Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Number 6]

Rather than a flat racial bonus, how about a scaling circumstance bonus based upon the number of pasari-niml participating?

I favor this idea!

Perhaps DC 10 with the standard number of pasari-niml (two for Small, four for Medium-sized, 16 for Large) with a +2 circumstance bonus for each additional pasari-niml.

 

[Cleon]

Lookin' good. I'm leaning toward Str-based for the check and save DCs. Rather than a flat racial bonus, how about a scaling circumstance bonus based upon the number of pasari-niml participating?

I didn't much care for the notion of making the Reflex DC Str-based since the pasari are likely to have low Strength, which'll make the DC rather low. A number-based or racial bonus to the DC would fix that.

I favor this idea!

Perhaps DC 10 with the standard number of pasari-niml (two for Small, four for Medium-sized, 16 for Large) with a +2 circumstance bonus for each additional pasari-niml.

That seems too high, with a lot of pasari the DC will quickly get out of hand. I would prefer something like +X per size category difference. (e.g. if a group of pasari create a pitfall big enough for a Large creature underneath a Small victim, the DC increases by +2X).

Oh, and the original version leaves the victim buried in 1-3 feet of ground, so most victims are only partially buried.

How's this...

Pitfall (Ex): Pasari-nimal can bury an opponent by opening a pitfall beneath them. This requires a standard action by the pasari-nimal, who must be free to move by burrowing. If the target succeeds at a DC X Reflex save they will not fall into the pitfall. A single pasari-nimal can create a pitfall big enough for an opponent of Tiny size or smaller; it takes 2 pasari-nimal to create a pitfall for a Small-sized opponent, 4 for a Medium-sized opponent and 16 for a Large-sized opponent. If the pasari create an oversized pitfall the Reflex save DC increases by +4? for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent. Pasari-nimal are too small to create a pitfall for Huge-sized or larger opponents as a standard action special attack, although they can still excavate standard pit traps for such big creatures.

A pasari-nimal's pitfall collapses as soon as it is created, leaving the victim trapped and partially buried in the ground. The pitfall is deep enough that the pasari-nimal has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The pasari-nimal have cover and concealment against its buried victim, giving the pasari-nimal +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. The confined quarters of the pit the victim is in means they can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons. If the victim has a burrow speed they can move and fight normally by burrowing.

The buried victim, or their allies, can attempt to drag the victim from the ground with a DC Y Strength check, or the buried victim can wiggle free with a DC Z Escape Artist check (+4? DC for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent). The pasari-nimal can try to prevent the victim leaving the pit by grappling or other means. The save DCs are Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus?

 

[freyar]

Should we mention that the pasari can fight normally?

 

[Cleon]

Should we mention that the pasari can fight normally?

I don't think we need to, but if you think it'll help I don't mind adding a "the pasari-niml fight without penalty due to their burrow speed" or the like to the text.

 

[freyar]

Yeah, let's do that.

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, let's do that.

Revising...

Pitfall (Ex): Pasari-nimal can bury an opponent by opening a pitfall beneath them. This requires a standard action by the pasari-nimal, who must be free to move by burrowing. If the target succeeds at a DC X Reflex save they will not fall into the pitfall. A single pasari-nimal can create a pitfall big enough for an opponent of Tiny size or smaller; it takes 2 pasari-nimal to create a pitfall for a Small-sized opponent, 4 for a Medium-sized opponent and 16 for a Large-sized opponent. If the pasari create an oversized pitfall the Reflex save DC increases by +4? for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent. Pasari-nimal are too small to create a pitfall for Huge-sized or larger opponents as a standard action special attack, although they can still excavate standard pit traps for such big creatures.

A pasari-nimal's pitfall collapses as soon as it is created, leaving the victim trapped and partially buried in the ground. The pitfall is deep enough that the pasari-nimal has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The pasari-nimal have cover and concealment against its buried victim, giving the pasari-nimal +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. The confined quarters of the pit the victim is in means they can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons. The pasari-niml fight without penalty due to their burrow speed. If the victim has a burrow speed, they can move and fight normally by burrowing.

The buried victim, or their allies, can attempt to drag the victim from the ground with a DC Y Strength check, or the buried victim can wiggle free with a DC Z Escape Artist check (+4? DC for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent). The pasari-nimal can try to prevent the victim leaving the pit by grappling or other means. The save DCs are Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus?

 

[Shade]

Tiny Aberrations with high Dex and Weapon Finesse for a decent melee attack?

