Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Cleon]

I don't think density changes your size category. I'd favor option (1).

That's the main reason I suggested it was exceptionally thick bodied, not just denser. There's a lot of difference in body shape between a pit viper and an average tree snake, you know.

DR 10/bludgeoning is probably enough for it's likely CR.

Fine by me.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, that slow petrifying gaze could work. I guess the question is how many saves we want to give and how granular the transition to petrification should be. Any thoughts?

Hmm, the permanently slowed damage is nasty! I hadn't considered the duration (if any) of the original slow effect.

I don't think we should have more than 2 saving, since the original venom was extremely nasty. For example, if it needs 5 failed saves in a row to take full effect it makes it much less likely.

 

[freyar]

I'm leaning toward the poison-type approach Cleon has above at the moment. With regard to that, I'd make it a poison (subject to neutralize poison, etc), since that's what the original monster seemed to intend (called it a poison). It'd just have funny damage. I'd also suggest a 2 minute-ish duration for the slowing effect, so the victim would be slow until petrifying and would have quite some trouble even if it avoids being petrified.

Also, where does it say that it has an exceptionally thick body? I'm just not seeing it.

 

[Cleon]

I'm leaning toward the poison-type approach Cleon has above at the moment. With regard to that, I'd make it a poison (subject to neutralize poison, etc), since that's what the original monster seemed to intend (called it a poison). It'd just have funny damage. I'd also suggest a 2 minute-ish duration for the slowing effect, so the victim would be slow until petrifying and would have quite some trouble even if it avoids being petrified.

Yes, I was thinking a random duration of some form 1d3, 1d4, 1d4+1 or 2d4 minutes? I'm leaning toward 1d4+1 to it caps out at 5 rounds, since the original poison took effect over 5 rounds.

Also, where does it say that it has an exceptionally thick body? I'm just not seeing it.

It doesn't, I'm applying creative license. It feels right to have it at the heftier end of the snake bodyplan. Wouldn't a "granite" body be brittle, so likely to break if it were thin?

 

[freyar]

You want 1d4+1 rounds or minutes? I'd prefer minutes, just to make it last a little longer.

Granite's not actually brittle unless you've wedged something in a crack that's already there. And I'd imagine it's quite resistant to slashing weapons due to the high hardness of quartz.

 

[Cleon]

You want 1d4+1 rounds or minutes? I'd prefer minutes, just to make it last a little longer.

Sorry for the confusion, I was thinking 1E AD&D rounds for the "5 rounds", where 1 round = 1 minute, so the middle bit should say "caps out at 5 minutes".

Granite's not actually brittle unless you've wedged something in a crack that's already there. And I'd imagine it's quite resistant to slashing weapons due to the high hardness of quartz.

Those examples are more a question of toughness than brittleness. I was thinking of it in the engineering sense, i.e. a "Brittle" material will snap under a small strain (in the technical "how much it is bent" sense of strain), although it may require a large stress force to actually bend it.

Besides, I wasn't thinking it was exactly like granite, hence the quotes around "granite". For all we know, the "stone" flesh of the snake may be closer in mechanical properties to another, more fragile stone. The AD&D version only says it "a stony mineral that resembles granite", after all, so the similarity may be purely aesthetic.

Also, this "granite" seems to be a "hard outer body covering". Does it have a squishy internal organs inside, maybe Silicon-based?

 

[freyar]

Well, I still prefer Large given the length.

1d4+1 minutes it is!

 

[Cleon]

Well, I still prefer Large given the length.

1d4+1 minutes it is!

I don't mind reducing the size to Large, but I'd still like to make it a fairly thick-bodied snake.

 

[freyar]

I don't mind reducing the size to Large, but I'd still like to make it a fairly thick-bodied snake.

Description and flavor text are fair game for that. I'm not sure making it thick-bodied would bump the size category up anyway; it's still a snake.

 

[Cleon]

Description and flavor text are fair game for that. I'm not sure making it thick-bodied would bump the size category up anyway; it's still a snake.

Hmm, I'm having second thoughts.

Its strength and natural weapon damage dice would be rather high for a Large-sized serpentine monster, going by the SRD Polar Worm and Giant Constrictor.

Maybe we should keep it Huge and increase the length?

Anyhow, I'll post a Large version (with lowered Str) to see how they compare.