Are "awakened" animals considered magical beasts?

[Caliban]

Awakened animals have the magical ability to speak, in spite of their lack of human vocal chords.

Since there is no "magical plant" category, trees don't have another category they fit into after weing awakened.

 

[Pielorinho]

Keep in mind also that in 3.5, they're removing the "beast" category, moving all current beasts into the animal category or the magical beast category.

I'm almost certain that awakened animals will be considered animals under 3.5, as the intelligence restriction on animals will be removed to accommodate smart beasties.

IMO, awakened animals should be subject to physical spells but not mental spells that target animals, just as skr suggested.

Daniel

 

[kreynolds]

I haven't seen any, and IMHO it's the biggest disappointment of Savage Species. I'm hoping for a Web Enhancement.

A web enhancement isn't necessary. Savage Species covers this, so I'm not sure why you're disappointed. From page 23...

When the Intelligence of an animal permanently rises above 3, the creature becomes a magical beast. When this occurs, it is no longe vulnerable to spells and effects that affect its previous type, though its Hit Die size, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and other attributes do not change.

 

[Nifft]

A web enhancement isn't necessary. Savage Species covers this, so I'm not sure why you're disappointed. From page 23...

So what's the ECL of an Awakened Leopard? Savage Species isn't helpful to me in that regard. That's the most common "in the Core Rules" way to get a monsterous character -- get reincarnated as an animal.

-- Nifft

 

[kreynolds]

So what's the ECL of an Awakened Leopard?

Beats me. That wasn't the original question of the thread anyway. My post had nothing to do with the ECL. The initial post of the thread asked what happens to an animal after it's awakened, such as skill points, etc. You said Savage Species disappointed you in this regard because it didn't say either way. But it does. I was just pointing you in the right direction.

Savage Species isn't helpful to me in that regard.

True, and the book even states as such.

That's the most common "in the Core Rules" way to get a monsterous character -- get reincarnated as an animal.

Right. And Savage Species tells you what happens when an animal's Intelligence is permanently raised above a 3. Again, I agree that it doesn't give you the ECL, but that wasn't even the context of the discussion, so I'm not sure where that came from. It does, however, give you the necessary tools to figure it out.

Personally, I suggest that you aim low in the ECL assessment. Usually I would say aim high, but not with most animals. I figure the Leopard is about ECL +6. Maybe +7, but that's just a little too high for me. If it could be ECL +6.5, that's what I'd go with, but D&D says to round down, so...