Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Moved to Homebrews and added a bit of flavor text.

I believe we're done.

We're done once you've added the full stop missing from the first sentence of your flavour:

"Dire porcupines, like their smaller cousins, are rodents known for their coat of quills Dire porcupines are herbivorous, eating mostly leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants."

=>

"Dire porcupines, like their smaller cousins, are rodents known for their coat of quills. Dire porcupines are herbivorous, eating mostly leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants."

 

[Shade]

Full stop repaired.

Woodchuck
HD 1-6 hp
AC 9
# App 1-2
Att 1
Dmg 1
MV 5, Br 2
XP Value 7

Woodchucks are capable of quickly gnawing through trees or wood. The pelts are worth 1 gp.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989).

Groundhog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now, we've already got 3e stats for a groundhog, but we could use this as a springboard for a dire version if you'd like.

 

[Cleon]

Full stop repaired.

Woodchuck
HD 1-6 hp
AC 9
# App 1-2
Att 1
Dmg 1
MV 5, Br 2
XP Value 7

Woodchucks are capable of quickly gnawing through trees or wood. The pelts are worth 1 gp.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989).

Groundhog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now, we've already got 3e stats for a groundhog, but we could use this as a springboard for a dire version if you'd like.

These don't strike me as desperately interesting, I fear.

How much are they going to differ from an SRD Rat?

 

[Shade]

These don't strike me as desperately interesting, I fear.

How much are they going to differ from an SRD Rat?

Here are the groundhog (familiar) stats:

Groundhog: CR --; Tiny Animal; HD 1/4 d8; hp 1; +1 (Dex); Spd 10 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 size); Atk none; SQ scent; Face 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 3, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 3.
Skills: Hide +20, Move Silently +9, Listen +9, Groundhogs gain a +4 bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Listen checks.


I'm perfectly content to move on to something else.

 

[Cleon]

Here are the groundhog (familiar) stats:

Groundhog: CR --; Tiny Animal; HD 1/4 d8; hp 1; +1 (Dex); Spd 10 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 size); Atk none; SQ scent; Face 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 3, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 3.
Skills: Hide +20, Move Silently +9, Listen +9, Groundhogs gain a +4 bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Listen checks.

I'm perfectly content to move on to something else.

Mostly that looks OK, but surely woodchucks ought to have a Climb Speed, or at least a racial bonus to Climb since they go up trees to feed or escape predators? They're also good swimmers, which isn't reflected in those stats.

I'd just add a 10 ft. Climb and Swim speed to those Groundhog familiar stats and called it a day. They shouldn't bet far off from the SRD Rat stats, as I said.

However, since woodchucks are groundhogs the familiar entry means they've got official 3E stats, so I think we should move on...

 

[freyar]

I think I have to agree that these have officially been converted already. Though an SA to ignore the hardness of wood would have been amusing, despite the lack of attacks.

 

[Shade]

As far as I can tell, these haven't been converted under their own or any other name...

Muskrat
HD 1-3 hp
AC 10
#App 1-2
#Att 1
Dmg 1
MV 4
XP Value 7

Muskrats have a moderately valuable pelt worth five sp.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989).

Muskrat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Cleon]

As far as I can tell, these haven't been converted under their own or any other name...

Muskrat

I would suggest taking the Enworld Beaver conversion and reducing it 1 size category, since Muskrats should be pretty similar to Tiny Beavers as far as their 3E stats go.

The Enworld Beaver has Str 13 which would be 9 if Tiny-fied. A muskrat is about 4 times bigger than a large rat, so Str 7 would seem better.

I also gave them a rat's mental stats rather than a beaver's, since the Enworld beaver has Wisdom 16 for some weird reason.

That would give stats something like:

Muskrat
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 1/2d8 (2 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-10
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3-2)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3-2)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Cold tolerant, hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +1
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +3, Swim +8
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate swamps
Organization: Solitary, pair, family (2-12) or lodge (10–40)
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Cold Tolerant (Ex): A muskrat's insulating fat grants it a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made against cold attacks and environmental conditions.

Hold Breath (Ex): A muskrat can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 6 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Skills: A muskrat has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

 

[freyar]

Well, the stats part seems done for those. Anyone have time to write the flavor and combat text?

 

[Shade]

I'll just cut n' paste the lyrics to Muskrat Love.