Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Wight, Will-o-(the)-Wisp, Wind Walker, Wolf, and Wolverine

This is the penultimate post before the Monster Manual is completely converted. Let us take a moment to stop and look back. We now have all of the Fiend Folio and almost all of the Monster Manual converted. That is a considerable amount of work.

If you like this material, there are over 500 statblocks in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals. I am currently at work on the Cyclopedia of Common Faeries, as well as a more general monster book. There are a few statblocks in the Preview Version of Deities & Powers of the Middle World, as well as a whole host of other goodies. 

If you like what you see, and you are able (because I know many of us are hurting right now), please consider supporting these efforts. I am trying to build a sandbox setting where other writers and publishers are invited to play. That's why the Cyclopedia of Common Animals offers such generous terms for using its material.  

Anyway, back to the Monster Manual.

These are almost all monsters which I look upon fondly, with the wind walker being the only one which I not only never used, but forgot about entirely! If you have ever used wind walkers to good effect, I would love to hear the tale.

Without further ado:

Wight: Init +0; Atk cold touch +2 melee (XP drain), AC 15; HD 3d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead, XP drain (Will DC 20 or lose 1d5 XP), create spawn, sunlight vulnerability; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +4; AL C.

Wights are corporeal un-dead creatures which inhabit ancient barrows, catacombs, and similar underground places of internment. Wights attack with a cold touch that permanently drains 1d5 experience points unless a DC 20 Will save succeeds. XP drain does not result in loss of levels, although any lost XP must be made up before new levels can be gained. If XP is reduced below 0, the victim dies and rises as a wight after 1d5 hours.

This version of the wight is largely taken from this post, but this post offers another take:

Major Wight: Init +4; Atk longsword +6 melee (1d8 plus sleep and paralysis) or spell; AC 16; HD 8d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead, sleep and paralysis (Fort DC 10 + damage done or fall into a deep sleep for 3d6 turns; upon waking, target is paralyzed until they succeed in a DC 10 Will save [1 attempt per round]), fear aura (60’ radius, Will DC 12 or unable to take any action for 1d5 rounds [once per encounter]), reform in 3d3 turns unless banished or otherwise dispelled, spellcasting (+8 bonus to spell check: chill touch, sleep, ventriloquism, and weather control); SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7; AL C.

Lesser Wight: Init +2; Atk longsword +4 melee (1d8 plus sleep and paralysis); AC 16; HD 6d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead, sleep and paralysis (Fort DC 5 + damage done or fall into a deep sleep for 3d6 turns; upon waking, target is paralyzed until they succeed in a DC 5 Will save [1 attempt per round]), fear aura (30’ radius, Will DC 8 or unable to take any action for 1d3 rounds [once per encounter]); SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; AL C.

Minor Wight: Init +0; Atk longsword +3 melee (1d8 plus paralysis); AC 16; HD 4d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead, paralysis (Fort DC = damage done or paralyzed 1d3 rounds), fear aura (15’ radius, Will DC 6 or unable to take any action for 1d3 rounds [once per encounter]); SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +3; AL C.

Either version is likely to cause some level of trepidation for your jaded adventurers!

Will ‘o’ the wisp: Init +0; Atk energy discharge +3 ranged (1d5+3); AC 15; HD 1d3; MV 60’; Act 1d20; SP infravision 60’, detect the living 250’, entrance, invisibility, exude despair; SV Fort +0, Ref +8, Will +3; AL C.

These corpse-candles appear as red, green, yellow, or blue lights that misguide the paths of those who they can tempt into following them. Each has the power to entice victims into following it; a DC 15 Will save (+1 for each additional will ‘o’ the wisp beyond the first) is required to resist following the corpse lights for 1d3 turns. Their destination is always some bog, monster, trap, or other dangerous situation. When leading others, they do not move faster than is needed to keep ahead.

Will ‘o’ the wisps can defend themselves with energy discharges, up to a range of 30’. They can become invisible or visible at will by using an Action Die. Finally, a will ‘o’ the wisp can exude despair once per day, to a range of 60’. Any creature caught in this radius must succeed in a DC 20 Will save or become overwhelmed with despondency, taking no actions for 1d3 turns unless directly attacked.

Taken from this post.

