Converting prehistoric creatures

[Shade]

It looks like you and Cleon never reached an agreement on gnaw. I'm impartial on the matter.

I was thinking improved grab and gnaw, actually, since it brings the victims to its mouth. But that's usually associated with a bite attack.

Aren't we getting away from the original monster a bit. It didn't grapple creatures around its own size, but snatched things off them. It seems to only be able to grab much smaller opponents/victims.

 

[Cleon]

Let's keep it even numbers, so +4 and +10.

Essentially, that's the same as the crocodile, so...

*A yohoia gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in the water. Further, a yohoia can lie in the water with only its eyes and claws showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.

Updated.

As an aside, I like these fellas, because I can search for "Yoho" to quickly find 'em in the Homebrews thread. A pirate's life for me!

They bury themselves in mud, remember. They don't lie just at the surface of water crocodile-fashion.

Something like:

Skills: A yohoia has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

*A yohoia gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in the water or liquid mud. Further, a yohoia can bury itself in liquid mud with only its eyes and claws showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.

 

[Cleon]

Ahoy, matey!

Weren't we going to give them gnaw to go with imp grab?

Can we just modify the Improved Grab like the SRD Squid, except with claw damage instead of a bite. It only "gnaws" creatures 2 or more sizes smaller, so it isn't much use against most adventurers.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a squid must hit an opponent of any size with its arms attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and automatically deals bite damage. *A squid has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a yohoia must hit an opponent two or more sizes smaller than itself with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and automatically deals claw damage every round it can maintain the grapple.

CR 2 in that case?

I'd say CR 1. They're not far away from a Medium Monstrous Scorpion challenge-wise.

A ft-long lobster is what, 5 lb? That would make these around 1000 lb. Seem too heavy?

A European Lobster (Homarus gammarus) is typically about 25-40 cm and 0.7-2.2 kg, big one can reach 50-60 cm and up to 6 kg or so. There are records of them reaching 9-10 kg, and a 126 cm lobster was caught in 1931 Cornwall.

Going by that, assuming a Yohoia has a similar build, its 6 foot of length might weigh anywhere between 350 lb and 485 lbs, which suggests an average about 400 lbs.

That's a bit high for my taste, and the reconstructions of Yohoia look a bit slimmer than a lobster, so I'd cut its weight a bit.

300 pounds?

 

[Cleon]

It looks like you and Cleon never reached an agreement on gnaw. I'm impartial on the matter.

I'd rather cut Gnaw and fold the damage into Imp. Grab.

It can't use it against man-sized opponents so there's little point emphasizing it.

 

[freyar]

There's not so much point in imp grab, by that logic. But we don't have to spell out the claw damage. Here's the relevant line in Imp Grab:

If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold.

 

[Shade]

Updated. Finished?

 

[freyar]

Looks fine.

 

[Cleon]

Updated. Finished?

The description seems a bit wordy, how many adventures would stop to count its segments and secondary appendages?

How about this:

This segmented creature resembles a cross between a lobster and a woodlouse, with an elongated trunk that ends in a paddle-shaped tail. Instead of a lobster's claws it has two arm-like limbs, each ends in a "hand" of four finger-like spikes. Bulbous formations at the front of its head-shield appear to be eyes.

Also, we should list a Sleight of Hand modifier for its Pilfering Strike (especially as that skill can't normally be used untrained!). Come to think of it, we'd better add some text explaining it can make untrained sleight of hand.

Also, it currently only has a 5% chance per attack of swiping something. I'd rather make it a bit higher. Say give it a +4 racial bonus for 25%?

Putting it together:

Skills: Hide +0*, Sleight of Hand +0*, Swim +9

Pilfering Strike (Ex): With each successful claw attack, the yohoia may make a Sleight of Hand check as a free action to lift a small object from a person (a typical yohoia has a +4 modifier on this check). Yohoia can make untrained Sleight of Hand skill checks with pilfering strike and do not suffer the usual -20 penalty on such checks.

Skills: A yohoia has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

*A yohoia can make Sleight of Hand skill checks for its pilfering strike special attack as untrained skill checks with a +4 racial bonus. It can not use Sleight of Hand to make untrained skill checks for any other action.

*A yohoia gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in the water or liquid mud. Further, a yohoia can bury itself in liquid mud with only its eyes and claws showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.
​

Apart from those two quibbles I think it's good to go.

 

[Cleon]

Updated. Finished?

Looking at tactics. I don't much like the "similar to a hive of bees" reference since it carries too much social insect baggage (implying a hive-like nest, queens et cetera). I know it's in the original, but it just feels wrong.

I also prefer "opponent's" to "victim's" and "on its fingertips" to "on the fingertips":

When hunting small prey, a yohoia spears its quarry on its fingertips, then folds its arm back to bring the food to its mouth. Groups of yohoia often work together against a common threat, like a swarm of insects. A yohoia's flexible finger-spines have been known to yank off a piece of their opponent's gear.

 

[Shade]

Great suggestions. Updated.