Converting monsters from Imagine Magazine


log in or register to remove this ad

MOUNTAIN HAG

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
No. APPEARING: 1-3
AC: 7
MV: 15"
HD: 5+5
% IN LAIR: 65%
TREASURE TYPE: R,S,T
#AT: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: by weapon type
SA: see below
SD: see below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%
INTELLIGENCE: Average-High
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: nil
Attack/Defence modes: nil
LEVEL/xp VALUE: VI/650+6/hp

The Mountain Hag is a relative of the Sea Hag, inhabiting mountains and dismal rocky wastes. The lair of the Mountain Hag is typically a cave in a mountainside. Like all other Hags, they hate beauty and goodness, and when they come out of their caves it is always to commit some act of evil.

The appearance of a Mountain Hag is so hideous as to require any character of less than 5th level to save vs magic or lose 1-10 strength points for 1-8 turns; Clerics and Paladins are allowed a bonus to this saving throw equal to their level.

The Mountain Hag fights using a filthy, jagged and rusty dagger (D 1-4), which has a 75% chance of carrying a disease (treat as chronic, severe, affecting blood and gastro-intestinal organs - see Dungeon Masters Guide p14). However, a Mountain Hag will rely whenever possible on followers and on her magical abilities, fighting hand-to-hand only as a last resort to clear a path for her escape.

A Mountain Hag can fly, 1/day, paralyse (as a wand of paralysation) by touch, 3 times/day, and cause darkness, 3 times/day. She can use magic-user scrolls as a 10th level thief, and can also speak with animals at will. There is a 30% chance that a Mountain Hag will have a familiar, of a type determined as for the first level magic-user spell find familiar.

A Mountain Hag may call down a terrible curse on one victim, who must save vs magic or lose 1-4 constitution points, and must make all subsequent saving throws vs poison or disease at -2 while the curse is in effect. Any wound sustained during this period will heal at half the normal rate, and has a 25% chance of becoming infected. The curse lasts for one lunar month or until the victim dies or receives a remove curse spell. A Mountain Hag may only have one curse in effect at any given time.

Finally, Mountain Hags are immune to poison and disease, and make all saving throws against mind-influencing spells at +2.

Originally appeared in Imagine Magazine #5 (1983).
 

Despite being "relatives of the sea hag", the two have little in common.

Its Hit Dice put it between the sea hag and green hag in terms of power.

Here are the ability scores and other pertinent bits from those two:
Sea Hag: Str 19, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14, +3 natural
Green Hag: Str 19, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 14, +11 natural
 

Seems like Str 19, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 14, +7 natural. We could fiddle with Int (down to 11?) or natural armor if anyone cares. ;)
 

Added to Homebrews.

Shall we give it a Climb speed, since it dwells on mountains?

The appearance of a Mountain Hag is so hideous as to require any character of less than 5th level to save vs magic or lose 1-10 strength points for 1-8 turns; Clerics and Paladins are allowed a bonus to this saving throw equal to their level.

Gaze or aura?

The Mountain Hag fights using a filthy, jagged and rusty dagger (D 1-4), which has a 75% chance of carrying a disease (treat as chronic, severe, affecting blood and gastro-intestinal organs - see Dungeon Masters Guide p14).

Any suggestions for the disease?

A Mountain Hag can fly, 1/day, paralyse (as a wand of paralysation) by touch, 3 times/day, and cause darkness, 3 times/day. She can use magic-user scrolls as a 10th level thief, and can also speak with animals at will. There is a 30% chance that a Mountain Hag will have a familiar, of a type determined as for the first level magic-user spell find familiar.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—darkness, ghoul touch (DC X); 1/day—fly. Caster level 5th?. The save DC is Charisma-based.

It sounds like ranks in Use Magic Device and maybe a racial bonus.

We can probably drop the familiar, since it advances by character class and can take one with its first level of wizard or sorcerer.

A Mountain Hag may call down a terrible curse on one victim, who must save vs magic or lose 1-4 constitution points, and must make all subsequent saving throws vs poison or disease at -2 while the curse is in effect. Any wound sustained during this period will heal at half the normal rate, and has a 25% chance of becoming infected. The curse lasts for one lunar month or until the victim dies or receives a remove curse spell. A Mountain Hag may only have one curse in effect at any given time.

Hag's Curse (Su): A mountain hag can bestow a terrible curse by touch. The victim must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Constitution damage and suffer a -2 penalty on saving throws vs. disease or poison. Additionally, the victim's natural healing rate is halved, and any time it takes damage it must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or contract a random disease. The curse lasts for 30 days unless removed with a remove curse spell or similar magic. A mountain hag may only curse one individual at a given time. If it chooses to curse a second victim, the curse is immediately lifted from the first victim. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Finally, Mountain Hags are immune to poison and disease, and make all saving throws against mind-influencing spells at +2.

Iron Will as a bonus feat, or an ability that grants +2 racial bonus against mind-influencing spells and abilities?
 

Need to process most of that later, but why not something like this?
SRD said:
Horrific Appearance (Su): The sight of a sea hag is so revolting that anyone (other than another hag) who sets eyes upon one must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or instantly be weakened, taking 2d6 points of Strength damage. This damage cannot reduce a victim’s Strength score below 0, but anyone reduced to Strength 0 is helpless. Creatures that are affected by this power or that successfully save against it cannot be affected again by the same hag’s horrific appearance for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

So sort of like a gaze but not tied to the eyes.
 



Ok, catching up:

Climb speed good.

I think slimy doom sounds good for the disease (even if it is contact vs injury).

CL5 is good. Maybe a +4 racial UMD bonus?

I like the curse.

Uhh, let's do a racial Will bonus vs mind-affecting. That sort of thing is common enough.
 

Updated.

How does this look?

Rusty Dagger: Every mountain hag wields a rusty dagger that transmits slimy doom (as an injury, rather than contact, disease) on a successful hit.

Skills: 24
Concentration, Craft or Knowledge (any one), Hide, Listen, and Spot are common among hags.

Feats: 2
Alertness, Blind-Fight, and Great Fortitude are common among hags.
 

Remove ads

Top