Wind Walker: Init +6; Atk wind buffet; AC 13; HD 6d8; MV 40’ or fly 60’; Act special; SP wind buffet (3d6), non-corporeal, naturally invisible, telepathy 50’ range, cannot surprise opponents, spell vulnerabilities; SV Fort +0, Ref +8, Will +4; AL N.

These invisible, non-corporeal creatures are composed of elemental air. They are sometimes encountered among mountain peaks or in the service of storm giants or powerful wizards, but they can also be found in the depths of the earth, where vast cave systems create their own wind.

Wind walkers cannot surprise creatures that can hear, because the sound of great winds always heralds their coming. When they attack, they buffet opponents within 30’ with high winds, rolling a single attack roll against all opponents in range (similar to the attack action of swarms).

Because they are composed of wind, a successful weather control or reversed gust of wind spell does damage to a wind walker equal to the spell check result.

Wolf: See the core rulebook, page 431, for both wolves and dire wolves. These are reproduced in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals, along with giant wolves, giant two-headed wolves, arctic wolves, desert wolves, and red wolves. I have also included some wild canines that aren’t wolves, like the dhole, dingo, coyote, and maned wolf. I did not, however, include a winter wolf, so that appears below.

Winter Wolf: Init +5; Atk horn +6 melee (1d8) or breath weapon; AC 15; HD 4d6; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP breath weapon (cone of cold, 10’ long with 10’ base, 2d12 damage, Fort DC 25 for half), immunity to cold; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +4; AL L.

Wolverine: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for both normal and giant wolverines.

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!

Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Thought Eater, Giant Tick, Tiger, Titan, Titanothere, Giant Toad, and Trapper

“T” is the last letter in the Monster Manual that needs to be split into more than one post. Once we get to “U” we will be combining letters as we hurl through the home stretch. Once again the Cyclopedia of Common Animals gets a real workout, as it contains four of the entries we are looking at today.

Giant ticks have always been a part of games I’ve run. Bengal tigers exist near Shanthopal (and parts south through the Unjaggi region). Siberian-type tigers can be found in some of the northern reaches beyond the Ibetyan Mountains. Sabre-toothed tigers of various types can also be found in some of the wilder regions of the Middle World.

Giant toads are another monster that, throughout years of gaming, I have used with some frequency. Like giant frogs and giant ticks, they are a monster that resonates with me – and probably anyone who grew up in the Midwest or the southern parts of Canada. Still, the Monster Manual has a couple of varieties not included in the Cyclopedia, which you will find here.

I have used trappers, although rarely. Like the lurker above, it is just too dangerous not to use sparingly, and only on the fringes of inhabited areas in large dungeon complexes. Of course, I cannot be certain, but I think the difference in frequency which Gary Gygax gives these two monsters is based on the fact that the lurker above can shift its location more easily than the trapper. Still, the “survival horror” elements of this monster make it one of the all-time greats.

The other three monsters in this post are three which I cannot recall ever using. I remember creating a society which used titanotheres and baluchiteriums as beasts of burden, but as that location was never found by any PCs it remains for some future game.

Titans, of course, are not only huge giants but a major part of Greek mythology. The titan write-up herein will serve as the basis for converting the monsters of the Greek Mythos when I get to that portion of my Deities & Demigods conversions (ongoing in my Patreon). If you have been following my work on Gods & Powers of the Middle World, you know that some Greek-inspired deities are included, which finally gives me an adequate place to include titans in the game.

(If it interests you, Shanthopal is intended as a cultural melting pot, but is primarily based upon Indian and Middle Eastern ideas, as they may have evolved centuries hence, following the collapse of our own civilization, a nuclear war, and the return of gods and magic to our world. This allows me to admix many ideas into a semi-cohesive whole while using the influence of various gods and powers to explain, to some degree at least, why things are as they are.)

During my 1st Edition days, psionic characters were so rare on the ground that I didn’t really use psionic monsters often. I cannot remember ever using a thought eater, although I am hoping that my conversion will make them more useful to DCC judges than I found them in AD&D. That isn’t really a criticism of the earlier system; I am sure many AD&D DMs made better use of the psionics rules than I did. Discerning readers will note that my write-up has nothing to do with the creature as presented, but does have an Appendix N root.

