Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums

[Shade]

I like.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

excellent!

 

[Shade]

Paring down the list...

MC14 - Fiend Folio, 2nd Edition
Mephit (Mist) - completed

MCA1 - Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One, 1994

Carrionette (RLMC3) - in Dragon #339
Dragon, Neutral, Jacinth (DR158) - moved to true dragons thread
Dragon, Neutral, Jade (DR158) - moved to true dragons thread
Dragon, Neutral, Pearl (DR158) - moved to true dragons thread
Plant, Vampire Moss - done for Dragon query

MCA2 - Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two, 1995
Beetle, Dragon - done
Dragon, Brine - moved to true dragons thread
Dragon-kin, Sea Wyrm
Leucrotta, Greater (CoS) - in 3E Waterdeep
Lich, Suel - Dragon #339
Mummy, Creature (Animal, Monster) - covered with mummified creature template

MCA3 - Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three, 1996
Dragon, Cerilian - moved to true dragons thread
Dragon, Neutral - Amber - done
Elf, Rockseer (NtB) - done
Orc, Ondonti (RoZK) - done

MCA4 - Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four, 1998
Dragon, Neutral - Moonstone Dragon - moved to true dragons thread
Dragon, Prismatic (DN51) - moved to true dragons thread
Golem, Maggot (Req) - Dragon #339
Mummy, Bog (DR238, Req) - various 3E sources

 

[BOZ]

i'm starting to update these threads now.

 

[BOZ]

surprise!


Gates of Firestorm Peak:

Almost all the available floor space in this 20-foot by 30-foot room is filled by a tangled growth of thin yellow vines which slowly pulse like the revealed bloodways of a living creature. An odor of copper hangs in the moist, humid air. The veinlike tangle seems to be anchored in the stone floors and walls of the chamber. Fiery red pods grow upon the vines, most of them fist-sized; however a few have grown to the far larger dimensions of 5-fool-tall and 4-foot-wide. The only other item of note in this vein-choked room is the stone door on the far eastern wall.

The alien growth in this chamber has been dubbed a “blood sipper” by Madreus. The growth shares both animal and plant characteristics. 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.

Three of the pods upon the creature are mature (all the others hold vestigial forms) and disgorge their contents in an attack upon intruders. The contents of the pod resemble huge, blind tadpoles whose mouths are lined with hundreds of needle-sharp teeth. The body of the “tadpole” gradually thins into a long, muscular tether which anchors each head to its own pod. Each of these hungry appendages also contains four clawed arms, equally spaced around the gnashing mouth. During an attack, the blood sipper disgorges its three mature appendages in a swift attack at the nearest PC(s). Successful attacks indicate that a head has anchored itself successfully with the help of its four clawed arms into a fleshy portion of its target. The biting mouth immediately begins to suck the blood of the target at the prodigious rate of 4 hp a round. The blood sucked is visibly transferred down the tether-like body of the creature to the pod. Attacks directed against the tether can sever it if a total of 10 points of damage are delivered; however, each head can act independently and continues to attack PCs in the vicinity. It is necessary to kill each head individually in order to end the threat, as the heads are able to propel themselves by their arms alone if they become separated from their pods. This is actually a method of propagation which the blood sipper relies upon to spread its progeny. Once all the heads are destroyed, the remaining veinlike vines and immature pods represent no further threat.

• PLAYER’S OPTION Considerations: The tethered heads of the blood sipper threaten 20 feet (4 squares) with their reach. The initial attack by a head springing from a pod delivers a d10 knockdown die with the force of its disgorgement from the pod. All attacks by the heads occur in the last phase of the combat round.

Blood sipper AC 1; MV 0 (vine) or 15 (pods); HD 20 (vine) or 4 (pod); hp 120 (vine) or 29 each (pod); THAC0 17 (pod); #AT 3 (one per pod); Dmg 1d8 (bite); SA suck blood (4 hp per round): SD damage to pods does not harm vine & vice versa, severing tether does not harm pods; SW salt; SZ G (600+ sq. ft.); ML fearless (20); Int non- (0); AL N; XP 175 (pod) or 1,000 (vine).


