Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Yeah, I don't ever want to venture down that road again!

Mossmutter flashbacks again? I feel your pain.

It sounds like a Cleon Special (TM) is in the works...

Now that gives me an idea...

Anyway, let's just filll in the x's in freyar's writeup and call it a day for the CC version.

Okay then, we just need an Intelligence score, HD-equivalent for the Phrenic powers and a "Collective Mind" SQ.

 

[Shade]

We've got this...

Hive Mind (Ex): All formians within 50 miles of their queen are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flatfooted, none of them are. No formian in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

...and this...

Hive Mind (Ex): Any hellwasp swarm with at least 1 hit point per Hit Die (or 12 hit points, for a standard hellwasp swarm) forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 6. When a hellwasp swarm is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless.

 

[freyar]

I had been thinking of the formian version, myself. Maybe cut the 50 miles down to a few hundred feet, though. For CR purposes, I think I'd make the total HD of the colony the effective HD of the phrenic creature and treat the colony as a single creature for CR purposes.

 

[Cleon]

I had been thinking of the formian version, myself. Maybe cut the 50 miles down to a few hundred feet, though. For CR purposes, I think I'd make the total HD of the colony the effective HD of the phrenic creature and treat the colony as a single creature for CR purposes.

Yes, but then you'd only need five 4-HD clams to max out its PLAs. That's why I preferred a HD/X approach.

Agree about treating it as a single creature for CR purposes.

 

[freyar]

Ok, each scallop counts as 1 or 2 HD? I'm a little worried about having a huge number of hp for the appropriate CR, but maybe it will work. I guess maybe if we get the base CR of the colony by the +2 CR for doubling the # of critters it will be ok.

 

[Cleon]

Ok, each scallop counts as 1 or 2 HD? I'm a little worried about having a huge number of hp for the appropriate CR, but maybe it will work. I guess maybe if we get the base CR of the colony by the +2 CR for doubling the # of critters it will be ok.

I think it's be easiest just using the number of shellfish instead of HD.

No. -- Abilities
1-2 -- 3/day—defensive precognition; 1/day—force screen
3-4 -- 3/day—empty mind, mind thrust
5-6 -- 1/day—body adjustment, brain lock
7-8 -- 1/day—aversion, psionic blast
9-10 - 3/day—intellect fortress; 1/day—psychic crush
11-12 1/day—psionic dominate
13-14 1/day—energy current, tower of iron will
15-16 3/day—psionic teleport
17-18 1/day—fission
19-20 1/day—ultrablast

So if you've got 12 giant carnivorous scallops in the collective it can use psionic dominate.

 

[Cleon]

I dislike Cleave for 'em, but Reckless Offensive sounds appropriate.

I like Cleon's description and flavor text, but prefer freyar's tactics.

Updated.

I've just realized we forgot to put "Swim +13" in its skills.

 

[freyar]

I think it's be easiest just using the number of shellfish instead of HD.

No. -- Abilities
1-2 -- 3/day—defensive precognition; 1/day—force screen
3-4 -- 3/day—empty mind, mind thrust
5-6 -- 1/day—body adjustment, brain lock
7-8 -- 1/day—aversion, psionic blast
9-10 - 3/day—intellect fortress; 1/day—psychic crush
11-12 1/day—psionic dominate
13-14 1/day—energy current, tower of iron will
15-16 3/day—psionic teleport
17-18 1/day—fission
19-20 1/day—ultrablast

So if you've got 12 giant carnivorous scallops in the collective it can use psionic dominate.

The problem is that 12 scallops will have 48 HD and a EL of 9 (+3 for the template). Well, actually maybe that's ok. Ok, that works for me.

 

[Shade]

You guys have lost me, so I'll let you work out the underbar and just let me know when it's ready for publication.

 

[Cleon]

The problem is that 12 scallops will have 48 HD and a EL of 9 (+3 for the template). Well, actually maybe that's ok. Ok, that works for me.

I'm thinking if we use the "number of scallops instead of HD" approach then the manifester level should also equal the number of scallops. That'll keep the CR/EL down to something reasonable.