Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[freyar]

I'd agree with that type. These actually make me want to use gibberlings for a low-level adventure; I've been sick of those guys since they seem awfully annoying in Baldur's Gate.

Looking through the stats, I guess Int 12, Con 12. If we do Str+1/2 for the bite, that would be Str 16-17, as well. It looks like we should adapt the gibberling's gibber ability, since these have it in the SA line (if not in the main text). Cha should be ok for that, I guess, maybe 14-15?

 

[Shade]

That all sounds good.

Here's the gibber ability:

Gibber (Ex): Gibberlings' continual insane muttering and shrieking can unnerve creatures with fewer than 2 HD, requiring them to make a Will save (DC 10) or be shaken. Creatures with 2 or more HD do not have to make a Will save, but all Concentration checks by creatures who can hear gibberlings within 200 feet suffer a -2 penalty. Note that in most circumstances, gibberlings' gibbering prevents them from achieving surprise.

Should we increase te max HD affected, say to 4?

 

[freyar]

4HD max sounds about right. Still need Dex and Wis; want to go with 10 or use whatever standard gibberlings have?

 

[Shade]

Gibberlings have Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 5, Wis 7, Cha 2.

Let's go with Dex 10, Wis 12, since the brood has higher Int and could just as easily have higher Wis.

 

[freyar]

Next up I guess are the gibberslugs. Do we want to make the bites deliver them automatically or only 50% of the time? Maybe just say that the ranged attack or direct injection by bite can occur every 1d4 rounds as part of the attack action. Would that simplify it a little?

 

[Shade]

Honestly, I think the 50% chance on every attack is simpler.

Maybe just allow a save on every attack, and successes mean no gibberslugs enter?

Added to Homebrews.

Note that they are size M (3' tall). We need to either shrink them to Small or increase their height. I'd rather go with the former. Thoughts?

 

[freyar]

I get the feeling that these are physically supposed to be sort of like regular gibberlings, which are Small. So let's make them Small.

 

[Shade]

Updated to Small size.

It,s time to look for creatures with similar gibberslug-style abilities for inspiration...

burrowing progeny

Implant (Ex): A red slaad that hits with a claw attack can inject an egg pellet into the opponent's body. The affected creature must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save to avoid implantation. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Often the slaad implants an unconscious or otherwise helpless creature (which gets no saving throw). The egg gestates for one week before hatching into a blue slaad that eats its way out, killing the host. Twenty-four hours before the egg fully matures, the victim falls extremely ill (-10 to all ability scores, to a minimum of 1). A remove disease spell rids a victim of the pellet, as does a DC 25 Heal check. If the check fails, the healer can try again, but each attempt (successful or not) deals 1d4 points of damage to the patient.

If the host is an arcane spellcaster, the egg pellet instead hatches into a green slaad.


I know I've seen other creatures recently with similar abilities.

 

[Shade]

How's this?

Gibberslug (Ex): On a successful bite attack, a brood gibberling may attempt to insert a gibberslug into the victim. The victim must succeed on a DC X Reflex(?) save. If the save fails, each round thereafter the target takes 1d4 points of damage as the slug bores its way toward the brain. The save DC is Constitution-based.

A gibberslug will reach a creature's brain in 1d6+5 rounds, at which point the host automatically falls into a coma, subject to alien nightmares which ravage its mind. After 1d20+4 hours, the gibberslug completely digests the hosts brain and body from within, and a fully grown gibberling emerges from the husk. Although the gibberling slightly resembles the victim, it retains no memory of its former life and immediately attacks any non-gibberlings it finds.

In the round following entry, fire can be applied to the gibberslug's point of entry to kill the gibberslug, but this also deals 1d4 points of fire damage to the host. Before it reaches the brain, a gibberslug can be destroyed with a remove disease, heal, or similar effect, or by ingesting a special form of mushroom called Darkscape that grows in regions tainted by the Far Realm. Once the gibberslug has reached the brain, no form of ressurection will work on the body, although a wish or a miracle spell can restore the victim to life and its original form, destroying the gibberslug.

Spit Gibberslug (Ex): Once ever 1d4 rounds, a brood gibberling can spit a gibberslug at a target. This requires a ranged attack and has a range increment of 10 feet. On a successful hit, the victim must make a saving throw as normal for the gibberslug ability (see above).

 

[freyar]

I like this. Do we want to put in the 50% chance of gibberslugging on a bite attack or just give the save? I do think the initial save should be a Ref save, but I could see an argument for a Fort save at some point when the slug is in the body, especially if we don't go with the 50% chance.