Converting monsters from Tales From The Infinite Staircase

[Cleon]

Granted power draft #2 works for me if you don't feel it's too vague about what constitutes a "worm." I think it should be ok to leave that to DM's discretion.

Yes, the phrasing needs a bit of polishing as to what constitutes a Magical Beast "worm". How about:

Granted Power #3: Rebuke or command worms as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead (only affects vermin and magical beasts with Intelligence 0 or 1, what counts as a "worm" is at the DM's discretion).

Use this ability a total number of times per day equal to 3 + Charisma modifier.

Earthquake works at 8th level. I also like worm tell at 6th level, but you have footnotes 1 and 2 reversed (I hope ).

Huh, I just noticed that myself. Easy enough to fix as I update the Worm Domain Working Draft.

 

[Cleon]

Okay, we've still got four spells to write up, namely burrow, summon worms, wormtongue and curse of the worm.

The burrow just requires us to decide what action to use for casting time. The original was casting time 1 like feather fall which suggests an immediate action, but I'd also consider a swift action.

For summon worms the original entry created a stationary slippery area, so it's basically just a permanent version of the spell grease.

I originally proposed making it summon an swarm of mobile animals like the summon swarm spell. Maybe a swarm of flesh-eating warms capable of doing some damage since the standard summon swarm swarms all do 1d6 swarm damage? We can include a "slipping hazard" special attack in the monster's stats and the spell description can simply crib the 2nd level spell:

This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a swarm of flesh-eating worms (see Swarm, Carnivorous Worm entry).​

​

Material Component: A handful of fresh soil.​

Or we can stick to the original "harmless but slippery" and make it a higher power version of grease:

Conjuration (Creation)​

Duration: Permanent​

​

You cause a mass of slime-covered worms to squirm into being. The worms can swarm out of a floor made of any organic but nonliving material (earth, mud, wood et cetera). The worms can be conjured in the area of other creatures.​

​

While harmless, the worms are extremely slippery. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. This save is repeated on your turn each round that the creature remains within the area. A creature can walk within or through the area of worms at half normal speed with a DC 10 Balance check. Failure means it can’t move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Balance skill for details).​

​

The worms remain were they are summoned and will eventually die and rot away. The mass can typically survive 1d4+1? hours of exposure to direct sunlight before drying out and perishing. They are subject to dehydration, starvation, aging and other natural phenomena as if they were ordinary earthworms.​

​

Material Component: A handful of fresh soil.​

Which of the two do you prefer?

 

[Cleon]

Which of the two do you prefer?

After some contemplation I like them both so why not give old Zophiel two 2nd-level worm spells, one that summons a worm swarm (summon worms) and one that creates a mass of slimy worms (create worms or maybe wormslick).

I'd make summon worms a Brd 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2 spell (the same as summon swarm) and create worms/wormslick the Worms 2 spell.

Also, methinks we should change the summon version's casting time to 1 round to match standard summon spells:

Summon Worms
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Brd 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One swarm of worms
Duration: Concentration + 2 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a swarm of flesh-eating worms (see Swarm, Carnivorous Worm entry).

Material Component: A handful of fresh soil.

Also, rather than be permanent like the original I'm thinking a special duration of X hours like create food and water may be more appropriate for the creation version:

Wormslick
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Worm 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: One 10-ft. square
Duration: 6 hours; see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You cause a mass of slime-covered worms to squirm into being. The worms can swarm out of any nonliving material that worms could live in (earth, mud, wood, corpses, et cetera). The worms can be conjured in the area of other creatures. A wormslick is made up of ordinary nonvenomous burrowing worms appropriate for the medium they are created from such as earthworms, woodworms or lugworms.

While harmless, the worms are extremely slippery. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. This save is repeated on your turn each round that the creature remains within the area. A creature can walk within or through the area of worms at half normal speed with a DC 12 Balance check. Failure means it can’t move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Balance skill for details).

The worms remain were they are summoned and will eventually die and rot away or disperse into the surrounding ground. They are subject to dehydration, starvation, aging and other natural phenomena like any other mundane worm. A wormslick typically remains slippery for 6 hours before drying out and perishing, but can last up to 12 hours if kept moist (or underwater) or as little as 2 hours in severe heat under direct sunlight. Applying 4 points of damage to a 5-foot square of wormslick with an area-of-effect or energy attack (acid, cold, fire, etc cetera) will destroy or scatter the worms.

