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Didn't know whether to post this under Conversions or Homebrew. Admins, feel free to remove the one that's in the wrong forum.
At any rate, I've been working on some stuff, and I just whipped up what I think is a passable first go at a Tonberry.
Stats can be found HERE.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
To provide a more useful response.....you've got a problem. One of the iconic traits of the iconic Tonberry is he is slow. However this isn't one of the FF games where the characters don't move around and movement speed is non-existant.
If I'm a player and I see this guy moving so slowly my response will be "okay everybody move back to about 100ft away and start unloading". Short of surprise or some effect that prevents us from running away he will never get an attack off.
If you are going to use him as is you have to be EXTREMELY careful about how you use him. You'll have to come up with some plan so the characters can't just do a run around on him but have it happen in a way that doesn't make the players feel life they are being railroaded.
Your other option is to try and come up with some way to make him still "feel" slow like the one from the video game without lowering his speed to a point where he can't participate in the fight.
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Of all the things to convert, I'd be happy to see these evil little monsters. But as stated above speed is an entirely different issue in the pen and paper world. I'd give the little guy a slew of freakish lantern spells such as magical darkness, minor teleport abilities, or even invisibility.
I'm all for them being slow moving impeding doom creatures but for this type of game you have to make their approach seemingly unavoidable and freakishly destined. Like it WILL end you like Jason Vorhees ends stupid people who enter Lake Crystal.
Edit: you may have to play test him a few times, see if DR is a good idea or illusion / karma spells. Maybe the more it moves the more dangerous it gets like the old traveler attack so running isn't always good.
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Thanks for the input, guys. The speed issue was brought up in the shadow thread on the Homebrew forums, and the idea of a reverse sanctuary was presented. I sort of like it.
The main thing here is that Tonberries are found principally underground. In horrible twisting caverns that do not promote ranged combat. The kind that force you to be within 60 ft to actually combat it.
As far as changes, it would be really cool to give them Darkvision and give their lanterns a darklantern effect.
As was stated, some testing is in order, and I'm not 100% on the CR.
Gelatinous Cubes are slow, but if they trick someone into walking into them, running away stops being an option.
Also, a cube at the bottom of a pit trap can be deadly.
The Karma thing can be devastating.
Is there a demon or devil that has that?
Thankfully they're not the FF6 version with Step Mine!
I like Karma, but I'd probably also give them some protections, otherwise I'd see the critter die in a mud pit someone created with transmute rock to mud. But seriously, I love it!
Oh, and I'd probably make the ability of the chef's knife something the tonberry itself has, not inherent in the knife, just in case of a long encounter.
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Thankfully they're not the FF6 version with Step Mine!
I like Karma, but I'd probably also give them some protections, otherwise I'd see the critter die in a mud pit someone created with transmute rock to mud. But seriously, I love it!
Oh, and I'd probably make the ability of the chef's knife something the tonberry itself has, not inherent in the knife, just in case of a long encounter.
Besides, would you really want that knife in the hands of your PCs? Remember, as a Magic Item, it is subject to item creation rules.
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Gelatinous Cubes are slow, but if they trick someone into walking into them, running away stops being an option.
Also, a cube at the bottom of a pit trap can be deadly.
The Karma thing can be devastating.
Is there a demon or devil that has that?
Not to my knowledge. I was just searching for something good to represent it and unwilling shield popped out at me.
Thankfully they're not the FF6 version with Step Mine!
I like Karma, but I'd probably also give them some protections, otherwise I'd see the critter die in a mud pit someone created with transmute rock to mud. But seriously, I love it!
Oh, and I'd probably make the ability of the chef's knife something the tonberry itself has, not inherent in the knife, just in case of a long encounter.
I wanted SOME incentive for the PCs to actually fight it, rather than avoid it. Experience is a motivating factor for some people, but not all. Badass iconic weaponry appeals to almost everyone.
Besides, would you really want that knife in the hands of your PCs? Remember, as a Magic Item, it is subject to item creation rules.
This is precisely why it's a Small sized Nine Lives Stealer with 3 charges instead of 9 and it's the only treasure it drops. The best part about it is that you don't have a choice about when it activates. It activates on a crit regardless of whether you want it to or not, which means it will either only get used on important things, or the charges will get blown through pretty quickly.
And as stated in the shadow thread:
Tonberries are all about risk vs reward. Offer enough reward and you won't need a reason for the players to stick around mechanically.
I'd go with tying it to the lantern or making it some sort of innate supernatural ability or SLA. Good plan!
As for treasure drops, can we go back to the days when you beat these guys and got Minerva robes, elixirs, or ribbons? I've always wanted a FF Ribbon;)
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Alright, I've updated the little guy with some new wording on his abilities. Lemme know what you think.
EDIT:
As for treasure drops, can we go back to the days when you beat these guys and got Minerva robes, elixirs, or ribbons? I've always wanted a FF Ribbon;)
Dear gods, the havoc that could be prevented by a simple ribbon! I honestly hadn't given any thought to the fact that I had so much gear to create. Maybe my mind was trying to save my sanity.
One other note about the chef's knife: you might consider basing the Fortitude save off the standard array (10 + 1/2 monster hd + relevant ability modifier) when the tonberry uses it, but use whatever is standard for a nine-lives stealer if someone else uses it (those things allow saves still, right?). The slow aura is a nice touch, I think it works well.
I know this is sick, but how many of these things do you have to skin to make a cloak of damage reflection.
Have these things guard important doors.
Make it a lantern of revealing and you have something.
My one concern is someone charming the little freak.
When the kitchen knife runs out of death, does it still allow +2 profession cook?
Ditto on the movement thing. Also, carrying around the lantern is gonna make sneaking up on people difficult. I have one idea, though. You might give the Tonberry a limited form of subtle Teleport ability (usable only when not being observed). This is for two reasons:
1. enemies in Final Fantasy seemingly pop out of nowhere
2. it adds to the move serial killer vibe these bastards radiate. Basically, no matter where you run, he's right around the corner.
Also, looks like you've got a couple of errors in your CMB/CMD. CMB should be 21 (+17 BAB, +5 Str, -1 size), and CMD should be 20 (+17 BAB, +5 Str, -1 size, -1 dex)
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Ditto on the movement thing. Also, carrying around the lantern is gonna make sneaking up on people difficult. I have one idea, though. You might give the Tonberry a limited form of subtle Teleport ability (usable only when not being observed). This is for two reasons:
1. enemies in Final Fantasy seemingly pop out of nowhere
2. it adds to the move serial killer vibe these bastards radiate. Basically, no matter where you run, he's right around the corner.
Also, looks like you've got a couple of errors in your CMB/CMD. CMB should be 21 (+17 BAB, +5 Str, -1 size), and CMD should be 20 (+17 BAB, +5 Str, -1 size, -1 dex)
Thanks for the catch on my math. I buffed their Strength and I guess I forgot to update their CMB/CMD.
However, you're forgetting the base 10 that gets added to CMD, so it should really be 30 (10 + 17 BAB + 5 Str - 1 Dex, -1 size).