drnuncheon
Explorer
Before I do a lot of work, has anybody preceded me on this?
Thanks!
Jeff
Thanks!
Jeff
Has anyone converted cranium rats?
- Thread starter drnuncheon
- Start date
Psychotic Jim
First Post
There was a conversion on www.ps3e.com, but the webpage is currently down. You might consider turning a normal rat into a magical beast and adding the powers from 2nd ed, like maybe something like this:
Rat
Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1d10 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +5 melee
Damage: Bite 1d3-4
Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Qualities: Scent, Hive-mind
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +10
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Swarm (10-100)
Challenge Rating: ???
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: See text
Hive-mind (Su): Cranium rats are of sepearate and of one mind all at once. The more cranium rats are present, the greater the intelligence of the rats is. Each cranium rat has a telepathic connection with all the other rats within 10 ft. For every 5 rats, add an extra point of Intelligence to the score for the rats. For 4 or less cranium rats, the Int score is equal to that of the normal rat (2). Adding one more rat gives it an Int of 3. For every 5 more rats, an additional 1 is added to this score. As the intelligence grows, so does the pack's powers.
Int score Ability
7 or less Standard rat
8 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 1 wizard spell levels
9 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 2 wizard spell levels
10 Mind blast, 1 every 3 rounds, as mind flayer
11 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 3 wizard spell levels
12 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 4 wizard spell levels
13 Mind blast, 1 every rounds, as mind flayer
14 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 5 wizard spell levels
15 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 6 wizard spell levels
16 Mind blast, 1 every round, as mind flayer
17 Gas immunity
18 Poison Immunity
19 SR 13
20 SR 19
21 SR 25
Also, treat the pack as one entity when it comes to HD affected by an area-affecting damage spell. For example, if a 30-rat pack is hit by an 8 HD fireball, only 8 are killed if the pack's Reflex save is failed, or 4 if it is successful. Also, treat the rat's saves as coming from a Magical beast equal to the pack's Intelligence.
A cranium rat pack is quick to break telepathic bonds with an individual rat who is under the influence of an mind-influencing affect, so each rat must be so dealt with individuallly. However, killing the members of a pack reduces it's intelligence according to the current number of members.
So there's a fairly rough conversion. You might also want to ask about others' interpretation in the Creature Catalog forums.
Rat
Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1d10 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +5 melee
Damage: Bite 1d3-4
Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Qualities: Scent, Hive-mind
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +10
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Swarm (10-100)
Challenge Rating: ???
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: See text
Hive-mind (Su): Cranium rats are of sepearate and of one mind all at once. The more cranium rats are present, the greater the intelligence of the rats is. Each cranium rat has a telepathic connection with all the other rats within 10 ft. For every 5 rats, add an extra point of Intelligence to the score for the rats. For 4 or less cranium rats, the Int score is equal to that of the normal rat (2). Adding one more rat gives it an Int of 3. For every 5 more rats, an additional 1 is added to this score. As the intelligence grows, so does the pack's powers.
Int score Ability
7 or less Standard rat
8 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 1 wizard spell levels
9 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 2 wizard spell levels
10 Mind blast, 1 every 3 rounds, as mind flayer
11 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 3 wizard spell levels
12 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 4 wizard spell levels
13 Mind blast, 1 every rounds, as mind flayer
14 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 5 wizard spell levels
15 spell-like abilities mimicing total of 6 wizard spell levels
16 Mind blast, 1 every round, as mind flayer
17 Gas immunity
18 Poison Immunity
19 SR 13
20 SR 19
21 SR 25
Also, treat the pack as one entity when it comes to HD affected by an area-affecting damage spell. For example, if a 30-rat pack is hit by an 8 HD fireball, only 8 are killed if the pack's Reflex save is failed, or 4 if it is successful. Also, treat the rat's saves as coming from a Magical beast equal to the pack's Intelligence.
A cranium rat pack is quick to break telepathic bonds with an individual rat who is under the influence of an mind-influencing affect, so each rat must be so dealt with individuallly. However, killing the members of a pack reduces it's intelligence according to the current number of members.
So there's a fairly rough conversion. You might also want to ask about others' interpretation in the Creature Catalog forums.
Bugbear
First Post
It just so happens that I have the PS3E conversion sitting on my HD. Here it is
Monster: Cranium Rats (arcane)
Type: Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 15 ft.
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee
Damage: Bite 1d3-1
Face/Reach: 2½ ft. by 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Mental powers
Special Qualities: Communal defenses, hive mind, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2+, Wis 12, Cha 2+
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +4, Hide +14, Move Silently +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any underground
Organization: Swarm (10-100)
Challenge Rating: 1/8 per rat; +1 CR for every ten rats above 34.
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: -
Description: Cranium rats are verminous creatures not uncommon in Sigil and pestilent cities of the Lower Planes. Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind.
Cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.
Combat: The cranium rat is not an aggressive creature, avoiding open attacks in favour of flight or ambushes. Cranium rats usually move in swarms of ten or more.
Communal Defenses (Su): When calculating damage from area-affecting spells, the cranium rat swarm is treated as a single creature with one pool of hit points. For example, a fireball that inflicts 20 points of damage kills of 20 hit points of cranium rats, rather than all of them.
