Animal Party

[hemming]

I have been thinking about making a short adventure where the party gets turned into animals while travelling. The party would lose all class features/abilities etc. outside of WIS and INT. They would still be able to speak to each other (and other animals) as in Homeward Bound or Babe.

I want them to solve a few puzzles and get out of a few scrapes by working together before reverting to normal, but I'm having trouble coming up with clever ideas

The party would consist of a raven, a goat and a cow/bull

The raven is able to fly, spot and pick up objects under two pounds or so

The goat is able to chew through things, kick things over and (to a lesser extent) head butt

The cow would be able to charge/bull rush to knock over larger objects/people (as well as kick things over) and could probably start a stampede if other animals are around

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I feel like this could be a fun diversion (the image of the raven stealing a set of keys from a commoner and luring him into position to get butted into a river or the goat chewing through a rope holding a chandelier to put the hurt on some NPCs are both fun) - help me crowdsourcing!

[dysprosium]

Years and years ago now, I ran an adventure based on Watership Down (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watership_Down_(film)) (the movie version not the book). It was an early part of my grand campaign.

All of the characters were turned into rabbits (not sure of stat adjustments off hand but they retained their Int, Wis, and Cha). They still got to keep a lot of their class features and what not though.

Basically, they had to help the main characters of the story move and find their new warren. The only thing I changed from the main storyline was adding a half fiend dire wolf as the final boss.

My group had fun with it. Even today they still talk about some of the highlights of that adventure.

And in all of my campaigns since then there is always some reference to the poem "Where are you going stream? Far far away."

[Ydaer Ca Noit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Musicians_of_Bremen

[hemming]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Musicians_of_Bremen

If I had these guys come upon a group of bandits counting up loot I'm pretty sure the next few hours would involve some crazy plan on how to transport the loot as animals or stash it for later - though that could be fun too

[Zweisteine]

The raven is able to fly, spot and pick up objects under two pounds or so

The goat is able to chew through things, kick things over and (to a lesser extent) head butt

The cow would be able to charge/bull rush to knock over larger objects/people (as well as kick things over) and could probably start a stampede if other animals are around
The best way to deal with this is to use the polymorph rules. Just stick that on the characters, and you're set. This post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11444681#post11444681) (and the rest of that thead) will tell you everything you need to know to avoid making mistakes regarding changes due to polymorph.

A raven (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/raven.htm) can carry 3 pounds or less as a light load (any more, and it can't fly).

The stats for a bison (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bison.htm) are suitable for use for a bull, though maybe not a cow. I'd recommend aganst a cow, because it is such a large animal (and not quite graceful), and any logically-thinking low-wealth NPC they encounter would be likely to attempt to capture it to sell.

I couldn't find anything for a goat in 3.5, but I did find PF stats (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/herd-animals/goat).

Just make sure that the players are okay with it first. I wouldn't want to be automatically turned into an animal with no chance to resist.

[Fax Celestis]

FWIW, animals are completely viable in a standard party (https://web.archive.org/web/20070505014943/http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19544).

[hemming]

Yeah they'll be fine - we've been playing together for years and they know that I wouldn't arbitrarily turn them into animals for more than a few hours and that I'm not doing it just to screw with them

I'm not really too concerned with the mechanics of how this is going to work - but more with some interesting challenges to give them

I thought about taking the bison and tweaking it a bit - I'll probably just substitute an animal I feel looks about right for the goat

[gurgleflep]

I think this may be of some help :smallsmile:

If you are willing to buy a pdf, I've heard good things about The Noble Wild - a 3rd party supplement based entirely on animals as PCs. It comes in three versions: 3.5 D&D, d20 Modern and Pathfinder.

http://i44.tinypic.com/2cfa4iq.jpg

[Mitchellnotes]

FWIW, animals are completely viable in a standard party (https://web.archive.org/web/20070505014943/http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19544).

Worg warlock, shoot laser beams out of your mouth. Not sure why, but i find that image hilarious.

[Red Fel]

Worg warlock, shoot laser beams out of your mouth. Not sure why, but i find that image hilarious.

This, though.

You can explain the PCs losing their abilities if they revolve around weapons, or being able to speak, or having hands for wild gesturing.

But certain classes, like Warlocks, Incarnates, and Psions, don't need that stuff. They'd keep their abilities regardless. How will you explain that part away?

