Converting World of Greyhawk monsters

[BOZ]

I'd say Diminutive. Swarm usually have no advancement, so that gets that out of the way. I'd give them a pathetically low Str (like 1), decent Dex (15-19), and decent Wis and Cha for something of animal intelligence.
Personally, I'd give it 6 HD (6 x 4.5 = 27) and a Con of 18-19 (4 x 6 = 24), for a total of 51 HP, almost identical to the 2e original. This would put the save DC of the light rays at 17, assuming the rays are Con based.

i think i'll raise that to 8 HD with Con 15. also, i'll make the Dex just a bit higher.

i'm also thinking that the hellwasp swarm's hive mind ability is very similar to information in the original crystalmist text.

here are some updated stats:

Crystalmist
Diminutive Aberration (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 20 ft (perfect) (4 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (+4 size, +6 Dex, +3 natural), touch 20, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/---
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach: 10 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Light ray/beam (1-6), combustion, distraction
Special Qualities: darkvision 60 ft, hive mind, immune to mind-affecting, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +8 Will +7
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 22, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: 11
Feats: 3

Environment: Temperate and warm mountains
Organization: X
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: ---

 

[Shade]

The base damage for an 8 HD swarm should be 2d6. If you stick with this, you'll have:

Attack: Swarm (2d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6)

Suggested Feats (3 of the following): Ability Focus (light beam--if save is allowed), Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot
Suggested Skill Ranks: Listen 5, Spot 6

I'd roll the combust SQ into the light beam SQ.

Organization: Solitary or cloud (2-8 swarms)

 

[BOZ]

The base damage for an 8 HD swarm should be 2d6. If you stick with this, you'll have:

Attack: Swarm (2d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6)

ooh, that might be a bit high...

Suggested Feats (3 of the following): Ability Focus (light beam--if save is allowed), Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot
Suggested Skill Ranks: Listen 5, Spot 6

cool - i'll figure those out soon enough.

I'd roll the combust SQ into the light beam SQ.

right, i was thinking of doing that anyway. one question - should the light beam be a ranged touch attack, or should it be a power with a reflex save instead?

Organization: Solitary or cloud (2-8 swarms)

that works, but i think i'll lower that to maybe 2-5.

 

[Shade]

ooh, that might be a bit high...

That was just the suggested damage for its HD from the swarm entry. Go with whatever you'd like.

right, i was thinking of doing that anyway. one question - should the light beam be a ranged touch attack, or should it be a power with a reflex save instead?

It sounds like a ranged touch attack to me.

that works, but i think i'll lower that to maybe 2-5.

 

[Krishnath]

Definetly a ranged touch attack.

 

[BOZ]

It sounds like a ranged touch attack to me.

me too, but i have one question... can swarms use a ranged touch attack?

 

[Krishnath]

The rules doesn't specifically say that they can't.

 

[BOZ]

that's why i was asking. well, if they groupmind says "yes", then that's what we go with...

 

[BOZ]

Ok, time to break it down!

Combat: While individual crystalmists have no combat capabilities, they can quickly form into a community being that is very dangerous. Coalescing into the larger form requires only one round, during which time the crystalmist can be attacked with impunity.

full round action? see below!

The globular crystalmist community can unleash a powerful beam of light each round, using the energy stored in the bodies of its component creatures. The beam has a range of 20 feet, beyond which limit it is too diffuse to cause injury. A normal attack roll is required for the crystalmist to hit a target with its beams. Each successful strike inflicts 1d6 points of damage.

copied from lantern archon:

Light Ray (Ex): A crystalmist swarm’s light rays have a range of 20 feet.

If the crystalmist fails to hit its target, but still rolls above a 3 on its attack die, then the beam of light is assumed to have struck the target, but been deflected by armor, a shield, or some other object on the target’s person (if possible). DMs should determine at random what has been hit, taking into account relative sizes and positions of objects.

should we keep this at all? Would it work something like the “grenade-like missile” chart in the DMG?

Any flammable object (such as a wooden shield or padded armor) hit by the light ray must roll a successful saving throw vs. magical fire (see DMG page 39) or instantly ignite. Persons wearing clothing that bursts into flames suffer 1d4 points of damage each round until they can extinguish the fire or remove the burning garb. Objects (such as lanterns) that contain very flammable materials may actually explode (10% chance), doing damage as the DM sees fit.

add this to the light ray, of course:

The light ray sets fire to combustibles and damages objects struck. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze. (do we need any more info here?)

In addition to its light powers, the crystalmist is immune to a number of spells. It cannot be affected by sleep, charm, illusion, or other mind-altering spells.

immune to mind-affecting good enough eh?

If the crystalmist is fighting in the presence of a bright light source (such as a continual light spell), the damage done by its beam is doubled to 2d6 points.

add a line about double damage?

When a crystalmist suffers 10 points of damage, it fragments into its individual components. Each point of damage inflicted upon the community destroys one individual (thus 12 points of damage means the community fragments into its 38 remaining individuals). The remaining individuals cannot form another community for five rounds.

how about:

Hive Mind (Ex): Any crystalmist swarm with at least 1 hit point per Hit Dice (or 8 hit points, for a standard crystalmist swarm) forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 1. When a crystalmist swarm is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless.

When a crystalmist swarm suffers 10 points of damage, it fragments into its individual components. The remaining individuals cannot form another swarm for five rounds while they regroup. Forming into a new swarm is a full-round action, and the swarm loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class in that round.

 

[Shade]

me too, but i have one question... can swarms use a ranged touch attack?

Currently, there does not appear to be a precedent for a swarm making any type of attack other than a swarm attack, which doesn't require an attack roll. However, some do have ranged spells or spell-like abilities, so I don't see why a ray attack would be an exception.

full round action? see below!

Looking below.

copied from lantern archon:

Light Ray (Ex): A crystalmist swarm’s light rays have a range of 20 feet.

Cool.

should we keep this at all? Would it work something like the “grenade-like missile” chart in the DMG?

My instincts say to get rid of it, put it would be challenging to write this effectively, so I'm up for either.

add this to the light ray, of course:

The light ray sets fire to combustibles and damages objects struck. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze. (do we need any more info here?)

I'd vote for less info (lose the melting point business; fireball used to have it and no longer does).

immune to mind-affecting good enough eh?

Good enough for me.

add a line about double damage?

Sounds good.

how about:

Hive Mind (Ex): Any crystalmist swarm with at least 1 hit point per Hit Dice (or 8 hit points, for a standard crystalmist swarm) forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 1. When a crystalmist swarm is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless.

When a crystalmist swarm suffers 10 points of damage, it fragments into its individual components. The remaining individuals cannot form another swarm for five rounds while they regroup. Forming into a new swarm is a full-round action, and the swarm loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class in that round.

Nice!