Thought Eater: Init +0; Atk siphon Intelligence; AC 8; HD 1d6; MV fly 20’; Act 1d20; SP non-corporeal, immunity to non-magical weapons, siphon intelligence (1d3 permanent Intelligence, 30’ range, DC 13 Will negates), lead vulnerability, sunlight and UV radiation vulnerability; SV Fort +0; Ref +0; Will +0; AL C.

Non-corporeal creatures which feed on intelligence, thought eaters are naturally invisible. To those capable of seeing them, they appear as transparent blobs of violet energy. When they get within 30 feet of an intelligent creature, they can attempt to permanently siphon off 1d3 points of Intelligence (DC 13 Will negates) each round, only being satiated when they have consumed a full 20 points of Intelligence.

Thought eaters are powerless in daylight, and find it painful, so they usually only operate at night or deep underground. Despite being non-corporeal, they cannot pass through even a thin coating of lead and can be harmed by lead or lead-coated weapons. If forced to remain in bright daylight for 2d6 rounds, they are slain. Devices which channel strong ultra-violet light can destroy them in a similar amount of time if they cannot escape.

Thankfully, there are few of these creatures in existence. Sages believe they were some failed and foolish experiment of the Shining Ones, and there are still occasionally lead-lined containers found from those Dark Ages, sealed in lead, and woe upon those unwise enough to open them!

Giant Tick: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Tiger: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for both tigers and sabre-toothed tigers, with some additional variety provided (Bengal vs. Siberian for normal tigers, and by size for smilodons.

Lesser Titan: Init +0; Atk sword or spear +16 melee (5d8+12) or spell; AC 22; HD 20d10; MV 50’; Act 1d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result 24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +12; AL C.

Greater Titan: Init +2; Atk sword or spear +20 melee (5d8+15) or spell; AC 26; HD 25d10; MV 60’; Act 2d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result 24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +20, Ref +5, Will +16; AL C.

Lesser titans are 1d4+20 feet tall and weigh as much as 15,000 pounds. Greater titans are even larger, being 1d8+24 feet tall and weighing as much as 25,000 pounds. Wherever they appear, they may be worshipped as gods although they have no clerics and cannot grant divine spells.

All titans can cast spells. To determine what class they cast spell as, roll 1d6: (1-2) wizard, (3-5) cleric, or (6) both. Lesser titans have 1d6+2 caster levels, and greater titans have 1d7+3 caster levels. If a titan casts spells as a cleric, it can also lay on hands and turn the unholy, and acts as the representative of some specific god. 

If the judge so desires, a greater titan who casts wizard spells can be developed as a full patron. Likewise, powerful titans which cast clerical spells may become Demi-Powers or Least Powers at the judge’s discretion.

In any event, attacking a titan is almost certain suicide.

Titanothere: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Giant Toad: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals. I didn’t include an ice toad or poisonous toad, so I have included them below.

Ice Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged (20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d8); AC 10; HD 6d8+6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP entrap, swallow whole (19-20), cold aura (10’ range, 1d4 temporary Stamina, DC 10 Fort for half); SV Fort +4; Ref +0; Will +0 ; AL N.

These creatures are larger than common giant toads, and radiate intense cold within a 30’ radius, causing 1d4 temporary Stamina damage (DC 10 Fort for half). Victims who spend 1 turn warming up by a large fire heal this damage immediately if they succeed on a DC 5 Fort save; otherwise it heals normally as regular attribute damage.

On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal critical effect, an ice toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole, doing 1d6 damage and 1d3 Stamina damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical effects. As with giant frogs, giant toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per round unless it makes an opposed Strength check (vs +5), or sever its tongue (AC 13, 10 hp or Mighty Deed 4+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the ice toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat immediately.

Note that the Stamina damage to swallowed victims is not temporary, but can be healed as normal attribute damage.

Poisonous Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged (20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d6 plus venom); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP venom (1d3 Agility plus DC 15 Fort or 2d6 hp); entrap, swallow whole (19-20); SV Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +0; AL N.

Poisonous toads are similar to giant toads, except that they have a venomous bite. On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal critical effect, a poisonous toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole, doing 1d5 damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical effects. Poisonous toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per round unless the victim makes an opposed Strength check (vs +3), or sever its tongue (AC 13, 8 hp or Mighty Deed 3+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat immediately.

