Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

How about something like this?

Cling (Ex): Once a swarm of scarlet dancers surrounds a creature, they cling to the victim with incorporeal tendrils. The victim is free to move and is not considered grappled, but the scarlet dancer swarm moves with the victim; thus, the victim will begin its next turn with the swarm in its space, and will be vulnerable to the swarm's distraction ability. The victim may escape with a successful DC X Escape Artist check, a freedom of movement effect, or by slaying the swarm.

 

[freyar]

Yes! And the check DC can be Dex-based. I think I'd also allow Tumble checks to escape.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Clusters of scarlet dancers can sense the presence of warm-blooded creatures within a 100-foot radius.

Lifesense 100 feet?

The only time they are not flying is when they have consumed their maximum daily allotment of blood (14 hit points per 10 dancers). Then they seek an out-of-the-way place to rest for 1d4 hours.

We'll need to add the satiation amount to blood drain. Maybe 20 points?

 

[freyar]

Yes and yes.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Before 10 dancers (1 HD) feed, they have an Armor Class of 1, but after draining 7 hit points of blood they are slower and their Armor Class drops to 8. A cluster of 10 scarlet dancers can absorb up to 14 points of blood before the cluster stops attacking to digest its spoils.

How about revising blood drain like so?

Blood Drain (Ex): A scarlet dancer swarm drains blood and deals 1d6 points of damage and 1d6 points of Constitution damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. Once it has dealt 20 points of Constitution damage, it detaches and flies off to "digest" the meal for 1d4 hours. While sated, the scarlet dancer moves at only half speed and its maneuverability is reduced to good. It also loses its Dexterity bonus to AC. If its victim dies before the swarm's appetite has been sated, the swarm seeks a new target.

 

[freyar]

Sounds good. I'm glad you're on a roll since I'm preoccupied...

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Skills: 13
Crimson death has Concentration, Hide, Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Search, Spot

I can't really see a reason to keep Concentration or the Knowledge skills.

Feats: 4
Crimson death has Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Mobility, Spring Attack (B)

I could defintely see keeping Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes as bonus feats. Many of the other feats won't work well for a swarm.

Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-x swarms)

 

[freyar]

Let's drop Search, also. So 4 in Hide, 4 in Listen, 5 in Spot?

Imp Init and Lightning Reflexes are fine as bonus feats, or they could be regular feats if we can't come up with enough. Great Fort would work, and so could Ability Focus (distraction). (Don't want to do Cling, because that's just asking for a TPK I think.) Alertness, maybe Stealthy.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Imp Init and Lightning Reflexes are fine as bonus feats, or they could be regular feats if we can't come up with enough.

Yeah, let's do that, as they've got plenty of feats. Stealthy is kind of pointless, since they always Move Silently. Skill Focus (Hide) is overkill, since they get a crazy high modifier already from being Fine and having high Dex.


Environment: Any marsh or underground?

Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-x swarms)

Treasure: None? (Type S is 1-8 potions, which I find a bit odd...)

 

[freyar]

2-5 swarms, no treasure, environment is good.