Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews (just the Large size for now).

I suppose since they share a mind, then the feats and skills should be based upon the highest-HD creature in the collective?

Expand on one of the following abilities?

Hive Mind (Ex): All formians within 50 miles of their queen are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flatfooted, none of them are. No formian in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Telepathic Link (Ex): Creatures with this ability share a communal consciousness, enabling them to communicate telepathically with other creatures of their kind. A group of such creatures within a certain distance of each other (specified in the creature's entry) are in constant contact. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No creature in the group is considered flanked unless all are.

 

[freyar]

The increased Str is ok. I could go with Hive Mind or Telepathic Link, since they're basically the same. As far as skills and feats, I can see skills based on the one with highest HD, but feats are partly physical so I'd rather keep those individual.

 

[Shade]

Demiurge - what are your thoughts on the matter?

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the idea of skills and feats being dependent on the largest in the colony. It's mechanically a little wierd, but certainly flavorful.

 

[freyar]

So I guess we should give an example with the largest size possible and then say what ranks and feats to strip off if it's a smaller size? Or do you want to go in reverse?

 

[Shade]

Actually, why not just allow the lesser members to utilize the greater members' ranks and feats? I doubt it will shift the power greatly...at most maybe increase CR by 1 or so. Since the Huge version is at 13 HD, it will only have 5 feats, and some low-CR creature end up with that many feats through bonus feats. And while 16 ranks in some skills is nice, many low-CR creatures gain huge racial bonuses to various skills.

 

[freyar]

Ahh, simple and elegant! And I agree that it is no more than a shift of CR by 1. We can put in a DM's note that the CR of the small ones may increase/decrease depending on the HD of the largest one.

 

[Shade]

So how about this to wrap it all together?

Collective Mind (Ex): A horde is a collective being sharing a communal consciousness. As a result, all horde entities share the same mental ability scores, feats, and skills (based on the highest-HD member). As a result, all horde entities within 100 miles of each other are in constant contact, able to communicate telepathically with each other within this range. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No horde entity in the group is considered flanked unless all are.

 

[freyar]

Let's just clarify to say "all horde entities share the same mental ability scores and use the feats and skills of the highest-HD member."

 

[Shade]

Excellent.

Shall we base the feats and skills off the 21-HD version?