Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

[Shade]

I've been thinking maybe we should give them an Intelligence penalty and make the mental stats Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10.

Fine with me.

Something like:

Hsing-sing have thick white fur, which darkens to rich, golden tones when they grow old. Eye coloration is bright blue or brown. An adult male hsing-sing is about 5 feet tall and 200 pounds in weight. Females are considerably smaller, typically 4 to 4½ feet tall and 120 pounds.

Looks good!

Before I forget, the Monstrous Manual has Hsing-sing stats, but they're in the Mammal entry.

It makes no mention of them being intelligent, although the "(or weapon)" in their Dmg/Att line might give it away.

Still, it makes me wonder whether spells that only affect mammals or animals will affect a Hsing-sing?

I don't feel strongly either way on this.

Oops! Forgot the language.

For some reason I fancy "Hsing-sings speak Common and their own dialect of Sylvan." If scholars consider them personifications of harmony with nature they could have a Fey connection.

That appeals.

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

I don't feel strongly either way on this.

Let's leave it out then, there's no suggestion of such a trait in the original, and it specifically calls them "humanoids".

What do you fancy for Skills and Feat?

If they're normally peaceful they're unlikely to have a combat feat. More plausible is Alertness, which a lot of the primates in the SRD have - the Ape, Baboon & Dire Ape to be precise, it's only the Monkey that differs.

Alertness plus Move Silently 1, Listen 2, Spot 2?

=>

Feats: Alertness
Skills: Climb +10, Move Silently +4, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +10

 

[Shade]

That makes sense. Updated.

 

[freyar]

Seems like it would be interesting to code in their "war season." Maybe they get some set of bonus feats, minor boost to Str, or something, for a certain length of time per year?

 

[Shade]

Seems like it would be interesting to code in their "war season." Maybe they get some set of bonus feats, minor boost to Str, or something, for a certain length of time per year?

That's an interesting idea, and I'm not outright opposed to it, but is it too supernatural for these fellows?

 

[Cleon]

That's an interesting idea, and I'm not outright opposed to it, but is it too supernatural for these fellows?

I wondered about giving them a Rage-style (Ex) ability during their war season, but decided against it since there was no mention of them becoming more powerful during that time. They may go homicidal but their AD&D stats stayed the same.

 

[freyar]

That's an interesting idea, and I'm not outright opposed to it, but is it too supernatural for these fellows?

I don't think it's too Su, since African elephants essentially go into a rage at certain times. But Cleon does have a point that the statistics aren't called out as changing. I do think aggressiveness could results in effectively granting a bonus feat or two, like Reckless Offense. But it's not a big deal either way.

 

[Shade]

I don't think it's too Su, since African elephants essentially go into a rage at certain times. But Cleon does have a point that the statistics aren't called out as changing. I do think aggressiveness could results in effectively granting a bonus feat or two, like Reckless Offense. But it's not a big deal either way.

Let's just give 'em Reckless Offense as a bonus feat, and note in tactics that they only use it during "war season". That seems reasonable enough.

 

[freyar]

That'll work for me.

 

[Cleon]

That'll work for me.

Same here. It just requires a minor adjustment to tactics and the Feat Line.

I'd like to add something about their love of strong drink to the flavour text.