Creature Catalog new 3.5 conversions

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Horde

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...verting-original-d-d-mystara-monsters-17.html

Horde, Small
Small Outsider (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+2
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+4/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+4/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Collective mind, communal reliance, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +25, Diplomacy +29, Jump +33, Listen +25, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Search +25, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks, +3 on other planes), Tumble +27
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary, patrol (2-8), or collective (10-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: See text
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 4 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —

Horde, Medium
Medium Outsider (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (+1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+10
Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d8+7/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d8+7/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Collective mind, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +27, Diplomacy +29, Jump +35, Listen +25, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Search +25, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks, +3 on other planes), Tumble +27
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary, patrol (2-8), or collective (10-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: See text
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 6-8 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

Horde, Large
Large Outsider (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+19
Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d6+10/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d6+10/19-20)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Collective mind, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +28, Diplomacy +29, Jump +37, Listen +25, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Search +25, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks, +3 on other planes), Tumble +27
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary, patrol (2-8), or collective (10-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: See text
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Horde, Huge
Huge Outsider (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 13d8+65 (123 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+30
Attack: Bite +21 melee (3d6+13/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +21 melee (3d6+13/19-20)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Collective mind, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +9
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +29, Diplomacy +29, Jump +39, Listen +25, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Search +25, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks, +3 on other planes), Tumble +27
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary, patrol (2-8), or collective (10-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: See text
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 14-21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Horde, Alpha
Huge Outsider (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 21d8+86 (220 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +21/+39
Attack: Bite +30 melee (3d6+15/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +30 melee (3d6+15/19-20)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Collective mind, communal immortality, communal reliance, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +13
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Balance +3, Concentration +30, Diplomacy +29, Jump +40, Listen +25, Knowledge (the planes) +25, Search +25, Sense Motive +25, Spot +25, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks, +3 on other planes), Tumble +27
Feats: Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary, patrol (2-8), or collective (10-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: See text
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This creature resembles a golden praying mantis of unusual size. Its body language implies sentience.

Hordes are collective entities consisting of up to a thousand individual members or more. Although native to the Elemental Plane of Earth, hordes gladly spread to other planes when the opportunity arises.

Hordes act only in their own best interest, and consider all other life forms competition for territory and resources. In fact, hordes consider no other life forms to be intelligent, and are perfectly content to eradicate other beings if it is to the horde's benefit.

Most hordes consist of about 1,000 members, with an "alpha" (the highest-Hit Dice member) of 21 Hit Dice. However, scholars believe that hordes could theoretically have limitless growth. Although the alpha is theoretically the most powerful individual in the horde, it is not the leader; the horde's mind and life force occupy all component bodies evenly.

Each horde has its own name, and all component entities respond to that name. This can cause much confusion for other creatures interacting with a horde. Of course, most intelligent creatures fear and loathe hordes, for these creatures can easily overrun a region and strip it free of all plant and animal life in a short period of time. Hordes have even been known to keep "herds" of sentient creatures for future food.

A horde body is 1 foot long and weighs x pounds per Hit Die. Each horde is unique in appearance, but all members of a given horde are identical. Sample appearances include golden praying mantises or black beetles with glowing red antennae.

Horde entities communicate telepathically.

COMBAT

A horde willingly sacrifices individual members to achieve its goal, even going so far as to willingly fail saving throws to achieve strategic victories. If a horde loses 10% of its members in a single battle or other endeavor, it will attempt a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Should diplomacy break down, it will flee. If flight is not an option, a horde does not hesitate to call upon another horde for assistance.

Collective Mind (Ex): A horde is a collective being sharing a communal consciousness. As a result, all horde entities within 100 miles of each other are in constant contact, able to communicate telepathically with each other within this range. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No horde entity in the group is considered flanked unless all are.

All horde entities share the same mental ability scores and use the feats and skills of the highest-HD member. Each horde entity must still meet the prereqs to use a given skill, although it uses the base attack bonus and skill ranks of the highest-HD member for such purposes. Thus, a Medium horde entity in a group led by a 21 HD horde entity can use Improved Critical (despite its base attack bonus of +7, since it uses the +21 bonus of the highest-HD member), but cannot use Awesome Blow (it does not meet the size prerequisite).

