Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters
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Mortis
First Post
Just to save you some time Boz here are the Darkwings stats from DMR2 Creature Catalog and the 2E Mystara Monstrous Compendium.
Regards
Mortis
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DMR2 Creature Catalog
Dark Wing
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3* (M)
Move: 60' (20')
Flying 180' (60')
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d6
No. Appearing: 1d3x10 (1d3x10)
Save As: Fighter: 3
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: B
Intelligence: 7
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 50
Monster Type: Humanoid (Very Rare).
Dark wings inhabit high rocky crags and mountains. They have green, scaly bodies and black, leathery wings. The creatures are nocturnal and never come out of their dark, eerie caves during the day. At night they flock forth to the lowlands to hunt.
Dark wings dislike bright lights and never leave their caves on the nights of the full moon. A light spell causes them to fight with a penalty of -1 to attack and damage rolls, and also to make morale checks at -1. A continual light spell causes them to fight at -2 to hit and damage, and immediately to make a morale check or flee to their lair. These effects are not cumulative, so dark wings subject to both light and continual light spells are at -2 to hit and damage, not -3. Dark wings that make successful morale checks fight to the death, but still suffer the penalties incurred by bright lights.
Because of their dark coloration and ability to glide, dark wings surprise opponents on a roll of 1 4 on 1d6. Two dark wings acting in unison can swoop down and carry off a human sized creature if both make a attack roll of 18 or more. Larger creatures such as horses or cattle are killed and dismembered before being taken to the lair.
A dark wing lair is a foul and unsettling place, covered in the creatures' filth and the bones of their victims. There will always be 2d6 young roosting on ledges around the caves. These young dark wings will fight if threatened or attacked (AC 8; HD 1-1; #AT 1 bite; Damage 1d3).
Terrain: Cavern, Mountain, Hills, Open (night only).
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Mystaran Monstrous Compendium
Darkwing
Climate/Terrain: Any cavern, mountain, hills, plains (night only)
Frequency: Very rare
Organization: Flock
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Low (7)
Treasure: (B)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
No. Appearing: 10d3
Armor Class: 5
Movement: 6, Fl 18 (D)
Hit Dice: 3
THACO: 17
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1d4 (claw)/1d4 (claw)/1D6 (bite)
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defense: Nil
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: M (5' tall)
Morale: Steady (11)
XP Value: 65
The bane of all who raise livestock, darkwings are flying humanoids that flock and attack at night, often decimating entire herds of cattle or sheep. Many scholars believe they are related to deep glaurants (see "deep glaurant").
Darkwings have scaly green bodies and feathery black wings. Their claws are long and sharp, and their mouths are filled with vicious, sharp teeth.
All darkwings speak a simple language of their own. Most of their words concern hunting and status in the flock. A very few darkwings have learned human tongues. More frequently, the top darkwing of a flock may learn the language of humanoids who might be persuaded to join the flock in raids on livestock.
Combat
With their dark coloration and gliding flight, darkwings can readily surprise opponents at night (-4 to victims surprise rolls). They attack with their claws and bite. Two darkwings acting in unison can swoop down and carry off a human-sized creature provided both make an attack roll of 18 or more. Larger creatures such as horses or cattle are killed and dismembered before being taken back to the lair.
Darkwings dislike bright light and never leave their caves when the moon is full. A light spell causes them to fight with a penalty of -1 to morale, attack, and damage rolls. A continual light spell causes them to immediately make a morale check with a -2 penalty or flee to their lair. If they stay, they fight with a -2 penalty to their attack and damage rolls (though each hit will inflict a minimum of 1 point of damage. The effects of light are not cumulative (darkwings subject to both a light and a continual light spell fight at -2 not -3). Darkwings that make successful morale checks fight to the death, but still suffer the other penalties listed.
