Converting Greyhawk monsters
Cleon
Legend
An AD&D Intelligence of "Low" is 5-7, so Int 6-7 would be more in order.
Also, their Psionics Summary has a Score of 12. That means the mental characteristic powering their Psionic powers is equivalent to 12.
So we'd want a Charisma of at least 12 for them, and likely a bit higher. I'd prefer it to be at least the minimum score required for the psionic powers we decide to give it.
Anyhow, I'll start a Working Draft.
Cleon
Legend
Monarch Scorpion Working Draft
Monarch Scorpion
Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 8d10+32 (76 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+24
Attack: Claw +14 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (1d8+8) and sting +9 melee (2d4+4 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+8, improved grab, poison, psionics, psychic blast
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., dire, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 18
Skills: Climb +12, Concentration +15 (+19 with Combat Casting), Hide –4* (+4 in deserts, +16 buried in sand), Spot +5
Feats: Combat Casting, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary or colony (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Huge); 16-24 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A monstrously huge scorpion-like creature.
Monarch scorpions are normal monstrous scorpions who have been magically altered to grant them enormous size and devastating psionic powers. They have been imbued with a profound hatred of humanoid life and an instinct for cunning ambushes and cruelty.
Many monarch scorpions live alone or with monstrous scorpion "pets" or manscorpion "allies", but they are able to breed true and occasionally form mated pairs or small families. These ravenous creatures can have a terrible impact on desert ecologies and societies, devouring more animals and people than their territory can replace. Monarch scorpions are often forced to relocate or resort to cannibalism after eating or frightening away most of the animal life in their territory.
A typical monarch scorpion is about 25 feet long, including 9 feet of tail, and weighs 4,000 to 6,000 pounds.
COMBAT
The monarch scorpion is an ambush hunter, hiding beneath the sand to attack victims who wander too close. An active monarch scorpion normally casts alarm, blur and detect magic every minute or two; its copious use of silent alarms means it often knows potential victims are nearby long before the creatures notice the scorpion. Given time, it will cast spell resistance on itself before combat – especially if it detect magics on its opponents.
A monarch scorpion typically opens combat by closing to just outside melee range and unleashing a psychic blast or greater shout, trying to stun as many opponents as possible. Over the next rounds, it attacks with its natural weapons or a psionic power as the circumstances dictate. A monarch scorpion's favorite psionic combat tactics are using vampiric touch on grappled opponents to absorb damage from attacks, dominating enemies and ordering them to kill their own allies or submit to being eaten, or releasing another psychic blast or its greater shout.
This monster is so vicious and malevolent it seldom breaks off from combat, usually retreating only if its enemy is so powerful and resistant to stunning and poison attacks that continuing to fight would be suicide. On these rare occasions, the monarch scorpion usually just runs away as fast as it can.
Constrict (Ex): A monarch scorpion deals automatic claw damage on a successful grapple check.
Dire: A monarch scorpion has all good saves.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a monarch scorpion must hit with a claw attack. A monarch scorpion can use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for grapple checks, whichever is better.
Poison (Ex): A monarch scorpion has a poisonous sting. Injury, Fortitude DC 18, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Psychic Blast (Sp): This psionic attack is a cone 30 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Monarch scorpions often hunt using this power and then drag off one or two of their stunned victims to feed upon. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is mind-affecting power that is equivalent to a 3rd-level spell.
Psionics (Sp): At-Will—alarm (mental alarm only), blur, detect magic, mind blank (self only), vampiric touch; 3/day—dominate animal or person (DC 19, acts as dominate animal OR dominate person), spell resistance; 1/day—greater shout (DC 22). These abilities are as spells cast by an 8th-level sorcerer. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Skills: A monarch scorpion has a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Spot checks.
*A monarch scorpion gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when in beach or desert areas. Further, a monarch scorpion can cover itself with sand (a full-round action), gaining a +12 cover bonus on Hide checks.
Psionic Monarch Scorpions
If you are using the Expanded Psionics Handbook and running a psionic campaign, monarch scorpions gain the psionic subtype and gain psi-like abilities. A psionic monarch scorpion has a different feat selection than the non-psionic version.
