Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 01-06-06, 05:47 PM	Pelt Pelts derive from druidic spells cast over arctic lands where little life exists to convert those whom come to live there to produce offspring that can better survive the dangerous temperatures. Generally these spells cause natural lycanthropy, or sometimes even shifters, furred creatures able to adapt to the cold. However, some offspring of these creatures are literally nothing more than animals. Every hungry beasts with a feral deviousness, but no true sentience. They always appear as much more lithe versions of their race with a furry pelt and mane whoes color makes it difficult to spot in its enviroment. Their arms are somewhat longer, their legs shorter, and their back stooped, allowing them to run on all fours for brief periods, though they tend to keep to their hind legs. They tend to vaguely resemble certain arctic creatures such as wolverine, bears or wolf, whatever the original druid intended for that region. Sometimes packs will form and migrate with herds of grazers, or roam into civilized lands and terrorize travelers. Though not evil they are almost always on the verge of starvation, and though can survive on a diet of mosses and lichens alone, prefer meat. Some are sickened by the thought, but many a wandering hunter wears a thick coat from a pelt human or has butchered one for his meals. Sample Pelt Pelt Bugbear Medium Animal Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Rage Special Qualities: Low-light vision, natural camouflage, scent, uncanny dodge Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7 Skills: Climb +4, Hide *+8, Listen +8, Move Silently +10, Spot +8 Feats: Alertness, Cold Endurance, Endurance, Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Any cold or temperate land Organization: Solitary, or pack (6-40) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always Neutral Advancement: 1-20 HD (size remains unchanged) Level Adjustment: - This hulking brute appears much as a bugbear, but its unclothed form is leaner, more predatory. It is covered in a thick matt of, long, dense fur the color of fallen snow. Its face is more beastial, and a muzzle of sharp teeth gape hungrily. Combat Pelt bugbears are sneaky beasts who stalk their prey, moving with quiet grace and leaping upon their prey before they can react. Natural Camouflage (Ex): * A bugbear pelt's fur changes color depending on the season, granting it a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks in natural settings. During winter or in areas of continuous snow a pelt's fur turns a brilliant white. In warmer seasons or in areas devoid of heavy snowfall its fur takes on a variety of shades of dark brown and grey. Rage (Ex): A bugbear pelt that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The pelt cannot end its rage voluntarily. Scent (Ex): A bugbear pelt can detect opponents within 30 feet by smell alone. The exact location is not revealed unless the creature is within 5 feet. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A bugbear pelt retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a pelt already has uncanny dodge as a race feature, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge. Skills: A bugbear pelt has a +4 racial on Listen and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Creating A Pelt Pelt is an inherited template that can be added to any non-mindless humanoid. It loses all subtypes. A pelt uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: Pelts become animals. Recalculate base attack bonus, saves, and skill points. Size is unchanged. Hit Dice: Change all current and future Hit Dice to d8s. Land Speed: A pelt's base land speed increases by 10 feet. Armor Class: The creature's natural armor increases by 4 points. Attack: A pelt retains all the natural attacks of the base creature. A pelt based on a creature that has no natural attack gains two claw or one bite attack as shown below (but not both). Size Attack Tiny 2 claw (1d2 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d3 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Small 2 claw (1d3 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d4 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Medium 2 claw (1d4 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Large 2 claw (1d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (2d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Huge 2 claw (2d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (3d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Gargantuan 2 claw (3d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (4d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Colossal 2 claw (4d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (5d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) Special Attacks: A pelt loses all the supernatural special attacks and spell-like abilities of the base creature. It retains its extraordinary attacks. In addition a pelt gains one of the following special attacks chosen from below: Ferocity (Ex): A pelt continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a pelt must hit with a natural attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Pounce (Ex): If a pelt charges a foe, it can make a full attack in the same round. Rage (Ex): A pelt that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The pelt cannot end its rage voluntarily. Sprint (Ex): Once per hour, the Pelt can move ten times its normal speed (500 feet) when it makes a charge. Trip (Ex): A pelt that hits with a bite