Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales

Cleon · Nov 9, 2008

Since things seem to be dreadfully slow on Homebrews at the moment, I'll try to liven things up a little by posting some D&D monster versions of some of the fabulous creatures of Lumberjack's tall tales.

The main source of information I've used is William T Cox's Fearsome Critters of the Lumberwood, but I've also took bits of info from the GURPS Bestiary, a Paul Bunyan book, assorted websites and even a science fiction novel, plus a few ideas of my own.

It's quite bizarre that GURPS Bestiary is the only RPG I know of which features any of these beasties. There are loads of games with stats for Japanese monsters such as tengu but so few with North American monsters?

I've come across few d20 versions of these beasties on Enworld and elsewhere, but didn't pay much heed to them since I prefer to take my own shot at them. They're formatted according to the late 3.0/early 3.5 D&D template á la the reissued Fiend Folio, partially because I statted some of these creatures up according to the 3.0 format a few years ago and it made them easier to convert, and partially because I don't think the latest monster-format offers much of an improvement.

The focus is on such Lumberjack Critters as will serve DMs as actual monsters, I'm not planning to write up stats for those creatures pose scant threat to mankind, such as the Squonk, which have no attacks and a propensity for dissolving into tears. Monsters will probably appear rather slowly, and I may post some of them in an incomplete version in an effort to turn this thread into a cooperative venture. We'll just have to wait and see how things turn out, since I don't have much of an plan for how things will go.

EDIT: I've added a post to the Ultimate Homebrew Index containing links to all the Lumberwoods Monsters on this thread.

So, without any further preamble, here's the first Fearsome Critter:

Cleon · Nov 9, 2008

Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Whirling Whimpus

Whirling Whimpus
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (58 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d6+6/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+6/19-20) and bite +7 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spin attack, whirling doom
Special Qualities: All-around facing, blurred movement, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +1
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 9, Cha 6
Skills: Balance +20*, Move Silently +9, Spot +4
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (claw)B, Mobility
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8–14 HD (Large); 14–21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

What looks like an eight-foot grey-brown tornado spins to a stop before you, resolving into a vaguely gorilla-like bipedal creature with thick fur, oversized arms with huge clawed forepaws but comically short and bandy legs and a barrel-chested torso supporting a broad head with a fang-crammed maw, yellow eyes and a pair of small, stumpy horns.

A whirling whimpus is a peculiar creature that spends most off its life in a spin. A whimpus has the odd ability to rotate its head, shoulders, hips and waist completely independently of each other, and can do so at great speed without even getting giddy. A typical specimen stands about 8 feet in height, and weighs around 800 pounds.

Whirling whimpuses are omnivores who only eat high-value foods like honey, nuts and roots, their favourite food is meat. Whirling burns up a lot of energy, giving them ravenous appetites, so whimpuses spend most of their waking moments seeking out food. During winter and other lean times they can enter a torpid state to save energy, although this is not true hibernation.

Combat
Whirling whimpuses like to use whirling doom to invisibly wait on game trails until a prospective victim blunders into them. When attacking a group of creatures they will jump into their midst to launch spin attacks, making good use of their combat reflexes and mobility feats.

All-Around Facing (Ex)
A whirling whimpus constantly turns about, and can change their facing in an instance. A whimpus can attack in any direction with equal faculty and can not be flanked, as long as it is not immobilized. This ability permits a whirling whimpus to apply the dodge bonus from its Dodge Feat against every opponent it faces, not just one.

Blurred Movement (Ex)
A whirling whimpus can revolve so fast its exact position is hard to judge. This grants the whimpus concealment (20% miss chance) from attackers, as long as it is not immobilized.

Spin Attack (Ex)
As a standard action, a whirling whimpus can spin around and make a single claw attack against everything in a circle whose radius equals the whimpus's reach. A spin attack rolls to attack every object the whimpus could reach, including inanimate objects and allies.

Whirling Doom (Ex)
Once per hour, a whirling whimpus can turn itself invisible by spinning at incredible speed while vibrating in a certain fashion. It cannot turn objects it carries invisible unless it swallows them. The whimpus must spend a full-round action each round to maintain the effect, so it can only move using a step action unless it elects to end the whirling doom.

Any solid obstacle entering a space adjacent to a whimpus using whirling doom, such as an opponent walking up to it, is automatically struck by two critical-hit claw attacks (2d6+12 plus 2d6+12 hit points of damage for an standard whirling whimpus). This causes the whirling doom to end. Note that the whirling doom claw attacks only have a 5' reach, not the greater reach of the whimpus's normal claw attacks.

