Creature Catalog new 3.5 conversions (Part Two)

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Porcupine, Dire

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-real-world-animals-vermin-49.html

Porcupine, Dire
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+1) or quills +3 melee (special) or 4 quills +3 ranged (1d3)
Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+1) or quills +3 melee (special) or 4 quills +3 ranged (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Quills, shoot quills
Special Qualities: Hunker down, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5
Skills: Climb +6, Listen +7, Spot +3
Feats: Ability Focus (defensive quills), Alertness
Environment: Any woods
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Medium); 6-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

This sturdily-built animal is covered with long spines. It has a squarish head, beady eyes and a short but broad tail.

Dire porcupines, like their smaller cousins, are rodents known for their coat of quills. Dire porcupines are herbivorous, eating mostly leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants. Although mostly nocturnal, dire porcupines will occasionally forage for food in the day.

A typical dire porcupine is 4 to 6 feet long (sans tail) and weighs 200 to 300 pounds.

COMBAT

Dire porcupines are more aggressive than their smaller cousins. They normally hiss a warning should any creature approach within 30 feet or so, and if the creature does not immediately retreat the dire porcupine starts launching volleys of quills. If these missiles prove ineffective, a dire porcupine either flees into the woods, or hunkers down into a ball of quills and bites any opponent that approaches it.

Hunker Down (Ex): If a dire porcupine is threatened in melee and cannot retreat to a safe distance from its opponent(s), it curls its head and legs under its torso while on the ground and flares its quills in all directions. In this defensive position, the Reflex save DC of its defensive quills special attack gains a +2 bonus (increasing it to DC 17 for a typical dire porcupine), but the porcupine's speed is reduced to 10 ft. and it cannot charge or run.

Quills (Ex): Melee combat with a dire porcupine is dangerous. An opponent who attacks a porcupine with a melee weapon that does not have reach must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or be struck by 1d4 quills. Each quill does 1d3 point of piercing damage (plus half the porcupine's Strength bonus, if any) and lodges in the opponent's flesh, imposing a -1 circumstance penalty to attacks, saves, and checks per quill (maximum -4 penalty). Removing a quill inflicts 1d3 point of additional damage to the victim unless a DC 15 Heal check is made.

A dire porcupine can also attack an opponent with its quills as a single melee attack, with damage as above. If the opponent succeeds on the DC 15 Reflex save it takes half damage and the quills do not lodge in its flesh. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Shoot Quills (Ex): With a snap of its tail, a dire porcupine can loose a volley of four quills as a standard action (make an attack roll for each quill). This attack has a range of 30 feet with no range increment. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Any opponent hit by a shot quill must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or the quill will lodge in their flesh (see Defensive Quills, above, for the effects). A dire porcupine has 80 quills it can shoot from its tail, and regrows lost tail quills at a rate of 20 quills per 24-hour period.

Skills: Dire porcupines have a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks.

Originally appeared in Monster Manual (1977) as "Giant Porcupine".

 

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Lycanthrope, Weresheep

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...conversion-thread-lycanthropes-their-ilk.html

