Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

I'd like to still proceed with a giant grasshopper "conversion". The game badly needs one, IMHO.

I'd rather start with Medium or Large, as I think they would make interesting mounts for insectile humanoids.

A giant praying mantis is Large, has 4 HD, and the following scores: Str 19, Dex 8, Con 15, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 11.

If we went Large for the giant grasshopper as well, I'd suggest 3 HD, slightly less Str, greater Dex, and probably Wis 10 (closer to a beetle).

I'm thinking flight should be limited to being able to take off and land in the same round.

Thoughts?

 

[freyar]

Sounds reasonable. Maybe Str 17, Dex 12, Con 5, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11? Instead of flight, maybe a leap/racial bonus to Jump?

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I'm torn on what to do with the leap ability. On the one hand, we could give it the "Jump" special ability of the cave locust. We could simply give it a high racial bonus on Jump checks, but that won't really cover what a real-world grasshopper can do. When I mowed my lawn last weekend, I was watching them fly easily 20 times their length in under six seconds. That would seem to suggest a high fly speed, but would require take off and landing in the same round. I'm fairly confident I've seen such an ability used before, but where currently escapes me.

Regardless of what we choose, I definitely think it deserves better than a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks, since hunting spiders get a bonus that high.

 

[freyar]

The Jump ability would probably work fine. But if you can come up with the short flight, that works for me, too! I agree that they should have much better than a spider.

 

[Shade]

How about this...

A giant grasshopper has a +20 racial bonus on Jump checks. A giant grasshopper treats all Jump checks as if it had a 20-foot running start.

Leap (Ex): A giant grasshopper can jump 30 feet (horizontally or vertically) as a move action. If the grasshopper makes a slam attack at the end of the jump, it is treated as a charge attack.

Limited Flight (Ex): A grasshopper may fly at a speed of 60 feet (average), but must begin and end its flight in the same round.

 

[freyar]

Umm, all three of those? I'd go with any 2, I guess (all 3 seems a little redundant). Or somehow combine the first two (maybe +20 Jump bonus but no running start combined with Leap as you have it written) and also Limited Flight.

 

[Shade]

Sorry...I meant those as options, not all of 'em.

I think I've got something better yet.

Great Leaper (Ex): A giant grasshopper has a +30 racial bonus on Jump checks. A giant grasshopper treats all Jump checks as if it had a 20-foot running start. For purposes of determining distance, a giant grasshopper treats vertical leaps as if they were horizontal leaps. Thus, a giant grasshopper with a Jump check result of 40 can leap 40 feet vertically or horizontally.

I noticed the thri-kreen has a +30 bonus, so I figured we could go that high for these critters.

Let's also boost the base speed to 30 feet to avoid the -6 speed penalty on Jump checks.

I'd still like to include limited flight.

 

[freyar]

Great Leaper and Limited Flight both sound good, though I don't know if the flight is somewhat redundant with the great leaping.

 

[Melatuis]

I like both great leaper and limited fly. Can it combine both in the same round to cover 90 ft. when it is trying escape? of course it is clumies (sic).

Does it have to wait a round to fly again if does cover 90 ft.?

 

[Shade]

I like both great leaper and limited fly. Can it combine both in the same round to cover 90 ft. when it is trying escape? of course it is clumies (sic).

Does it have to wait a round to fly again if does cover 90 ft.?

Good question. Perhaps as a full-round action it can combine both?