Hive Mind (Ex): Cranium rats are automatically in telepathic contact with all other cranium rats within 10 fet, and possess a group mind that allows them to share not just thoughts, but also brain capacity - every five rats in contact generate 1 point of Intelligence and Charisma, and grant a +1 bonus to all saving throws. However, the rats quickly break the telepathic link with any individual that falls under another creature's control. Consequently, spells such as suggestion and charm monster affect but a single rat.
Mental Powers: With increasing Intelligence comes increasing powers, as shown below. These powers are cumulative.
# RatsInt/ChaAbilities
1-4 </TD1 None
5-34 2-6 None
35-39 7 1 level of sorcerer spells
40-44 8+1 level of sorcerer spells
45-49 9 Mind Blast, 1/3 rounds
50-54 10+1 levels of sorcerer spells
55-59 11+1 levels of sorcerer spells
60-64 12 Mind Blast, 1/2 rounds
65-69 13+1 levels of sorcerer spells
70-74 14+1 levels of sorcerer spells
75-79 15 Mind Blast 1/round
80-84 16 Immune to gases
85-89 17 Immune to cold
90-94 18SR 13
95-99 19SR 19
100+ 20SR 25
Sorcerer Spells (Sp): Cranium rats can cast a number of spell-levels of sorcerer spells each day; for example, a 55-rat swarm might cast two 2nd-level spells, one 3rd-level and one 1st level spell, or one 4th-level spell each day. The cranium rat swarm casts these spells at a level equal to half its Intelligence score. The save DC of these spells is 10 + the spell level + the swarm's Charisma modifier.
Mind Blast (Sp): This attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed at a Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is 10 + ½ the swarm's Intelligence score + the swarm's Charisma modifier.
Skills: Cranium rats receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.
Habitat/Society: None
Ecology: None
Monster: Cranium Rats (arcane)
Type: Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 15 ft.
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee
Damage: Bite 1d3-1
Face/Reach: 2½ ft. by 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Mental powers
Special Qualities: Communal defenses, hive mind, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2+, Wis 12, Cha 2+
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +4, Hide +14, Move Silently +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any underground
Organization: Swarm (10-100)
Challenge Rating: 1/8 per rat; +1 CR for every ten rats above 34.
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: -
Description: Cranium rats are verminous creatures not uncommon in Sigil and pestilent cities of the Lower Planes. Cranium rats are distinguishable from their normal cousins by the pulsating brains that protrude from the tops of their skulls. They are many creatures and one all at once, for they possess a type of group mind.
Cranium rats exist as the eyes and ears of Ilsensine, the great god-brain of the illithids. The extent and purpose of their powers are held closely secret, lest Ilsensine's instruments be discovered. Those who discover the true purpose of the cranium rats are undersentance of swift and terrible death.
Combat: The cranium rat is not an aggressive creature, avoiding open attacks in favour of flight or ambushes. Cranium rats usually move in swarms of ten or more.
Communal Defenses (Su): When calculating damage from area-affecting spells, the cranium rat swarm is treated as a single creature with one pool of hit points. For example, a fireball that inflicts 20 points of damage kills of 20 hit points of cranium rats, rather than all of them.
Hive Mind (Ex): Cranium rats are automatically in telepathic contact with all other cranium rats within 10 fet, and possess a group mind that allows them to share not just thoughts, but also brain capacity - every five rats in contact generate 1 point of Intelligence and Charisma, and grant a +1 bonus to all saving throws. However, the rats quickly break the telepathic link with any individual that falls under another creature's control. Consequently, spells such as suggestion and charm monster affect but a single rat.
Mental Powers: With increasing Intelligence comes increasing powers, as shown below. These powers are cumulative.
# RatsInt/ChaAbilities
1-4 </TD1 None
5-34 2-6 None
35-39 7 1 level of sorcerer spells
40-44 8+1 level of sorcerer spells
45-49 9 Mind Blast, 1/3 rounds
50-54 10+1 levels of sorcerer spells
55-59 11+1 levels of sorcerer spells
60-64 12 Mind Blast, 1/2 rounds
65-69 13+1 levels of sorcerer spells
70-74 14+1 levels of sorcerer spells
75-79 15 Mind Blast 1/round
80-84 16 Immune to gases
85-89 17 Immune to cold
90-94 18SR 13
95-99 19SR 19
100+ 20SR 25
Sorcerer Spells (Sp): Cranium rats can cast a number of spell-levels of sorcerer spells each day; for example, a 55-rat swarm might cast two 2nd-level spells, one 3rd-level and one 1st level spell, or one 4th-level spell each day. The cranium rat swarm casts these spells at a level equal to half its Intelligence score. The save DC of these spells is 10 + the spell level + the swarm's Charisma modifier.
Mind Blast (Sp): This attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed at a Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is 10 + ½ the swarm's Intelligence score + the swarm's Charisma modifier.
Skills: Cranium rats receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.
Habitat/Society: None
Ecology: None
drnuncheon
Explorer
Thanks guys! It'll be a big help.
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