Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Shade]

These animated thoughts, known as malices, appear as small, luminous, translucent whisps with vaguely human faces, gaping maws and spindly, clawed hands. They fly through the air,constantly searching for victims on which to vent their spite. Malices do not stray more than 100 feet from their philosopher, but are able to squeeze through the narrowest of gaps in their wanderings. A grey philosopher typically creates 2-8 malices for each century of its deliberations. Clerics turn malices as spectres.

These animated thoughts, known as malices, appear as small, luminous, translucent wisps with vaguely human faces, gaping maws, and spindly, clawed hands. They fly through the air, constantly searching for victims on which to vent their petty, but eternal, spite. Malices do not stray more than 100 feet from their philosopher, but are able to squeeze through the narrowest of gaps in their wanderings. A gray philosopher typically creates 2d4 malices for each century of its deliberations. Clerics turn malices as spectres.

Unlike the philosopher, malices constantly search for victims on which to vent their petty but eternal spite. Malices do not stray more than 100 feet from their philosopher but may pass through the narrowest of openings in their ceaseless flight.

All malices vanish instantly when the philosopher is destroyed.

All malices vanish instantly when the philosopher is destroyed.

We should modify this for the "squeeze through gaps" ability...

Amorphous (Ex) Bludgeoning weapons and impact damage deal no damage to Juiblex. He is able to slip through spaces that otherwise could accommodate a creature no larger than Tiny because of his jellylike substance.

Bound to Philosopher (Su): A malice can never stray more than 100 feet from the gray philosopher that created it. Should it be forcefully moved from this area, it (is immediately destroyed? must immediately return to within 100 feet by the fastest means possible? something else?). If the gray philosopher that created a malice is destroyed, the malice is instantly destroyed.

Spectres have +2 turn resistance in 3.5.

Malices have the same Hit Rolls as a 9 Hit Dice creature, and the amount of damage done depends on the alignment of the victim: 1d6 for chaotic characters, 1d8 for neutrals and 1d10 for lawfuls.

Malices have the same attack rolls as a 9 Hit Dice creature, and the amount of damage done depends on the alignment of the victim: 1d6 points of damage for chaotic characters, 1d8 for neutral characters and 1d10 for lawful characters.

When they find a victim, the malices immediately launch themselves at it. The creatures attack as 9 Hit Dice monsters, and the amount of damage their vicious bite inflicts depends on the victim's alignment: 1d10 for good characters (whom the malices especially despise), 1d8 for neutral characters, and 1d6 points of damage for evil characters. Clerics can turn malices as spectres. A malice normally attacks until destroyed or turned. However, all these creatures vanish instantly if their philosopher is destroyed.

"Touch of Malice/Spiteful Touch" (Su): The touch of a malice deals 1d10 points of damage to good-aligned creatures, 1d8 points of damage to neutral-aligned creatures, and 1d6 points of damage to evil-aligned creatures. Additionally, it is treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Both the philosopher and the malices are immune to mind-affecting magic (cham, phantasmal force, etc.) and to attacks from nonmagical weapons.

Both the philosopher and its malices are immune to mind-affecting magic (charm, phantasmal force, etc.) and to attacks from nonmagical weapons.

Same immunities as philosopher. DR 5/magic and silver?

 

[Shade]

Dex damage of the Dying Shriek - Damage or Drain? I prefer Drain.

Add another vote for drain.

And how about this?

Unwavering Concentration (Ex): Whilst a gray philosopher is contemplating its unresolved problem it pays no attention to what is going on around it. As such, it is immune to turning or rebuking attempts, automatically fails Reflex saves and automatically makes any Concentration checks.

I like it.

Back to the malice

Feats: I realised after suggesting Weapon Finesse that the malice doesn't qualify for it, lacking the +1 BAB so if we give it the feat it will have to be as a bonus.

A side effect of giving it Weapon Finesse with it's (suggested) Dex 20 means an attack bonus of +5, quite similar to a 9HD undead!

Other than that, how about Flyby Attack?

I'm fine with either Weapon Finesse or Flyby Attack (or both) as bonus feats.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

Unwavering Concentration (Ex): Whilst a gray philosopher is contemplating its unresolved problem it pays no attention to what is going on around it. As such, it is immune to turning or rebuking attempts, automatically fails Reflex saves and automatically makes any Concentration checks.

if it automatically succeeds on Concentration checks, are we still giving it ranks in that skill?

We should modify this for the "squeeze through gaps" ability...

