Special Conversion Thread: Unicorns

[Cleon]

A quick spot-check indicated most had none (dretch, imp, quasit, lantern archon). The best I found was the hound archon (SR 16, CR 4).

Fiendish and celestial creatures have SR = HD + 5, so most summoned monsters around that level would have SR less than 10.

I'm not seeing the turn resistance based on SR as a huge deterrent to the cunnequine.

Well Half-Fiends have SR+10 which ain't to be sneered at.

I think I'd better consider some examples to see how much it makes a difference.

Fiendish Huge Viper (CR 4, HD 6, SR 11 => TR +5 = Turns as 11HD creature)
Fiendish Large Spider (CR 3, HD 4, SR 9 => TR +4 = Turns as 8HD creature)
Half-Fiend Ogre (CR 4, HD 4, SR 14 => TR +7 = Turns as 11HD creature)

With a 1d20+7 turn check a cunnequin would average about cleric's level +2, so it would typically turn creatures up to 8th level (4 HD +2 for its turn bonus +2 for its typical turn check).

That's enough to turn a Fiendish Large Spider roughly 50% of the time, but it'd never be able to turn a Fiendish Huge Viper or a Half-Fiend Ogre since it would have to roll "cleric's level +5" on its turn check and the maximum the table allows is "cleric's level +4".

I suppose those numbers work out alright, so we may as well put in the SR adjustment.

I'd still prefer to have "banished" instead of "destroyed" though, but then I prefer the oldschool approach to turning extranplanar creature.

 

[Shade]

It seems it's schtick was mainly to vanquish summoned critters, so we needn't worry much about the half-fiend template.

It's probably not worth sweating over "destroyed" vs. "banished" as well, since most of the time it's just a summoned critter going "bye bye", not a recurring BBEG, and thus the end results are the same. Just less to remember for the DM.

 

[freyar]

Can we move to other abilities now?

I'm not particularly getting anti-chaos any more than a regular unicorn. I think magic circle against evil is still ok. Reverse alignment is pretty interesting.

 

[Shade]

In that case, all I believe remains is to determine CR. Are the two additional abilities (plus spell resistance) enough to warrant a boost to CR 4?

 

[Cleon]

Can we move to other abilities now?

I'm not particularly getting anti-chaos any more than a regular unicorn. I think magic circle against evil is still ok. Reverse alignment is pretty interesting.

It doesn't have any other abilities listed apart from "all the abilities of a sylvan unicorn", which we can copy from the SRD.

Well, except it has 20% Magic Resistance, but we've already included that.

 

[Cleon]

In that case, all I believe remains is to determine CR. Are the two additional abilities (plus spell resistance) enough to warrant a boost to CR 4?

Would those powers be much use in a fight against PCs?

Swapping alignment won't actually stop your foe attacking you, although it would muck up alignment-dependent class features.

I suppose if the party relied heavily on summoned critters or undead its turning power would make a difference, but that's a bit of a narrow case. Of course, the type of evil party that would try to murder a unicorn is more likely to use undead and summoned nasties.

Spell resistance is always valuable.

Oh dang it, let's just make it CR4.

 

[freyar]

I'll agree with CR 4. If someone's attacking a unicorn (and this one seems more good than usual), a change of alignment and turning seem pretty useful.

 

[Shade]

Updated. It looks like we're finished.

Here's the next one...

Faerie Unicorn
CLIMATE: Temperate
TERRAIN: Woodlands
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Family
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Herbiv.
INTELLIGENCE: Average
TREASURE: X x 2
ALIGNMENT: N
NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: 30
HIT DICE: 4+4
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: l-6/1-6/1-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See text
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See text
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: L
MORALE: Champion
XP VALUE: 2,000

Faerie unicorns have a green tint to their white fur and horns, and all have bright green eyes. They are smaller than other unicorns (3-4’ tall).

Combat: Faerie unicorns or faerie steeds are seldom seen. This is because they can blend into their backgrounds in a manner similar to a chameleon. They can do this at will, with results identical to a creature wearing a cloak of elvenkind.

They share a sylvan unicorn’s ability to move silently in natural terrain. Once per day, a faerie unicorn can cast the following spells: charm person or mammal, and animal summoning I, II, and III (four spells total).

Habitat/Society: Faerie unicorns are similar in habitat and society to sylvan unicorns. Their neutral nature causes them to shun outside contact; it is very unlikely that a faerie steed will attack hunters or predators in its territory. However, wanton or senseless destruction of the flora and fauna in a faerie steeds demesnes will raise its ire. Alternately, acts of courage in defense of the same lands often wins the faerie steed’s gratitude.

Faerie steeds can be ridden by halflings, gnomes, elves, or other faerie denizens of either sex who prove themselves worthy.

Ecology: Faerie unicorns are identical in ecology to sylvan unicorns. Once every 100 years or so, a faerie steed will shed its horn to grow a new one. The horn regrows in 3-12 days. The discarded horns are prized by elves, because the horns can be crushed to produce the dye used in the manufacture of cloaks of elvenkind.

 

[Shade]

At first glance, it looks like the same base stats as a standard unicorn, with slightly different SLAs.

But then there's this...

They are smaller than other unicorns (3-4’ tall).

Make 'em Medium, or even Small?

 

[GrayLinnorm]

Replace animal summoning with summon nature's ally.

Charm person or mammal no longer exists in 3.5; do we want separate charm person and charm animal spells or just charm monster (the original description said four spells).

Treasure type is Xx2. In 2e treasure type X is any 2 potions. Do we just give it no treasure like a standard unicorn in 3e or just items?