Habitat/Society
Darkwings gather in flocks, taking full advantage of their numbers and flying ability to terrify and corner their prey. Each flock has a "pecking order" by which a single leader - the largest and smartest - keeps the lesser individuals in line. The leader also chooses where to fly for the hunt, selects the best mates, and so forth. Either a male or a female may lead the pecking order. It is a dangerous and precarious position, as the lesser darkwings are always vying to elevate their own status in the flock at the expense of their superiors.
Dark caves, high in harsh mountain ranges, are the preferred abode of darkwings. A darkwing lair is a foal and unsettling place, covered in the creatures' filth and the bones of their victims. There are always 2d6 young roosting on ledges around the caves, they fight only if threatened or attacked (AC 8; HD 1-1; #AT 1 (bite only); D 1d3).
Ecology
Darkwings are nocturnal, and never come out of their dark eerie caves during the day. At night, they flock to the lowlands to hunt. They prefer easy prey, naturally, and so are drawn to the flocks and herds of human farmers.
Few farmers have the wherewithal to confront and drive off these vicious predators, and the darkwings have few natural enemies. If a flock of darkwings makes trouble over an extended period of time in a region, it won't be long before they are challenged. It may be a group of irate farmers, or the local knight with his henchmen (whose rents and taxes are threatened if their tenants or serfs are impoverished), or even a party of adventurous champions that will set out to drive off or slay the darkwings. Because of this, the winged humanoids, rare to begin with, dwindle as civilization spreads.
In the absence of human livestock to raid, darkwings tend to subsist on smaller wild mammals, such as rabbits and young deer. Like wolves, they prefer the young, the aged, and the sickly over large and healthy individuals that might prove troublesome to overcome. These pickings are not as easy as humans' livestock, and so the numbers of darkwings remain modest even in the wilds.
Regards
Mortis
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DMR2 Creature Catalog
Dark Wing
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3* (M)
Move: 60' (20')
Flying 180' (60')
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d6
No. Appearing: 1d3x10 (1d3x10)
Save As: Fighter: 3
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: B
Intelligence: 7
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 50
Monster Type: Humanoid (Very Rare).
Dark wings inhabit high rocky crags and mountains. They have green, scaly bodies and black, leathery wings. The creatures are nocturnal and never come out of their dark, eerie caves during the day. At night they flock forth to the lowlands to hunt.
Dark wings dislike bright lights and never leave their caves on the nights of the full moon. A light spell causes them to fight with a penalty of -1 to attack and damage rolls, and also to make morale checks at -1. A continual light spell causes them to fight at -2 to hit and damage, and immediately to make a morale check or flee to their lair. These effects are not cumulative, so dark wings subject to both light and continual light spells are at -2 to hit and damage, not -3. Dark wings that make successful morale checks fight to the death, but still suffer the penalties incurred by bright lights.
Because of their dark coloration and ability to glide, dark wings surprise opponents on a roll of 1 4 on 1d6. Two dark wings acting in unison can swoop down and carry off a human sized creature if both make a attack roll of 18 or more. Larger creatures such as horses or cattle are killed and dismembered before being taken to the lair.
A dark wing lair is a foul and unsettling place, covered in the creatures' filth and the bones of their victims. There will always be 2d6 young roosting on ledges around the caves. These young dark wings will fight if threatened or attacked (AC 8; HD 1-1; #AT 1 bite; Damage 1d3).
Terrain: Cavern, Mountain, Hills, Open (night only).
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Mystaran Monstrous Compendium
Darkwing
Climate/Terrain: Any cavern, mountain, hills, plains (night only)
Frequency: Very rare
Organization: Flock
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Low (7)
Treasure: (B)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
No. Appearing: 10d3
Armor Class: 5
Movement: 6, Fl 18 (D)
Hit Dice: 3
THACO: 17
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1d4 (claw)/1d4 (claw)/1D6 (bite)
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defense: Nil
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: M (5' tall)
Morale: Steady (11)
XP Value: 65
The bane of all who raise livestock, darkwings are flying humanoids that flock and attack at night, often decimating entire herds of cattle or sheep. Many scholars believe they are related to deep glaurants (see "deep glaurant").
