Templating a Vermin: What Int score?

[strongbow]

I would like someone to elucidate what happens when a template is applied to a vermin that changes the vermin to a magical beast. Per the rules for templates, the vermin becomes type Magical Beast (Augmented Vermin) and acquires the Traits of the new type, while retaining the features of the old type. Look up the features and traits of both types in the MM and you will see that the creature loses the mindless trait (b/c the mindless is a trait of vermin), but what happens to its Int Score? I am writing a module and need to know.

Does the creature: Please specify your opinion when replying.

1) Have an Int score of (--) dash, and therefore still be mindless b/c of the dash, even though mindless is not one of its traits.

2) Have an Int score of (--), but is not mindless

3) Have an Int score of 0, is effectively unconscious, and is mindless. If the creature gained enough HD to be entitled to a stat bump, it could have a positive Int score and not be unconscious anymore.

4) Have an Int score of 0, is effectively unconscious, and is not mindless. If the creature gained enough HD to be entitled to a stat bump, it could have a positive Int score and not be unconscious anymore.

5) Have an Int score of 1, 2, or 3, and is mindless.

6) Have an Int score of 1, 2, 3, and is not mindless

 

[Dmitr]

So far as I know, it's never been covered in the rules. So, there're two reasonable results that I can see, and your DM (you, I imagine), will have to decide which is going to be the rule in your campaign...

1) It retains the non-score, and is therefore mindless. Different than a normal magical beast, but that happens sometimes.

2) it gains an Int, and you roll it randomly (since magical beasts can have animal or sentient int, I suppose you'd have to decide between them. If it's full-on intelligent (which sems unlikely) you'd be on your own deciding how much of a roll is should get...

Btw, what template are you adding? That might make it easier to decide between options.

 

[strongbow]

Monstrous Beast from Savage Species.

 

[Knight Otu]

What happens depends entirely on the template. If the vermin gains an Intelligence score (such as from the fiendish template), it is no longer mindless.
If the template grants a bonus to Int, or does not change Int at all (such as the monstrous beast template you mention), the vermin still ends up with no Intelligence score, and remains mindless. Remember that mindless is a direct result of having no Intelligence score.

Intelligence: Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence. A creature with no Intelligence score is mindless, an automaton operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions. It has immunity to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks.