Converting monsters from Tales From The Infinite Staircase

[Cleon]

Well, let's do Con damage on top of the regular melee attack. + 1/2 Str I guess would make them a more reasonable damage level.

That'd suit me. Does that mean we're making the slams/weapon its primary attack and the tentacles a secondary attack?

 

[freyar]

Yes. Are there any other SAs we want to add? It seems like it should have some kind of Vulnerability to Good weapons SQ.

 

[Cleon]

Yes. Are there any other SAs we want to add? It seems like it should have some kind of Vulnerability to Good weapons SQ.

If I remember correctly, the original AD&D Nupperibo regenerated from all sorts of injury except for damage from holy attacks. You could even disintegrate one and it came back.

The "maturing Baatorian" goes one better in that it also regenerates from holy damage at half-speed.

Hmm... I guess we could give it both Fast Healing and Regeneration (overcome by holy damage) at the same value.

Then non-holy attacks won't kill it due to its Regeneration, but it will also recover at half speed from holy attacks due to its Fast Healing.

 

[freyar]

Oh, I see, I was combining the "regenerate 1 hp per round" in my head with the immunities for some reason.

Anyway, since this is better fast healing/regeneration than an AD&D Nupperibo, it seems to me that we should take what a 3.X Nupperibo has and improve that a bit. I should have that at home and will try to remember to take a look.

 

[Cleon]

Oh, I see, I was combining the "regenerate 1 hp per round" in my head with the immunities for some reason.

Anyway, since this is better fast healing/regeneration than an AD&D Nupperibo, it seems to me that we should take what a 3.X Nupperibo has and improve that a bit. I should have that at home and will try to remember to take a look.

The official 3E Nupperibo in Fiendish Codex II has fast healing 3.

We don't have a Creature Catalog conversion of the Nupperibo, but there is one in the 3E Tome of Horrors. That version has regeneration 1 (good or silver).

 

[freyar]

What about regeneration 3 (good)? That's better than either nupperibo. It might be too much, so I'd be ok with 2 if you rather.

 

[Cleon]

What about regeneration 3 (good)? That's better than either nupperibo. It might be too much, so I'd be ok with 2 if you rather.

Regeneration 3 (good) is fine by me.

 

[freyar]

Very good! Any other SAs or SQs?

 

[Cleon]

Very good!

I'd better update the Working Draft with what we've agreed so far…

The official Fiendish Codex Nupperibo has claws as its natural weapons and a halberd as its weapon of choice, so I used that in the Working draft. I also added that version of the Nupperibo's feat sele

Any other SAs or SQs?

I'm still tempted to give it Fast Healing as well as Regeneration, although if we go that route we should probably reduce the regeneration rate from 3.

Still, for the time being let's stick to Regeneration 3.

As for the other SA, the original creature has immunity to cold, fire and electricity plus 15% Magic Resistance, so it needs at least that.

We should also consider whether to give it any of the standard Devil abilities, particularly See In Darkness, immunity to poison, resistance to acid 10, and telepathy.

The Fiendish Codex Nupperibo is also immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities. Do we want to give it that ability too? That Nupperibo has Int 4, so it doesn't have that SQ due to it being mindless.

Additionally, the FC Nupperibo has the following special qualities:

Blindsight (Ex) A nupperibo can sense all foes within 30 feet as a sighted creature would. Beyond that range, it treats all targets as having total concealment. A nupperibo is susceptible to scent-based attacks, however, and is affected normally by overpowering odors (such as a stinking cloud or incense-heavy air). Negating a nupperibo’s sense of smell effectively blinds it.

Fear Aura (Su) At the end of each of a nupperibo’s turns, creatures within 10 feet of it must succeed on a DC 11 Will saving throw or be panicked for 5 rounds. The save is Charisma-based.

A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by that same nupperibo’s aura for 24 hours. Baatezu are immune to the aura.

Deaf (Ex) A nupperibo takes a –4 penalty on initiative checks and automatically fails Listen checks.​

The Maturing Baatorian probably isn't deaf like a regular Nupperibo since it can mewl in pain and frustration (which'd be pointless if other Baatorians couldn't hear it), so I'd cut that last quality.

I'd be fine giving it the Fiendish Codex version's Blindsight and Fear Aura abilities, although the Blindsight ought to be the standard version since Baatorians can see unlike the sightless Nupperibos.

 

[freyar]

Add the immunities listed and SR, too. Rather than standard devil characteristics, do baatorians have standard characteristics?

I'll agree to standard blindsight and the fear aura, too.