Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin

[Cleon]

Looks pretty good. You guys were fast!

We're the running dogs of the roleplaying-industrial complex.

The running gets us finished faster.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Does the flavor text look labtastic?

 

[Cleon]

Updated.

Does the flavor text look labtastic?

Bushdogs don't have long fur. It'd not be of much use in a hot, humid climate.

I'm not that fond of the phrasing of the first paragraph of background info, the "diurnal hunter found primarily" and "strong swimmers due to the skin growing between their toes" don't find much favour with me, although there's nothing technically wrong with them.

The "keeping in constant communication with frequent whines due to the poor visibility of their natural habitats" is cumbersome.

How's this:

A bushdog is a small canine that frequents wet savannahs and tropical forests. It feeds mostly on large rodents, hunting them by day and then lairing in a hollow log or cavity. Bushdogs typically live in packs that keep in constant communication with whining calls. The dense vegetation of their native habitat means they often can't see one another.

Bushdogs are strong swimmers, with skin growing between their toes that gives them partially webbed feet.

A typical bushdog is a few inches over 2 feet long (not including 4-6 inches of tail) and weighs 10 to 15 pounds.

COMBAT

A bush dog fights with its teeth. They would rather run away from humanoids, but may attack in self defense. A pack of bushdogs will fight together to protect each other or tackle prey.

 

[freyar]

Looks great!

 

[Shade]

I was just working from Wikipedia on that. Yours is better.

Updated.

Here's the next one from that article...

Coyote
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 1-2/2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 18”
HIT DICE: 1-1
% IN LAIR: 5%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (30 lbs.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/10 + 1/hp

This is a versatile, mid-sized predator, able to take prey as large as sheep or goats, although coyotes generally restrict themselves to less difficult foods, such as mice and berries. The typical coyote is greyish, with long fur and long legs. Coyotes are wary and difficult to catch; they are less odorous than foxes and therefore more difficult to track, and over long distances they can outpace the fastest coursing hounds. Semi-social, coyotes can be tamed but not trained. They may be found in any climate from subarctic to subtropical and in any sort of terrain, even invading the mountainous parts of the tropics. They thrive in both settled and domestic areas.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 (1985).

 

[freyar]

First thing to decide for these is size, I guess. I usually think of coyotes as being on the small side of Small, which I guess makes sense given the bushdog's size. Agreed?

 

[Shade]

First thing to decide for these is size, I guess. I usually think of coyotes as being on the small side of Small, which I guess makes sense given the bushdog's size. Agreed?

Agreed.

 

[freyar]

Ok, then. 1HD. the 1-1 suggests maybe a lowish Con, but I'm not sure I'd agree. The Small dog has Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; if we drop the Con down to 9, I'd really want to compensate by boosting Str and Dex. The bite should also be better than 1d3 given the common dog's 1d4 dice; coyotes do a real number on domestic dogs and cats.

Here's a compromise: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6, damage 1d4+3. Thoughts?

 

[Shade]

Ok, then. 1HD. the 1-1 suggests maybe a lowish Con, but I'm not sure I'd agree. The Small dog has Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; if we drop the Con down to 9, I'd really want to compensate by boosting Str and Dex. The bite should also be better than 1d3 given the common dog's 1d4 dice; coyotes do a real number on domestic dogs and cats.

Here's a compromise: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6, damage 1d4+3. Thoughts?

I think the Strength is far too high, but can go for the rest. I definitely don't want a Con penatly, and can accept the higher Dex as coyotes can sometimes grab birds so they must be fairly agile!

 

[Shade]

Ok, then. 1HD. the 1-1 suggests maybe a lowish Con, but I'm not sure I'd agree. The Small dog has Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; if we drop the Con down to 9, I'd really want to compensate by boosting Str and Dex. The bite should also be better than 1d3 given the common dog's 1d4 dice; coyotes do a real number on domestic dogs and cats.

Here's a compromise: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6, damage 1d4+3. Thoughts?

I think the Strength is far too high, but can go for the rest. I definitely don't want a Con penatly, and can accept the higher Dex as coyotes can sometimes grab birds so they must be fairly agile!