Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I'm torn on whether to give them Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat, or simply let the fighter levels they often take handle that.

Should Improved Initiative be a bonus feat, since efreet get it as a bonus feat? Just a thought.

I downsized the efreet's slam attack, but if you don't think they should have one, I can drop it.

 

[Mortis]

I'm torn on whether to give them Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat, or simply let the fighter levels they often take handle that.

How about something along the lines of

Fighter's Training (Ex): Due to their indepth training in weapons and combat a sollux's racial hit dice count as fighter levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats. This does not, however, allow it to gain fighter bonus feats.

We can then give it Weapon Specialization as a feat and Improved Initiative as a bonus feat

I downsized the efreet's slam attack, but if you don't think they should have one, I can drop it.

Personally I would prefer them not to have a slam attack but does everyone else think?

Regards
Mortis

 

[freyar]

I'd say no slam, also. These seem to be a pretty martial group, so I'd think most of their abilities are related to training. Fighter's Training looks good, also.

 

[Shade]

I renamed it "martial training" to avoid confusion with the fighter class, made the suggested feat adjustments, and dropped the slam attack.

All sollux are immune to normal fire and to all types of illusions, and they can detect invisibility at will.

Simply immunity to illusions?

See Invisibility (Su): As the see invisibility spell, always active, caster level xth.

Sollux receive a +1 bonus to any saving throw vs. a magical attack and subract -1 point from any damage they suffer from such an attack, whether the saving throw succeeds or not.

+1 racial bonus on saves vs. spells and spell-like effects?

Magic Resilience (Su): Against any spell or spell-like ability that deals hit point damage, sollux reduce the damage per die by 1.

Habitat/Society: Sages believe that sollux form communities and raise their children in magma-filled chambers deep underground. Only those sollux who have proved themselves to be mighty warriors (usually by defeating an efreeti) are allowed to enter the Brotherhood of the Sun. Individual sun brothers make thier homes in scorched deserts, the craters of active volcanoes, or anywhere else there is great heat. However, they spend much of their time traveling the world, seeking out efreet and visiting other sollux. In times of great need, individual sun brothers band together to defeat the efreet, but usually they rely on their own prowess or recruit whatever likely allies they discover on their travels.

Environment: Any warm land or underground?
Organization: Solitary, "efreet hunters" (x-x), or "community" (x-x)?

 

[Mortis]

I renamed it "martial training" to avoid confusion with the fighter class, made the suggested feat adjustments, and dropped the slam attack.

All good

I'm glad that you went for the martial training idea. My backup plan was to point out that we are not converting a normal sollux but a Sun Brother - which would be a normal sollux (say 6 HD) with 4 levels of fighter and we now how much you (and number of the rest of us) like classed monsters

Simply immunity to illusions?

I'd say so.

See Invisibility (Su): As the see invisibility spell, always active, caster level xth.

Caster level 10?

+1 racial bonus on saves vs. spells and spell-like effects?

Magic Resilience (Su): Against any spell or spell-like ability that deals hit point damage, sollux reduce the damage per die by 1.

Now this is where I'm confused (doesn't take much) the original entry from X2 only gives it this bonus versus magical fire attacks not all magical attacks. But the Mystara Appendix (and DMR2) give the bonus against all magical attacks. I feel that this was an error and the intention was to only the bonus versus magical fire - which is obviously a moot point now that we've given it immunity to all fire.

That said I don't mind giving it the bonus against all spells and spell-like effects.

Environment: Any warm land or underground?

Looks good

Organization: Solitary, "efreet hunters" (x-x), or "community" (x-x)?

Perhaps community should be brotherhood? As we are talking about sun brothers not general sollux.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

All good

I'm glad that you went for the martial training idea. My backup plan was to point out that we are not converting a normal sollux but a Sun Brother - which would be a normal sollux (say 6 HD) with 4 levels of fighter and we now how much you (and number of the rest of us) like classed monsters

That occurred to me as well...do we want to scale them back a bit, allowing room for adding fighter levels to become Sun Brothers?

Caster level 10?

Sounds appropriate.

