Converting Planescape monsters

[Cleon]

Those new skills work just fine for me.

Updated the Sample Creatures.

Skill Ranks: Balance 3, Hide 4, Listen 3, Move Silently 6, Spot 3, Swim 5.

Breakdown: Balance 3+4Dex+4R, Hide 4+4Dex+4R-4size, Listen 3+3Wis+2F, Move Silently 6+4Dex+4R, Spot 3+3Wis+2F, Swim 5+8Str.

Skills: Balance +11, Hide +8*, Listen +8, Move Silently +14, Spot +8, Swim +13

 

[Shade]

Looks good! Anything else before I move it to Homebrews?

 

[Cleon]

Looks good! Anything else before I move it to Homebrews?

I was going to port the sample creatures over into the template, but apart from that I thought we were done.

Might do a last-minute check, just to be safe.

Updated the Template.

Oh, I notice an old post of mine suggesting an Aquatic animal as a Warden Beast. I like the idea of doing a giant octopus, so I think I'll stat it up...

 

[Cleon]

Sample Marine Warden Beast Working Drafts

Giant Octopus Warden Beast
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 11d10+36 (86 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+22
Attack: Tentacle +19 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: 8 tentacles +19 melee (1d6+9) and bite +14 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, improved grab, constrict, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, ecosense, ink cloud, jet, low-light vision, sense emotions, SR 19, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 9
Skills: Escape Artist +15, Hide +16, Listen +13, Spot +15, Swim +15
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (tentacle), Skill Focus (Hide), Toughness
Environment: Warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Advancement: 12-16 HD (Large); 17-32 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

These creatures are aggressive and territorial hunters, with arms reaching 10 feet or more in length. Their tentacles are studded with barbs and sharp-edged suckers.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. This bonus is included in the statistics above. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

An opponent can attack a giant octopus’s tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A giant octopus’s tentacles have 10 hit points each. If a giant octopus is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a giant octopus’s tentacles deals 5 points of damage to the creature. A giant octopus usually withdraws from combat if it loses four tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Constrict (Ex): A giant octopus deals 2d8+12 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a giant octopus must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Ink Cloud (Ex): A giant octopus can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 20 feet high by 20 feet wide by 20 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the octopus normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

Jet (Ex): A giant octopus can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 14), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 18, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a giant octopus warden beast will summon a CR 10 tiger warden beast, which is equivalent to a 7th level spell (2 plus half of 10).

Skills: A giant octopus can change colors, giving it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. A giant octopus also can squeeze and contort its body, giving it a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. A giant octopus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Cachalot Whale Warden Beast
Gargantuan Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 15d10+138 (220 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-4 size, +3 Dex, +12 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+41
Attack: Bite +27 melee (4d6+16)
Full Attack: Bite +27 melee (4d6+16) and tail slap +12 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, blindsight 120 ft., ecosense, hold breath, low-light vision, sense emotions, SR 18, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +13
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 17, Con 28, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +28*, Spot +28*, Swim +22
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Power Attack, Toughness
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pod (6-11)
Challenge Rating: 9
Advancement: 16-22 HD (Gargantuan); 23-44 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —

Also known as sperm whales, these creatures can be up to 60 feet long. They prey on giant squids.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. This bonus is included in the statistics above. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Blindsight (Ex): Whales can "see" by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allow them to locate objects and creatures within 120 feet. A silence spell negates this and forces the whale to rely on its vision, which is approximately as good as a human’s.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Hold Breath (Ex): A whale can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 15), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 19, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a cachalot whale warden beast will summon a CR 9 cachalot whale warden beast, which is equivalent to a 6th level spell (2 plus half of 9).

Skills: A whale has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *A whale has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

There's an error in the giant octopus's Summon Warden Beast, it should have "a giant octopus warden beast will summon a CR 10 giant octopus warden beast", not "a CR10 tiger".

Apart from that I think they're ready to defend nature... from the next monster we convert!

 

[freyar]

What's next, then?

 

[Cleon]

What's next, then?

Well I don't know.

The Creature Catalog Converted Monster and Creature Crypt Indexes are still down, which makes it hard to check what's been converted so far.

 

[Shade]

Delphon
Climate/Terrain: Oceanus
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Clan
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: High (13-14)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1d8
Armor Class: 5
Movement: Sw 15
Hit Dice: 5
THAC0: 15
No. of Attacks: 1 or 2
Damage/Attack: 1d8 or 1d6/1d10
Special Attacks: Song
Special Defenses: Plane shift
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: L (8’ long)
Morale: Elite (13-14)
XP Value: 1,400

Delphons, or songsharks, live in the River Oceanus, swimming through the planes of Elysium, the Beastlands, and Arborea. It is said that bashers seeking secrets relating to the nature of the planes and the multiverse in general should dive into the River Oceanus and swim through the thick melodies of these mysterious singing creatures.

Delphons resemble sharks with long, powerful fins, and sleek, silvery bodies. A few individuals have differing coloration, found in brilliant reds, deep blues, and vibrant greens. Delphons often carve complicated and beautiful tattoos into their flesh by rubbing against sharp rock formations along the side of the river. Like sharks, they have wide mouths filled with sharp teeth.

Combat: Although a delphon can use its mouth to bite (1d8) or its streamlined head and powerful tail (1d6/1d10) to bash and strike foes in melee, these attacks are not its most devastating. The song of a dolphin is so alien and mysterious to other creatures that it has profound effects on them. If an intelligent creature hears the keening voice of a delphon, a saving throw versus paralyzation is required to avoid the effects. If the saving throw is failed, roll 1d12 to determine what happens to the listener.

