Converting prehistoric creatures

[Cleon]

Time to start a Working Draft then.

EDIT: I used a couple of bits of our Porcupine conversion in the working draft.

Our idea of not giving it a bite attack doesn't match the Dragon magazine article, which says "Wiwaxia's toothy jaws slant slightly backward, while the toothless center bulges forward. The animal attacks by crawling forward, pressing the bulge against the target and causing the jaws to spring forward and snap shut, doing 1d8 points of damage". Should we change the spine to a bite attack?

 

[Cleon]

Wiwaxia Working Draft

Wiwaxia
Small Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 5 ft. (1 squares), climb 5 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+1 size, -2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d8)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spines
Special Qualities: DR 2/—, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref -2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 6, Con 15, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 3
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Description.

Stuff.

A wiwaxia is 3 feet long and weighs X pounds or more.

COMBAT

Tactics.

Spiny Defense (Ex): Melee combat with a wiwaxia is dangerous. An opponent who attacks a wiwaxia with a melee weapon that does not have reach must succeed on a DC 13 Reflex save or be struck by a spine and take 1d8 piercing damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

[Shade]

Should we change the spine to a bite attack?

Either way is fine with me. Many "bite" attacks are rather abstract uses of the game term, so I think it could work here.

 

[freyar]

Just call it a bite for simplicity.

Why not go with the full 1d10 for the spiny defense?

 

[Cleon]

Either way is fine with me. Many "bite" attacks are rather abstract uses of the game term, so I think it could work here.

I'll change it to a bite then.

EDIT: Updated. I also changed the Advancement so it went up to Large at 5-6 HD. It just felt right.

 

[Shade]

Why not go with the full 1d10 for the spiny defense?

Yeah, why not?

I also changed the Advancement so it went up to Large at 5-6 HD. It just felt right.

Yep, feels right.

 

[freyar]

Done?

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews. We just need weight, methinks.

 

[freyar]

50 lb? Just spitballing here.

 

[Cleon]

50 lb? Just spitballing here.

Methinks they'd work well heavier than the standard upper limit for Small, maybe 60-80 pounds.