Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Giant Wasp, Water Weird, Giant Weasel, and Whale

We are now only two more posts away from completing conversions for the Monster Manual. In my Patreon, I am currently converting the Monster Manual II and the monsters from the original Deities & Demigods cyclopedia. I am also converting the original monsters from BECMI which did not make it into AD&D 1e. Not all of these conversions will be posted here. Working material on the Cyclopedia of Common Faeries and Deities & Powers of the Middle World are also posted there, for those who are interested.

The Monster Manual umber hulk is black, but this makes little sense to me given its name. I tried to make its confusion ability easier to use while remaining potent. This is a monster I have not used often, and mostly avoided so that I could avoid it confusion power. Having players roll each round to see what their PCs do is seldom fun, in my experience.

Unicorns are something that, I think, most of us have both used and struggled with. On one hand, they are a common monster type which reverberates in our collective psyche. On the other hand, it is hard to use them without feeling somewhat disappointed. Unicorns in role-playing games seldom match the image in our heads. Something to talk to tends to fall flat, as the unicorn becomes just another NPC. The cool factor of a unicorn mount needs some other use of unicorns to compare it to. Herein, I give you a reason why PCs might hunt down a unicorn, and include some of the cost for doing so.

The vampire herein is an evolution of Erasmus Cordwainer Blood from Thirteen Brides of Blood and Count Urla from Down Among the Wreckers. I have had my own characters die to water weirds, but I cannot remember ever having placed one in an adventure. I will have to rectify that. Giant wasps and giant weasels are staples, with using whales less common because of the dearth of maritime adventuring in my earlier days.

If you use any of these conversions, I would love to hear about it!

Umber Hulk: Init +0; Atk claw +5 melee (1d4+4) or bite +2 melee (2d6); AC 18; HD 8d8; MV 20’ or burrow 15’; Act 3d20; SP confusion; SV Fort +8, Ref +0, Will +2; AL C.

These reddish-brown creatures stand upright in a manner similar to humanoids, but they are not. They live deep underground, where they tunnel through earth and solid stone, seeking edible fungi and fresh meat. Umber hulks have the power to confuse foes directly before them, resulting in a -1d to all rolls for 3d4 rounds (no save). This power is inherent in their four eyes, and can does not affect non-living creatures or creatures without sight. Blinding an umber hulk in two or more of its eyes ends the effect immediately.

These creatures are intelligent, and can sometimes be bargained with.

Unicorn: Init +7; Atk horn +5 melee (1d12) or hoof +4 melee (1d5+3); AC 18; HD 4d8; MV 90’; Act 1d20; SP charge, shadow step, maiden vulnerability, horn, blood; SV Fort +5, Ref +13, Will +7; AL C.

Perhaps the most wondrous creature of Elfland which passes into the Fields We Know, the unicorn appears as a white horse with cloven hooves and a goat-like beard. A single horn silver-white grows from its resplendent brow, which glimmers in the twilight with an opalescent sheen.

When a unicorn charges, it does double damage with its horn attack, in addition to the standard +2 to hit and -2 penalty to AC until its next action. Unicorns can step in and out of Elfland as part of their move using their action die, effectively teleporting 30’ during their move or disappearing from the Fields We Know entirely. They are difficult to capture as a result, and almost impossible to keep, although they cannot shadow step when surrounded by an iron cage or when bound by a noose in which iron filaments are woven.

Unicorns have a particular vulnerability to virginal maidens, which they can sense from up to 5 miles away. If there is no one else within 500’ of such a maiden, a unicorn sensing her must succeed in a DC 20 Will save or approach. If there is still no one within 500’ of the maiden, and she is seated, the unicorn must succeed in a second DC 20 Will save or place its head in her lap and fall asleep. This gives the maiden the opportunity to place a noose over its head, so that it may be captured or killed by hunters. Placing this noose instantly awakens the unicorn, which also awakens if any other person approaches within 500’. All too often, the maiden is slain in the unicorn’s rage at being captured. Otherwise, the creature sleeps for 1d3 hours and the maiden gains 1 Luck per hour it sleeps.

A unicorn’s horn is magical, and can be used to heal three times a day, healing either 1d3 Hit Dice of damage, 1d3 points of attribute damage (including permanent attribute damage), or removing any poison or disease and all of the effects (including damage) thereof. These are abilities the unicorn may use while alive, which are retained by the horn even if removed. A powdered unicorn’s horn may be used as a power component, adding a +6 bonus to a ritual spell check. Powdered unicorn’s horn is also used as a primary component in a ritual to restore the dead to life.

When a unicorn is slain, up to 1d6+6 vials of its blood may be collected while it is still at its highest potency. A vial of this blood may be consumed to grant a +6 bonus on a spell check made within the next 7 minutes, but doing so also causes corruption in the imbiber. Roll 1d12: (1-7) minor corruption, (8-10) major corruption, or (11-12) greater corruption.

