Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Cleon]

Cleon's dive and Su flight work for me.

Looking back at this

I wonder if I was too hasty about the telepathic link. This very well could be speak with master and/or empathic link. I still like scry on familiar, too.

Maybe these are variant hag familiars. We could add in some other familiar abilities and allow a hag to have up to 13 of them.

So something like this:

Arcane heads understand Common buy can not speak. They are able to communicate with their creators through their telepathic bond.

Telepathic Bond (Sp): An arcane head can communicate telepathically with the hag that created it as per the spell telepathic bond (caster level 10th). If this bond is dispelled the head's mistress can restore it with a standard action, but the hag must be within 30 ft of the arcane head.

 

[Shade]

Since most hags use SLAs rather than being actual spellcasters (and thus won't have familiars), I find Cleon's telepathic bond preferable to familiar abilities.

Let's stick with the original duration of 1d4+1 rounds, and how about daze for the reduced effect? Dazzled is usually more of a visual effect, and sickened somehow seems odd here.

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Since most hags use SLAs rather than being actual spellcasters (and thus won't have familiars), I find Cleon's telepathic bond preferable to familiar abilities.

Let's stick with the original duration of 1d4+1 rounds, and how about daze for the reduced effect? Dazzled is usually more of a visual effect, and sickened somehow seems odd here.

Updated.

That's fine by me.

All that leaves is Summon Mistress. Something like:

Summon Mistress (Sp): A group of arcane heads can summon the hag that created them, but only if the hag wishes to be summoned. [Three?] or more heads fly in a circle for three rounds, tracing mystical patterns in the air. The hag then appears in the center of the circle as if transported by a greater teleport spell. If a head is damaged or prevented from moving it is unable to contribute to the summoning, but provided at least three arcane heads complete the ritual without interruption the hag will appear. This is the equivalent of a 6th level spell (CL 13th).

 

[freyar]

The original required 5 heads for summoning. There's also the alternate ability to send a victim into a "dreamland." Do we want to keep that, drop it completely, or make it something Mullonga can do but not an ordinary hag? If we're keeping it, do we know anything about the dreamland? Sounds something like a maze spell.

 

[Cleon]

The original required 5 heads for summoning. There's also the alternate ability to send a victim into a "dreamland." Do we want to keep that, drop it completely, or make it something Mullonga can do but not an ordinary hag? If we're keeping it, do we know anything about the dreamland? Sounds something like a maze spell.

Oops, how could I have missed the five heads. Better give the normal hag's version the same or worse (i.e. 7 heads?).

As for the sending to dreamland bit, I think the easiest approach would be to give Mullonga's arcane heads a "Summon or Dispatch Mullonga" supernatural ability that works like a greater teleport / plane shift that can bring Mullonga to or from the heads, then allow Mullonga to transport a number of willing or helpless creatures with her when she uses it.

The "dreamlands" seem to be a pocket dimensions of some sort where Mullonga stashes her victims, so I'm guessing any creature capable of planar travel can escape them.

 

[Shade]

Oops, how could I have missed the five heads. Better give the normal hag's version the same or worse (i.e. 7 heads?).

As for the sending to dreamland bit, I think the easiest approach would be to give Mullonga's arcane heads a "Summon or Dispatch Mullonga" supernatural ability that works like a greater teleport / plane shift that can bring Mullonga to or from the heads, then allow Mullonga to transport a number of willing or helpless creatures with her when she uses it.

The "dreamlands" seem to be a pocket dimensions of some sort where Mullonga stashes her victims, so I'm guessing any creature capable of planar travel can escape them.

Let's just stick with 5 heads all around.

The rest sounds like a good approach.

Updated.

 

[freyar]

Why not give the normal once "dispatch mistress" also? Then we can give Mullonga the ability to bring willing/helpless creatures with her. We could also bump Mullonga's heads' ability to include plane shift.

Summon or Dispatch Mistress (Sp): A group of arcane heads can summon the hag that created them, but only if the hag wishes to be summoned. Five or more arcane heads fly in a circle for three rounds, tracing mystical patterns in the air. The hag then appears in the center of the circle as if transported by a greater teleport spell. Alternately, if the hag mistress is already present, this ritual transports her to her previous location or another destination of her choosing (subject to the same restrictions as greater teleport).

If an arcane head is damaged or prevented from moving, it is unable to contribute to the summoning, but provided at least five arcane heads complete the ritual without interruption the hag will appear. This is the equivalent of a 6th level spell (CL 13th).

 

[Shade]

Good idea!

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Let's just stick with 5 heads all around.

The rest sounds like a good approach.

Updated.

Looks fine.

Skills next. They seem to act as scouts and spies, so Spot, Hide and Listen.

Tumble to help them get within bite or bash range of an opponent?

Skills Ranks: Hide 5, Listen 5, Spot 5, Tumble 5 ?

 

[Shade]

Updated.

We could probably replace the Hide ranks if we have use for a different skill, since it already has an incredible modifier from size and Dex. I'm fine with it, though.

It gets 1 more feat. Skill Focus (Tumble)?