Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Ability Focus isn't a bad idea, since it relies on its breath weapon to debilitate prey.

Speaking of that, its breath weapon just does damage, and that does little to debilitate opponents in AD&D. I've been wondering whether we should add an effect to reduce the targets movement/initiative/abilities, so it actually does what it says on the can.

 

[freyar]

Here's the text on the breath weapon:

To disable prey so it can close in for the kill, each round it can generate a cone of cold 10 feet wide and 30 feet long that inflicts 3d6 points of damage (save vs. spell for half).

I don't actually see what you mean about the breath reducing movement or init. What do you mean?

 

[Shade]

Yeah, I'm not seeing it either.

Generally, in 3x, cold effect underwater don't cause any additional problems for their victims.

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, I'm not seeing it either.

Generally, in 3x, cold effect underwater don't cause any additional problems for their victims.

My point is that hit points of damage don't disable opponents, it either doesn't impair a target's abilities (+ve hp) or renders them unconscious or dead.

So, unless its referring to rendering its prey unconscious, the flavour text doesn't quite match the functionality of its cold breath.

It's just a minor niggle, but I felt we could do something with it if we wanted to.

 

[Shade]

I took it as "disables the prey by nearly killing it", possibly leaving it staggered/unconscious at less than 0 hp.

But I see where you're coming from, it's just flavor text that could be interpreted any way. I'd rather not give it anything special over the multitudes of other aquatic creatures with cold-based attacks, though.

 

[Cleon]

I took it as "disables the prey by nearly killing it", possibly leaving it staggered/unconscious at less than 0 hp.

But I see where you're coming from, it's just flavor text that could be interpreted any way. I'd rather not give it anything special over the multitudes of other aquatic creatures with cold-based attacks, though.

That's OK by me.

 

[Shade]

In that case, are you OK with Ability Focus for the other feat?

 

[Cleon]

In that case, are you OK with Ability Focus for the other feat?

Well I'd accept it, although DC19 is already pretty good for its probable Challenge Rating. Something to boost its beak damage would work better for me (Power Attack, Improved Critical (beak), Improved Natural Attack (beak)), and I suspect be of more value in play.

I think I prefer Improved Critical out of those three.

 

[freyar]

I usually think of Improved Crit as a waste of a feat for a base monster, since augmented crit is a standard monster ability (and Imp Nat Attack is worse), but I could be persuaded.

 

[Cleon]

I usually think of Improved Crit as a waste of a feat for a base monster, since augmented crit is a standard monster ability (and Imp Nat Attack is worse), but I could be persuaded.

I knew someone was going to say that, but couldn't think of any other SRD combat feats that seemed appropriate.

We could compromise on Weapon Focus (bite), I suppose.