Post/Author/DateTime	Post
malakaiunseen 11-18-06, 08:00 AM	When I advance a wolf from 2HD to 6(or more)HD, should I give it a couple of claw attacks? It seems strange that a 6HD wolf would only have one bite attack and a 3HD wolverine gets a bite and two claws. I'm sure this is covered somewhere in the MM but in my haste I couldnt find it, if anyone can help, can you please give me a pg. reference as well? Thanks. Kai.
runestar 11-18-06, 08:11 AM	It gets no additional natural attacks, no does it get extra attacks for a high bab.:) Well, it becomes large, so its bite damage improves, and you can always give it the improved natural attack feat as well... It seems strange that a 6HD wolf would only have one bite attack and a 3HD wolverine gets a bite and two claws. Perhaps. But I am sure it has all already been factored into its cr and stuff.:)
malakaiunseen 11-18-06, 08:20 AM	OK. Sounds fair. It does get +10 to Str(+2druid's animal companion, +8med>lrg change) so that ought to be enough. :P Still just seems strange that it doesnt get another couple of natural attacks, but that does seem to be the way it is written...
malakaiunseen 11-18-06, 08:33 AM	OK, in the same question line though, how do I tell which array has been used for the standard wolf in teh animal section of the MM? Am I to assume it is the standard array? 11,11,11,10,10,10, therefor wolves have a +2 racial to Str, +4 racial to Dex, +4 racial to con, Int naturally of 2, +2 racial to Wis, and -4 racial to cha??? Or might it be the non-elite or elite array? Is any monster built of the standard array unless it says otherwise in its entry? Cause if I build a wolf off the elite array instead, if that was the standard array it will be pretty powerfull with the elite array... Any ideas???
runestar 11-18-06, 09:02 AM	OK. Sounds fair. It does get +10 to Str(+2druid's animal companion, +8med>lrg change) so that ought to be enough. Still just seems strange that it doesnt get another couple of natural attacks, but that does seem to be the way it is written... I suggest you read the druid's entry, as well as the FAQ on the druid's animal companion ability very carefully... Namely, this part... When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large? An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher (and perhaps bigger) than normal for their kinds.
RavenDrake 11-18-06, 12:45 PM	OK, in the same question line though, how do I tell which array has been used for the standard wolf in teh animal section of the MM? Am I to assume it is the standard array? 11,11,11,10,10,10, therefor wolves have a +2 racial to Str, +4 racial to Dex, +4 racial to con, Int naturally of 2, +2 racial to Wis, and -4 racial to cha??? Or might it be the non-elite or elite array? Is any monster built of the standard array unless it says otherwise in its entry? Cause if I build a wolf off the elite array instead, if that was the standard array it will be pretty powerfull with the elite array... Any ideas??? Unless otherwise noted in the creature's entry it's assumed all monsters have the 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10 statline. All of the creatures who use the Elite or Non-elite array(at least in more recent publications) have a line about which array was used and which stat each value was placed in. Typically the Elite array is reserved for 0HD humanoids(like Humans, elves, dwarves, etc) who are given levels in NPC classes in thier stat block. Unless it expressly states this, however, don't assume that to be the case with all 0HD creatures.
Myst_the_Moonscout 11-21-06, 06:38 PM	When I advance a wolf from 2HD to 6(or more)HD, should I give it a couple of claw attacks? It seems strange that a 6HD wolf would only have one bite attack and a 3HD wolverine gets a bite and two claws. I'm sure this is covered somewhere in the MM but in my haste I couldnt find it, if anyone can help, can you please give me a pg. reference as well? Thanks. Kai. I can't vouch for actual numbers but the claw thing is simple: Wolf claws just don't deal damage that's worthy of mention. Think of a dog's claws. They can hold things but the most they might do is a surface scratch, which any kind of armour should negate.