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Leperflesh
2006-09-10, 06:09 AM
Description:
Chittermonks are small, furry woodland creatures which climb trees, gather nuts and berries, frolic in sunbeams, and otherwise act in a gregarious and generally cute manner. They have short brown fur with two black stripes running down their backs, and a short stubby tail which may be wiggled cutely. They weigh less than a pound and, while they taste fine, are usually far more trouble than they are worth, to hunt.

Chittermonks have an infuriating habit of chattering loudly and incessantly at one another, in a seemingly endless tirade of essentially meaningless noise.

A lone Chittermonk usually remains silent, or may chatter for a few seconds at most. However, any time there are at least two Chittermonks within 60 feet, there is a 20% chance every 10 minutes that they will begin a bout of Irritating Chittering with each other. Such sessions last for 1d8x10 minutes. Chittermonks rest for short periods and then awake and engage in activity throughout the day and night, and may be heard Irritating Chittering at each other potentially at any time. However, inclement weather such as heavy rain, snow, or cold will drive them into their nests and burrows.

Chittermonks which are harassed or attacked in any way do not stop their Irritating Chittering according to the above roll. See Combat for details, below.

Stats:

Chittermonk
Diminutive Animal
Hit Dice: žd8 (1 hp)
Initiative: + 2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 dex), touch 16, flatfooted 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0 (size)/-12
Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: +3 bite melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Irritating Chittering
Special Qualities: -
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +15, Hide +16, Move Silently +4, Jump +10,
Feats: Stealthy, Skill focus (Climb)
Environment: any Forest
Organization: single, pair, troop (3-9), plague (10-100), apocalypse (100-1,000)
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: none
Alignment: always N
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

Animal traits (low-light vision)

Irritating Chittering (Ex)
One or more Chittermonks may engage in Irritating Chittering at will. The Chittermonk produces a constant, noisy chattering, shifting in pitch and frequency just enough to really get into your head. Anyone within 60’ of a Chittermonk engaging in Irritating Chittering must make a Will save, DC 10 + 1 additional for each additional Chittermonk within earshot (max DC=26), or be Irritated. (This save is CHA-based). If this save is successful, the creature gains immunity from Irritating Chittering for a period of 1d6x10 minutes (or until the number of Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering within 60’ increases by 4 or more, at which point a new check must be made).

Creatures which posess the Rage ability are forced to begin a Rage if they become Irritated, and fail an additional Will save at the same DC. They must remain in Rage until either the Irritation expires, or, their maximum rage duration is completed.

Irritated creatures receive a -2 Irritation penalty against all skill checks they attempt, and in addition suffer -1 Irritation penalties to charisma, wisdom, and intelligence modifiers. The creature remains Irritated for as long as he continues to hear Chittermonks engaging in Irritating Chittering; or until 1d6x10 minutes pass, at which time he may attempt a new Will save.

If an Irritated creature attempts to rest, sleep, trance, or study, an additional Will check, with a DC equal to the first Will save +4, must be made or all such activities are impossible. If this check is successful, the character may perform such activities (but still retains the base -2 penalty to skills). If the check fails, the creature is unable to perform that activity for 10 minutes (or until out of earshot of Irritating Chittering Chittermonks), after which he can attempt another save.

Irritated creatures attempting to cast any spell which would require a Concentration check if the character took damage in combat, must make a Concentration check vs. the DC of the base Irritating Chittering Will check, or suffer spell failure.

Creatures can avoid having to take Will saves or any penalties from Irritating Chittering by muffling their ears or blocking out sound, sufficient that they can no longer hear the Irritating Chittering.

Constructs, mindless creatures, and creatures immune to sonic affects are also immune to Irritating Chittering.

Combat
Chittermonks are completely herbivorous and essentially harmless, and will quickly scamper away from any threat. Their instinct is to climb a tree to gain safety – if persued into the tree branches, they will attempt to hide. Only if cornered or caught will they then attempt to use their sharp little rodent teeth to bite their way to freedom. A chittermonk actively being persued always begins Irritating Chittering, and if able to escape, will usually perch from its inaccessibly high branch or knothole and scold its harasser relentlessly. If other Chittermonks witness such a chase, they will always also join in the scolding. If an enemy then attempts to leave the area, chittermonks will attempt to persue, jumping from limb to limb in the forest canopy. They will persue for a few hundred feet, before giving up and returning to their own home trees. However, additional chittermonks may be encountered along the way, and these may take up the chase – in this way, carrying on the harassment for possibly miles and hours after an incident.