The worms that this spell creates are edible, if rather chewy. The worms decay and become inedible within 24 hours, but can be kept fresh for another 24 hours by casting a purify food and drink spell on them. One casting produces enough food to sustain two humans per caster level for 24 hours.

Material Component: A dried earthworm and a cup of water.

 

[Cleon]

This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a swarm of flesh-eating worms (see Swarm, Carnivorous Worm entry).

I propose the following for said swarm:

Swarm, Carnivorous Worm
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), burrow 10 ft., swim 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+4 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/—
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus slipping hazard)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus slipping hazard)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, slipping hazard
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blind, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 11, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Swim +8
Feats: —
Environment: Any swamp or aquatic and warm forests
Organization: Solitary, field (2-4 swarms), or morass (7-12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —

A roiling mass of worms, the largest of the slimy creatures are several feet long and thicker than a thumb.

There are many mundane species of flesh-eating worm. Most live in water but some crawl through the moist soil of forests and jungles. Normally they are solitary creatures who pose no threat to anything larger than themselves, but in extremely abnormal circumstances (such as the summon worms spell) they can appear in swarms capable of stripping humanoids to the bone.

Combat
A carnivorous worm swarm seeks to surround and attack the largest and freshest source of meat it encounters, which is usually living prey. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

Amphibious (Ex): Carnivorous worms can breathe air as well as water.

Blind (Ex): Carnivorous worms are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Slipping Hazard (Ex): Any creature that enters the space of a carnivorous worm swarm must make a successful DC 12 Reflex save or fall. This save is repeated at the end of the swarm's move each round that the creature remains within the area. A creature can walk within or through the space of worms at half normal speed with a DC 12 Balance check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Balance skill for details). The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Skills: A carnivorous worm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. A carnivorous worm uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Swim checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

 

[freyar]

Granted power 3 will work.

Summon worms as an arcane or druid spell looks good. And so does the swarm.

And I like wormslick too.

Is curse of the worms the last one left? This feels like a rapid fire version of some monster power, like maybe a slaad egg. I have some idea there might be a non-SRD spell like this too. Any thoughts on that? I'd like to make it a little different than standard too. Maybe it does Con damage even if the victim is saved by healing magic (rather than hp)?

 

[Cleon]

Granted power 3 will work.

Updating Worm Domain Working Draft.

Summon worms as an arcane or druid spell looks good. And so does the swarm.

And I like wormslick too.

Is curse of the worms the last one left? This feels like a rapid fire version of some monster power, like maybe a slaad egg. I have some idea there might be a non-SRD spell like this too. Any thoughts on that? I'd like to make it a little different than standard too. Maybe it does Con damage even if the victim is saved by healing magic (rather than hp)?

I'm thinking maybe I'll modify the Carnivorous Worm Swarm by adding a Deadly Worm Swarm and tweak the squirming doom note to become "Spell functions like creeping doom, but calls deadly worm swarms instead of centipede swarms."

Oh, and I'll put the Worm spells in Hanim Worm Lord Working Draft.

Is curse of the worms the last one left? This feels like a rapid fire version of some monster power, like maybe a slaad egg. I have some idea there might be a non-SRD spell like this too. Any thoughts on that? I'd like to make it a little different than standard too. Maybe it does Con damage even if the victim is saved by healing magic (rather than hp)?

No, there's wormtongue as well.

That's a peculiar spell that turns the target's tongue into a worm that starts attacking the target. As noted, it has similarities to the Necromancy spell grim revenge from The Book of Vile Darkness (that causes the target's hand to attack the target as a flying wight hand).

The main value of wormtongue is the spell prevents the use of verbal spell components while in effect since the target cannot speak with a tongue that's turned into a worm.

I might do a rough draft if I'm feeling creative today.

 

[Cleon]

I'm thinking maybe I'll modify the Carnivorous Worm Swarm by adding a Deadly Worm Swarm and tweak the squirming doom note to become "Spell functions like creeping doom, but calls deadly worm swarms instead of centipede swarms."

I propose the following for said swarm:

Swarm, Deadly Worm
Fine Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 9d8 (40 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), burrow 10 ft., swim 10 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+8 size), touch 18, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/—
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison and slipping hazard)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison and slipping hazard)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, poison, slipping hazard
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blind, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 11, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Swim +8
Feats: —
Environment: Any swamp or aquatic and warm forests
Organization: Solitary, squirm (2-4 swarms), or doom (7-12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —

A roiling mass of vividly colored worms, the largest of the slimy creatures is the size of a normal earthworm.

