Monsters of Fighting Fantasy: The Citadel of Chaos

This post continues from the first one where I converted the monsters from Ian Livingstone's Forest of Doom from Fighting Fantasy stats to B/X D&D. Here I am having another go, using Steve Jackson's Citadel of Chaos. All illustrations are by the incomparable Russ Nicholson whose work has brought many scenes from the Fighting Fantasy series to life. 

Rhino-man

Name	Rhino-man
Armor Class	3
Hit Dice (Avg hp)	7+7 (38 hp)
Movement	90’
No Attacks	1 weapon+ 1 horn
THAC0	11
Damage	1d8+2/1d4+2
No Enc	1d4
Save as	F6
Morale	11
Alignment	Chaotic
Treasure	C
Size/Type	Large Humanoid
Intelligence	7-9 (low)
XP value	450

In combat Rhino-men are front line warriors who will charge an opponent whenever possible (20’ - 60’ away, straight line to reach target). A charging rhino-man gets an extra +2 to hit and double damage with both horn and spear.

Rhino-men are twisted and angry humanoids created by chaotic wizardry. It is not believed they can reproduce themselves. Balthus Dire, the villainous inhabitant of the Citadel of Chaos, is known to have a number in his service.

Due to their sensitive noses and good hearing, rhino-men cannot normally be surprised and have a 10% per round chance to detect invisible or hidden creatures.

Rhino-men are, despite their alignment, brave and loyal, and together with their senses, are excellent guards. They are omnivorous, grazing on grass or leaves, or devouring their fallen enemies.

They have a strange, hateful rivalry with minotaurs - the two will never work together and will attack each other unless a powerful leader keeps them apart.

Venomous Hydra

Name	Venomous Hydra
Armor Class	5
Hit Dice (Avg hp)	5-10** (hp varies),  *** if lernaean
Movement	90’/swim 60'
No Attacks	1 bite per head
THAC0	15 or better
Damage	1d6+poison per head
No Enc	1
Save as	F3-F5 (half HD)
Morale	11
Alignment	Unaligned
Treasure	None
Size/Type	Large magical beast
Intelligence	2-3 (animal)
XP value	425 (5HD) or more

Venomous hydrae may be related to normal hydrae though there are some obvious differences . Firstly each head can deliver a venomous bite that requires a save vs poison or die within 1d4 rounds as well as normal physical damage. Like normal hydrae each head has 8hp separate from the body. For most venomous hydras if opponent attacks are aimed at each head and inflict more than 8hp then that head is destroyed. If either the hydra loses all its heads or its body suffers fatal damage (reduced to 0 hp or below) then it dies.

Secondly venomous hydrae have no legs - they slither on their bellies like snakes. They are adept at swimming if necessary.

Thirdly venomous hydrae are rarely (5% chance) capable of regenerating lost heads - those that can are known as Lernaean venomous hydrae. Attacks can be aimed at the lernaean hydra's heads as usual and if that head suffers 8hp or more damage it is temporarily destroyed. But in 2 rounds that destroyed head is replaced by 2 more heads. Also a lernaean venomous hydra's body regenerates at 2hp per round. They can only be killed by fire or acid which, like with trolls, prevents regeneration (either by the body or heads). 

Venomous hydrae usually live in swamps and jungles but some are captured and placed in dungeons where they thrive. They are typically the top predators in their domain - only those who can slay it from afar (such as dragons with their breath weapons) or those immune to poison (such as undead) have a chance of defeating them.

Calacorm  

Name	Calacorm
Armor Class	6
Hit Dice (Avg hp)	3+3 (16hp)
Movement	120'
No Attacks	2 weapons or 2 bites
THAC0	17
Damage	1d6+1/1d6+1 (weapons) or 1d4/1d4 (bites)
No Enc	1d4 (squad)
Save as	F3
Morale	8
Alignment	Chaotic
Treasure	S
Size/Type	Medium Humanoid
Intelligence	7-9 (low)
XP value	75

Calacorms are relatives of the lizardmen but are clearly distinguished by their two heads.They are ambidextrous (each head controls one arm) so they usually wield two weapons such as shortswords or hand axes, with +1 to damage because of their strength. However, if unarmed they will bite with their lizard-like teeth for 1d4 damage each. Calacorms, by virtue of their two heads, roll for surprise twice and take the best score. Similarly they roll for initiative twice and take the best score. 

Calacorms are not the smartest creatures and are often given menial tasks, such as jailors or guards, where their alertness can be put to good use. They are believed to have been derived from normal lizardmen experimented on and transformed by chaotic wizardry (perhaps the same that produced the rhino-men, see above).  

Ganjee *

Name	Ganjee
Armor Class	7
Hit Dice (Avg hp)	5* (22hp)
Movement	150' fly
No Attacks	1 flung object
THAC0	15
Damage	1d6
No Enc	1d8
Save as	F5
Morale	8
Alignment	Chaotic
Treasure	A
Size/Type	Small Undead
Intelligence	13-14 (High)
XP value	400

Ganjees are evil undead spirits returned from death to torment the living. Like vampires they are repelled by a strongly presented holy symbol, and clerics can turn them as if they were specters. 

A ganjee can cast Dispel Magic once per day to prevent opponents from casting spells, and can also cast Darkness at will. 

When they appear, it is as a floating ghostly disembodied head that terrifies most creatures - any creature first seeing a ganjee not immune to mind-affecting magic must save vs spells or be affected as if by a Fear spell. They can use this to panic their prey into  running blindly into obstacles and traps (particularly when combined with their magical darkness). They can also use a form of telekinesis to fling objects at opponents like a poltergeist (for 1d6 damage). 

Ganjees are immune to normal and silver weapons, requiring magic weapons (+1 or better) to be harmed. They are incorporeal, like wraiths and spectres, and can pass through solid doors and walls. 

Gark

Name	Gark
Armor Class	7 (or see below)
Hit Dice (Avg hp)	4+4 (22hp)
Movement	120'
No Attacks	1 weapon
THAC0	15
Damage	1d8+2
No Enc	1d8
Save as	F4
Morale	10
Alignment	Chaotic
Treasure	C
Size/Type	Medium humanoid
Intelligence	7-9 (Low)
XP value	125

Garks are believed to be a cross between goblins and giants. Due to the size difference of the parents, it is believed that chaotic sorcery has been used to make this possible, perhaps related to how rhino-men (q.v.) are generated. Garks are sterile and cannot reproduce themselves. Garks stand 7' tall, and are tough and muscular humanoids. Their goblin heritage clearly shows in their faces, and they are sometimes mistaken for strong hobgoblins. Garks speak goblin and orcish, and because of their strength and combat prowess they sometimes lead goblinoid troops in battle. However, off the battlefield they are short-tempered and brutish, and not good at strategy or management. Note that the AC given is for an unarmoured gark (they have naturally tough skin from their giant side) but if expecting trouble a gark can don human-sized armour. Their tough skin gives any armour an additional -1 bonus, so a gark wearing chainmail would have AC4, or AC3 with a shield. Garks can use any human-sized weapon, and often select two-handed battleaxes, which they wield with great strength (+2 to damage with whatever weapon).