Un-updated 3.0 material.

[Brains]

We all know that 3.0 content that was never re-printed is 3.5 legal, but are there rules for un-updated content that cover conflicting mechanics?

My reason to ask is my recent fascination with the half-golem templates. While they were updated in the update booklet, the ones in the web enhancement are left un-altered. I have almost finished deciphering exactly how the half-golem templates work, but I am currently stuck at the damage reduction. A brass half-golem has DR 25/+2. Since DR was drastically changed in 3.5 this is a little obsolete ....but since it was never updated, this template should be rules legal, correct?

So does anyone know how to change this without a houserule or homebrew?



Oh and one more question about half-golems, in the update booklet. At the beginning of the booklet the format for the updated monsters is shown as this:

Monster: Type (Subtype); Space/Reach; Damage Reduction; Skills;
Feats; Level Adjustment (LA); Notes.

Then the half-golem entries:

Half-Golem, Clay: Construct; 5 ft./5 ft.; LA —; Hit Dice: The character
gains bonus hit points according to his size: one-half the bonus construct
hit points for his size if he keeps his original type, or all the bonus
hit points if he is now a construct. For the sample half-golems, change
HD to 1d10+20 (25 hp). Magic Immunity (Ex): A half-golem is immune to
any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain
spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted
in the appropriate golem descriptions. See Monster Manual for revised
golem special attacks (note the change to clay golem's cursed wound).
Half-Golem, Flesh: Construct; 5 ft./5 ft.; 5/adamantine; LA —.
Half-Golem, Iron: Construct; 5 ft./5 ft.; LA —.
Half-Golem, Stone: Construct; 5 ft./5 ft.; LA —.

Is this suppose to mean that now ONLY the Half-Golem, flesh has damage reduction? Or does it mean that only the Half-Golem, flesh has updated DR and the rest stay the same?

[Jackinthegreen]

Usually the former +1/+2 etc entries for DR are all turned into simply DR/magic, and they got lowered to not screw over unprepared parties so much.  25 would likely be lowered to 10 I believe.

IIRC there is a booklet or something explaining how to update 3.0 to 3.5, but that's assuming I am recalling correctly.  I don't have a link for it, but try searching for it.

[Brains]

Usually the former +1/+2 etc entries for DR are all turned into simply DR/magic, and they got lowered to not screw over unprepared parties so much.  25 would likely be lowered to 10 I believe.

IIRC there is a booklet or something explaining how to update 3.0 to 3.5, but that's assuming I am recalling correctly.  I don't have a link for it, but try searching for it.

I think I found it. There is a behind the scenes in the update booklet on the subject of Damage Reduction. No strict formula to convert 3.0 DR to 3.5 DR but it has some guidelines. Lemme see if its too long to copy into here:

Make the damage reduction amount (the number before the
slash) 5, 10, or 15. As a general rule, use 5 for weaker monsters,
up to CR 4 or 5. Use 15 for strong monsters, CR 13 or higher.
Use 10 for everything in between.
• Special Materials: If a monster had damage reduction bypassed
by silver before, keep it silver unless a different material is more
appropriate. Also use silver for baatezu devils, guardinals, and a
selection of other creatures from the outer planes, particularly
the lawful plane of the Nine Hells of Baator. In a few cases, you
might combine this with good or evil (see Combinations, below).
Use adamantine to bypass damage reduction in cases where a
creature’s damage reduction is almost like hardness: for most
constructs, creatures whose bodies are made of inorganic material,
and for spell effects like iron body and stoneskin. Use cold iron
for fey (often, even when they did not have damage reduction
before), for the fey-like eladrins, for tanar’ri demons, and select
other creatures from the outer planes, particularly the chaotic
planes. It’s not a good idea to create new special materials
except in unique circumstances: most adventurers have no reason
to carry mithral weapons, for example.
• Weapon Types: If a monster took half damage from certain
weapon types, replace this with damage reduction 5/other
weapon types. For example, skeletons took half damage from
slashing and piercing weapons; now they have damage reduction
5/bludgeoning. Rarely use weapon types as a bypass for
damage reduction.
• Alignment: Allow aligned weapons to bypass the damage
reduction of outsiders of the opposite alignment. Demons and
devils have damage reduction #/good, celestials have damage
reduction #/evil, slaadi have damage reduction #/lawful, and
inevitables (despite being constructs) have damage reduction
#/chaotic. Generally, fiends and celestials associate more strongly
with evil and good, respectively, than with law and chaos.
The differences between lawful and chaotic fiends and celestials
showcase in their racial vulnerabilities to special materials rather
than aligned weapons (see Combinations, below).
• Magic and Epic: If nothing else fits, allow magic weapons to
bypass a creature’s damage reduction. For monsters at very high
CRs (minimum 20), consider using epic weapons instead.
• Combinations: You can use combinations of factors to distinguish
monsters from each other based on CR and overall power.
Many outsiders have damage reduction that combines special
materials and alignments. For example, very weak tanar’ri
demons have easy-to-bypass damage reduction: a good weapon
or a cold iron weapon strikes unhindered. Moderately powerful
tanar’ri benefit from damage reduction that is somewhat more
difficult to bypass: you need a good weapon; a cold iron weapon
won’t do. The most powerful tanar’ri have damage reduction
that is even more difficult to bypass: you need a weapon that is
both cold iron and good. As a rule of thumb, use “or” combinations
for monsters of CR 3 or lower, and use “and” combinations
for monsters of CR 16 or higher.
Also consider combinations of magic with either special materials
or weapon types. A lich’s skeletal body is vulnerable to
bludgeoning weapons, like a skeleton’s, but only if they are
magic. A night hag is vulnerable to cold iron weapons, but only
magic ones. In general, requiring two conditions (“and” combinations)
makes a monster’s damage reduction more difficult to
bypass, and is most appropriate for powerful monsters.

EDIT: It's a template that adds +4 to the CR, so according to the first part I highlighted it would have 5 DR. Because Half-golems are constructs (not really but sometimes) it looks as though it'd be 5/adamantine.

Does that look about right?

[Jackinthegreen]

That would work, yes.

[Brains]

I suppose that's as close to RAW as I'll get. Thanks!