Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

Upsizing an eel (Medium) and dire eel (Large) to Huge yields the following ability scores:

Eel: Str 29, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Dire Eel: Str 27, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2

So Str 27-29, Dex 11, Con 18-20, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.

 

[freyar]

Wow, nasty creatures. Let's go with those stats and take Str 29 and Con 20. So mostly we need improved grab and swallow whole with paralysis as part of the digestion damage.

 

[demiurge1138]

Ordinarily, a creature can imp. grab a creature the same size or smaller, and can swallow a creature two sizes smaller.

For Mr. Gulp, they should be able to swallow whole a creature their own size. They're pretty much just a stomach with a propulsion mechanism.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I went with the highest HD range listed (9 HD), since the dire eel has 6 HD at Large and these guys are much bigger.

Modify the following ability for the spines?

Barbed Defense (Su): Any creature striking a barbed devil with handheld weapons or natural weapons takes 1d8+6 points of piercing and slashing damage from the devil’s barbs. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way.

Split skill ranks between Listen and Spot like eels and dire eels?

Borrow this from eels and dire eels?

Skills: Dire eels have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks. The bonus on Hide checks improves to +8 in areas of coral, rock, or heavy kelp.

Dire Eel feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)

 

[freyar]

Yeah, let's add the spines. The rest looks good. Also, let's add a Fort save or paralysis for 1d4 rounds for creatures swallowed whole.

 

[demiurge1138]

That feat selection looks pretty good, although we might want to give it Improved Grapple as a bonus feat. Its fourth feat should be Stealthy. I'd drop the line about the Hide bonus increasing in certain terrains, as the gulper isn't as closely associated with the sea bed. Also as such, since it lives in the deepest, darkest water, giving it a Move Silently bonus and/or ranks makes sense to me.

Modifying barbed defense looks right for the spines. I'd assume they'd do rather a bit less damage.

Demiurge out.

Edit: Upon looking at the CC entry in progress, its grapple mod is already a +23! I think that's definately sufficient.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

It still gets one more feat. Weapon Focus (tail)? Great Fortitude? Alertness?

Fill in the blanks:

Swallow Whole (Ex): A vurgens can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to its size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the swallowed creature takes x points of bludgeoning damage and x points of acid damage per round from the vurgens's digestive juices. Additionally, a swallowed creature is exposed to the vurgens's paralytic saliva (see paralysis, above). A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal x points of damage to the vurgens's digestive tract (AC x). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed creature must cut its own way out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Let's go Great Fort for the feat.

2d8+8 bludgeoning (the bonus damage for bludgeoning is based on Str)
8 acid
AC 14 (10 + 1/2 the creature's natural armor)
Takes 25 damage to escape.

Demiurge out.

 

[freyar]

Great Fort sounds fine. Isn't 2d8 a bit much for the bludgeoning, though, given that the swallowed victims might be paralyzed? I think I might be happier with 1d10. Not a strong preference, though.

CR 6
Maybe 200 lb? The electric eel stats in ToH go up to 20 ft and 120 lb, but I think these should be bulkier.

 

[demiurge1138]

2d8 is the example I got from both the Swallow Whole species I looked up, the purple worm (Gargantuan) and the tyrannosaur (huge). Considering that a purple worm victim is likely suffering from crazy Str damage, there's not too big a difference.

However, considering the similarity in build of a worm to an eel, we should be able to size down the 2d8 to 2d6.

This is looking like a really strong CR 6. I'd be more comfortable with CR 7. Gives the party access to freedom of movement, which would be a lifesaver in this fight.

Demiurge out.