Weresheep, Human Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 4d8+20 (43 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 natural, +3 studded leather armor), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Quarterstaff +5 melee (1d6+1); or sling +4 ranged (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Quarterstaff +5 melee (1d6+1); or sling +4 ranged (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Alternate form, sheep empathy, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +1*, Jump +3, Listen +6, Ride +2*, Spot +6, Swim +3
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will (B), Weapon Focus (horns)
Environment: Temperate mountains, hills, and plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, family (3-4), or troupe (2-4 plus 10-100 sheep or 5-30 dire sheep)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Weresheep, Sheep Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 4d8+20 (43 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Gore +10 melee (1d8+9); or bite +9 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: Gore +10 melee (1d8+9); or bite +9 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, powerful charge, stampede
Special Qualities: Alternate form, sheep empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +1*, Jump +8, Listen +6, Ride +2*, Spot +6, Swim +3
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will (B), Weapon Focus (horns)
Environment: Temperate mountains, hills, and plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, family (3-4), or troupe (2-4 plus 10-100 sheep or 5-30 dire sheep)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Weresheep, Hybrid Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 4d8+20 (43 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Gore +10 melee (1d8+6); or bite +9 melee (1d8+6); or claw +9 melee (1d6+5); or quarterstaff +9 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+6) and quarterstaff +4 melee (1d6+3) and gore +5 melee (1d8+3) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+6) and gore +5 melee (1d8+3) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or sling +3 ranged (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, powerful charge, stampede
Special Qualities: Alternate form, sheep empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +1*, Jump +8, Listen +6, Ride +2*, Spot +6, Swim +3
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will (B), Weapon Focus (horns)
Environment: Temperate mountains, hills, and plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, family (3-4), or troupe (2-4 plus 10-100 sheep or 5-30 dire sheep)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Short, curly white fur covers this stocky, ogre-sized humanoid. Curly horns protrude from either side of its head.

Weresheep in humanoid form tend to be stocky with curly, pale hair. They usually dress like shepherds in simple garments of cloth and wool that are easy to remove, repair, or replace.

Male weresheep are called wererams and have spectacular spiral horns. Female weresheep, or wereewes, have the same statistics as wererams but are slighter in built and have smaller horns.

COMBAT

Weresheep fight just as dire sheep do in animal form, they usually start combat with a powerful charge. In humanoid or hybrid form, they favour weapons commonly used by shepherds, such as spears, quarterstaves, slings and shortbows. The weresheep’s quarterstaff is sized for a Medium creature, so it can wield the weapon in one hand in hybrid form. A weresheep carries two slings, one sized for a Medium creature and one for a Large creature, to use in human and hybrid form.

Alternate Form (Su): A weresheep can assume the form of a dire sheep or a sheep-humanoid hybrid.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a weresheep’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.

Powerful Charge (Ex): When a weresheep charges, its gore attack deals 2d8+12 points of damage.

Sheep Empathy (Ex): Communicate with sheep and dire sheep, and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against sheep and dire sheep.

Stampede (Ex): A flock of weresheep and dire sheep can literally run over anything of Large size or smaller size that gets in their way, dealing 1d12 points of damage for each five weresheep or dire sheep in the flock (Reflex DC 18 half). The weresheep must be in animal or hybrid form to contribute to the stampede damage, weresheep in human form can only start and guide a stampede. Weresheep can direct a flock of dire sheep to stampede in a particular direction with a DC 20 Handle Animal check, but once the dire sheep stampede over any creature that injures them, the sheep will flee in a random direction, traveling away from perceived sources of danger. A flock entirely composed of weresheep can stampede in any direction it desires. The save DC is Strength-based.

The weresheep presented here is a 1st-level human warrior and natural lycanthrope, using the following base ability scores: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #40 (1980) as "Wereram".

 

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Marrella

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/294285-converting-prehistoric-creatures-5.html

Marrella
Large Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+16
Attack: Whip +11 melee (1d6+6) or slam +6 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: 2 whips +11 melee (1d6+6) or slam +6 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with whip)
Special Attacks: Powerful charge
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., vermin traits, water dependent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 10, Con 17, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-5) or mass (6-24)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-11 HD (Large); 12-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This creature resembles a cross between a trilobite and a centipede. Its head is a large, armored shield sporting two pairs of long rearward spikes. Two pairs of antennae protrude from the underside of its head. One pair of antennae are long whiplike organs, the other pair are short and stout. Its colorful body has an iridescent sheen. Each body segment has a pair of branched appendages, with a leglike lower branch and an upper feathery gill.

Marrella is a prehistoric marine arthropod. It spends most of its time crawling across the muddy ocean floor looking for food. Marrella are primarily scavengers, but capture prey if given the chance. They can spend several hours at a time on dry land, and often leave the water to comb beaches for food or travel from one body of water to another.

