Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

I thought we were already doing that, since we've been giving these worms the reach of Tall creatures despite them obviously being Long creatures.

We can either retcon the others, or give this one even longer reach.

Pardon, where are you getting the Hide bonus from?

Good question! I'm guessing that my mind somehow jumbled the alternate AC for motionless with some sort of Hide bonus. Maybe because the picture shows it near-transparent? Dunno, but you can kindly disregard.

 

[Cleon]

We can either retcon the others, or give this one even longer reach.

Nah, keep it as they are. The previous worms were all described as having extending proboscises or lunging out of prey, so the tall creature's reach seems appropriate.

Good question! I'm guessing that my mind somehow jumbled the alternate AC for motionless with some sort of Hide bonus. Maybe because the picture shows it near-transparent? Dunno, but you can kindly disregard.

Oh, I was interpreting that as it having a Dex bonus to AC.

 

[Cleon]

OK, let's start talking about stats.

I'm thinking we can use the Diopatra as a base and modify it.
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2 Hit Dice and Large size, advancing up to 8HD.

Speed: Swim 40 ft

Abilities scores as a Diopatra except for Dex 17, so:

Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 11, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 5?

Attack: Touch +3 touch (attach)

Special Attacks: Bristles, improved grab, swallow whole

We could copy swallow whole from the Nereis, except I'm thinking this worm can swallow creatures up to one size smaller than itself.

Might as well just copy the Lumbrineris's bristle special attack.

Special Qualities: Accelerated healing, darkvision 60 ft., split, vermin traits

Don't see it having tremorsense, as it's not a burrower. There's no mention of a Split ability in the write-up, but the Dragon magazine version gives all polychaete worms this ability.

Racial skill bonus in Spot and Swim.

EDIT: Oh, and as for advancement, I was thinking:

Advancement: 3-4 HD (Large); 5-8 (Huge)

 

[freyar]

Sounds like a good summary to me!

 

[Leopold]

works for me. Worms are Worms are icky worms.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I agree with nearly all of that, but let's keep the advancement to Gargantuan.

Suggested bonus on Spot? Greater than the usual +8 bonus on Swim checks?

 

[freyar]

+4 Spot? I think I'm happy with +8 Swim.

Needs Swallow Whole. I like Attach rather than Improved Grab, makes sense for these.

 

[Shade]

Oops! Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Oops! Updated.

My first impression was I agree with the racial bonus to grapple, a +5 isn't much good for a Large monster, especially as grappling is its forte. Then again, +5 is OK for a CR1 monster, which argues for keeping it as is and not having a racial bonus. That suggests it is a monster that is at the lightweight end of its size category, if we keep the Swallow up to two size categories smaller it looks like it works out fine.

Large Vanadis, 2HD, Str 10, BAB/Grapple +1/+5 - swallows Small (halfling), CR ~1
Huge Vanadis, 5HD, Str 18, BAB/Grapple +3/+11 - swallows Medium (human), CR ~3
Gargantuan Vanadis, 9HD, Str 26, BAB/Grapple +6/+22 - swallows Large (ogre), CR ~5

Those match up pretty well.

 

[freyar]

Looking good. Anyone else want to go to 1 category smaller for swallow whole?