The statistics for the various horde entities above assume a horde led by a 21 HD entity. For horde collectives with a highest-HD member different than 21 HD, add or remove 1 skill rank per Hit Die added or removed from greatest member. Thus, a collective led by a 16 HD entity would remove 5 ranks from each skill. Feats should also be adjusted upward or downward based on the highest-HD member. Remove feats as follows: Awesome Blow (less than 21 HD), Improved Crit (less than 18 HD), Improved Bull Rush (less than 15 HD), Great Cleave (less than 12 HD), Weapon Focus (less than 9 HD), Cleave (less than 6 HD). For collectives with greater than 21 HD leaders, add one additional feat per 3 Hit Dice thereafter (24, 27, 30, and so on).

Communal Immortality (Su): In order to destroy the horde, all its members must be slain, or it can rejuvenate. So long as a single horde entity remains alive, it can create new bodies or increase its own power at a rate of 1 HD per hour until the size of the previous horde is reached.

Communal Reliance (Su): Great distances may sever a member's ties to the communal consciousness of the horde. A horde entity that strays more than 100 miles from the farthest other member of its horde is stricken as per a feeblemind spell. Should the straying entity return within range, the feeblemind effect is immediately removed. An entity that remains out of contact for more than 24 hours will perish 1d10 days thereafter (no save). Since all horde entities are in constant communication with each other and are aware of this weakness, this will generally only occur if a horde entity is forcibly moved.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect thoughts, telekinesis (DC 18). Caster level equals Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Originally appeared in D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991).

 

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Rhynchosaur

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/246515-converting-prehistoric-creatures-13.html

Rhynchosaur
Small Animal
Hit Dice: ½d8 (2 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-6
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3-2)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3-2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +2, Spot +2, Survival +2
Feats: Great Fortitude, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Warm forest and plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or herd (5-20)
Challenge Rating: ¼
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1 HD (Small); 2 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

This pudgy lizard-like creature has a short, triangular head and a bird-like beak.

Rhynchosaurs are small, abundant archosauromorph reptiles. These stocky creatures are herbivores, using their beaks to make quick work of tough plants.

These statistics describe a small rhynchosaur of about three feet in length; the largest known rhynchosaurs grow to lengths of about six feet.

COMBAT

Rhynchosaurs will bite if significantly disturbed.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #112 (1986).

 

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Sha’az Knight

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/240597-converting-forgotten-realms-monsters-8.html

Sha’az Knight
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 50 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 17 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 light steel shield), touch 13, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20) or bite +6 melee (1d4+2) or longbow +6 ranged (1d8/x3)
Full Attack: Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20) or bite +6 melee (1d4+2) or longbow +6 ranged (1d8/x3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, psionic powers
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hive telepathy, resistance to cold 2
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 6
Skills: Autohypnosis +10, Concentration +8
Feats: Psionic Meditation, Psionic Weapon, Speed of Thought, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any cold land
Organization: Solitary, hunting party (1 plus 3-18 sha'az warriors), or feudal hive (1-6 plus 30-60 warriors and 1 queen)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

This creature's torso and head are humanoid, tapering to a thin muscular waist that gives way to an insect-like lower body. Its six legs are insectile, the hind four supporting its body while the forelegs end in smaller, prehensile hooks wielding weapons. Fluffy white down covers its entire body, and is thickest at the ends of the legs. Its face is nearly human, with a hooked nose and deep-set eyes, except for the pair of large, serrated mandibles jutting from its cheecks. A thick mane of white hair crowns its head.

Sha’az are insectile humanoids found in arctic environments, forming hives dug into glaciers. Half of the hive is composed of hunter-warriors, while the rest are drones. A single queen rules the hive, living several centuries.

Sha’az are able hunters, counting deer, seals, polar bears, and even whales as their quarry. They also hunt the massive caterpillar-like haundar. They are sworn enemies of the parasitic haun, which covet the eggs of the sha'az for their psionic-altering qualities.

