Shade
Monster Junkie
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Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin
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Cleon
Legend
It's missing a description.
A wild canine resembling a long-legged wolf, but smaller
Coyotes are a small species of wild dog. They are highly adaptable, and can live in almost any sort of terrain, they even scavenge for food in areas settled by humanoids. These predators occasionally kill small herd animals such as goats, but mostly eat rodents, birds, other small animals, and berries.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Updated.
Moving along...
Dhole
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 4-16
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 1+1
% IN LAIR: 5%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (40 lbs.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/20 + 1/hp
The dhole, or red dog, resembles a domestic mongrel at first glance, but it carries its bushy tail low and has reddish fur, short legs, and a short muzzle that has a unique profile: the line from skulltop to nosetip is convex rather than concave.
Dholes hunt in large, highly cooperative packs, and they chatter when they are excited (they seldom bark). Aggressive and bold, they will attack even the largest herbivores, though they prefer deer-sized game. They have been known to drive away or kill competing predators, including tigers. Dholes trot tirelessly after their chosen prey, following it until it weakens and is suddenly vulnerable to a sudden coordinated rush. What they lack in sprinting speed, dholes make up for in endurance.
Unlike other canids they are fond of water; it is difficult to escape them. Dholes hunt by day, or on moonlit nights. Dholes show little fear of humans, but are not known to attack them either. They can be tamed if captured when young, but are perhaps more difficult to handle than some other social canids might be because of their relatively inexpressive faces. Dholes live in both the forest and the steppe in temperate to subarctic climes. They survive in both settled and wilderness areas.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 (1985).
Dhole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moving along...
Dhole
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 4-16
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 1+1
% IN LAIR: 5%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (40 lbs.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/20 + 1/hp
The dhole, or red dog, resembles a domestic mongrel at first glance, but it carries its bushy tail low and has reddish fur, short legs, and a short muzzle that has a unique profile: the line from skulltop to nosetip is convex rather than concave.
Dholes hunt in large, highly cooperative packs, and they chatter when they are excited (they seldom bark). Aggressive and bold, they will attack even the largest herbivores, though they prefer deer-sized game. They have been known to drive away or kill competing predators, including tigers. Dholes trot tirelessly after their chosen prey, following it until it weakens and is suddenly vulnerable to a sudden coordinated rush. What they lack in sprinting speed, dholes make up for in endurance.
Unlike other canids they are fond of water; it is difficult to escape them. Dholes hunt by day, or on moonlit nights. Dholes show little fear of humans, but are not known to attack them either. They can be tamed if captured when young, but are perhaps more difficult to handle than some other social canids might be because of their relatively inexpressive faces. Dholes live in both the forest and the steppe in temperate to subarctic climes. They survive in both settled and wilderness areas.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 (1985).
Dhole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cleon
Legend
Not sure that these merit a conversion, there seems very little to distinguish them from a regular Small Dog.
Hmm, I suppose we could give them some pack-fighting special attack, since Dholes specialize in en masse attacks against much larger animals. Packs have been known to take on tigers.
Better add a racial bonus to Swim checks too, I suppose, since they're supposed to be capable swimmers.
Cleon
Legend
Now there are accounts of packs of dholes killing tigers, but the tiger killing and wounding many dholes in the process (from 5 to 15 dholes in the ones I found after rummaging around the internet).
I've been doing some number crunching, and that performance doesn't require any "pack hunting" boost to a Small Dog, just a willingness to take casualties.
SRD Dog vs Tiger
Dog (AC 15, HP 6, Attacks: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1), SA Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d8+3)
Tiger (AC 14, HP 45, Attacks: 2 claws +9 melee (1d8+6) and bite +4 melee (2d6+3), SA —)
For the Dog
Bite needs a 12+ to hit, and averages 3.5 damage.
40% hit for 3.5 damage, 5% critical for 5.075 damage (3.5*0.55 +7.0*0.45)
Average Dog does 1.65375 hit points per round.
Flanking gives +2 to attack, so bite +4 melee and 10+ needed for dog to hit.
50% hit for 3.5 damage, 5% critical for 5.425 damage (3.5*0.45 +7.0*0.55)
Average Flanking Dog does 2.02125 hit points per round.
For the Tiger
The tiger's 10 ft. space mean 12 flanking dogs can attack it, averaging 24.255 hp/rd.
If the tiger gets its back to a wall, only 8 dogs can attack it, of which 4 can flank, for an average of 14.7 hp/rd.
Claw needs a 6+ to hit and averages 10.5 damage
Bite needs an 11+ to hit and averages 10 damage
A tiger's attacks do so much damage it basically knocks out a dog with each hit. Its rake attack is of no use, since it will have already killed or crippled the target dog with the first hit, thus.
Claw: 75% "kill", 2 claws = 1.5 dogs/round
Bite: 50% "kill", 1 bite = 0.5 dogs/round
Average of 2 dogs/round when full attacking.
Results
So it takes the dogs 2-4 rounds to kill the tiger, during which time they lose 4-8 of their number. That matches reasonably well with the (rather anecdotal) accounts of dholes killing a tiger but losing 5 or 13 of the dogs in their pack.
I've been doing some number crunching, and that performance doesn't require any "pack hunting" boost to a Small Dog, just a willingness to take casualties.
SRD Dog vs Tiger
Dog (AC 15, HP 6, Attacks: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1), SA Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d8+3)
Tiger (AC 14, HP 45, Attacks: 2 claws +9 melee (1d8+6) and bite +4 melee (2d6+3), SA —)
For the Dog
Bite needs a 12+ to hit, and averages 3.5 damage.