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Multiattack, Power Attack
Psi-Like Abilities (Ps): At-Will—concealing amorpha, detect hostile intent, detect psionics, personal mind blank, psychic vampire (DC 18); 3/day—catapsi (DC 19), psionic dominate (DC 18); 1/day—psionic blast (2 rounds, DC 17), ultrablast (DC 21). These abilities are as the powers manifested by an 8th-level psion. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Master Scorpion
Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 12d10+60 (126 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+26
Attack: Claw +16 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +16 melee (1d8+6) and sting +11 melee (2d4+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6, improved grab, poison, psionics, scorpion master
Special Qualities: Body adaptation, darkvision 60 ft., dire, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +11
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 17, Cha 22
Skills: Climb +14, Concentration +15 (+19 with Combat Casting), Hide –4* (+4 in deserts, +16 buried in sand), Spot +5, Use Magic Device +11
Feats: Combat Casting, Multiattack, Power Attack, Empower Spell-Like Ability (vampiric touch), Spell Penetration
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary, Court (1 plus 2-5 monarch scorpions or scorpionfolk and 2-5 Huge monstrous scorpions) or Palace (1 plus 4-10 monarch scorpions, 3-10 scorpionfolk, 4-10 Huge monstrous scorpions, 8-16 Large monstrous scorpions and 1-4 scorpion swarms)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 13-17 HD (Huge); 18-36 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A monstrously huge scorpion-like creature.
Master scorpions are similar to monarch scorpions, but they are larger, stronger and smarter, with even more powerful psionic abilities. They have the same innate hatred of humanoids as monarch scorpions and share their instinct for ambushes and cruelty, traits only made worse by the master scorpions' greater intelligence.
These monsters earned their name from their ability to control other scorpions and scorpion-like creatures. They also have a mysterious ability to either attract scorpion monsters into their territory or somehow create such creatures – possibly by transforming normal scorpions into monstrous scorpions or monarch scorpions. There are legends of master scorpions turning lush lands into scorpion-filled deserts or cursing a city's inhabitants to turn into scorpionfolk.
Only one master scorpion will be found in any given territory. Either these creatures kill or drive away any rivals they sense, or whatever phenomena creates them can only sustain one master scorpion at a time. A master scorpion rarely lives alone, however. It usually has a retinue of other scorpion creatures to serve it. These attendants usually include monarch scorpions, scorpionfolk, and various sizes of monstrous scorpion.
A master scorpion is typically 35 to 40 feet long, including 13 feet of tail, and weighs 13,000 to 20,000 pounds.
Combat
A solitary master scorpions is an ambush hunter, hiding beneath the sand to attack victims who wander too close. However, master scorpions are seldom encountered without a retinue of assorted scorpion creatures under their control. Normally the master scorpion will send its minions in to engage the enemy while making psionic attacks from behind their ranks.
An active master scorpion normally casts alarm, stoneskin and detect thought or detect magic every minute or two; its copious use of silent alarms means it often knows potential victims are nearby long before the creatures notice the scorpion. Given time, it will cast spell resistance, displacement and lesser globe of invulnerability on itself before combat.
They typically open combat with a psychic blastt or greater shout, trying to stun as many opponents as possible – they like to psychic blast opponents fighting monstrous scorpion minions since vermin are immune to the effects of the blast. Over the next rounds, the master scorpion attacks with its natural weapons or a psionic power as the circumstances dictate. It's favorite psionic combat tactics are using vampiric touch on grappled opponents to absorb damage from attacks, dominating enemies and ordering them to kill their own allies or submit to being eaten, telekinesis to violently reposition an enemy, or releasing another psychic blast or its greater shout. Master scorpions usually reserve enervation for a particularly threatening opponent.
A master scorpion is more likely to flee an unfavorable combat than a monarch scorpion, since its cunning and selfishness usually outweigh its bloodlust. If it does decide to retreat, the master normally flies off in gaseous form or simply runs away as fast as it can. In either cases it leaves any surviving minions to cover its withdrawal.
Body Adaptation (Sp): Three times per day, as a standard action, a master scorpion can adapt to hostile environments for a 12 hour period. Once this ability is active, the master scorpion instantly adapts to any environment it enters. The master scorpion can breathe and move and takes no damage simply from being in the environment, surviving as if it were native to that environment (though penalties to movement and attacks, if any for a particular environment, remain). The master scorpion can adapt to underwater, extremely hot, extremely cold, or airless environments. Any environmental feature that directly deals 1 or more dice of damage per round deals half damage to the master scorpion.
This ability can be dispelled and is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell with caster level 12. A master scorpion can dismiss an active body adaptation or create a new body adaptation effect as a standard action.
Poison (Ex): A master scorpion has a venomous sting: Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Psychic Blast (Sp): This psionic attack is a cone 30 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. Master scorpions often hunt using this power and then drag off one or two of their stunned victims to feed upon. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is mind-affecting power that is equivalent to a 5th-level spell.
Psionics (Sp): At-Will—alarm (mental alarm only), detect magic, detect thoughts, displacement, dominate person (DC 21), gaseous form, lesser globe of invulnerability, mind blank (self only), sculpt sound (DC 19), stoneskin, vampiric touch; 3/day—confusion (DC 20), dominate monster (DC 25), spell resistance, telekinesis (DC 21); 1/day—enervation (DC 20), greater shout (DC 24), statue. These abilities are as spells cast by an 12th-level sorcerer. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Scorpion Master (Su): A master scorpion can communicate with any scorpion or scorpionlike creature and has a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks and mind-affecting powers against scorpions and scorpionlike creatures. For the purposes of this power "scorpionlike" includes magical beasts and monstrous humanoids who are part scorpion, such as a scorpionfolk, skorpio or stinger.