Sha’az are generally friendly to other intelligent races, and will trade decorative shell pieces for weapons and other equipment.

A sha’az is 6 feet tall and weighs 120 to 175 pounds.

Sha’az speak their own language, a combination of words, movements, and scents.

Sha'az knights are psychic warriors in constant telepathic communication with the queen. The information in the statistics block is for a psychic warrior of 4th-level. The sha’az knight presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

COMBAT

Sha’az prefer to fight in groups, and will alert the hive if a threat seems great. Sha'az carry weapons and shields, but always choose to eschew armor. They are also capable of delivering painful bites with their mandibles, and can exude a freezing venom in limited amounts each day.

Hive Telepathy (Su): Each sha'az knight may communicate telepathically with its colony's queen to a range of five miles.

Poison (Ex): Injury (bite), Fortitude DC 11, initial and secondary damage 1d6 cold. A sha’az produces enough poison for one bite per day. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Psionic Powers: Manfester level 4th level. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Typical Psychic Warrior Powers Known (power points 11, save DC 13 + power level): 1st—expansion*, force screen*, offensive prescience*; 2nd—body adjustment*.
*Power can be augmented.

Sha’az As Characters
Sha’az characters possess the following racial traits.

• +4 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
• Sha’az base land speed is 20 feet. A sha'az has a fly speed of 50 feet with good manueverability.
• +3 natural armor bonus.
• Special Attacks (see above): Poison.
• Special Qualities (see above): Resistance to cold 2.
• Automatic Languages: Sha’az. Bonus Languages: Common, Damaran, Giant, Illuskan, Orc, Uluik.
• Favored Class: Psychic warrior. (If you are not using psionics in your campaign, replace with fighter).
• Level adjustment +3.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (MC11)(1991).

 

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http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-real-world-animals-vermin-33.html

Giant Beaver
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +5 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+14
Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d8+10)
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d8+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Natural lumberjack
Special Qualities: Cold tolerant, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +8
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 10
Skills: Craft (dambuilding) +16, Diplomacy +2, Escape Artist +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Listen +4, Sense Motive +5, Survival +4 (+6 in aboveground natural environments), Swim +15
Feats: Improved Sunder, Power Attack
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary or lodge (4–40)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

This massive beaver is nearly as big as a horse.

Giant beavers are intelligent, natural artisans that sometimes associate with nonevil creatures. Capable of creating even more wondrous dams and lodges than their mundane brethren, giant beavers can sometimes be persuaded to undertake or assist with the building of dam-like constructions. They prize certain barks and twigs, particularly birch, aspen, and willow. Giant beavers also have been known to value coins.

Giant beavers are over 6 feet long and weigh 300 pounds. Fur coloration can vary widely, but dark brown is the most common.

COMBAT

Like their lesser cousins, giant beavers will generally take to the water if danger comes their way.

Cold Tolerant (Ex): A giant beaver's insulating fat grants it a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made against cold attacks and environmental conditions.

Hold Breath (Ex): A giant beaver can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 6 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Natural Lumberjack (Ex): A giant beaver ignores the hardness of wooden objects with its bite attack.

Skills: A giant beaver has a +16 racial bonus on Craft (dambuilding) checks. A dire beaver 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.

Training a Giant Beaver

Although intelligent, a giant beaver requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a giant beaver must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly giant beaver requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Riding a giant beaver requires an exotic saddle. A giant beaver can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Giant beaver kits are worth 3,500 gp apiece on the open market. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a giant beaver.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a giant beaver is up to 798 pounds; a medium load, 799–1,599 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,600–2,400 pounds.

Originally appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor (1975).

 

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Camel, Giant (Titanotylopus)

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/246515-converting-prehistoric-creatures-14.html

Camel, Giant (Titanotylopus)
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 7d8+28 (59 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+15
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d6+6) and two stamps +8 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 5
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Multiattack
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or herd (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Large), 13-14 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This camel is easily the size of a giraffe. Its limbs and neck are stretched out like a giraffe's but it is otherwise built like a camel, complete with a small hump.

