D&D 3.x Converting monsters from Mayfair Games Role Aids product line

[Cleon]

Okay, so how many Hit Dice shall we give the Lesser Dust Spider Swarm?

If I remember correctly we were talking about making the Greater Dust Spider a Huge creature with about 16 HD, so I guess we want a dust spider swarm to be somewhere around 8-12 HD - enough so that a swarm will be an effective ally in a fight, but not enough that the minions are more effective than the master.

I quite like 12 Hit Dice like a Hellwasp swarm, for HD 12d10 (66), but we could use a more modest 9d10 (49 hp) instead.

The next question is the swarm damage - I'm thinking 2d6 plus poison ?

 

[freyar]

Let's do 12 HD but make them Fine or Diminutive, so they're like the juvenile version of the lesser dust spiders. 2d6 plus the poison is probably ok.

 

[Cleon]

Let's do 12 HD but make them Fine or Diminutive, so they're like the juvenile version of the lesser dust spiders. 2d6 plus the poison is probably ok.

Thus making them immune to weapon damage - I like it!

Let's say Diminutive, like the SRD Spider Swarm.

Lesser Dust Spider: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 10
Spider Swarm: Str 1, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 0, Wis 10, Cha 2

=>

Dust Spider Swarm: Str 1, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 10 ?

Oh, and 12 HD is good for me.

 

[freyar]

Those abilities seem reasonable to me. Want to leave the poison at 1d3 Dex primary/secondary with the accompanying boost in DC? Or cut it to 1d2 Dex/1d2 Dex or something?

Should probably drop web and dust form for simplicity but keep dust body and revamp death throes to be some kind of "retribution" for damage (since damaging a swarm is like killing some members).

 

[Cleon]

Those abilities seem reasonable to me. Want to leave the poison at 1d3 Dex primary/secondary with the accompanying boost in DC? Or cut it to 1d2 Dex/1d2 Dex or something?

We gave the Lesser Dust Spider a 1d3/1d3 venom, which is 1 step nastier than a standard Monstrous Spider of its size. The SRD Spider Swarm has 1d3/1d3 poison, so I'd apply the same 1-step boost to that and give the Dust Spider Swarm a 1d4/1d4 poison.

Should probably drop web and dust form for simplicity but keep dust body and revamp death throes to be some kind of "retribution" for damage (since damaging a swarm is like killing some members).

I'd prefer to keep dust form. Nothing to prevent a swarm of these things pretending to be a pile of dust - albeit a big pile of dust.

Agree we should drop the web.

Something like "Choking Retribution" with it producing a 5-foot square every time it takes damage, with the dust having the same effects as the Lesser Dust Spider's death throes?

 

[freyar]

If you mean Choking Retribution, I think I can go with all of that.

 

[Cleon]

If you mean Choking Retribution, I think I can go with all of that.

Oops, an extra "c" slipped out of my keyboard, hope it didn't make you ChockeChoke.

Easy enough to snip it out ... *EDIT* ... there you go.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

 

[freyar]

Looks pretty good. I guess skills and feats next. Also, what do you say to reducing the mental stats a bit to make them juvenile compared to the lesser dust spider?

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

We were going to change Death Throes to something like "Choking Retribution" which happens every time the swarm takes damage. In any event, its DC should become 16.

Not much left to do - just feats, skills, organization and CR.

How about Ability Focus (distraction), Alertness, Great Fortitude and Iron Will for the additional feats?

Feats: Ability Focus (distraction), Ability Focus (poison), Alertness, Great Fortitude, Iron Will

Put all eleven extra skill points in Spot? It's hard to hide from thousands of eyes.

Skills: Climb +10, Hide +16*, Jump -4, Move Silently +4*, Spot +17

Maybe we use "pile" for collective noun for dust spider swarms?

Organization: Solitary or pile (2-4 swarms)

Challenge Rating wise they're not quite as nasty as the CR8 hellwasp swarm - lower damage and weaker poison, slower and with no fly speed, a lower AC and hps - so I'd think Challenge Rating 7.