Converting First Edition Monsters

[Cleon]

Again, I agree on the planar ally/binding tweaks, but I think that should go in the background text.

Like this?

Devoted Guardian??? (Su): A master bone tyrant is mystically bound to an unhallowed altar by the terms of its summoning. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move outside of the unhallowed area. If the bone tyrant is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.

I'd like to include a mention of the 40 ft. radius in the description. We also need to include rules for breaking the altar.

As for the name, I'm thinking something like "Unholy Sentinel". My first idea was "Altar Guardian" or "Bound to Altar", but that didn't sound fiendish enough.

So how about:

Unholy Sentinel (Su): A master bone tyrant that agrees to protect an area is mystically bound to an unholy altar. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move outside an unhallow effect radiated by the altar (as the spell, so normally 40 ft. radius). If the master is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.

Should the unholy altar be destroyed, the bone tyrant master and all its minions are instantly banished back to the lower planes. A typical altar has hardness X, hit points Y and Break DC Z.

 

[freyar]

That'll do.

Stone, which I'd guess is a typical altar material, has hardness 8 and 15 hp/in thickness. So say it's made up of a few pieces a couple inches thick each, maybe 100-150 hp? Break DC 35 similar to a 1 ft thick masonry wall?

 

[Cleon]

That'll do.

Stone, which I'd guess is a typical altar material, has hardness 8 and 15 hp/in thickness. So say it's made up of a few pieces a couple inches thick each, maybe 100-150 hp? Break DC 35 similar to a 1 ft thick masonry wall?

A stone door is 4 inches thick, hardness 8, 60 hp, Break DC 28. We could use those numbers or bump them up a bit.

An altar is likely morelike a stone table than a solid stone wall. Besides, just breaking a corner off it may be enough to "un-unhallow" it.

 

[freyar]

Yeah, that's reasonable. hardness 8, 80 hp, break DC 30?

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, that's reasonable. hardness 8, 80 hp, break DC 30?

Fine by me. So shall I update with:

Unholy Sentinel (Su): A master bone tyrant that agrees to protect an area is mystically bound to an unholy altar. Until it completes its term of service or is released from its agreement, it may not move outside an unhallow effect radiated by the altar (as the spell, so normally 40 ft. radius). If the master is forced outside that range, it is instantly teleported back to a designated area adjacent to the altar, as if by a word of recall spell.

Should the unholy altar be destroyed, the bone tyrant master and all its minions are instantly banished back to the lower planes. A typical altar has hardness 8, hit points 80 and Break DC 30.

 

[freyar]

Looks good.

I believe we have already agreed on attacks, etc (see post 273 upthread).

Ready for skills and feats?

 

[freyar]

Hmm, do you mind updating the working draft on these? I think we've made a few decisions that aren't in the working draft yet.

The masters get 70 skill points, which is 5 skills at max ranks. Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (the planes) seem appropriate. Perhaps Use Magic Device? And I suppose Spot and Listen are never bad choices. How does that sound?

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, do you mind updating the working draft on these? I think we've made a few decisions that aren't in the working draft yet.

Sure!

Updating the Bone Tyrant Working Draft.

The masters get 70 skill points, which is 5 skills at max ranks. Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (the planes) seem appropriate. Perhaps Use Magic Device? And I suppose Spot and Listen are never bad choices. How does that sound?

Well Use Magic Device would be useful if it had magic items, but the original monster has "Treasure Type: Nil".

How about Diplomacy instead?

Alternatively, give it Diplomacy AND Use Magic Device and don't have all the skills maxed out. It'd be easier trimming the Knowledges down (since they won't need them that much), although these things might not have maxed out sense skills if they rely on their Minions to alert them to approaching threats.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm. Do these things negotiate enough to use Diplomacy? I didn't think that comes into planar ally or similar spells, does it? But I could go with your alternative, possibly switching Sense Motive for UMD if they do have a need to negotiate. So something like
Diplomacy +12, Knowledge (religion) +15, Knowledge (the planes) +15, Listen +17, Spellcraft +3 (deciphering scrolls), Spot +17, Survival +5 (on other planes), Use Magic Device +12.
Switching UMD to Sense Motive would give a +10 and an extra +2 synergy to Diplomacy but drops the Spellcraft synergy.

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm. Do these things negotiate enough to use Diplomacy? I didn't think that comes into planar ally or similar spells, does it? But I could go with your alternative, possibly switching Sense Motive for UMD if they do have a need to negotiate. So something like
Diplomacy +12, Knowledge (religion) +15, Knowledge (the planes) +15, Listen +17, Spellcraft +3 (deciphering scrolls), Spot +17, Survival +5 (on other planes), Use Magic Device +12.
Switching UMD to Sense Motive would give a +10 and an extra +2 synergy to Diplomacy but drops the Spellcraft synergy.

There's nothing in the adventure about them talking to intruders, so most of the social skills don't seem appropriate. Intimidate'd be OK, I guess.

Use Magic Device still doesn't make much sense if they don't have any magic items.

Hold on a sec. These things sometimes pretend to be ordinary "dead" corpses (or at least the adventure says the Minions do). Would that use a skill? Maybe Disguise?

I'm not getting much inspiration here. So far Intimidate seems the best fit for the "fifth skill".