Converting Planescape monsters

[freyar]

Hmmm. We didn't establish a clear precedent with the Ash and Dust quasis. We added cold damage to the Ash's slam but nothing extra to the Dust's. I'd personally add a bit of dessication damage, I think. The Dust quasi has a somewhat nastier disintegration-engulf attack.

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm. We didn't establish a clear precedent with the Ash and Dust quasis. We added cold damage to the Ash's slam but nothing extra to the Dust's. I'd personally add a bit of dessication damage, I think. The Dust quasi has a somewhat nastier disintegration-engulf attack.

I'd rather not give them a "dessication punch" since we didn't give the Dust a "disintegration punch".

The Salt Quasi's dessication aura does the same damage as the Dust Quasi's engulf and has both an area of effect and is automatic no-save damage.

That seems pretty nasty to me, but if you're concerned they're not equivalent I'd rather increase the Salt's aura damage a bit than give it a "dessication punch".

It might be more apropos comparing the Salt's aura to the Dust's dust storm attack since both are area attacks - the latter does a bit more damage but has a save for no damage and has an additional "dust blindness" special effect. Also, the Dust Quasi can't use its regular slam attacks while dust storming, while a Salt Quasi does.

 

[freyar]

Hmm, if we're not allowing a save for the Dessicating Aura, it would make sense to drop the sentence "The save DCs are Constitution-based." from the ability. Anyway, on thinking about it more, I'm ok with leaving things as they are.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, if we're not allowing a save for the Dessicating Aura, it would make sense to drop the sentence "The save DCs are Constitution-based." from the ability.

Oops, that's a good point.

Updating Salt Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

Anyway, on thinking about it more, I'm ok with leaving things as they are.

So are we OK with making the Death throes do the same amount as damage as the Ash Quasi's (albeit of a different type)?

If so, that only leaves the feats to pick, assuming we don't want to change the skills.

I'm thinking a Power Attack based sequence similar to the Ash Quasi would be in order, which if you recall is:

• Small Ash Feats: Power Attack
• Medium Ash Feats: Cleave, Power Attack
• Large Ash Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack
• Huge Ash Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Power Attack
• Greater Ash Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
• Elder Ash Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
• Monolith Ash Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (slam)

Actually, the above looks pretty good. I'm thinking we should cut the Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes and Improved Initiative in favour of Great Cleave, Improved Sunder and Improved Critical and rearrange it a little so it gets Awesome Blow earlier.

We have to keep Alertness where it is because it's already included in the Skills.

So how about:

• Small Salt Feats: Power Attack
• Medium Salt Feats: Cleave, Power Attack
• Large Salt Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack
• Huge Salt Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack
• Greater Salt Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improves Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack
• Elder Salt Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improves Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack
• Monolith Salt Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improves Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (slam)

 

[freyar]

I'm happy with leaving the skills as they are as wel as your feat progression. That makes enough sense for a critter like this.

 

[Cleon]

I'm happy with leaving the skills as they are as wel as your feat progression. That makes enough sense for a critter like this.

Good oh, in that case...

Updating Salt Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

But what about the first question in my last post?

So are we OK with making the Death throes do the same amount as damage as the Ash Quasi's (albeit of a different type)?

 

[Cleon]

Good oh, in that case...

Updating Salt Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

While updating I noticed that the Greater Saltie needed Improved Bull Rush instead of Improved Sunder to qualify for Awesome Blow, so I swapped it in.

That's assuming we want the Awesome Blow to start at Greater like an Earth Elemental does. We could give it both Sunder & Bull Rush at Greater instead and postpone the Awesome Blow to the Elder Saltie.

Actually, I'm tempted to do that, mostly because Water Elementals don't get Awesome Blow until they become Monoliths, it'd feel right to have it appear later for their negative elemental version.

 

[freyar]

Yes on Death Throes damage = same as for Ash.

I'd be fine with postponing the appearance of Awesome Blow a little. Good catch!

 

[Cleon]

Yes on Death Throes damage = same as for Ash.

I'd be fine with postponing the appearance of Awesome Blow a little. Good catch!

Updating Salt Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

That looks like we're done with the stats, so we just need a description, tactics & some flavour text.

 

[freyar]

The only description I can find in either original monster is

Salt quasi-elementals appear in a variety of forms, but their most common form is that of a long, huge, white lizard, like a wingless, rime-encrusted white dragon. They are found only rarely on the Prime Material plane, and then only in places of extreme dryness, like the floor of an evaporated lake or the salt flats bordering a dead sea.

Hmmm. Maybe the slams should change to claws?

A giant albino lizard, covered in crystals

That just doesn't seem very good.

Tactics: Salt quasi-elementals are mostly content to absorb moisture from their prey at a distance...

You know, I'm just not feeling it for these today.