D&D General Half breed monsters.

[Gorg]

I'm currently preparing a 3rd party module : The Labrynth of the Dweller, by Dungeoneer's Guild Games for my 5e party. The module is for the 1e AD&D rules, so I'm going thru and updating all the monsters. It's a classic romp through a large monster filled dungeon!

I quickly came upon several creatures that were either new (this module only), or for which there are no 5e counterparts. (Phooey!!!)

One of the former, is a race of half ogre/ half Hill Giants. They are fairly central to the upper level forces. My quandry is how to translate this into 5e. I read/watch all sorts of posts talking about odd mixed race characters- but those are PC's, not monsters... I looked at Ogrillions, but they are CR1- a step backwards from Ogres. I can't seem to find a way to do these properly...

One of the latter type is the Boggart. Any of you remember that one? lol. An "immature" Will O Wisp from the 1e Monster Manual 2. Nasty (in a fun way) little buggers- perfect for trolling groups that aren't paying attention. No 5e version I could find. Google found me a fan made monster of that name- that was a completely different creature, lol. I finally located a 3e version in a Necromancer Games book, called the Tome of Horrors. I wonder why it was dropped from the game? This thing is a random encounter, so it would just pop up somewhere and mess with the party. Shape changing, invisibility, lightning touch or ranged attack, and a nasty confusion ability.

The Dweller, is a full custom beast. with traits of a dragon and a snake. Reminds me of the Linnorm Dragons from who knows what book/Dragon mag... Acid cloud breath weapon, claw/claw/bite/constrict attack routine, and the bite is also poisonous. Save or die poisonous. 13 hit dice, and the stat block calls it an 8th level monster 7300+ 18/hp XP. I ended up kitbashing 3 possibles, after looking thru nearly ALL of my monster books. a. a modified young green dragon. b. a Deep Drake (Tome of Beasts) modified to better fit the above template, and C. a modified Drakard (sic) from the same book, with inspiration from their Campaign setting book Monsters and treasures of (something or other).

All got a tail smack attack instead of constrict, to retain the 4x multi-attack. All have the acid cloud breath weapon, and a poisonous bite. A. is CR 8, the others are CR9.

 

[the Jester]

I have a conversion of the boggart that I did:

BOGGART
Source: 1e Monster Manual 2.

A boggart is the immature form of a will-o'-wisp fey variant. It haunts the same areas of the world as its grown form does. It usually appears as a 2' tall humanoid form covered in coarse, dark fur, with long, shaggy hair.

As it grows, the boggart uses its humanoid form less and less. When it becomes an adult will-o'-wisp, it loses its ability to revert to that form entirely.

Boggart Treasure: A boggart doesn't usually collect treasure.

Boggart
Small Fey, usually chaotic evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 36 (8d6+8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR 12 (+1), DEX 18 (+4), CON 13 (+1),
INT 14 (+2), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 11 (+0)

Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 xp); Prof +2

Detect Thoughts. The boggart can continually detect thoughts, as the spell.

ACTIONS

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) bludgeoning damage, plus 10 (3d6) lightning damage.

Jolt. The boggart unleashes a jolt of lightning that jumps to one creature it can see within 10'. The target must make a DC 10 Dexterity save, taking 11 (2d10) lightning damage on a failure or half that on a success.

Confusion (1/day). The boggart targets each creature in a 10' radius sphere centered on a point within 90'. Each target must make a DC 10 Wis save or be confused for 1 minute (save ends). While affected, a creature can't use reactions, and at the start of its turn, it rolls 1d10.

1-2: The creature uses all its speed to move in a random direction, then ends its turn.

3-4: The creature babbles or makes meaningless noises, then ends its turn.

5: The creature falls prone or stands up from prone, and then ends its turn.

6: The creature hurls whatever it is holding 2d4 x 5' in a random direction.

7-8: The creature uses its action to make one attack on a random creature within range of whatever weapon it's currently armed with. If it isn't armed, it makes an unarmed attack.

9-10: The creature can move and act normally.

Shapechanger. The boggart can use its action to polymorph into small globe of light or back into its humanoid form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is subsumed into the new form. The boggart's statistics are the same in each form.

 

[Gorg]

That works! Thanks.

 

[aco175]

I tend to guesstimate a lot when adding updated monsters like the half ogre/giant. You might want something with the ogre base and add a couple more cool things to give it more of a punch. Doubling the HP is the easiest and leave everything else alone. Easy but make combat longer and a bit boring. You want something that gets a few attacks in and leaves combat not a slog. I might give them +25% HP and a cool power that knocks back 10ft on a hit. I would leave the to-hit the same but give them multiattack to make up for it. Easy and done.

If they are more part of the adventure and you want more, then give a more advance one a recharge power that lets all the others in 30ft a free attack or attack with advantage until this one is slain. I just add powers to make things cool.