D12 Roll Effect
1-4 Listener is charmed for 1d10 hours, enamored by the sound of the sweet melodies.
5-7 Listener is affected by confusion for 3d6 rounds, unable to comprehend the alieness of the bizarre sounds
8-9 Listener is spellbound (held) by the sound for 1d10 rounds
10-11 Listener is rendered unconscious for 3d10 rounds, unable to handle the mind-shattering notes and their profound meanings
12 Listener is struck by the sound so completely that he begins to learn the the meaning of the song, and suddenly understands something new about the multiverse

Those that make a successful saving throw hear nothing more than odd, discordant music. Creatures that avoid the negative effects of the song gain a bit of planar knowledge about travel on Oceanus, the relationships between the planes (especially those that Oceanus touches), or places on and around Oceanus. In game terms, characters that fail the saving throw but roll a 12 on the die may ask the DM one question pertaining to Oceanus and its environs. Some such questions include: the location of the nearest gate to a neighboring plane; how to reach the Isles of the Blessed in Thalasia; whether or not the River Oceanus is truly beginning to “leak” over into Ysgard through the Gates of the Moon; or how to avoid the natural hazards of travel on Oceanus.

Nonintelligent listeners are always charmed by the delphon’s song. Eventually, intelligent beings that spend time around the dolphins grow immune to the strange consequences of their songs, learning to more fully understand their deep and complicated meanings.

The delphons know many of the secrets of the River Oceanus and its multiplanar and multidimensional nature. Because of this, as they swim through its waters they can dart in and out of the various planes that the river reaches, returning whenever they please, unfettered by what would seem to be normal laws of movement. This means that the delphons can effectively plane shift at will to any plane that Oceanus touches (Elysium, the Beastlands, and Arborea). In combat, a delphon has a 25% chance to simply avoid any incoming attack by passing through the extradimensional nature of Oceanus and reappearing somewhat else in its waters, returning to make an attack or take some other action the very next round.

Habitat/Society: Delphons are extremely gregarious creatures, usually found in clannish packs. These individuals are almost always related, supporting and aiding each other but also occasonally associating with other delphon clans. There seem to be no leaders or superiors amid their numbers, every individual holding the same rights and authority. Because each has an equal say, though, delphon debates are common, with songs of disagreement filling the air near Oceanus. Obviously, other beings should avoid such delphonic conclaves for fear of the songs’ effects upon them.

Ecology: Delphons feed upon the other fish in Oceanus, often charming them with their song and then moving in for the kill. Fortunately, the river teems with life, and rarely are delphons so hungry that they need to attack drylanders who stay too near the river’s edge, ply its water with boats, or enter its depths directly.

It is not unreasonable that an intelligent creature such as a human or an elf who has somehow mastered enough of the delphon’s songs to understand and imitate the sounds (albeit crudely) could befriend the creatures and make allies of them. Such a partnership would be greatly beneficial to the land creature, for delphons are able to take other swimming creatures with them when they move through Oceanus (even from plane to plane).

On the Beastlands there is an old (perhaps crazed) githzerai hermit who claims to have mastered all of the delphons’ songs. The Singing Gith, as he is known, tells thusly the tale of his first meeting with the delphons:

“’Twas on the river’s [Oceanus] edge on Arborea. Bunch o’ dwarves with no business a-bein’ there jumped me to get at me jink. I holds no love for givin’ me gold to thieves back then, you see, so I give ’em a fight. Well, they’s small but tough, and they gives me a thrashin’. They take me jink and throws me in the drink (hee hee).

“In them days, I was no swimmer. Now I swims just grand, but then, not so much. I was a-headed for the deadbook, no doubtin’. Then one o’ the songsharks comes a-singin’ his song. The music fills me ears faster’n the water is a-fillin’ me lungs, and I finds m’self lovin’ the melodies and understanding the meanin’. Twas talkin’ about the harmony o’ the planes and the connection of all things – includin’ me and it.

“Then, sure as you’re a-standin’ there – sure as Sigil – it lifts me with its powerful head an’ pushes me up to the surface. I had heard the tales o’ berks going barmy at hearing the delphon’s song, but me, I was lovin’ every note and understandin’ it all. Now they’s me friends, and no truer friends has a blood had. I learned to sing their song with ’em and to ’em and they understands me as good as I understands them. They tells me the dark of everythin’ and so I know more than anyone ’bout just ’bout everything, see? Hey, berk, come back here, I be a-talkin’ to you…”

Few believe all the stories of the Singing Gith.

Originally appeared in Planes of Conflict (1995).

 

[Cleon]

Delphon

Originally appeared in Planes of Conflict (1995).

I feel an overpowering urge to paraphrase Aristophanes' The Frogs.

Snekekekap snap snap!
Snekekekap snap snap!

We are the musical sharks!
We live in the oceans and seas!

Snekekekap snap snap!
Snekekekap snap snap!

Let's make our voice strong
And sing our own song.

Snap snap!

We sing in the oceans and seas,
A song to our pack by us sharks

Snap!

A song to our pack by us sharks

Snap!

And when we go hunting
Our song it holds sway –

Snap snap!

Over the spirits and beasts in the sea

Snap!

Over the spirits and beasts in the sea!

Snap!

Snekekekap snap snap!
Snekekekap snap snap!
​

*Ahem*. Who said a bit of classical knowledge was good for you...

Stat wise, I'm thinking we use the physical abilities of a Large shark with a bite, slam and tail-slap attack, but high scores in the mental stats.

Looks like they should have a racial bonus in Knowledge (the planes).

The two special abilities are were it gets tricky, as usual. The "combat plane shift" can use a variant of a Blink Dog or Ethereal Marauder's ability, but the song is were it gets tricky.