Dire Animal Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dire Animal Template [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sken Dingle
08-31-05, 02:24 AM I know there is a Dire Animal Template in the Tome of Horrors book. I do not have the book available to me.

Does anyone know where I could find a good Dire Animal Template? One that's maybe more official than the one in Tome of Horrors?

Thanks
Deranged Carrotfolk
08-31-05, 05:24 AM There probably will never be one, because the existing dire creatures do not conform to any particular pattern that I've noticed. Well, some of them do appear to have some minor consistencies, but this is probably coincidental.

I invented my own dire template, which I have never really used or tested, so use at your own risk.

Apply to: Any living, non-mindless creature of size diminutive through gargantuan.

Size: Creature's size category increases by one, to a minimum size of small.

(The stat adjustments below are based on the creature's former size. These are instead of normal adjustments for size increases.)

Hit Dice: Diminutive/Tiny +1, Small +2, Medium +4, Large +6, Huge +9, Gargantuan +12. If a creature has a fractional HD or no racial levels, treat the original HD as if it were 0.

Damage: As normal for size increases.

AC: Natural armor improves - Diminutive +0, Tiny +1, Small +2, Medium +3, Large +4, Huge +5, Gargantuan +6.

Ability Scores: Diminutive +2 str / +2 con, Tiny +4 str / +2 con, Small +6 str / +4 con, Medium or larger +10 str / +6 con. All sizes also gain +2 dex, +2 wis, +2 cha, and -4 int (minimum int of 2).

And... that's basically it, aside from the fact that you basically need to rebuild the entire creature based on these stat changes (new skill points, feats, saves, BAB, etc.) which was why I didn't bother to come up with a CR adjustment. You also might want to make them have high will saves for their racial HD like the dire animals in the MM do.

Now just to be silly, here's what an average human looks like after you "dire" him/her with this template twice: Huge-sized humanoid, 10 HD, AC 15 (-2 size +7 natural), Str 30, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 15. Anyone want to name this poor brute?
Lazzmaniandevil
08-31-05, 07:01 AM The only dire template I know is there (first link of the last section):

http://www.dndadventure.com/dnda_creature_crypt.html

It is far from an official source though...
Wolf72
08-31-05, 07:03 PM I know there is a Dire Animal Template in the Tome of Horrors book. I do not have the book available to me.

Does anyone know where I could find a good Dire Animal Template? One that's maybe more official than the one in Tome of Horrors?

Thanks

one that's more official? nope, WotC has not decided to go that route (yet) ..

no book? ... no problem. The template is available online and free, at The Creature Catalog (http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/index.php) under Animal, Dire

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sken Dingle 08-31-05, 02:24 AM	I know there is a Dire Animal Template in the Tome of Horrors book. I do not have the book available to me. Does anyone know where I could find a good Dire Animal Template? One that's maybe more official than the one in Tome of Horrors? Thanks
Deranged Carrotfolk 08-31-05, 05:24 AM	There probably will never be one, because the existing dire creatures do not conform to any particular pattern that I've noticed. Well, some of them do appear to have some minor consistencies, but this is probably coincidental. I invented my own dire template, which I have never really used or tested, so use at your own risk. Apply to: Any living, non-mindless creature of size diminutive through gargantuan. Size: Creature's size category increases by one, to a minimum size of small. (The stat adjustments below are based on the creature's former size. These are instead of normal adjustments for size increases.) Hit Dice: Diminutive/Tiny +1, Small +2, Medium +4, Large +6, Huge +9, Gargantuan +12. If a creature has a fractional HD or no racial levels, treat the original HD as if it were 0. Damage: As normal for size increases. AC: Natural armor improves - Diminutive +0, Tiny +1, Small +2, Medium +3, Large +4, Huge +5, Gargantuan +6. Ability Scores: Diminutive +2 str / +2 con, Tiny +4 str / +2 con, Small +6 str / +4 con, Medium or larger +10 str / +6 con. All sizes also gain +2 dex, +2 wis, +2 cha, and -4 int (minimum int of 2). And... that's basically it, aside from the fact that you basically need to rebuild the entire creature based on these stat changes (new skill points, feats, saves, BAB, etc.) which was why I didn't bother to come up with a CR adjustment. You also might want to make them have high will saves for their racial HD like the dire animals in the MM do. Now just to be silly, here's what an average human looks like after you "dire" him/her with this template twice: Huge-sized humanoid, 10 HD, AC 15 (-2 size +7 natural), Str 30, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 15. Anyone want to name this poor brute?
Lazzmaniandevil 08-31-05, 07:01 AM	The only dire template I know is there (first link of the last section): http://www.dndadventure.com/dnda_creature_crypt.html It is far from an official source though...
Wolf72 08-31-05, 07:03 PM	I know there is a Dire Animal Template in the Tome of Horrors book. I do not have the book available to me. Does anyone know where I could find a good Dire Animal Template? One that's maybe more official than the one in Tome of Horrors? Thanks one that's more official? nope, WotC has not decided to go that route (yet) .. no book? ... no problem. The template is available online and free, at The Creature Catalog (http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/index.php) under Animal, Dire