Planescape Converting Planescape monsters

[BOZ]

updating...

 

[Shade]

The chant is the dhours're new to the planes. The Godsmen report that dhours've shown up on the Astral only within the last decade or so. A few bloods have managed to communicate with a dhour by means of telepathy or similar psionic powers. They say that the dhours' minds are alien and unreadable, but that the creatures were able to make their thoughts known to them. The dhours display a keen sense of curiosity about the other planes and show some willingness to exchange information - but only when they're not hungry.

Do we need to address this "alien mind" thing?

Habitat/Society: Dhours prefer to hunt alone, and are only rarely encountered in groups. The creatures aren't territorial, but instead mark their chosen victims to warn off other dhours. The mark affects the victim's psychic aura. It can be detected by the psionic power of aura sight, and removed using psychic surgery. No dhour'll approach or attack a character who's been marked by another dhour until the one that first sighted that prey is dead.

How about this mark ability?

It's rumored that priests can't raise sods that've been eaten by a dhour, but this hasn't been proven yet.

How about this?

Dhours appear to reproduce by amoebalike division, after gathering in their circles. a dividing dhour actually splits its hit point total in halves, and each new individual then grows to full size and strength within 6 months.

Variation on the Split ability?

 

[BOZ]

yes, let's work on all of that!

 

[Shade]

Some food for thought...

Mark (Ex): A bloodhound can target, or mark, an individual humanoid or monstrous humanoid foe to better hunt that enemy. To do so, the bloodhound must focus on a foe who is present and visible, or on the depiction or description of one who is not, for 10 minutes. Any interruption ruins the attempt and forces the bloodhound to start the process again. Once this study is complete, that target is called a mark.

A bloodhound adds his bloodhound level as an insight bonus on all Gather Information, Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival checks made to determine the whereabouts of a mark. As a bloodhound gains levels, he gains additional abilities that can be used against a mark.

If a bloodhound chooses a new mark before apprehending an existing one, the latter becomes unmarked, and the bloodhound loses experience points equal to the amount he would have earned for defeating that creature. A blood hound can choose a mark only once a week.

Initially, a bloodhound can have only one mark at a time. For every three bloodhound levels gained beyond 1st, a bloodhound can have one additional mark, but only if all the marks are chosen during the same process (see above). For example, a 4th-level bloodhound could mark two bugbears in teh same group of prisoners, or the depictions of a bugbear and a hobgoblin if both were studied at the same time. If a bloodhound gives up on apprehending any of his marks, all remaining marked creatures become unmarked as described above.


Inscrutable Mind (Ex): Any creature attempting to establish a telepathic link to a phiuhl's mind (via detect thoughts, a psionic ability, dominate monster, and so on) must make a Will save (DC 14) or suffer the effects of feeblemind as cast by a 9th-level sorcerer. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Feed (Su): When a barghest slays a humanoid opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both flesh and life force, as a full-round action. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.

Split (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to a black pudding. Instead the creature splits into two identical puddings, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A pudding with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points.

 

[BOZ]

nice stuff - most of that should just be adaptable.

did it say anything about the dhour's mind contact making people crazy, or just that you can't read their thoughts unless they let you?

 

[Shade]

Just not readable, so how about...

Alien Mind (Ex): Any creature attempting to establish a telepathic link to a dhour's mind (via detect thoughts, a psionic ability, dominate monster, and so on) must make a DC X Will save or the attempt fails. The save DC is Charisma-based.

...or...

Alien Mind (Ex): Any attempt to establish a telepathic link to a dhour's mind (via detect thoughts, a psionic ability, dominate monster, and so on) automatically fails.

I prefer the latter.

 

[Mortis]

You could also incorporate the following (from psionic feats section of the SRD). Of course it needn't just be aimed against psionics.

HOSTILE MIND [GENERAL]
Your mind recoils violently against those who use psionics against you.
Prerequisite: Cha 15.
Benefit: Whenever you are subject to a power from the telepathy discipline (regardless of whether the power is harmful or beneficial to you), the manifester must make a Will saving throw against a DC of 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma bonus or take 2d6 points of damage.
The benefit of this feat applies only to psionic powers and psi-like abilities. This is an exception to the psionics–magic transparency rule.
Special: You cannot take or use this feat if you have the ability to use powers (if you have a power point reserve or psi-like abilities).


Regards,
Mortis

 

[Shade]

Working on some of the powers...

Psychic Mark (Ex): A dhour can target, or mark, an individual creature to better hunt that enemy. To do so, the dhour must focus on a foe who is present and visible, or on the depiction or description of one who is not, for 10 minutes. Any interruption ruins the attempt and forces the dhour to start the process again. Once this study is complete, that target is psionically marked.

The psychic mark can be detected with any ability that detects psionics, and can be removed with any effect that negates psionics (such as dispel psionics). However, a successful caster level check equal to the dhour's Hit Dice is necessary for the effect to succeed.

A dhour will not approach or attack a creature that has been marked by another dhour, unless the original dhour who marked the prey is dead.

 

[Shade]

Devour (Su): When a barghest slays a creature with its drown attack, it devours both flesh and life force. This destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.

Split (Ex): As a full-round action, a dhour can split into two identical dhours, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A dhour with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points.

 

[BOZ]

Alien Mind (Ex): Any attempt to establish a telepathic link to a dhour's mind (via detect thoughts, a psionic ability, dominate monster, and so on) automatically fails.

I prefer the latter.

i like this one better, too. add something about that the dhour can choose to respond to telepathy or any type of mental contact. (detect thoughts would only reveal what the dhour wants the caster to hear)