attack (assuming it has one) can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 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 pelt. Special Qualities: A pelt loses all magical special qualities and darkvision of the base creature, but retains its extraordinary special qualities. It also gains the special abilities qualities mentioned below: Low-Light Vision (Ex): A pelt can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. Natural Camouflage (Ex): A pelt's fur changes color depending on the season, granting it a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks in natural settings. During winter or in areas of continuous snow a pelt's fur turns a brilliant white. In warmer seasons or in areas devoid of heavy snowfall its fur takes on a variety of shades of dark brown and grey. Scent (Ex): A pelt can detect opponents within 30 feet by smell alone. The exact location is not revealed unless the creature is within 5 feet. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A pelt retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a pelt already has uncanny dodge as a race feature, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge. Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Int (reduced to 2), Dex +2, Con +4, Wis +2, Cha -2. Skills: A pelt gains a +4 racial on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. This stacks with any racial bonuses the base creature possesses. Feats: A pelt retains all the non-magical/psionic feats of the base creature and gains Cold Endurance and Endurance. Any weapon-based feats become Weapon Focus (bite or claw, as appropriate) even if the pelt doesn't qualify for it. Enviroment: Any cold or temperate land Organization: Solitary, or pack (6-40) Challenge Rating: +1 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 1-20 HD (size remains unchanged) Level Adjustment: -
Talisman 01-07-06, 01:20 PM	Type might be magical beast. I understand your logic here, and agree mostly, but still... Are class HD lost? Since this is an inheirited template, and creatures with an Int of 2 can't gain class levels, I assume they would be. Colossal 2 claw (4d3 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (5d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus) I'm pretty sure you meant 4d6 ;) Challenge Rating: Up to 1 HD +1. 1+ HD, same as base creature. Out to be a flat +1, IMHO. After all, you're gaining Pounce, Rage, Scent, Improved Grab, etc. Wary (Ex): A pelt is an extremely paranoid creature and gains a +4 racial bonus to its armor class to keep from being caught flat-footed. Huh? +4 to AC? What kind of bonus is this? Does it always apply, or only when flat-footed (which makes little sense)? I'd replace this with Uncanny Dodge.
The Vorpal Tribble 01-07-06, 01:37 PM	Are class HD lost? Since this is an inheirited template, and creatures with an Int of 2 can't gain class levels, I assume they would be. Most definetely. Thats basically why I gave them HD 1-20. That way they can become tougher, meaner, more powerful ones such as humans are capable with classes, but without any benefits other than an increase of HD and subsequent bonuses. I'm pretty sure you meant 4d6 Err, yeah. Out to be a flat +1, IMHO. After all, you're gaining Pounce, Rage, Scent, Improved Grab, etc. No, no, you choose one of the special attacks when you make the critter. Depending on the attack you take after certain creatures. Ferocity probably makes you look porcine, Improved Grab ursine, pounce/sprint = feline, rage = wolverine/badger, trip = canine, etc. Huh? +4 to AC? What kind of bonus is this? Does it always apply, or only when flat-footed (which makes little sense)? I'd replace this with Uncanny Dodge. Shoot, yes, thats what I was going for. Didn't occur to me though. Adjusting.
OamuTheMonk 01-07-06, 02:17 PM	I see a few things that I'm unsure about: First problem. Animals have D8 hit die, not D6. This will help your overall concept, I think. Second problem. Size and Type: Pelts become animals. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, save, or skill points. Size is unchanged. This is where the concept falls apart, for me. Type is one of the three foundations of creating a creature (the other two being # of Hit Dice, and Ability Scores). It forms the basic matrix from which everything else is built. By changing the type, but leaving BAB, saves and skill points the same, you're subverting the ruleset in a messy, messy way. Let's take your Bugbear: He has skill ranks of a Humanoid, but the Intelligence of an animal. If I increase his HD, does he aquire new "free" ranks, as a humanoid with average intelligence, or as an animal (which he is). If he gains new ranks as an animal, his skills will deteriorate as he adds HD, because he can't maintain the skills he has. If he gains new ranks as an intelligent humanoid, where do they come from? How do you calculate them? Do you have to maintain a second set of "phantom" abilities (from the base creature, perhaps?)? When the creature gains ability points from adding HD, do you add them to his "real" stats or his "phantom" stats, or both? I don't think this is solveable. If they are animals, they need to have animal Skills, BAB, and Saves. Otherwise, the template does not work. Edit: Now I'm just confused. I'm looking at the Sample creature, and it's skills are just boosted by It's racial bonuses, I think. Is this sentence the whole problem: Size and Type: Pelts become animals. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, save, or skill points. Size is unchanged? Maybe it's just a wording issue.
