Stat Blocks - #6 Black Waters PFS Update

[Tarrintino]

I'm updating the Season 0 mod "#6 - Black Waters" for PFS for an event I'll be running later this month on the 18th. I applied the Advanced & Giant templates to the Giant Ant creature in order to make a Giant Queen Ant (per Bestiary 1). However, I'm a little concerned that the stats I generated are a bit overpowering.

I also generated stats for the Sorcerer in the game to be used, and would like your input on him, as well. Would the "undead" template be appropriate?

Would any of you like to look over my work and make sure I did this up right? I'd love your feedback.

Tarrintino

Giant Ant Queen CR 6
XP 600
N Large vermin
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +7

Defense
AC 20, touch 7, flat-footed 22; (+12 natural)
hp 30 (2d8+14)
Fort +10, Ref +0, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting effects

Offense
Speed 10 ft.
Melee bite +11 (1d8+10 plus grab), sting +11 (1d6+10 plus poison)

Statistics
Str 30, Dex 8, Con 29, Int —, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB +11 (+15 grapple); CMD 22 (30 vs. trip)
Feats ToughnessB
Skills Climb +18, Perception +7, Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–6), or hive (7–18 plus 10–100 workers, 2–8 drones, and 1 queen)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 19; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save

Deris Marlinchen CR 3
Male human sorcerer 3
CN Medium humanoid
Init +2; Perception +4

DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex, +1 Dodge)
hp 23 (3d6+9)
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6
Special Abilities Grave Touch (melee touch attack causes living creature to become shaken for 1 round; 7/day); Death's Gift (resist cold 5 and DR 5/— against nonlethal damage)

OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4; 19-20/x2)
Ranged dart +3 (1d4; x2)

Spells Known (CL 3rd):
1st (6/day, 6 left)—charm person (DC 15), chill person (DC 15), color spray (DC 15), ventriloquism (DC 15)
0 (6/day, 4 left)—daze (DC 14), detect magic, ghost sound (DC14), open/close (DC 14), prestidigitation

TACTICS
Before Combat Marlinchen isn’t expecting to fight anyone— turning the spirits will send him into a rage, though.
During Combat Marlinchen casts color spray, trying to hit as many PCs as possible, and then attempts to charm at least one PC before resorting to his dagger. If he can, he’ll cast color spray often to keep the PCs blinded or stunned.
Morale If enraged by the turning of the spirits, Marlinchen fights to the death.

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +1
CMB +1; CMD: 13
Feats Dodge, Eschew Materials, Iron Will, Toughness
Skills Bluff +8, Craft +7, Diplomacy +5, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (planes) +4, Linguistics +4, Perception +4, Profession +5, Spellcraft +9, Use Magic Device +8

Languages Common, Elven, Kellish, Orc, Ancient Ossiran, Thassilonian

Gear dagger, 4 darts, garnet ring (40 gp)

Zombie Bugbear CR 1
NE Medium undead humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +0

Defense
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +5 natural, +1 shield)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
DR 5/slashing
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee morningstar +4 (1d8+4) or
Melee slam +4 (1d6+4)
Ranged javelin +2 (1d6+4)
Statistics
Str 20, Dex 11, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 14
Feats Toughness
Skills Intimidate +4, Stealth +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate, +4 Stealth
SQ Staggered (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can only perform a single move action or standard action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round as a charge action.
Languages Common, Goblin

Ecology
Environment temperate mountains
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–6), or warband (7–12 plus 2 warriors of 1st level and 1 chieftain of 3rd–5th level)
Treasure NPC Gear (leather armor, light wooden shield, morningstar, 3 javelins, other treasure)

[Eric Clingenpeel]

Is this a PFS event, or a home game?

[Brian Lefebvre]

Look at the Adapting Season 0-2 scenario section on pg 26 in the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play v4.1 on how to run Black Water under the current rules.

But here are the basics

Which stats to use:

Deris - Use existing stats. Don't change anything in stat block, just calculate CMB and CMD. Using Pathfinder skills in place of 3.5 skill equivalents with listed modifier.
Spider Swarm - matching CR use the bestiary version
Giant Water Bug - CRs don't match so use the stats for the Giant Ant Queen in the 3.5 Monster Manual and calculate CMB and CMD. Using Pathfinder skills in place of 3.5 skill equivalents with listed modifier.
Bugbear Zombie - CRs don't match so use the 3.5 Monster Manual version and add CMB and CMD. Use Pathfinder Skills in place of 3.5 skill equivalents with listed bonus.
Allip - CRs match use the version in Bestiary 3
Ghouls - CRs match use the Bestiary version
Ghast - CRs don't match so use the 3.5 Monster Manual version adding CMB and CMD. Use Pathfinder Skills in place of 3.5 skill equivalents with listed bonus.

[Tarrintino]

Eric Clingenpeel wrote:

Is this a PFS event, or a home game?

This is for a PFS event run at a local store that I'll be GMing.

Brian Lefebvre wrote:

Look at the Adapting Season 0-2 scenario section on pg 26 in the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play v4.1 on how to run Black Water under the current rules.

But here are the basics
** spoiler omitted **

Hmmm, seems a bit odd that we'd still be opting to use the 3.5e stat blocks with just normal conversions for CMB/CMD & skills. But after reading over the Giant Queen Ant stats, I can see why.

With this in mind, the changes I made to update the Sorcerer to Pathfinder makes minimal changes and maintains the same CR. I'll have to review the Giant Queen Ant & Bugbear Zombie stats and make the necessary changes there.

[Eric Clingenpeel]

Tarrintino wrote:

With this in mind, the changes I made to update the Sorcerer to Pathfinder makes minimal changes and maintains the same CR. I'll have to review the Giant Queen Ant & Bugbear Zombie stats and make the necessary changes there.

You might see it as minimal, but it is still illegal to change it in any way except as Brian outlined. No bloodline, Eschew Materials, or anything else besides giving him CMB/CMD and changing the skill names from 3.5 to PF.

They're working on updating season 0 to pf, but its a slow process and until then, they put those guidelines in place so that everyone still has as similar an experience as those that have played it before them.

[CRobledo]

Brian got the jist of it. You are only allowed to change monsters id their CR matches the Bestiary entry, and can't change anyone with class levels pretty much. Just add CMD, CMB and change skill names.

[TetsujinOni]

It's not that odd - it was playtested as an appropriate difficulty using the 3.5OGL creatures and classes, so changes will potentially cause unsupportable issues and bad feelings about PFRPG. That's undesirable.

[Mystic Lemur]

And be sure to write a review of the scenario after you run it. If something was a cakewalk, or too hard, that information helps them when they update it from 3.5 to PF. (Or so I've been told.)

[Tarrintino]

Okay, I think I have a better understanding of it all now. I'll go with the stats presented in the scenario, but just calculate the CMB/CMD for the sorcerer as presented.