Planescape Converting Planescape monsters

[the Jester]

I like this one so far- never saw him in 2e, though, so I don't feel really qualified to chime in much.

I would, however, like to vote for the Archomentals.

 

[Shade]

I updated the earlier stats and moved them to this page for easier reference:

Demon, Bulezau
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 9d8+63 (103 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 25 ft (5 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+20
Attack: Huge morningstar +16 melee (3d6+12/x2) or gore +16 melee (2d8+8/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 claws +16 melee (1d4+8), and gore +14 melee (2d8+4) and tail +14 melee (1d3+4); Huge morningstar +16/+11 melee (3d6+12/x2) and gore +14 melee (2d8+8/19-20) and tail +14 melee (1d3+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft (may use reach weapons)
Special Attacks: Headbutt, rage, spell-like abilities, summon tanar’ri
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft, immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 16, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +13 Ref +5 Will +7
Abilities: Str 26 Dex 8 Con 24 Int 8 Wis 13 Chr 13
Skills: Concentration +19, Intimidate +13, Jump +20, Listen +13, Search +11, Spot +13, Survival +13 (84 total ranks)
Feats: Improved Critical (gore), Multiattack, Power Attack, plus 1 more

Environment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-4), or squad (6-10)
Challenge Rating: 8 (?)
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 10-18 HD (Large); 19-27 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: +X

The creature looks like an incredibly tall, powerfully muscled human, gaunt and skeletal, and its flesh is filthy and diseased. The creature is covered with patches of wiry bristles over battered, boil-covered skin. Its feet are clawed, and it has a long, serpentine tail with a clump of iron-hard spines at its end. Its horns and head are more ramlike, and its mouth is filled with small, needle-sharp fangs. It carries a massive morning star of wicked design.

A bulezau stands over 7 feet tall and weighs about 700 pounds.

Bulezau speak a gutteral form of Abyssal.

COMBAT

Summon Tanar'ri (Sp): Once per day a bulezau can attempt to summon 3d4 dretches or 1d3 rutterkins with a 25% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—cause fear (DC 12), command (DC 12), fog cloud (DC 13), see invisibility; 1/day—shout (DC 15). Caster level 7th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

 

[BOZ]

wish i'd had the time to deal with this guy today, but i was pretty busy at work...

 

[BOZ]

A few quick ones:

The Grapple bonus as I see it adds up to +21, unless I’m wrong. (BAB +9, size +4, Str +8)

Does Multiattack work when using manufactured weapons and natural weapons in the same attack routine?

I’m thinking of giving it Great Fortitude. Nothing says “tough” like upping your Fort save, no? of course, Cleave or Weapon Focus would also be nice.

Thoughts on Skills later.

 

[Shade]

A few quick ones:

The Grapple bonus as I see it adds up to +21, unless I’m wrong. (BAB +9, size +4, Str +8)

Good catch. I think I nailed him with the -1 size penalty again.

Does Multiattack work when using manufactured weapons and natural weapons in the same attack routine?

Yes. Although the ability wording is a bit confusion, we can look at the lizardfolk or cornugon for examples, and they both get the benfit of Multiattack while fighting with manufactured weapons in the same routine.

I’m thinking of giving it Great Fortitude. Nothing says “tough” like upping your Fort save, no? of course, Cleave or Weapon Focus would also be nice.

Except maybe Toughness? Just kidding, I hate assigning the Toughness feat...it always seems like a cop-out when monsters have it. Great Fortitude sounds good.

 

[BOZ]

ok, and i also gave him a climb skill. will post a version of the bulezau later this afternoon...

 

[BOZ]

just about done, just need to work out these two abilities:

If the bulezau rolls a natural 19 or 20 with its head-butt, it knocks a man-size or smaller opponent back 5 to 10 feet (d6+4) and stuns the sod for 1 to 3 rounds.

(bull rush sort of effect?)

and

Once a bulezau’s in a fight, it’s likely to go berserk. There’s a 25% chance each round that it goes on a rampage of destruction, refusing to stop until either it or its opponent is dead. This rises to a 75% chance in a round in which a bulezau takes damage without managing to hit its foe. (They don’t take failure well.) A berserk bulezau’s Armor Class falls to 1, since it ignores any defensive tactics whatsoever, but it gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls. While berserk, the bulezau gains a +4 bonus to its saving throws versus any fear, emotion, or mind-affecting spells, including hold monster and the like. The bulezau doesn’t recover from its rage until all opponents are dead, routed, or the bulezau’s been unable to engage in melee for 5 rounds or more.

we could use either some sort of rage, like the barbarian's, or a battle frenzy like with the barbed devil.

 

[Shade]

How about the following, which incorporates the Improved Bull Rush and Stunning Fist feats into one ability:

Head Butt (Ex): If a bulezau scores a critical hit with its gore attack, it may immediately make a free bull rush attack. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and the bulezau does not need to move with the target. In addition, the bulezau gains a +4 bonus on the opposed Strength check to push back the defender, as if it possessed the Improved Bull Rush feat. The target must also make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) or be stunned for 1d3 rounds. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned. The save DC is Wisdom-based.

I prefer the battle frenzy over the rage.

 

[BOZ]

awesome writeup

posting the bulezau to the homebrews thread in a matter of moments...

 

[BOZ]

so you like? if so, i'll post the first new batch of conversions to the CC, ASAP.