A marrella is 12 feet long and weighs 2,000 pounds.

COMBAT

A marrella starts combat by charging an opponent with a smashingly powerful slam, then lashes with its two whiplike antennae. Marrella never retreat, since they are too brainless to realize when they're losing a fight.

Powerful Charge (Ex): When a marrella charges, its slam attack deals 2d8+12 points of damage and is treated as a primary natural weapon (+11 melee).

Water Dependent (Ex): Marrella can survive out of the water for 1 hour per 4 points of Constitution (after that, refer to the drowning rules).

Skills: A marrella has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #204 (1994).

 

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Fish, Icetail Swarm

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/298248-converting-forgotten-realms-monsters.html

Fish, Icetail Swarm
Diminutive Magical Beast (Aquatic, Cold, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 5d10 (27 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+4 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/—
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus 2d6 cold)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus 2d6 cold)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, freezing touch, hold breath, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold and weapon damage, low-light vision, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +20, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +4
Feats: Alertness, Endurance
Environment: Cold aquatic
Organization: Solitary or kettle (2-4 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

The constituents of this swarm of tiny creatures resemble fish skeletons with a few shreds of bluish tissue hanging from their ribs. Closer inspection, however, reveals the creatures' bodies, heads, fins, and tails, are all as transparent as glass.

Icetails get their name from the bitter cold of their bodies. These coldwater fish subsist on waste matter, plankton, or whatever other organic matter they can scavenge. Icetails may be cooked and eaten (or eaten raw, though their uncooked flesh is extremely bitter), but if not thoroughly cooked for at least six hours, the eater risks extreme indigestion.

Icetails normally only gather in swarms to mate and lay eggs. Such swarms can be dangerous, since the icetails may attack intruders to protect their eggs and breeding partners. Icetail swarms are most common in glacial kettles (a hole ground out by a receding glacier and filled with meltwater; forming a shallow lake, swamp or bog which makes an excellent habitat for icetail spawn).

An icetail is between 6 inches and 1 foot long and weighs up to a pound.

COMBAT

Icetail swarms are nonaggressive, but will attack if injured or threatened.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with an icetail swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Freezing Touch (Su): An icetail swarm's attack generates a burst of extreme cold which does 2d6 points of cold damage. Creatures hitting an icetail swarm with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take cold damage as though hit by the fish's attack.

Hold Breath (Ex): An icetail swarm can hold its breath by storing water in its mouth and gills. It may do so for a number of rounds equal to 6 times its Constitution score. If out of water beyond that time, it risks suffocating (refer to the drowning rules). For a typical icetail, this is 66 rounds, or over 6 minutes.

Poison (Ex): Any creature that bites or otherwise consumes an icetail is exposed to its poisonous flesh. Fort DC 10, primary damage sickened for 1d3 hours, secondary damage sickened for 2d12 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a -2 racial penalty.

Skills: Icetail swarms have a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks due to their transparent flesh. An icetail has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

In the Realms
Icetails are found primarily in the oceans and rivers of the Great Glacier.

Originally appeared in FR 14 - The Great Glacier (1992).

 

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Amber Lotus

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/273448-special-conversion-thread-plants-36.html

Amber Lotus (CR 1)
Amber lotuses are magical plants with blooms resembling golden, sunflower-sized water lilies. Most amber lotus plants grow in calm ponds or swamps, but some varieties grow on vines that creep up tree trunks. An amber lotus plant covers a 5-ft square of ground (treat as difficult terrain) and has AC 10 and 2 hit points. The plant has 20 ft. range blindsight.

