Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Shade]

I'd rather not boost the HD. I could live with Toughness as a bonus feat if others agree.

As for the Attack lines, are you referring to putting the Str penalty on the line? It's standard format to do so, even if it seems pointless. It also helps when applying a template to a critter on the fly (or if a spell is cast on it that modifies Str, etc.)

 

[freyar]

Oy, I'd just like to get back to the gopher.

 

[lordxaviar]

I'd rather not boost the HD. I could live with Toughness as a bonus feat if others agree.

As for the Attack lines, are you referring to putting the Str penalty on the line? It's standard format to do so, even if it seems pointless. It also helps when applying a template to a critter on the fly (or if a spell is cast on it that modifies Str, etc.)

why not on the HD? but i see the toughness as a bonus would do the same thing..

attack line.. now more so to the damage, only giving a creature the ability to cause 1 Hp of damage is silly, cats have the same situation. If you have ever tried to wrangle a cat, or opossum for that matter, you know they can cause quite a bit of damage.
what I was getting at was that the damage in the end should end up 1 or 2 points (variable) so I guess it would be more like 1d6-4 which would give me the 1-2. they do have 50 teeth.

no comment on their immunity to snake venom and the changes to the descriptive text?

I am in season for my work..sorry I dont get on here enough to be of more help. Funny I hate the opossum and here I am defending the critter in a way (or is that varmint)

 

[lordxaviar]

Oy, I'd just like to get back to the gopher.

im at a loss... Are you not trying to make creatures into 3.5 that were left out or never addressed in the first place? Do you not want to get them right (as it were) and worthy of being printed by the old Wotc or even the ancient TSR and dragon? let alone used by all of us crazy Dm's who actually set up ecosystems so our monsters make sense... (having scary intelligent players has always made this practical- saves dumb questions and explanations.) But im sorry if I am annoying you.

 

[Cleon]

I'm OK with the revised Opossum as it is, just with the speed changes and dropping the disease.

Many SRD versions of animals are poor reflections of the full capabilities of the species in question, so I don't mind doing the same for the Opossum.

As for making them tough to finish off, there are lots of animals like that which don't work that way in 3E. Besides, I think a trait like that would be better represented by a bonus feat in Diehard rather than Toughness.

Shall we get on with the Gopher?

 

[freyar]

I think Cleon really sums up my thinking pretty well.

 

[lordxaviar]

I'm OK with the revised Opossum as it is, just with the speed changes and dropping the disease.

Many SRD versions of animals are poor reflections of the full capabilities of the species in question, so I don't mind doing the same for the Opossum.

As for making them tough to finish off, there are lots of animals like that which don't work that way in 3E. Besides, I think a trait like that would be better represented by a bonus feat in Diehard rather than Toughness.

Shall we get on with the Gopher?

The object was to better the dire animal by fixing the norm. .. your interested in speed rather than reality..

diehard works good point.
Still think the poison immunity works, would make the dire that much more dangerous,
especially to races that like to use poison.. Drow must hate the varmint.

I jumped in here to get your input on stats, as I am new to 3.5 (being too much of a diehard 2.5 -er) and then a long break I need the input of people of your caliber (thats all of you) to help, get my game on track. Am I doing something wrong? am I too much?

 

[Cleon]

Let's go for the gopher then!

Where were we again with our burrowing friends?

Ah, here's the Working Draft.

Any changes or additions?

I can see a few minor bits of grammar to polish up, but apart from that I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[lordxaviar]

Let's go for the gopher then!

Where were we again with our burrowing friends?

Ah, here's the Working Draft.

Any changes or additions?

I can see a few minor bits of grammar to polish up, but apart from that I'm pretty happy with it.

city? 2000+ extraneous information at best ya think?

Gophers usually live alone within their burrow system, except when females are caring for their young or during breeding season. Gopher densities can be as high as 60 or more per acre in irrigated alfalfa fields or in vineyards. Gophers reach sexual maturity about 1 year of age and can live up to 3 years. In nonirrigated areas, breeding usually occurs in late winter and early spring, resulting in 1 litter per year; in irrigated sites, gophers can produce up to 3 litters per year. Litters usually average 5 to 6 young.

so would be
solitary, pair or family 2-8 not thousands...

other than that...looks good... have you done ground hogs yet... larger similar critter

 

[Cleon]

Dammit, I forgot to remove the "plus disease" from the Opossum's bite damage in the attack and full attack lines.

Updated Working Draft.

I'm afraid Shade'll have to fix the homebrew.