Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[BOZ]

would it have a Small version?

updating in homebrews. how is it looking?

 

[Shade]

I guess you don't really need a small version, unless some halfling goes and trains with one.

Do my eyes deceive me, or is this conversion finally nearing an end?!?

 

[BOZ]

i don't know, have a look at it and tell me.

and here's the question i must pose to shade and anyone else who wants to see it - do you want the Savage Coast variant to be a few paragraphs at the end of the rakasta entry, or do you want to give this thing its own entry??

 

[Shade]

I think it is finished.

As for the Savage Coast version, I'm up for either method, but I think the paragraphs at the end would be sufficient. IIRC, the main differences were the addition of the ability to detect invisible things, blind-fight, and some flavor text.

 

[BOZ]

sounds cool. i'll write that up in a minute.

 

[BOZ]

meh? (borrowed a few things from knightfall's writeup)

SAVAGE COAST RAKASTA
The Savage Coast region of Mystara is home to a hardier breed of rakasta. These rakasta have developed a feudal style of government mixed with their nomadic ways of old, and their warrior traditions and mystical tendencies. These rakasta are known to carry and use other melee weapons besides the kasa, and their technology level is comparable to other nearby humanoid cultures. Hatra are not common among these town-dwelling rakasta.

This breed of rakasta has developed additional abilities that their nomadic cousins do not possess. These are discussed following:

Bonus Feat: Rakasta characters automatically gain the Blind-Fight Feat at 1st level.

Cat’s Grace (Su): Rakasta have excellent balance and reflexes, taking only half damage from any fall.

Detect Invisible Foes (Ex): When confronted with invisible creatures, a rakasta receives a +4 bonus to any saving throws made for detection. A rakasta automatically gets a Will saving throw (with the bonus) when an invisible creature approaches within 10 feet and during every round the invisible being remains that close. The rakasta does not automatically know where the invisible creature is, just that it is close by; locating it still requires other clues. Rakasta can also use this ability to detect the presence of ethereal creatures, such as ghosts, phase spiders, or someone wearing plate mail of etherealness. They recognize the difference between things ethereal and those simply invisible but gain no special attack or defense capabilities against ethereal beings.

Keen Hearing (Ex): Rakasta receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks. Because of their keen senses, rakasta must make an additional Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) against attacks based on sound (such as a banshee's wail or a harpy's song) beyond any save normally required.

 

[Shade]

SAVAGE COAST RAKASTA
The Savage Coast region of Mystara is home to a hardier breed of rakasta. These rakasta have developed a feudal style of government mixed with their nomadic ways of old, and their warrior traditions and mystical tendencies. These rakasta are known to carry and use other melee weapons besides the kasa, and their technology level is comparable to other nearby humanoid cultures. Hatra are not common among these town-dwelling rakasta.

This breed of rakasta has developed additional abilities that their nomadic cousins do not possess. These are discussed following:

Lookin' good.

Bonus Feat: Rakasta characters automatically gain the Blind-Fight Feat at 1st level.

Cool.

Cat’s Grace (Su): Rakasta have excellent balance and reflexes, taking only half damage from any fall.

Could we come up with a different name? Cat's Grace imply that they get the benefit of the spell of the same name. Perhaps Feline Grace or Cat's Agility?

Detect Invisible Foes (Ex): When confronted with invisible creatures, a rakasta receives a +4 bonus to any saving throws made for detection. A rakasta automatically gets a Will saving throw (with the bonus) when an invisible creature approaches within 10 feet and during every round the invisible being remains that close. The rakasta does not automatically know where the invisible creature is, just that it is close by; locating it still requires other clues. Rakasta can also use this ability to detect the presence of ethereal creatures, such as ghosts, phase spiders, or someone wearing plate mail of etherealness. They recognize the difference between things ethereal and those simply invisible but gain no special attack or defense capabilities against ethereal beings.

Hmmm...the only Will save allowed by invisibility is to determine whether you become invisible (harmless). Instead, how about a +4 bonus on Spot and Listen checks to notice the presence of invisible creatures? Here's the relevant text that gave me this idea...

"A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Spot check. The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target it accurately with an attack. A creature who is holding still is very hard to notice (DC 30). An inanimate object, an unliving creature holding still, or a completely immobile creature is even harder to spot (DC 40). It’s practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature still benefits from total concealment (50% miss chance)."

"A creature can use hearing to find an invisible creature. A character can make a Listen check for this purpose as a free action each round. A Listen check result at least equal to the invisible creature’s Move Silently check result reveals its presence. (A creature with no ranks in Move Silently makes a Move Silently check as a Dexterity check to which an armor check penalty applies.) A successful check lets a character hear an invisible creature “over there somewhere.” It’s practically impossible to pinpoint the location of an invisible creature. A Listen check that beats the DC by 20 pinpoints the invisible creature’s location."

Keen Hearing (Ex): Rakasta receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks. Because of their keen senses, rakasta must make an additional Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) against attacks based on sound (such as a banshee's wail or a harpy's song) beyond any save normally required.

Maybe instead of making an additional save, we could instead give them vulnerability to sonic?

Also, I'd recommend adding a note that this variant of rakasta's favored class is fighter, based on this text:

"Among the nomadic rakastas, divisions are even simpler; everyone is classified as either a warrior or a youth in training to become a warrior. Most warriors have other skills as well: One might be a skilled builder, another might be a weapon maker, and yet another might be a cleric. Still, all are warriors first and foremost."

 

[BOZ]

I like “Feline Grace”. I had the same feelings about calling it the same name as a distinctive spell. Of course, I have a better idea how to handle these guys.

How about, we simplify all of that info into two paragraphs. The first one would be as-is (adding a note about Fighter as favored class), and the second paragraph would be as so:

This breed of rakasta has developed additional abilities that their nomadic cousins do not possess. These rakasta have excellent balance and reflexes, and take only half damage from any fall. They have unusually keen senses, and receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks. Because of their keen hearing, rakasta suffer a –X penalty against all saving throws against sonic attacks. Rakasta sight is also very keen, providing them with Blind-Fight as a bonus feat. Rakasta intuitively sense the presence of invisible or ethereal creatures within 10 feet, and receive a +4 bonus on Spot and Listen checks to find such creatures.

 

[Shade]

Good call! I like it. How about a -2 penalty on saves vs. sonic attacks? (Elves get +2 vs. enchanments, dwarves +2 vs. spells and spell-like abilities, so 2 seems a good number).

 

[BOZ]

very good. if you are satisfied with those two paragraphs, then we can call the rakasta done.