When an amber lotus senses a creature moving within 10 ft., its blossoms open and spray a 20 ft. diameter spread of supernatural pollen; any creature that breathes this pollen must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or fall asleep for 4d4 minutes. The plant can spray pollen every 1d4+4 minutes. It will not spray pollen if every creature within 10 ft. of the plant remains motionless. This sleep is a mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effect. Immunity or resistance to sleep effects applies to the sleep caused by amber lotus pollen. Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening a creature is a standard action (an application of the aid another action).

While an amber lotus's sleep pollen is not directly dangerous, the plants are often found in concert with deadly plants such as assassin vines, which prey upon the amber lotus's sleeping victims.

Dream River Amber Lotus (CR 3)
Dream river amber lotus is a dangerous aquatic plant that resembles a water lily with golden-orange blossoms. They are only found in warm climates and thrive in slow-moving, tropical rivers. Dream lotus plants normally grow in large beds between 20 and 40 feet across, but can spread to cover entire lakes or rivers. Each 5-ft square of lotus (treat as difficult terrain) has AC 10 and 2 hit points.

Dream river amber lotus plants continuously emit a potent pollen. This dream pollen covers everything within a radius 20 times wider than the plant bed (i.e. a 20 ft. wide bed of lotus has pollen covering an area 400 ft. wide). Winds may increase the distance traveled by the pollen. Dream pollen is a potent contact poison (Fort DC 18, initial effect exhaustion for 1d4+1 hours, secondary effect unconsciousness for 1d4+1 days). Unconscious victims of the pollen can not be woken by slapping, shouting or even injury. Immunity or resistance to sleep effects or poison applies to the effects of dream pollen, and powers that alleviate exhaustion also counteract the pollen. A delay poison or lesser restoration spell will improve an unconscious victim to exhausted (or improve an exhausted victim to fatigued), while a neutralize poison or restoration spell will eliminate all the pollen's effects.

While a dream river amber lotus's dream pollen is not directly dangerous, victims of the plant often drown or die from attacks by other creatures while unconscious. The pollen quickly loses its potency after leaving the plant. Aquatic monsters who are immune to dream pollen, such as batracians, often lair in dream lotus beds.

Originally appeared in X2 - Castle Amber (1981).

 

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Hsing-Sing

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...verting-oriental-adventures-creatures-49.html

Hsing-Sing
Medium Humanoid (Hsing-Sing)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 light wooden shield), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+2) or longsword +3 melee (1d8+3/19-20) or spear +3 melee (1d8+3/×3) or spear +3 ranged (1d8+2/×3) or blowpipe +3 ranged (1 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+2) or longsword +3 melee (1d8+3/19-20) or spear +3 melee (1d8+3/×3) or spear +3 ranged (1d8+2/×3) or blowpipe +3 ranged (1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison use
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Move Silently +3, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Reckless Offense (B)
Environment: Warm forests and mountains
Organization: Solitary, pair, hunting party (2-5), raiding band (5-20) or tribe (5-20 plus 50% noncombatants)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

This apelike humanoid has a bulky body covered in thick fur. Its long arms extend nearly to the ground. Its hairless, smooth-skinned face has a small nose and a mouthful of fangs.

The hsing-sing are a race of reclusive ape-like humanoids. Many scholars consider the hsing-sing to personify the principles of pacifism and harmony with nature.

However, once a year, usually at the onset of spring, adult males instinctively complete a “war season”. This season lasts for 6-16 days. During that time, male hsing-sing become extremely savage and aggressive. They organize raiding bands and attack humanoid settlements on the edge of their territories. To maximize the advantage of surprise, the hsing-sing seldom attack the same settlements two years in a row.

Hsing-sing do not wear clothing. However, tribal leaders sometimes wear armbands made of intricately woven vines as a symbol of authority. Females sometimes weave wild flowers into the fur of their arms and legs.

Hsing-sing lead a simple existence. Each hsing-sing family constructs a simple sleeping platform with a thatched roof in the highest branches of a tall tree. They spend most waking hours hunting for food, frolicking in the trees, and telling stories. Aside from making wicker shields, weapons, and simple tools, they practice no crafts. Hsing-sing often keep rabbits, parrots, and other small creatures as pets.

