Panda of Ill Omen and other humorous byproducts of conversions

[Shade]

This is the thread where we can open the gates to Humor Hell.

Let us start with the one that inspired us all...

Panda of Ill Omen
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+6 (21 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+3) and bite +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Huggable
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +2*, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Endurance, Run
Environment: Temperate and cold forests and mountains
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: x
Treasure: None
Alignment: x
Advancement: 4–5 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

This thick, white-furred bear has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, and shoulders.

Flavor text.

A panda of ill omen is 4 to 6 feet long and 2-1/2 feet tall at the shoulder, weighing 200 to 250 pounds.

COMBAT

Tactics.

Skills: Pandas of ill omen have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

*In areas of snow and shade, a panda of ill omen gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks.

[freyar]

I think we had a draft Huggable ability in the other thread if you want to copy that in.

For kung-fu, give it some monk abilities?

My wife isn't comfortable with people killing endangered species, so she suggests that killing a panda of ill omen curse the killer. I'm thinking something like a -2 penalty to attacks and damage for a year, but I'm open to suggestions (maybe that's too much).

[demiurge1138]

Killing the panda of ill omen should definately give you something nasty. The hound of ill omen caused you to take the minimum roll for your next 10 dice rolls, or something equally ludicrious. I'd be tempted to give it a gaze of ill fate (shaken, perhaps), and whoever kills it is actually cursed.

I think that the kung-fu panda and the panda of ill omen should be seperate beasties.

[freyar]

Gaze and curse on the killer sound good. For reference, here's the hound of ill omen in the CC. Should we let Shade weigh in on the effects of the gaze and curse?

Ok, we can do the kung-fu panda next.

[Shade]

I'm loving the gaze and death curse ideas.

[freyar]

Ok, for the gaze, make it a standard Cha-based gaze attack with shaken as the effect?

Perhaps we can look at our Santa conversion for the death curse:

Hopelessness (Su): Any creature that successfully attacks Santa becomes catatonic for 1d6 rounds, taking no actions but defending itself normally. Thereafter, the creature takes a -2 morale penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks since it realizes it will never get a present from Santa again. Evil creatures are allowed a DC 31 Will save to negate the effect. This penalty may only be removed with an atonement, wish, or miracle spell. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Maybe drop the catatonia, and go with the -2 on some particular rolls for a year? Allow also limited wish, break enchantment, and remove curse to get rid of it? Or keep it "durable"?

[demiurge1138]

No catatonia, easier to remove for the death curse. I think it should actually work like a bestow curse spell, granting a -4 to all attack rolls, skill and ability checks, and saves.

[freyar]

Wow, that's actually a nasty spell. Why didn't we make hopelessness that bad?

How about this?

Death Curse (Su): Whoever strikes the killing blow against a panda of ill omen must make a DC X Will save or be affected as if by a bestow curse spell (-4 penalty to attack rolls, skill and ability checks, and saves) for one year. This curse can be removed by a remove curse, break enchantment, or similar magics.

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Assuming we make the gaze and curse Cha-based, I think a Cha boost is needed.

[freyar]

Cha 17? They are very huggable! Speaking of, do you want to port that ability in?

For the gaze, shaken 1d6 rounds?

[demiurge1138]

Duration sounds good, as does a Cha boost.

[Shade]

Agreed. Rather than have huggable allow the panda auto-success on grapple checks, how about...

Huggable (Ex): A creature making an opposed grapple check with a panda of ill omen must succeed on a DC X Will save or automatically fail the check, choosing instead to welcome the embrace of the fluffy, cuddly creature. This is a mind-affecting, compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

[freyar]

That works. Let's make sure they get Imp Grab, then.

[Shade]

Updated.

Change feats and/or skills from regular panda?

CR 3?

Alignment: Usually neutral?

Suggested flavor text/tactics?

[freyar]

I think CR 3, feats, and skills are ok.

Tactics: probably they should use imp grab on non-shaken foes.

Actually, should we give them gnaw or whichever it was to give them auto-damage on a grapple?

[demiurge1138]

Needs better feats. Multiattack and Ability Focus (huggable)? Also, the gaze should be opposed by a Will save.

[Shade]

Updated.

I think gnaw may be overkill, but might be convinced otherwise.

Suggested flavor text? What gives leads pandas to develop "ill omen" traits?

[freyar]

Yeah, that looks better, actually.

Edit: Shade keeps ninja-ing me! How about they are selected by nature deities to punish those who would drive species to the brink?

Without gnaw, maybe we can remind the DM that imp grab allows claw damage on a successful grapple check.

[Shade]

My ninjitsu is strong!

Updated. Anything else?

[freyar]

I'm pretty happy with it, I think.