Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[demiurge1138]

Let's go Large. And see what its grapple bonus is like from there.

 

[freyar]

Large sounds right. And it should definitely get something for the parapodia, even if not a grapple bonus.

 

[Shade]

Upthread, we'd figured the ability score range as follows:

Large: Str 18-19, Dex 12-13, Con 14-17, Int —, Wis 8-11, Cha 8

Also, a few links:

Marine Biological Laboratory

Diopatra ornata

Polychaetes Template

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fBsmUbLxcs]YouTube - Diopatra em Ação I[/ame]

 

[freyar]

Let's do Str 19, Dex 13, Con 16, Int —, Wis 9, Cha 8. How's that?

 

[Cleon]

Let's do Str 19, Dex 13, Con 16, Int —, Wis 9, Cha 8. How's that?

The physical stats look OK, I'd make it Wis 10 instead of 9 and possibly drop the Cha.

It's just an animal of unusual size, not a magical monster like a Purple Worm, so I'm not sure it needs the same Cha. The SRD gives snakes and Monstrous Vermin Cha 2, which seems more appropriate. Although giant beetles have Cha 7-9, a similar range to Purple Worms. Maybe average the two to Cha 5?

If it's Large and Str 19, that works out BAB/Grapple +1/+9 without any parapodia bonus, +1/+13 if the parapodia give it a +4.

A +9 grapple modifier seems enough for a 2HD monster which probably has a low CR. The parapodia could just allow it to make its Improved Grab.

 

[Shade]

We gave the nereis Wis 11, Cha 8, so let's stick with that for consistency's sake.

 

[freyar]

Works for me.

Edit: I don't mind dropping the Cha, but then we should edit Nereis, I think.

 

[Shade]

I am not opposed to lowering the Cha for both.

 

[freyar]

Cha 5 for both, then, and use that as a standard?

I'm ok if we think an additional racial grapple bonus is too much, but then let's give the parapodia a minor amount of constrict damage (to go with chew). They're really screaming out to do something.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. I updated nereis to reflect the new Cha score.

Added Diopatra to Homebrews.