The giant camel is a larger cousin of the modern camel, though it lives in grasslands rather than deserts.

Giant camels stand 11-1/2 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh one and a half tons.

COMBAT

Like a modern camel, giant camels will spit if they feel threatened. If forced into a physical confrontation, giant camels will bite and kick their attacker.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #167 (1991).

 

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Sheen, Walker, Strong

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/248323-special-conversion-thread-sheens.html

Sheen, Walker, Strong
Small Construct (Living)
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical discharge
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, detect resources, electrically charged, living construct traits, rapid repair
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will -2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +4, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or team (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —

A lumpy, metallic obloid body is supported by two slender metal legs which end in hooflike iron pads. A third limb, with small metal teeth, emerges from its underside. Dim lights flicker across the sphere in varying patterns.

Sheens are highly-advanced clockwork constructs from an unknown world or plane. Trapped on worlds where magic is mightier than technology, the sheens have learned to mimic life in order to better survive. As a result, sheens have learned to self-replicate and have taken on some living traits. Sheens also modify themselves and their progeny to better survive in their new world.

Sheens are concerned only with their own continued existence and expansion. They regard living creatures as competitors, and expend local resources at an alarming rate.

Walkers are among the simplest of sheens, serving as advance scouts for expanding cysts. Walkers use their sampler arms to test for the specialized mix of resources needed by the cyst, then report back to their home cyst with the report.

Strong walkers have evolved to better fulfill their roles as scouts. Their metallic foil is reinforced for greater durability, and a second sampler arm has been added for versatility.

A strong walker is 4 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds.

Sheens speak their own language.

COMBAT

Walkers usually attempt to escape if threatened, but are capable of defending themselves with the sharp teeth on their sampler arms and with a well-time release of electrical charge.

Defensive Field (Su): Walkers automatically generate a physical protective field. This grants the walker damage reduction 1/- and resistance to acid 1, cold 1, electricity 1, fire 1, and sonic 1. The defensive field can prevent a total of 6 points of damage per day.

Detect Resources (Ex): A walker's technology allows it to continuously locate the largest mass of metal within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the walker can concentrate on a specific metal or mineral. If the specific mineral is within 30 feet, the walker knows the exact location and approximate quantity. If more than one deposit of the specified metal or mineral is within range, the walker senses the largest cache first.

Electrically Charged (Ex): Walkers are powered by electricity. A walker normally carries enough charges to function for up to one month (30 charges). After this time, the walker becomes inert until recharged. Walkers generally return to their cysts before this time elapses.

Each time a walker uses its electrical discharge ability, it expends one charge.

Within a cyst, a walker may fully recharge after one hour of inactivity. Alternatively, a walker can recharge "in the field" if exposed to an attack that deals electricity damage. An attack that deals electricity damage restores 1 charge for every 5 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. For example, a walker hit by a lightning bolt gains 3 charges if the attack would have dealt 15 points of damage. A walker gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Regardless of the amount of electricity damage directed at a walker, it cannot exceed its normal maximum of 30 charges.

Electrical Discharge (Su): Three times per day, a strong walker can release stored energy as a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful slam attack deals an additional 3d4 points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the walker with a metallic weapon while the walker contains an excess charge in its carapace, the foe takes 3d4 points of electricity damage. This attack expends one of the walker's electrical charges, regardless of the damage dealt.

Living Construct Traits: As living constructs, a sheen has a Constitution score. A sheen does not gain bonus hit points by size but gains (or loses) bonus hit points through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures. Unlike other constructs, a sheen does not automatically have low-light vision or darkvision (although many varieties do possess one or both of these traits). Unlike other constructs, a living construct can use the run action.

A sheen has immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain. A sheen cannot heal damage naturally (but does have the rapid repair special quality).

Unlike other constructs, sheens are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save, death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, and ability drain.

Living constructs can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a living construct can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a living construct is vulnerable to a harm spell. However, spells from the healing subschool provide only half effect to a living construct.