Skills
Chittermonks have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Chittermonks use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.
[hr]
I think I got the calculations right on this one. As always your feedback is requested, negative or positive. Thanks

-Lep

[hr]
This is a submission for the Monster in the Playground (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11557461 87) project.
[hr]
Edits made 9.12.2006 based on feedback. Also fixed the rule about attempting to sleep/trance/etc., because I had made an error (it should be, you can't do it for 10 minutes. It was, you are irritated for 10 minutes, which didn't make sense).

asromta
2006-09-10, 07:41 AM
Interesting creature. It won't kill any party, but why should every monster do so?

Would the Irritating Chittering ability be capable of automaticly triggering Rage?

MitP Vote: Yes

Leperflesh
2006-09-10, 02:48 PM
Ooh. That's an interesting idea. I'm not sure I'd want to do that, though - a level 1 party shouldn't have their barbarian lose his only daily rage from a sub-CR-1 encounter. On the other hand... it makes sense.

-Lep

NullAshton
2006-09-10, 03:34 PM
I need to put one of these in the wizard's sleeping bag. Hehe.

Eighth_Seraph
2006-09-10, 03:35 PM
I like this creature a lot, mostly because it's an animal that's essentially a non-combatant, yet it can still be used as a good plothook. An apocalypse of chittermunks? That's awesome. Throw in a pack of wolves and you've got an awesome battle ahead.

MitP vote: Yes

Lord Iames Osari
2006-09-10, 04:52 PM
I second the rage-triggering. And I think that you should be able to end your irritation by killing the chittermunks.

MitP Vote: Yes.

Leperflesh
2006-09-10, 07:13 PM
Note the duration of Irritation in the text: if you no longer hear the chittering, it ends immediately. Therefore, killing them is effective.

Due to popular demand, I'm throwing in rage-triggering, but it's not automatic... I'll allow an additional Will save. Of course, barbarians usually don't have the highest Will saves around... but at least there's a decent chance if there's not too many Chittermonks going at it.

-Lep

Lord Iames Osari
2006-09-10, 07:20 PM
Oh. Missed that; I thought you stayed irritated for 1d6x10 minutes, even if you killed the things.

The Demented One
2006-09-12, 08:23 PM
I like it, but a few issues. First, the range of the chittering seems too big. 30-60 ft. would probably be better. Secondly, the DC for the chittering is way overblown. Going by the standard formula, and assuming it is Cha based, it should only be DC 6. Fix this stuff up, and you've got my vote--'tis an excellent concept.

Eighth_Seraph
2006-09-12, 08:27 PM
Maybe the range for the chitterin should become larger once a certain amount of chittermunks chitter together? Synergy applies to sound y'know; after a point, 1+1 starts equaling 3

Leperflesh
2006-09-12, 08:40 PM
Hmm.

I based the range entirely on how far away my local chipmunks are and still manage to wake me up at 5:30 in the morning on saturday when I've only gone to bed at 2:30 and I really needed to get some damn sleep but they just won't shut up...

Yeah. Anyway, hmm. Some trees are taller than 30 feet, but, maybe 100 feet is too far. I'll drop it down to 60 as a compromise?

As for the DC... I admit I just made one up based on how hard I felt it should be. Maybe I'll base it on their CON, with the idea being a healthier Chittermunk is louder and more robust than an unhealthy one? So, with CON 11, that's +0, so a base DC of 10? Is that reasonable?

-Lep

The Demented One
2006-09-12, 08:41 PM
As for the DC... I admit I just made one up based on how hard I felt it should be. Maybe I'll base it on their CON, with the idea being a healthier Chittermunk is louder and more robust than an unhealthy one? So, with CON 11, that's +0, so a base DC of 10? Is that reasonable?
Problem is, effects like this are almost universally Cha based. Why not just bump the Cha up to 10?

Leperflesh
2006-09-12, 08:45 PM
Hmm. I guess I could do that. I just figured these guys were so hate-inspiring that they couldn't possibly be considered cute. Rats have a very low CHA score too.

But maybe you're right. It does't really affect anything else for them to have a CHA of 10.

-Lep

-edit-
OK, I made the suggested change. New CHA is 10, and save is now CHA based. Thanks D1