Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[BOZ]

definitely the Hide bonus in forest.

some preliminary stats for the kercpa:

Kercpa
Tiny Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 1d8+X (X hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), climb 40 ft
Armor Class: 17 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+X
Attack: Longsword +X melee (1d4/19-20) or spear +X melee (1d4/x3) or longbow +X ranged (1d4/x3)
Full Attack: Longsword +X melee (1d4/19-20) or spear +X melee (1d4/x3) or longbow +X ranged (1d4/x3)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: x
Special Qualities: darkvision 60 ft
Saves: Fort +X, Ref +X, Will +X
Abilities: Str X, Dex 19, Con X, Int 11, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: X (Hide bonus, Listen & Spot bonus)
Feats: X (Alertness, Dodge Arrows?)

Environment: Temperate forest
Organization: Band (3-12) or tribe (100-300 plus 20% young) (plus…)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Often chaotic good?
Advancement: By character class?
Level Adjustment: +X


COMBAT

A kercpa is 1 – 1 ½ feet tall, and weighs only X pounds.

A kercpa can speak Sylvan, Elf, and Treant. About one in ten kercpas also speak Common. Kercpas can signal each other with a system of whistles and bird calls at a range of 300 feet.

 

[Shade]

Should that be a 1st-level warrior? (I think so).

Assuming we approach them in this manner, would it be better to determine their stats first, then derive their racial ability score modifiers "as characters" later, or to determine the modifiers first, then apply them to the standard array? (I'd go with the latter)

 

[BOZ]

are Monstrous Humanoids statted as 1st-level warriors? or are there just very few (none) 1-HD?

 

[Filby]

WotC is kind of inconsistent about 1-HD non-humanoids. In the MM it says that only 1-HD humanoids exchange their first humanoid Hit Die for their first class level, and yet all the 1-HD non-humanoids they publish (lupins and t'kels from some recent issues of Dragon, for instance, the uldras from Frostburn, the elan from the Expanded Psionics Handbook) don't say anything about racial hit dice.

That said, I think any complication or confusion can be avoided with a note like the following, from the MM entry for pixies:

"A pixie character exchanges its 1 HD of fey for its first class level, so a 1st-level pixie sorcerer has a d4 Hit Die, a +0 base attack bonus, the base save bonuses of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer's skill points and class skills."

 

[Shade]

Filby, that is a great idea!

 

[BOZ]

yeah, that works. well, in fact.

 

[BOZ]

It sounds like they should either get the camouflage ability of the ranger

damn my lack of having my books available... (I left them in the hospital with my wife, hoping to make use of them if I found myself with nothing to do - which, I didn't. ) what is this ability again?

They make all saving throws as 7 Hit Die creatures - adjusted, when applicable

is there a way to apply this, and should we anyway?

Further, a kercpa can try to dodge any missile directed at it, provided that it could see the attack launched. A successful saving throw vs. death magic (modified by Dexterity) means the kercpa successfully dodged the attack, regardless of the attack roll. A kercpa can dodge up to two missiles per round in this way.

would the feats in the PHB be able to cover this or should we stat up an ability?

MORALE: Steady (12); with elves, Elite (14)

should we make use of this?

A kercpa may fire up to three arrows per round

and this?

Except in unusual cases - a quarry able to fly, pass without trace, or dimension door, for example - kercpas can track enemies in their home area like rangers.

Track as a bonus feat then?

The squirrel-folk move with great stealth through the woodland, imposing a -5 penalty on others' surprise rolls. Due to their keen senses, they are themselves surprised only on a roll of 1.

sounds like a stationary bonus to Listen and Spot, and a conditional bonus to Hide and Move Silently.

Other than that stuff, they are basically all just flavor text beyond that. lots of flavor text... I will have to summarize in a lot of places.

 

[Shade]

damn my lack of having my books available... (I left them in the hospital with my wife, hoping to make use of them if I found myself with nothing to do - which, I didn't. ) what is this ability again?

Camouflage (Ex): A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

is there a way to apply this, and should we anyway?

We could probably just give them a flat +1 racial bonus to all saves, like the halfling.

would the feats in the PHB be able to cover this or should we stat up an ability?

We could give them Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat, and then add a Feats entry that states that they can use their Deflect Arrows feat twice per round.

should we make use of this?

+1 or +2 morale bonus on attack rolls when adjacent to an allied elf?

and this?

We could give them Rapid Shot or Manyshot as a bonus feat. Three arrows is probably a bit excessive.

Track as a bonus feat then?

Yup.

sounds like a stationary bonus to Listen and Spot, and a conditional bonus to Hide and Move Silently.

I'd give 'em the same racial bonus to Spot and Listen as elves, and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently.

Other than that stuff, they are basically all just flavor text beyond that. lots of flavor text... I will have to summarize in a lot of places.

So true!

 

[BOZ]

some good ideas there, i'll look over them more when i have the time. i think hide in plain sight might be a but much though.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, HIPS would probably be excessive for its HD.