Converting prehistoric creatures

[freyar]

All done, then?

 

[Shade]

Methinks.

Amiskwia
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 1-20
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVEMENT: 8, Sw 24
HIT DICE: 3
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6 + 2
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
SIZE: M (5' long)
MORALE: Average (10)
XP VALUE: 65

Amiskwia is a wormlike equivalent to modern-day seals, being a strong swimmer that hunches along on land at lesser speeds. It also spends about as much time on land as a seal would, living in small colonies. Its main attack is a bite that does 1d6 +2 points of damage. The members of a threatened colony will frequently gang up on a lone intruder, or on a small group of them.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #204 (1994).

 

[freyar]

Ok, 3HD. Looks like Str is pretty decent (could stick to 14-15 for the +2 to damage, but I think it would be fair to bump in the conversion). And a 1d6 bite. Nothing else to speak of, I guess.

 

[Cleon]

All done, then?

Yup.

 

[Cleon]

Ok, 3HD. Looks like Str is pretty decent (could stick to 14-15 for the +2 to damage, but I think it would be fair to bump in the conversion). And a 1d6 bite. Nothing else to speak of, I guess.

That's what I was thinking.

Might as well go for Str 15.

20 ft. crawling and 50-60 ft. swimming.

Downsize a Purple Worm, change it to an Aquatic Vermin, and give it Str 15?

Purple Worm: Str 35, Dex 6, Con 25, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 8
Medium Worm: Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 8

Hmph. Better cut the Charisma too:

Amiskwia: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int --, Wis 8, Cha 2, NA +2 ?

 

[freyar]

Works for me.

 

[Cleon]

Works for me.

I'll start a working draft then.

 

[Cleon]

Amiskwia Working Draft

Amiskwia
Medium Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 50 ft.
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Vermin traits, water dependent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int --, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Swim +10
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-5) or colony (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium); 7-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Description

Amiskwia is an XXXX.

An amiskwia is 5 feet long and weighs X pounds.

COMBAT

Tactics.

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

Skills: An amiskwia 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.

 

[Cleon]

While that makes some sense, it would seem to support 6 attacks (2 per "arm"), which is too many for such a low-CR creature. Also, multi-pronged attacks (like the scourge) have a precedent as a single attack in 3.5. Let's just go with 2 and call it a day.

Updated.

Rereading the original description it has 2 arms (1d6 damage) and a bite (1d4 damage) in the first place. How on earth did we get so confused?

 

[Shade]

Rereading the original description it has 2 arms (1d6 damage) and a bite (1d4 damage) in the first place. How on earth did we get so confused?

Wow...we really went off the rails on that one!

The Amiskwia Working Draft is looking good. Swim speed converts to 60 feet. I'd retain that, since it has little else to make it interesting.