Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[Leopold]

She looks clean captain. Next critter.

 

[Cleon]

This works for me, since the original text mentions their preference for swords and spears.

Updated.

When in full attack, shouldn't its tail count as a secondary weapon so lose the +1 damage bonus?

Also, it needs a "Skorpios as Player Characters" write up, as they're supposed to be PC-worthy. May I suggest:

Skorpios as Player Characters

• Strength +2, Dexterity +8, Constitution +2, Intelligence -6, Wisdom +2.
• Size Medium.
• A skorpio's base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Racial Hit Dice: A skorpio begins with three levels of Monstrous Humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3, and Will +3.
• Racial Skills: A skorpio's Monstrous Humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Hide, Spot and Survival.
• Racial Skill Bonuses: A skorpio has a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Spot checks.
• Racial Feats: A skorpio's Monstrous Humanoid levels give it two feats.
• Proficiency in simple weapons and all melee martial weapons.
• +6 natural armour bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Giant, Gnoll and Orc. Skorpios speak with a gutteral, chirping accent.
• Favoured Class: Barbarian.
• Poison (Ex): A skorpio has a venomous stinger doing 1d6 piercing damage that it may use as a primary or secondary natural attack. Its poison does initial damage 1 Con, secondary damage 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
• Level Adjustment: +3.

I gave them Orc, Goblin Gnoll and Giant as bonus languages since they seem the kind to hang out with humanoid monsters.

 

[freyar]

I'm happy to adopt Cleon's PC section and call them done. Agreed?

 

[Shade]

Looks good. Updated.

 

[freyar]

There's a typo in the coloration ("tand" instead of "tan"), but I think we're otherwise good.

 

[Shade]

Fixed.

 

[Cleon]

Fixed.

The stats look fine, but the description uses skorpio/skorpios interchangeably as a plural, which looks a trifle clumsy.

E.g.: we've got both "Skorpio are a race of sentient, bipedal scorpions that terrorize the deserts." and "Skorpios are proficient with all simple weapons and all melee martial weapons."

Admittedly the original Polyhedron magazine write up does the same.

Shall we tweak it so its more consistent? Pick one plural and get rid of the other? I'm thinking "Skorpio" as the plural (and singular), since it appears most often as a plural and I like the ring of it.

"Three Skorpio leap out and attack!"

 

[Shade]

Good point.

Corrected.

 

[Cleon]

Good point.

Corrected.

Fine, the Skorpio looks done.

Who's up next?

 

[Shade]

Composite mummies resemble normal mummies, except that they have the heads of crocodiles, hippos or jackals. There are two of each type. They are unarmed save for the jackal-mummies, who carry black iron ankhs.

Composite Mummies (Crocodile): 2; AL LE; IN Low; SZ M; MV 6"; AC 3; STw 12, STs 13; HD 6+3; hp 24 each; THAC0 13; #AT 2 hands/1 bite; Dmg 1d12/1d12/2d4; XPV 1342 each.
Composite Mummies (Jackal): 2; AL LE; IN Low; SZ M; MV 6"; AC 3; STw 12, STs 13; HD 6+3; hp 21 each; THAC0 13; #AT 1 bite/1 ankh; Dmg 1d6/1d8; XPV 1318 each.
Composite Mummies (Hippo): 2; AL LE; IN Low; SZ M; MV 6"; AC 3; STw 12, STs 13; HD 6+3; hp 29 each; THAC0 13; Dmg 1d12/1d12/2d6; XPV 1382 each.

Special Attacks (All): Disease per touch (fatal in 1d6 months unless cure disease is applied; permanent loss of 2 charisma points for each month disease progresses; negates cure wound spells until cured; victim heals at 10% of normal rate); any creature seeing a mummy must save vs. spel1s or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds (+2 bonus to saving throw for humans; +1 bonus to all saves for each opponent over 6/mummy).
Special Defenses (All): +1 or better weapon to hit; immune to sleep, charm, hold, cold, poison, and paralysis; takes 1/2 damage from all magical weapons.

Notes (All): Magical fire does extra damage (+ 1/die); torch inflicts 1d3 points; holy water inflicts 1 d8 points per vial; burning oil inflicts 1d8 points per vial on the first round, and 2d8 points the second; anyone slain by mummy is permanently dead unless cure disease and raise dead are used within 6 turns; raise dead kills composite mummy unless a save vs. spells is successful. (It cannot exist in its semi-human form alive.)

Originally appeared in Polyhedron #31 (1986).