Greyhawk monsters

[BOZ]

this will be my last batch of conversions before 3.5e comes out...

i will be converting greyhawk monsters from the Greyhawk Adventures hardback, and the Monstrous Compendium appendix MC5. i'll do as many as i like until i get bored... then i will wait until i have both the new MM and PHB in my hands before i do more.

 

[BOZ]

CHANGECAT

CHANGECAT
Domestic Cat Form
Tiny Magical Beast (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 4d10 (22 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 25 ft
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Attacks: Claw +8 melee, bite +3 melee (BAB +6)
Damage: Claw 1d3-2, bite 1d2-2
Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Improved grab, rake 1d2-2
Special Qualities: Alternate form
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +4, Hide +16*, Listen +7, Move Silently +12, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse

Plains Cat Form
Medium-Size Magical Beast (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (30 hp)
Initiative: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft
AC: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Attacks: 2 claws +8 melee, bite +3 melee (BAB +4)
Damage: Claw 1d3+3, bite 2d6+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Improved grab, rake 1d4+1
Special Qualities: Alternate form, sprint
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +14, Climb +6, Hide +18*, Listen +7, Move Silently +14, Spot +7
Feats: Weapon Finesse

Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest, plains, and hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral (good tendencies)
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Tiny); 9-12 HD (Small)

The changecat is a feline creature with the ability to change form from a small house cat into a large plains cat. In the smaller form, it is identical to a normal domestic cat. Its coloration runs the full spectrum of colors and patterns that a normal housecat may have, but its eyes are steadier and more confident. The creature spends most of its time in this smaller form, as it requires less food to sustain itself.
When this beast is in its larger form, it is very sleek, powerful, and fast. Its tawny coat is more like a lion’s than a cheetah’s, lacking spots of any sort. Its claws are not retractable in this form, and are designed for traction as much as for fighting.
Changecats are the result of a wizard’s experiments to engineer a perfect animal companion and guardian of his most valuable treasures. By manipulating a housecat magically, he was able to create the first changecat, which was then able to breed true with any feline animal. Changecats roam the wilds of the world, but are still often encountered as pets among the rich and powerful. Changecats have an affinity for humans, elves, and half-elves, and regards other humanoids with suspicion. If a humanoid treats it kindly, there is a good chance that it will adopt that person and become a traveling companion. It will remain in housecat form, and its new friend will probably not learn its true nature until the changecat’s companion becomes threatened.

COMBAT
A changecat rarely fights anything larger than itself while in the smaller form, and will switch to the larger form as quickly as possible. It hunts mice, small rats and birds in its natural form, but while in plains cat form it will go after larger prey such as deer or antelopes. Its preferred hunting tactic is to stalk from concealment until it gets within 100 yards of its prey, then burst forth with amazing speed. Changecats do not hunt intelligent creatures, and only attack them if they attack first. They have no natural enemies, but they have displayed an antipathy for goblins, orcs, and half-orcs.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the changecat must hit with both of its claw attacks (or its single claw attack, in domestic cat form). If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A changecat that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+8 melee) with its hind legs for 1d2-2 damage each in domestic cat form, and 1d4+1 damage each in plains cat form.
Alternate Form (Su): A changecat’s natural form is that of a small housecat. It can assume the form of a Medium-Size cat, similar in size and bodyline to a cheetah. Changing form is a full-round action. A changecat can make this change up to five times per day.
A changecat remains in one form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, nor does the changecat revert to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell, however reveals its natural form if it is in plains cat form.
Sprint (Ex): Once an hour, a changecat in plains cat form can take a charge action to move ten times its normal speed (400 ft.)
Skills: Changecats receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide, Spot, and Listen checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance and Move Silently checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

The changecat first appeared in Greyhawk Adventures (1988), then in Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix II, MC11 (1991).

 

[Krishnath]

Very cool boz, sort of a feline version of the spriggan

 

[BOZ]

i did use the spriggan's writeup for inspiration on how to handle this little/big kitty.

as a side note, back in the days when it was just me and my friend jim playing and who ever was the "player" ran a whole party on their own, my party encountered a pack (yeah, they are solitary aren't they?) of changecats. actually, they were just mewing around in a house or something, and 2 of them adopted a couple of my party members.

 

[Krishnath]

Sounds like a fun game. Reminds me of the Abombinabull joke...

 

[Gez]

Once, in a weird RPG (of the GM's design, practically rules-less), where everyone was playing weird things, my character was a faery cat. Winged, and able to shift size from that of a kitten to that of a lion. It was fun.