A whimpus using whirling doom emits a strange droning sound, seeming to come from somewhere overhead, which can be noticed with a DC 15 Listen check. A DC 21 Knowledge (Nature) or Knowledge (Arcana) check is needed to identify the threat represented by this sound. Finding the precise location of the whimpus without getting close enough for it to step into whirling doom range requires a contest of Listen or Search against the whimpus's Move Silently bonus, or the use of such stratagems as see invisibilty, probing with ten-foot poles or throwing objects into spaces the whimpus may be standing in.

Skills
Whirling Whimpuses have a +16 racial bonus to Balance checks as long as they're capable of movement, due to gyroscopic stabilisation.

Lore Checks
DC 16 - A whirling whimpus is an aggressive forest creature that is always hungry, they fight like spinning whirlwinds, leaping into the midst of their foes.
DC 21 - A whirling whimpus will stand in one spot and spin to fast it is invisible, flaying alive any creature who walks into it. An invisible whirling whimpus produces a strange droning sound, which experienced lumberjacks know to keep an ear out for.
DC 26 - A whirling whimpus is nearly impossible to outflank or knock over because they can spin around so fast. The best way to distract one is with honey or fresh meat.

[note whirling whimpuses lack darkvision, unlike standard Magical Beasts]

Southern Devil Whimpus
In the Great Southern Continent lives another species of whimpus capable of a rudimentary use of tools and humanoid languages. Although still aggressive, they are less dangerous than the northern whirling whimpus since not only do they lack the whirling doom attack, the combination of minds just as dim as other whimpuses and understanding speech makes them highly susceptible to Bluff and Diplomacy [especially from awakened hares

].

Southern whimpuses are capable of forming agreements with other creatures, and may even live and trade with other species in relative peace. They frequently spit and slur their words when speaking.

A southern devil whimpus uses the same stats as a whirling whimpus, except for the following changes:

Remove Whirling Doom from Special Attacks.
Skills: Balance +20*, Survival +4, Spot +4
Speaks Common and Sylvan.
Environment: Warm forests and deserts
Organization: Solitary, pair or family group (2-8)
Challenge Ratio: 5

demiurge1138 · Nov 9, 2008

Very cool! As I said last time there was a thread on fearsome critters from American folklore, I love tall-tale monsters. The whirling whimpus is really well-done--good mechanics on the whirling doom ability.

I should point out that it should only get that +1 dodge bonus to AC against one target with the feat as written (but I know that's a very common house rule). Does it have a dodge bonus from another source?

Cleon · Nov 9, 2008

demiurge1138 said:
Very cool! As I said last time there was a thread on fearsome critters from American folklore, I love tall-tale monsters. The whirling whimpus is really well-done--good mechanics on the whirling doom ability.

I should point out that it should only get that +1 dodge bonus to AC against one target with the feat as written (but I know that's a very common house rule). Does it have a dodge bonus from another source?

I gave it the dodge bonus from its All-Around Facing, but some of the text got lost in transit. That's easily fixed.

Do you think the Challenge Rating's right? I was thinking its ability to launch an ambush from invisibility followed it up with 10' radius whirlwind attacks deserved a CR kick, it's pretty effective against the typical "gang up on the solo monster" tactic.

freyar · Nov 9, 2008

I'd say the CR looks fair. I like it!

Cleon · Nov 9, 2008

freyar said:
I'd say the CR looks fair. I like it!

Thanks Freyar. I think the Whirling Whimpus is my favourite of the Lumberwood beasties so far. I derived considerable amusement from the Southern Devil Whimpus. :devil:

Hmm, maybe the Southern Whimpus should be CR5, as it's vulnerable to social attacks and lacks Whirling Doom. I might tweak it later.

In other news, I should post another critter by Tuesday or Wednesday.

demiurge1138 · Nov 9, 2008

Yeah, I'd definately say that the Southern Devil Whimpus should go down in CR. It's not really gaining anything, and losing the Whimpus' signature attack.

Cleon · Nov 10, 2008

demiurge1138 said:
Yeah, I'd definately say that the Southern Devil Whimpus should go down in CR. It's not really gaining anything, and losing the Whimpus' signature attack.

Great minds think alike, I'll bump it down to CR 5 then.

Cleon · Nov 11, 2008

Right-ho, I'm just about to post the second critter.

I guess I should add a post to the Ultimate Homebrew Index so these beasties are less likely to get lost in the mists of the internet.

Once I have a passel of them finished how would I go about submitting them for the Creature Catalogue's, assuming such a thing is possible? That's a bit academic at the moment, since the CC's New Monsters page wasn't working the last few times I checked it.

I'll check in every day or so for feedback, the next critter will probably turn up over the weekend, eager to bushwack some poor greenhorn.