Furthermore, a master scorpion can choose to have its mind-affecting abilities affect mindless scorpion creatures such as monstrous scorpions despite such vermin normally being immune to mind-affecting powers. It can elect not to affect mindless scorpion creatures with a mind-affecting ability if it wishes to, allowing it use an area-effect power like psionic blast on monstrous scorpions fighting its enemies without harming its minions with the attack.
Psionic Master Scorpions
If you are using the Expanded Psionics Handbook and running a psionic campaign, master scorpions gain the psionic subtype and gain psi-like abilities. A psionic monarch scorpion has a different feat selection than the non-psionic version.
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Multiattack, Power Attack, Psionic Fist, Spell Penetration
Psionic master scorpions have body adaptation as a psi-like ability instead of a spell-like ability, as detailed below.
Body Adaptation (Ps): Three times per day, a psionic master scorpion can use adapt body as if manifested by a 12th-level psion.
Psi-Like Abilities (Ps): At-Will—claws of the vampire, greater concealing amorpha, control body (DC 20), create sound, detect hostile intent, detect psionics, ectoplasmic form, inertial barrier, personal mind blank, psychic vampire (DC 20), read thoughts (DC 20); 3/day—catapsi (DC 21), psionic dominate (DC 22), immovability, telekinetic maneuver, telekinetic force (DC 19), telekinetic thrust (DC 19); 1/day—psionic blast (4 rounds, DC 19), suspend life, ultrablast (DC 23). These abilities are as the powers manifested by a 12th-level psion. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
In Greyhawk
There is only one master scorpion in the World of Greyhawk. Together with all the monarch scorpions of that world, these monsters are the result of a cursed artifact called the scorpion crown whose history is as follows.
In the forgotten past of the Flan people there existed a mighty kingdom known as Sulm that ruled the center of what would become the Bright Desert. Sulm was a monarchy that suffered from constant unrest and warfare from internal rebels and nomadic tribes. The kingdom's rulers descended into perverse and decadent practices, including the worship of evil deities. Sulm's last king was a sorcerer called Shattados the Cruel, who entreated Tharizdun the God of Entropy to grant him a gift that would make him the unchallenged ruler of Sulm, able to manipulate his subjects at whim.
To Shattados's delight, a black crown shaped like a scorpion appeared before him in response to his plea. However, this evil artifact, the scorpion crown, was in fact a perverse joke by the gods of evil. The instant he put it on, Shattados experienced unbelievable pain as he turned into a master scorpion. His subjects were transformed into ghastly hybrids of man and scorpion who immediately began slaughtering any normal humans who remained. The entire kingdom of Sulm was destroyed within a day.
Many centuries passed and the people of the Bright Desert have forgotten that Sulm ever existed, but the curse of the scorpion crown endures, keeping Shattados alive within his scorpion-infested palace and blighting his kingdom into a lifeless desert.
The Scorpion Crown
This evil artifact appears to be a heavy crown crafted in the shape of a scorpion. The scorpion's legs form the circlet with the claws above the wearer's brows and its tail arcing above the head.
The scorpion crown is an incredibly powerful cursed item that has no useful abilities. If a creature puts on the crown within the borders of what used to be the land of Sulm, they are permanently transmuted into a master scorpion (no save). Anyone within Sulm's borders who has made an oath of loyalty to the crown's wearer (i.e. followers, henchmen, subjects to a ruler, troops under an officer and so on) must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or permanently change into a horrible scorpion-creature of neutral evil alignment with no memory of their former existence. Creatures oath-tied to the crownbearer become skorpios if they have a Challenge Rating of 6 or less and scorpionfolk if they have a Challenge Rating of 7 or more. If you are using the Monsters of Faerûn sourcebook, creatures with Challenge Ratings of 6 or less may become stingers instead of skorpios.
The oath-tied have the same CR as they did before the transformation; if this is higher than the basic challenge rating of their monstrous form (skorpios are CR 3, stingers CR 4, scorpionfolk CR 7), they make up the difference with class levels. They gain levels from their original class if this is possible, but may have substitute levels in a similar class or different class abilities if they are ineligible for them in their new evil arachnid form. For example, an 11th-level human paladin is CR 11, so might become a scorpionfolk fallen paladin 2/blackguard 2 with the same Challenge Rating. Similarly, a 9th-level cleric would become a CR 9 skorpio with 6 levels in cleric but may have different clerical domains than in their former lives.
