Making smart animals...

[Storyteller01]

I don't mean familiars or similar creatures, but animals that seem naturally smarter (sometimes more so than there owners). More in the vein of Hidalgo, K-9, Turner and Hooch, etc.

I'm thinking about using the DMG's (3.0) system for making monster races (find the critter in the MM, apply X bonuses/penalties, and roll 3d6.

Does anyone have experience with this, or have used another system?

PS: since I'm using the DMG for this, I figured it would fit in this forum. If not, please lat me know.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

I don't mean familiars or similar creatures, but animals that seem naturally smarter (sometimes more so than there owners). More in the vein of Hidalgo, K-9, Turner and Hooch, etc.

I'm thinking about using the DMG's (3.0) system for making monster races (find the critter in the MM, apply X bonuses/penalties, and roll 3d6.

Does anyone have experience with this, or have used another system?

PS: since I'm using the DMG for this, I figured it would fit in this forum. If not, please lat me know.

The easist way to make Mr. Ed (or Cannibal Chicken Nijas of Hastur the Unspeakable) is to use the Awaken Spell from the PHB 3.5 (don't know if 3.0 had it). They basically gain 3d6 Int (instead of the 1 or 2 they begin with), Some Wisdom (d3? d4?). They also gain the abilty to speak some languages based on their Int bonus.

That's the quick way to make a single, Genius-Animal (like Charlie, the Cannibal Tuna).

If you want an ENITIRE Species to be super smart, then just say 2 Awaken Critters got it on & their kids possesed the 'Smartness' Gene too.

 

[Crothian]

I'd just use the stats in the MM and then erase the intellegence score and write in the score I wanted. I'd do that with other scores, skills, and other items that didn't fit.