Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

We might as well get this one off the docket:

Mammal HD AC #App. #Att Dmg/Att MV XP Value Notes
Opossum 1-3 hp 10 1-8 1 1 4 7

Opossum are woodland marsupials with good hearing.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989).


We can probably just downsize this...

Dire Opossum
Medium-size Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (20 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Attacks: Bite +5 melee
Damage: Bite 1d6+1 plus disease
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Qualities: Scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +9
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or family (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Large); 7-9 HD (Huge)

Nearly five feet long, dire opossums often hide, waiting for food to come within reach. A successful Spot check (opposed by the opossum's hide check) reveals the gleaming reflection of the opossum's eyes.

Combat

Disease (Ex): Filth fever bite; Fortitude save (DC 12); incubation period 1d3 days; damage 1d3 temporary Dexterity and 1d3 temporary Constitution.

Source: Dungeon Magazine #91, p.61.

 

[Cleon]

We can probably just downsize this...

Dire Opossum

Downsize it to Tiny I suppose, since a 'Possum's between a rat and cat in size.

That'd make it Str 5, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8. Dire creatures are stronger, faster & tougher than regular Animals, so I'd cut the Str and Dex a bit. Cha 8 seems too much, too.

Being nocturnal, they ought to have low-light vision.

How's this for a start:

Opossum
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 1/2d8 (2 hp)
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4 plus disease)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Qualities: Low light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Climb +10, plus 4
(Listen 2, Spot 2 plus Stealthy? That'd make it:
Skills: Balance +6, Climb +10, Jump +6, Hide +12, Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spot +3, Swim +6)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B) plus 1 (Stealthy?)
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary, pair, or family (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —

Description

Flavour

COMBAT

Tactics

Disease (Ex): Filth fever bite; Fortitude save (DC 10); incubation period 1d3 days; damage 1d3 temporary Dexterity and 1d3 temporary Constitution.

Skills: Opossums have a +4 racial bonus on Balance and Swim checks. Opossums have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. They can use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb, Jump and Swim checks.

 

[Shade]

That looks a good start, and the suggested skills appeal.

 

[freyar]

Hmm, any chance we could replace filth fever with something more like rabies?

 

[Shade]

Hmm, any chance we could replace filth fever with something more like rabies?

What do you propose?

 

[Cleon]

That looks a good start, and the suggested skills appeal.

Suggested changes?

Anything else they need apart from flavour & tactics.

"Possum Familiars" maybe?

 

[Shade]

Suggested changes?

Anything else they need apart from flavour & tactics.

See the above two posts.

"Possum Familiars" maybe?

Sure, why not.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, any chance we could replace filth fever with something more like rabies?

No, I don't think so. It's not like every 'possum has hydrophobia.

 

[Shade]

These things really need a "play dead" ability. It's a possum's claim to fame!

It would make a nice benefit as a familiar as well...when danger comes, Whizbang the Wizard and his mighty possum Polly drop and feign death!

 

[Cleon]

These things really need a "play dead" ability. It's a possum's claim to fame!

It would make a nice benefit as a familiar as well...when danger comes, Whizbang the Wizard and his mighty possum Polly drop and feign death!

Good idea. Some kind of racial bonus to Disguise checks when pretending to be a corpse?

Shame the old feign death spell isn't in the SRD, since that'd be an interesting ability for a familiar.

We could whip one up as a modified disguise self I suppose.