Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

I like the Crocodile-like Hide bonus, I think.

OK, we'll need some numbers then.

Let's see. If we use:

*A giant snapping turtle gains a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks when in swampy terrain. Further, a giant snapping turtle can lie in the water with only its eyes and nostrils showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.

That works out as Hide -10* (+2 in swamps, +12 submerged)

Hmm, that's still significantly worse than an SRD Crocodile when they ought to be better or about the same based on their comparative AD&D surprise abilities.

And those feats appeal.

I like the advancement you list that ends with Gargantuan at 30HD.

CR 7 seems about right.

Updating the Giant Snapping Turtle Working Draft.

 

[Cleon]

*A giant snapping turtle gains a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks when in swampy terrain. Further, a giant snapping turtle can lie in the water with only its eyes and nostrils showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.

That works out as Hide -10* (+2 in swamps, +12 submerged)

OK, let's try some reverse-engineering.

In 1E AD&D, the Giant Snapper has a surprise of 1-4 on d6 and the Crocodile has a surprise of 1-3 on d6.

In 2E AD&D the Giant Snapper has -3 surprise while the Crocodile has -2.

So in both systems the Giant Snapper is about 1/6th better at surprising than a Crocodile.

A crocodile has Hide +7* (+11 in water, +21 when "lying in water"). To be better than that a giant Snapper needs better values than that.

(By the way, the SRD Croc is missing a skill point somewhere. Its skills add up to 5 ranks while its HD give it 6.)

I suppose we could increase the racial bonus to Hide or the cover bonus for lying in water.

We could also reassign some of the skill ranks.

Come to think of it, a Giant Crocodile's Hide +1* might be a better comparison.

So, how about swapping the Snapper's Endurance for Alertness, then giving it the same +5 Listen and Spot as the SRD Giant Crocodile and putting the rest of its skill points in Hide:

Skills: Hide -1* (+11 in swamps, +21 motionless), Spot +5, Listen +5, Swim +19
Feats: Alertness, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite)

*A giant snapping turtle gains a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks when in swampy terrain. Further, a giant snapping turtle can lie motionless in the water, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.

 

[freyar]

That'll work. You've got those suspect color tags in post 1512, though. Don't know why EN World is doing that to you so much.

 

[Cleon]

That'll work. You've got those suspect color tags in post 1512, though. Don't know why EN World is doing that to you so much.

It seems to be happening a lot more often recently. Maybe they've "updated" the software.

Updating the Giant Snapping Turtle Working Draft.

That seems to be it apart from the flavour.

 

[Cleon]

That'll work. You've got those suspect color tags in post 1512, though. Don't know why EN World is doing that to you so much.

I've fixed the problematic color tags.

 

[freyar]

I've noticed the color issues with a few other people. It may be something to do with pasting in stuff, don't know.

Description: A very large turtle with a wicked beak.

Short, but sweet.

 

[Cleon]

I've noticed the color issues with a few other people. It may be something to do with pasting in stuff, don't know.

Yes, it seems to happen when moving text around.

Description: A very large turtle with a wicked beak.

Short, but sweet.

A massive turtle with a wickedly hooked beak. It's so big it resembles a small upturned ship.

Enormous relatives of ordinary freshwater turtles, giant snapping turtles are found in swamps, large lakes, and rivers. They are aggressive and have a voracious appetite. Most prefer to hunt fish at the bottom of whatever body of water they inhabit, but some will lurk near shore paths and waterways and grab surface prey. Their necks are so long they can easily snatch victims from off boats.

A typically giant snapping turtle measures about 30 feet from snout to tail, with a shell up to 20 feet across, and weighs at least 15 tons. The oldest and largest specimens can have shells 40 feet in diameter and look like hummocks of ground when lurking in shallow water.

COMBAT
A giant snapping turtle will remain motionless until a suitable victim wanders within reach, then shoots forth its long neck and tries to grab the prospective meal. If a grabbed opponent is small enough to swallow with a grapple check, the turtle immediately tries to gulp them down. Opponents too large to be swiftly swallowed are bitten repeatedly until they are rendered unconscious and can be swallowed whole or torn into bite-sized pieces. The easiest way to avoid this fate is to flee the slow-moving turtle, although this will prove challenging for anyone the turtle's hooked its beak into.

These reptiles are exceedingly hardy fighters who are willing to face severe injuries for a good meal. If a giant snapping turtle faces an overpowering enemy, it tends to withdraw its shell rather than flee.

 

[freyar]

Heh, you seem to have gotten an autolink to EN World posts about the Fate system!

In any case, that's excellent, and I'm all for it. Just a copyright credit, and it's done, I guess.

 

[Cleon]

Heh, you seem to have gotten an autolink to EN World posts about the Fate system!

In any case, that's excellent, and I'm all for it. Just a copyright credit, and it's done, I guess.

Updating the Giant Snapping Turtle Working Draft.

So we're doing the "Gila Monster" Banded Lizard next on this thread, right?

 

[Cleon]

Updating the Giant Snapping Turtle Working Draft.

So we're doing the "Gila Monster" Banded Lizard next on this thread, right?

Since no one's said nay, I'll launch the Banded Monster conversion.

We actually have some AD&D stats to work with, from an article in Dragon #237 - “Dragon’s Bestiary - Venomous!” by Kevin Melka (July 1997).