 

[BOZ]

NIMBUS

NIMBUS
Small Outsider (Extraplanar, Electricity)
Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: Fly 120 ft (perfect)
AC: 18 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Attacks: Shock +11 melee touch (BAB +9)
Damage: Shock 5d6
Face/Reach: 5ft /5 ft
Special Attacks: Engulf, lightning bolts
Special Qualities: Erratic form, shocking current, absorb electricity, immunities, vulnerabilities, static charge, DR 10/+1, outsider traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Intuit Direction +3, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Blind-Fight, Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse (touch)

Climate/Terrain: Any mountains (Elemental Plane of Air, Positive Energy Plane)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-16 HD (Small); 17-24 HD (Medium-Size)

The nimbus is believed to come from a place where the Elemental Plane of Air touches the Positive Energy plane, giving the spark of life to all manner of electrical beings. It is known to visit the Material Plane occasionally, being attracted to storms in high mountain ranges. The nimbus is an energy creature with no fixed form, and changes its shape frequently. In all its forms, the nimbus gives off a brilliant white or blue-white light.
Though a nimbus appears to be a sort of elemental, it is not a true elemental. The nimbus usually enters the Material plane through gates or rifts that sometimes open at the core of powerful lightning storms. It will spend its time on the playing among the mountain peeks for sheer enjoyment. On its own plane, the nimbus is known to travel in groups, though they only appear singly on the Material plane.
This creature does not understand life, as we know it. It does not consider animals, plants, and other sentient creatures to be alive and makes no attempt to communicate with them in any fashion (even magic and psionics are completely ineffective). It may consider energy phenomena such as fires and lightning bolts to be alive, though.

COMBAT
A nimbus on the Material plane is never aggressive unless attacked. Its preferred method of attack is to electrocute opponents. If the target is wearing armor made of ferrous metal (such as iron or steel, but not mithril or adamantine), or is carrying more than 25 pounds worth of ferrous metal equipment, the nimbus receives a +2 circumstance bonus to its attack roll.
Engulf (Ex): A nimbus in the form of St. Elmo’s fire can attempt to surround an opponent and electrocute it. It cannot make a touch attack during a round in which it electrocutes. As a standard action, the nimbus moves into the space of another creature, filling that space up with its energy form. Opponents can make attacks of opportunity against the nimbus, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. A victim who does not attempt an attack of opportunity must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 16) or be engulfed by the nimbus; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the nimbus moves forward. Engulfed creatures are subject to the nimbus’ shock touch, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The nimbus can only use this attack up to four times per day, as further attacks will drain its energy.
Lightning Bolts (Su): A nimbus can discharge a small lightning bolt each round, as the spell. These bolts only reach up to a range of 60 feet, and deal 2d6 points of electrical damage (Reflex save DC 16 for half).
Erratic Form (Ex): A nimbus changes form frequently, and has four shapes that it typically appears in: ball lightning (a slowly drifting ball of light similar to a will-o-wisp); sheet lightning (a veil similar to a small aurora); bolt lightning (bolts of light arcing from object to object); or St. Elmo's fire (a diffuse, flickering glow that surrounds an object). The nimbus can change from one form to another at will as a free action. The nimbus can reach its maximum speed of 120 feet only in bolt form; in other forms, it's limited to a speed of 50 feet.
Shocking Current (Ex): If a weapon used against a nimbus is made of ferrous metal, its wielder suffers 1d4 points of electrical damage for each successful attack on the nimbus, and may drop the weapon (Fortitude save DC 14 to avoid).
Absorb Electricity (Ex): Electrical attacks do no damage to a nimbus, and instead restore 3d4 hit points to it.
Immunities (Ex): The nimbus is immune to all mind-affecting effects, poison, and acid.
Vulnerabilities (Ex): Magical attacks that include water (such as ice storm spells) do double damage to a nimbus, however non-magical water does not harm the creature.
Static Charge (Ex): When the nimbus is provoked, it generates a static charge powerful enough to give creatures within thirty feet a mild electrical charge. This causes an uncomfortable feeling to creatures within ten feet of the nimbus, and causes any ferrous metal objects to glow with their own St. Elmo's fire. This induced charge does no damage, though it may appear hostile and dangerous.
Outsider Traits: A nimbus has darkvision (60-foot range). It cannot be raised or resurrected.

The nimbus first appeared in Greyhawk Adventures (1988).

 

[Krishnath]

I like the nimbus, it's one of those random things you can add to an encounter without really forcing the party to combat one additional monster.

 

[BOZ]

trying to figure out what it wants could take a whole game session.

 

[Krishnath]

And the best part is that it doesn't really want anything