Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

"Mullonga often attempts to insinuate herself into a company of wanderers, using illusions to cast herself as a mage lost in the mists." suggests a disguise self type ability.

I assumed she'd use her spells for that. That said, I'm not opposed to a disguise self SLA.

Then there's the "Mullonga thrives on fear" and her trying to sow false information "to create fear in the wanderers—fear she can later use in dreams".

So, she's somehow able to extract power from the afraid and use it to work some kind of dream magic.

Interesting. Maybe all her spells are treated as empowered if she is within 30 feet of a creature suffering from a fear condition? It improves to maximized if x or more/the condition is panicked or greater?

Finally, there's mention of her creating "dream scapes" and "Mullonga controls the Ghettoes in the City of Nod. The shifting streets of this roving neighborhood are an extension of the witch. See the rules book for more information."

So, she cam reshape the terrain of her "nightmare land" and might be aware of what's going on in it? Possible can create objects in the dreamscape as well.

Maybe allows for effects resembling guards and wards, hallucinatory terrain and shadow conjuration?

And don't forget maze.

 

[Cleon]

I assumed she'd use her spells for that. That said, I'm not opposed to a disguise self SLA.

I don't mind either way.

Interesting. Maybe all her spells are treated as empowered if she is within 30 feet of a creature suffering from a fear condition? It improves to maximized if x or more/the condition is panicked or greater?

That might not come in effect that often, I would rather her spells have an increased effect when cast on a creature with a fear condition (shaken, frightened or panicked).

And don't forget maze.

Well maze would take it too high-level for me, but if you really want it...

 

[freyar]

Funny, I took the dreaming bit to be some modified form of a night hag's dream haunting, perhaps that she can only use on creature's she's frightened. I have some other thoughts, but I need to get them together...

EDIT: Here they are. I'd say that she can only use her dream haunting ability (maybe boosted by some effects of nightmare, too?) on creatures that she's caused to become shaken/frightened/panicked in the last day or two, and I'd give her the ability to increase fear a step in any creature she talks to for long enough.

I also like the increased spell effects. I like Cleon's idea that it's dependent on a target, but I think it might be hard to adjudicate (what about area-effect spells, since she prepares fireball after all?). What if we go with Shade's idea but increase the range?

As for the Ghettoes, maze or not is ok with me.

 

[Shade]

Funny, I took the dreaming bit to be some modified form of a night hag's dream haunting, perhaps that she can only use on creature's she's frightened. I have some other thoughts, but I need to get them together...

EDIT: Here they are. I'd say that she can only use her dream haunting ability (maybe boosted by some effects of nightmare, too?) on creatures that she's caused to become shaken/frightened/panicked in the last day or two, and I'd give her the ability to increase fear a step in any creature she talks to for long enough.

I like it!

I also like the increased spell effects. I like Cleon's idea that it's dependent on a target, but I think it might be hard to adjudicate (what about area-effect spells, since she prepares fireball after all?). What if we go with Shade's idea but increase the range?

I'll go for that.

As for the Ghettoes, maze or not is ok with me.

Same here. I just threw the idea out there, but if it's too powerful, so be it.

 

[Cleon]

I like it!

So do I, let's go for the "dream haunting the frightened" approach and see where it takes us.

I'll go for that.

Could you rough it out as a SA writeup? I'm not clear what we're talking about here.

Same here. I just threw the idea out there, but if it's too powerful, so be it.

I'd rather lose the maze.

 

[freyar]

I'll rough both those ideas out later today or tomorrow, got to run off now.

 

[Shade]

Consider the maze dropped, and we'll await freyar's other writeups.

 

[freyar]

Ok, here goes (Terrify is modified from the Harangue we gave the ash mephit; if we stick to Sp, I think we need an equivalent spell level):

Terrify (Su/Sp): Mullonga can spook creatures that understand her speech with a lengthy recitation of ghost stories or other frightening tales, often about missing travelers. The subjects must make a DC X Will save or become engrossed in conversation with Mullonga as if fascinated. After 10 minutes??, if Mullonga still speaks, each subject must make an additional DC X Will save or become shaken (already shaken characters become frightened and already frightened characters become panicked). Frightened or panicked subjects of Mullonga's terrify ability do not flee from her, not seeing her as the cause of their fear; they do however flee or fight any attackers. This fear decreases by one step each hour after Mullonga ceases using this ability. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting fear effect. The save DCs are Charisma based.

Frightful Casting (Su): If Mullonga casts any spell within 60 ft? of a creature with any fear condition (shaken, frightened, or panicked), that spell is automatically empowered. If the creature is frightened, the spell is automatically maximized, and, if the creature is panicked, the spell is maximized and empowered.

Dream Haunting (Su): Mullonga can visit the dreams of sleeping individuals currently shaken, frightened, or panicked by her terrify ability. Once Mullonga invades someone’s dreams, she enters a trance that appears to be sleep until the victim awakes. The sleeper suffers from tormenting dreams and takes 1 point of Constitution drain upon awakening. CHANGE PENALTIES? ADD SOME WAY TO BREAK THE CONNECTION?

I think this at least gives her reason to hang around adventuring parties.

 

[Cleon]

Ok, here goes (Terrify is modified from the Harangue we gave the ash mephit; if we stick to Sp, I think we need an equivalent spell level):

Terrify (Su/Sp): Mullonga can spook creatures that understand her speech with a lengthy recitation of ghost stories or other frightening tales, often about missing travelers. The subjects must make a DC X Will save or become engrossed in conversation with Mullonga as if fascinated. After 10 minutes??, if Mullonga still speaks, each subject must make an additional DC X Will save or become shaken (already shaken characters become frightened and already frightened characters become panicked). Frightened or panicked subjects of Mullonga's terrify ability do not flee from her, not seeing her as the cause of their fear; they do however flee or fight any attackers. This fear decreases by one step each hour after Mullonga ceases using this ability. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting fear effect. The save DCs are Charisma based.