A living construct responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A living construct with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. It can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When its hit points are less than 0 and greater than -10, a living construct is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and it cannot perform any actions. However, an inert living construct does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to it, as with a living creature that is stable. A sheen can be raised or resurrected.

A sheen not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. A sheen does not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.

Sheens, unlike other living constructs, are immune to death effects, death necromancy effects, and mind-influencing effects.

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging magic.

Rapid Repair (Ex): A sheen that rests for 1 full hour repairs 1 point of damage, so long as it has at least 1 hit point. Rapid repair does not allow a sheen to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

A character can assist a sheen's self-repair with a Craft (metalworking) check (DC 15). If the check is successful, the the sheen repairs 2 hit points per hour of rest. Providing assistance to the sheen counts as light activity for the assisting character, and a character can assist only one sheen at a time. A sheen cannot assist its own repair.

Skills: A walker has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

On Oerth

The two known machine cysts on Oerth are the Barrier Peaks cyst and the Rael cyst. Many more are suspected to exist, but their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #258 (1999).

 

[Shade]

Vartha

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ial-conversion-thread-moldvays-undead-31.html

Vartha
Medium Deathless
Hit Dice: 9d12+27 (85 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (+3 Dex, +6 +2 breastplate), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+14
Attack: +2 morningstar +17 melee (1d8+11/19-20)
Full Attack: +2 morningstar +17/+12 melee (1d8+11/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Martial training, spell-like abilities, spells
Special Qualities: Aura of hope, damage reduction 5/evil, darkvision 60 ft., deathless traits, immunity to cold and electricity, sacred toughness, +2 turn resistance
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +9
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 16, Con —, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 17
Skills: Concentration +13, Diplomacy +15, Knowledge (religion) +11, Listen +13, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13
Feats: Improved Critical (morningstar), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (morningstar), Weapon Specialization (morningstar)
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or guard detail (2-12)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Any nonevil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: —

The creature appears to be a humanoid clad in a breastplate and wielding a glowing morningstar. Its pallor, however, is that of a newly dead corpse, and its eyes are dull and lifeless.

A vartha is a type of guardian spirit. Some arise spontaneously, sacrificing their afterlives to guard some important relic or individual in the mortal world. Others are sent by nonevil deities to aid their followers in times of need, or to hunt down and punish wrongdoers. Regardless of their origin, all vartha are driven to achieve their goals.

A vartha stands 5 to 7 feet tall and weighs 100 to 300 pounds.

A vartha speaks Common, Celestial, and any other languages known in life.

COMBAT

Vartha attempt to carry out their missions with little sense of self-preservation. They use their spells and formidable melee prowess to protect their wards or guard their assigned treasures.

Aura of Hope (Su): A vartha continuously radiates an aura that fills nonevil creatures with hope. This grants all nonevil creatures within 20 feet a +2 morale bonus on saving throws.

Martial Training (Ex): A vartha possesses the base attack bonus of a fighter of its level, and qualifies for feats as if it were a fighter of a level equal to its Hit Dice.

Sacred Toughness (Ex): A vartha gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma modifier x its Hit Dice.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—hide from undead (DC 14). Caster level 9th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Spells: A vartha can cast divine spells as a 6th-level cleric. A vartha has access to two domains from its deity's list. The save DCs are Wisdom-based. A vartha's innate spellcasting stacks with any levels it takes in the cleric class. Thus, a 5th-level vartha cleric has a caster level of 11th, and gains spells per day as an 11th-level cleric.

Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (5/4+1/4+1/3+1; save DC 13 + spell level):
0th—detect poison, guidance, purify food and drink, resistance, virtue;
1st—divine favor, protection from evil*, remove fear, sanctuary, shield of faith;
2nd—aid, bull's strength, hold person, shield other*, sound burst;
3rd—dispel magic, invisibility purge, prayer, protection from energy*;
*Domain spell. Domains: Good, Protection.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #198 (1993).

 

[Shade]

Camel, Dire

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/246515-converting-prehistoric-creatures-14.html

Camel, Dire
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 14d8+84 (147 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+26
Attack: Bite +16 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (1d8+8) and two stamps +14 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. (15 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Spit, trample 2d8+12
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, sure feet
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 5
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6, Survival +8
Feats: Ability Focus (spit), Endurance, Multiattack, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary or herd (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15-42 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This immense camel stands over twice the height of a man at its shoulders.

