Planescape Converting Planescape monsters

[BOZ]

heheheh...

 

[BOZ]

Ok, studying the planewalker.com version (here) and taking notes:

I see ability scores of Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16.
Not too bad… I was thinking that perhaps they are not too strong, because of this line: “Since zoveri so rarely fight, they make all their attack rolls at -1 (hence their THACO of 14).” So maybe a Str of 9 would be appropriate?

For skills, they are given Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Swim.

For feats, they are given Endurance and Run. I’m not sure that Run is necessary however, since it looks like having a swim speed makes it irrelevant?

And for their special abilities, breakin it down:

Zoveri can speak any language good creatures speak, and their voices carry underwater across distances of up to 500 yards (twice that above water).

here’s an interesting one that the MC8 didn’t have. Vocal communication for 1500 feet below water, and 3000 feet above, sound magical to me!

If pressed to fight, they have long metal spears used to thrust for 1-6 points of damage. If they are above the surface of the water, these spears can be thrown with the range of a javelin.

If severely pressed, however, the zoveri will fight back, using long metal spears. Underwater, these weapons are used to thrust for 1d6 points of damage - not enough to seriously harm most creatures, but enough to let them know the zoveri are not going to take abuse. Above the surface, the spears are used as javelins.

should these spears (longspears?) have special properties, or should we just use normal spears with some sort of flavor text?

Zoveri are capable of making a darting escape in the water. This is used if fleeing from a situation is possible. When darting, a zoveri must drop anything he is carrying. The dart gives him a movement rate of 36 for two melee rounds and the zoveri is 70% likely to find a hiding spot during the dart.

Zoveri can make a darting escape from an enemy if need be. If there's a way to escape from a combat situation, the zoveri'll take this route. They drop everything they are carrying and jet off at a speed of 36 for two melee rounds. If' their enemy pursues, there's a 70% chance the zoveri can find a hiding place while darting.

or would the Run feat cover this? Or is it already covered under the swim skill bonuses? Or should we make it an (Ex) ability? Sounds like they get a Hide bonus underwater as well.

Additionally, zoveri have the following spell-like powers, at 10th level of spell-use unless otherwise noted, usable once per round, one at a time, at will:

• bless
• create food & water
• cure disease, 1 time per day
• cure serious wounds. 1 time per day per recipient
• detect evil
• dispel evil, I time per day
• forget
• fumble
• know alignment
• neutralize poison, I time per day per recipient
• resist cold
• water breathing, 20th-level spell use, 3 times per day
• water walk, 3 times per day

All zoveri have several spell-like powers, usable at will though only one at a time; the abilities are usable once per round except as noted. Zoveri can use these powers as if they were 10th-level spellcasters. The abilities are as follows:

* Bless
* Create food and water
* Cure disease (once per day)
* Cure serious wounds (once per day per person)
* Detect evil
* Dispel evil (once per day)
* Forget
* Fumble
* Know alignment
* Neutralize poison (once per day per person)
* Resist cold
* Water breathing (at 20th-level spell use, three times per day)
* Water walk (three times per day)

how about:
Spell-Like Abilities: At will – bless, create food and water, cure serious wounds (1/day per person), detect chaos, detect evil, neutralize poison (1/day per person), resist energy (cold only); 3/day – water walk; 1/day – dispel evil, remove disease. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Perhaps we should rewrite water breathing into its own entry since it has a significantly higher caster level? How about switching modify memory for forget? Any suggestions for fumble?

Zoveri may, twice per day, change into elf form. In this shape they can leave the water and walk on land. The playful zoveri lave to walk on land, sometimes for long periods of time. However, the sea is their true love and to it they always return.

In addition, zoveri can change into elf form twice per day. Since they love to walk on land, they go ashore and mingle with the petitioners and planars there. However, they always return to the sea.

alternate form, of course. Simple enough?

If four zoveri gather, they may use a conjure elemental ability, summoning a 16 HD water elemental to aid them. To perform the summoning, the zoveri must form a circle and join hands. Using a complex swimming pattern-and ancient songs of beckoning, they can summon the elemental. The chance of the elemental arriving is 10% per round of swimming, cumulative. A water elemental will always come to the zoveri's aid to honor a pact they made millennia ago.

Four zoveri together can do something extraordinary: They can conjure water elemental, summoning a 16-HD water elemental to them. To do this, they must swim an intricate dance until the elemental arrives. There's a 10% chance, cumulative for each round of swimming, that the water elemental will arrive. However, water elementals will almost always come to a zoveri's aid because of a pact made aeons past.

not sure how this will work. Don’t aarakocra and svirfneblin have something similar to this, regarding air and earth elementals respectively?

