Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Cleon]

"Menu Item":

Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): An undead dragon slayer can throw any weapon as an attack against a dragon. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +4 racial attack bonus and does +1d6 plus +1d6 per 2 HD of the undead dragon slayer of extra damage. The attack bonus does not stack with that gained from the Weapon Throwing ability.

For all of them:

Weapon Throwing (Ex): Undead dragon slayers can throw any weapon as an attack against a dragon. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +1 racial attack bonus.

The phrasing of the damage bonus is a bit cluttery, why not...

Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): An undead dragon slayer can throw any weapon as an attack against a dragon. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +4 racial attack bonus and does additional damage equal to 1d6 plus 1d6 per 2 HD of the undead dragon slayer. The attack bonus does not stack with that gained from the Weapon Throwing ability.

 

[freyar]

That works fine for me.

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews, finally. Rejoice!

Huzzah!

I'd prefer "What flesh is visible is grey and rotted." over ""Where its flesh is visible, it is gray and rotted."

The red text could do with some work, but I'd leave that for later.

I'd rather the Armor Class was "The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +6" like the SRD Vampire. They should be tough, and AC 16 matches nicely with the original's base AC 4.

I tidied up the Improved Weapon Throwing in my previous post.

There's a greater shadowrath in the Spell Resistance.

I wouldn't have separate pools for the optional special attacks/qualities, but something like the following.

Additional Special Abilities
An undead dragon slayer may select [any 4?] of the following special abilities. [+1 special ability for every X points of BAB/caster level it gains about 9?]

Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): ?

Draconic Spell Resistance (Ex): ?

Improved Breath Evasion (Ex): ?

etc...

 

[Shade]

I'd prefer "What flesh is visible is grey and rotted." over ""Where its flesh is visible, it is gray and rotted."

Sounds good.

The red text could do with some work, but I'd leave that for later.

Yeah, it's a straight cut n' paste from the original. I marked it to remind me it needed changing.

I'd rather the Armor Class was "The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +6" like the SRD Vampire. They should be tough, and AC 16 matches nicely with the original's base AC 4.

Agreed.

I tidied up the Improved Weapon Throwing in my previous post.

There's a greater shadowrath in the Spell Resistance.

I wouldn't have separate pools for the optional special attacks/qualities, but something like the following.

Additional Special Abilities
An undead dragon slayer may select [any 4?] of the following special abilities. [+1 special ability for every X points of BAB/caster level it gains about 9?]

Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): ?

Draconic Spell Resistance (Ex): ?

Improved Breath Evasion (Ex): ?

etc...

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good.

Updated.

You've got Breath Evasion in the Additional Special Abilities, we were going to make that a standard Special Quality with an Improved Version as an optional extra.

 

[freyar]

More menu items.

Shade had this one (which I am modifying for our purposes):
True Strike (Sp): The undead dragon slayer may use true strike once per day as a move action on any attack against a dragon.

A dazzling Su attack.
Something like wingbind.
Smite dragon.
We wanted some for casters, too; free metamagic vs dragons was one idea.

 

[Cleon]

More menu items.

Shade had this one (which I am modifying for our purposes):
True Strike (Sp): The undead dragon slayer may use true strike once per day as a move action on any attack against a dragon.

A dazzling Su attack.
Something like wingbind.
Smite dragon.
We wanted some for casters, too; free metamagic vs dragons was one idea.

That all sounds good. Would you like to write any of them up?

 

[freyar]

Let's try the dazzle. The original is this:

Dazzle: Twirling a weapon confuses the dragon and prevents it from casting spells or using innate magical powers by disrupting the its ability to concentrate.

Dazzling Display (Su): An undead dragon slayer may make a series of complicated motions with its weapons which befuddles any dragon that sees it. A dragon within 30 ft that views the display (as a gaze attack) must make a Fortitude save or become dazzled for X rounds. In addition, the dragon must make a Concentration check at the same DC to cast any spell or use a spell-like ability.

 

[Cleon]

Let's try the dazzle. The original is this:

Dazzling Display (Su): An undead dragon slayer may make a series of complicated motions with its weapons which befuddles any dragon that sees it. A dragon within 30 ft that views the display (as a gaze attack) must make a Fortitude save or become dazzled for X rounds. In addition, the dragon must make a Concentration check at the same DC to cast any spell or use a spell-like ability.

What action is required? I'm tempted to allow it as part of a full attack sequence (e.g. the slayer loses the first attack in the iterative sequence) or be a move or swift action.

Also, the Dazzling Display can interrupt spells that require concentration to maintain.

Finally, isn't Concentration too easy a check? Should we make it a Will save?

 

[freyar]

Hmmm, I had been thinking standard, but I like making it part of a full attack.

Maybe boost the DC for the Concentration check. That's the check that makes sense to use.

Dazzling Display (Su): As a standard action or part of a full attack action, an undead dragon slayer may make a series of complicated motions with its weapons which befuddles any dragon that sees it. A dragon within 30 ft that views the display (as a gaze attack) must make a Fortitude save or become dazzled for X rounds. In addition, the dragon must make a Concentration check at XX DC to cast any spell, use a spell-like ability, or maintain a spell that requires Concentration.