40% hit for 3.5 damage, 5% critical for 5.075 damage (3.5*0.55 +7.0*0.45)
Average Dog does 1.65375 hit points per round.
Flanking gives +2 to attack, so bite +4 melee and 10+ needed for dog to hit.
50% hit for 3.5 damage, 5% critical for 5.425 damage (3.5*0.45 +7.0*0.55)
Average Flanking Dog does 2.02125 hit points per round.
For the Tiger
The tiger's 10 ft. space mean 12 flanking dogs can attack it, averaging 24.255 hp/rd.
If the tiger gets its back to a wall, only 8 dogs can attack it, of which 4 can flank, for an average of 14.7 hp/rd.
Claw needs a 6+ to hit and averages 10.5 damage
Bite needs an 11+ to hit and averages 10 damage
A tiger's attacks do so much damage it basically knocks out a dog with each hit. Its rake attack is of no use, since it will have already killed or crippled the target dog with the first hit, thus.
Claw: 75% "kill", 2 claws = 1.5 dogs/round
Bite: 50% "kill", 1 bite = 0.5 dogs/round
Average of 2 dogs/round when full attacking.
Results
So it takes the dogs 2-4 rounds to kill the tiger, during which time they lose 4-8 of their number. That matches reasonably well with the (rather anecdotal) accounts of dholes killing a tiger but losing 5 or 13 of the dogs in their pack.
Cleon
Legend
Let's go ahead and convert 'em, even if we do just take a Small dog and tack on the racial bonus to Swim checks and some different flavor text. It's not like it will take very long.
They should have a wider Organization too, since Dholes hunt in large groups. Which are called clans, apparently.
Maybe it'd be easier if we just set the changes.
So far we've got "Dholes have a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks."
They're noted for their Endurance, so we could give them that instead of Alertness?
Shade
Monster Junkie
Sure! Anything to help differentiate them.
Cleon
Legend
Okay, might as well put it together into a Working Draft and see what we get.
Cleon
Legend
Dhole
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Endurance (B), Track (B)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (3-6) or clan (5–50)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
This small dog has reddish fur with a white underside. It is long-limbed for its size.
Dholes are highly social canids that live in large clans, which may include many dozen animals. The clan may hunt together, or split into several "hunting packs", depending on the circumstances. Dholes will hunt a wide range of animals, but specialize in big herbivores such as wild boar, antelope, or buffalo.
Dholes dig dens to raise their young in, typically in a dry riverbed or under an area of scrub. A dhole den can range from a simple hole or a re-purposed porcupine lair, to an elaborate network of interconnecting tunnels and chambers, with many entrances. The larger dens often accommodates multiple dhole mothers and their pups. A clan of dholes may use an ancestral den site which has been slowly expanded over many generations.
Dhole packs maintain frequent communication when hunting or travelling. They use whistling "coo-coo" sounds to guide each other through difficult terrain. When attacking prey, their screams sound like "KaKaKaKaa".
A typical dhole is 3 feet long (not including tail) and stands 18 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder. It weighs 30 to 40 pounds.
COMBAT
Dholes are afraid of humanoids and avoid them whenever possible. They show little fear of other animals, and use pack tactics to hunt animals far stronger than an individual dhole. In exceptional cases, a clan of dholes will unite to kill creatures as powerful as bears, leopards, elephants or tigers, even though a bear or tiger can kill a dozen dholes before being slain.
Dholes usually chase their prey to exhaustion and then attack from all sides simultaneously, making much use of flanking attacks and Aid Another actions. Dholes are good swimmers, and often chase prey into water to limit their victim's movement.
Dholes are ferocious and tenacious fighters, and a pack or clan may endure many casualties before deciding to retreat.
Skills: A dhole has a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks. *Dholes have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Endurance (B), Track (B)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (3-6) or clan (5–50)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
This small dog has reddish fur with a white underside. It is long-limbed for its size.
Dholes are highly social canids that live in large clans, which may include many dozen animals. The clan may hunt together, or split into several "hunting packs", depending on the circumstances. Dholes will hunt a wide range of animals, but specialize in big herbivores such as wild boar, antelope, or buffalo.
Dholes dig dens to raise their young in, typically in a dry riverbed or under an area of scrub. A dhole den can range from a simple hole or a re-purposed porcupine lair, to an elaborate network of interconnecting tunnels and chambers, with many entrances. The larger dens often accommodates multiple dhole mothers and their pups. A clan of dholes may use an ancestral den site which has been slowly expanded over many generations.
Dhole packs maintain frequent communication when hunting or travelling. They use whistling "coo-coo" sounds to guide each other through difficult terrain. When attacking prey, their screams sound like "KaKaKaKaa".
A typical dhole is 3 feet long (not including tail) and stands 18 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder. It weighs 30 to 40 pounds.
COMBAT
Dholes are afraid of humanoids and avoid them whenever possible. They show little fear of other animals, and use pack tactics to hunt animals far stronger than an individual dhole. In exceptional cases, a clan of dholes will unite to kill creatures as powerful as bears, leopards, elephants or tigers, even though a bear or tiger can kill a dozen dholes before being slain.
Dholes usually chase their prey to exhaustion and then attack from all sides simultaneously, making much use of flanking attacks and Aid Another actions. Dholes are good swimmers, and often chase prey into water to limit their victim's movement.
Dholes are ferocious and tenacious fighters, and a pack or clan may endure many casualties before deciding to retreat.
Skills: A dhole has a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks. *Dholes have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
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