As a secondary effect, the scorpion crown creates monarch scorpions and monstrous scorpions within Sulm by transforming normal-sized scorpions into giant monsters. This effect takes place randomly but continuously. The number and distribution of these scorpions is left to the DM's discretion, but the production rate is slow and thinly distributed.
The scorpion crown renders its wearer and all scorpion creatures it creates immortal. A being cursed by the crown has no special immunities or resistances and will die normally from damage it receives, but will eventually completely recover from any damage or injury it takes that does not kill it – even energy drain, ability drain, aging effects and the like. The recovery process is very slow; a minor permanent injury such as a point of ability drain would take a few weeks to heal, while the gravest permanent injuries like being energy drained down to one HD would take an entire year to recuperate from. The crown-cursed suffer the pain and impairment of hunger, suffocation, exhaustion and similar effects but cannot be killed by them. Scorpion-creatures created by the crown are incapable of reproduction.
The curse also drains the vitality from the ground within the former borders of Sulm. If the crown is destroyed (see below) natural processes return life to the desert, although it will likely take a century or more for the land to fully recover fully.
The scorpion crown's curse only takes effect within Sulm. Nothing happens if someone puts on the crown outside the borders of Sulm. Removing the crown from Sulm makes no difference to a creature already cursed by the crown. Similarly, removing a cursed creature from Sulm makes no difference to them.
The scorpion crown fuses to its wearer and cannot be removed as long as they are alive. If its wearer is killed, the corpse remains that of a master scorpion but rapidly assumes its natural age – the centuries-old Shattados will crumble to dust. Whoever next puts on the crown will become the new master scorpion.
The scorpion crown is a powerful artifact so can only be destroyed by extraordinary methods. It's left to the DM's discretion what methods may work and whether the crown is a minor artifact that has multiple means of destruction (dropping into a volcano, a gold great wyrm's breath, or whatever) or a major artifact that only one specific means can destroy. Every scorpion creature created by the crown dies immediately if it is destroyed and their remains revert to their natural age.
Overwhelming enchantment and transmutation [evil]; CL 25th; Weight 3 lbs.
TEMP RESTORATION NOTES:
We thought we might give the Master Scorpion a more damaging poison than the Monarch but never got around to discussing it.
Something like:
Poison (Ex): A master scorpion's venomous sting is more potent than a monarch scorpion: Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d8 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Due to pages 114-115 being absent from the Google cache I'm unsure about the SLAs the Master Scorpion had as equivalents to immovability, psychic vampire, psionic blast.
Stoneskin and statue are both "representative" of immovability and suspend life so I think we're OK there. I vaguely recall we gave it 3/day confusion and 1/day enervation to represent the other powers although they're a poor match.
I do wonder whether the telekinesis SLA should be more frequent - maybe 5/day? - since the PLA version has a total of 9 uses per day, but upon reflection I think it's better as a 3/day.
Originally from WGR3 - Rary the Traitor (1992)
Monarch Scorpion
Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 8d10+32 (76 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+24
Attack: Claw +14 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (1d8+8) and sting +9 melee (2d4+4 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+8, improved grab, poison, psionics, psychic blast
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., dire, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 18
Skills: Climb +12, Concentration +15 (+19 with Combat Casting), Hide –4* (+4 in deserts, +16 buried in sand), Spot +5
Feats: Combat Casting, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary or colony (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Huge); 16-24 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A monstrously huge scorpion-like creature.
Monarch scorpions are normal monstrous scorpions who have been magically altered to grant them enormous size and devastating psionic powers. They have been imbued with a profound hatred of humanoid life and an instinct for cunning ambushes and cruelty.
Many monarch scorpions live alone or with monstrous scorpion "pets" or manscorpion "allies", but they are able to breed true and occasionally form mated pairs or small families. These ravenous creatures can have a terrible impact on desert ecologies and societies, devouring more animals and people than their territory can replace. Monarch scorpions are often forced to relocate or resort to cannibalism after eating or frightening away most of the animal life in their territory.
A typical monarch scorpion is about 25 feet long, including 9 feet of tail, and weighs 4,000 to 6,000 pounds.
COMBAT
The monarch scorpion is an ambush hunter, hiding beneath the sand to attack victims who wander too close. An active monarch scorpion normally casts alarm, blur and detect magic every minute or two; its copious use of silent alarms means it often knows potential victims are nearby long before the creatures notice the scorpion. Given time, it will cast spell resistance on itself before combat – especially if it detect magics on its opponents.
A monarch scorpion typically opens combat by closing to just outside melee range and unleashing a psychic blast or greater shout, trying to stun as many opponents as possible. Over the next rounds, it attacks with its natural weapons or a psionic power as the circumstances dictate. A monarch scorpion's favorite psionic combat tactics are using vampiric touch on grappled opponents to absorb damage from attacks, dominating enemies and ordering them to kill their own allies or submit to being eaten, or releasing another psychic blast or its greater shout.
