Converting Monsters from Polyhedron Magazine

[Cleon]

I suppose if we have to have one, I'd lean toward HD advancement, since these are essentially "horses" for the horse-people. I'll leave it up to freyar to break the deadlock.

If we do go the "by character class" route, we'll need a traditional LA, not cohort.

Yes, HD advancement plus a cohort LA would make sense.

4-6 HD (Medium)?

+1 LA (cohort)? If they're similar to a Bugbear in nastiness, their Level Adjustment presumably is similar, too.

 

[Shade]

Yes, HD advancement plus a cohort LA would make sense.

4-6 HD (Medium)?

+1 LA (cohort)? If they're similar to a Bugbear in nastiness, their Level Adjustment presumably is similar, too.

This works for me.

 

[Cleon]

This works for me.

Might as well update it with that.

 

[Shade]

Might as well update it with that.

Updated. I think we just need flavor. I've never read the novel, so I might not be the best person for the job.

<BEWARE OF FALLING HINTS!>

 

[Cleon]

Updated. I think we just need flavor. I've never read the novel, so I might not be the best person for the job.

<BEWARE OF FALLING HINTS!>

I could have proposed some flavour, but I've just been stunned by a hint just landing on my head.

 

[Shade]

I could have proposed some flavour, but I've just been stunned by a hint just landing on my head.

<Casts cure moderate head trauma on Cleon>

 

[Cleon]

<Casts cure moderate head trauma on Cleon>

Thanks Shade, that's better.

Anyhow, Gulliver's Travels is now in the public domain so you can easily view the text on many websites such as Project Gutenberg (see here).

It's been a while since I've read it, but I can see strong evidence for a couple of modifications to the current stats.

First, it looks like they could have a racial bonus to Jump checks, since:

They climbed high trees as nimbly as a squirrel, for they had strong extended claws before and behind, terminating in sharp points, and hooked. They would often spring, and bound, and leap, with prodigious agility.

There are several mentions of them fighting with claws, so we may want to consider changing their natural attack from unarmed strikes to claws. However, these "claws" don't seem very lethal:

and then would ensue such a battle as I had described, with terrible wounds made by their claws on both sides, although they seldom were able to kill one another, for want of such convenient instruments of death as we had invented

Also, we should give them a racial bonus to swim checks and possible the Hold Breath SQ:

They swim from their infancy like frogs, and are able to continue long under water, where they often take fish, which the females carry home to their young.

Incidentally, there seems to be nothing in Gulliver's Travels about them throwing missiles, whether stones, sticks, or filth. There are multiple mentions of their odiousness, but if anything it's more akin to a Troglodyte's Stink. Their repellent stench is "somewhat between a weasel and a fox, but much more disagreeable".

There's quite a lot of information regarding the appearance and habits of the Yahoo that could be converted into flavour text. I'm not sure how much to include.

I suppose we could just base the flavour text on the Polyhedron version, since that is what we're converting.

 

[Shade]

I suppose we could just base the flavour text on the Polyhedron version, since that is what we're converting.

If we want to keep the current abilities the same, I suppose so. If we want to pursue the noted changes above, we can work out flavor from the novel.

Preferences?

 

[Cleon]

If we want to keep the current abilities the same, I suppose so. If we want to pursue the noted changes above, we can work out flavor from the novel.

Preferences?

How about taking the "lazy alteration" option and giving them a racial bonus to Jump and Swim, but leave the rest unchanged?

The Polyhedron version prefers ranged attacks, so I'm happy sticking to that.

Besides, I like the "Fling Filth" special attack.

We could add a "clawed yahoo" variant as an underbar if we want something closer to the book. Which is described as having a nasty bite, by the way.

 

[Shade]

How about taking the "lazy alteration" option and giving them a racial bonus to Jump and Swim, but leave the rest unchanged?

Probably Climb as well. +2 to all of 'em?

The Polyhedron version prefers ranged attacks, so I'm happy sticking to that.

Besides, I like the "Fling Filth" special attack.

Agreed. Me too.

We could add a "clawed yahoo" variant as an underbar if we want something closer to the book. Which is described as having a nasty bite, by the way.

We've only got two more critters left for this thread, so we can take all the time we'd like.