Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[BOZ]

mucho appreciado.

 

[BOZ]

OK, on this guy (despite all the text), we really hadn't gotten much farther than deciding it should be incorporeal...

 

[Shade]

OK, on this guy (despite all the text), we really hadn't gotten much farther than deciding it should be incorporeal...

Actually, it looks like we covered DR and some frightfulness.

 

[BOZ]

yes, we had discussed that a litte bit. let's discuss it a little bit more.

i like the idea of combining Dex damage (drain?) with a fear-based effect. however, i think panicked is way too strong. shaken should be more than enough.

as for DR, we discussed giving it either magic or silver. since magic is needed to hit an incorporeal anyway, DR/magic seems redundant. how about DR/silver, in case an opponent has a silver magic weapon?

 

[Mortis]

The Gray Philosopher

as for DR, we discussed giving it either magic or silver. since magic is needed to hit an incorporeal anyway, DR/magic seems redundant. how about DR/silver, in case an opponent has a silver magic weapon?

Works for me, even if it ends up with a low CR, I don't see DR/silver and magic (effectively) as being too powerful seeing as the philosopher just sits there.

Lets get the stat block started.

Gray Philosopher
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 9d12 (58 hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed : 0 ft. (0 squares)
Armor Class: X (+X Dex), touch X, flat- footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft
Saves: Fort +X, Ref +X, Will +X
Abilities: Str -, Dex X, Con -, Int X, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: X
Feats: 4
Environment: X
Organization: X
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: X
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: -

Regards
Mortis

 

[Mortis]

The Gray Philosopher cont.

Right let's try to sort some of the rest out.
Special Attacks: In 2ed a slain Gray Philosopher lets out a Dying Cry/Scream so that should be retained.

Special Qualities: Create Malice,

Saves: Well the base saves are:

Fort: +3, Ref +3, Will +6

Adding the modifiers from the abilities I suggest we get

Fort: +3, Ref +3, Will +11

Abilities: As undead and incorporeal the philosopher gets no Con or Str score.

I would argue that as they don't/cannot move or physically act then they shouldn't have a Dex score either.

Int as given in the previous editions would be in the range 13-14.

So that just leaves Wis and Cha. I would suggest Wis 20 and Cha 16.

Skills: Depending on an Int score of 13 or 14 it should have 60 or 72 skill points, but as it just sits there contemplating, I would suggest that it wouldn't have any skills. If it did, I would suggest Concentration (even if it has no rules benefit), and Knowledge skills.

Feats: With 9 HD it is due 4 feats, but what to give it? Possibly Toughness x4? Great Fortitude is worth a look as well.

Environment: Any ruins - what would that equate to in 3.5?

Organization: X (1 Gray Philosopher + Xd4 Malices)

Alignment: 2nd ed gave it neutral evil, but I would argue that with its dedication to its task that lawful evil fits better.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Mortis]

The Malice

Basic Stats for the malice.

Malice
Tiny Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 1d12 (6 hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed : 0 ft. (0 squares)
Armor Class: X (+X Dex), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-
Attack: X
Full Attack: X
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +X, Ref +X, Will +X
Abilities: Str -, Dex X, Con -, Int X, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: X
Feats: 1
Environment: X
Organization: X
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: X
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: -

Regards
Mortis

 

[Mortis]

The Malice cont.

Again some suggestions regarding the stats

Attack and Full Attack: Although the previous versions state that the Malice attacks as a 9HD creature I think that that is based on the HD of the Gray Philosopher that created it. So I would suggest a Special Quality that states that the Malice uses the BAB of the Gray Philosopher which generated it.

Saves: The base saves are

Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2

Adding the modifiers from the abilities I suggest below we get

Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +2

Abilities: Again as an incorporeal undead the malice gets no Str or Con score.

Dex I suggest should be rather high, I suggest 20.

Int as given by previous editions would be 0

Wis as for other mindless undead should be 10

Cha I would go for something like 13-14

Skills: As a mindless undead the malice wouldn't get any skills. Maybe we could give them a proportion of the points that the Gray Philosopher should have?

Feats: A malice gets 1 feat - I would suggest Weapon Finesse.

Environment and Organization: Same as the Gray Philosopher.

Alignment: Again 2ed gives it as neutral evil which I could accept. but I would prefer to give it chaotic evil as a nice counterpoint to (at least as I suggested) the Gray Philosopher's lawful nature.

Regards
Mortis

 

[GrayLinnorm]

[

Environment: Any ruins - what would that equate to in 3.5?

[From the D&D Rules Cyclopedia:

Ruins: These are ruined or abandonded buildings, artificial underground complexes (dungeons), tombs, crypts, graveyards, and similar desolate places.

So my guess would be Underground, although Any might work.

 

[BOZ]

Lets get the stat block started.

Abilities: Str -, Dex X, Con -, Int X, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: X

Organization: X
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: X
Advancement: X

well, let's see... we decided that it might as well have 14 for Int, so it gets some decent benefits and a total of 72 skill ranks (like its skills matter though, really).

Organization would be Solitary, i think. basing the alignment on the Mystara MC, we figured it would be Always NE (though honestly, i could see "Usually" instead of Always). we figured advancement might as well be 10-18 HD (Medium).

also, we'd agreed on +2 turn resistance, and of course it would have incorporeal traits, undead traits