This monster is so vicious and malevolent it seldom breaks off from combat, usually retreating only if its enemy is so powerful and resistant to stunning and poison attacks that continuing to fight would be suicide. On these rare occasions, the monarch scorpion usually just runs away as fast as it can.
Constrict (Ex): A monarch scorpion deals automatic claw damage on a successful grapple check.
Dire: A monarch scorpion has all good saves.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a monarch scorpion must hit with a claw attack. A monarch scorpion can use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for grapple checks, whichever is better.
Poison (Ex): A monarch scorpion has a poisonous sting. Injury, Fortitude DC 18, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Psychic Blast (Sp): This psionic attack is a cone 30 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Monarch scorpions often hunt using this power and then drag off one or two of their stunned victims to feed upon. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is mind-affecting power that is equivalent to a 3rd-level spell.
Psionics (Sp): At-Will—alarm (mental alarm only), blur, detect magic, mind blank (self only), vampiric touch; 3/day—dominate animal or person (DC 19, acts as dominate animal OR dominate person), spell resistance; 1/day—greater shout (DC 22). These abilities are as spells cast by an 8th-level sorcerer. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Skills: A monarch scorpion has a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Spot checks.
*A monarch scorpion gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when in beach or desert areas. Further, a monarch scorpion can cover itself with sand (a full-round action), gaining a +12 cover bonus on Hide checks.
Psionic Monarch Scorpions
If you are using the Expanded Psionics Handbook and running a psionic campaign, monarch scorpions gain the psionic subtype and gain psi-like abilities. A psionic monarch scorpion has a different feat selection than the non-psionic version.
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Multiattack, Power Attack
Psi-Like Abilities (Ps): At-Will—concealing amorpha, detect hostile intent, detect psionics, personal mind blank, psychic vampire (DC 18); 3/day—catapsi (DC 19), psionic dominate (DC 18); 1/day—psionic blast (2 rounds, DC 17), ultrablast (DC 21). These abilities are as the powers manifested by an 8th-level psion. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Master Scorpion
Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 12d10+60 (126 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+26
Attack: Claw +16 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +16 melee (1d8+6) and sting +11 melee (2d4+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6, improved grab, poison, psionics, scorpion master
Special Qualities: Body adaptation, darkvision 60 ft., dire, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +11
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 17, Cha 22
Skills: Climb +14, Concentration +15 (+19 with Combat Casting), Hide –4* (+4 in deserts, +16 buried in sand), Spot +5, Use Magic Device +11
Feats: Combat Casting, Multiattack, Power Attack, Empower Spell-Like Ability (vampiric touch), Spell Penetration
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary, Court (1 plus 2-5 monarch scorpions or scorpionfolk and 2-5 Huge monstrous scorpions) or Palace (1 plus 4-10 monarch scorpions, 3-10 scorpionfolk, 4-10 Huge monstrous scorpions, 8-16 Large monstrous scorpions and 1-4 scorpion swarms)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 13-17 HD (Huge); 18-36 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A monstrously huge scorpion-like creature.
Master scorpions are similar to monarch scorpions, but they are larger, stronger and smarter, with even more powerful psionic abilities. They have the same innate hatred of humanoids as monarch scorpions and share their instinct for ambushes and cruelty, traits only made worse by the master scorpions' greater intelligence.
These monsters earned their name from their ability to control other scorpions and scorpion-like creatures. They also have a mysterious ability to either attract scorpion monsters into their territory or somehow create such creatures – possibly by transforming normal scorpions into monstrous scorpions or monarch scorpions. There are legends of master scorpions turning lush lands into scorpion-filled deserts or cursing a city's inhabitants to turn into scorpionfolk.
Only one master scorpion will be found in any given territory. Either these creatures kill or drive away any rivals they sense, or whatever phenomena creates them can only sustain one master scorpion at a time. A master scorpion rarely lives alone, however. It usually has a retinue of other scorpion creatures to serve it. These attendants usually include monarch scorpions, scorpionfolk, and various sizes of monstrous scorpion.
A master scorpion is typically 35 to 40 feet long, including 13 feet of tail, and weighs 13,000 to 20,000 pounds.
Combat
A solitary master scorpions is an ambush hunter, hiding beneath the sand to attack victims who wander too close. However, master scorpions are seldom encountered without a retinue of assorted scorpion creatures under their control. Normally the master scorpion will send its minions in to engage the enemy while making psionic attacks from behind their ranks.
An active master scorpion normally casts alarm, stoneskin and detect thought or detect magic every minute or two; its copious use of silent alarms means it often knows potential victims are nearby long before the creatures notice the scorpion. Given time, it will cast spell resistance, displacement and lesser globe of invulnerability on itself before combat.
