Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[freyar]

Just use the advancement line? Fair enough. So should we start with Small and 2 HD (or drop to 1HD)?

 

[Shade]

Let's drop to 1 HD for the possum-sized version.

Pound for pound, the Marsupial Lion had the strongest bite of any mammal species living or extinct; a 100 kg (220 lb) individual had a bite comparable to that of a 250 kg (550 lb) African Lion and is thought to have hunted large animals such as diprotodonts and giant kangaroos. It was the most specialised marsupial carnivore to have ever existed and had extremely strong forelimbs, with retractable claws, a trait previously unseen in marsupials. It was also armed with sharp carnassial teeth that could tear large chunks of meat off its prey, powered by very strong jaw muscles. In this it differed from placental carnivores which possess 'canine' teeth. Its strong forelimbs, retracting claws and incredibly powerful jaws mean that it may have been possible for it to climb trees and perhaps to carry carcasses to keep the kill for itself (similar to the leopard today).

So, it looks like Improved Natural Attack (like a tiger, except for bite instead of claw) and possibly augmented critical?

Climb speed or decent racial bonus to Climb?

The interactive tutorial at this link seems to indicate scent, pounce, and possibly improved grab.

And check out this:

"New research published in the Journal of Zoology suggests that Thylacoleo killed prey rapidly, using its “bolt-cutter” type teeth to scissor through hide and flesh to produce major trauma and blood loss."

 

[freyar]

Yes to Imp Nat Atk and augmented crit.

Racial climb bonus, I think. Doesn't quite sound like we're sure it had a climb speed.

Let's go with scent and pounce.

Might be even better to forget about Imp Nat Atk and just up the damage to a ridiculous amount, given that last bit.

 

[demiurge1138]

Yeah. I'm never a fan of giving Imp. Natural Attack to a baseline creature, so let's just give them a high bite damage. I do like the idea of augmented critical.

 

[Shade]

Alrighty.

Let's figure out ability scores.

Dowsizing a smilodon to Small yields...
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6

Dowsizing a tiger to Small yields...
Str 11, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

Dowsizing a lion to Small yields...
Str 11, Dex 21, Con 9, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

Downsizing a leopard to Small yields...
Str 12, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

An already Small lynx has...
Str 7, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7

An already Small serval has...
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7

Since it could supposedly take a smilodon in battle, perhaps use the downsized smilodon physical stats so it is a match when advanced to Large? We could just go with the typical lion's mental stats. Thoughts?

 

[freyar]

Let's use the smilodon's stats but make half of them odd. So Str 15, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6?

 

[demiurge1138]

It strikes me as strange that its Dex is higher than its Str. I'd always imagined Thacyleo as a big bruiser.

 

[freyar]

Good point. I think this is due to the fact that we're starting with the Small version. For example, all the big cats have Dex > Str when downsized to Small (see Shade's post above). This is actually closer to equal than most of them. Still, we could go Str 16, Dex 17 if you want.

 

[Shade]

Let's use the smilodon's stats but make half of them odd. So Str 15, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6?

I'm just curious, but is there a half-even/half-odd suggested guideline somewhere, or is that just your personal preference?

I note that most official creatures do follow that formula, but not all.

Just curious.

It strikes me as strange that its Dex is higher than its Str. I'd always imagined Thacyleo as a big bruiser.

Yeah, that's the odd thing about trying to cover these with a single stat block. Maybe we'd be better off not starting Small and expecting size advancement to cover the various types. Perhaps we should do like the big cats, and stat one out for each size, where the ability scores don't follow the usual size advancement rules. Thoughts?

 

[demiurge1138]

Ah. I missed the Small bit. Having a small and medium marsupial lion would probably be wise, although there won't be many changes aside from size advancement that we'll need to make, I imagine.