Attacking Squirrels in DnD

[Nebulous]

Or any small, fast rodent for that matter. I was wondering about this logistically yesterday while observing squirrels. If i wanted to touch, catch, capture, grapple or kill one in real life, with my hands or a broadsword, i would have a very difficult time. Actually, it would be near impossible. Thus suckers are fast as hell and very small targets that climb like nobody's business. Only stealthy cats or dogs can usually attack them from surprise.

In DnD, assuming the squirrel and I started 30 feet apart on open ground, and I won initiative, i could then walk 30 feet to the squirrel, make a touch attack, possibly win whatever opposed roll needed, and pick it up. Before the squirrel moves.

Per the MM, although squirrel isn't specifically listed, it probably doesn't have higher than a 16 AC. A rat has 14, a cat has 14, a raven has 14. A rat moves 15' with +2 initiative. A cat moves 30' with +2 initiative. A raven flies 40' with +2 initiative.

I suppose my point is that when i started thinking about it, the rules didn't match the scenario of what might actually happen.

Maybe a squirrel would constantly be on Full Defense. It would have Lightning Reflexes, Improved Initiative, and max ranks in Spot, Listen. Even then, assuming the above, a 1st level commoner can roll well, bend over and grapple a squirrel.

If my line of reasoning is incorrect please tell me. I'm just trying to figure out rules that would adequately mirror what would happen. I can't imagine anyone actually catching a squirrel without a trap. DnD works well enough for hammering orcs and ogres, but tiny little animals should be much harder to hit than the rules suggest. Heck, some characters could even outrun the raven!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You can't grab a squirrel with your bare hands? The problem is you, grasshopper.

You'll have more fun if you try not to mix too much realism with D&D, trust me. Any turn-based game is going to have this sort of problem.

 

[Kesh]

Since you'd realistically have to step into its 5-foot box to touch it, I'd rule that the squirrel gets an attack of opportunity. And those suckers have sharp teeth.

 

[Talic]

Maybe the tiny fuzzy creatures have some crazy racial dodge bonus. Like +8 dodge against everything larger than it, except when the large creatures weild holy hand grenades.

 

[Echohawk]

There are stats (3.0 mind you) for a squirrel in Dragon #280, p61:

Squirel: CR -; Diminutive Animal; HD 1/4 d8; hp 1; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 10 ft., climb 15ft.; AC 17 (+4 size, +3 Dex); Atk none; SQ scent; Face 1 ft. by 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 2, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 14. Skills: Climb +15, Hide +22, Move Silently +11, Listen +9. Squirrels gain a +4 racial bonus to Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks.

With a Hide of +22, that 1st-level Commoner is going to have a fairly tough time spotting the average squirrel, let alone whack one with a broad sword. But with a some patient squirrel hunting, it should be possible...

 

[Nebulous]

Yeah, the Dnd combat is pretty abstract, although certainly fun enough in its own regard. Problems like this are sure to arise. The 3.0 stats for the squirrel sound decent, but i would modify it. To run full-tilt across a telephone wire 60' in the air requires some pretty kickbutt dexterity. i'd give the suckers like a 22 Dex, AND have them on Full Defense all the time. That would mirror the fact that owls and cats usually only catch them (rabbits too for that matter) by complete surprise. It's all about the Stealth vs. Notice.

 

[Ed Cha]

Any adventure that involves chasing around a squirrel sounds like a waste of time to me.

 

[Nebulous]

Any adventure that involves chasing around a squirrel sounds like a waste of time to me.

You've obviously never had an adventure based around squirrel chasing. All the best classic modules had at least one squirrel encounter.

 

[Samuel Leming]

Since you'd realistically have to step into its 5-foot box to touch it, I'd rule that the squirrel gets an attack of opportunity. And those suckers have sharp teeth.

Yeah, and squirrels also have a reputation for going for the nuts.



Sam

 

[Chimera]

Any adventure that involves chasing around a squirrel sounds like a waste of time to me.

Depends. What kind of treasure does that thing have?

I agree that they should have a higher Dex score. The 22 given above sounds about right, being what I was thinking reading the initial post. And naturally, they'd be on full defense against a Humanoid.

Bows, dear lads. Bows are what you need. Either that or traps. I used a live-trap in my old backyard to catch the little suckers, then killed and disposed of them. They were completely destroying my yard.