Planescape Converting Planescape monsters

[Shade]

not too sure about the Dex score you suggested.

Were you thinking higher or lower?

is that about right? 6-60 gp, 30-180 pp, 6-24 gems, 3-9 art objects; 90% chance 2-16 gems, 80% 1-6 art objects, 70% any 1 magic item, for a 10-HD critter?

I'll let Demiurge handle this one.

How are these now:

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an eater of knowledge must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with both slam attacks. It can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can ingest the creature's brain. An eater of knowledge can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe's head.

Ingest Brain (Ex): An eater of knoweldge that makes a successful grapple check brings its exposed cerebral matter in contact with the victim's flesh. Tiny tendrils of nerves bore into the victim's flesh and begin to take control of its nervous system, tunneling towards the brain. This agonizing process deals 1d6+6 points of damage to the victim each round, and the victim must succeed on a DC X (Fortitude or Will) save or take X points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma drain as well. The damage and ability drain stops if the victim escapes or is pulled free, or if the eater is forced to let go.

After 1d4 rounds, the eater's tendrils reach the victims's brain and are in place to begin extraction. Tiny chunks of brain matter are torn away by the tendrils and drawn back into the eater of knowledge, dealing 1d6 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma drain every round. When one of these ability scores reaches 0, the creature dies. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.

Lookin' good, but I still think we need to include this:

If the eater scores a hit against the same man-size or smaller opponent with both its attacks, it can seize that opponent, hold it still (no movement or attacks), and attempt to ingest the victim's brain. The trapped victim can attempt an open doors roll once per round to wrench free of the eater's grasp.

It sounds like the victim can only make a grapple check (or Escape Artist check) to escape, not to attack, cast a spell, etc.

 

[BOZ]

"move with surprising speed" suggests the Dex may be higher than a 13?

 

[Shade]

It could suggest that, but it might also just be really fast, but not so agile.

That said, the mind flayer's Dex is 14 and the ulitharid's is 14, so 14 might be a good number.

 

[BOZ]

14 might be allright. its speed is only 20 without looking it up.

 

[Shade]

Let's try it and see how it looks.

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, since the eater of knowledge is puffy and bloated, Dex 14 would be pretty surprising...

And although the 2e listed number of coins is lower than standard in 3.5, the gems and art is quite a bit higher. I think that double standard's the way to go.

As for improved grab, I think that
a) Mentioning that grapple checks can only be made to escape, not attack is a good idea.
b) It should be a Will save in order to avoid the initial damage.
c) Unlike with illithids, who extract the whole brain, it should be lethal for multiple-headed creatures. I'm seeing the eater of knowledge physically absorbing the victim in its mass (makes sense if the prey is completely immobilized), stripping away any and all brains its foe might have. Also, reducing any one score to 0 would put the hydra/ettin/whatever into a coma anyway. Why not be consistent with the lethal ability drain?

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

the "moves with surprising speed" in the combat text tells me that either they have more speed or Dex than they would seem by appearance. and speed they do not have.

as for the grapple, how would i say that? "Held victims can make Escape Artist or grapple checks to escape the eater's grasp but cannot make grapple checks to get a hold on the eater"?

what should the ability draining DC be based on, Cha?

i'll go with your idea of making the death universal for multiheaded creatures.

 

[demiurge1138]

Your wording seems to imply a countergrapple, which works, but I'd add "...or attack the eater with a light weapon." And I'd consider Con for the ability drain DC. It's not really supernatural; the eater is physically extracting bits of the victim's brain.

I'd also say that the eater's speed should be increased to 30ft.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

i thought that was what you meant by "grapple checks can only be made to escape, not attack"

 

[Shade]

How about just saying: "A creature seized by an eater of knowledge is automatically pinned; thus, it can only use the escape from grapple option."