multiaction monsters, horrors mostly

[earcaraxe]

-in the first edition monsters had the statistic "number of spells". What did it mean, and what is a way convert a monster that has 2 attacks and 3 spells to the 3rd edition?

-in case of horro spellcasting, do they use material components? i find it unrealistic/funny, but havent found if they had to.

-if the horror has multiple actions and wants to concentrate on a spell, does he loses all the actions he has, or just one?

-to use skin shift, the horror has to touch its victim. Can it be used during melee: the horrors attacks, rolls for melee damage, then rolls spellcasting then skin shift damage (or cant roll for simple melee damage)?

[earcaraxe]

two more:

when a character is under the effect of the horror power terror, what modifiers does he has and what kind of actions can he do. Defensive actions like avoid blow? is he considered harried?

[arma]

1) Actions
A creature with 2 Attacks and 3 Spellcastings had basically 5 Actions, but could only use the 2 for regular Attacks and the 3 for magic stuff only. Converting it might be done by giving it a slightly lower number of generic Actions than the sum of the two.

2) Components
Not normally. Like dragons, they cast naturally, making things up out of raw energy as they please.

3) Concentration
Just the one I think.

4) Touching for close attacks and touching for casting can't be combined. But it isn't necessary, since touching requirements for magical stuff don't need any separate tests, it happens automatically.

5) Terror
No Actions except Resisting Terror.
You might consider him knocked down for most intents and purposes.

[earcaraxe]

thanks!

4) so u say a skin shift is just a standard action that requires a spellcasting test, than the skin shift damage? How can Skin shift be a simple action? (I guess, the solution here is that the spellcasting is the standard action.)

5) its written that a horror can learn any spell from its captive. How sholud i imagine this? Does it need a willing captive tutoring the horror, or just showing him the spell once, or rather the horror just beholds the captive's true pattern and learns his spells?

[arma]

4)
Yes, same with all similar situations.

6)
Depends on the Horror's preferences (torture, coercion, intimidation, manipulation, etc.); the main thing about it is that Horrors can learn any spell regardless of Discipline, Circle, etc..

[Stormcrow]

Just a comment on concentration and multiple action as that was a question I was meaning to ask a few months ago. I went with it only requiring 1 action so I'm pleased you suggested it here. It worked really well for us and made for a very exciting and somewhat tactical game. The Horror in question "Ago'astia" made almost exclusive use of concentration spells that disabled some of the party members but every one limited its choice of actions for the next round, forcing it the choose spells with fewer threads. I didn't find it overpowered, just challenging and provided a wider choice of spells to use than if concentration took the full turn.