Converting prehistoric creatures

[freyar]

Vermin somehow just slipped my mind in the shock of seeing aberration! I'd go with Int - (not Int 0!) vermin myself.

 

[Cleon]

Vermin somehow just slipped my mind in the shock of seeing aberration! I'd go with Int - (not Int 0!) vermin myself.

OK then, I think that's enough of us agreed to make it a Vermin.

Statwise I think we can start by modifying a Medium Monstrous Scorpion, e.g. (I increased the speed from the original's 2//4, which would give 5 ft., swim 10 ft.):

Yohoia
Medium Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d8+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +2 melee (1d8+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Snatch?
Special Qualities: Camouflage, darkvision 60 ft., hold breath (or Amphibious plus water dependency?), tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 10, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Swim +9
Feats: —
Environment: Aquatic
Organization: Solitary or colony (2-8)
Challenge Rating: ?
Advancement: 3-5 HD (Medium); 6-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

 

[Shade]

I'm all for mindless vermin as well.

That seems a reasonable start. I'd lean toward amphibious/water dependency over hold breath, but might be convinced otherwise.

 

[Cleon]

I'm all for mindless vermin as well.

That seems a reasonable start. I'd lean toward amphibious/water dependency over hold breath, but might be convinced otherwise.

I preferred amphibious/water dependency too.

Although upon reflection they don't need the Amphibious. We can simply give them Water Dependent like a Sahuagin:

Water Dependent (Ex): Yohoia can survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution (after that, refer to the drowning rules).

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Yohoia ... has two four-fingered “hands” instead of the pincer. When hunting small prey, Yohoia spears its quarry on the fingertips, then folds its arm back to bring the food to its mouth.

Hmm...improved grab, snatch, or something else?

I am assuming that the finger-spines themselves have some flexibility, enabling Yohoia to grab items too large to be conveniently speared. If it grabs a man-sized character, it may yank off a piece of gear, such as a wand, dagger, pouch, or holstered pistol. PCs trying to keep the thing from making off with their gear should make the same strength rolls as listed above for breaking free from Opabinia’s grasp. (The Opabinia’s is strong enough to yank a man off his feet and hold him under until he drowns. A trapped AD&D character must roll a strength check on 1d20 to escape.)

Didn't we come up with a "thieving strike" ability for a prior conversion?

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

Hmm...improved grab, snatch, or something else?

My first thought was wrapping it all together into a Snatch-type special attack.

Didn't we come up with a "thieving strike" ability for a prior conversion?

Rings a bell, but I can't quite place it.

Some kind of imp/gremlin or a larcenous bird?

 

[Cleon]

By the way, I came across a paper today about a prehistoric Jamaican ibis that appears to have had nunchuks for wings. "We propose that the elongate forelimb and massive hand functioned in combat as a jointed club or flail."

A dire version of Xenicibis xympithecus should make an nice monster...

 

[Shade]

I thought it was the pilfer vine, but not quite. :/

 

[Shade]

By the way, I came across a paper today about a prehistoric Jamaican ibis that appears to have had nunchuks for wings. "We propose that the elongate forelimb and massive hand functioned in combat as a jointed club or flail."

A dire version of Xenicibis xympithecus should make an nice monster...

Indeed!

As for the "pilfering strike", rather than wasting more time hunting for precedents...

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. The yohoia does not suffer the usual -20 penalty on the check.

 

[freyar]

There you go! Looks pretty good.