"White Dwarf Berbalang"

[cildarith]

Here is another curiosity:

The original Fiend Factory version had 1d8 HD and the Fiend Folio 1d8+1 HD. The Berbalang write up in Second Edition assigns the creature 4d8+1 hit dice. The Creature Catalog version were are discussing here does the same. This is an error in my estimation. The reason for this opinion lies in the fact that no other factors regarding the creature changed in 2E including the XP awarded for defeating it...still 65...a pretty poor reward for defeating a 4HD creature with a high intelligence, special abilities and 3 attacks per round. Even an ogre (also 4d8+1 HD) earned 175 XP. By way of comparison, other creatures earning 65 XP in 2E included: war dog, gnoll leader/guard, hobgoblin sub-chief, mule, hyena, lizard man, orc chief/bodyguard, common owl, 2HD piercer, skeleton, wolf, zombie, etc.

Whether or not you want to perpetuate a possible error or recalc a bunch of skills and feats is your can of worms, not mine. I just open them up and pass 'em around.

 

[Krishnath]

Keep it 4HD and increase the CR IMHO.

 

[cildarith]

I will argue in favor of 1d8+1 for HD. The advancement rules can always be used to make the monster tougher.

 

[Devon]

I vote for 4 HD.

- Devon

 

[Krishnath]

Hmm... Perhaps we should make a Poll?

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

1 HD please. Too few cool monsters for very low (~1st) level parties - the level I usually DM for.

 

[Conaill]

I'd prefer to minimize the change with respect to the version people are most familiar with. I.e. stick to the 4HD version from 2nd edition and the 3.0 Creature Catalog.

Besides, keep in mind that, as written, its favorite prey is humans, and it needs to be able to take one out without taking any damage itself (or it immediately flees back to its original body). For this creature to work as planned, it has to be fairly capable.

 

[BOZ]

you want a poll, you got one.

for the record, i'll agree with connail, but if you all want it to be 1HD i'm cool with that.

 

[BOZ]

It's easy enough to do both, give it a 'basic' 1 HD and also include an advanced version with 4 HD! The new MM is great that way; I vote all future monster books or sites include advanced versions...

hey now, THERE's an idea! we could make the 4HD one like what we've been doing, and the 1HD version could be like the WD version that cildarith posted without the astral travel!

what do you all think?

 

[Conaill]

what do you all thing of the idea from the other thread about making the WD berbalang the 1HD version, and this version we're working on to be the "advanced" 4HD version?

I don't care for it personally. I definitely think the 4 HD version should be the standard one. That would make the 1HD version... what? A Juvenile? I don't think there's any precedent for that in the MM, is there? And I don't think we want to write out all the monster levels for the berbalang a la Savage Species...

Note that taking away the Astral Travel from the Juvenile version raises a whole other set of issues regarding berbalang society.Do the berbalang parents retreat from their astral society to raise their offspring on the material plane? Can the juveniles form a material projection? (I would say no, because the material projection is directly analogous of what the spell astral projection does on other planes.) If not, how does it feed? etcetera.

I would much rather stick to the 4HD version people are already used to, and move on to the next critter on our (very long!) list.