Once per day, zoveri can spray a cloud of ink at their opponents. This cloud is equal to a darkness, 15-foot radius spell. They use this as a diversionary tactic so that they may escape under cover of the black ink.

I only saw this one in the Planescape book. Should be (Ex) most likely. Since it’s sort of like an alchemical solution, should light spells affect it? It should be immobile, in a 15 (or 20?) foot radius sphere, centered on the square occupied by the zoveri at the time it was released.

Males exude sperm to fertilize the tiny eggs.

ooh, I don’t think ENworld is ready for sex ed.

 

[BOZ]

bump

 

[Shade]

I see ability scores of Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16.
Not too bad… I was thinking that perhaps they are not too strong, because of this line: “Since zoveri so rarely fight, they make all their attack rolls at -1 (hence their THACO of 14).” So maybe a Str of 9 would be appropriate?

I like Strength of 9 for them. Since they are elflike, we might want to lower Con and bump Dex up a little bit.

For skills, they are given Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Swim.

I'd add Diplomacy and Intimidate, since they prefer to avoid combat.

For feats, they are given Endurance and Run. I’m not sure that Run is necessary however, since it looks like having a swim speed makes it irrelevant?

I'd replace 'em both, probably with Negotiator and Persuasive.

here’s an interesting one that the MC8 didn’t have. Vocal communication for 1500 feet below water, and 3000 feet above, sound magical to me!

Yep, sounds supernatural.

should these spears (longspears?) have special properties, or should we just use normal spears with some sort of flavor text?

Let's make them +1 merciful longspears.

or would the Run feat cover this? Or is it already covered under the swim skill bonuses? Or should we make it an (Ex) ability? Sounds like they get a Hide bonus underwater as well.

Use the jet ability from the giant squid:

Jet (Ex): A giant squid can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 320 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

And borrow this from the skulvyn:

Skills: *They also have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when in water.

how about_:
Spell-Like Abilities: At will – bless, create food and water, cure serious wounds (1/day per person), detect chaos, detect evil, neutralize poison (1/day per person), resist energy (cold only); 3/day – water walk; 1/day – dispel evil, remove disease. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Perhaps we should rewrite water breathing into its own entry since it has a significantly higher caster level? How about switching modify memory for forget? Any suggestions for fumble?

Agreed with all this. Yes, work up water breathing into its own entry. We worked up fumble in the video game conversion thread...I'll locate it and reprint it here.

alternate form, of course. Simple enough?

Yep.

not sure how this will work. Don’t aarakocra and svirfneblin have something similar to this, regarding air and earth elementals respectively?

Aarakocra do, but svirfs now have to take a feat to do so. Here ya go:

Summon Large Air Elemental (Su): A group of five aarakocras that includes at least one cleric can cast summon monster VI to summon a Large air elemental. To perform the summoning, the aarakocras must perform an intricate aerial dance for 3 rounds.

I only saw this one in the Planescape book. Should be (Ex) most likely. Since it’s sort of like an alchemical solution, should light spells affect it? It should be immobile, in a 15 (or 20?) foot radius sphere, centered on the square occupied by the zoveri at the time it was released.

Borrowing from squid again:

Ink Cloud (Ex): A squid can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the squid normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

ooh, I don’t think ENworld is ready for sex ed.

We were born ready.

 

[BOZ]

I like Strength of 9 for them. Since they are elflike, we might want to lower Con and bump Dex up a little bit.

so maybe something more like…
Str 9, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16 ?

(For skills, they are given Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Swim.)

I'd add Diplomacy and Intimidate, since they prefer to avoid combat.

Diplomacy, good call, but I’m not so sure about Intimidate.

(For feats, they are given Endurance and Run.)

I'd replace 'em both, probably with Negotiator and Persuasive.

Again, not so sure about Persuasive as I don’t think Intimidate fits these very Lawful very Good beings, and I definitely don’t think Bluff fits. Negotiator, however, seems to fit just fine.

Yep, sounds supernatural.

how about this:
“Long-Distance Call (heh)” (Su): A zoveri can make its voice carry over extremely long distances, at will. Vocal communication can carry across distances of up to 1500 feet underwater, and up to 3000 feet on the surface.

Let's make them +1 merciful longspears.

merciful, good call. That was just added to the DMG for 3.5 wasn’t it? Does that cover the ranges, and can they be thrown above water? If not is there a good substitute weapon that can?

Use the jet ability from the giant squid:

Jet (Ex): A giant squid can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 320 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

And borrow this from the skulvyn:

Skills: *They also have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when in water.

