Kraken Variants

[Cleon]

The Brecht priests' claim it's extraplanar in original seems unlikely on the face of it, although I suppose it could be a Fiendish/Half-Fiend/Water-Element Kraken that used to live in the Abyss or the Elemental Plane of Water. That could give it the SR of this monster, but might add more SLAs the original text makes no mention of!

Upon reflection, how about making it a Native Outsider?

Our only Awnshegh conversion is the Ice Fiend, which we decided was a Large Outsider (Chaotic, Cold, Evil, Native). Remember the Ice Fiend was human before gaining his Azrai Blood Powers.

If we follow that precedent for The Kraken it'd mean Colossal Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Native, Water) for the Type (Subtypes).

Dang it, just noticed some stat issues in The Ice Fiend. Better raise them in "corrections".

 

[freyar]

I can go for Native Outsider as you suggest. And it had better be Colossal! (Heh heh, I have a strange fondness for Colossal+ if you feel inclined to make it really big.)

The average 2E kraken has 90 hp, so this has 2-4/9 times as many hp. The 3E kraken gets 110 hp on average from its HD. If we just use the 2-4/9 multiplier in an approximate way, that should give this thing almost 60d8 for HD (270 hp average). That seems like quite a lot! On the other hand, 30d8 is only 135 hp on average, which seems low. Split the difference at 40 to 50 d8 and just make sure it's got plenty of Con?

 

[Cleon]

I can go for Native Outsider as you suggest. And it had better be Colossal!

Updating Awnshegh Kraken Working Draft with Native Outsider.

(Heh heh, I have a strange fondness for Colossal+ if you feel inclined to make it really big.)

I would be willing to consider making it extra large on the Colossal scale.

The average 2E kraken has 90 hp, so this has 2-4/9 times as many hp. The 3E kraken gets 110 hp on average from its HD. If we just use the 2-4/9 multiplier in an approximate way, that should give this thing almost 60d8 for HD (270 hp average). That seems like quite a lot! On the other hand, 30d8 is only 135 hp on average, which seems low. Split the difference at 40 to 50 d8 and just make sure it's got plenty of Con?

Why don't we decide on an approximate Challenge Rating and work back from there?

I feel it should be an end of campaign "edge of Epic" grade monster like a Tarrasque or Solar, so somewhere about CR 20 to CR 23 seems appropriate.

A regular Kraken is CR 12, the Awnshegh version is is an Outsider with assorted funky powers which'd probably be worth another CR or two, plus it's a size bigger for one more. So it'd likely be CR 14-15 as a 20 HD monster.

Improving Monsters says the +5-9 Challenge Rating step from CR 14-15 to CR 20-23 is 10-18 HD of Outsider, which comes to 30-38 HD.

As you say, the 30d8 at the bottom of that range seems a bit low but that higher limit would be acceptable. At the minimum I'd give it 33 HD since that's where the SRD Kraken turns Colossal.

Hmm…

How about we figure the 220 hp original had 5 or 6 hit points per die instead of the 4.5 average? That'd give it between 36 Hit Dice and 44 Hit Dice.

That seems reasonable for a not-quite epic menace.

 

[Cleon]

I would be willing to consider making it extra large on the Colossal scale.

For what it's worth:

If it's regular Colossal and follows the Kraken tentacle ratios, its 30-foot Space plus 80-foot tentacle Reach add to 110 feet, which is conveniently the same as the length giving in the AD&D Awnshegh Kraken's Size entry.

However, that might mean it isn't "the largest living thing on Cerilia" as claimed if it's merely as big as a regular Colossal Kraken.

I suppose the normal Krakens in those seas might never reach 33 HD or maybe the sages who made the claim are unaware they do.

Or the claim's just flim-flam. The largest whales are significantly more massive than a Colossal Kraken.

 

[freyar]

Well, we could always make it Colossal but at the large end of that range. How does that work for you?

I'd be ok with 40 HD (splitting the difference of your estimates) and giving it a good Con score. Does that sound good?

 

[Cleon]

Well, we could always make it Colossal but at the large end of that range. How does that work for you?

I'd be ok with 40 HD (splitting the difference of your estimates) and giving it a good Con score. Does that sound good?