Actually, it looks like the warriors and nobles are Diminutive, and the Calipha is Tiny (advancing to Small).

Let's figure out ability scores.

Giant Soldier Ant (M): Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
...Downsized to (D): Str 4, Dex 16, Con 11, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
Tiny Monstrous Centipede: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Tiny Monstrous Scorpion: Str 3, Dex 10, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Tiny Monstrous Spider: Str 3, Dex 17, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Mulworm (D): Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 4
Wiggling Maggot (D): Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 2

The warrior has Int 8-10, the noble 11-12, and the calipha 11-12. The calipha appears to have a Con penalty. The giant ant queen has poorer Dex, and the calipha's description doesn't seem to suggest otherwise.

Since they most closely resemble ants, I propose...

Warrior (D): Str 3, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Noble (D): Str 4, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13
Calipha (T): Str 5, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15

Revising...

Pitfall (Ex): Pasari-nimal can bury an opponent by opening a pitfall beneath them. This requires a standard action by the pasari-nimal, who must be free to move by burrowing. If the target succeeds at a DC X Reflex save they will not fall into the pitfall. A single pasari-nimal can create a pitfall big enough for an opponent of Tiny size or smaller; it takes 2 pasari-nimal to create a pitfall for a Small-sized opponent, 4 for a Medium-sized opponent and 16 for a Large-sized opponent. If the pasari create an oversized pitfall the Reflex save DC increases by +4? for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent. Pasari-nimal are too small to create a pitfall for Huge-sized or larger opponents as a standard action special attack, although they can still excavate standard pit traps for such big creatures.

A pasari-nimal's pitfall collapses as soon as it is created, leaving the victim trapped and partially buried in the ground. The pitfall is deep enough that the pasari-nimal has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The pasari-nimal have cover and concealment against its buried victim, giving the pasari-nimal +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. The confined quarters of the pit the victim is in means they can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons. The pasari-niml fight without penalty due to their burrow speed. If the victim has a burrow speed, they can move and fight normally by burrowing.

The buried victim, or their allies, can attempt to drag the victim from the ground with a DC Y Strength check, or the buried victim can wiggle free with a DC Z Escape Artist check (+4? DC for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent). The pasari-nimal can try to prevent the victim leaving the pit by grappling or other means. The save DCs are Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus?

Remove the "-sized" bits, and I think it's looking pretty good!

 

[Cleon]

Actually, it looks like the warriors and nobles are Diminutive, and the Calipha is Tiny (advancing to Small).

Let's figure out ability scores.

Giant Soldier Ant (M): Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
...Downsized to (D): Str 4, Dex 16, Con 11, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
Tiny Monstrous Centipede: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Tiny Monstrous Scorpion: Str 3, Dex 10, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Tiny Monstrous Spider: Str 3, Dex 17, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Mulworm (D): Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 4
Wiggling Maggot (D): Str 1, Dex 12, Con 11, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 2

The warrior has Int 8-10, the noble 11-12, and the calipha 11-12. The calipha appears to have a Con penalty. The giant ant queen has poorer Dex, and the calipha's description doesn't seem to suggest otherwise.

Since they most closely resemble ants, I propose...

Warrior (D): Str 3, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Noble (D): Str 4, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13
Calipha (T): Str 5, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15

Yes, I realized the non-queens were only a few inches in size, which is certainly more Diminutive than Tiny. I was thinking it'd be best to enlarge them so they do some damage in melee.

If we make them Tiny and give them longswords and Strength 8 they'd do 1d4-1 damage, or 1.5 on average - the same average as the original's 1-2 damage.

A Diminutive Str 4 version does 1d3-3 damage with a longsword, even with a Greatsword they'd only do 1d4-4 damage.

Remove the "-sized" bits, and I think it's looking pretty good!

 

[Shade]

Yes, I realized the non-queens were only a few inches in size, which is certainly more Diminutive than Tiny. I was thinking it'd be best to enlarge them so they do some damage in melee.

If we make them Tiny and give them longswords and Strength 8 they'd do 1d4-1 damage, or 1.5 on average - the same average as the original's 1-2 damage.

A Diminutive Str 4 version does 1d3-3 damage with a longsword, even with a Greatsword they'd only do 1d4-4 damage.

Hmm...I'm not sure retaining the damage is that important. I'm a bit sad to lose a Diminutive creature when the opportunity presents itself. Nearly all Diminutive creatures are animals, vermin, or fey.

 

[freyar]

Maybe we could increase the Str a little. Or something.