A thief can extract 1d4 doses of venom from a slain poisonous toad with a successful Handle Poison check, but there is a -2 penalty to this check.

Trapper: Init +0; Atk entrap +5 melee (crush); AC 20; HD 12d8; MV 10’; Act special; SP camouflage +12, crush (1d6 +AC bonus), ruin armor, underside vulnerability (AC 15, x2 damage); SV Fort +12, Ref -6, Will +0; AL C.

Trappers are flat, semi-amorphous creatures which can spread themselves over an area of up to 1d30 x 10 5-foot squares, matching the floor of the space – whether it is natural or worked stone – with an astonishing level of success. They are able to extrude part of their bodies into a vaguely chest-like protrusion which cannot pass for a real chest when potential victims are within 10 feet of it…but by then it is too late.

The trapper makes a single 1d20 attack against all creatures on its surface. Those it catches are entrapped, and on each following round it can crush all of its victims. Victims take 1d6 damage plus damage equal to the AC bonus of any armor worn as it is crushed into the victims’ bodies. Entrapped victims can take no action which requires motion, although mental powers may still be used. In most cases, victims rely upon any which escaped the trapper to survive.

In order to entrap victims, a trapper must expose its weaker underside. This has a lower AC (15) and attacks against it cause twice normal damage. If a trapper is reduced to half it hit points, it releases its victims and attempts to escape. Trappers are smarter than they would appear to be, and otherwise continue crushing their victims for 2d6+5 rounds before releasing them for consumption – strong and lucky creatures may be able to escape at this time.

Whether because they were released or slain, there is a chance equal to AC bonus on 1d20 that any armor worn by victims is ruined.

Trappers deposit slain victims beneath them, where they are slowly digested over 1d4 days. Although trappers do not care about treasure themselves, the remains of victims may include some non-organic items of use or value to adventurers.

Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Shrieker, Skeleton, Giant Skunk, Slithering Tracker, Giant Slug, Giant Snake, Spectre, and Sphinx

Lots of conversions for you today!

In fact, let's call it a Yuletide Miracle, because I wasn't planning on posting this until after Boxing Day. Yet, after being visited by three ghosts last night (four if you count Marley's ghost), my heart grew three sizes. So here are some beasts to roast and carve. 

The various sphinxes are from Creatures of the Sands, but there are plenty of new conversions here. I had done a shrieker conversion for Purple Duck (Purple Mountain II: Desolate Dwarven Delve), but I didn’t reference that for this conversion.

Skeletons, shriekers, and giant snakes are all creatures I have used relatively frequently, and is fitting that the core rulebook covers two of these. Or mostly covers them, as I have had a bit to add to giant snakes.  Sphinxes are also an excellent monster for campaigns in regions suited to using them, and they are also monsters I have used fairly regularly. The idea that sphinxes may hold spell knowledge in DCC makes their inclusion invaluable.

The remainder are good monsters that I have used infrequently, largely because they can be devastating to encounter. The flavor of these monsters is excellent, though, and I hope my versions of them meet with your approval. In the early days of the hobby, the idea of killing a PC through a slithering tracker, or taking away 2 levels with a single attack might have been easier to swallow than they would be today. My spectre may be gentler (especially if you have access to restore vitality), but my slithering tracker is not. In the case of the slithering tracker and the giant slug, I have tried to give a little more guidance as to description in one case or abilities in the other than the original Monster Manual did.

Anyway, today’s post includes a dozen statblocks. I hope that you find them useful!

Shrieker: Init always last; Atk none; AC 13; HD 3d6; MV 5’; Act 1d20; SP plant, shriek; SV Fort +6; Ref -10; Will +0; AL N.

These slowly-ambulating fungi are about as tall as a halfling, with thick, leathery bodies that can survive a fair amount of abuse. They feed on carrion and, although incapable of attacks themselves, they have the means to ensure a reasonable food supply. Light or movement within 30 feet of a shrieker cause the fungus to emit a loud and high-pitched shrieking noise which can be heard from a great distance. Each round of shrieking, there is a 1 in 6 chance of a random encounter (in addition to any set encounter the shrieking triggers). The fungus continues to shriek for 2d6 rounds even after it detects neither movement or light, and even after it stops there is a 1 in 10 chance per round of a random encounter being drawn to the shrieker’s location each round for the next 3d10 minutes.

