Spelljammer Converting Spelljammer creatures

[Shade]

Here's the ToH revised fire lizard's statblock...

FIRE LIZARD
Huge Magical Beast (Fire)
Hit Dice: 10d10+50 (105 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-2 size, +9 natural), touch 8, flatfooted 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+26
Attack: Claw +16 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +16 melee (1d8+8) and bite +14 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, lowlight vision, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Mulitattack, Power Attack
Environment: Warm plains and underground
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 11-12 HD (Huge); 13-30 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —

 

[Cleon]

According to Echohawk, the fire lizard has a 3.0 version in the CC and a 3.5 version in the ToH revised. The minotaur lizard has 3.X versions in Kingdoms of Kalamar and for free at athas.org and in the Vaults of Pandius, but the CC team has never done it.

OK, I've checked those sources. Athas.org's Terrors of Athas also has a conversion of the Fire Lizard - one I like better than the CC or Tome of Horrors versions. Terrors also has a conversion of the Subterranean Giant Lizard, which might also be of relevance:

Lizard, Minotaur [Terrors of Athas]
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (100 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+23
Attack: Bite +13 melee (3d6+13)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (3d6+13)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 15, Con 27, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +13, Listen +5, Spot +4
Feats: Cleave, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Power Attack
Environment: Hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-16 (Huge); 17-24 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —

Lizard, Subterranean [Terrors of Athas]
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 6d8+36 (63 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +4 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+13
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+7)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +3
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 18, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +15, Hide +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +13, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

 

[freyar]

Overall, it should be closest to the subterranean lizard based on HD, though at 18 ft tall it could be Huge instead (though with a low HD total). They also don't sound terribly agile, relying on the camo and lightning bolts a lot. What do you think of these abilities?

Str 24, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11

 

[Cleon]

Overall, it should be closest to the subterranean lizard based on HD, though at 18 ft tall it could be Huge instead (though with a low HD total). They also don't sound terribly agile, relying on the camo and lightning bolts a lot. What do you think of these abilities?

Str 24, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11

For some reason I thought it was 18 feet long, including its tail, but checking the stats it's 18' tall. That's enormous!

We should either make it Huge or reduce its dimensions and keep it Large like the original monster.

I'm leaning towards making it 18 feet long, but I'm not dead set on it.

Its rolling away in ball-form seems a variant on the Trample special attack.

 

[freyar]

I think I'd like it Huge and perhaps increase the HD a smidge. Just not enough Huge critters IMO.

 

[Cleon]

I think I'd like it Huge and perhaps increase the HD a smidge. Just not enough Huge critters IMO.

I've got to no objection to making it Huge but I'd rather keep it at 6 HD. It's within the recommended range of a Huge creature, although admittedly at the low end. The SRD has Huge monsters of similar HD, such as the Huge Viper (6 HD), Huge Monstrous Centipede (6 HD) and Giant Crocodile (7 HD).

That implies the Stargazer isn't very strong for its size - maybe most of its body is crystalline "armour", and it doesn't have much muscle mass?

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

That looks a good start.

What ability will decide the lightning bolt DC? If it's Charisma-based we should consider either increasing that stat or giving its DC a racial bonus.

 

[Shade]

That looks a good start.

What ability will decide the lightning bolt DC? If it's Charisma-based we should consider either increasing that stat or giving its DC a racial bonus.

My vote's for Con-based. I picture it more as unleashing energy it generates rather than magically conjuring it.

 

[freyar]

My vote's for Con-based. I picture it more as unleashing energy it generates rather than magically conjuring it.

I'm with Shade. The "recharge time" reminds me of a breath weapon, which is also Con-based.

In fact, here's a take on the ability based on a breath weapon. I'm trying to make the recharge time a bit more standard 3.X, but as compensation I'm changing the bolts to lines of electricity. All open to negotiation.

Lightning (Su): A stargazer can unleash two 30 ft lines of electricity from its eyes, which do 6d6 electricity damage each (DC X Reflex save halves). The stargazer can use this attack every 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.