Special Conversion Thread: Unicorns

[freyar]

Actually, I like Shade's suggestion of ranger's camouflage even better than Hide in Plain Sight. Let's go with that. If we're doing Ex, then let's make it a racial bonus and Camouflage; I think we only need a separate ability if we want Su.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, in retrospect that is probably the best approach. Especially since most other "chameleon-like" creatures handle it with a racial bonus on Hide checks.

Updated.

Currently, it's got the standard unicorn's skills and feats (with a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks added). Do we want to shift some actual ranks to Hide?

Do Alertness and Skill Focus (Survival) still seem a good fit, or shall we change one or both of them?

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, in retrospect that is probably the best approach. Especially since most other "chameleon-like" creatures handle it with a racial bonus on Hide checks.

Updated.

That suits me just as well as a (Su) power, so let's stick to that.

Currently, it's got the standard unicorn's skills and feats (with a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks added). Do we want to shift some actual ranks to Hide?

I'm happy with the skills as they are, but wouldn't object if you want to shift some points over from Jump.

Do Alertness and Skill Focus (Survival) still seem a good fit, or shall we change one or both of them?

Keep them, they're both as relevant to the Faerie version as they are to a regular unicorn.

 

[Shade]

Challenge Rating: x

Alignment: Always neutral?

Advancement: 5–8 HD (Medium)?

A typical adult faerie unicorn grows to x feet in length, stands 2 to 3 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs x pounds. Females are slightly smaller and slimmer than males.

 

[Cleon]

Challenge Rating: x

Challenge Rating 4 methinks, since their additional magical powers are quite useful in a fight.

Alignment: Always neutral?

Advancement: 5–8 HD (Medium)?

A typical adult faerie unicorn grows to x feet in length, stands 2 to 3 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs x pounds. Females are slightly smaller and slimmer than males.

Advancement: 5–8 HD (Medium) is fine. I was tempted to have them advance to Large, since a big pony is basically a small horse [e.g. Advancement: 5–6 HD (Medium), 7-8 (Large)], but that would give them Str 26 according to standard advancement rules, which I don't much care for.

The height seems too, the original's 3-4 feet tall. I would go for:

A typical adult faerie unicorn grows to 6 feet in length, stands 3 to 4 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs about 400 pounds. Females are slightly smaller and slimmer than males.

 

[Shade]

Updated. I think these are finished.

Here's the next one...

Gray Unicorn
CLIMATE: Subtropical
TERRAIN: Grasslands
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Herd
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Herbiv.
INTELLIGENCE: Average
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: N
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: 18
HIT DICE: 3+4
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: l-6/1-6/1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See text
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See text
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10%
SIZE: L
MORALE: Elite
XP VALUE: 1,400

Gray unicorns are light gray unicorns with a gray horn and gray eyes.

Combat: Gray unicorns have taken neutrality to an art form. They emit a field from their bodies that reflects the exact amount of damage done to them in physical combat back upon their enemies. Because their enemies must be in physical contact with the gray unicorns to receive this backlash, the gray unicorns are only rarely attacked by carnivores, who learn to leave them alone after one attack; smarter beings use missile fire, but they might still be attacked if the gray unicorns teleport and charge them. Gray unicorns will usually not retaliate unless they are attacked more than once by the same being or are pursued by missile fire.

Habitat/Society: Gray unicorns (sometimes called “graycorns”) are usually found in herds, each consisting of one stallion and several mares. Gray unicorns can be ridden only by strictly neutral, passive druidic females, either humans or demihumans.

Ecology: Gray unicorns live on the grasslands in subtropical climates. Their horns can be carved and enchanted to produce rings of spell turning or can be used in the creation of potions of invulnerability.

 

[Shade]

The "reflect damage upon its attacker" ability reminds me a bit of the jovoc's aura of retribution...

Aura of Retribution (Su): This effect is always active in a 30-foot-spread centered on the jovoc. Whenever the creature takes damage from any source, every non-tanar'ri within the area immediately takes an equal amount of damage. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) halves the damage. (For example, if an opponent deals 12 points of damage to a jovoc, the opponent and every other nontanar'ri within 30 feet also immediately takes 12 points of damage each, or 6 points with a successful Fortitude save). Regardless of the source of the damage to the jovoc, the damage dealt to nontanar'ri by this effect is not subject to negation or reduction because of resistance, immunity, damage reduction, spell resistance, or the like. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[freyar]

Also reminds me a bit of fire shield. Combine the two, perhaps, taking the aura of retribution but limiting it to melee attacks?

Want to change up the standard SLAs any?

 

[Shade]

These share the lower HD (3+4) and reduced speed of the brown unicorn. They have the same damage as the standard unicorn (except one die smaller for the horn). Int is the same as a standard unicorn.

Unicorn: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 21, Cha 24
Brown Unicorn: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 12, Wis 21, Cha 24

So...

Str 19, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 21, Cha 24?

 

[Cleon]

Also reminds me a bit of fire shield. Combine the two, perhaps, taking the aura of retribution but limiting it to melee attacks?

Want to change up the standard SLAs any?

I'd take the Aura of Retribution and convert it to melee attacks.

A simplified version could go:

Aura of Retribution (Su): Whenever a gray unicorn is struck by a melee attack (including melee touch delivered spells) the attacker must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or take damage equal to that inflicted upon the unicorn. The damage dealt to the attacker is not subject to negation or reduction because of resistance, immunity, damage reduction, spell resistance, or the like. The save DC is Constitution-based.

If we are going to use the "all attackers in contact with the unicorn" bit it'd be a bit more complicated, maybe:

Aura of Retribution (Su): Whenever a gray unicorn is struck by a melee attack (including melee touch delivered spells) all enemies within the unicorn's reach or space must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or take damage equal to that inflicted upon the unicorn. The damage dealt to the attacker(s) is not subject to negation or reduction because of resistance, immunity, damage reduction, spell resistance, or the like. The save DC is Constitution-based.

I like the second one better.

EDIT: Oh, and Con-based sounds a bit odd to me, maybe change to Cha-based?