For several weeks now, I’ve been running Greg Gillespie’s excellent “Barrowmaze” mega-dungeon using D&D.
One of the challenges of running this Old School resource is in finding or converting the many creatures listed in the back. I’ve found some in the very cool Fifth Edition Foes and, of course, many are in the D&D Monster Manual. There are, however, many more that need conversion.
Having converted several creatures, here for your perusal are the Sapphire Skeletons.
An Excellent Random Encounter
So far, these guys have appeared twice in our adventures – once two sessions ago, and again last night. The same group twice, to be honest, as the party had to flee the first time around… taking the corpses of two of their compatriots with them.
Last night, the party returned and engaged the Sapphire Skeletons… and, eventually, defeated them. It was a tense encounter and a difficult challenge – five of these guys is a handful, even for 2nd and 3rd Level characters.
Here’s the stats as I’ve used them. Oh, and it’s 1d6 of the buggers on the Wandering Undead Table.
Skeleton, Sapphire
Sapphire skeletons are like normal skeletons in most respects. However, each has a large valuable sapphire embedded into its forehead. This jewel glows brightly when in combat. If a sapphire skeleton is injured, it draws itself back together and can regenerate hit points. They are immune to fire.
Only the destruction of the jewel embedded in its forehead will destroy sapphire skeletons. The jewel has an armour class of 19 and has 10 hit points. Upon destroying the sapphire, the jewel will break into valuable shards and chunks worth 100gp per skeleton.
Skeleton, Sapphire
Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (armour scraps, shield); 19 (jewel)
Hit Points 13 (2d8+4); jewel has 10
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 12 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 5 (−3)
Saving Throws Wis +2
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned, fire
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages Common but can’t speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Regeneration. The skeleton regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. The skeleton dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and the jewel is destroyed.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Enjoy!
AC 19 for sapphires…. Did u fudge that so we could hit em easier last night?
It was very tense and challenging. The sapphires make for a real dilemma.
Nope, no fudging. That’s what I wrote and ran last night.
Glad it was tense and fun.
U could actually see n feel the mood shifting as the momentum in each fight swung back n forth. Great stuff.
I think (hopefully w a stronger team) that we can be more decisive and tackle that big room or something more juicy next time, but that last encounter was a real struggle vs just 2 horrors. The thought of a big room that could potentially contain greater numbers of them would be quite intimidating to our hero’s.
The psychological impact has def left it’s mark. 🙂