Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin
- Thread starter Shade
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demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Finished.
Demiurge out.
Demiurge out.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Saw-edged scaled snake
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 6+1
% IN LAIR: 0
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: see text
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
SIZE: L (20')
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
PSIONICS: Nil
This constrictor is covered with tiny needlelike spines that it uses as an aid in locomotion and in killing constricted prey. The scales appear normal until raised through muscle contraction by the snake. The scales puncture the intended victim during constriction. The sawlike edges of the scales are double-barbed, and it is impossible to pull them out of the skin without pulling out chunks of skin as well. The scales can be removed by the snake by a simple relaxation of the muscles that control them. No additional damage is received if the removal occurs by the action of the snake. If the scales are forcibly removed, the victim receives an additional 4-24 hp damage. If they are carefully removed, the damage drops to 1-6 hp. If the snake is killed, the muscles controlling the scales remain taut.
The saw-edged scaled snake is jet black in color. Though based upon the primitive Asian wart snake, which has individual scales instead of the usual arrangement of overlapping scales, the saw-edged snake is found only in fantasy worlds.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #115 (1986).
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 6+1
% IN LAIR: 0
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: see text
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
SIZE: L (20')
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
PSIONICS: Nil
This constrictor is covered with tiny needlelike spines that it uses as an aid in locomotion and in killing constricted prey. The scales appear normal until raised through muscle contraction by the snake. The scales puncture the intended victim during constriction. The sawlike edges of the scales are double-barbed, and it is impossible to pull them out of the skin without pulling out chunks of skin as well. The scales can be removed by the snake by a simple relaxation of the muscles that control them. No additional damage is received if the removal occurs by the action of the snake. If the scales are forcibly removed, the victim receives an additional 4-24 hp damage. If they are carefully removed, the damage drops to 1-6 hp. If the snake is killed, the muscles controlling the scales remain taut.
The saw-edged scaled snake is jet black in color. Though based upon the primitive Asian wart snake, which has individual scales instead of the usual arrangement of overlapping scales, the saw-edged snake is found only in fantasy worlds.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #115 (1986).
Shade
Monster Junkie
Constrictor snake (Medium) ability scores: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Improved to Large: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Oddly...
Giant constrictor snake (Huge): Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
So Str could fall in the 18-25 range, Dex could stay 17 like the others, and the rest of the ability scores are constant.
Improved to Large: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Oddly...
Giant constrictor snake (Huge): Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
So Str could fall in the 18-25 range, Dex could stay 17 like the others, and the rest of the ability scores are constant.
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
I say keep the good strength. It'll do more damage with its saw-scales, so it'll probably be of higher CR, so we might as well keep it strong.
Do we want to give it a barbed defense ability?
Demiurge out.
Do we want to give it a barbed defense ability?
Demiurge out.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Added to Homebrews.
Let's keep the Con low, as I see nothing to indicate that they are any tougher or more hardy than other constrictor snakes.
The current constrict and skills bonuses are direct ports from other constrictor snakes. We can modify them as we see fit.
A few abilities for inspiration...
Spiked Body (Ex): Due to the razor sharp spikes all along their bodies, spiked sea serpents cause damage with constrict attacks as a sea serpent one size category larger. Colossal spiked sea serpents deal 8d8 points of damage on a constrict attack. One half of a spiked sea serpent's constrict damage is piercing while the other half is bludgeoning.
Impale (Ex): A spinewyrm deals the damage listed in the spinewyrm table with a successful grapple check. The spinewyrm's foe must also make a Reflex save or have a spine embedded in his or her flesh.
Detachable Spines (Su): An opponent hit by a spinewyrm's spine (whether in melee, during a grapple, or during a spine volley) must succeed on a Reflex save or have the spine break off in his or her flesh. A lodged spine imposes a -1 penalty on attacks, saves, and checks; penalties for multiple spines stack. The save DC is Dexterity-based.
A spine can be removed safely with a DC 20 Heal check as a standard action; otherwise, removing a spine deals 1d6 points of damage.
Let's keep the Con low, as I see nothing to indicate that they are any tougher or more hardy than other constrictor snakes.
The current constrict and skills bonuses are direct ports from other constrictor snakes. We can modify them as we see fit.
A few abilities for inspiration...
Spiked Body (Ex): Due to the razor sharp spikes all along their bodies, spiked sea serpents cause damage with constrict attacks as a sea serpent one size category larger. Colossal spiked sea serpents deal 8d8 points of damage on a constrict attack. One half of a spiked sea serpent's constrict damage is piercing while the other half is bludgeoning.
Impale (Ex): A spinewyrm deals the damage listed in the spinewyrm table with a successful grapple check. The spinewyrm's foe must also make a Reflex save or have a spine embedded in his or her flesh.
Detachable Spines (Su): An opponent hit by a spinewyrm's spine (whether in melee, during a grapple, or during a spine volley) must succeed on a Reflex save or have the spine break off in his or her flesh. A lodged spine imposes a -1 penalty on attacks, saves, and checks; penalties for multiple spines stack. The save DC is Dexterity-based.
A spine can be removed safely with a DC 20 Heal check as a standard action; otherwise, removing a spine deals 1d6 points of damage.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
I like the spiked body; that's I think just what we want. I'd then combine that with the last sentence from the detachable spines. The problem here is that the saw-edged snake itself is grappling you if you're stuck with the spines. We should probably put in some wording that it doesn't release when it dies.
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