Thursday, July 31, 2014

Intelligent Animals as Character Classes (Part II)



This post is a continuation from yesterday's post regarding my thoughts for intelligent animals as character classes (specifically for BX/LL editions).

I'm thinking that as many different animals need to be covered off in as little space as possible (given the sheer variety and species of animals available). That being said, I'm thinking that some kind of chart is called for... specifically something in the order of the one pictured below.



In the chart, the XP Chart Indications of A, B, and C are to coordinate with specially-designed XP charts, but I'm assuming most classes will fall into one of about a half-dozen charts. Please note that the chart shown below is a working concept only, and the numbers/notations are by no means meant to be final.

General thoughts?

2 comments:

  1. I love how ligers are bred for their magical powers.

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  2. (You left off Puma and Snow Leopard)

    Do the published monster stats for the big-cats all really differ that much? (My books are all still in boxes.)
    Charting all of creation like this seems like it would get old. ... But, on the other hand, creating a reference that required cross-referencing a book on biological speciation would be crummy too.

    Maybe approach it in a combined way: categorize animals by Family (or Genus),
    ... give them all the same characteristics, ...list a few examples,
    ..
    Then (rather than statting a bunch of animals all the same) let it be understood that if someone wants to PC an Ocelot, it's going to stat like a Lynx or a Bobcat.
    ..
    Hopefully that makes it small, but still intuitive ... and provides room to describe animals with interesting exceptions. (e.g., Liger, Flying Squirrel, Owl, Beaver)


    P.S. Mountain Lions are Cougars. You have the other members of subfamily Felinae saving as thieves.

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