Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

Shade · Jan 26, 2010

That's a good justificaton for giant flora.

Upsizing a giant bee to Large yields...
Str 19, Dex 12, Con 15, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 9

Compare to giant wasp...
Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11

That seems about right to me. Bumblebees seem stronger and more durable than wasps, but not as craftily malicious.

What do you think?

Cleon · Jan 26, 2010

Shade said:
Fixed.

Here's the next one...

Bumblebee
#AP 1
AC 5
MV 6, Fl 24 (E)
HD 6+4
THAC0 13
# of Att 1
Dmg/Att 1-6+ poison
Morale Elite (13-14)
XP Value 650

How different are these from the SRD's Bee advanced to Large size?

Oh, I see that's what Shade is thinking of already on the next page.

Shade said:
That's a good justificaton for giant flora.

Upsizing a giant bee to Large yields...
Str 19, Dex 12, Con 15, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 9

That looks a good start.

How shall we match the original's AC5? Bumblebees don't seem that agile but seem pretty robust, so giving them a +5 natural armour (one more than an SRD Giant Wasp or Large Bee would seem more reasonable than upping the Dex.

As for the poison, apart from having a reusable stinger I would prefer to keep the damage to the standard Bee's 1d4/1d4 Con - it may be bigger, but a Bumblebee doesn't have as nasty a sting as a Honeybee. We could give it a +2 racial bonus on the poison DC to represent the -2 save penalty of the original, if we like.

Shade · Jan 27, 2010

The increased natural armor and racial bonus to poison appeal.

freyar · Jan 28, 2010

Agreed to all this. Anything else to distinguish it from an advanced bee bee?

Cleon · Jan 28, 2010

freyar said:
Agreed to all this. Anything else to distinguish it from an advanced bee bee?

Their flight speed of 24"(E) would appear to be slower and clumsier than a regular SRD Giant Bee. 24 inches equals 60 ft. speed. Aerial Manoeuvrability Class E equals (clumsy), but I would prefer fly (poor) or maybe even (aaverage).

Say Fly 60 ft. (poor) for the sake of argument?

Real-world bumblebees still seem able to hover though, so we could give them Hover as a bonus feat.

Shade · Jan 28, 2010

Added to Homebrews.

Good call on Hover!

Organization: Solitary or x
Giant bees have Solitary, buzz (2–5), or hive (11–20)

Challenge Rating: 3?

Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large); 10-18 HD (Huge)?

A giant bumblebee is 7 to 10 feet long with a x-foot wingspan and weighs around x pounds.

freyar · Jan 28, 2010

It looks pretty good, not sure what else I'd do with it. Those numbers seem fine. I'm not sure bee wings are worth quoting a wingspan, though. Weight -- would a couple hundred lb seem right?

Cleon · Jan 29, 2010

Shade said:
Added to Homebrews.

Good call on Hover!

Thanks!

The stats look fine, except its sting damage is wrong - I reckon it should be 1d6+6 once you apply its Large size and Strength 18.

Shade said:
Organization: Solitary or x
Giant bees have Solitary, buzz (2–5), or hive (11–20)

The original was only Solitary but some real-world bumblebees live in small communal nests, so how about Organisation: Solitary or nest (2-7).

Shade said:
Challenge Rating: 3?

CR 3 is good.

Shade said:
Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large); 10-18 HD (Huge)?

Hmm, a regular Giant Bee is 3-6 HD at Medium, suggesting a Large Bee would range between 7-12 HD and a Huge one 13-24 HD.

I'd prefer Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)

Shade said:
A giant bumblebee is 7 to 10 feet long with a x-foot wingspan and weighs around x pounds.

The body length looks fine, but I don't think we need the wingspan or weight. The regular Giant Bee doesn't list a wingspan and Vermin are often not given weights.