Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off giants and their kin


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freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
Should the lesser versions get any SLAs? I'm kind of leaning against it, and we could move to the temperaments if you guys agree.
 



Shade

Monster Junkie
Round Two...

Temperament
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Mountains peaks, cloud islands, sea caverns
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: See below
INELLIGENCE: Exceptional (16)
TREASURE: E, Q (x10), S
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -6
MOVEMENT: 12, swim 12, fly 15 (E)
HIT DICE: 21
THAC0: 5
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20 or by weapon (3-36+12)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy-draining lightning bolt
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Impervious to electricity, +3 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
SIZE: G (26’ tall)
MORALE: Fanatic (18)
XP VALUE: 21,000

Temperaments are undead storm giants. Their skin is the deep black of a thunderhead just before an electrical storm. Sparks and lightning bolts, neon blue in color, dance along their bodies, while larger lightning bolts several yards in length constantly shoot forth from the eyes and mouth. When they are outside, they can summon at will a miniature thunderhead above their heads to enshroud them in their own private thunderstorm. It doesn’t inflict damage in combat, but it’s frightfully impressive, especially at night. They can also take the form of a crackling thunderhead, though in that case, the only attack they can make is the lightning strike listed below. The giant’s movement rate in this form is 15, but all other attributes remain the same.

Combat: Temperaments have one physical attack per round: either a blow form a lightning-sheathed fist that inflicts 2d10+12 hp damage, or a weapon strike that inflicts 3d12+12 hp damage on the foe. Unlike other undead giants, they cannot hurl boulders.

Once per round, in lieu of a physical attack, a temperament may shoot a massive bolt of blue lightning. This lightning strike inflicts 1d10 hp damage to the victim, or half that if a saving throw vs. wands is successful. Making a second save vs. death magic protects the victim from the energy-draining properties of this lightning bolt, which steals one level away from the target. (Unlike other undead giants, temperaments can only make an energy draining attack as part of a lightning strike, not by physically touching the victim.) Those who are slain by this attack become half-strength temperaments under the control of their slayer. Giants are the exception to this, becoming regular temperaments. The electrical attack of these new recruits inflicts only 1d8 hp damage, while their Strength is not greater than it was in life. Upon the death of their “creator”, these new monsters become free-willed undead who wander off to find their own lairs.

Temperaments are immune to both cold- and electrical-based attacks, as well as mind -affecting magic, sleep, hold, poison, death, and paralyzation. Holy water inflicts 2-8 hp damage epr vial, and a raise dead spell utterly destroys them. Normal weapons, or magical ones of less than +3 enchantment, do not harm them. Although they wear no armor, their skin is dessicated to the point that it has a natural armor class of -6. These undead creatures are immune to sunlight and are not bothered by it in the least. This is partly because of their light-producing electrical nature but also because the thunderhead that they invariably summon up when they go outside provides them with ample shade.

Habitat/Society: Temperaments are the most solitary of all undead giants; they are only found alone. The only exceptions are half-strength creatures created by the slaying of other giants, and these are not true equals. Temperaments often make revenge attacks upon their former families, wipiong them out so as to deny them the pleasures of life.

Ecology: Temperaments eat no food and are sustained entirely by energy from the Negative Material Plane. They do, however, obetain satisfaction from draining the life energy of living things. All animals sense the presence of these undead monsters and shun the areas they call home; temperaments dwell in the same places where storm giants do. Temperament bone or essence is considered just the thing for the finest quality wands of lightning, or a nonmetallic ring of shocking grasp.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #254 (1998).
 

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
Ok, we need the "lesser" version for create spawn.

Energy draining lightning bolt.

I think melee attacks should add some electricity damage.

I'm thinking an Intimidate bonus from the storm cloud above their head.

Another cloud form.
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Compared to a 2e storm giant, it looks like these have the same Str, but 2 additional HD.

So, simply boost Cha by 2 or 4, and otherwise retain storm giant's relative stats?
 


Shade

Monster Junkie
Added to Homebrews.

For the energy-draining lightning bolt, here's a start...

Dark Lightning (Su): As a standard action, a temperament may unleash a x-foot line of lightning fused with negative energy. This deals 1d10 points of electricity damage. Additionally, living creatures hit by a temperament's dark lightning gain one negative level. The DC is x for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the temperament gains 5 temporary hit points.

The damage seems awfully poor for a lightning bolt at that level. We don't want it to be so high that it becomes preferable to a full melee attack, but I think a bit of a boost wouldn't hurt.


Do we want to retain any of the following from the storm giant?

Freedom of Movement (Su): Storm giants have a continuous freedom of movement ability as the spell (caster level 20th). The effect can be dispelled, but the storm giant can create it again on its next turn as a free action.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—call lightning (DC 15), chain lightning (DC 18). Caster level 15th. 2/day—control weather, levitate. Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Water Breathing (Ex): Storm giants can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use their spell-like abilities while submerged.


Suggestions for the "intimidating thunderhead" writeup
 

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