Works for me!

Updating Awnshegh Kraken Working Draft with 40 Hit Dice.

So what Space/Reach shall we use then?

Ability scores next I guess.

Regular Kraken are Str 34, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 21, Wis 20, Cha 20.

This guy has "Genius (19)" Intelligence, which I just realized is a hair inferior to a regular 2E Kraken which has "Genius+ (19-20+)", so maybe we should make it a point lower in a mental ability or two? Maybe put Int and Wis one rung down and compensate with a higher Charisma, since it's an Awnshegh?

Physique wise it's bigger and stronger so we'd want a boost there.

The size boost to Colossal alone would give a Kraken +8 Str and +4 Con.

I'm inclined to increase the Strength a tad since it's bigger than regular Colossal and raise Dexterity since a Kraken's 10 is just too low for a creature that needs to coordinate all those limbs. Let's say Dex 13, the same as the Mystaran Kraken, and another +4 to Strength?

Putting that together results in Str 46, Dex 13, Con 33, Int 19, Wis 20, Cha 24.

I'd be happy to tweak some of those numbers higher if you think the Kraken needs to be more formidable.

 

[Cleon]

So what Space/Reach shall we use then?

Since we'd opted for Colossal+ I'll put in 40 ft./30 ft. as a placeholder.

The bigger question is Reach for its tentacles and arms. The text does not specify, but it's bigger than a basic 90-foot Kraken being the "The largest monster in Cerilia".

Hmm, how about we make it 50 ft./40 ft. (90 ft. with tentacle, 60 ft. with arm)? That's a nice Epic base size equal to the Devastation Vermin and by a pleasant coincidence the 50 foot Space plus 60 foot Arm Reach equals the 110 length of the original creature.

The arm/tentacle ratio is 3:2 rather than the 2:1 of the 2E Kraken but there's no evidence for the original monster's limb length. The single illustration is inconclusive since it only shows part of the beast and portions of the length of three tentacles. It also looks rather octopus-like in its head shape and eyes. Finally, instead of a cephalopod's beak it has an elongated oval mouth lined with rings and rings of teeth like a lamprey's.

Actually, I'll email you a scan of the picture so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[freyar]

I'm happy with your suggested ability scores.

I also like 50 ft./40 ft. (90 ft. with tentacle, 60 ft. with arm). Nice and big! And it fits the picture well enough.

Standard Imp Grab and Constrict with the shorter arms? Maybe Imp Grab and some kind of ship damaging attack for the tentacles.

The picture doesn't have a beak, but the original text does. We'll have to choose.

 

[Cleon]

I'm happy with your suggested ability scores.

I also like 50 ft./40 ft. (90 ft. with tentacle, 60 ft. with arm). Nice and big! And it fits the picture well enough.

Updating Awnshegh Kraken Working Draft.

I shortened the Reach to 30 ft. since it's only for the beak and it seems wrong giving its mouth a Reach longer than a Colossal Titan's arm reach.

Also, it gives its arms and tentacles an aesthetically pleasing multiple of its base Reach.

Standard Imp Grab and Constrict with the shorter arms? Maybe Imp Grab and some kind of ship damaging attack for the tentacles.

We've already got Improved Grab and Constrict in the special attacks line. It's just a matter of updating the Combat crunch.

Ship Crushing is a very appropriate addition.

Shall we just give it the Mystaran Kraken's Shipcrusher special ability?

Shipcrusher (Ex): The Kraken can constrict a colossal creature or object with more than one tentacle. The constriction damage increases by 1d? for each additional tentacle.

The picture doesn't have a beak, but the original text does. We'll have to choose.

If in conflict I'll take the text over an artist's interpretation. So let's give it a beak.

 

[Cleon]

Shall we just give it the Mystaran Kraken's Shipcrusher special ability?

While we're on the subject, shall we give it any other of the Mystaran Kraken's special abilities? Adding in Expert Grappler seems an obvious pick and I'm tempted by Improved Low-Light Vision…

Dang it, I forgot to include the Improved Grab crunch in the Mystaran Kraken! Better fix that pronto.

Updating Mystaran Kraken Working Draft.