Hsing-sing eat fruits and grains indigenous to the areas they inhabit, supplemented with small amounts of fish, deer, and other wild game. Because of their weakness for strong drink, they occasionally come to human villages to trade. On these trips, they bring rare treasure from the hidden enclaves of the forest, such as parrots, rare bird feathers, scented roots, and exotic fruits. In exchange, they take forged metal, pottery, rice, and wine.

Hsing-sing have thick white fur, which darkens to rich, golden tones when they grow old. Eye coloration is bright blue or brown. An adult male hsing-sing is about 5 feet tall and 200 pounds in weight. Females are considerably smaller, typically 4 to 4½ feet tall and 120 pounds.

Hsing-sings speak Common and their own dialect of Sylvan.

COMBAT

Hsing-sing are normally passive, friendly creatures, preferring flight to confrontation. During war season, males become quite aggressive. During this time, they make use of their Reckless Offense bonus feat. A raiding band of hsing-sing are armed with parangs (longswords), blowpipes, and spears. Some carry wicker shields. They often apply poison to their weapons.

Poison Use (Ex): Hsing-hsing are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon. A typical hsing-hsing carries 2d4 doses of the following poisons. Hsing-hsing typically coat blowpipe darts with this poison, but it can also be applied to a melee weapon.

Hsing-sing Deathvenom: Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con.

Hsing-sing Paralytic: Injury, Fortitude DC 15, initial damage slowed (as the spell) for 1d6 rounds, secondary damage paralyzed for 2d6 rounds.

Skills: A hsing-sing has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. A hsing-sing has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

New Weapon

Blowpipe: This simple ranged weapon fires small darts that deal only a single point of piercing damage. However, blowpipe users often apply poison to these darts. A blowpipe has a range increment of 10 ft. and weighs 1 pound.

Originally appeared in Oriental Adventures (1985).

 

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Odontogriphus

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/294285-converting-prehistoric-creatures-10.html

Odontogriphus
Large Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 10 (-1 size, +1 Dex), touch 10, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, constrict 1d6+6, improved grab
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 13, Int —, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +1, Listen +5, Swim +12
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or swarm (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Large); 7-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This flat, oval creature blends the features of a tapeworm and a leech. It possesses a single muscular foot, a shell-like covering on its back, and a chitinous tongue-like appendage that bears multiple rows of rasping teeth.

Odontogriphus is a prehistoric marine bilaterian. It spends most of its time swimming across the sea floor, hunting for prey from which to obtain nourishing blood.

A typical odontogriphus is about 18 feet long and weighs up to 5,000 pounds. Most of its 6-foot-wide body is less than a foot thick.

COMBAT

An odontogriphus hunts by dropping on prey from above, grabbing hold with its mouth, and then sucking its victim's blood while squeezing with its powerful body. Odontogriphus only attack creatures smaller than themselves.

Blood Drain (Ex): An odontogriphus drains blood for 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round it maintains a hold on an opponent. It does not need to make a grapple check, but continues automatically draining blood until its victim escapes its grip (see Escape from Grapple) or dies and is drained of all their blood.

Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, an odontogriphus deals 1d6+6 points of damage.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an odontogriphus must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can blood drain and constrict.

Skills: Odontogriphus have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks. An odontogriphus has a +8 racial bonus on Climb and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Odontogriphus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #204 (1994).

 

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Swarm, Wraith Roach

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-monsters-dungeon-magazine-30.html

Swarm, Wraith Roach
Diminutive Magical Beast (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 6d10-6 (27 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/—
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus energy drain)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, energy drain
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +18, Listen +9, Move Silently +13, Spot +9
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Stealthy
Environment: Any underground
Organization: Solitary or infestation (2-4 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A cloud of eerily silent beetles with ghostly white carapaces skitter about and fly on gossamer wings.

