Looking for Template

[Lyndworm]

Do any of you know of a template applicable to animals or magical beasts that raises sizes? I found a Dire Animal template online, but I wanted to check with yiou guys tio find out if there was an "official" (non-homebrew) template.

If no such template exists, do you happen to know of any homebrews that sound similar? Id really like to explore my options here. Thanks a lot.

[SilentNight]

There are two templates in savage species I believe. One is the Feral creature which is much better than size increase in my opinion ( huge stat boosts, pounce and better natural weapons for only +1 LA.) There is also one called the either Titanic or Gargantuan creature which makes a Toad Huge sized if I remember correctly.

[Lyndworm]

I'm really only looking for something that boosts a creature two sizes, three tops. Feral sounds cool, but it's not what I'm looking for. The Titanic templat increases size by at least four, which is too much for my needs. Sorry I'm being such a pain, and thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[Xefas]

Can't you just advance their hit dice? There are rules for that, you know.

For instance, if you advance a Wolf two more hit dice, it becomes Large sized and gains +8 STR, +4 CON, +2 Natural Armor, and takes a -2 penalty to DEX. The ad hoc guidelines also say this raises its CR by +2 (technically +1 and 2/3rds).

[bugsysservant]

Can't you just advance their hit dice? There are rules for that, you know.

For instance, if you advance a Wolf two more hit dice, it becomes Large sized and gains +8 STR, +4 CON, +2 Natural Armor, and takes a -2 penalty to DEX. The ad hoc guidelines also say this raises its CR by +2 (technically +1 and 2/3rds).

Don't you always round down though? I was under the impression that in D&D 1.9999999999999=1

[Xefas]

Don't you always round down though? I was under the impression that in D&D 1.9999999999999=1

It doesn't actually say "+1 2/3rd"; I was simplifying.

In truth, it says that if a monster's size changes from medium to large it gains +1 CR. And, if the monster is an animal and gains 3 HD, it goes up +1 CR. However, my example only advanced it 2 HD.

Also, in some instances you round up. It just ticked midnight here, though, so I'm not going to look for a specific example.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Doubling up on the templates like a Feral Werebear could do it.

[FlyMolo]

Do any of you know of a template applicable to animals or magical beasts that raises sizes? I found a Dire Animal template online, but I wanted to check with yiou guys tio find out if there was an "official" (non-homebrew) template.

If no such template exists, do you happen to know of any homebrews that sound similar? Id really like to explore my options here. Thanks a lot.

You can really just advance them in HD.

Or, add a number of HD equal to the number of size increases, then apply size mods to stats. That would be a quick and dirty way of achieving huge rats and the like without boosting the CR into space.

[Lyndworm]

Thanks again, Mike, for your willingness to help, but that won't work because the Lycanthrope template doesn't apply to animals or magical beasts, only humanoids and giants. I am doubling (or tripling, if necessary) up on templates, though. They increase power and give new abilities, but don't increase size or Hit Dice.

I'm trying to advance a small creature to large (hopefully) or huge (this will work if it has to) size. The creature in question doesn't gain more Hit Dice through its advancement according to the SRD. Therefore, I'm looking for a template that will accomplish this goal. Thank you all so much for your suggestions, but the HD-route is incompatible.

If you're a member of my gaming group, please do not look at the spoiler. For those of you with whom I do not game, take a gander at the cost of your own sanity.

Spoiler

Show

I'm making a giant (hopefully), fiendish, half-dragon, Dachshund (wiener-dog). This beast is surprisingly powerful, though not very sturdy. I'm looking to increase the size and HD so that it will gain hit points and flight (Only large or larger sized half-dragons get wings.)

In case you're wondering how I got the stats for a Dachshund in D&D, I took the stats for a dog (which is any breed between 20-50lbs, and full-sized Dachshunds are about 25-35lbs), cut the speed in half, and removed the racial Jump bonus.

[Benejeseret]

Isn't there a Titanic template....makes anything into a uber-colossal monstrosity?

Nothing says fun like a 50' awakened squire collecting villagers.

[SoD]

I assume you meant squirrel rather than squire there?

And also, I could be wrong, but the Legendary Animal template...does that make them bigger as well Or just uber?

