Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[Shade]

Hmmm...we could stat the weaker option and add a "greater scorched ones" sidebar stating when during advancement they gain the more powerful SLAs. Thoughts?

 

[freyar]

I like that idea well enough. What about

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 2/day - light, scorching ray; 1/day - fire seeds (acorn only), continual flame, searing light. CL 7.

Insatiable Thirst (Su): Twice per day as a standard action, a scorched one can create an insatiable thirst in one creature within 30 ft. The victim takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage and become fatigued. In addition, the victim must succeed on a DC X Will save or be compelled to search for a liquid to drink. The victim will proceed to drink any liquid not known to be poisonous, including potions; this condition lasts for 10 minutes? This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

What do you think?

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the Advanced Scorched Ones sidebar. I would add that the liquid drunk will not actually remove the fatigue, or that the fatigue and nonlethal damage can only be cured by drinking at least 2 quarts (?) of fluids.

 

[freyar]

Let's try this:

Insatiable Thirst (Su): Twice per day as a standard action, a scorched one can create an insatiable thirst in one creature within 30 ft. The victim takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage and becomes fatigued; the nonlethal damage and fatigue cannot be cured until the victim has drunk at least 2 quarts of liquid. In addition, the victim must succeed on a DC X Will save or be compelled to search for a liquid to drink. The victim will proceed to drink any liquid not known to be poisonous, including potions; this condition lasts for 10 minutes? This compulsion is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[Shade]

I'm getting ready to Homebrew this thing, and wanted to confirm the ability scores.

Str 12, Dex 21, Con -, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 20?

 

[demiurge1138]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapons to hit, see below

DR x/magic?

In hand-to-hand combat, a scorched one inflicts ld8 points of damage with its powerful, burning touch. The more dangerous aspect of this touch is that it will dehydrate a victim unless the creature touched rolls a successful saving throw vs. death magic. If unsuccessful, the creature will begin to suffer from a type of heat stroke as its body dehydrates. The victim will suffer 1d8 points of damage each round, as well as being affected by insatiable thirst for the duration. This effect lasts 1d4 rounds. Multiple blows add to the duration of the effect.

Touch attack that deals fire damage, plus dehydration? Tie into insatiable thirst ability, or separate effect?

They are also able to regenerate 1 hit point every round, unless the damage comes from acid, cold, or water.

As freyar mentioned upthread, fast healing with contingencies?

Cold-based attacks do +1 per die of damage against them. Scorched ones save vs. water-based attacks at a -2 penalty, and if the attacks inflicts damage, that damage is doubled.

Vulnerability to cold and water? Should these have the fire subtype, since they already are immune to fire and vulnerable to cold?

Scorched ones may be destroyed completely in only one way: total immersion in water. It does not matter how this is accomplished, so long as the entire body of the creature is immersed in water. If a scorched one is stricken down, and has not yet regenerated enough damage to rise again, it may be incapacitated by cutting off its head. This will render it immobile until the next sunrise, at which time its body and head will turn to dust and reform under the desert sun.

Something like ghost's rejuvenation?

Scorched ones are believed to come into being when a human has been purposefully cast out into the desert, and dies from the intense heat and lack of water. The hatred of the individual towards those who cast him or her out is so intense as to cause the corpse rise again as a scorched one. The creature's hatred for one individual or group soon develops into a hatred for all humanoids, in particular humans. It then spends its unlife roaming the wastes, in search of a way to sate its hatred.

These undead creatures have also been known to track a caravan or adventuring company for days through the desert, studying the strengths and weaknesses of their foes. When the creature thinks it has gathered enough information and has the best tactical opportunity, then it attacks.

Track feat and good ranks (and maybe racial bonus) in Survival?

It is not known how a scorched one draws its power from the sun, which is the antithesis of most undead creatures. However, sages speculate that the creature's connection with the Negative Material Plane may be far weaker than most other intelligent undead.

Less healing from inflict spells? Decent turn resistance?

 

[freyar]

DR x/magic?

I'd say so. Maybe DR 10 for the normal one and DR 15 for the "greater" version in the sidebar?

Touch attack that deals fire damage, plus dehydration? Tie into insatiable thirst ability, or separate effect?

I think yes to all of these. How do we want to do dehydration? If it's just fatigue and nonlethal damage, we can leave it out and just go with insatiable thirst.

As freyar mentioned upthread, fast healing with contingencies?

Vulnerability to cold and water? Should these have the fire subtype, since they already are immune to fire and vulnerable to cold?

I think fast healing with vulnerability to cold, water, and acid. Sure, we might as well give it the fire subtype; makes sense for these.

Something like ghost's rejuvenation?

Yes. We can just change the bit about destroying it completely.

Track feat and good ranks (and maybe racial bonus) in Survival?

Agreed.

Less healing from inflict spells? Decent turn resistance?

How about 1/2 healing from inflict and +4 turn resistance?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

If you're going to say that this creature gets less healing from inflict wound spells, then shouldn't it also take less damage from cure wounds spells?

 

[demiurge1138]

Not a fan of giving it reduced healing from inflict, but other than that, Shade's motions all make sense.