Darkwings have scaly green bodies and feathery black wings. Their claws are long and sharp, and their mouths are filled with vicious, sharp teeth.
All darkwings speak a simple language of their own. Most of their words concern hunting and status in the flock. A very few darkwings have learned human tongues. More frequently, the top darkwing of a flock may learn the language of humanoids who might be persuaded to join the flock in raids on livestock.
Combat
With their dark coloration and gliding flight, darkwings can readily surprise opponents at night (-4 to victims surprise rolls). They attack with their claws and bite. Two darkwings acting in unison can swoop down and carry off a human-sized creature provided both make an attack roll of 18 or more. Larger creatures such as horses or cattle are killed and dismembered before being taken back to the lair.
Darkwings dislike bright light and never leave their caves when the moon is full. A light spell causes them to fight with a penalty of -1 to morale, attack, and damage rolls. A continual light spell causes them to immediately make a morale check with a -2 penalty or flee to their lair. If they stay, they fight with a -2 penalty to their attack and damage rolls (though each hit will inflict a minimum of 1 point of damage. The effects of light are not cumulative (darkwings subject to both a light and a continual light spell fight at -2 not -3). Darkwings that make successful morale checks fight to the death, but still suffer the other penalties listed.
Habitat/Society
Darkwings gather in flocks, taking full advantage of their numbers and flying ability to terrify and corner their prey. Each flock has a "pecking order" by which a single leader - the largest and smartest - keeps the lesser individuals in line. The leader also chooses where to fly for the hunt, selects the best mates, and so forth. Either a male or a female may lead the pecking order. It is a dangerous and precarious position, as the lesser darkwings are always vying to elevate their own status in the flock at the expense of their superiors.
Dark caves, high in harsh mountain ranges, are the preferred abode of darkwings. A darkwing lair is a foal and unsettling place, covered in the creatures' filth and the bones of their victims. There are always 2d6 young roosting on ledges around the caves, they fight only if threatened or attacked (AC 8; HD 1-1; #AT 1 (bite only); D 1d3).
Ecology
Darkwings are nocturnal, and never come out of their dark eerie caves during the day. At night, they flock to the lowlands to hunt. They prefer easy prey, naturally, and so are drawn to the flocks and herds of human farmers.
Few farmers have the wherewithal to confront and drive off these vicious predators, and the darkwings have few natural enemies. If a flock of darkwings makes trouble over an extended period of time in a region, it won't be long before they are challenged. It may be a group of irate farmers, or the local knight with his henchmen (whose rents and taxes are threatened if their tenants or serfs are impoverished), or even a party of adventurous champions that will set out to drive off or slay the darkwings. Because of this, the winged humanoids, rare to begin with, dwindle as civilization spreads.
In the absence of human livestock to raid, darkwings tend to subsist on smaller wild mammals, such as rabbits and young deer. Like wolves, they prefer the young, the aged, and the sickly over large and healthy individuals that might prove troublesome to overcome. These pickings are not as easy as humans' livestock, and so the numbers of darkwings remain modest even in the wilds.
Mortis
First Post
...and some 3.5e stats to discuss...
Darkwing
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 3d8+X
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: X ft. (X squares), Fly X ft. (average)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 Natural Armor), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.,
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: (6) Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Spot +3, Survival +2
(Thats 2 skill points in Spot and 1 skill point in the others)
Feats: (2) Flyby Attack, Multiattack
Environment: Any mountains
Organization: Solitary, Wing (2-5), or Flock (5-20)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure:
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment:
Combat
Darkwing
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 3d8+X
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: X ft. (X squares), Fly X ft. (average)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 Natural Armor), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.,
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: (6) Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Spot +3, Survival +2
(Thats 2 skill points in Spot and 1 skill point in the others)
Feats: (2) Flyby Attack, Multiattack
Environment: Any mountains
Organization: Solitary, Wing (2-5), or Flock (5-20)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure:
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment:
Combat
Last edited:
Mortis
First Post
We'll need a couple of special abilities, one to cover the 'teamwork snatch' ability and another for the silent glide attack. I am thinking of something along the lines of.
