Converting monsters from Imagine Magazine

[Shade]

Below is an attempt at a sample horseman. Before we can finish that, though, we need to either finish this or drop it:

Feats: Headless horsemen gain (some mounted combat feats) as bonus feats.

Headless Horseman, 5th-Level Human Fighter
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid)
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: x (+4 Dex, +6 natural, +x armor), touch x, flat-footed x
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+11
Attack: +1 greatsword +10 melee (2d6+6/19-20) or masterwork heavy lance +10 melee (1d8+6/x3)
Full Attack: +1 greatsword +10 melee (2d6+6/19-20) or masterwork heavy lance +10 melee (1d8+6/x3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Fear aura
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic and silver, darkvision 60 ft., mount, +2 turn resistance, undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 17
Skills: Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +6, Ride +22
Feats: Mounted Combat (B), 2 more fighter bonus feats, 2 more
Environment: x
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

 

[freyar]

Feats: A headless horseman gains Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, and Trample as bonus feats if the base creature does not already have them.

Sound good to you?

The sample looks good so far. I'd say "Any" for the environment, but I guess not underground. Shouldn't mounted combat be a normal feat (as it is a requirement for the template)? I'd give the sample also Power Attack, with Weapon Focus (greatsword) and maybe Cleave as the figher feats.

 

[Shade]

Feats: A headless horseman gains Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, and Trample as bonus feats if the base creature does not already have them.

Sound good to you?

Sounds good. The vampire template grants a whopping five bonus feats, so I think three is reasonable.

The sample looks good so far. I'd say "Any" for the environment, but I guess not underground. Shouldn't mounted combat be a normal feat (as it is a requirement for the template)? I'd give the sample also Power Attack, with Weapon Focus (greatsword) and maybe Cleave as the figher feats.

I went with bonus feat for the Mounted Combat since it was on the Fighter Bonus feat list, and wanted to leave its two standard feats for those that aren't on the Fighter list, if needed. It seems the norm nowadays is to denote bonus feats granted from classes in the same manner as those simply given to monsters.


What armor shall our horseman don?

 

[freyar]

Let's see, is half-plate or a breastplate more appropriate for a 5th level fighter?

So Mounted Combat is one of the fighter feats, gotcha.

 

[Shade]

A 5th-level NPC has 4,300 gp in gear.

+1 greatsword = 2,320
masterwork heavy lance = 310
masterwork full plate = 1,650
-------------------
Total = 4,280

Plus, its AC works out 1 better with full plate (+8 armor, +1 max Dex) vs. breastplate (+5 armor, +3 max Dex).

Looks good, eh?

 

[demiurge1138]

Makes sense to me.

Demiurge out.

 

[freyar]

I like it too. So is this done?

 

[demiurge1138]

My gut says "yes".

...it also says "go have some chocolate for Easter."

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

My gut said something similar, and now it's saying "no more".

Here's another from the same issue:

REVENANT-MAGNA
Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armour Class: 0
Move: 18"
Hit Dice: 10
% in Lair: nil
Treasure Type: nil
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage: 2-12/2-12
Special Attacks: fear, insanity
Special Defences: +1 or better weapons to hit
Magic Resistance: 80%
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: LE
Size: M

Revenant-Magnas are the spirits of innocents slain in an evil fashion. Unlike ordinary revenants, they may only arise from the body of persons too weak to defend themselves in life; a child, or an adult with strength of less than 8. Once reborn, they are enormously strong and are driven by an insane desire for revenge - no trace of their former innocence will remain. As with a normal revenant, they will pursue the individual(s) who slew them, never resting, and never erring in their pursuit. They will ignore all those in their path, unless they seek to halt their pursuit, but all characters that see them must save vs spells or be driven insane.

One last diabolical twist separates these creatures from the normal revenant; their need for revenge is such that, should their quarry be slain by someone else, they will pursue the slayer with equal vigour. It is possible for a 'chain' of responsibility to be built up, and for the revenant-magna to finally achieve its purpose on an entirely blameless individual.

Originally appeared in Imagine Magazine #23 (1985).

 

[freyar]

First question, then: template like the WotC revenant or monster like the Pathfinder one? These seem easy enough to do as a template.