Vampire: Init +3; Atk touch +5 melee (paralysis) or bite +0 melee (1d3 plus blood drain) or bite +4 melee (1d5) (as wolf) or bite +4 melee (1d6) (as giant bat) or gaze (30’ range, paralysis); AC 10 (12 as wolf, 14 as giant bat); HD 5d6; MV 30’ (40’ as wolf, fly 40’ as giant bat); Act 2d20; SP un-dead, infravision 60’, paralysis (1d6 minutes, DC 13 Will save negates), gaze (30’ range, 1d6 minutes paralysis, DC 16 Will negates), blood drain (1d4 Stamina), psychic connection, regenerate 3/round unless staked, transformation (wolf, bat, or mist), create spawn, must be welcomed, native soil dependency, garlic vulnerability, holy item vulnerability, sunlight vulnerability; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +8; AL C.

Vampires are un-dead creatures which sometimes are able to masquerade themselves well enough to walk among the living. They are detectable in that they have no reflections, and thus avoid mirrors and other reflective surfaces which would betray their true nature. Vampires can take the form of wolves, giant bats, or mist. In mist form they have no effective attacks, but can flow through even the smallest of openings.

Once a vampire has fed on the blood of a victim, it forges a psychic connection that remains active even over long distances so long as the vampire endures. The vampire knows what the victim knows, and within 500’ can command the victim’s actions if they fail an opposed Will save. If the victim is given the vampire’s blood to drink as well, they become a lesser vampire upon death.

For all of their power, vampires have several weaknesses as well. They cannot enter a private residence unless invited in by someone within it. They must rest at least 6 hours each day, usually in a coffin, and always with their native soil or its maximum hit points are reduced by 1d5 each day (or 1d10 if it has also not consumed a human’s blood within the last 24 hours). These reductions last until the vampire has rested a full 8 hours in contact with its native earth. While resting, a vampire is effectively helpless.

Vampires are repelled by garlic and holy symbols, and must make a DC 20 Will save to approach within 20’ of them (holy symbols must be brandished for this to be effective, and this is in addition to any effect from a clerical attempt to Turn the Unholy). Direct contact with holy symbols or holy water cause 1d8 damage. Direct sunlight causes vampires 1d7 damage each round, and the vampire doesn’t regenerate under these conditions, although the damage can be regenerated should the vampire succeed in reaching darkness.

It should be noted that specific vampires may have character class levels, as well as both powers and weaknesses unique to that individual.

Lesser Vampire: Init +1; Atk touch +3 melee (paralysis) or bite -2 melee (1 plus blood drain); AC 9; HD 2d6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead, infravision 60’, paralysis (1d6 rounds, DC 10 Will save negates), blood drain, regenerate unless staked, dependence upon creator; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +2; AL C.

If the vampire who created a lesser vampire is slain, the lesser vampire must succeed in a DC 13 Will save or die. Should the lesser vampire survive, it grows into a full vampire over the next 1d5+2 months.

Giant Wasp: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Water Weird: Init +5; Atk strike +6 melee (drag into water); AC 16; HD 3d8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP drag into water (DC 16 Strength resists), hold and drown (1d4 temporary Stamina damage, DC 20 Strength escapes), half damage from sharp weapons and fire, slowed by cold-based attacks, control water elemental; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +2; AL C.

Water weirds are creatures made of elemental water, which take the form of serpents 1d3+8 feet long. They are only found in bodies of water large enough to hold them, and somehow purifying that water forces water weirds back to their elemental plane. These creatures are very intelligent and utterly evil. They are not above speaking with, and even making deal with, mortals to increase the amount of suffering in the world.

A water weird that strikes it victim drags it into the water, there to hold their victim below the surface until they drown. A victim who reaches 0 Stamina dies, but a victim which survives recovers lost temporary Stamina damage with one turn of unobstructed breathing. A single water weird can strike and hold up to three victims at a time.

Cold damage only slows a water weird, so that it makes one attack per two rounds for as many rounds as it would normally have taken points of damage. Unfortunately, this does not release those it is currently holding or change how fast they drown.

If a water elemental is within range, a water weird can attempt to enter it and control it with a successful DC 12 Will save. The elemental then becomes the body of water containing the weird.

Giant Weasel: Init +5; Atk bite +3 melee (1d6); AC 13; HD 2d6; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2; Ref +5; Will +3; AL N.

As giant ferret in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Whale: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals. This volume includes basic stats for baleen and toothed whales, and specific write-ups for blue whales, fin whales, gray whales, humpback whales, Minke whales, Sei whales, killer whales, narwhals, pilot whales, and sperm whales. Enough, I hope, to satisfy even Captain Ahab!