D&D 5E Better Beasts?

[Xeviat]

I think a lot of animals should have a sprint ability. Dash on a bonus action works well for that IMO

Humans should have a sprinting ability. Everyone should be able to do x4 speed like they did in 3E, just grant advantage on attacks.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I just had different expectations. Many of the beasts posted here are cool and interesting.

I'm just saying that some animals are boring. A lion claws and bites. You can give it all the extra attacks, grapples, dashes, and pushes you want but to me it doesn't make a lion more interesting. A big cat who claws and bites is gonna seem bland to me.

That's why I like the use of some of the more unique animals in this topic.

Then that isn’t helpful at all.

If a big cat is just inherently boring to you, then your bias is going to make it impossible for the work being done in this thread to satisfy you. You’re presenting an unreasonable goal that can’t even be understood by anyone but you, because it’s just your personal internal preference wrt what is an interesting real life creature.

I mean, if the stuff presented here isn’t interesting, I struggle to see how anythingshort of a spellcaster could be interesting to you in 5e.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Humans should have a sprinting ability. Everyone should be able to do x4 speed like they did in 3E, just grant advantage on attacks.

Eh, plenty of creatures should be better at sprinting than humans, though.

We have had this conversation in at least one thread within fairly recent memory, regarding general sprinting rules.

In this thread, we should stick to making beasts interesting without changing the basic rules of the game.

 

[Xeviat]

Eh, plenty of creatures should be better at sprinting than humans, though.

We have had this conversation in at least one thread within fairly recent memory, regarding general sprinting rules.

In this thread, we should stick to making beasts interesting without changing the basic rules of the game.

God, then cheetahs and other beasts either need huge land speeds or special dash abilities.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

God, then cheetahs and other beasts either need huge land speeds or special dash abilities.

I mean, yes. Cheetahs should be able to sprint several times faster than a human with no specialization in speed.

 

[Xeviat]

I mean, yes. Cheetahs should be able to sprint several times faster than a human with no specialization in speed.

That's a given. But how fast to cheetahs walk when they aren't in a rush? How fast can birds fly? Speed in 5E is way off.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Most animals are a lot better at sprinting than humans. Humans are persistence hunters and can run at moderate speed much, much longer than most other animals. By animal standards we're pretty naughty word at sprinting though, our top speed is pretty pathetic.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That's a given. But how fast to cheetahs walk when they aren't in a rush? How fast can birds fly? Speed in 5E is way off.

Eh, that’s fine. I don’t care if the baseline is realistic, I just care if things feel right in relation to eachother.

So, the cheetah should move faster than a human or a wolf. Probably 50-60ft, with a bonus action dash and a trait that adds an extra 10-20 ft when dashing, or soemthing like that.

 

[Xeviat]

Eh, that’s fine. I don’t care if the baseline is realistic, I just care if things feel right in relation to eachother.

So, the cheetah should move faster than a human or a wolf. Probably 50-60ft, with a bonus action dash and a trait that adds an extra 10-20 ft when dashing, or soemthing like that.

But human walking and jogging speeds are really, really accurate, so I feel like the other animal's speeds easily could be too.

I'd probably want to be better on the natural armors too.

 

[Volund]

Here is my attempt at updating the Carnivorous Ape from 1e:

The carnivorous ape is larger and more ferocious and cunning than other ape species. They are found in tropical jungles, live a solitary life instead of in family groups, and are fiercely territorial. If their keen senses detect an intruder in their territory, they will attack without hesitation. Carnivorous apes rely on brute force to rend and tear at their prey and, unlike their smaller cousins, do not throw rocks.

CARNIVOROUS APE Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12 Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 17 (+3)

DEX 14 (+2)

CON 14 (+2)

INT 7 (-2)

WIS 12 (+1)

CHA 7 (-2)

Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages -- Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Keen Senses. The carnivorous ape has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, hearing or smell. Rending Attack. If both fist attacks hit the same target, the target takes an additional 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage, the target is grappled (escape DC 13) if it is a Large or smaller creature, and the ape can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Until the grapple ends, the target takes 11 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the ape’s turns, and the ape can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. The ape can’t make fist attacks while grappling a creature.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The carnivorous ape makes two fist attacks. Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.