Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

Clunk!

I think you might have dropped something, I found this hint lying on the floor...

Ouch! #$%@! Wait, what's this?

Added to Homebrews.

 

[freyar]

It just helps me to see things.

Now that it's there, let's address this:

Combat: The suwyze can see danger coming from a distance, as its feelers and tendrils allow it to sense light, heat. faint odors, winds, magical auras, strong good or evil creatures, and even subtle pressure changes that might indicate opening and closing doors. Suwyze sleep fitfully, and some of their feelers are active even then. When something triggers their sense of danger, they become instantly alert, so a suwyze can never be surprised. The typical response is to tell the master and hide.

The suwyze can use each of the following spell-like abilities three times per day: clairaudience, clairvoyance, detect good, detect evil, detect magic, invisibility, shout, and wizard eye. It uses these to track even difficult opponents throughout an area. Its powers of perception also grant the suwyze a +2 bonus to saving throws against all illusion-based magic.

So that's a list of SLAs, but the first paragraph suggests that the detect evil and detect magic could be continuous abilities. What do you think?

 

[Shade]

It just helps me to see things.

Now that it's there, let's address this:


So that's a list of SLAs, but the first paragraph suggests that the detect evil and detect magic could be continuous abilities. What do you think?

I think the "always active on its person" SLAs (like the upper-tier angels) make sense for the bulk of that.

 

[Cleon]

I think the "always active on its person" SLAs (like the upper-tier angels) make sense for the bulk of that.

Yes, the durations would be too short to be much use for a "watchdog" monster if it only has them 3/day.

However, I prefer at-will SLAs over "always active" for them.

 

[Shade]

Yes, the durations would be too short to be much use for a "watchdog" monster if it only has them 3/day.

However, I prefer at-will SLAs over "always active" for them.

But...but...

The suwyze can see danger coming from a distance, as its feelers and tendrils allow it to sense light, heat. faint odors, winds, magical auras, strong good or evil creatures, and even subtle pressure changes that might indicate opening and closing doors. Suwyze sleep fitfully, and some of their feelers are active even then. When something triggers their sense of danger, they become instantly alert, so a suwyze can never be surprised. The typical response is to tell the master and hide.

That suggests, at the very least, detect magic, detect evil, and detect good are always active.

 

[Cleon]

But...but...

The suwyze can see danger coming from a distance, as its feelers and tendrils allow it to sense light, heat. faint odors, winds, magical auras, strong good or evil creatures, and even subtle pressure changes that might indicate opening and closing doors. Suwyze sleep fitfully, and some of their feelers are active even then. When something triggers their sense of danger, they become instantly alert, so a suwyze can never be surprised. The typical response is to tell the master and hide.

That suggests, at the very least, detect magic, detect evil, and detect good are always active.

Yes, the problem is it's also got this:

The suwyze can use each of the following spell-like abilities three times per day: clairaudience, clairvoyance, detect good, detect evil, detect magic, invisibility, shout, and wizard eye. It uses these to track even difficult opponents throughout an area. Its powers of perception also grant the suwyze a +2 bonus to saving throws against all illusion-based magic.

The two are somewhat contradictory - if it has feelers constantly detecting magical and alignment auras, why does it have those 3/day SLAs? Making them at-will's seemed a compromise.

Alternatively, how about we give them "always on" detect magic/good/evil and upgrade the SLAs so it has 3/day arcane sight, detect scrying and see invisibility?

Hmm, I like that solution. Its "regular" magic/alignment sense has a 60 ft. range, but its SLAs sense magic and invisible creatures to a 120 ft range (assuming it's using its 120-foot darkvision for the see invisibility). The stronger divinations, such as true seeing or greater arcane sight are probably too much.

 

[freyar]

Yes, I like the last solution there.

 

[Cleon]

Yes, I like the last solution there.

Good! Let's write up that, then.

 

[Shade]

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—arcane eye, arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect scrying, invisibility, see invisibility, shout (DC X). Caster level xth. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The following abilities are always active on the suwyze's person, as the spells (caster level xth); detect evil, detect good, and detect magic. They can be dispelled, but the suwyze can reactivate them as a free action.

 

[Cleon]

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—arcane eye, arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect scrying, invisibility, see invisibility, shout (DC X). Caster level xth. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The following abilities are always active on the suwyze's person, as the spells (caster level xth); detect evil, detect good, and detect magic. They can be dispelled, but the suwyze can reactivate them as a free action.

That's fine by me.