Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Regarding the Parapodia, I'd rather have them offer a racial bonus to grappling than do additional damage. I'd leave the grab & chew damage to its double set of jaws.

If you think a +13 total grapple bonus is too high, we could lower the worm's strength (To say Str 15?), or lower its racial bonus to grapple to +2.

Of the two options, I think I prefer dropping the Strength a bit, since I'm imagining this animal as having a low Challenge Rating (say, CR½) and don't think such a creature should have a 1d8+6 damage. 1d6+3 seems more appropriate.

 

[freyar]

I think this may be more like CR 1.

Shade, have you already put in a +4 racial grapple bonus?

I'd be fine with dropping Str to 15, reducing the base damage to 1d6, and reducing the racial grapple to +2. But it's still probably CR 1.

 

[Shade]

Yes, the +13 includes the +4 racial bonus.

I'm fine with the high grapple bonus, as it is the creature's main niche. If you guys would still like to reduce them, that's fine though.

Also...I'd actually like these fellows to be CR 1!

 

[Cleon]

Yes, the +13 includes the +4 racial bonus.

I'm fine with the high grapple bonus, as it is the creature's main niche. If you guys would still like to reduce them, that's fine though.

Also...I'd actually like these fellows to be CR 1!

Well +13 grapple is a bit high for a CR1, its level-appropriate PC opponents are unlikely to have much more than +4 grapple (i.e. 1st lvl fighter with Str 16-17 and +1 BAB).

I'm not so sure about the 1d8+6 bite damage as well (av. 10.5, plus grab & auto-chew?), it's a bit tougher than some CR1 humanoids (i.e. the Gnoll does 1d8+3), although it's not that far off the CR1 Medium Monstrous Scorpion, which has three attacks adding up to 3d4+2 damage (av 9.5 if all hit), plus Improved Grab, Constrict and Poison. The scorpion's only got a +2 melee attack & grapple check with its claws though, so its grab & constrict are a lot less effective. Its poison is a pretty effective damage boost, though, and some of the monstrous vermin are arguably a bit too tough for their CR.

Trimming the worm's strength down to 15 seems to me the easiest way to balance it.

 

[freyar]

Str 15 and whatever else is appropriate for CR 1 sounds right. And I agree with Shade, CR 1 is just fine!

 

[Shade]

Str 15 it is. Updated.

For the secondary jaws, is this the ability we were looking for?

Chew (Ex): When a carnictis gets a hold on a foe, it chews and swallows vast hunks of the creature’s flesh, dealing 2d6+6 damage each round it maintains the grapple.

 

[Cleon]

Str 15 it is. Updated.

For the secondary jaws, is this the ability we were looking for?

Chew (Ex): When a carnictis gets a hold on a foe, it chews and swallows vast hunks of the creature’s flesh, dealing 2d6+6 damage each round it maintains the grapple.

Yup, that's what I was aiming at.

What damage were you thinking off for Chew, 1d8+3 like the bite attack?

 

[freyar]

I'd expect this to be the bite damage.

Man, we've really gotten a number of variants of standard abilities, huh? Chew, maul, etc.

 

[Shade]

Indeed! Variants are fun.

Updated.

Cleon, didn't you figure out an Advancement range for these guys earlier?

Other than that, I think we just need flavor and tactics.

 

[freyar]

Weight, maybe 4-5 times as much as nereis?