Random encounters may be able to track adventurers, but, if they cannot silence a shrieker quickly, retreat is often the best option they may have. Judges are encourages to have distance shrieker noises heard occasionally by characters exploring vast dungeons or cave systems.

Skeleton: See the core rulebook, pages 426-427.

Giant Skunk: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Slithering Tracker: Init +0; Atk touch +3 melee (paralysis); AC 15; HD 5d8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP paralysis (1d6 hours, DC 15 Fort negates), tracking, semi-fluid, blood drain (1d3 Stamina per turn), stealth +18; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4; AL N.

This creature is an evolved type of primordial slime, no more than 3 feet long, which moves in a puddle shaped much like a flattened snake. Because they are semi-fluid, they can pass through almost any aperture not less than three inches in diameter. Flattened out, they can easily pass beneath most doors. Because they are almost transparent, they nearly always gain a surprise round – when discovered before this, it is usually because a slithering noise made their prey wary.

As their name suggests, slithering trackers are nearly faultless trackers, and once they have begun trailing a target they seldom stop unless killed or something (such as taking a ship) stymies the trail. Many an adventurer may curse trudging in the rain back to town after a dungeon raid, but slithering trackers do not hesitate to leave the underworld, or to enter civilization, and a heavy enough downpour may wash the adventurers’ tracks and scent away.

Slithering trackers do not attack immediately, in general, but wait to get their chosen target alone. Their only useful melee attack paralyzes targets for 1d6 hours unless a DC 15 Fort save is successful. Once a victim is paralyzed, the slithering tracker spreads out across the body and slowly begins draining blood plasma, causing 1d3 Stamina damage per turn. If the victim’s Stamina reaches 0, they die. A victim in contact with a slithering tracker when paralysis wears off must succeed in another DC 15 Fort save or be paralyzed anew. It is possible, though unlikely, that a victim might survive the blood plasma draining, become mobile again, and escape or fight the monster off without outside help.

Be thankful that these monsters are seldom encountered.

Giant Slug: See the core rulebook, pages 427. The underdark slug in the core rulebook is not as large as the one in the Monster Manual, so I have included an additional statblock below.

Giant Slug: Init -6; Atk bite +4 melee (1d12) or acidic spit +3 ranged (acidic spit); AC 12; HD 12d6; MV 20’ or burrow 1’; Act 1d20; acidic spit (SP 60’ range, 3d6 damage, DC 13 Fort for half), half damage from bludgeoning weapons, possible slime; SV Fort +10, Ref -10, Will -4; AL C.

Giant slugs are horrendous creatures which can spit acid, and use their rasping tongues to slowly burrow even through solid stone. At the judge’s discretion, their slime trails may have traits similar to underdark slugs (core rulebook, page 427).

Giant Snake: See the core rulebook, page 428, for giant constrictors, poisonous snakes, and spitting snakes (boas, cobras, and vipers). See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for giant sidewinders and giant sea snakes. The giant sea snake in the Cyclopedia is not a destroyer of ships, so I include another statblock below.

Amphisbaena: : Init +6; Atk bite +8 melee (3d6 plus venom); AC 16; HD 4d8; MV 30’; SP venom (DC 12 Fort or 1d4 Stamina); Act 2d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; AL N.

Amphisbaenas are simply snakes with a second head instead of a tail. To make an amphisbaena from any serpent, simply add an extra action die for the second head. Normal-sized snakes as well as giant snakes can be modified this way, although amphisbaenas are far more likely to be venomous snakes than constrictors. These stats were modified from the giant viper in the core rulebook.

Hoop Snake: This snake can form a rigid “hoop” by keeping its tail (or second head, if an amphisbaena) near its head, using an action die. It can then roll along at twice its normal move speed, and can still attack at the end of its move if it has an available action die to do so.

Colossal Sea Snake: Init -4; Atk bite +4 melee (1d12 plus venom) or crush ship; AC 18; HD 10d8; MV swim 70’; Act 1d24; SP venom (3d6 damage plus Fort DC 16 or death), crush ship, crit 20-24; SV Fort +12, Ref +0, Will +8; AL N.