Amorphous (Ex) Bludgeoning weapons and impact damage deal no damage to Juiblex. He is able to slip through spaces that otherwise could accommodate a creature no larger than Tiny because of his jellylike substance.

first of all, are malices incorporeal or will they have a physical form?

Bound to Philosopher (Su): A malice can never stray more than 100 feet from the gray philosopher that created it. Should it be forcefully moved from this area, it (is immediately destroyed? must immediately return to within 100 feet by the fastest means possible? something else?). If the gray philosopher that created a malice is destroyed, the malice is instantly destroyed.

i would say must immediately return. we can also work this part in:

A malice uses its gray philosopher’s base attack bonus. A malice uses its own Dexterity modifier on attack rolls with its natural weapons. (and can share its skills and feats?)

Spectres have +2 turn resistance in 3.5.

turn resistance is good. however, since these guys are low in HD, +2 turn resistance won't help a whole lot.

"Touch of Malice/Spiteful Touch" (Su): The touch of a malice deals 1d10 points of damage to good-aligned creatures, 1d8 points of damage to neutral-aligned creatures, and 1d6 points of damage to evil-aligned creatures. Additionally, it is treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

i like it. Spiteful Touch works for me.

Same immunities as philosopher. DR 5/magic and silver?

as long as we're typing them as Undead, that should work.

I'm fine with either Weapon Finesse or Flyby Attack (or both) as bonus feats.

not sure they should get two bonus feats...

 

[Shade]

if it automatically succeeds on Concentration checks, are we still giving it ranks in that skill?

Nope. Divvy 'em up with the existing Knowledge skills or add another one, I'd suggest.

first of all, are malices incorporeal or will they have a physical form?

I thought we decided on philosopher=incorporeal, malice=corporeal. If not, then this ability isn't necessary.

i would say must immediately return. we can also work this part in:

A malice uses its gray philosopher’s base attack bonus. A malice uses its own Dexterity modifier on attack rolls with its natural weapons. (and can share its skills and feats?)

That works, assuming we stick with Weapon Finesse. Otherwise, we might want to clarify why it uses its Dex modifier rather than Str.

turn resistance is good. however, since these guys are low in HD, +2 turn resistance won't help a whole lot.

True. Since spectres are 7 HD, that would make them the equivalent of 9 HD. Since the philosopher is 9 HD, we could state that malices use the philosopher's HD for purposes of turn attempts, and drop turn resistance altogether.

not sure they should get two bonus feats...

That's fine, although I think Flyby Attack really fits their original description well.

 

[Mortis]

turn resistance is good. however, since these guys are low in HD, +2 turn resistance won't help a whole lot.

Just noticed that with the +2 Turn Resistance the spectre counts has having 9HD for turning purposes - the same number of HD as the gray philosopher, spooky. Don't remember if it worked out the same in previous editions.

<edit>Looks like Shade beat me to that.

So, maybe, we can roll its turning chance into the other abilities it gets from the philosopher?

Spiteful Touch works for me.

Sounds good.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Mortis]

Nope. Divvy 'em up with the existing Knowledge skills or add another one, I'd suggest.

Agreed.

I thought we decided on philosopher=incorporeal, malice=corporeal. If not, then this ability isn't necessary.

Had we? I must have missed it. I had opted for malice=incorporeal, but if not then that ability works fine.

That's fine, although I think Flyby Attack really fits their original description well.

Well it gets 1 feat due to its 1 HD, so that's Flyby Attack and then give it Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

Well it gets 1 feat due to its 1 HD, so that's Flyby Attack and then give it Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.

Not if it's mindless.

 

[Mortis]

Not if it's mindless.

True, but skeletons and zombies are mindless and they get Improved Init and Toughness respectively as standard feats. So there is a precident.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

True, but skeletons and zombies are mindless and they get Improved Init and Toughness respectively as standard feats. So there is a precident.

It looks like they forgot the "B". According to the templates...

Feats: A skeleton loses all feats of the base creature and gains Improved Initiative.

Feats: A zombie loses all feats of the base creature and gains Toughness.

While it doesn't specifically use the words "bonus feat", that is the case when a monster gains one via a template.

Bad MM. No biscuit. :\

 

[Mortis]

Weeee...eeellllll if we go down the road of letting the malice use the philosophers feats then all we have to do is give the philosopher Weapon Finesse (or Flyby Attack).

Or maybe it would be easier to five the malice a special ability to replicate Weapon Finesse.

If we only give it one of the two feats, I think Flyby Attack fits it better.

Regards
Mortis