[Mewtarthio]

So, you want to turn a small-sized animal into a large-sized one without the ability to advance by RHD? That's simple enough: Just awaken it and give it seven levels in PsiWar. Give him the expansion power. Now, as a standard action, he can become large-sized for seven rounds. Combat's not likely to last much longer than that, so you can simply subtract seven power points from his total and have him permanently expanded without much change in CR.

Spoiler

Show

Or you could just give him the Winged template. He won't be bigger than a human, if that's what you want, but if you only want him large-sized for the wings, then it works out fine.

[Squash Monster]

Ignore the hit-dice advancement field on the SRD. It's there to explain natural advancement of the creature. A real rat won't get to Huge through normal growth, but advancing it that way is still the best way to get a Huge rat.

If you look in the Advancing Monsters section of the SRD, you'll notice near the bottom that it says how many hit dice it takes to raise the CR of the creature, based on the creature's type. Get enough hit dice to raise the CR the same number as the number of steps you'll raise size by. Once you've done that, raise the size using the table from the same chapter.

Once you've done that, you should have a fairly convincing large animal.

[Lyndworm]

Isn't there a Titanic template....makes anything into a uber-colossal monstrosity?

Nothing says fun like a 50' awakened squire collecting villagers.

There is indeed a Titanic template, but it automatically makes the creature Gargantuan. I would prefer Large, Huge at best.

I assume you meant squirrel rather than squire there?

And also, I could be wrong, but the Legendary Animal template...does that make them bigger as well Or just uber?

It gives them lots of cool new powers and a major stat upgrade, but it doesn't increase size or Hit Dice.

So, you want to turn a small-sized animal into a large-sized one without the ability to advance by RHD? That's simple enough: Just awaken it and give it seven levels in PsiWar. Give him the expansion power. Now, as a standard action, he can become large-sized for seven rounds. Combat's not likely to last much longer than that, so you can simply subtract seven power points from his total and have him permanently expanded without much change in CR.

Spoiler

Show

Or you could just give him the Winged template. He won't be bigger than a human, if that's what you want, but if you only want him large-sized for the wings, then it works out fine.

We're not using any psionics, though... My bad, I should've mentioned that before. Sorry about that.

The answer to your spoiler comment: (Do not read it, group members.)

Spoiler

Show

The flavor and abilities that the Half-Dragon template adds is pretty much essential. Additionally, I do indeed want the creature to be larger than a medium creature for reasons other than the flight granted. Thanks, though.

Ignore the hit-dice advancement field on the SRD. It's there to explain natural advancement of the creature. A real rat won't get to Huge through normal growth, but advancing it that way is still the best way to get a Huge rat.

If you look in the Advancing Monsters section of the SRD, you'll notice near the bottom that it says how many hit dice it takes to raise the CR of the creature, based on the creature's type. Get enough hit dice to raise the CR the same number as the number of steps you'll raise size by. Once you've done that, raise the size using the table from the same chapter.

Once you've done that, you should have a fairly convincing large animal.

That's probably what I'll do, actually, but I'd like to try and find a "legal" way of doing it, if you understand what I mean.

Thank you guys so much for all of this, but I still hunger for that sweet, useless knowledge. I truly appreciate the effort you've put into this so far.

[RTGoodman]

I homebrewed a template for this exact thing a couple of months back. I think some of the charts are off a little, but someone probably corrected them. I just haven't gotten around to fixing them.

Prehistoric Creature [Template]

By the way, it doesn't really have anything to do with Prehistoric stuff, I just needed a name for a template that made animals big (a la King Kong and stuff like that).

[CASTLEMIKE]

I'm trying to advance a small creature to large (hopefully) or huge (this will work if it has to) size. The creature in question doesn't gain more Hit Dice through its advancement according to the SRD. Therefore, I'm looking for a template that will accomplish this goal. Thank you all so much for your suggestions, but the HD-route is incompatible.

Spoiler

Show

I'm making a giant (hopefully), fiendish, half-dragon, Dachshund (wiener-dog). This beast is surprisingly powerful, though not very sturdy. I'm looking to increase the size and HD so that it will gain hit points and flight (Only large or larger sized half-dragons get wings.)

In case you're wondering how I got the stats for a Dachshund in D&D, I took the stats for a dog (which is any breed between 20-50lbs, and full-sized Dachshunds are about 25-35lbs), cut the speed in half, and removed the racial Jump bonus.

