Converting Planescape monsters

[Cleon]

Don't you know that it takes smarts to trip somebody?

Suggested org and height/weight sound good to me.

Great!

Shall we modify 'Training a Hippogriff' for the training? Using 'Training a Griffon' doesn't make much sense, as Hgaun have animal intelligence.

A hippogriff has the same HD as a Heavy War Horse and cost ten times as much (Young hippogriff 3000 gp + 1000 gp training vs 400 gp for heavy warhorse). A hgaun resembles a 'griffinised' Medium-sized dog, so methinks it should cost 10 times the 150 gp cost of a Riding Dog.

That would make it...

Training A Hgaun
A hgaun requires training before it will fight or hunt on command. Training a hgaun requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Hgaun eggs are worth 500 gp apiece on the open market, while young are worth 1,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 500 gp to rear or train a hgaun.

 

[freyar]

Works well enough for me!

 

[Shade]

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Great! They look done, except I reckon their Spot ought to be +10 (5 ranks +4 racial + 1 Wisdom).

 

[Shade]

Fixed.

 

[Cleon]

I worried a bit whether we need some explanation as to what "immune to visual effects" means, but I think it's covered by the SRD. It's the same immunities as the Blind SQ without the hindrance of being unable to see.

 

[freyar]

Yes, I think that's ok.

 

[Shade]

Sigil’s only two native birds are a gray-green pigeon and a type of graybodied raven with black wings and head. The latter’s called the executioner’s raven because of its fondness for the easy meals found at the block, gallows, and stake. Some say that feasting on the flesh of fiends and the blood of slaadi accounts for these ravens’ enormous size. Certain of the largest birds are said to speak. Rumors of a flock of local wereravens have been neither confirmed nor denied.

Executioner’s raven: AC 5; MV 3, FI 33 (C); HD 2; THACO 19; #AT 1; Dmg ld4; SZ M (5’ wingspan); ML elite (13); Int semi (3); AL N; XP 120.10% of their attacks are directed at an opponent’s eyes. Unless the opponent is wearing a great helm or equivalent protection, a successful eye attack blinds the target.

Originally appeared in In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil (1995).

 

[Shade]

Here are the stats for a raven and giant raven.

Raven
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: ¼d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–13
Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d2–5)
Full Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d2–5)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: --
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Weapon FinesseB
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: --
Level Adjustment: --

These glossy black birds are about 2 feet long and have wingspans of about 4 feet. They combine both claws into a single attack. The statistics presented here can describe most nonpredatory birds of similar size.


Giant Raven
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 70 ft. (poor)
Armor Class: 16 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+3) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Bluff +3, Listen +4, Sense Motive +4, Spot +7, Survival +4
Feats: Flyby Attack, Multiattack
Environment: Cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or flock (2-20)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +2 (cohort)

 

[Cleon]

Executioner’s raven: AC 5; MV 3, FI 33 (C); HD 2; THACO 19; #AT 1; Dmg ld4; SZ M (5’ wingspan); ML elite (13); Int semi (3); AL N; XP 120.10% of their attacks are directed at an opponent’s eyes. Unless the opponent is wearing a great helm or equivalent protection, a successful eye attack blinds the target.

Originally appeared in In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil (1995).

There's really nothing to distinguish them from other AD&D ravens except that their size is intermediary between the Huge Raven (1-1 HD) and the Giant Raven (3+1 HD). Those both had an eye-pluck attack which they lost in the transition to 3rd edition.

We could just downscale the 3E Giant Raven to Medium, give it Int 4 and call it a day, but we might as well try to inject a bit of interest in them.

We could give them their beak the Eye Gouge special attack we developed for the Hawkdragon and say they all have the ability to speak but rarely choose to do so?