D&D 3E/3.5 Converting monsters from Mayfair Games Role Aids product line

[Cleon]

Since it's a magical hybrid, it should be a magical beast, not an animal.

Yes, I wondered about that, but "Magical beasts usually have supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but sometimes are merely bizarre in appearance or habits." and the Elite Giant Rats' abilities don't include anything that would be unusual for a mundane creature.

Come to think of it, all I've got on their origins is that they're a "crossbreed" that was "specifically bred by Greasel Greedigutt". I don't actually know whether said Greedigutt is a spellcaster, they could have been created using some kind of genetic splicing.

Besides, I wanted to make them Dire and it's less of a stretch if it's an Animal.

So, I'm leaving them Animals for the time being, but will change "magical hybrid" to "strange crossbreed" and leave their provenance unstated.

That said, if Shade or Freyar fancies them being Magical Beasts too, I'd be happy to change them since I'm not 100% decided on the Type. Of course it'll make them a little tougher in the process, which is not to be sneered at...

It's just a matter of 3d10+6 hit dice, 22 hit points, +3/+7 BAB/Grapple, +7 bite & +2 claw attacks and tweaking the Dire SQ to a "Dire Beast".

Updated.

 

[Cleon]

I've added the following to the working draft:

Ratbeast: A ratbear is considered a dire rat for all abilities that have a special effect against rats, such as a wererat's rat empathy.

Updated.

 

[freyar]

Isn't "semi-" intelligent more like Int 3 than Int 2? That would make them magical beasts by itself.

 

[Shade]

Isn't "semi-" intelligent more like Int 3 than Int 2? That would make them magical beasts by itself.

Indeed.

I had a ratbear once...I believe it was A&W or Barqs.

 

[Cleon]

Isn't "semi-" intelligent more like Int 3 than Int 2? That would make them magical beasts by itself.

We've covered this ground before.

In AD&D "Semi-intelligence" was Int 2-4 and "Animal Intelligence" was Int 1. However, there are plenty of animals (e.g. bears, most great cats) that are Semi-Intelligent in AD&D which have Int 2 in 3rd Edition.

 

[Shade]

We've covered this ground before.

In AD&D "Semi-intelligence" was Int 2-4 and "Animal Intelligence" was Int 1. However, there are plenty of animals (e.g. bears, most great cats) that are Semi-Intelligent in AD&D which have Int 2 in 3rd Edition.

Regardless, my vote's for Int 3 and magical beast.

 

[Cleon]

Regardless, my vote's for Int 3 and magical beast.

I've already said I'm OK with Magical Beast, so am happy to change that. Might as well put the "magical hybrid" bit back in while I'm at it.

Int 3 still seems unnecessary but I'll stick it in anyway, mainly because it makes very little difference to the creature's stats. I'll cut Charisma to 4 to keep it 3 odd & 3 even stats.

Updated.

 

[freyar]

That looks pretty good to me.

 

[Shade]

I'd make Ratbeast an (Ex) ability, and change "Direbeast" to simply "Dire (Ex)" like we normally have done.

Dire (Ex): A ratbear is considered to be a dire animal for the purposes of saving throws.

 

[Cleon]

I'd make Ratbeast an (Ex) ability...

I guess so, a Half-Elf's "Elven Blood" trait has a similar function and is (Ex).

Updated.

..., and change "Direbeast" to simply "Dire (Ex)" like we normally have done.

Dire (Ex): A ratbear is considered to be a dire animal for the purposes of saving throws.

Haven't we had this argument before?

I prefer Dire Beast because (a) it makes a distinction between a standard Dire Animal and a Magical Beast with dire saves and (b) I just think "Dire Beast" sounds better than "Dire" on itself, which could just infer it's awful.