They typically open combat with a psychic blastt or greater shout, trying to stun as many opponents as possible – they like to psychic blast opponents fighting monstrous scorpion minions since vermin are immune to the effects of the blast. Over the next rounds, the master scorpion attacks with its natural weapons or a psionic power as the circumstances dictate. It's favorite psionic combat tactics are using vampiric touch on grappled opponents to absorb damage from attacks, dominating enemies and ordering them to kill their own allies or submit to being eaten, telekinesis to violently reposition an enemy, or releasing another psychic blast or its greater shout. Master scorpions usually reserve enervation for a particularly threatening opponent.
A master scorpion is more likely to flee an unfavorable combat than a monarch scorpion, since its cunning and selfishness usually outweigh its bloodlust. If it does decide to retreat, the master normally flies off in gaseous form or simply runs away as fast as it can. In either cases it leaves any surviving minions to cover its withdrawal.
Body Adaptation (Sp): Three times per day, as a standard action, a master scorpion can adapt to hostile environments for a 12 hour period. Once this ability is active, the master scorpion instantly adapts to any environment it enters. The master scorpion can breathe and move and takes no damage simply from being in the environment, surviving as if it were native to that environment (though penalties to movement and attacks, if any for a particular environment, remain). The master scorpion can adapt to underwater, extremely hot, extremely cold, or airless environments. Any environmental feature that directly deals 1 or more dice of damage per round deals half damage to the master scorpion.
This ability can be dispelled and is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell with caster level 12. A master scorpion can dismiss an active body adaptation or create a new body adaptation effect as a standard action.
Poison (Ex): A master scorpion has a venomous sting: Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Psychic Blast (Sp): This psionic attack is a cone 30 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. Master scorpions often hunt using this power and then drag off one or two of their stunned victims to feed upon. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is mind-affecting power that is equivalent to a 5th-level spell.
Psionics (Sp): At-Will—alarm (mental alarm only), detect magic, detect thoughts, displacement, dominate person (DC 21), gaseous form, lesser globe of invulnerability, mind blank (self only), sculpt sound (DC 19), stoneskin, vampiric touch; 3/day—confusion (DC 20), dominate monster (DC 25), spell resistance, telekinesis (DC 21); 1/day—enervation (DC 20), greater shout (DC 24), statue. These abilities are as spells cast by an 12th-level sorcerer. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Scorpion Master (Su): A master scorpion can communicate with any scorpion or scorpionlike creature and has a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks and mind-affecting powers against scorpions and scorpionlike creatures. For the purposes of this power "scorpionlike" includes magical beasts and monstrous humanoids who are part scorpion, such as a scorpionfolk, skorpio or stinger.
Furthermore, a master scorpion can choose to have its mind-affecting abilities affect mindless scorpion creatures such as monstrous scorpions despite such vermin normally being immune to mind-affecting powers. It can elect not to affect mindless scorpion creatures with a mind-affecting ability if it wishes to, allowing it use an area-effect power like psionic blast on monstrous scorpions fighting its enemies without harming its minions with the attack.
Psionic Master Scorpions
If you are using the Expanded Psionics Handbook and running a psionic campaign, master scorpions gain the psionic subtype and gain psi-like abilities. A psionic monarch scorpion has a different feat selection than the non-psionic version.
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Multiattack, Power Attack, Psionic Fist, Spell Penetration
Psionic master scorpions have body adaptation as a psi-like ability instead of a spell-like ability, as detailed below.
Body Adaptation (Ps): Three times per day, a psionic master scorpion can use adapt body as if manifested by a 12th-level psion.
Psi-Like Abilities (Ps): At-Will—claws of the vampire, greater concealing amorpha, control body (DC 20), create sound, detect hostile intent, detect psionics, ectoplasmic form, inertial barrier, personal mind blank, psychic vampire (DC 20), read thoughts (DC 20); 3/day—catapsi (DC 21), psionic dominate (DC 22), immovability, telekinetic maneuver, telekinetic force (DC 19), telekinetic thrust (DC 19); 1/day—psionic blast (4 rounds, DC 19), suspend life, ultrablast (DC 23). These abilities are as the powers manifested by a 12th-level psion. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
In Greyhawk
There is only one master scorpion in the World of Greyhawk. Together with all the monarch scorpions of that world, these monsters are the result of a cursed artifact called the scorpion crown whose history is as follows.
In the forgotten past of the Flan people there existed a mighty kingdom known as Sulm that ruled the center of what would become the Bright Desert. Sulm was a monarchy that suffered from constant unrest and warfare from internal rebels and nomadic tribes. The kingdom's rulers descended into perverse and decadent practices, including the worship of evil deities. Sulm's last king was a sorcerer called Shattados the Cruel, who entreated Tharizdun the God of Entropy to grant him a gift that would make him the unchallenged ruler of Sulm, able to manipulate his subjects at whim.
