Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[freyar]

I'll say:
Str 20 Dex 14 Con 15 Int 1 Wis 10 Cha 2

I guess this should have Improved Grab and Swallow Whole, too.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

 

[freyar]

I guess this should have Improved Grab and Swallow Whole, too.

What do you think about that?

For skills, maybe max out Hide for when it's hunting?

 

[Shade]

Yes to all that.

We'll need to modify improved grab and swallow whole to account for the fact that it cannot willingly release the victim, and the fact that the victim is trapped in its mouth (didn't we just do the latter for another creature?).

 

[freyar]

Yes to all that.

We'll need to modify improved grab and swallow whole to account for the fact that it cannot willingly release the victim, and the fact that the victim is trapped in its mouth (didn't we just do the latter for another creature?).

Yeah, it was the archer frog. MMIII (I think) has the mivilorn, which has a similar ability.

 

[Shade]

From Wikipedia:

"The wide mouth extends all around the anterior circumference of the head, and both jaws are armed with bands of long pointed teeth, which are inclined inwards, and can be depressed so as to offer no impediment to an object gliding towards the stomach, but to prevent its escape from the mouth. The anglerfish is able to distend both its jaw and its stomach (its bones are thin and flexible) to enormous size, allowing it to swallow prey up to twice as large as its entire body."

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an angler fish must hit a Huge or smaller opponent with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and immediately traps the victim in its seizing maw.

Seizing Maw (Ex): Once the angler fish has successfully grappled an opponent, it automatically holds the victim in its mouth to slowly digest it. Each round that the victim spends in the angler fish's mouth, it takes automatic bite damage (and x points of acid damage?). To escape the hold, the victim must succeed on either a grapple check or an Escape Artist check opposed by the angler fish's grapple check. If the victim successfully escapes, it immediately takes maximum bite damage as it tears itself free of the angler fish's backward-curving teeth. An angler fish can hold a creature up to one size category lareger than itself within its mouth in this manner.

 

[dhaga]

Seizing Maw (Ex): Once the angler fish has successfully grappled an opponent, it automatically holds the victim in its mouth to slowly digest it. Each round that the victim spends in the angler fish's mouth, it takes automatic bite damage (and x points of acid damage?). To escape the hold, the victim must succeed on either a grapple check or an Escape Artist check opposed by the angler fish's grapple check. If the victim successfully escapes, it immediately takes maximum bite damage as it tears itself free of the angler fish's backward-curving teeth. An angler fish can hold a creature up to one size category lareger than itself within its mouth in this manner.

Well written. Ouch, ouch ouch.

 

[freyar]

Seizing Maw (Ex): Once the angler fish has successfully grappled an opponent, it automatically holds the victim in its mouth to slowly digest it. Each round that the victim spends in the angler fish's mouth, it takes automatic bite damage (and x points of acid damage?). To escape the hold, the victim must succeed on either a grapple check or an Escape Artist check opposed by the angler fish's grapple check. If the victim successfully escapes, it immediately takes maximum bite damage as it tears itself free of the angler fish's backward-curving teeth. An angler fish can hold a creature up to one size category lareger than itself within its mouth in this manner.

Me likey.

 

[Shade]

+1 natural armor to retain the poor AC?

Skills: 11 ranks (Swim +8 from swim speed)
Feats: 3
Challenge Rating: x

How about this?

Some anglers actually have one or more hooks at the end of the illicium. With some fatanstic species of these fish, these hooks are functional and can be used to snare prey (1d4 points of damage), drawing it down to the mouth to be bitten automatically in the same round.

How should we tackle the bioluminscence?

 

[freyar]

+1 natural armor to retain the poor AC?

Sounds good. Or maybe even +0.

Skills: 11 ranks (Swim +8 from swim speed)

I'd say put it into Hide. That way the angler fish can make a Hide check opposed by the victim's Spot to appear just to be the luminescent lure.

Feats: 3

Alertness is always good. Not sure what else.

Challenge Rating: x

Probably low for its HD. 4 or 5?

How about this?

Maybe allow variant versions to have this ability:
Lure (Ex): If a creature attacks (or contacts?) the angler fish's lure, it must make a DC 16 Reflex save or become stuck to the lure, taking 1d4 hp damage. The angler fish receives a free bite attack as an attack of opportunity, which can allow it to make a grapple attempt.

How should we tackle the bioluminscence?

Ex ability, maybe just keep it in the description, or as above, make a special ability related to the hide check.