Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

Updated.

-4 racial penatly on Swim to go along with poor swimmer?

Skills: Climb +10, 5 ranks

Feats: 1

 

[demiurge1138]

I'm okay with the racial swim penalty.

Multiattack or Alertness for the feat. Ranks should go into Listen, Spot, Survival.

 

[Cleon]

Let's go with Str 15 for the chimp and 21 for the gorilla, just to line up with the ogre. I mean, an ogre should really be an evolved gorilla, right?

Well they'll still be implausibly strong in my game, but I won't complain if you want those scores.

I'm okay with the racial swim penalty.

Multiattack or Alertness for the feat. Ranks should go into Listen, Spot, Survival.

Yes to the -4 racial adjustment to swim, although I wouldn'y give them any other racial bonuses.

As for the feat, Alertness would be my pick, since most of the SRD primates have it. Then I'd probably put 1 skill point in Spot and Listen and 3 in survival, so it gets a +4 modifier in them each once its Wisdom bonus is added.

 

[freyar]

Hmm, that's fine, though I might go with Multiattack given the reputation chimps have for meanness. Still, Alertness works pretty well, and customization is always an option.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, that's fine, though I might go with Multiattack given the reputation chimps have for meanness. Still, Alertness works pretty well, and customization is always an option.

Well I'd think Improved Grapple (or the Imp. Grab & Rend pair of Special Attacks) would fit better for a "Combat Chimp" than Multiattack. From what I've read, chimps are great wrestlers, and most people who have been attacked by them were either grabbed and thrown about, or the chimp jumped on them, held on and bit them repeatedly.

Still, chimps are (somewhat) intelligent and have individual personalities, so presumably the D&D may vary quite a bit in their skill and feat selection.

 

[Rappy]

I'd agree with Cleon. Although both are better matches than the Weapon Finesse feat the Menace Manual gives.

 

[Cleon]

I'd agree with Cleon. Although both are better matches than the Weapon Finesse feat the Menace Manual gives.

Just to add to the weirdness, the Menace Manual lists its Weapon Finesse as a Bonus feat (not unusual for a Small critter with a higher Dex than Str), which means the Chimp is missing its regular feat for a 1 Hit Dice Animal.

Oh, and the d20 modern version of a chimp has a -2 grapple modifier, which is just plain silly for a chimpanzee, especially as it gives the ape Improved Grab & batter as tactics.

 

[freyar]

Wait, does d20 Modern use 3.0 or 3.5 feat rules for monsters? I was looking at MM2 recently, and that reminds me that not all monsters get feats (or normal skills) in 3.0.

 

[Rappy]

Wait, does d20 Modern use 3.0 or 3.5 feat rules for monsters? I was looking at MM2 recently, and that reminds me that not all monsters get feats (or normal skills) in 3.0.

d20 Modern refuses feats to creatures of the animal type. Everything else gets feats normally, though...hm.

 

[Cleon]

d20 Modern refuses feats to creatures of the animal type. Everything else gets feats normally, though...hm.

It does? That would explain it then. I thought the feat rules were basically the same as 3.0. I never bothered reading the rules very closely, never having played it.

Anyhow, getting back to our 3.5 chimp, what are we doing skills & feat wise.

So far we've got:

Alertness and +10 Climb, +4 Listen, +4 Spot, +4 Survival, -2* Swim

Improved Grapple and +10 Climb, +3 Listen, +3 Spot, +2 Survival, -2* Swim

Alertness and +10 Climb, +4 Listen, +4 Spot, +4 Survival, -2* Swim plus giving it Improved Grab and Rend as special attacks.

They all work for me, so which do you fancy?