided to go with a swarm.

here are some preliminary stats for the hetfish:

Hetfish
Tiny Magical Beast (Aquatic, Swarm)
Hit Dice: Xd10+X (X hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: Swim 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +X Dex), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +X/---
Attack: Swam (0 plus heat)
Full Attack: Swarm (0 plus heat)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Distraction, heat
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +X Ref +X Will +X
Abilities: Str X Dex X Con X Int 5 Wis X Chr X
Skills: ?
Feats: ?

Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or school (X swarms)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: ?
Level Adjustment: +X



COMBAT



Originally found in module WG5 - Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure (1984, Robert J. Kuntz and Gary Gygax), and Monstrous Compendium Annual Two (1995).

 

[Shade]

The Hit Dice is a challenge. Each individual hetfish has 1-3 HD. I tried to compare it to individual animals in the MM and their associated swarms to get an idea:

Tiny Viper: 1/4d8...Swarm 5 HD
Rat: 1/4d8...Swarm 4 HD
Bat: 1/4d8...Swarm 3 HD

Obviously, there is no correlation.

The cranium rats, which are magical beasts like the hetfish, have 6 HD for a single swarm. The highest HD for magical beast swarms is the death raven at 18 HD.

So I guess we just have to pick a HD and go with it. I'd vote for the 7-9 HD range, so it is superior to just plain animal swarms, but still within the realm of realism that a single hetfish could be caught by a fisherman. Any thoughts?

 

[BOZ]

i'd go higher. maybe 9-12 even.

 

[Shade]

Being a fan of primarily high-level monsters, you won't have to twist my arm. Let's go with 12 HD.

 

[BOZ]

don't forget, you've got a mix of 1-3 HD creatures in there... those 3HD monsters are also 3-feet long, so techincally they should be Small... but there is no rule for Small swarms. so giving it a 12 HD would help make up for that, i think.

 

[Shade]

Good point. Here's a modified stat block based on 12 HD:

Hetfish
Tiny Magical Beast (Aquatic, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 12d10+X (X hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: Swim 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +X Dex), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/---
Attack: Swam (3d6 plus heat)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus heat)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Distraction, heat
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +4
Abilities: Str X Dex X Con X Int 5 Wis X Chr X
Skills: 105 total
Feats: 5 total

Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or school (X swarms)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: ?
Level Adjustment: +X

A 12 HD swarm should do 3d6 damage according to the table in the swarm entry. We could make it simply do 3d6 fire damage and no physical, or 3d6 physical plus additional fire damage. I added low-light vision since magical beasts get it.

I figure it should have decent Dex, based on the descriptive text. For feats, perhaps Improved Sunder?

 

[BOZ]

Skills: 105 total

do you mean 15?

A 12 HD swarm should do 3d6 damage according to the table in the swarm entry. We could make it simply do 3d6 fire damage and no physical, or 3d6 physical plus additional fire damage. I added low-light vision since magical beasts get it.

i don't think the swarm attack itself should cause any damage. in the description, all of their damage is from heat/fire. despite their speed, no damage appears to come from a slam or charge sort of attack, and they have no teeth for a bite attack.

since it mentions the remorhaz in the description, we should probably loosely base the heat attack on that monster's heat attack.

 

[Shade]

do you mean 15?

Oops...an extra zero snuck in there!

i don't think the swarm attack itself should cause any damage. in the description, all of their damage is from heat/fire. despite their speed, no damage appears to come from a slam or charge sort of attack, and they have no teeth for a bite attack.

since it mentions the remorhaz in the description, we should probably loosely base the heat attack on that monster's heat attack.

Are you sure I can't convince you. I'm just afraid that the swarm will be useless once fire protection is brought into play. Even a lowly swarm of Diminutive spiders does 1d6 swarm damage per round, as does a swarm of bats. I'd figure a swarm of one to three-foot fish slamming into you should at least hurt as much as that.

Here's the remorhaz's heat attack for reference:

Heat (Ex): An enraged remorhaz generates heat so intense that anything touching its body takes 8d6 points of fire damage. Creatures striking a remorhaz with natural attacks or unarmed attacks are subject to this damage, but creatures striking with melee weapons do not take damage from the remorhaz’s heat. This heat can melt or char weapons; any weapon that strikes a remorhaz is allowed a DC 18 Fortitude save to avoid destruction. The save DC is Constitution-based.