I like this!

Can't see anything wrong with the mechanics, except I might increase the duration a bit otherwise she'd have to tell "bed time stories" to use Dream Haunting.

I'd prefer Su over Sp.

Frightful Casting (Su): If Mullonga casts any spell within 60 ft? of a creature with any fear condition (shaken, frightened, or panicked), that spell is automatically empowered. If the creature is frightened, the spell is automatically maximized, and, if the creature is panicked, the spell is maximized and empowered.

Well the basic approach is good, but (a) the empowered/maximized/empowered+maximized approach seems too much, especially as her spells are already auto-quickened, and (b) I'd rather it had a stronger effect on targets with those conditions as well.

So, something like this:

Frightful Casting (Su): Mullonga uses fear to strengthen her spells. Whenever there is a creature with any fear condition (shaken, frightened, or panicked) within 60 ft. of Mullonga the DCs of all her spells increase by +1. This bonus stacks with the bonus from Spell Focus type feats.

Furthermore, if she casts a spell upon a creature with a fear condition who is within 60 ft. of Mullonga the spell's DC increases by +2 instead, if the creature is frightened the spell is also automatically empowered, and, if the creature is panicked, the spell is automatically maximized.
​

Dream Haunting (Su): Mullonga can visit the dreams of sleeping individuals currently shaken, frightened, or panicked by her terrify ability. Once Mullonga invades someone’s dreams, she enters a trance that appears to be sleep until the victim awakes. The sleeper suffers from tormenting dreams and takes 1 point of Constitution drain upon awakening. CHANGE PENALTIES? ADD SOME WAY TO BREAK THE CONNECTION?

I think this at least gives her reason to hang around adventuring parties.

Not sure about this approach. She'd be very vulnerable in a trance. I'd rather the remain conscious and become incorporeal or ethereal while "Dream Haunting". Can't we just modify a Night Hag's dream haunting like I suggested earlier?

I'd consider increasing the damage a bit, since Nightmares are her thing.

1d3 Con drain? 1 Con plus 1 level of energy drain?

Does she get any advantage from using Dream Haunting? Something a bit more interesting than the standard temporary hit points, like a spell casting boost or "virtual XPs" she can invest in magical objects or sculpting the Nightmare Lands?

Dream Haunting (Su): Night hags can visit the dreams of chaotic or evil individuals by using a special periapt known as a heartstone to become ethereal, then hovering over the creature. Once a hag invades someone’s dreams, it rides on the victim’s back until dawn. The sleeper suffers from tormenting dreams and takes 1 point of Constitution drain upon awakening. Only another ethereal being can stop these nocturnal intrusions, by confronting and defeating the night hag.

e.g.:

Dream Haunting (Su): Mullonga can visit the dreams of a sleeping individual currently shaken, frightened, or panicked by her terrify ability. Mullonga must be ethereal to invades someone's dreams, and can then inflict horrible nightmares on the victim until dawn. The tormented sleeper takes [1d3 Con, 1 Con + 1 level?] drain upon awakening. Only another ethereal being can stop these nocturnal intrusions, by confronting and defeating Mullonga. Every time Mullonga uses dream haunting she gains ["virtual XPs?"].​

 

[Shade]

I like this!

Can't see anything wrong with the mechanics, except I might increase the duration a bit otherwise she'd have to tell "bed time stories" to use Dream Haunting.

I'd prefer Su over Sp.

Agreed to all that.

Well the basic approach is good, but (a) the empowered/maximized/empowered+maximized approach seems too much, especially as her spells are already auto-quickened, and (b) I'd rather it had a stronger effect on targets with those conditions as well.

So, something like this:

Frightful Casting (Su): Mullonga uses fear to strengthen her spells. Whenever there is a creature with any fear condition (shaken, frightened, or panicked) within 60 ft. of Mullonga the DCs of all her spells increase by +1. This bonus stacks with the bonus from Spell Focus type feats.

Furthermore, if she casts a spell upon a creature with a fear condition who is within 60 ft. of Mullonga the spell's DC increases by +2 instead, if the creature is frightened the spell is also automatically empowered, and, if the creature is panicked, the spell is automatically maximized.
​

That looks pretty decent. I'm not sure we need the additional DC boost for the second paragraph; the empowered/maximized seems good enough.

Not sure about this approach. She'd be very vulnerable in a trance. I'd rather the remain conscious and become incorporeal or ethereal while "Dream Haunting". Can't we just modify a Night Hag's dream haunting like I suggested earlier?

I'd consider increasing the damage a bit, since Nightmares are her thing.

1d3 Con drain? 1 Con plus 1 level of energy drain?

Does she get any advantage from using Dream Haunting? Something a bit more interesting than the standard temporary hit points, like a spell casting boost or "virtual XPs" she can invest in magical objects or sculpting the Nightmare Lands?

e.g.:

Dream Haunting (Su): Mullonga can visit the dreams of a sleeping individual currently shaken, frightened, or panicked by her terrify ability. Mullonga must be ethereal to invades someone's dreams, and can then inflict horrible nightmares on the victim until dawn. The tormented sleeper takes [1d3 Con, 1 Con + 1 level?] drain upon awakening. Only another ethereal being can stop these nocturnal intrusions, by confronting and defeating Mullonga. Every time Mullonga uses dream haunting she gains ["virtual XPs?"].​

I like all this except the "virtual XPs". Too much bookkeeping for my tastes. Perhaps an additional one-use spell slot instead?