Converting World of Greyhawk monsters

[freyar]

Next point: I think these should actually be Diminutive based on the 2-6 inch size. So 1HD Diminutive magical beast?

 

[demiurge1138]

I'd be willing to call them aberrations, but if a stirge is a magical beast, why not these guys?

 

[freyar]

I'd be willing to call them aberrations, but if a stirge is a magical beast, why not these guys?

Yeah, that's my thought too. Also, isn't the mouth supposed to be under the shell? What's with that picture?

I see these as pretty weak but with a big grapple bonus since their legs are great for holding on but "barely functional for movement." Dex is only +1 bonus if we stick with AC 15. Con is probably average. So how about Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 6 with a +20 racial grapple bonus?

 

[demiurge1138]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Shade]

That all sounds reasonable. I'll try to get a Homebrews started shortly.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6

Stirges deal no damage, should these?

Beneath the shell are the grythok's mouth, legs, and sensory organs. The mouth is circular and completely surrounded by sharp teeth. The 12 legs are short and sharp, barely functional for movement, but effective for digging in and holding on to any material softer than leather. These legs have adapted to allow the grythok to hold on to its food or prey in order for the mouth to successfully attach. The legs function as barbs and cause no damage ifthe grythok releases them willingly, as when it is finished with a food source and chooses to move on. However, the legs cause 1-4 hp if the grythok is forcefully removed from its victim.

Should we add the 1d4 damage from the barbs to the attach ability, or create a separate ability?

These creatures generally cling to the walls, floor, and ceiling of underground caverns.

Climb speed?

When a creature approaches, the grythok is aroused by any aura other than evil that comes within 60'.

Similar to detect evil, but detects all other alignments?

It immediately takes flight and attacks with all the vigor of an animal in a feeding frenzy. As it does so, it emits a high-pitched shriek that is inaudible to humanoid ears but is a clarion call to other grythok. Its cousins will respond to this "dinner bell" immediately, arriving at a rate of two per round. The shriek is audible to other grythok only within 60', but as farther grythok respond, they emit their own shrieks and the call carries through tunnels and caverns in a ripple effect.

Similar to shrieker's shriek?

The grythok is able to smell flesh, whether warm or cold, and attempts to attach itselfto any exposed flesh.

Scent?

It immediately digs in with its barbed legs and then attempts to sink its bite into its victim. A successful "to hit" roll by a grythok means that both its legs and mouth have dug into its victim's flesh. It will remain attached until it has finished feeding or has been forcefully dislodged.

Bite with improved grab, rather than attach?

The grythok then begins to take circular bites out of its victim, and slowly moves itself along to fresh areas of skin. Its many legs allow it to reposition itself without realeasing its iron grip. A single grythok will inflict a maximum of 30 hp before it is "full" and drops off its victim. If anyone makes successful THAC0 and Dexterity rolls, the grythok is dislodged at a cost of 1-4 hp to the victim.

More support for bite attack?

One in ten grythok carry a disease due to their scavenging-habits. This is not a result of a spell, but simply due to the filthy conditions in which they live. No saving throw is applicable.

Make disease standard? Filth fever seems a likely candidate, even if overused.

Lengthy evolution has rendered these creatures immune to most diseases, although they are carriers and transmitters of many forms of plague and disease. They reproduce via egg-laying twice per year, but their population growth rate is slow since they often accidentally devour their own eggs.

Immunity to disease?

 

[demiurge1138]

Immune to disease, yes. Bite + imp grab, no. Yes to scent, no to shriek.

I think they should have an attack (maybe bite, maybe not) that attaches, then they do hit point damage instead of Con. I think also that they should have a generic "know alignment" ability, and not attack evil creatures.

 

[freyar]

I pretty much agree with demiurge on all this. I'd say the "attach" attack should just be a touch, like the stirge, because these don't seem to do any damage until they are attached. In addition, I think the attach ability should have something added that removing an attached grythok deals an additional 1d4 hp damage due to the barbed feet.

Climb speed is good, since they're too weak to succeed any any kind of climb check otherwise.

 

[Shade]

Suggested climb speed?

Suggetions on how to write up blood drain without using Con damage?

Suggetions for the "know alignment" ability?

 

[freyar]

Climb 5 ft, same as base speed.

Well, rather than blood drain, why don't we make it something like Chew, which fits the original flavor text better I think.

Chew (Ex): Each round on its turn, an attached grythok does 1d6 hp damage to the creature to which it is attached. When the grythok has dealt 30 hp of damage, it becomes full and flies off to digest. If its victim dies before the grythok is full, it flies off to find another victim to complete its feeding.

And maybe:

Detect Alignment (Su): A grythok automatically detects the alignment of any creature that enters within 60 ft? of the grythok. This ability can be fooled by any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability that masks a creature's alignment (or the Use Magic Device skill, although that requires a successful emulate alignment check prior to entering range of this ability and maintaining concentration the whole time within range). Grythoks grow agitated by any non-evil alignments and attack any non-evil creatures furiously, shrieking loudly all the while, which usually alerts any nearby grythoks.