Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Rappy]

The chimpanzee already has official WoTC stats in the Menace Manual, which is relevant despite being a d20 Modern book; it's not too hard to convert between the two.

I'd vote for the deep octopus myself, since I have a love of cephalopods.

 

[Cleon]

The chimpanzee already has official WoTC stats in the Menace Manual, which is relevant despite being a d20 Modern book; it's not too hard to convert between the two.

Yes, but I don't much care for that version.

A chimp should have a higher strength than the 15 the Menace Manual gives it (I calculate it should be somewhere in the region of Str 20-25) and I think it deserves at least 2 Hit Dice. I'm also dubious about them being Small, considering an average sized chimp weighs in the region of 100 pounds and even a small female is rarely under 60 pounds. Plus, the SRD baboon is Medium sized, so a chimp should be to. Admittedly that's a dang big baboon! (90 pounds is toward the upper limit of a real world baboon's weight. I'd prefer to make baboons Small and chimps Medium.)

Oh, and chimpanzees should have a racial penalty to Swim checks.

If we do chimps we might as well stat up gorillas as well, although the SRD Ape would do in a pinch.

I'd vote for the deep octopus myself, since I have a love of cephalopods.

Well what person of taste doesn't love cephalopods?

Well the deep octopus would continue our aquatic theme, we could follow it up with the electric ray and sawfish.

 

[Rappy]

Yes, but I don't much care for that version.

A chimp should have a higher strength than the 15 the Menace Manual gives it (I calculate it should be somewhere in the region of Str 20-25) and I think it deserves at least 2 Hit Dice. I'm also dubious about them being Small, considering an average sized chimp weighs in the region of 100 pounds and even a small female is rarely under 60 pounds. Plus, the SRD baboon is Medium sized, so a chimp should be to. Admittedly that's a dang big baboon! (90 pounds is toward the upper limit of a real world baboon's weight. I'd prefer to make baboons Small and chimps Medium.)

Oh, and chimpanzees should have a racial penalty to Swim checks.

If we do chimps we might as well stat up gorillas as well, although the SRD Ape would do in a pinch.

Well then, we can try the chimp...preferredly alongside the gorilla, as you said. More fun than a barrel full of primates.

Well what person of taste doesn't love cephalopods?

Well the deep octopus would continue our aquatic theme, we could follow it up with the electric ray and sawfish.

Aww, I'm flattered that you find me in good taste. And yes, if we do the octopus it would make sense to continue with the skates and rays presented.

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the idea of building a better chimp.

 

[Shade]

Chimpanzee
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Jungle
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Troop
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Ominivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 5-20
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVEMENT: 12,Climb 9
HIT DICE: 2
THACO: 19
NO. ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2/1-2/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XP VALUE: 65

These are small apes that live in troops dominated by the largest male (15-16 hp). They look comical, but adults are irritable and aggressive. Chimps have tan or brown skin, black hair, and long canine teeth; they eat meat as well as plants. They are mature at eight years, and can live up to 40 years. The largest males reach 5’ tall and weigh 175 lbs.

Chimps fight with their hands and teeth, but usually flee from danger into the trees. They will not attack large groups of humans. However, lone humans are fair game.

Chimpanzees live in tight troops within a distinct territory. Where two territories overlap, the troops may fight over the disputed ground. Intruders are greeted with a “Smile” that exposes the canines. This is a warning, not a friendly gesture.

Chimps eat fruit, insects, small game, bushpigs, and eggs. Large predators will kill straggling chimps, but most avoid facing the whole troop. Humans sometimes capture young chimps as pets. Playful and docile when young, adult chimps become dangerous and aggressive.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #56 (1995).


Chimpanzee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[demiurge1138]

Medium animal, Str 18-20, climb speed, slam/slam/bite attack pattern?

 

[freyar]

Sounds reasonable.

 

[Cleon]

Medium animal, Str 18-20, climb speed, slam/slam/bite attack pattern?

I'd go for Strength 20. There hasn't been much study of how strong chimps are, but the little there have been showed them to be at least four times stronger than a human. Since a +10 Strength score can carry 4 times as much weight, that suggests a strength of 20+.

Come to think of it, the SRD Ape's ability scores look pretty close:

Str 21, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7

Since it's a size smaller we could drop the Con to 12. The intelligence needs to be increased a bit - how about Int 6, the middle of AD&D Low Intelligence range of Int 5-7?

Str 21, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 7

I agree with 2 slams and a bite, but would make the bite the primary attack. If I remember correctly chimps, like most primates, do most of their damage with their teeth when fighting.

Two Hit Dice seems the way to go.

Medium Animal
Hit Dice 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Speed: 30 ft, climb 20 ft (The SRD Ape's climb 30 is a bit too high for a "realistic" Chimp)
Attack: Bite 1d4+5, Slam 1d4+5
Full attack: Bite 1d4+5 and 2 slams 1d2+2
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, poor swimmer, scent
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium) (The SRD Ape goes to double HD, same size)

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

1d2 is way too low damage for a Medium creature's slam attacks. I boosted them to 1d4.

How do we want to handle "poor swimmer"? A racial penalty on Swim checks?

 

[demiurge1138]

The problem with the Int of 6 is this... it's an animal. Animals in D&D are defined by their Int scores of 1 or 2. I know that Int 6 is probably right for a chimpanzee (and I'd also recommend it for dolphins, whales and other great apes, and slot ravens and octopodes in at 4 or so)... but we're still operating under the scope of 3.5, which sets a very clear precedent.

Man, I feel like I'm on the Supreme Court here.