Right on. That’s perfect. Where is the skulvyn from? What should the speed be? Zoveri standard was 15 in 2E, so the dart made it able to go slightly faster than double speed. A literal translation would make that darting swim speed 90. is that enough, do you think? Would it be able to “run double move” underwater anyway, or is that just an above ground thing?

Agreed with all this. Yes, work up water breathing into its own entry. We worked up fumble in the video game conversion thread...I'll locate it and reprint it here.

I’ll be awaiting fumble.

ok, so…

Water Breathing (Sp): A zoveri can use water breathing three times per day (Caster level 20th).

Spell-Like Abilities: At will – bless, create food and water, cure serious wounds (1/day per person), detect chaos, detect evil, modify memory, neutralize poison (1/day per person), resist energy (cold only); 3/day – water walk; 1/day – dispel evil, remove disease. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

What do you think about the “once per day per person” listings, does that look right to you? is there a better way to say that or do you think people will understand what that is supposed to mean?

Actually, thinking about it, change shape might be better for a zoveri might it not? Like so:
Change Shape (Su): A zoveri can assume the shape of an elf as a standard action, twice per day. In elf form, a zoveri (can wear armor?).

Aarakocra do, but svirfs now have to take a feat to do so. Here ya go:

Summon Large Air Elemental (Su): A group of five aarakocras that includes at least one cleric can cast summon monster VI to summon a Large air elemental. To perform the summoning, the aarakocras must perform an intricate aerial dance for 3 rounds.

Ok…

Summon Huge Water Elemental (Su): A group of four zoveri can cast summon monster VII to summon a Huge water elemental. To perform the summoning, the zoveri must form a circle and join hands, and swim an intricate dance while singing ancient songs of beckoning for X rounds.

Borrowing from squid again:

Ink Cloud (Ex): A squid can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the squid normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

Too

Slight change:
Ink Cloud (Ex): A zoveri can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per day as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the zoveri normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

We were born ready.

heheheheh…

 

[Shade]

As promised:

Fumble (Sp): Once per day, a bane minion can create a 30-foot cube in which all creatures suddenly become clumsy and awkward. This cube lasts for 8 rounds. Creatures in the area must make a DC 16 Will save each round. Success means that the creature is unaffected that round, but a new save must be made again in the next round unless it leaves the area. Affected creatures who take a double move or are charging fall prone. Creatures drop all held items, and cannot pick up objects. Alternatively, the spell can be cast at an individual creature. The creature must make a DC 16 Will save or be affected for the spell's entire duration (8 rounds); success means the creature is slowed (as the spell) for 8 rounds. This is a mind-affecting, enchantment effect. Caster level 8th. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[BOZ]

hmm, that's a bit much... i might just skip this one. (too bad WotC couldn't come up with a good conversion of that spell, it's very useful)

any comments on the other stuff?

 

[Shade]

Well, you could always pare it down if you think its too much. That was just our interpretation in the video games thread. It is a really cool spell.

As for the other stuff...

I like the updated ability scores.

Ditch Intimidate--I misread their attitudes toward evil creatures and that was why I suggested it. Same goes for Persuasive feat.

"Long-distance call" works, although the name will have to change, of course. ("Can you hear me now?") Perhaps something like "Voice of the Ocean" or "Seaspeak".

Merciful was just added to core in 3.5 (I think it was in Sword & Fist originally). Longspear's don't have range increments, so I suppose we'll have to fall back to regular spears (range 20 ft.).

The skulvyn is a demon in the FF.

More to come...

 

[Shade]

OK, I looked this up. Having a swim speed allows the creature to use the run action underwater if it moves in a straight line. The Run feat would simply let it move faster while using a run action.

Spell-likes look good.

I think there is a standard way to say something similar to “once per day per person”, but I'm not finding it at the moment.

Change shape probably works better.

I'd go with 3 rounds for the summon elemental ability, since the original description didn't imply any casting time.

Ink cloud rewrite looks good, too.

 

[BOZ]

we can call the vocal ability Ocean Voice.

here is an updated stat block:

Zoveri
Medium Outsider (Aquatic, Extraplanar, Good, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 7d8 (31 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: Swim 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+6
Attack: +1 merciful spear +7 melee (1d8)
Full Attack: +1 merciful spear +7 melee (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: spell-like abilities (or are those mostly defensive?)
Special Qualities: change shape, darkvision 60 ft, ink cloud, jet, ocean voice, summon huge water elemental, water breathing
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +6
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16
Skills: 70 - Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Swim
Feats: 4 - Negotiator (plus maybe Endurance and/or Run? one more?)

Environment: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia
Organization: Solitary or school (2-4)
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful good
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium); 14-21 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +X