Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[BOZ]

OK then, so it should have an Attack line something like this:

Attack: Bite +X melee (1d8+X plus attach)
Full Attack: 2-12 bites +X melee (1d8+X plus attach)

And while I’d certainly like to say something in the combat text, especially about severing the tether, we can also start with this:

Pod Denizen (Ex): A bloodsipper makes bite attacks using its pod denizens, and can make up to one bite attack per round for every pod denizen it currently has. Once all of its pod denizens are detached, however, a bloodsipper cannot attack. A pod denizen can detach a mature pod as a move action.

A detached pod denizen uses the same statistics as the base plant, except that it has (HD, Str, Dex, etc whatever).



I want to start getting back into various features of this creature, but it’s getting late so I’ll catch up with the rest later.

OK, Shade mentioned early on that these plants are probably not extraplanar, as it seems they are natural plants mutated by Far Realms energy.

If any of the blood sipper’s vines are stepped upon by the PCs attempting to navigate the room to access the far door (it is impossible not to do so, due to the density of the growth), the creature will react with deadly intent.

If any vine of the bloodsipper is stepped on by those attempting to navigate its sprawls (the density of the vine growth makes this a certainty for those moving normally), the mature pods at the center of the growth react with deadly instinct (usually between 2 and 12 pods).

Note that while this initially sounds like tremorsense, it really isn’t. This ability to notice anything moving in the room is kind of more like blindsense mixed with tremorsense, except that this is due physical contact – and anything moving in a bloodsipper’s area is automatically detected because it’s touching the bloodsipper’s vines.

 

[Shade]

Note that while this initially sounds like tremorsense, it really isn’t. This ability to notice anything moving in the room is kind of more like blindsense mixed with tremorsense, except that this is due physical contact – and anything moving in a bloodsipper’s area is automatically detected because it’s touching the bloodsipper’s vines.

We can modify those abilities to come up with something. How's this for a start?

Sensory Vines (Ex): A bloodsipper can automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in contact with one of its sprawling vines. A creature that succeeds on a DC X Spot (?) check can attempt to avoid the vines, but must move at half (?) speed.

 

[BOZ]

that seems like a good start - might want to define contact with the vines as "being within the bloodsipper's space". plus, state that creatures can move around in its space freely, but as something similar to the entangle spell...? keep in mind that it's 600 sq ft.

 

[Shade]

Probably good ideas for all that.

Alternatively to the entangle spell, just state that it functions as either light or heavy undergrowth:

Undergrowth: Vines, roots, and short bushes cover much of the ground in a forest. A space covered with light undergrowth costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and it provides concealment. Undergrowth increases the DC of Tumble and Move Silently checks by 2 because the leaves and branches get in the way. Heavy undergrowth costs 4 squares of movement to move into, and it provides concealment with a 30% miss chance (instead of the usual 20%). It increases the DC of Tumble and Move Silently checks by 5. Heavy undergrowth is easy to hide in, granting a +5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Running and charging are impossible. Squares with undergrowth are often clustered together. Undergrowth and trees aren’t mutually exclusive; it’s common for a 5-foot square to have both a tree and undergrowth.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

light undergrowth is probably sufficient, though we should add that it does not grant concealment against the bloodsipper - in fact, it can see victims even better.

so, how about this modification:

Sensory Vines (Ex): A bloodsipper's vines fill its space. A creature can move through a bloodsipper's space freely, although its vines act as light undergrowth, with the exception that creatures in the bloodsipper's space do not gain concealment against the bloodsipper. A bloodsipper can automatically pinpoint the location of anything within its space, although a creature that succeeds on a DC X Spot (?) check can attempt to avoid contact with the vines, but must move at half (?) speed.

 

[Shade]

Lookin' good.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

OK then, so it should have an Attack line something like this:

Attack: Bite +X melee (1d8+X plus attach)
Full Attack: 2-12 bites +X melee (1d8+X plus attach)

And while I’d certainly like to say something in the combat text, especially about severing the tether, we can also start with this:

Pod Denizen (Ex): A bloodsipper makes bite attacks using its pod denizens, and can make up to one bite attack per round for every pod denizen it currently has. Once all of its pod denizens are detached, however, a bloodsipper cannot attack. A pod denizen can detach a mature pod as a move action.

A detached pod denizen uses the same statistics as the base plant, except that it has (HD, Str, Dex, etc whatever).

how about that part?

 

[Shade]

how about that part?

I think it's a good start. I'm not sure about the "2-12 bites" on the attack lines, though. It might be better to assume the max, and let the pod denizen ability handle the loss of them. "2-12" makes it sound like "roll 2d6" for the number of bite attacks.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

fair enough. how's this blurb for combat text:

A typical bloodsipper can start an encounter with as many as 12 pod denizens. It can only attack as many foes as are within reach of its pod denizens.

here's what im imagining - let's say that if a bloodsipper is 600 square feet, its dimensions could be somewhere between 24 x 24 and 25 x 25 correct? it might just be easier to figure that a bloodsipper would be oridinary Colossal and therefore 30 x 30. so, it fills up a 30' square room. maybe every, i don't know, 4 or 5 squares or so is a new pod. that way a bloodsipper could attack every target in the room (since pods have 20' reach) but the plant could only attack with so many pods. if they weren't well-spaced, say they were more clustered together, it could get more attacks on some targets and fewer attacks on others.

i think we need to figure out how to get all of info into the text somehow. the pod denizens are stationary until the tethers are severed - of course, once a tether is severed the denizen becomes independent and needs to find a place to try to grow a new plant.

 

[Shade]

That sounds like a good approach to help simplify things.