Monstrous Compendium Annual 4:

Bloodsipper (Far Realm)
CLIMATEFTERRAIN: Special
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Plant
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Non- (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
NO. APPEARING:
ARMOR CLASS: 1 (2—12 pod denizens)
MOVEMENT: 0 vine (pod denizen: 15)
HIT DICE: 20 vine (pod denizen: 4)
THACO: Nil (pod denizen: 17)
NO. OF ATFACKS: 2—12 (1 attack per mature pod)
DAMAGE/AflEACK: 1d8 + blood drain
SPECIAL ATfACKS: Blood drain, pod denizens
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Vulnerable to salt (2d4/handful)
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: G (600+ sq. IL) vine, S pod
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 1,000 (vine)
175 (pod denizen)

The bloodsipper’s presence is marked from afar—up to 100 feet under still conditions—by a lingering scent of copper in air. A bloodsipper is an expansive, tangled growth of thin yellow vines that resemble arteries, slowly pulsing with a languid, blood-like fluid. Along the vines, fiery red pods sprout profusely like sickly fruit. Most pods are fist-sized; however, a few have grown to the menacing dimensions of four or more feet in diameter; all have a leathery texture.

Combat: The small growths represent immature pods, and grow along the periphery of the vine’s domain. Cutting a small pod open releases a gagging stench (save vs. paralyzation or suffer a —4 penalty to all actions, checks, and saves for one turn due to nausea), and reveals what appears to he some sort of vestigial organ secured to the interior base of the pod by a coiled organic cord. Those who have not encountered the larger pods may not guess that the vestigial organ is really an immature form of the pod denizen, although a small mouth filled with needle-like teeth can be discovered by anyone tenacious enough to dig around the revealed gooey mass with a dagger point or similar tool.

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). These large pods disgorge their contents with a wet pop. The content of a pod resembles a huge. blind tadpole whose mouth is lined with hundreds of needle- sharp teeth. The head of the “tadpole” gradually thins into a long, muscular tether that anchors each striking head to its own pod. Each head has four clawed arms, equally spaced around the gnashing mouth. A pod denizen can attack within a 20-foot radius of its pod.

A successful attack means that a head has anchored itself into a fleshy part of its target with the help of its four clawed arms. The biting mouth immediately begins to drain blood from the target at the prodigious rate of 4 points of damage per round. The blood is visibly transferred down the tether-like body of the creature to the pod. Attacks directed against the tether can sever it if a total of 10 points of damage is delivered to the tether, however, each head can act independently, and continues to attack foes even after the tether has been cut. Each head must be individually killed to end its threat, as the heads propel themselves by their arms alone if separated from their pods. Once all the heads are destroyed, the remaining artery-like vines and immature pods represent no further threat, and can he dealt with or navigated safely. Salt in quantity makes a vine or head pull away convulsively; a handful inflicting 2d4 points of damage (much as holy water affects undead).

Habitat/Society: The yellow vine of a bloodsipper is always anchored in stone floors and walls with tough rootlets, making it difficult to dislodge. These overactive growths were dubbed “bloodsippers” by the wizard who encountered the first specimen. It seems likely that bloodsippers did not evolve from precursor organisms naturally. Substantial evidence supports the contention that these growths spring from once-natural plant life that has grown too long within the influence of portals leading to the Far Realm, a strange dimension where reality is subjective and madness is the rule. This realm has been dubbed the Far Realm by those few who’ve become aware of it and profess to study it. Suffice it to say that bloodsippers and similar creatures are truly alien to the Prime Material plane.