Cleon · Nov 11, 2008

Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Gumberoo

Gumberoo
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 5d10+35 (62 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+15
Attack: claw +11 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d4+6) and bite +6 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Gorge, improved grab
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., explosive, low-light vision, resilience, resistance to cold 10, resistance to electricity 10, ricochet, robust build, scent, vulnerability to fire [50% extra damage], vulnerability to piercing [50% extra damage]
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +5, Survival +5, Swim +10
Feats: Endurance, Track
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

At first glance the animal ambling towards you looks to be an excessively fat black bear, but a second look sees it lacks a bear's fur coat, being completely hairless apart from eyebrows and whiskers on its muzzle and chin, while its head and jaws are larger and appear more powerful than a genuine bear. The beast's hide is smooth and rubbery, with no sign of wrinkles, coloured the shiny black of charcoal.

A gumberoo is a very rare bear-like omnivore that prefers to lair in the hollow bases of enormous, burned-out cedar trees, which may at least partly account for its charcoal-like colour and odour. They spend most of their time sleeping in their lairs, from which they occasionally sally forth on frightful rampages to devour anything even vaguely edible they happen upon. Hungry gumberoos commonly roam the borders of burned-out sections of forest, and are fearsomely relentless in the pursuit of a good meal.

A typical gumberoo is some 5 feet long and has a base weight of about 400 pounds, not including the weight of any food it has eaten. Gumberoos can pack in many times their own weight in food, distending their body until it's practically globular, without appearing to cause any discomfort or quell the beast's ravenous appetite. With their elastic flesh and powerful jaws a gumberoo can to devour an entire moose in one sitting - bones, antlers, hooves and all.

The body of a gumberoo is supernaturally tough and resilient, invulnerable to the teeth or claws of any animal native to its range and nigh impenetrable to human weapons. Any missile that fails to penetrate its hide will rebound upon the attacker with equal force. These creatures have one extraordinary weakness, their flesh is incredibly inflammable. Gumberoos have been known to explode like a keg of smoke-powder after being touched by a flame as small as a candle.

Gumberoos are confident in their invulnerability and show no concern about enemies, but have an understandable trepidation about flames and lightning. This may account for them lairing in burned-out trees and rocky caves, since such places are unlikely to catch fire.

Combat
A Gumberoo simply saunters up and uses its claw attacks to try to grapple opponents and stuff them into its mouth. They make no effort to avoid attackers unless threatened with fire or electricity damage.

Explosive (Ex)
Whenever a gumberoo takes damage from fire or electricity it needs to make a Fortitude saving throw against a DC equal to 10 plus the hit points of fire and electrical damage inflicted. Failure results in the gumberoo expiring in a frightful explosion that inflict 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 6d6 points of fire damage to everything within a sixty foot radius burst, with a DC 19 Reflex save to take half damage. The saving throw is Con-dependent.

Gorge (Ex)
On a successful grapple check, a gumberoo can inflict 2d8+9 points of damage by biting its opponent.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a gumberoo must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Robust Build (Ex)
A gumberoo is treated as one size category larger than it actually is for purposes of calculating its grapple check and carrying capacity. An average gumberoo has a carrying capacity of 1800 pounds.

Resilience (Ex)
Blows from weapons and sonic attacks have no effect upon a gumberoo, simply bouncing off or being absorbed without causing any injury, unless the damage rolled in a single attack equals or exceeds the gumberoo's hit points. If this should happen, the gumberoo's body bursts, killing the beast and inflicting 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage to everything within a thirty foot radius burst, with a DC 19 Reflex save to take half damage. Piercing attacks are more likely to cause a gumberoo to go 'Pop!', due to the beast's vulnerability to piercing damage.

The DC of the Reflex saving throw is Con-dependent.

Ricochet (Su)
Any ranged weapon that fails to penetrate a gumberoo's Resilience will rebound toward whoever shot it at the creature. The ricocheting missile tries to strike the originator of the attack with a +5 attack roll, plus any magical bonuses, using the same damage result as the ranged attack rolled against the gumberoo.

Skills
A gumberoo has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.

Lore Checks
DC 16 - A gumberoo is a very rare forest animal resembling a fat, furless bear, usually encountered in burned out areas of forest. The only things gumberoos fear are fire and lightning, they have no natural enemies and will not hesitate to attack adventurers and other wilderness explorers.
DC 21 - Gumberoos spend most of their time hibernating, generally beneath burned out cedar trees. They are ravenously hungry when awake. They have a virtually impenetrable hide that bounces missiles back at whoever shoots at the beast.
DC 26 - The body of a gumberoo is highly volatile, and they can explode with terrifying force if lit on fire or struck with sufficient force.

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