The Vorpal Tribble 01-07-06, 02:50 PM	First problem. Animals have D8 hit die, not D6. This will help your overall concept, I think. Had just noticed that. Cursed typos... Edit: Now I'm just confused. I'm looking at the Sample creature, and it's skills are just boosted by It's racial bonuses, I think. Is this sentence the whole problem: Size and Type: Pelts become animals. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, save, or skill points. Size is unchanged? Maybe it's just a wording issue. Heh, thats because animals and humanoids have the same ammount of skill points. However, I have been thinking about it and I probably should just reword it to 'Do recalculate', and adjust the bugbear accordingly. Edit: Done. Hows that?
Athanatos 01-07-06, 04:01 PM	Well, the mechanics seem to have been worked out at this point. One real question remains... wouldn't a druid be able to horribly abuse Pelt + Awaken to create what would effectively be super-humanoids?
The Vorpal Tribble 01-07-06, 04:56 PM	This is a 3.5 template. Awakened Animal is a 3.0 template. The two shouldn't really ever see each other.
Athanatos 01-07-06, 05:09 PM	This is a 3.5 template. Awakened Animal is a 3.0 template. The two shouldn't really ever see each other. I dunno about the template, but the spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/awaken.htm) is certainly 3.5.
The Vorpal Tribble 01-07-06, 05:19 PM	Oh, right, the spell. Heh. Well, I don't know why in particular it'd become a superman. Strong perhaps, but not super. Dire creatures would in general be just as strong.
Athanatos 01-07-06, 05:24 PM	I suppose it wouldn't be too rough... Speaking of which, why not include the spell through which Pelt creatures are made?
The Vorpal Tribble 01-07-06, 06:03 PM	Eh, why not. I don't see anyone actually taking it as it has no real benefit, but... Werefell Transmutation Level: Druid 7 Component: S, M Casting Time: One minute per level Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: 1 mile radius/2 levels Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: None You put a special type of enchantment over an area of arctic land to aid with the survival of its inhabitants. This enchantment causes any child conceived or born within its boundaries to have a 20% chance of contacting a type of lycanthropy. If so affected, there is a 50% chance the child becomes a shifter, a 40% chance of contracting natural lycanthropy, and a 10% chance of losing its humanity and becoming an animalistic Pelt. What type of lycanthrope it becomes is determined by the nearest suitable animal at time of birth. Material Component: Lock of fur or hair from an albino lycanthrope thrown into a chill wind. -=-=-=- One of the BBEG's of the campaign that I'm using this template in is an orc who was born within the belly of a dire wolverine. His mother killed it and gutted it and to keep from dying from cold climbed inside for the night. She gave birth and what resulted was an orc dire werewolverine. Give him a few levels in barbarian and he's nasty.
NinjaPenguin 01-08-06, 05:40 AM	Hmm... I really like this template. Its got a great flavor, though I could see it being more of a direct transformation from a spell... perhaps: Devolution Drd 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard Action Target: 1 humanoid creture Druation: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates SR: Yes You intone a curse over the target, sending it back to nature's grasp. The target, on a failed save, acquires the Pelt template, as though it were born with it. All physical and mental scores are replaces or adjusted as necessary, and you may choose any variable effects of the template. Any hit dice gained from class levels become hit dice advancement for the transmuted creature. The target's initial attitude is indifferent or unfriendly, DM's discretion, but may be further adjusted by wild empathy checks as normal.
The Vorpal Tribble 01-10-06, 10:58 AM	Hrmmm, Baleful Polymorph is the same level but would probably be much more effective. Basically I just posted the kind of spell the druids would use. They were going for a beneficial change (in their opinions), though every now and again one would be more animal than sentient. But it'd still survive, so they'd not be too worried. This is a good example of the variations of druid alignment. A neutral druid wouldn't care that they lost intelligence, because now they can survive. A good druid would be saddened and maybe ashamed by what happened to the child. An evil druid would wish for the child to become a pelt and therefore more easily dealt with than an intelligent creature.