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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Big Mac" data-source="post: 4424279" data-attributes="member: 61182">I'm glad the Carnivorous Wall is finally done. That was a lot more work than some other monsters. The Pyrophoric Fluid was pretty good.The Imorph also looks like it is going to be tough. As freyar said: it is weird.I'd agree that it is an abberation, rather than an ooze as it has suction cups and tenticles. It seems like a giant shapechanging squid to me. Did Fiend Folio have a picture of this beastie?I think the "irnorphisrn"* ability is going to be the toughest part of this monster. Apart from that it is pretty normal.* = Is that a typo for "imorphism"?Why don't we do this in two stages? We can convert the basic (non-shapechanging) monster first and then work out what the Imorphism (Ex) ability should be when the basic creature is done.These should convert over fairly easily. The Imporphism can probably just change them all to "as per opponent".Hmm. Should the imorph get the Special Attacks of its opponent?This is going to be "Special Qualities: Imophism (Ex)" plus whatever you want to give this creature. Do you think it should pick up the Special Qualities of its opponent.Should it gain this sort of thing via its Imophism?Should it keep its original intellegence when it copies a creature?I'm happy for it to keep its alignment.Hmm. So what happens when an Imorph meets a Stone Giant? Do we get a mini-me version of a Stone Giant?Hmm. No psionics when the Imporphism kicks in. So far it looks like the imorph gains the physical form, but not anything else.Maybe we should just base the Imporphism on the <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorph.htm" target="_blank">Polymorph</a> spell. It seems to do a bit more than Polymorph, but that spell would make a good start. Then this creature could just be a weird squid that has a Polymorph-like defence.OK, maybe it isn't quite like a squid. I can't quite get my head around how these look or how they might move.Cleon's comments about 1st edition rules are probably key to how we convert this and create an Imophisim ability.I think we can either:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">copy the 1st edition game mechanics to create a literal translation,</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">copy the transition duration (monster X HD - monster Y HD) but come up with a more 3rd edition mechanic,</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">come up with something that takes a fixed number of rounds (or variable number of rounds) or</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Make the transformation take one round.</li> </ul>A shift in HD and a parallel shift in AC give a GM two different things to track. It is hard enough having to apply templates to creatures without having to alter creatures on the fly.I don't especially mind what way we go with this part of the conversion, but how that the one we pick isn't too hard for a GM to track.One question the original stats don't answer is: what happens when an imorph is attacked by a creature that is weaker than itself (or has a worse AC than itself). It doesn't seem to make sense for it to drop HD and/or AC.Another question the original stats don't answer is: what happens if an imorph meets an opponent with the same AC and same HD? Does it transform as a free action instead of after one round?A third question the stats don't answer is: does the imorph duplicate the natural AC of its opponent or can it also duplicate any equipment that provides AC (such as armour or shields)?I personally think that there should be some limit to its shape changing power. How about "any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin"? How about "The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than...15 HD"? How about "An imorph can’t...assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can it...assume an incorporeal or gaseous form."?I don't think an imorph should use its Imorphism if it would be worse off in the new form.I'd be tempted to say that the imorph can use its ability to raise its HD above 5 (at the rate of 1 HD per round). And that it can also use its ability to raise its AC above 15 (again at the rate of 1 HD per round).I'd be tempted to say that it does not have to use its ability to lower its HD or AC (so gets its own stats or the stats of its opponent - whatever is higher).When it maxes out both its HD and AC, I'd say it transforms its apperance to match its opponent and then takes on their movement rate and then gains "all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form but does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities".It looks like the slow transformation is important to the creature, so maybe a one round change wouldn't be the right way. (Not unless the opponent was one HD/AC away from the imorph.Should we make the imorph slowly change back when killed? I think we will have to if people are going to be able to cut out the "liver".This sounds fairly logical. Again I have to ask about duration. If an imorph is copying an elf and the elf dies, but then it tries to copy another elf, that second elf could have similar game stats.I'd be tempted to say it should take at least one round for the transformation in appearance to occur and that if the original opponent is killed it should take at least one round for the new transformation to occur.One side benifit to this ability is that people assisting opponents may need to make spot checks or intellegence checks to work out which of the two identical combatants to attack. I think the imorph should try to circle around its opponent and cause other opponents to doubt which of the two is their friend.(It might also be good if it could repeat the speech of anyone it is fighting.)I'd say this probably turns into treasure. You probably need to make some sort of skill check to cut out the "liver" without spilling the liquid.</blockquote>

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