Heck, even a Monk would theoretically retain his abilities, although Flurry of Blows doesn't work with natural attacks; ToB classes should still be able to execute stances, even if some of their maneuvers don't function.

I think you'll need a certain suspension of disbelief if you want the players to set their character sheets aside for a session or two.

Alternatively, make it a one-shot, separate from the current campaign.

[dysprosium]

I think this may be of some help :smallsmile:

Noble Wild is a great supplement. I've used it plenty of times myself.


This, though.

You can explain the PCs losing their abilities if they revolve around weapons, or being able to speak, or having hands for wild gesturing.

But certain classes, like Warlocks, Incarnates, and Psions, don't need that stuff. They'd keep their abilities regardless. How will you explain that part away?

Heck, even a Monk would theoretically retain his abilities, although Flurry of Blows doesn't work with natural attacks; ToB classes should still be able to execute stances, even if some of their maneuvers don't function.

I think you'll need a certain suspension of disbelief if you want the players to set their character sheets aside for a session or two.

Alternatively, make it a one-shot, separate from the current campaign.

I agree with Red Fel here. Certain classes should be able to keep certain abilities.

When I ran my Watership Down adventure there were two Rogues in the party and their sneak attacks saved the day on a couple of occasions.

[Red Fel]

And really, if you want to play an animal party game, consider taking Dyspro's Watership Down idea up to eleven - GURPS has a setting called Bunnies and Burrows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GURPS_Bunnies_%26_Burrows) based on the book/movie. (Technically, the GURPS setting was based on the original setting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunnies_and_Burrows), which was based on Watership Down.) Further, because it's GURPS, a smart player can bring in all sorts of stuff- Vampire!Bunnies, Cyborg!Bunnies, Kung-Fu!Bunnies, whatever strikes your fancy.

[hemming]

Well, the classes are cleric, beguiler and fighter (tier 4 game)

But I don't see how a goat can cast a spell...

Warlock goat? Psionic Goat?

[Red Fel]

Well, the classes are cleric, beguiler and fighter (tier 4 game)

But I don't see how a goat can cast a spell...

Warlock goat? Psionic Goat?

Goat with Still and Silent Spell metamagic feats? Throw on Eschew Materials for good measure, and you can cast without verbal or somatic components, or certain material components.

And now your goat can be a Tier 1. Enjoy.

EDIT: All seriousness, if you really want to throw things into disarray, make the Fighter the bird. He will be in the physically weakest, but tactically most valuable form - a strange juxtaposition for a melee type.

And as an aside, a Cleric is not Tier 4, unless the player works hard to nerf himself.

[hemming]

Alternatively, make it a one-shot, separate from the current campaign.

That's more or less what I'm planning to do - I'm a little burned out on the main story and just want to do something completely different for a part of a session. Thought it would be neat/fun

I want them to play as characters trapped in an animals body - not so much as animals with character classes. Just plain old animals. More like being mind swapped with a goat than transformed into a goat I suppose

I don't want to put them in combat situations. This is a real RP heavy, puzzle solving sort - I thought it might be fun for them to express their characters personalities through an animal and work together to solve some challenges.

I also throw all RAW out the window when Gods interfere with mortals (especially non-epic mortals) and the players know this. I know - gods have been given stats and what not now but that's not how cosmology should work. If you hate DMs who do this, then you probably would hate me occasionally .

[hemming]

Goat with Still and Silent Spell metamagic feats? Throw on Eschew Materials for good measure, and you can cast without verbal or somatic components, or certain material components.

And now your goat can be a Tier 1. Enjoy.

I know it can be done - but that ain't in the cards for this goat. Only in a world where goats can take feats

Edit: All the players work really hard to nerf themselves! We are the lowest of the low on the op totem pole

[gurgleflep]

Noble Wild is a great supplement. I've used it plenty of times myself.

I haven't gotten to use it yet, but it's an available option at almost all games I play in either as a player or DM :smalltongue:

[Phelix-Mu]

"Kung-fu bunnies!"

/thread:smallbiggrin:

[hemming]

So, based on the overwhelmingly negative reaction...I've decided to run this idea past the whole party at our next Sunday session to see if they would be into it first.

I know, I know - people show up to play D&D, not oddball DMs weird idea of the week

I still don't have any good ideas for what situations to actually put them in anyway (and am really not interested in animals with class levels)