Despite their great size, dire camels are as surefooted on shifting sand as their smaller cousins. Sand giants and other large desert-dwelling sentient creatures often raise dire camels as mounts or pack animals.

Dire camels stand 15 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh nearly 5 tons.

COMBAT

Dire camels can be quite surly, spitting and stomping on smaller creatures that bother them.

Spit (Ex): Three times per day, a dire camel can launch spittle as a ranged touch attack to a maximum range of 30 feet. A struck creature is sickened for 1 round, and must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Sure Feet (Ex): Dire camels have broad feet that help them travel easily over sand and similar loose surfaces. They treat shallow sand as normal terrain and deep sand as shallow sand. (See Sand Travel, page 18 of Sandstorm, for descriptions of shallow and deep sand.)

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 25. The save DC is Strength-based.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #167 (1991).

 

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Sheen, Ore-Recovery Walker (Miner)

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/248323-special-conversion-thread-sheens.html

Sheen, Ore-Recovery Walker (Miner)
Small Construct (Living)
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical discharge, plasma shovel
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, detect resources, electrically charged, living construct traits, rapid repair
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -2
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Knowledge (geography) +3, Profession (miner) +6, Search +3
Feats: Skill Focus (Profession [miner]), Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or team (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —

A lumpy, metallic obloid body is supported by two slender metal legs which end in hooflike iron pads. A third limb, with small metal teeth, emerges from its underside, while another shovel-shaped appendage protrudes from its side. Dim lights flicker across the sphere in varying patterns.

Sheens are highly-advanced clockwork constructs from an unknown world or plane. Trapped on worlds where magic is mightier than technology, the sheens have learned to mimic life in order to better survive. As a result, sheens have learned to self-replicate and have taken on some living traits. Sheens also modify themselves and their progeny to better survive in their new world.

Sheens are concerned only with their own continued existence and expansion. They regard living creatures as competitors, and expend local resources at an alarming rate.

Walkers specialized for ore recovery (also known as miners) are common in areas rich in the mineral resources sought by a growing cyst. Miner sheens possess a digger arm in addition to the usual sampler arm, as well as a “plasma shovel” in the form of a focused plasma burst that can unearth soil and stone quickly.

An ore-recovery walker is 4 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds.

Sheens speak their own language.

COMBAT

Miner sheens attack with their digger and sampler arms, electrical discharge, or direct their plasma shovel at organic nuisances.

Defensive Field (Su): Miners automatically generate a physical protective field. This grants the miner damage reduction 1/- and resistance to acid 1, cold 1, electricity 1, fire 1, and sonic 1. The defensive field can prevent a total of 6 points of damage per day.

Detect Resources (Ex): A miner's technology allows it to continuously locate the largest mass of metal within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the miner can concentrate on a specific metal or mineral. If the specific mineral is within 30 feet, the miner knows the exact location and approximate quantity. If more than one deposit of the specified metal or mineral is within range, the miner senses the largest cache first.

Electrically Charged (Ex): Miners are powered by electricity. A miner normally carries enough charges to function for up to one month (30 charges). After this time, the miner becomes inert until recharged. Miners generally return to their cysts before this time elapses.

Each time a miner uses its electrical discharge ability, it expends one charge.

Within a cyst, a miner may fully recharge after one hour of inactivity. Alternatively, a miner can recharge "in the field" if exposed to an attack that deals electricity damage. An attack that deals electricity damage restores 1 charge for every 5 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. For example, a miner hit by a lightning bolt gains 3 charges if the attack would have dealt 15 points of damage. A miner gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Regardless of the amount of electricity damage directed at a miner, it cannot exceed its normal maximum of 30 charges.

Electrical Discharge (Su): Three times per day, a miner can release stored energy as a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful slam attack deals an additional 3d4 points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the miner with a metallic weapon while the miner contains an excess charge in its carapace, the foe takes 3d4 points of electricity damage. This attack expends one of the miner's electrical charges, regardless of the damage dealt.

