Converting Planescape monsters

[Cleon]

Agreed on the cariad ysbryd ability. That should probably work with pretty slight modification. Maybe just drop the "linking" bit. Do you agree? Good memory, by the way.

Yes, we don't need the linking bit, and we might as well simplify the text a bit. I fancy changing the name as well.

How's this:

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.

 

[freyar]

Looks good!

 

[Cleon]

Looks good!

Updated Working Draft

What else can you think of?

 

[Shade]

Red bits look good.

Organization: Solitary (but found with other animals)

For Organization, I'd say "Warden beast plus normal organization of base creature.

Assuming minimum of 6 HD...

Challenge Rating: Base creature less than 3 HD = CR 4; Otherwise, as base creature +2.

 

[Cleon]

Red bits look good.

For Organization, I'd say "Warden beast plus normal organization of base creature.

Assuming minimum of 6 HD...

Challenge Rating: Base creature less than 3 HD = CR 4; Otherwise, as base creature +2.

The first is fine.

Wouldn't that CR formular give funny results, such as a Warden Beast Huge Monstrous Centipede (HD 10, CR 4) versus a Warden Beast Bat (HD 3, CR 4)?

I think we're better dropping the minimum Hit Dice and using a sliding CR scale, maybe

+4 for CR up to 2, +3 for CR 3 to 6, +2 for CR 7 or more?

Let's try some examples:

Warden Beast Tiny Monstrous Scorpion (HD 3, CR 4)
Warden Beast Huge Monstrous Centipede (HD 10, CR 6)
Warden Beast Bat (HD 3, CR 4)
Warden Beast Wolf (HD 5, CR 5)
Warden Beast Ape (HD 7, CR 6)
Warden Beast Rhinoceros (HD 11, CR 7)
Warden Beast Rhinoceros (HD 14, CR 9)

Hmm, it's still a bit twitchy, like most CR formula, but that's definitely better.

 

[freyar]

That's probably fine. This was never going to be an accurate CR template.

 

[Cleon]

That's probably fine. This was never going to be an accurate CR template.

Updated Working Draft.

We still need to decide on its Spell Resistance.

I like CR+9 a bit better than Shade's proposed CR+8. A 25% Magic Resistance is equal to a SR of 17 if you take it literally (a 25% of failure for a caster level of 11, or 6+ on a d20).

That would match a CR+12, but the spell resistance guidelines give CR+6 for 25% MR. I just averaged the two for +9.

Besides, I liked how the numbers look...

Warden Beast Tiny Monstrous Scorpion (HD 3, CR 4, SR 13)
Warden Beast Huge Monstrous Centipede (HD 10, CR 6, CR 15)
Warden Beast Bat (HD 3, CR 4, CR 13)
Warden Beast Wolf (HD 5, CR 5, CR 14)
Warden Beast Ape (HD 7, CR 6, CR 15)
Warden Beast Rhinoceros (HD 11, CR 7, CR 16)
Warden Beast Rhinoceros (HD 14, CR 9, CR 18)

 

[freyar]

I'm very confused. If you want a 6+ to beat the SR at level=CR, shouldn't SR be CR+6? That said, I don't mind much +8 or +9, but I don't understand at all how you have CR+12 anywhere in here.

 

[Cleon]

I'm very confused. If you want a 6+ to beat the SR at level=CR, shouldn't SR be CR+6? That said, I don't mind much +8 or +9, but I don't understand at all how you have CR+12 anywhere in here.

I wasn't saying I wanted a 6+ to beat the SR, I said the original creature had a Magic Resistance such that an 11th level caster required the equivalent of a 6+ to beat it.

Cut to the chase, I fancy CR +9 for them.

 

[freyar]

Like I said, I'm not fussed about SR +9 or whatever, but I just don't understand where the 11th level caster comes from.