Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[freyar]

Fair enough in light of the grig, then.

 

[Shade]

Let's work on the mindgloom venom...

A gloomwing’s venomous bite is its most feared weapon. The bite causes a -1 penalty on each save vs. poison. If the save is not successful, one of the following effects occurs (roll d%):

01-40: Victim flees in fear (as 4th-level wizard spell) for four rounds.
41-75: Victim of less than 8 + 1 Hit Dice (or 8 levels) falls into a catatonic slumber and cannot be awakened for 2d4 turns. Creatures of 8 +2 Hit Dice (or 9 levels) or more are unaffected. Such victims are treated as if they have made their saving throws (see below).
76-85: Victim is stunned for 1d6 rounds. While stunned, victim cannot use Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class, attack, cast spells, communicate, or perform any actions except normal movement or dropping items held in the hands.
87-95: Victim is confused (as the 4th-level wizard spell) for six rounds.
96-97: Victim is feebleminded (as the 5th-level wizard spell). Victims who are not spell casters are treated as if they have made their saving throws.
98-00: Victim suffers double damage (4-10) from the bite and suffers wracking pains and convulsions which render him helpless for one round.

An opponent can suffer from only one of these effects during a single encounter with one or more gloomwings. Unaffected opponents must successfully save vs. poison each time they are bitten, but once a save fails and the victim suffers from a listed affect, all subsequent bites during the encounter inflict only half damage. Gloomwings engage in long melees with opponents who have survived the venom's affects often retreat, only to return 1d3 hours later to launch a “new” assault. Gloomwings are immune to gloomwing venom.

The chilling bite of a gloomwing is its most feared weapon. In addition to doing 2-5 points of damage, the creature’s fangs inject venom into the victim’s bloodstream. The effect of the venom varies for each victim as follows:

01-40: Victim flees in fear (see 4th-level magic-user spell).
41-75: Victim of less than 8+1 hit dice (or 8 levels) affected by sleep, immediately sinking into a catatonic slumber from which he cannot be awakened for 2-8 turns. A victim of 8th level (8+1 HD) or greater is treated as if he made his saving throw (see below).
76-86: Victim is stunned, reeling, unable to think, speak, cast spells, or act—except to drop any items held in the hands—for 1-6 rounds.
87-95: Victim is confused (as the 4th-level magic-user spell).
96-97: Victim is feebleminded (as the 5th-level magic-user spell).
98-00: Victim suffers double damage (4-10 points) from the bite and is rendered helpless for the round in which he was bitten due to wracking pains (with convulsions), but is otherwise unaffected.

Any victim can only be affected by one of these results during a single encounter with one or more gloomwings; after a bite hits and its poison) takes effect, all subsequent bites suffered by the victim in the same encounter will have no effect other than the normal 2-5 points of damage. The victim of a bite is allowed a saving throw vs. poison (made at -1) to avoid the effect of the venom, but this saving throw only applies to the particular bite attack for which it is made. A gloomwing is immune to its own venom, and to that of other gloomwings.

panicked, sleep, stunned, confused, feebleminded, and the effects of a symbol of pain (wracking pains that impose a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks), respectively?

 

[demiurge1138]

Sounds right to me.

 

[freyar]

Same here. Regardless of a save result, creatures bitten by a gloomwing are immune to mindgloom for 24 hours as standard? (Or just from that particular gloomwing?)

 

[demiurge1138]

I think we should have that for successful saves only.

Let's make it a mind-influencing, poison effect.

 

[Shade]

All sounds good. Stick with original durations?

Ex or Su?

 

[demiurge1138]

Su.

 

[Shade]

Summarizing...

Mindgloom Venom (Su): A creature bitten by a gloomwing must succeed on a DC X Fortitude save or suffer a random effect from the table below. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same gloomwing's mindgloom venom for 24 hours. Effects from multiple gloomwing bites do not stack. The save DC is Constitution-based. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes all effects from an affected creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

01-40: Victim is panicked for x rounds. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.
41-75: Victim falls asleep (as the sleep spell) for 2d4x10 minutes. This is a mind-affecting, compulsion effect.
76-86: Victim is stunned for 1d6 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect.
87-95: Victim is confused (as the confusion spell) for x rounds. This is a mind-affecting, compulsion effect.
96-97: Victim is feebleminded (as the spell). This is a mind-affecting, compulsion effect.
98-00: Victim suffers double damage from the bite and is wracked with pain (imposing a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks) for 1 round.

 

[freyar]

I think that looks right.

 

[Shade]

Gloomwings can generate darkness, 15 radius (as the 2nd-level wizard spell) at will as a 4th-level spell caster.

Deeper darkness as a SLA or a unique Su ability?

They have excellent sight and superior infravision, 180-foot range. Their other senses are extremely keen and allow them to locate and attack opponents even in magical darkness.

Keen senses like a true dragon?

We gave them see in darkness, but I'm almost wondering if blindsight is more appropriate based on that passage.