Increased Carrying Capacity (Ex): A miner sheen is treated as one size category larger for purposes of carrying capacity. A standard miner walker has light load of 100 lb. or less, medium load of 101–200 lb, and heavy load of 201–300 lb.

Living Construct Traits: As living constructs, a sheen has a Constitution score. A sheen does not gain bonus hit points by size but gains (or loses) bonus hit points through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures. Unlike other constructs, a sheen does not automatically have low-light vision or darkvision (although many varieties do possess one or both of these traits). Unlike other constructs, a living construct can use the run action.

A sheen has immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and energy drain. A sheen cannot heal damage naturally (but does have the rapid repair special quality).

Unlike other constructs, sheens are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save, death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, and ability drain.

Living constructs can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a living construct can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a living construct is vulnerable to a harm spell. However, spells from the healing subschool provide only half effect to a living construct.

A living construct responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A living construct with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. It can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When its hit points are less than 0 and greater than -10, a living construct is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and it cannot perform any actions. However, an inert living construct does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to it, as with a living creature that is stable. A sheen can be raised or resurrected.

A sheen not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. A sheen does not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.

Sheens, unlike other living constructs, are immune to death effects, death necromancy effects, and mind-influencing effects.

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging magic.

Plasma Shovel (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, an ore-recovery walker can vent superheated plasma from the tip of its digger arm in a 30-foot line. This deals 4d10 points of damage. A successful DC 15 Reflex save halves the damage. Creatures and materials with a hardness greater than 8 are immune to the plasma shovel's effects. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rapid Repair (Ex): A sheen that rests for 1 full hour repairs 1 point of damage, so long as it has at least 1 hit point. Rapid repair does not allow a sheen to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

A character can assist a sheen's self-repair with a Craft (metalworking) check (DC 15). If the check is successful, the the sheen repairs 2 hit points per hour of rest. Providing assistance to the sheen counts as light activity for the assisting character, and a character can assist only one sheen at a time. A sheen cannot assist its own repair.

Skills: A miner has a +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (geography), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

On Oerth

The two known machine cysts on Oerth are the Barrier Peaks cyst and the Rael cyst. Many more are suspected to exist, but their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #258 (1999).

 

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Sha’az Drone

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/240597-converting-forgotten-realms-monsters-8.html

Sha’az Drone
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 1d4+1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+0
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., resistance to cold 2
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +0
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Any cold land
Organization: Hive (15-30 plus 15-30 warriors plus 1-6 knights and 1 queen)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Advancement: By NPC class only
Level Adjustment: —

This creature's torso and head are humanoid, tapering to a thin muscular waist that gives way to an insect-like lower body. Its six legs are insectile, the hind four supporting its body while the forelegs end in smaller, prehensile hooks. Fluffy white down covers its entire body, and is thickest at the ends of the legs. Its face is nearly human, with a hooked nose and deep-set eyes, except for the pair of large, serrated mandibles jutting from its cheecks. A thick mane of white hair crowns its head.

Sha’az are insectile humanoids found in arctic environments, forming hives dug into glaciers. Half of the hive is composed of hunter-warriors, while the rest are drones. A single queen rules the hive, living several centuries.

Sha’az are able hunters, counting deer, seals, polar bears, and even whales as their quarry. They also hunt the massive caterpillar-like haundar. They are sworn enemies of the parasitic haun, which covet the eggs of the sha'az for their psionic-altering qualities.

Sha’az are generally friendly to other intelligent races, and will trade decorative shell pieces for weapons and other equipment.

A sha’az is 6 feet tall and weighs 120 to 175 pounds.

Sha’az speak their own language, a combination of words, movements, and scents.

Sha’az females are drones in service to the queen; the information in the statistics block is for a commoner of 1st level. The sha’az commoner presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

COMBAT

Sha’az drones rarely wield weapons, and the bites lack the venom of the warriors and knights. As a result, they fight only if their queen is in danger, or if no option of escape is available.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (MC11)(1991).