Sea serpents of incredible size, there is only a 1 in 5 chance that sighting such a creature results in an attack. The initial attack of a colossal sea snake is to coil about the ship (assuming that such is present), an attack which takes 1d6 rounds for the creature to accomplish. Once it has succeeded at this, the snake crushes the ship, which requires no action die. For a normal-sized galley, there is a cumulative 1 in 10 chance of sinking the ship per round. Smaller ships are easier to sink (1 in 8, 1 in 7, 1 in 6, and so on), while larger ships are harder to sink and take longer to coil around (+1 round per die shift).

When a colossal sea snake attacks a ship, it is usually because it has mistaken the vessel for a prey item. In this case, it ignores life boats and those fleeing into the air or water. If it is attacked by those on the ship, however, it may use its venomous bite against them.

Thieves can recover 1d6 doses of venom from a slain colossal sea snake, if they manage to gain access to its body, with a successful Handle Poison check. This check has a -1d shift due to the nature of the creature it is being collected from, but a thief may make 3d6 attempts if they have access to the body long enough.

Spectre: Init +2; Atk non-corporeal touch +3 melee (1d6 cold plus life drain); AC 10; HD 5d12; MV fly 40’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits, life drain (DC 13 Will or 1d4 permanent Stamina damage), create spawn, immune to non-magical weapons; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +8; AL C.

Spectre Spawn: Init -2; Atk non-corporeal touch +0 melee (1d3 cold plus life drain); AC 10; HD 3d12; MV fly 40’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits, life drain (DC 13 Will or 1d3 Stamina damage), immune to non-magical weapons; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2; AL C.

A particularly powerful and nasty type of ghost (see core rulebook, pages 413-414), specters are intelligent and evil. Unlike many ghosts, they actively conceal the means by which they may be laid to rest, for they revel in their un-death. Unless a spectre is permanently lain to rest, anyone slain by a spectre arises as a spectre spawn 1d3 nights later. It may take decades for a spectre spawn to become a full spectre, and until that time they may be laid to rest by permanently laying to rest the “parent” spectre. This often revolves around righting some wrong the spectre performed in life or destroying some object that binds it to the Lands We Know.

Androsphinx: Androsphinx: Init +5; Atk claw +6 melee (1d6); AC 16; HD 6d8+6;  MV 40’ or fly 50’; Act 2d20; SP spellcasting; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8; AL L.

Criosphinx: Criosphinx: Init +4; Atk ram + 5 melee (1d6+2) or claw +3 melee (1d4); AC 15; HD 4d8+4; MV 40’ or fly 50’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +1; AL N..

Gynosphinx: Init +6; Atk claw +5 melee (1d6); AC 17; HD 6d8+6; MV 40’ or fly 50’; Act 2d20; spellcasting; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6; AL N.

Small Gynosphinx: Init +7; Atk claw +5 melee (1d4); AC 18; HD 2d8+4; MV 30’ or fly 50’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5; AL C.

Hieracosphinx: Init +4; Atk claw +5 melee (1d4) or bite +3 melee (1d6); AC 15; HD 5d8+5; MV 40’ or fly 50’; Act 3d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2; AL N.

The names of the various types of sphinxes come to us from the ancient Greeks, and particularly by Herodotus when he travelled to Egypt. All sphinxes have leonine bodies and bird-like wings, but there are several different types which may be encountered.

Androsphinxes are the largest group, with make human heads. These sphinxes serve as guardians, and generally ally themselves with the gods of Law. Androsphinxes have the spellcasting abilities of level 1d3 clerics, including the ability to turn the unholy and lay on hands.

Criosphinxes have the heads of rams and are not particularly intelligent. 

Gynosphinxes have female human heads, and come in two varieties, both of which love esoteric knowledge.  The larger gynosphinxes can cast spells as level 1d5 wizards, and may sometimes be sought for spell knowledge. These sphinxes may sometimes act as guardians, but more commonly seek their own pleasure. They are not evil, or even ill-willed, but they do seek a high price for knowledge gathered over centuries.