A wraith roach swarm is a cloud of thousands of winged vermin.

COMBAT

A wraith roach swarm surrounds and attacks any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a wraith roach swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures damaged by a wraith roach swarm's attack gain one negative level. Unlike normal negative levels, no Fortitude save is necessary to remove one. Negative levels bestowed by a wraith roach swarm never become permanent. For each such negative level bestowed, the wraith roach swarm gains 5 temporary hit points.

Skills: A wraith roach swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks.

Originally appeared in Dungeon #71 (1998).

 

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Darksider

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/258155-converting-greyhawk-monsters-37.html

Darksider
Medium Outsider (Evil, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Fly 60 ft. (12 squares)(perfect)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/—
Attack: Incorporeal touch +11 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 Wisdom)
Full Attack: 2 incorporeal touches +11 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 Wisdom)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Aura of forbidding terror, nightmare projection
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fear effects, incorporeal traits, natural invisibility, outsider traits, spell resistance 14, telepathy 300 ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +8
Abilities: Str —, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +16, Decipher Script +14, Diplomacy +20, Hide +14, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (religion) +15, Knowledge (the planes) +15, Listen +13, Search +15, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13, Survival +4 (+6 following tracks, +6 on other planes)
Feats: Ability Focus (aura of forbidding terror), Ability Focus (nightmare projection), Improved Initiative
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 9-24 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

A monstrous, glowing entity floats nearby. A hideously evil grin splits its face.

Beings from far-off planes of horror, darksiders are fear incarnate. They exist only to strike terror in sentient beings, and have no interest in treasure or power unless it can be used to foster fear. Darksiders are solitary entities, but may form alliances with powerful evil beings if it helps the darksiders' aims. Few mortal creatures can tolerate the terror of a darksider's presence, so such associations are usually with fiends, undead and other fearless beings. A darksider is a "connoisseur of fear", and savors slowly tormenting its victims as much as it does feeding off their will.

Darksiders speak all known languages, as fear is universal.

COMBAT

Darksiders try to remain invisible at all times. They prefer to communicate via an illusion they create (which also serves as a decoy to deflect attacks). If a darksider encounters intelligent creatures, it normally attacks with its nightmare projection power, slowly whittling its opponents down from a safe distance until they die of Wisdom drain. A darksider falls back to its touch attack if cornered and unable to escape.

If a darksider encounters sapient beings and does not attack, this usually means it wishes to involve those beings in some elaborate plot that will result in far more fear and suffering than the darksider would achieve by simply tormenting them to death - although it will likely try to impose that fate upon its patsies once their usefulness is over.

Aura of Forbidding Terror (Su): A darksider constantly exudes a 60-foot-radius fear aura. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 21 Will save or flee in panic for 1d4+1 rounds. Even if they save, the creature must succeed on a DC 21 Will save in order to make an attack or cast a spell at the darksider.

This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The aura can be dispelled, but the darksider can create it again as a swift action.

Natural Invisibility (Su): This ability is constant, allowing a darksider to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell.

Nightmare Projection (Su): A darksider can trap opponents in a waking nightmare, affecting a number of intelligent creatures within 60 ft. equal to the darksider's Hit Dice. There is no saving throw, but nightmare projection does not affect creatures with immunity to fear or mind-affecting powers. Creatures trapped within the nightmare projection can act normally, but perceive their surrounding as whatever the darksider desires them to -- an ally may appear a terrible monster, or a charnel chasm may become a perfumed garden.

A darksider can create phantasmal monsters or spells to attack its nightmare victims, dealing 4d6 points of nonlethal damage (half with a DC 21 Will save). The darksider can attack its victims through a nightmare projection in any combination it desires. Note that a nightmare projection can also disguise the source of lethal damage -- for example, two victims may unknowingly attack each other because the nightmare projection made them see each other as monsters.