These miniscule carnivorous worms are venomous and voracious. Most live in water but a few species inhabit the moist soil of forests and jungles. Deadly worms have a painful bite roughly equivalent to a hornet's sting. Normally solitary, a single worm poses no threat to humanoid sized creatures but may bite if handled. However, a swarm of deadly worms poses a lethal danger to any fleshy creature it encounters. Fortunately, swarms only gather in extraordinarily abnormal circumstances (such as the squirming doom spell).

Combat
A deadly worm swarm seeks to surround and attack the largest and freshest source of meat it encounters, which is usually living prey. The swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

Amphibious (Ex): Deadly worms can breathe air as well as water.

Blind (Ex): Deadly worms are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Slipping Hazard (Ex): Any creature that enters the space of a deadly worm swarm must make a successful DC 14 Reflex save or fall. This save is repeated at the end of the swarm's move each round that the creature remains within the area. A creature can walk within or through the space of worms at half normal speed with a DC 14 Balance check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Balance skill for details). The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Skills: A deadly worm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. A deadly worm uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Swim checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

 

[Cleon]

While writing the Deadly Worm Swarm I realized I'd forgotten the Swim skill from the Carnivorous Worm and hadn't qualified the ability score that determines its Slipping Hazard SQ, which I made Con-based.

 

[Cleon]

No, there's wormtongue as well.

That's a peculiar spell that turns the target's tongue into a worm that starts attacking the target. As noted, it has similarities to the Necromancy spell grim revenge from The Book of Vile Darkness (that causes the target's hand to attack the target as a flying wight hand).

The main value of wormtongue is the spell prevents the use of verbal spell components while in effect since the target cannot speak with a tongue that's turned into a worm.

I might do a rough draft if I'm feeling creative today.

Ah, what the hell…

Wormtongue
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Worm 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round per level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The tongue of the subject extends into a razor-jawed worm that begins to attack the subject. This "tongueworm" bites for 2d4 points of slashing damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +20) with an attack bonus equal to your base attack bonus plus your Intelligence modifier (arcane version) or Wisdom modifier (divine version) plus a +4 bonus.

The tongueworm has the same vulnerabilities and resistances to damage as the subject and can be attacked using the subject's Armor Class plus a +4 bonus. Damage to the tongueworm also damages the subject. Inflicting 12 hit points of damage to the tongueworm destroys the worm's head and stops it attacking. The tongueworm is considered a separate creature from the subject for the purposes of spell targeting, so the tongueworm can be petrified, slowed, paralyzed et cetera separately from the subject (it uses your Saving Throws not the subject's). Damaging effects that target the tongueworm such as ability drain, energy drain and the like will harm the subject as well as the worm. Even if the subject is killed or petrified, the tongueworm will continue ravaging their corpse for the remaining spell duration.

The subject or another creature can attempt to grapple the tongue to prevent it biting, but the tongueworm is extremely slippery and its grapple modifier to escape holds equals your base attack bonus plus ability modifier (Intelligence or Wisdom) plus a +10 bonus.

The subject cannot speak while the wormtongue spell is in effect unless they happen to be a creature with multiple tongues capable of speaking independently such as an ettin (multiple wormtongue spells do not stack, the spell can only ever transform one tongue of a multi-tongued creature). The subject cannot cast spells with a Verbal component until they regain the ability to speak. The subject's tongue returns to normal once the wormtongue is dispelled or its duration expires. If the tongueworm was destroyed by violence such as weapon blows or energy attacks the subject's tongue is injured and they will be unable to speak for 3d4 days, but may mumble unintelligibly. The injured tongue can be cured with a heal, regenerate or greater restoration. If the tongueworm was destroyed by unerring magical attacks that only cause hit points of damage such as magic missile the subject's normal tongue will be uninjured. If the tongueworm was incapacitated by being petrified, paralyzed or similar effects the subject's tongue returns to normal when the wormtongue spell ends.

 

[freyar]

That'll work!

The only question for me is whether summon worms allows either type of worm swarm and whether we're including stats for both if summoning can only work for one type. How about we make it 1 deadly swarm or 4 carnivorous ones?