Smaller gynosphinxes are decidedly malevolent. Although they may be dispatched by the gods to punish transgressors, in truth they do not care who gets punished, and they will kill and devour all they can until their proper target should appear. Like their larger kindred, these sphinxes love knowledge, and particularly love riddles. It is a favorite game to ask a riddle of their intended prey, who – if they can answer correctly – may be allowed to go free unscathed.

Hieracosphinxes are falcon-headed and intelligent. They have been known to aid humans, acting as guardians or hunters, but they are equally likely to be encountered raiding livestock, or far in the wastes where all but the most hardy travelers may be avoided. Hieracosphinxes have a great store of wisdom, but only those who understand the languages of hawks and eagles may prise secrets from them successfully.

Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Night Hag, Nightmare, Nixie, and Nymph

This post finished off the “N”s, and was done entirely without reference to the Monster Manual due to the folkloric nature of the creatures herein. I feel a bit strongly about getting creatures like this “right”, and I hope that I have succeeded at least in part.

My write up for nymphs is from an early blog post where I was translating materials written for my own fantasy heartbreaker to DCC. I noticed a few holdovers from that earlier ruleset, which I have corrected here.

Night Hag: Init +0; Atk claw +3 melee (1d3+3) or bite +1 melee (1d4); AC 15; HD 7d12; MV 20’; Act 2d20; SP astral projection (Stamina drain, non-corporeal), immune to fire and cold; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +7; AL C.

These loathsome creatures dwell in the demonic planes, but they can project their astral forms into the Lands We Know, where they drain the life from living folk as they sleep. A projected night hag is incorporeal, and can only be affected by magic weapons or spells. She squats upon a sleeper, who suffers 1d3 Stamina each night they are “hag-ridden”, while suffering debilitating nightmares which prevent spell recovery or healing. A night hag will “ride” the same victim, night after night, until they reach 0 Stamina, lapse into a coma, and, if not restored to at least 1 Stamina, die after 1d3 more nights.

The astral form of a night hag is incorporeal and invisible. On her own plane, and to those who can see her (including the victims in their night terrors), a night hag is obviously non-human, as large as an ogre, with sharp teeth, pointed ears, and sometimes (10% chance) small goat-like horn buds. If a night hag is driven off, her victim gains the normal benefits of sleep and doesn’t suffer Stamina loss that night. Disrupting a night hag is not enough; if it is engaged in combat but the assailants retreat, the night hag can continue her nocturnal activities. Lost Stamina heals normally once the victim is no longer being affected by the night hag.

A night hag reduced to 0 hp while in her astral form is not slain, but is forced to return to her material body in the demonic planes and remain there for 666 days.

Nightmare: Init +1; Atk flaming hoof +6 melee (1d6+3 plus fire damage) or bite +4 melee (1d3 plus fire damage) or breath weapon; AC 15; HD 6d8; MV 60’ or fly 60’; Act 2d20; SP breath weapon (gout of flame, 10’ diameter, 2d6 damage, DC 13 Reflex for half), fire damage (1d6 plus DC 10 Reflex or catch fire), immune to fire, cold vulnerability (x2 damage); SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +4; AL C.

These horses come from the hell planes, and are used as steeds by various fiendish beings. Coal black, with flaming eyes and hooves, they are the size of large warhorses, hot to the touch, and able to run on air as easily as they do on land.

Nixie: Init +3; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3) or charm or drown; AC 13; HD 2d6; MV 20’ or swim 40’; SP shapechange, charm, drown, take lovers, iron vulnerability (x2 damage); Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2; AL C.

Water spirits which appear humanoid in their natural form, nixies always have something animalistic about them, and their clothing always appears to be damp or wet in some part. Shapeshifters, they can appear as serpents, fish, and other creatures associated with river and lakes. Whatever appearance they take, it does not affect their statistics – a nixie in fish form can walk upon the land, and one in serpent form will is never venomous.

Nixies are only found in fresh water, although they can be found both in clear rivers and stagnant pools. Rarely, nixies can even be found in subterranean lakes and streams. Some may be helpful and good, but many wish nothing more than to lure mortals into the water and drown them.