If the victim of a nightmare projection falls unconscious, the victim can escape the nightmare if they succeed on a DC 21 Will save. If this save succeeds, the victim becomes immune to the nightmare projection of that darksider for 24 hours and wakes with all nonlethal damage healed after 1d8 rounds. Should the victim fail the Will save, it suffers 1d3 points of Wisdom drain and believe it has been killed, falling unconscious for 1d8 rounds and then waking without any illusory damage. (The victim believes it has been resurrected by the darksider to continue its torments). The darksider gains 5 temporary hit points every time it drains a victim's Wisdom. A victim whose Wisdom reaches 0 due to a nightmare projection dies.

The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Originally appeared in WGR2 - Treasures of Greyhawk (1992).

 

[Shade]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/201788-converting-psionic-creatures-47.html

Hook Spider
Medium Magical Beast (Extraplanar, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+1) and bite +5 melee (1d6+1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, maul, poison, powerful bite, psi-like abilities, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: All-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills: Climb +11, Craft (trapmaking) +7, Hide +7, Jump +11, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Spot +9
Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, Nine Hells of Baator, and Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
Organization: Solitary or nest (2–8 plus 10-30 spiderlings)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

The body of this giant spider is about the size of a large dog. Its chitin is dull yellow with red markings. Each of its eight legs are over five feet long, and the foremost pair ends in hooklike inward-curving claws. Its octet of eyes are arranged high on the creature’s head.

Hook spiders are large arachnids found primarily in the Lower Planes, where they live in small groups called nests. They take over a small grove, a rocky outcropping, or a spring or pond, then dig burrows beneath and around the area, providing a number of bolt-holes and ambush sites. Additionally, the hook spiders use their strong silk to create traps around the area.

Unlike most spiders, hook spiders lay only 3 to 6 eggs at a time and invest a moderate amount of time and care in feeding and protecting their young. Spiderlings are physically equal to adults, but are less intelligent (Int 3). Spiderlings avoid large prey such as humans or fiends, preferring to let the adults deal with these meals and feeding on the leftovers.

Hook spiders avoid powerful fiends, but weaker fiends such as abishai, lemures, and rutterkin are fair game. They occasionally make deals with greater fiends to lure prey into their traps in exchange for eliminating the fiend's rivals.

A typical hook spider’s body is 4 feet long. It weighs about 100 pounds.

Hook spiders cannot speak, but can communicate telepathically.

COMBAT

Hook spiders are deviously cunning, and demonstrate a diabolical patience and skill in hunting. They make every effort possible to attack only from ambush or while the potential meal is helpless. When the time comes to strike, the hook spider leaps and strikes with its two hooked claws and a bite of its venomous mandibles.

Hook spiders frequently use their chameleon power or invisibility to prevent their intended meal from noticing their presence, or use shadow form or reduction to creep within striking distance undetected.

All-Around Vision (Ex): A hook spider's many eyes give it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and it can't be flanked.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a hook spider must hit an opponent of any size with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can maul.

Maul (Ex): If a hook spider hits with both claw attacks, it automatically succeeds on a bite attack and exposes the victim to its poison. Grappled creatures are automatically pinned when the hook spider mauls.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Powerful Bite (Ex): A hook spider's mandibles are extraordinarily powerful. It applies 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier to damage done with its bite.

Psi-Like Abilities: At-will—body equilibrium, chameleon; 3/day—adapt body, attraction (+8 bonus, DC 17)*, compression (2 size categories, 10 minutes)*, mental barrier (6 rounds, +5 deflection bonus)*; 1/day—personal mind blank, shadow body. Manifester level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
*Includes augmentation for the hook spider's manifester level.

Spell-Like Abilities: At-will—invisibility. Caster level 4th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: Hook spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks, a +8 racial bonus on Climb, Craft (trapmaking), and Spot checks, and a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. A hook spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Hook spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.

Originally appeared in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995).