Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[Shade]

I approve. While we await Cleon, thoughts on a non-psionic underbar?

 

[Cleon]

Give Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival 5 ranks each, Profession (Miner) 2 ranks (with a small bonus), and Intimidate 3 ranks?

I think I'd have to pick Endurance, just since it's the least used of all those feats.

That looks pretty good. I'm thinking we don't need the Intimidate ranks or quite so many Survival ranks. Maybe lower Survival to 2 ranks and cut out Intimidate to max out Listen, Spot and Move Silently?

Climb 5, Hide 5, Listen 7, Move Silently 7, Spot 7, Survival 2, Profession (Miner) 2 (with a +2 bonus)

Hmm, I would like a bit more Survival than that - maybe cut a point each from Listen, Spot and Miner to put Survival back to 5?

Climb 5, Hide 5, Listen 6, Move Silently 7, Spot 6, Survival 5, Profession (Miner) 1 (with a +2 bonus)

 

[Shade]

That looks pretty good. I'm thinking we don't need the Intimidate ranks or quite so many Survival ranks. Maybe lower Survival to 2 ranks and cut out Intimidate to max out Listen, Spot and Move Silently?

Climb 5, Hide 5, Listen 7, Move Silently 7, Spot 7, Survival 2, Profession (Miner) 2 (with a +2 bonus)

Hmm, I would like a bit more Survival than that - maybe cut a point each from Listen, Spot and Miner to put Survival back to 5?

Climb 5, Hide 5, Listen 7, Move Silently 6, Spot 6, Survival 5, Profession (Miner) 1 (with a +2 bonus)

I still think they need Intimidate. See post #529 for justification.

I think we can do without Climb (or at least less ranks) and don't think they need Listen and Spot higher than the rest. The description strongly supports stealth, with a lesser emphasis on other hunting and mining skills.

Suggested revision...

Hide 7, Intimidate 3, Listen 5, Move Silently 7, Profession (Miner) 3 (with a +2 bonus), Spot 5, Survival 5

 

[Cleon]

...Dang it, I forgot to cut a point from Listen in the last skill proposal in my previous post. Better fix it.

I still think they need Intimidate. See post #529 for justification.

I think we can do without Climb (or at least less ranks) and don't think they need Listen and Spot higher than the rest. The description strongly supports stealth, with a lesser emphasis on other hunting and mining skills.

Suggested revision...

Hide 7, Intimidate 3, Listen 5, Move Silently 7, Profession (Miner) 3 (with a +2 bonus), Spot 5, Survival 5

Well, I guess I'm OK with Intimidate. However, I don't think they need to max-out Hide due to their Chameleon SQ.


If they live in mountains I'd think they might need to clamber up rocks & cliffs on occasion, so they'd better have Climb. How about shifting 2 from Hide and Survival into Climb?

Revising...

Climb 4, Hide 5, Intimidate 3, Listen 5, Move Silently 7, Profession (Miner) 3 (with a +2 bonus), Spot 5, Survival 3

 

[Shade]

That'll work. Updated.

Habitat/Society: Geran live in hillside abodes carved out of the badlands rock. The homes are simple and usually house one family consisting of 1-2 adult males, 1-3 adult females, and 2-8 young.

For every 20 geran encountered, there will be a thane of 5+2 HD and 100 PSPs. The thane acts as the leader of the geran war units.

If 50 or more geran are encountered, they will be led by a jarl of 6+3 HD, 120 PSPs, and a psionic score of 16, plus one additional psionic discipline. The jarl is held in high esteem in geran society and is always guarded by a force of five geran and one thane.

When 120 or more geran are encountered, they will be led by a high chieftain. The high chieftain has 8+2 HD, has 150 PSPs, and is psionic level 8. He has a base score of 17 for all psionic checks. In addition to the normal psionic powers held by the gerans, the high chieftain also has the sciences of disintegrate and project force and the devotions of animate object and soften. The high chieftain is guarded by a jarl, three thanes, and 15 other gerans. The high chieftain is also assisted by a precept that is treated as a normal geran with the additional psionic talent of cell adjustment. The precept serves as the tribal healer and advisor to the chieftain.

Organization: Solitary, family (2-5 plus 2-8 noncombatant young), war unit (20-50 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans), x (51-120 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans and one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans), or tribe (121-160 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans, one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans, one xth-level precept, and one 8th-level high chieftain).

Challenge Rating: 4? It's essentially a 4th-level ranger with added abilities.

Treasure: Standard? Type A is a little bit of everything.

Alignment: Usually lawful neutral?

Advancement: By character class?

Level Adjustment: +4? It has unbalanced ability scores, natural armor, spell resistance, and psi-like abilities.

A geran is usually 6 feet tall and weighs 200 to 250 pounds?

Geran speak their own tongue in addition to the language of the Gith and Belgoi. There is a 10% chance a geran will be able to speak the local Common dialect.

Gith and Belgoi are both official 3e languages in Dungeon Magazine #110.

Geran speak Belgoi, Gith, and their own language. Leaders often additionally speak Common.

 

[freyar]

Let's call the org with the jarl a war troop or somesuch.
Make the precept an 8th level adept.

I'll agree to all the rest.

 

[Cleon]

Organization: Solitary, family (2-5 plus 2-8 noncombatant young), war unit (20-50 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans), x (51-120 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans and one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans), or tribe (121-160 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans, one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans, one xth-level precept, and one 8th-level high chieftain).

How about "task force" for the 51-120 organisation?

7th level for the precept?

The tribe should list noncombatants since the family does.

That'd make it...

Organization: Solitary, family (2-5 plus 2-8 noncombatant young), war unit (20-50 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans), task force (51-120 plus one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans and one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans), or tribe (121-160 plus 50-200 noncombatant young, one 5th-level thane per 20 gerans, one 6th-level jarl per 50 gerans, one 7th-level precept, and one 8th-level high chieftain).

Challenge Rating: 4? It's essentially a 4th-level ranger with added abilities.

Treasure: Standard? Type A is a little bit of everything.

Alignment: Usually lawful neutral?

Advancement: By character class?

Level Adjustment: +4? It has unbalanced ability scores, natural armor, spell resistance, and psi-like abilities.

A geran is usually 6 feet tall and weighs 200 to 250 pounds?

Gith and Belgoi are both official 3e languages in Dungeon Magazine #110.

Geran speak Belgoi, Gith, and their own language. Leaders often additionally speak Common.

All the above is fine by me, assuming the two mentioned languages are OGL legal.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

The languages aren't OGL, but it's easy enough to find conversions of those other two conversions on the offical Dark Sun site.

The flavor text and description may need some polish.

 

[freyar]

I'd strongly favor making the precept an adept or even cleric or egoists since they handle healing.

 

[Mortis]

Dang it, I'll be picking bits of Shade out of my hair for days.

So I'm a nit?

I was tempted to maintain a diplomatic silence, but why else do you think I pick on you?

Okaaaayy... I'll bite...

I guess that makes Cleon our official nit picker.

Regards
Mortis