Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

I strongly support template for this one.

Most of those "spells" sound more like Ex or Su abilities.

 

[Cleon]

I strongly support template for this one.

Yes, they certainly have a whiff of template to them.

Most of those "spells" sound more like Ex or Su abilities.

That's because they didn't start out as spells. They're special attacks of the Dragonslayer class from the Council of Wyrms Campaign Setting.

Indeed, most of the special abilities seem to come from its original class - the undead version gains the ability to enchant weapons and armour it is using and a decent Magic Resistance.

Hmm, these things can be neutral and are immune to turning. What are we going to do about that?

 

[Cleon]

Come to think of it, I remember seeing an AD&D monster page for a Dragon Slayer somewhere...

Ah, here it is. Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 2.

Does that have anything we can use?

It says there are Dragon Slayer clerics and wizards, but the Undead version only seem to be fighters. What's up with that?

 

[Shade]

Hmm, these things can be neutral and are immune to turning. What are we going to do about that?

Make them immune to both turning and rebuking?

It says there are Dragon Slayer clerics and wizards, but the Undead version only seem to be fighters. What's up with that?

I'd like to make the template prereqs flexible enough to allow all of the above (at least w/multiclassing).

 

[freyar]

Think I agree with everything so far. I also think we might get some inspiration from some Draconomicon PrCs.

 

[Cleon]

Make them immune to both turning and rebuking?

Well we could make it just immunity to turning, but I prefer both.

I'd like to make the template prereqs flexible enough to allow all of the above (at least w/multiclassing).

That raises the question of what prereqs to go for.

A +9 BAB? That would fit with them being 9th+ level fighters.

It also says self-formed undead dragon slayers (as opposed to ones created by black magic) have "supernatural strength of will".

Give them a good Will save or a bonus to Will saves?

 

[freyar]

+9 BAB is better than some fighter-specific feat. On the other hand, it almost completely rules out wizards or sorcerers, which we wanted to include. Might need to make it "+9 BAB or" something (caster level, maybe?).

On the other hand, we're really going to have to alter the description and abilities for a spell casting version.

 

[Cleon]

+9 BAB is better than some fighter-specific feat. On the other hand, it almost completely rules out wizards or sorcerers, which we wanted to include. Might need to make it "+9 BAB or" something (caster level, maybe?).

On the other hand, we're really going to have to alter the description and abilities for a spell casting version.

We could go for +9 BAB or ability to cast 5th level spells.

Since the Undead Dragon Slayer selects a number of abilities from a menu, I was thinking we could just have martial and spellcaster options in the menu.

 

[Shade]

We could lower the BAB and require a blend of Knowledge (arcana) (which applies to dragons) and maybe Weapon Focus (which any class can take).

 

[Cleon]

We could lower the BAB and require a blend of Knowledge (arcana) (which applies to dragons) and maybe Weapon Focus (which any class can take).

I like the notion of restricting them to approximately 9th+ level characters.