Now this is where I'm confused (doesn't take much) the original entry from X2 only gives it this bonus versus magical fire attacks not all magical attacks. But the Mystara Appendix (and DMR2) give the bonus against all magical attacks. I feel that this was an error and the intention was to only the bonus versus magical fire - which is obviously a moot point now that we've given it immunity to all fire.

That said I don't mind giving it the bonus against all spells and spell-like effects.

You may be right...it may have been an error. Since we've got the wiggle room, let's go for the bonus unless anyone objects.

Perhaps community should be brotherhood? As we are talking about sun brothers not general sollux.

Agreed that makes the most sense for Sun Brothers.

I'm torn on the whole sollux vs. Sun Brother issue...

On the one hand, it seems that only Sun Brothers were ever intended to be encountered, with the rest of the sollux mysteriously tucked away where no one would ever find them.

OTOH, it might be nice to have base sollux stats so if a DM wants to use this hidden community, they'll have the stats.

Thoughts?

 

[Mortis]

That occurred to me as well...do we want to scale them back a bit, allowing room for adding fighter levels to become Sun Brothers?

plus

I'm torn on the whole sollux vs. Sun Brother issue...

On the one hand, it seems that only Sun Brothers were ever intended to be encountered, with the rest of the sollux mysteriously tucked away where no one would ever find them.

OTOH, it might be nice to have base sollux stats so if a DM wants to use this hidden community, they'll have the stats.

Thoughts?

So base stats = 6 HD (as I suggested above) this gives room for 4 fighters levels which qualifies them for Weapon Specialization and means we can remove Martial Training.

We could go even lower on racial HD which might even make them a playable race.

You may be right...it may have been an error. Since we've got the wiggle room, let's go for the bonus unless anyone objects.

I don't object - just wondering...

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

We could go even lower on racial HD which might even make them a playable race.

Hit Dice: 10-14

Most sun brothers are 10th- to 14th-level fighters, but the leader of the order is said to be a mighty warrior of 16th level who wields a longsword of efreeti slaying +3.

You know, it looks like they might actually have no racial HD, and simply be a playable race with 10-14 fighter levels on average. Shall we just stat the typical sollux as a 10th-level fighter and go from there?

So essentially, here are the sollux racial traits...

Medium Outsider (Fire, Native)
Base speed 30 ft.
+8 Str, +6 Dex, +4 Con, +4 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha (we could remove 2 points somewhere due to ability score increases gained at 4th and 8th level)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and illusions, see invisibility, vulnerability to cold
Feats: A sollux gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
Favored Class: Fighter
LA: +X

 

[Mortis]

Most sun brothers are 10th- to 14th-level fighters, but the leader of the order is said to be a mighty warrior of 16th level who wields a longsword of efreeti slaying +3.

I missed that bit

You know, it looks like they might actually have no racial HD, and simply be a playable race with 10-14 fighter levels on average. Shall we just stat the typical sollux as a 10th-level fighter and go from there?

Absolutely

Although if we were Wotc I could see Sun Brother being a prestige class

+8 Str, +6 Dex, +4 Con, +4 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha (we could remove 2 points somewhere due to ability score increases gained at 4th and 8th level)

Well as a creature with character class levels we can use the elite array which will change things slightly.

Lets have another look at the stats, at the moment we have
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 15

I suggest we reduce Dex and Int by 1 each to reflect the lowest levels the MC Mystara Appendix gives, and also drop Wis and Cha by 1 each which gives us

Str 19, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 14

the elite array could be arranged as
Str 15, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 12

This gives a more 'realistic' range of modifiers
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +6, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +2

Allowing for the increases at 4th and 8th we could reduce Con, Wis, or Cha by 2

Still with me.

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and illusions, see invisibility, vulnerability to cold

Agreed - that was straight forward.

Feats: A sollux gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.

Plus 4 normal feats and 6 fighter bonus feats.

LA: +X

This will be interesting to see how playable the race will be - better than a drow?

Regards
Mortis

 

[Shade]

Still with me.

Yep. In fact, you nailed it perfectly.

I'd say take the 2 points off Wis or Con.

Plus 4 normal feats and 6 fighter bonus feats.

Those will be fun.

This will be interesting to see how playable the race will be - better than a drow?

Doubtful, without the incredible spell resistance that makes drow so appealing.


Updated Homebrews to reflect the adjustments.