Converting Planescape monsters

[freyar]

Interesting that it re-rolled my d12 in your quote! I'm betting that's a bug...

I'm ok with the blue flavor and tactics, though I suppose there's plenty of more flavor to add.

 

[Cleon]

Interesting that it re-rolled my d12 in your quote! I'm betting that's a bug...

Yes, that is odd. I wonder whether the bug copied the result of the 1d12 I rolled in the post?

I'm ok with the blue flavor and tactics, though I suppose there's plenty of more flavor to add.

They're both a bit thin though. Let's see...

COMBAT
A lightning quasi-elemental uses its Arc ability to flash around the battlefield, targeting any metal-clad opponents who present themselves. It augments its Arc attacks by making electrified slams and releasing globes of lightning. A lightning quasi-elemental can use all three of these attacks in the same round.

It still needs a description and some background text, but that can wait 'til later.

EDIT:
...and I've just noticed a couple of typos in the Lightning Quasi-Elemental Working Draft - the Vulnerability to Water SQ has an extraneous square bracket in the description, and the second paragraph's "A quasi-elemental is injured" needs a "lightning" in it.

Might as well correct it now. :ENDEDIT

 

[freyar]

Those tactics will work. Do you have thoughts on the description and flavor?

 

[Cleon]

Those tactics will work.

Updating the Lightning Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

description and flavor?

I'm not feeling inspired at the moment. Hopefully I'll whip something up another day.

 

[freyar]

Here's a first shot at the description:

A ball of blue lightning, spitting electrical sparks.

It's not much, but it's something, I guess.

 

[Cleon]

Here's a first shot at the description:

A ball of blue lightning, spitting electrical sparks.

It's not much, but it's something, I guess.

All we have in the original is "These creatures look like small balls of lightning, with bolts of electricity constantly arcing from them toward the nearest conductor", which isn't much to go on.

Note that there isn't any mention of colour in the above. Ball lightning has been reported in a range of hues, such as red, orange, yellow and blue. I think it'd be safer not to specify one in the description. We could maybe mention typical colours in the background info.

How's this:

A globe of electricity dances in the air. It spits out a constant storm of miniature lightning bolts that arc out to touch nearby objects.

I'm not quite decided on the "touch" - I was also tempted by "stroke nearby objects" and "contact nearby objects".

Any preferences?

 

[freyar]

It's not clear to me that the lightning actually hits the nearby objects. What about

A globe of electricity dances in the air. It spits out a constant storm of miniature lightning bolts that arc out toward nearby objects.

?

 

[Cleon]

It's not clear to me that the lightning actually hits the nearby objects. What about

A globe of electricity dances in the air. It spits out a constant storm of miniature lightning bolts that arc out toward nearby objects.

?

Hmm... I'm fine removing the reference to it hitting nearby objects, and think it might be better without the "out":

A globe of electricity dances in the air. It spits out a constant storm of miniature lightning bolts that arc towards nearby objects.

 

[freyar]

Looks good to me! Just flavor left. Here's a start based on the original critters:

Lightning quasi-elementals are typically loners, wandering the wilds of the quasi-elemental plane of Lightning. They are the masters and most powerful inhabitants of the dangerous and mostly empty plane. On occasion, however, large numbers of the quasi-elementals gather in giant lightning storms on the plane --- whether to mate or exchange information is unknown even to the wisest sage. Very few spellcasters know how to summon lightning quasi-elementals, though some high-level casters know the secret.

 

[Cleon]

Looks good to me!

Updating the Lightning Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

Just flavor left. Here's a start based on the original critters:

Lightning quasi-elementals are typically loners, wandering the wilds of the quasi-elemental plane of Lightning. They are the masters and most powerful inhabitants of the dangerous and mostly empty plane. On occasion, however, large numbers of the quasi-elementals gather in giant lightning storms on the plane --- whether to mate or exchange information is unknown even to the wisest sage. Very few spellcasters know how to summon lightning quasi-elementals, though some high-level casters know the secret.

Some of that looks a bit surplus to requirements. I'm not feeling terribly inspired right now. Hopefully I'll have a few proposed alterations later.