Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Updated.

Giant Pepe (great name!) still needs another feat and Advancement as well.

Ability Focus (musk)? It's save DC isn't that fantastic thanks to its Con 12.

Advancement: 6–15 HD (Large) like the dire wolverine?

Ability Focus is fine by me.

Their stinky DC could do with improvement.

Not sure why you'd quote the Dire Wolverine for advancement, since a wolverine starts out Large. I'd think a Dire Badger (3HD Medium Animal with 4-9 HD (Large) advancement) would be a better comparison.

Anyhow, 6-15 HD (Large) is OK by me, although I'd be just as happy with 6-9 HD (Medium); 10-15 HD (Large).

Updated.

A dire skunk is 6 feet long and weighs x pounds.

Let's see, a typical striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is about 20-28 inches long (including tail) and weighs around 6-14 lbs.

About a third of the length is tail though, their bodies are about 15-18 inches long. Scale bodylength up to 6 feet and they're four or five times the dimensions, or 64-125 times the weight. Assuming the starting weight is 6-8 pounds that works out around 500-750 pounds. Might as well use the lowest, since that's the standard weight limit of a Medium creature.

"A dire skunk is 6 feet long and weighs 500 pounds."?

 

[freyar]

Hmm, maybe it does make sense with some advancement at Medium. Anyway, I'll go with Cleon on the height/weight.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, maybe it does make sense with some advancement at Medium. Anyway, I'll go with Cleon on the height/weight.

I don't mind either way for the Advancement.

I'll just consult my random decision maker...

...flip!...

Random decision maker says 6-15 HD (Large).

...flip! ... flip!...

Best out of three gives 2 for Large only advancement, 1 for Medium-to-Large.

...flip! ... flip!...

Best out of five gives 3 for Medium-to-Large, 2 for Large only.

Shall we leave it to whichever Shade prefers when he gets back?

 

[freyar]

Let's just go with 6-15 HD (Large) unless Shade really objects.

 

[Cleon]

Let's just go with 6-15 HD (Large) unless Shade really objects.

Suits me.

 

[Shade]

Let's just go with 6-15 HD (Large) unless Shade really objects.

No objections.

Updated.

 

[freyar]

All done?

 

[Cleon]

All done?

Looks fine as is, although I am tempted to flesh out the description a bit using some of the AD&D description for inspiration. Something like...

Dire skunks are larger versions of the traditional black-and-white omnivores. Their musk is more potent than their smaller cousins and their flesh is distasteful but not inedible. They are far less timid than their normal-sized cousins, and sometimes boldly walk into travelers' camps to steal food.

A dire skunk is 6 feet long and weighs 500 pounds.

COMBAT

Dire skunks are not aggressive animals but rarely shows fear of other creatures, being confident in the potency of their musk. They usually raise their tail to warn off creatures who press too close, only squirting their musk if the intruder attacks or continues to annoy them. If their musk fails to drive off their opponent, the skunk looks for the quickest escape route. A cornered dire skunk bites its opponents.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, that's an improvement. Updated.

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, that's an improvement. Updated.

I think we're done with this foul beast then.

What's next?