Cooperative Snatch (Ex): If two darkwings successfully attack the same target (of medium size or smaller) with at least one claw attack each they can choose to start a grapple, as though they had the improved grab special attack. Whilst performing this ability the darkwing's fly speed is halved to X feet and it's manoeverability is reduced to poor.
Silent Glide (Ex): At night, whilst gliding in to attack, the darkwing's dark coloring and soft, owl-like feathers grant a +4 circumstance bonus to it's Hide and Move Silently skill checks.
Regards
Mortis
Cooperative Snatch (Ex): If two darkwings successfully attack the same target (of medium size or smaller) with at least one claw attack each they can choose to start a grapple, as though they had the improved grab special attack. Whilst performing this ability the darkwing's fly speed is halved to X feet and it's manoeverability is reduced to poor.
Silent Glide (Ex): At night, whilst gliding in to attack, the darkwing's dark coloring and soft, owl-like feathers grant a +4 circumstance bonus to it's Hide and Move Silently skill checks.
Regards
Mortis
Last edited:
Shade
Monster Junkie
It's the desmodu meets el chupacabra! 
The cooperative grab 'em ability was actually covered in a recent issue of Dragon...
Group Snatch (Ex): A group of four or more flying monkeys can lift up and carry away a size Small creature, attacking as a group and using a single grapple check. Two are required for Tiny creatures, and eight for a Medium creature.
When a creature does not wish to be snatched into the air, an opposed grapple check is required. The flying monkeys gain a +2 bonus on this grapple check for each flying monkey beyond the first participating in the attempt. If the monkeys succeed, the creature is grappled and forced to move along with the monkeys. If they fail, the creature stays on the ground.
Once a creature is airborne, it may choose to continue resisting, forcing a grapple check each round. This reduces the monkeys' flying speed by half. If successful, the creature falls from their grasp and takes falling damage normally.
Which of these should we give 'em?
Light Blindness (EX): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Probably the latter, methinks.
The cooperative grab 'em ability was actually covered in a recent issue of Dragon...
Group Snatch (Ex): A group of four or more flying monkeys can lift up and carry away a size Small creature, attacking as a group and using a single grapple check. Two are required for Tiny creatures, and eight for a Medium creature.
When a creature does not wish to be snatched into the air, an opposed grapple check is required. The flying monkeys gain a +2 bonus on this grapple check for each flying monkey beyond the first participating in the attempt. If the monkeys succeed, the creature is grappled and forced to move along with the monkeys. If they fail, the creature stays on the ground.
Once a creature is airborne, it may choose to continue resisting, forcing a grapple check each round. This reduces the monkeys' flying speed by half. If successful, the creature falls from their grasp and takes falling damage normally.
Which of these should we give 'em?
Light Blindness (EX): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Probably the latter, methinks.
Mortis
First Post
How fortunate.Shade said:
So...
Group Snatch (Ex): A group of two or more darkwings can lift up and carry away a size Medium creature, attacking as a group and using a single grapple check. Only one is required for Small or smaller creatures, and four for a Large creature.
When a creature does not wish to be snatched into the air, an opposed grapple check is required. The darkwings gain a +2 bonus on this grapple check for each darkwing beyond the first participating in the attempt. If the darkwings succeed, the creature is grappled and forced to move along with the darkwings. If they fail, the creature stays on the ground.
Once a creature is airborne, it may choose to continue resisting, forcing a grapple check each round. This reduces the darkwings' flying speed by half. If successful, the creature falls from their grasp and takes falling damage normally.
Personally I still think that their manoeverability should be affected, thoughts?
Regards
Mortis
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