To Shattados's delight, a black crown shaped like a scorpion appeared before him in response to his plea. However, this evil artifact, the scorpion crown, was in fact a perverse joke by the gods of evil. The instant he put it on, Shattados experienced unbelievable pain as he turned into a master scorpion. His subjects were transformed into ghastly hybrids of man and scorpion who immediately began slaughtering any normal humans who remained. The entire kingdom of Sulm was destroyed within a day.
Many centuries passed and the people of the Bright Desert have forgotten that Sulm ever existed, but the curse of the scorpion crown endures, keeping Shattados alive within his scorpion-infested palace and blighting his kingdom into a lifeless desert.
The Scorpion Crown
This evil artifact appears to be a heavy crown crafted in the shape of a scorpion. The scorpion's legs form the circlet with the claws above the wearer's brows and its tail arcing above the head.
The scorpion crown is an incredibly powerful cursed item that has no useful abilities. If a creature puts on the crown within the borders of what used to be the land of Sulm, they are permanently transmuted into a master scorpion (no save). Anyone within Sulm's borders who has made an oath of loyalty to the crown's wearer (i.e. followers, henchmen, subjects to a ruler, troops under an officer and so on) must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or permanently change into a horrible scorpion-creature of neutral evil alignment with no memory of their former existence. Creatures oath-tied to the crownbearer become skorpios if they have a Challenge Rating of 6 or less and scorpionfolk if they have a Challenge Rating of 7 or more. If you are using the Monsters of Faerûn sourcebook, creatures with Challenge Ratings of 6 or less may become stingers instead of skorpios.
The oath-tied have the same CR as they did before the transformation; if this is higher than the basic challenge rating of their monstrous form (skorpios are CR 3, stingers CR 4, scorpionfolk CR 7), they make up the difference with class levels. They gain levels from their original class if this is possible, but may have substitute levels in a similar class or different class abilities if they are ineligible for them in their new evil arachnid form. For example, an 11th-level human paladin is CR 11, so might become a scorpionfolk fallen paladin 2/blackguard 2 with the same Challenge Rating. Similarly, a 9th-level cleric would become a CR 9 skorpio with 6 levels in cleric but may have different clerical domains than in their former lives.
As a secondary effect, the scorpion crown creates monarch scorpions and monstrous scorpions within Sulm by transforming normal-sized scorpions into giant monsters. This effect takes place randomly but continuously. The number and distribution of these scorpions is left to the DM's discretion, but the production rate is slow and thinly distributed.
The scorpion crown renders its wearer and all scorpion creatures it creates immortal. A being cursed by the crown has no special immunities or resistances and will die normally from damage it receives, but will eventually completely recover from any damage or injury it takes that does not kill it – even energy drain, ability drain, aging effects and the like. The recovery process is very slow; a minor permanent injury such as a point of ability drain would take a few weeks to heal, while the gravest permanent injuries like being energy drained down to one HD would take an entire year to recuperate from. The crown-cursed suffer the pain and impairment of hunger, suffocation, exhaustion and similar effects but cannot be killed by them. Scorpion-creatures created by the crown are incapable of reproduction.
The curse also drains the vitality from the ground within the former borders of Sulm. If the crown is destroyed (see below) natural processes return life to the desert, although it will likely take a century or more for the land to fully recover fully.
The scorpion crown's curse only takes effect within Sulm. Nothing happens if someone puts on the crown outside the borders of Sulm. Removing the crown from Sulm makes no difference to a creature already cursed by the crown. Similarly, removing a cursed creature from Sulm makes no difference to them.
The scorpion crown fuses to its wearer and cannot be removed as long as they are alive. If its wearer is killed, the corpse remains that of a master scorpion but rapidly assumes its natural age – the centuries-old Shattados will crumble to dust. Whoever next puts on the crown will become the new master scorpion.
The scorpion crown is a powerful artifact so can only be destroyed by extraordinary methods. It's left to the DM's discretion what methods may work and whether the crown is a minor artifact that has multiple means of destruction (dropping into a volcano, a gold great wyrm's breath, or whatever) or a major artifact that only one specific means can destroy. Every scorpion creature created by the crown dies immediately if it is destroyed and their remains revert to their natural age.
Overwhelming enchantment and transmutation [evil]; CL 25th; Weight 3 lbs.
TEMP RESTORATION NOTES:
We thought we might give the Master Scorpion a more damaging poison than the Monarch but never got around to discussing it.
Something like:
Poison (Ex): A master scorpion's venomous sting is more potent than a monarch scorpion: Injury, Fortitude DC 21, initial and secondary damage 2d8 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Due to pages 114-115 being absent from the Google cache I'm unsure about the SLAs the Master Scorpion had as equivalents to immovability, psychic vampire, psionic blast.
