Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Cleon]

Bingo!

Penetrating Bite (Ex): A Large quickbiter's bite attack ignores the first 10 points of hardness. A Huge quickbiter's bite attack ignores the first 15 points of hardness.

I'd prefer a "ignores hardness up to X" approach rather than "ignores the first X points of hardness", so it won't chew through iron like woodpulp.

i.e.:

Penetrating Bite (Ex): A coral worm's bite attack ignores hardness of 8 or less, but subtracts the full hardness value when damaging objects with hardness greater than 8.

May want to modify the name slightly.

 

[Shade]

Good idea. "Coral-Grinding Bite", or simply "Grinding Bite"?

 

[Cleon]

Good idea. "Coral-Grinding Bite", or simply "Grinding Bite"?

My first impulse was just "grinding bite" but on reflection that doesn't indicate what sort of things it can grind through, so I like "coral-grinding" better:

Coral-Grinding Bite (Ex): A coral worm's bite attack ignores hardness of 8 or less, but subtracts the full hardness value when damaging objects with hardness greater than 8.

 

[freyar]

Except the original monster says it can chew through armor, which (if metal, like usual) is hardness 10. I'd prefer the "penetrating bite" mechanic in that case, though I'm ok with ignoring the first 8 points of hardness rather than the first 10 if y'all prefer.

 

[Cleon]

Except the original monster says it can chew through armor, which (if metal, like usual) is hardness 10. I'd prefer the "penetrating bite" mechanic in that case, though I'm ok with ignoring the first 8 points of hardness rather than the first 10 if y'all prefer.

I wouldn't but too much into it. There are plenty of AD&D combat entries with fluff text about a monster "biting through plate like tissue paper" and the like, very few of which have an armour-defeating power in their 3E incarnations.

Furthermore, the AD&D Coral Worm does not get any bonuses "to hit" heavily armoured creatures, which it would have if it could ignore/circumvent armour (as in some AD&D creatures' attacks which treat opponents as AC10, the equivalent of 3Es touch-attack).

Besides, wouldn't we have to give them the ability to penetrate Damage Reduction to circumvent heavy armour, not hardness-piercing? Which only applies to full plate and the like.

I think we're better off just leaving it Coral-Grinding so it can chew through rock.

 

[freyar]

We're not talking about ignoring armor or DR. This is for ignoring hardness in sunder attempts.

 

[Cleon]

We're not talking about ignoring armor or DR. This is for ignoring hardness in sunder attempts.

Oh right. The original text supports them being able to Sunder armour, so I suppose I'm OK with them getting a "reduce hardness by 8" SA.

Are you proposing we add an "auto-sunder" special attack to the bite (like we played around with for the Barrel Spider), or just give them the Improved Sunder feat?

How much bite damage shall we give them, anyway? The original did 1d4 per HD so starts at 3d4. Use a more conventional 2d6 damage?

 

[freyar]

So, regular Penetrating Bite as before? I'd just go with Improved Sunder. As for damage, 3d4 or 2d6 works for me.

 

[Cleon]

So, regular Penetrating Bite as before? I'd just go with Improved Sunder. As for damage, 3d4 or 2d6 works for me.

I'm OK with the -8 hardness Penetrating Bite, and Improved Sunder is fine by me.

2d6 seems plenty for the bite.

 

[freyar]

Ok, sounds like we're all agreed, then.