Sorry it didn't help. Not sure if this will help either but since you mentioned the dog: There were the shapechanging animals the Hengeyokai from Oriental Adventures: Animal like Dog (Small) to Human (Medium) or Monkey (Tiny) to Human (Medium).

Interestingly there were also cats. D&D has the various winged cats (FRCS one was something like Tessalym? (spelling))

They were originally +1 LA Shape changing animals in Oriental Adventures but Dragon magazine made them +0LA and changed them to shapechanger humanoids so just use which ever works better for you.

Add Enlarge Person (humanoids) and make it permanent (Med to Large and now they get the half dragon wings in humanoid form.

Original spell research for Alter Animal based off the Alter Self spell would increase the size of an animal by one category and it would also allow the addition of wings without needing to be large.

[Lyndworm]

1. The reason I've only mentioned "the dog" in spoilers so far is because I didn't want members of my gaming group to see what I'm planning. Thanks for blowing it. :P (No biggie, everybody makes mistakes, and I'm sure you'll see me screw up pretty soon.)

2. The cats intrigue me. I may look them up for a different encounter.

3. I'm afraid that I own neither OA nor the Dragon Magazine of which you speak. However, I don't think that they'd help much either. Going with cheesed up player-race that involves compromising the flavor of the creature is, in my oppinion, worse than homebrewing a template.

Thank you very much anyway. I really appreciate you lending me some knowledge. I think I'm just going to apply the Dire template I found, because it ups Hit Dice and size.

Thank you all so very much, and I'm sorry for wasting your time. I'll post back with the finished creature's stats and information sometime later.

[Irreverent Fool]

It seems you've already made up your mind, but I thought that it bears mentioning that if you're the DM, you don't have to be restricted by the existing templates and rules. I understand that you want a 'legal' way to accomplish your goal. That doesn't have to mean a template.

I would just increase its size via DM fiat. You must already have an explanation for this thing to be this large. Why scrounge around? If you're increasing its size by two categories, simply check out the size chart in the improving monsters section of the MM or the SRD and apply the bonuses.

Alternately, apply animal growth to the creature (the spell lists the same changes to statistics based on size).

For a small increasing to large, your net stat modifiers would be +12 str, -4 dex, +6 con, +2 natural armor, -2 armor class, -2 hit. Given the nature of the creature, I doubt it'd have reach. So all you have to do is apply the modifers and away you go.

If you're concerned about 'legality', bear in mind that the section mentions giving new abilities to creatures and calculating CRs. You're expected to mess around with your monsters beyond mere templates.

Spoiler

Show

Most quadrupeds don't have reach.

[Lyndworm]

What do you guys think of this?

Spoiler

Show

Fiendish Half-Dragon Dachshund

Size/Type: Large Dragon (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 5d12+2 (32)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20ft (Four squares)
Fly Speed: 40ft (Average) (Eight Squares)
Armor Class: 19 (Size -2, Dex +4, +7 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+4
Attack: Bite +2 (1d8+1) (-2 Attack)
Full Attack: Two Claws (1d6) and Bite +2 (1d8+1) (-2 Attack)
Space/Reach: 10ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Smite Good (Su): Once per day a Fiendish Half-Dragon Dachshund can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD total (maximum of +20) against a good foe. Breath Weapon (Su): Once per day a Fiendish Half-Dragon Dachshund can expel a 30ft cone of fire from its mouth, doing 6d8 points of damage.
Special Qualities: Low-light Vision, Scent, Darkvision 60ft, immune to Sleep and Paralysis, Resistance to Cold 5, Immunity to Fire, Spell Resistance 10, Damage Resistance 5/magic
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 33, Dex 13, Con 29, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Jump +7, Listen +7, Spot +7, Survival +7~, Balance +4, Hide +4, Intimidate +4, Move Silently +4, Sense Motive +4, Speak Language (Abyssal, Dwarven, Elven, Human, Orc), Swim +4, Tumble +4
Feats: Alertness, Track, Hover, Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Awesome Blow,
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: N/A
Level Adjustment: N/A

+4 Racial bonus on Hide checks.
~+4 Racial bonus on Survival checks made while tracking by scent

Any opinion whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Looks good mechanically. You could take something like the Air Drake Large CR6 and change Gaseous Form to a Dragon Breath attack or Fireball to.

http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-....pl?Drake,_Air