Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[freyar]

Might as well see how that works as a possibility! I'm still thinking about whether we need something with more to it.

 

[Cleon]

Might as well see how that works as a possibility! I'm still thinking about whether we need something with more to it.

Here I go then...

Leap (Ex): Ovinaurs are natural high-jumpers. When an ovinaur makes a high jump, the Jump DC is equal to 2 times the distance to be cleared, not 4 times. In addition, ovinaurs have a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks, can always chose to take 10 on Jump checks, and can use their Dexterity modifier on Jump checks if it is better than their Strength modifier.

Skills: An ovinaur has a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Jump check, even if distracted or endangered. An ovinaur uses either its Dexterity modifier or Strength modifier on Jump checks, whichever is better.

 

[freyar]

Yeah, that looks pretty good. I'd probably change the ability name, though, since the bulette has a very different leap (as noted). What about Bound? Do we want to say they can't do it if wearing heavy armor, or just let the AC penalty take care of it?

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, that looks pretty good. I'd probably change the ability name, though, since the bulette has a very different leap (as noted). What about Bound? Do we want to say they can't do it if wearing heavy armor, or just let the AC penalty take care of it?

The original ability is named "Great Leap", so why not just use that name?

Do we want to say they can't do it if wearing heavy armor, or just let the AC penalty take care of it?

Hmm... the BECMI Ovinaur only had a 180 ft. movement when "Unencumbered and on a flat surface", so how about if we give it a racial version of the Barbarian's Fast Movement ability?

Say their 50 ft. speed includes a +20 ft. bonus for being unencumbered or lightly encumbered. I'm tempted to add an intermediary +10 ft. bonus for having medium encumberance.

Alternatively, you could view it as a reverse version of the Dwarf's ability to carry medium and heavy loads without reducing their movement. Instead they add larger reductions than normal to their base speed of 50 feet.

Whichever way we phrase it, the result could be something like Speed 50 ft. with a light load, Speed 30 ft. with a medium load, and Speed 20 ft. with a heavy load.

 

[freyar]

"Great Leap" is ok, but it sounds a bit like "Leap."

Hmmm. I think I'd prefer the Fast Movement ability. So 30 ft base speed, 20 ft bonus for light/unencumbered, normal penalty for heavy. How's that sound?

 

[Cleon]

"Great Leap" is ok, but it sounds a bit like "Leap."

Well since it's OK I might as well update the Ovinaur Working Draft.

Hmmm. I think I'd prefer the Fast Movement ability. So 30 ft base speed, 20 ft bonus for light/unencumbered, normal penalty for heavy. How's that sound?

What about giving a Medium encumbered Ovinaur an intermediate speed? The above scheme would result in both heavy and medium-loaded Ovinaurs having a 20 ft. speed.

I was proposing 50 ft./30 ft./20 ft. for light/medium/heavy encumbrances rather than 50 ft./20 ft./20 ft.

 

[freyar]

The original text says they need to be unencumbered for their fast movement, and it goes as far as saying that "ovinaurs avoid anything heavier than leather barding," which is light armor. I don't want to give them an extra boost for medium load vs other critters.

 

[Cleon]

The original text says they need to be unencumbered for their fast movement, and it goes as far as saying that "ovinaurs avoid anything heavier than leather barding," which is light armor. I don't want to give them an extra boost for medium load vs other critters.

Yeah, that makes sense.

So what are we naming this speed ability?

Do we just call it Fast Movement, or should we give it a distinct name from the Barbarian class ability?

 

[freyar]

Hmmmmph. It's a bigger bonus than the barbarian ability and also works differently with encumbrance, so I guess it should have a different name. In the original text, it seems to be part of the Great Leap. Do you want to fold it in there somehow?

 

[Cleon]

Hmmmmph. It's a bigger bonus than the barbarian ability and also works differently with encumbrance, so I guess it should have a different name. In the original text, it seems to be part of the Great Leap. Do you want to fold it in there somehow?

Hmm... I think I prefer it as a separate ability. How about calling it "Great Speed" to match the "Great Leap":

Great Leap (Ex): Ovinaurs are natural high-jumpers. When an ovinaur makes a high jump, the Jump DC is equal to 2 times the distance to be cleared, not 4 times. In addition, ovinaurs have a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks, can always chose to take 10 on Jump checks, and can use their Dexterity modifier on Jump checks if it is better than their Strength modifier.

Great Speed (Ex): An ovinaur's land speed includes a racial bonus of +20 feet. This benefit applies only when the ovinaur is wearing no armor or light armor and not carrying a medium or heavy load.

Skills: An ovinaur has a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Jump check, even if distracted or endangered. An ovinaur uses either its Dexterity modifier or Strength modifier on Jump checks, whichever is better.