Ecology: Bloodsippers share both animal and plant characteristics. Like plants, they grow from a “seed,” spreading vines in all directions so as to cover as much surface area as possible. Unlike plants, a bloodsipper has no need for sunlight. Instead, its pods have specialized to “harvest” the blood of living organisms that come too near. Blood seems sufficient to nourish bloodsippers indefinitely.

Bloodsippers propagate by intentionally severing the tether of one of its mature pods, which crawls off under its own power as far as it can before it digs into the earth to germinate, the seed of another bloodsipper growth. This is usually a matter of a few hundred yards.

—From Gates of Firestorm Peak, #9533

 

[BOZ]

some preliminary stats for the bloodsipper:

Bloodsipper
Colossal Plant (Extraplanar?)
Hit Dice: 20d8+X (X hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: 0 ft
Armor Class: X (-8 size, +42 natural), touch X, flat- footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +X/+X
Attack: X +X melee (X+X)
Full Attack: X +X melee (X+X)
Space/Reach: 30 ft/30 ft
Special Attacks: blood drain, pod denizens
Special Qualities: low-light vision, plant traits, vulnerability to salt
Saves: Fort +X, Ref +X, Will +X
Abilities: Str X, Dex ---?, Con X, Int ---, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: X
Feats: X

Environment: X
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: X
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: ---

 

[Shade]

Woo-hoo!

Hmmm...they don't seem to be truly extraplanar, since they were native plants warped by the Far Realm.

 

[BOZ]

fair enough.

 

[Shade]

PLAYER’S OPTION Considerations: The tethered heads of the blood sipper threaten 20 feet (4 squares) with their reach. The initial attack by a head springing from a pod delivers a d10 knockdown die with the force of its disgorgement from the pod. All attacks by the heads occur in the last phase of the combat round.

Free bull rush or trip attempt with initial disgorgement?

The small growths represent immature pods, and grow along the periphery of the vine’s domain. Cutting a small pod open releases a gagging stench (save vs. paralyzation or suffer a —4 penalty to all actions, checks, and saves for one turn due to nausea), and reveals what appears to he some sort of vestigial organ secured to the interior base of the pod by a coiled organic cord. Those who have not encountered the larger pods may not guess that the vestigial organ is really an immature form of the pod denizen, although a small mouth filled with needle-like teeth can be discovered by anyone tenacious enough to dig around the revealed gooey mass with a dagger point or similar tool.

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). These large pods disgorge their contents with a wet pop. The content of a pod resembles a huge. blind tadpole whose mouth is lined with hundreds of needle- sharp teeth. The head of the “tadpole” gradually thins into a long, muscular tether that anchors each striking head to its own pod. Each head has four clawed arms, equally spaced around the gnashing mouth. A pod denizen can attack within a 20-foot radius of its pod.

Tremorsense and 20-foot reach?

A successful attack means that a head has anchored itself into a fleshy part of its target with the help of its four clawed arms. The biting mouth immediately begins to drain blood from the target at the prodigious rate of 4 points of damage per round. The blood is visibly transferred down the tether-like body of the creature to the pod.

Attach and blood drain?

Attacks directed against the tether can sever it if a total of 10 points of damage is delivered to the tether, however, each head can act independently, and continues to attack foes even after the tether has been cut. Each head must be individually killed to end its threat, as the heads propel themselves by their arms alone if separated from their pods. Once all the heads are destroyed, the remaining artery-like vines and immature pods represent no further threat, and can he dealt with or navigated safely.

Follow the giant squid and kraken rules for severing parts?

 

[BOZ]

Free bull rush or trip attempt with initial disgorgement?

sure, if by "free" you mean no AoO. hey, if you've looked at the Player's Option rules, did you notice how many 3E things were introduced experimentally? for example, "20 feet (4 squares) with their reach" sounds a lot more like 3E than 2E.

Tremorsense and 20-foot reach?

sure. note my comment above regarding 20-foot reach...

Attach and blood drain?

that's what i was thinking!

Follow the giant squid and kraken rules for severing parts?

like that, or like the hydra, yeah.