Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[BOZ]

cool, with bite for the attack line.

 

[Shade]

Any thoughts on the proposed abilities so far?

 

[BOZ]

will give you some thoughts soon.

 

[BOZ]

Well, ok, the crush, tail sweep, and keen senses are fairly standard abilities and don’t change much from dragon to dragon, so they are fine as-is (with a few values plugged in as needed). If the save DC is 10 + ½ HD (7) + Con mod (8), then we have DC 25. one thing I noticed comparing to the flame linn; either I’m wrong there, or the flame’s have some extra high DCs?

The breath weapon was fairly simple, so that’s looking good. (original had a range of 80 feet, so we lose a bit there). For damage, we can go with the juvenile breath weapon damage, as I think we did with the flame. I posted those old tables somewhere around here didn’t I? Well, I see it had 7d10+4 once upon a time. What shall we call that now?

As for adaption to the environment, might as well keep it simple and stick with the white dragon’s icewalking ability.

 

[Shade]

Well, ok, the crush, tail sweep, and keen senses are fairly standard abilities and don’t change much from dragon to dragon, so they are fine as-is (with a few values plugged in as needed). If the save DC is 10 + ½ HD (7) + Con mod (8), then we have DC 25. one thing I noticed comparing to the flame linn; either I’m wrong there, or the flame’s have some extra high DCs?

You've got the formula right, so I suppose flamey's wrong. :\

The breath weapon was fairly simple, so that’s looking good. (original had a range of 80 feet, so we lose a bit there). For damage, we can go with the juvenile breath weapon damage, as I think we did with the flame. I posted those old tables somewhere around here didn’t I? Well, I see it had 7d10+4 once upon a time. What shall we call that now?

A 15-HD white dragon does 5d6. A 16-HD silver does 8d8. So maybe 7d6?

As for adaption to the environment, might as well keep it simple and stick with the white dragon’s icewalking ability.

Sounds good.

 

[BOZ]

sounds good to me too. i'll have to remind myself to fix the flame...

 

[BOZ]

and so i have. posting in homebrews for a look-see.

did i bring this one up before?

In addition, hatchling frost linnorms have a 25% chance to magically communicate with any intelligent creature. The chance to possess this ability increases 15% per age category. By the time frost linnorms have reached the age category of adult, they can communicate with any creature with an intelligence of 2 or better.

Hatchlings have a 25% chance to magically communicate with any creature with an Intelligence of 2 or higher, and that chance increases by 15% per age category.

or this?

The scales are ever-shifting in color, changing from white to pale blue to transparent to blend in with the frigid environment.

Eventually the scales become thicker and sharp like jagged ice, ever shifting in hue from white to pale blue to transparent, blending with the environment.

 

[Shade]

For simplicity's sake, and the fact that they no longer gain age categories, I'd just give them standard telepathy. (100 feet?)

The coloration bonus can be borrowed from the tundra landwyrm:

Skills: *Tundra landwyrms have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in cold desert or plains environments. This bonus on Hide checks increases to +8 when the landwyrm is immobile.

 

[Filby]

Er, I believe that all dragons in 2E have a chance of being able to communicate with any living creature. All of the chromatic, metallic, and gem dragons in the 2E Monstrous Manual had it, for instance. I think that power can be safely left out, since it hasn't carried over to any of the 3E dragons.

 

[BOZ]

Shade, that all sounds good… now to figure out the spell-like abilities!

Filby, really? I did not know that. and now dragons have nothing like that?