My next project (#4)!

[BOZ]

cool. finished that one faster than i expected. moving right along...

#56
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice; 5dlO+2O (47 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +8 melee, and bite..+6 melee
Damage: Claws ld6+4 each, bite ld8+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. x.JO ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Pounce, Rake ld6+2, Trip
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 25/+3, Darkvision 60 ft., KITTY Hide, Low-light Vision, Scent, Soft Spots
Saves: Fort +8, Ref+7, Will +1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +9, Climb +12, Hide +4 (+12 in rocky or mountainous terrain), Listen +2, Move Silently +7, Spot +2
Feats: Multiattack (NEEDS ONE MORE)
Climate/Terrain:..... Temperate or cold hills, or mountains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pride (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: 1/2 coins, 1/2 goods, 1/2 items
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 6-9 HD (Large), 10-14 HD (Huge)
The KITTY is a deviation from the normal mountain cat. Its claws have become falcon-like talons, used to rip into its prey, climb mountains, and hang from cliff sides in preparation to pounce. Its black-spotted hide is especially resistant to normal weapons and natural attacks. Its azure eyes gleam in the moonlight.
Combat
Improved Grab (Ex): If the KITTY hits an opponent of at least one size category smaller than itself or smaller with both its claws or its bite attack, it deals normal damage and either attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity, or it pulls the opponent into its space without provoking an attack of opportunity and holds him with a -20 penalty to grapple checks, using its remaining attacks against other opponents. A successful hold does not deal any additional damage, but each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage listed for the attack that established the hold. If the KITTY geta a hold, it can Rake.
Pounce (Ex): If a KITTY leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Rake (Ex): A KITTY that gets a hold can make two Rake attacks. (+6 melee) with its hind legs for ld6+2 damage each. The KITTY can also Rake if it Pounces on an opponent.
Skills: A KITTY receives a +4 racial bonus to Balance and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. It suffers a -4 size penalty to Hide checks, but when in rock or mountainous terrain, it gets a +8 circumstance bonus to Hide. These bonuses are included in the stats above.
Soft Spots (Ex): A small patch of hide at the base of the neck lacks the KITTY's Damage Reduction. The creature's eyes are similarly vulnerable. Attacks targeted at one of these vulnerable areas are -8 to hit, but they bypass Damage Reduction and inflict double normal damage. If the KITTY has been hit in one eye. it is considered dazzled and takes a -1 penalty on all attack rolls. If hit in both eyes, the creature is blinded; blinded creatures have a 50% chance to miss, lose their positive Dexterity bonus to AC, and their opponents get a +2 bonus to attack. The blinded KITTY moves at half speed and suffers a -4 penalty on most Strength and Dexterity-based skills, as well as not being able to make Spot skill checks.
Trip (Ex): If a KITTY hits with its bite attack, it can attempt to Trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to Trip the KITTY.
NEW ARMOR KITTY HIDE
The hide of a dead KITTY can be crafted into a powerful protective garment. The craftsman must have at least 6 ranks in Craft (armorsmithing or leatherworking) and access to a knife or dagger with a +3 or better enhancement bonus. Otherwise, creating KITTY hide is just like crafting masterwork hide armor.
KITTY armor has the following statistics: Armor Bonus +4, Maximum Dex Bonus +4, Armor Check Penalty -2, Arcane Spell Failure 20%, Speed 20/15 ft., Weight 25 lbs. Additionally, the hide provides its wearer Damage Reduction 3/+3. It is considered medium armor, and sells for 4,165 gp.

 

[demiurge1138]

Kitty could use Improved Initiative or Stealthy.

DR should be 15/magic (yes, this is high, but so was the original) or 10/magic and material (adamantine?). Unless, that is, you take out the soft spot quality, which is flavorful but doesn't really reflect in any other d20 monster (even bulettes have standard AC and vulnerabilities). If you drop soft spot, the DR should go to 10/magic or 5/magic and material.

The pounce ability should be rewritten to full attack on a charge. The rake and trip attacks should be streamlined, as per the standard 3.5 entries for them. And KITTY hide should be dropped from the special qualities.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

i think i will kill the soft spot, because you are absolutely right. adamantine seems like a bit of a stretch for a hyped-up mountain cat. cold iron or perhaps silver might be better.

improved grab, pounce, rake, and trip will be streamlined and standardized.

 

[demiurge1138]

I'd go for cold iron over silver, because the illustration of the KITTY always struck me as sort of alien and fey. Besides, cold iron's a stronger metal.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

heh, if you know it by illustration then you must already know what we're dealing with. still, i'll stick to psuedonyms for lurkers who don't...

i was also thinking cold iron, so that's what i'll go with: Damage reduction 10/magic and cold iron (and no soft spot)

weird how this one has a trip attack, since that's more of a canine-creature attribute...

are these values about right?:
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a KITTY must hit with its bite attack or both claw attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.
Pounce (Ex): If a KITTY charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +6 melee, damage 1d6+2.
Trip (Ex): A KITTY that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+X check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the KITTY.

 

[demiurge1138]

DR sounds good, and the rake bonus is right. The trip modifier should be +13 (+5 BAB, +4 Str, +4 size).

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

do these skill mods look OK?:
Skills: A KITTY receives a +4 racial bonus to Balance and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. It suffers a -4 size penalty to Hide checks, but when in rock or mountainous terrain, it gets a +8 circumstance bonus to Hide. These bonuses are included in the stats above.

aside from the DR change, do i need to fix anything else for this?:
NEW ARMOR KITTY HIDE
The hide of a dead KITTY can be crafted into a powerful protective garment. The craftsman must have at least 6 ranks in Craft (armorsmithing or leatherworking) and access to a knife or dagger with a +3 or better enhancement bonus. Otherwise, creating KITTY hide is just like crafting masterwork hide armor.
KITTY armor has the following statistics: Armor Bonus +4, Maximum Dex Bonus +4, Armor Check Penalty -2, Arcane Spell Failure 20%, Speed 20/15 ft., Weight 25 lbs. Additionally, the hide provides its wearer Damage Reduction 3/+3. It is considered medium armor, and sells for 4,165 gp.

 

[demiurge1138]

Remove the reference to size penalty in the Skills entry, but other than that it looks good. The armor also looks pretty good, except that it's way too cheap. The invulnerability armor quality is only slightly superior, and much, much more expensive.

Demiurge out.

 

[BOZ]

any suggestions for price then?

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, a suit of invulnerable armor costs a minimum of 16000 gp (including the +1 bonus to give it special qualities). I'd suggest the cost go from 4,135 to somewhere between 7,135 and 9,135.

Demiurge out.