Special Conversion Thread: Finishing off the oozes

[Cleon]

Before moving on, we still need to tackle its odd ability to negate magical weapon bonuses.

Maybe something like a personal-range antimagic field? Particularly this bit: "Furthermore, while a magic sword does not function magically within the area, it is still a sword (and a masterwork sword at that)."

Well obviously it can't be a full antimagic field, since that would make it immune to all sorts of magic, including spells.

How about this:

Quell Enhancement (Su) - A necromantic sludge ignores any enhancement bonus of weapons used against it. Thus, a +3 longsword is effectively just a masterwork longsword when attacking the creature. This protection extends to corpses the sludge is animating with its Zombify power.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. Do we want to extend the quelling to additional magical weapon properties as well, such as keen or shock? We should also negate enhancement bonuses to natural weapons, such as that provided by magic fang.

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good. Do we want to extend the quelling to additional magical weapon properties as well, such as keen or shock? We should also negate enhancement bonuses to natural weapons, such as that provided by magic fang.

I'd say it only works against straight enhancement bonuses. There's no mention of it being immune to other magical weapon properties in the original text, and that's a pretty powerful ability to add to the sludge. I agree that it should cover natural weapons. How about revising the power description to:

Quell Enhancement (Su) - A necromantic sludge ignores any enhancement bonus on weapons used against it, including natural weapons. Thus, a +3 longsword is effectively just a masterwork longsword when attacking the creature, and the magic fang spell provides no enhancement bonus to a natural weapon's attack or damage rolls against this monster. This protection extends to corpses the sludge is animating with its Zombify power.

 

[Shade]

I'd say it only works against straight enhancement bonuses. There's no mention of it being immune to other magical weapon properties in the original text, and that's a pretty powerful ability to add to the sludge.

The original text probably didn't include it since additional weapon properties weren't really an option in earlier editions (except as special items like flame tongues and frost brands). However, I'm fine with simply negating enhancement bonuses only.

I agree that it should cover natural weapons. How about revising the power description to:

Quell Enhancement (Su) - A necromantic sludge ignores any enhancement bonus on weapons used against it, including natural weapons. Thus, a +3 longsword is effectively just a masterwork longsword when attacking the creature, and the magic fang spell provides no enhancement bonus to a natural weapon's attack or damage rolls against this monster. This protection extends to corpses the sludge is animating with its Zombify power.

Looks good.

Updated.


Challenge Rating: 5? They are tougher than a gray ooze at CR 4.

Treasure: Standard? (Type "C" has a good mix and quantity)

Advancement: x

 

[freyar]

I'm fine with the CR (wow, unusual CR>HD) and treasure. How about Advancement: 5-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 HD (Large)?

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Anything left?

 

[freyar]

I'm happy with it if Cleon is.

 

[Cleon]

I'm happy with it if Cleon is.

Hmm, well there's one error in the stat block. The Hit Dice should be 4d10+16 (38), from four Ooze dice with Con 18.

As for Challenge Rating, I'd prefer CR 4. It's very resistant to magical attacks for its HD, but can be hacked/shot apart by mundane combatants pretty easily with its low AC. It's comparable to a fragile golem, if you like, who tend to have CR of around 75-90% of their Hit Dice. Its one of those monsters that can be very party-dependent, it would be very nasty against a spellcaster-strong party but .

Using Gray Oozes as a CR comparison doesn't work for me, since I feel that monster has an exaggerated Challenge Rating - going by their stats I feel gray oozes should be a CR 3.

Also, what if its riding a zombie? Should we add zombie-walking to its speed, a note about it "zombie buffer" hp to its Hit Dice and a simple weapon to its Attacks? Not to mention that it gets a zombie's natural armour. Hmm, it's probably better just to add a sub-stat block.

When riding a zombie commoner:
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares; can't run)
Armor Class: 7 (-5 Dex, +2 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 7
Hit Dice: 4d10+32 (54) [Includes 16 hp buffer from zombie commoner's 2d12+3 hit dice]
Attacks: Slam +6 melee (1d6+2 plus necromantic sludge) or club +5 melee (1d6+2)

 

[freyar]

CR 4 is also ok by me.

But I thought the point of using real zombies as the basis of "zombify" was to avoid the need for an extra statblock?

 

[Shade]

Cleon, nice catch on the Hit Dice line. I'm not sure where that came from.

CR 4 is also ok by me.

OK, I'm convinced.

But I thought the point of using real zombies as the basis of "zombify" was to avoid the need for an extra statblock?

Exactly. I'd prefer to not clutter the statblock with an array of possibilities.

Updated.