Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[Cleon]

Do you have any preferences for the bite damage? I'm more tempted by 2d4.

 

[abe ray]

Do you have any preferences for the bite damage? I'm more tempted by 2d4.

Or even 1d12?

 

[Cleon]

Or even 1d12?

That is quite a large jump from the original's 1d4 dice range. It's also a larger dice range than any of the Medium sized canines in the SRD, which either have 1d6 (Worg, Shadow Mastiff) or 1d8 (Yeth Hound, Hellhound) base bite damage.

My thinking was 1d8 would be acceptable since it matched the dice of the SRD "Hounds" but was a bit lacking in ditinctiveness. Plus I liked how 2d4 has the dice sides match that of the AD&D version.

Incidentally, the 2E AD&D versions of the aforementioned Hound have different dice ranges from each other and the 3E version - 1d10 for the Hell Hound and 2d4 for the Yeth Hound. Not that it means much in the grand scheme of things.

 

[abe ray]

Ok then,how about 2d3 for a bite & 1d2 for a paw swipe?

 

[Cleon]

Ok then,how about 2d3 for a bite & 1d2 for a paw swipe?

Err, the original monster doesn't attack with its paws so why add the ability? Especially as none of the SRD canines have claw attacks.

 

[abe ray]

That’s why I gave it such a small damage number actually. I figured that it would be used rarely if at all!

 

[Cleon]

That’s why I gave it such a small damage number actually. I figured that it would be used rarely if at all!

That doesn't really answer the question of why add an attack that the Dragon magazine version didn't possess.

 

[abe ray]

Sorry,most dogs will swipe with their paws when playing.

 

[Cleon]

Sorry,most dogs will swipe with their paws when playing.

Sure, but when they want to injure something they use their teeth.

 

[abe ray]

Sure, but when they want to injure something they use their teeth.

Ok, now what do you think about my bite damage?