Stoneskin and statue are both "representative" of immovability and suspend life so I think we're OK there. I vaguely recall we gave it 3/day confusion and 1/day enervation to represent the other powers although they're a poor match.
I do wonder whether the telekinesis SLA should be more frequent - maybe 5/day? - since the PLA version has a total of 9 uses per day, but upon reflection I think it's better as a 3/day.
Originally from WGR3 - Rary the Traitor (1992)
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Cleon
Legend
The SRD Monstrous Scorpion has Wisdom 10, but I feel a psychic sentient one ought to be a bit more sagacious.
How about Wis 13, the same as the SRD Phase Spider? The 3E Phase Spider is also Int 7 while being Low Intelligence in AD&D.
In principle I'd agree with you, but bear in mind that all the standard AD&D oversized arachnids (scorpions, spiders, solifugids) have Hit Dice of the form X+X and most of the 3E Monstrous versions of those chelicerates do not have extraordinary high Constitutions.
That said, I was considering bumping the physical stats up a bit for the Monarch Scorpion, and up a further bit for the Master version.
Consider the standard AD&D scorpions as they compare to the Monarch:
| Scorpion | Large | Huge | Giant | Monarch |
| HIT DICE: | 2+2 | 4+4 | 5+5 | 8+8 |
| AC: | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| MOVE: | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Claw/Sting: | 1d4/1 | 1d8/1d3 | 1d10/1d4 | 2d10/1d8 |
| Poison Save: | +2 | +0 | +0 | -4 |
| SIZE: | S (3′) | M (4′) | M (5-6′) | H (?) |
How about we give it some stats closer to a Gargantuan Scorpion rather than a Huge one?
Maybe roughly halfway there, such as:
Claw 1d10+8, Sting 1d8+4.
Str 27, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha ??
Cleon
Legend
Regarding the Charisma, let's check the power levels of its psionics:
Original:
Attack Mode: psionic blast; Defence Modes: mind blank
Telepathy: Sciences: domination; Devotions: contact, invisibility, life detection, psionic blast
Metapsionics: Sciences: ultrablast; Devotions: psionic sense, psionic inflation, psychic drain
In 3E terms, our monster conversion notes says those are:
contact => no equivalent
domination => psionic dominate (4th level)
invisibility => no equivalent [greater concealing amorpha? (3rd level)]
life detection => no equivalent [detect hostile intent? (2nd level)]
mind blank => psionic mink blank (8th level) [I prefer personal mind blank (7th level)]
psionic blast => psionic blast (3rd level)
psionic sense => detect psionics (1st level)
psionic inflation => catapsi (5th level)
psychic drain => no equivalent [power leech or psychic vampire? (4th level)]
ultrablast => ultrablast (7th level)
So it appears the most potent of its psionic abilities are 7th-level or, possibly, 8th-level if we go for the full version of psionic mind blank.
That leads me to prefer a Charisma score of 17 or 18.
Let's go for 18, since we need a round number.
Cleon
Legend
Dang it, I noticed a couple of OCR and/or transcription errors in the Monarch Scorpion Original Stats.
I'll just fix them.
I'll just fix them.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
I'm happy with your proposed stats especially since I suggested Con 18. Cha 18 is good, too.
Want to go ahead and put those powers in the psionic rules underbar? I'll go along with your suggestions in blue, and I think I'd pick psychic vampire as the easier choice to convert to an Sp for the "nonpsionic" version.
Cha 18 is good, too.Want to go ahead and put those powers in the psionic rules underbar? I'll go along with your suggestions in blue, and I think I'd pick psychic vampire as the easier choice to convert to an Sp for the "nonpsionic" version.
Cleon
Legend
I'm happy with your proposed stats especially since I suggested Con 18.
Want to go ahead and put those powers in the psionic rules underbar? I'll go along with your suggestions in blue, and I think I'd pick psychic vampire as the easier choice to convert to an Sp for the "nonpsionic" version.
Updating Monarch Scorpion Working Draft.
I only pencilled in the PLA because we need usages for them. I'm thinking 3/day and At-will is appropriate for most of the abilities.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Shouldn't the underbar have Ps rather than Sp abilities? But I generally agree with 3/day and at will, yes.
The poison you have looks about right, but it may be a bit weak. The wyvern has 2d6 Con for initial and secondary damage, and the monarch scorpion seems just as poisonous from the original text. I'd at least bump to 1d8 Con/1d8 Con.
The poison you have looks about right, but it may be a bit weak. The wyvern has 2d6 Con for initial and secondary damage, and the monarch scorpion seems just as poisonous from the original text. I'd at least bump to 1d8 Con/1d8 Con.
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