A nixie can charm mortals able to see or hear it (as charm person with a +5 spell check), using songs or the lure of their bodies to do so – that huge trout you know you could catch if you waded into the stream could well be a nixie. Those charmed by a nixie willingly enter the water where, once they have reached sufficient depth, the nixie attempts to drown them. For every opposed Strength check (vs. +2) that the nixie wins, the victim takes 1d4 temporary Stamina damage from drowning, and dies at 0 Stamina. Multiple nixies may attempt to drown the same victim, and each additional nixie beyond the first adds their +2 bonus to the opposed Strength check. Should a victim win free, this Stamina damage heals with 10 minutes of unobstructed breathing.

Occasionally, nixies take mortal lovers. A victim with a 16 or better Personality who reaches 0 Stamina due to drowning may attempt a Luck check. If successful, the victim does not die, but is instead returned unharmed after a period of time. Roll 1d7 plus Luck modifier: (1 or less) 1d20 years, (2) 1d5 years, (3) 1d3 years, (4) 1d12 months, (5) 1d5 weeks, (6) 1d8 days, or (7+) 1d30 hours.

Nymph: Init +3; Atk spear +2 melee (1d6) or short bow +6 ranged (1d6); AC 14; HD 1d8; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP untiring, supernatural allure, blinding, merge with nature; SV Fort +4 , Ref +8, Will +7; AL variable (often N or C).

Divine Nymph: Init +5; Atk spear +4 melee (1d6+2) or short bow +8 ranged (1d6); AC 16; HD 5d8; MV 50’; Act 1d20; SP untiring, supernatural allure, blinding, cause death, merge with nature; SV Fort +8 , Ref +12, Will +14; AL variable (often N or C).

Nymphs are nature spirits that take the form of impossibly beautiful young women.  They may have some inhuman features, such as pointed ears or unusual hair, eye, or skin tones.  They are tied into some natural site or phenomenon, or exist as the entourage of a mortal incarnation of a deity or powerful cleric.  Thus, there might be a Nymph of the Crystal Grotto, Nymphs of Springtime, Nymphs of the Darkwine River, and so on. 

Nymphs enjoy hunting and other sports.  They are noted for their skill with spear and bow.  Some 25% of encounters with nymphs will include 1d6 hunting dogs per nymph (as mastiff, the Cyclopedia of Common Animals, p. 46).

Many nymphs seem to enjoy mortal company.  Most nymphs limit this company to the presence of women, whom they allow to join in their sports, but 20% of all nymphs are also interested in taking comely mortals – both male and female – as paramours.  Nymphs can bear children with mortal lovers.  Such children gain a +2 bonus to Personality and a +1 bonus to Agility, but are otherwise treated as mortals of their race.  They may have other visible signs of their fey ancestry, based upon their mother’s appearance.

Nymphs prefer to pursue rather than to be pursued, and run away when approached by amorous satyrs and men.  When a nymph runs, she is untiring, able to run at full speed for six hours without a break.  It is difficult for any creature to harm a nymph due to her supernatural allure.  A DC 15 Will save is required to target a nymph with any attack, although once this save succeeds once, the attacker cannot be affected by the nymph’s allure again that day.  As a final method of outwitting pursuit, a nymph may merge with nature as an action, becoming reeds, an island, stalks of grain, or anything else appropriate to the area.  A nymph must succeed in a DC 20 Will save to merge with nature, and this merger is permanent.

Nymphs who are tied into a particular time, such as a season or a time of day, are only present in the material world during that time.  It is as though the intervening time did not exist for the nymph.  Thus, the last day of autumn of one year, and the first day of autumn the next year, are sequential days for an autumnal nymph.  If the nymph has a mortal paramour, she can choose either to take them with her (so that they age one year for every four, from the perspective of a mortal creature of the material plane), or not, so that they can act in the world throughout the year, but seems to age swiftly before her eyes.

Nymphs may have 1d5 class levels as (roll 1d5) (1-2) a warrior or (3-5) a wizard.

Divine Nymph: Roughly 15% of all nymphs have divine blood.  These nymphs can immediately blind any mortal being who sees them without using an action (Reflexes or Will DC 20 negates).  If a divine nymph is viewed by a mortal while disrobed, she can cause them to die (Reflexes or Will DC 15 negates).  A divine nymph may have 1d7 class levels as a (roll 1d7) (1) cleric, (2-3) thief, (4-5) warrior, or (6-7) wizard.

From this post.