Converting Planescape monsters

[freyar]

By which I mean, let's add 1HD, +1 NA, etc, to the 3E monodrone. We'll be reducing mental abilities. The THAC0 is the same, but the 3e BAB will go up with increased HD, so strictly we'd have decreasing Str. That seems to make sense with the listed damage, too.

 

[Cleon]

How about we start from the pentadrone and modify from there, since the modronoid is a bit better?

By which I mean, let's add 1HD, +1 NA, etc, to the 3E monodrone. We'll be reducing mental abilities. The THAC0 is the same, but the 3e BAB will go up with increased HD, so strictly we'd have decreasing Str. That seems to make sense with the listed damage, too.

Huh?

Do you mean adding +1 HD/NA etc to the 3E pentadrone?

I'm leaning more towards basically building the Modronoid from scratch.

Also, which 3E Mono/Pentadrone are we talking about here? The WotC Web Enhancement versions are built quite different from the Dragon #354 ones.

The former are Outsiders, the latter are Constructs for a start, so the WE versions have CON scores and the Dragon versions don't.

 

[Cleon]

Anyhow, can we at least fill in some on the basics in the Modronoid Working Draft?

First up is Type.

Do you see these things as (possibly living?) Constructs, Outsiders with construct-like traits, or maybe something else entirely?

I'm currently leaning towards Construct, like a humanoid with the Half-Golem template.

 

[freyar]

Oops, yes, I meant to modify the pentadrone. Too many drones!

I think I like Constructs for these, so I'd lean toward the Dragon modrons as a place to start. Maybe make them all living Constructs, though.

 

[Cleon]

Oops, yes, I meant to modify the pentadrone. Too many drones!

Hmm, I suspect there'll be so many modifications there'd be scant difference from writing it all from scratch, but we might as well start somewhere.

I think I like Constructs for these, so I'd lean toward the Dragon modrons as a place to start. Maybe make them all living Constructs, though.

Okay, let's see.

So I'll update the Modronoid Working Draft with.

Type Construct (=> 6d10 HD, +4 BAB, all base saves +2).

Living Construct Traits: Immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain. Cannot heal damage naturally. Subject to stunning, ability damage, and ability drain. Subject to spells that target either constructs or living creatures.​

 

[Cleon]

Abilities and NA seem the natural next choice.

The Pentadrone has Str 22, Dex 12, Con — in Dragon Magazine #354 and Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14 in the WotC website's Manual of the Planes Web Enhancement.

How about Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14 for our boy?

Although I'd contemplate going a bit higher and maybe making the Dexterity 14 instead.

Constitution 14 would give it 45 hit points.

For the Mental abilities, I was thinking 10s across the board, which'd make it:

Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12 or 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10​

That's all even abilities rather than half-odd and half-even, so we could mix it up a bit and give it odd Wisdom and Charisma scores.

Maybe even under 10 in Charisma, Wisdom, or both? Like, Wis 9, Cha 9. Becoming a Modronoid might not be very good for the mind of an ordinary humanoid.

Armour wise, you were proposing one point better than a Pentadrone, which'd be either +10 NA (Dragon) or +5 NA (WotC).

The former would give it AC 21 with Dex 12, which feels a little too high. The latter gives AC 16 which is way too low.

Hmm… I'm leaning towards Dex 14 and a +8 NA bonus for a nice round AC 20.

 

[freyar]

Let's do Str 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 9, NA+8. I'm a sucker for half-odd, half-even scores. I wouldn't object to Dex 13 if you think 15 is too high.

I think we can add darkvision, low-light vision, and resistances like the modrons. I'd just stick to the living construct immunities.

Arm blades next?

 

[Cleon]

Let's do Str 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 9, NA+8. I'm a sucker for half-odd, half-even scores. I wouldn't object to Dex 13 if you think 15 is too high.

Fine with the Strength and mental ability scores but don't care for having a Dex higher than Con.

Upon reflection, it does not need to have a Dexterity on par with a Pentadrone. Most of the Modronoids were made from lower order Modrons, which have worse Dexterities:

Modron Caste	Dragon #354​	Manual of the Planes WE​	Planewalker.com​
Monodrone	Str 8, Dex 13, Con —​	Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10​	Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10​
Duodrone	Str 16, Dex 9, Con —​	Str 12, Dex 11, Con 11​	Str 12, Dex 11, Con 11​
Tridrone	Str 14, Dex 13, Con —​	Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12​	Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12​
Quadrone	Str 16, Dex 18, Con —​	Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13​	Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13​
Pentadrone	Str 22, Dex 12, Con —​	Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14​	Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14​

I'm now thinking it should have a really mediocre Dex like a Monodrone or Duodrone.

So I'm thinking:

Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 9; +8 NA or +10 NA, I prefer the +8​

If you're really keen on a higher Dexterity, I might be persuaded to make it Dex 12 (with +7 NA or +9 NA) or Dex 14 (with +6 NA or +8 NA).

For some reason, I like the notion of giving it an even natural armor bonus, so I prefer Dex 14 slightly over Dex 12, although Dex 10 is my favourite.

 

[Cleon]

I think we can add darkvision, low-light vision, and resistances like the modrons. I'd just stick to the living construct immunities.

Works for me.

So you don't fancy the acid, cold and fire resistance of a 3E Modron?

That seems reasonable, since the original Modronoid didn't have the save bonus and damage reduction against cold, fire and acid of the AD&D Modrons.

What about the spell resistance and vulnerability to metal affecting powers?

 

[Cleon]

Arm blades next?

I'm thinking they'll have identical stats to shortswords, including a 19-20 critical threat range.

Indeed they probably are repurposed shortsword blades.