Converting prehistoric creatures

[xidoraven]

It looks like Attach is erroneous for the needs of this creature. I still think an ability giving the creature some bonus or increased ability to smash or pry open small hard critters like shellfish of two size categories smaller (and hardness of so much...) might still be applicable. I was thinking of grapple bonus before, but maybe there is some other consideration that could instead be applied?
-will

 

[Cleon]

It looks like Attach is erroneous for the needs of this creature. I still think an ability giving the creature some bonus or increased ability to smash or pry open small hard critters like shellfish of two size categories smaller (and hardness of so much...) might still be applicable. I was thinking of grapple bonus before, but maybe there is some other consideration that could instead be applied?
-will

Out of curiousity, what inspired you to want them clam-crackers, is their any evidence they were shellfish specialists like sea otters?

 

[xidoraven]

It was pretty much just an assumption because of current otter diet. I guess it would be beneficial to find out what kind of river/freshwater life they could have fed on instead... But I have no evidence in either direction.

Rappy, do we have input from the experts?

 

[Rappy]

I fashion that it'd be more likely that Potamotherium was a piscivore, akin to modern seals and giant otters.

 

[Cleon]

I fashion that it'd be more likely that Potamotherium was a piscivore, akin to modern seals and giant otters.

That's my feeling to, so I'd rather not have a specialist shell-cracking ability.

How about we drop the idea of shell-cracking and consider the Attach SA as an "optional extra" and leave it to individual DMs whether to include it or not. It doesn't add much combat-worthiness but it would be useful for a Dire Otter to seize hold of fast, slipper fish. Its Spring Attack is far more useful in battle against a group of opponents.

If that's OK by you lot it means the Dire Otter is pretty much complete, so we can call it a day. We've just gone over the 1000 post limit, so it seems a good point to have Shade or another mod end this thread and start up "Converting prehistoric creature, part 2"

 

[xidoraven]

Ok, I am sold on the piscivore idea. No more shell-cracking statements from me.

I am not sure why we would want any stat that would be optional, however. I say Attach should either be in or not, and that doesn't really affect how I see it so far, so I am neutral on the idea.

Technically, it will be conversions, part 3 - this is the second section of threads, as far as I know. This forum gets stuff DONE.

 

[Cleon]

Ok, I am sold on the piscivore idea. No more shell-cracking statements from me.

I am not sure why we would want any stat that would be optional, however. I say Attach should either be in or not, and that doesn't really affect how I see it so far, so I am neutral on the idea.

Technically, it will be conversions, part 3 - this is the second section of threads, as far as I know. This forum gets stuff DONE.

It sure do!

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if we were a lot further along than part 3 the rate things used to go around here. Maybe I should just start saying "part X+1".

 

[Shade]

We can probably stop calling it "converting" prehistoric creatures, since we've run out of conversions are essentially just "statting" prehistoric creatures at this point.

 

[xidoraven]

We can probably stop calling it "converting" prehistoric creatures, since we've run out of conversions are essentially just "statting" prehistoric creatures at this point.

Does that mean I can begin posting the creatures found elsewhere that require a thorough review and revision? There are a lot of critters that would be an excellent resource if they were actually statted and balanced by people who know what they're doing.... Not that the last authors didn't - they just didn't have as efficient of a review team as here. Raptorial (Rappy) posted a lot on the other threads that have stats but no flavor text, and there were a lot begun and not compared, balanced or finalized - including a few of my own.

It would give the next segment of this forum a new goal, and keep the list here getting bigger and better....? I for one have already taken this project on as my own so that I have a thorough ecology for my new campaign setting, so in my mind it has to be done anyways - it would just be nice to not have to do it all on my own.

But to be fair and open about it, I am doing it both for my own game but also to put together a complete publication including player & dm information and critters (essentially an Eberron campaign setting but for Nym/Omarka). I am a little concerned about how to go about getting permissions for something like this, since it is obvious that ENWorld has a great open source Creature Catalog including many of them, and I don't wish to tread on any toes.... Any input on this thought?

I also noticed that all these new conversions will need html pages for the CC... Is anyone designated to do this, or is it something that a volunteer can put together? I have Dreamweaver CS3 if so....
-will

 

[Shade]

Does that mean I can begin posting the creatures found elsewhere that require a thorough review and revision? There are a lot of critters that would be an excellent resource if they were actually statted and balanced by people who know what they're doing.... Not that the last authors didn't - they just didn't have as efficient of a review team as here. Raptorial (Rappy) posted a lot on the other threads that have stats but no flavor text, and there were a lot begun and not compared, balanced or finalized - including a few of my own.

Feel free to start a thread on this. Honestly, I'm more concerned with converting the remaining critters than statting out every prehistoric creature of interest (not that that's not a worthy goal!)

But to be fair and open about it, I am doing it both for my own game but also to put together a complete publication including player & dm information and critters (essentially an Eberron campaign setting but for Nym/Omarka). I am a little concerned about how to go about getting permissions for something like this, since it is obvious that ENWorld has a great open source Creature Catalog including many of them, and I don't wish to tread on any toes.... Any input on this thought?

I'm not real sure about the permissions for a publication. I doubt WotC would appreciate reprinting stuff from their 3e books like Stormwrack and so forth, but they probably won't pay much attention to things from past editions that are essentially just statblocks of real-world prehistoric creatures.

I also noticed that all these new conversions will need html pages for the CC... Is anyone designated to do this, or is it something that a volunteer can put together? I have Dreamweaver CS3 if so....
-will

I'm afraid we won't be putting them on the CC. The CC is strictly for conversions (or slight variations we can at least tie to a creature that had stats in a previous incarnation of the game). I know that homebrew sites exist (although I haven't looked at one myself in ages), and I'm sure some of the fine folk around here can point them out to you. Failing that, you can always start a summary thread in Homebrews (like we do with the finished conversions) so they're all in one place. Or use the ENWorld Wiki.