[DF] Big Bad Wolf

[Kalzazz]

The Timber Wolf model from allies is a 187pt weight class critter

Any idea what a 450pt weight class wolf would look like?

[roguebfl]

Well I would start with adding Breath Weapon: Gall force winds.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

The Timber Wolf model from allies is a 187pt weight class critter

Any idea what a 450pt weight class wolf would look like?

450 points is huge for an Ally. The Divine Servitors are the most powerful Allies presented in DF2, and while there are some spirits and demons that exceed that in DF9:Summoners (up to around 1000 points) I don't think those are intended as always-available Allies, but as occasional Summons.

That said, to "level up" that Timber Wolf there are a few paths you can follow. You could just start adding higher stats and skills, or use the Homebrew Monsters templates as a guideline. Or, you could start from a different "base" (such as the Standard Demon from DF9) and add traits on top. For example, to make a 450pt demonic Hellhound you could start with the Standard Demon [200] and add Hound of Hell [25], Disdain for Mere Spells [25], Blazing Breath [50], Horrendous Aspect [50], Shadow Guise [50], and two levels of Steel-Hard Skin (total DR 15) [50].

You could also combine the Homebrew Monsters with the DF9 starting template, replacing some of those 50-pt packages with the Monster templates. For instance, the Hellhound could be given Dire Beast (increased SM, DR and ST), Elegant Killer (DX and combat skill) and Hardy Brute (ST, HT, HP and DR).

[lexington]

You're playing a 900 point game?

Well no remotely normal wolf is going to be much good at that level. After bumping up the ST, DR, and speed you'll want start adding outright magic powers.

Affliction based Howls are a nice place to start. Consider bumping up IQ and letting it take techniques as well.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by lexington

You're playing a 900 point game?

I think he's just wondering what a 450 point wolf looks like.

Here's a thousand points of Big Bad Wolf :)

[Gold & Appel Inc]

As it happens, my PC actually has a 500-point wolf Ally in our high-powered DF game, which just completed Season 2 / Episode 2 yesterday. It's pretty ridiculous, gotta say. We started out by giving it human-level intelligence and skills comparable to a PC, then made it the size of a small horse, and still had a couple hundred points left over for outright magic powers (it's a "spirit guide" / "totem animal" with stuff like at-will Insubstantiality, Invisibility vs substantial, etc).

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

As it happens, my PC actually has a 500-point wolf Ally in our high-powered DF game, which just completed Season 2 / Episode 2 yesterday.

I'm curious how effective it is in combat. I find that most unarmed attackers are dogmeat in fantasy games. They attack, get parried, the defender makes his roll and gets in his free damage. They tend to get hacked up on the armed character's turn and on then on their turn when they try to attack.

Of course they can use Deceptive Attack, Feint, flanking, etc. but generally there is a steady chance of effectively self-inflicted injury.

So how does your 500 point wolf avoid that?

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

The Timber Wolf model from allies is a 187pt weight class critter

Any idea what a 450pt weight class wolf would look like?

Maybe something like the Wolf form of the Werewolf from Monster Hunters 3, but smarter.

[PseudoFenton]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

The Timber Wolf model from allies is a 187pt weight class critter

Any idea what a 450pt weight class wolf would look like?

Human level IQ, they have to be smart if you're going to be a challenging 450pt creature, otherwise they can be tricked pretty easily. I also find some levels in Disguise and Acting are pretty much essential for high cp wolves too, its very easy to misjudge their importance and give too little which pretty much defeats the entire investment, so make sure you get enough. Remember that a sheep is often an easier disguise for a wolf than an elderly person is, so if in doubt stick to the easy stuff.

But otherwise I'd just generally dial up all of the normal wolf characteristics to 11.
Lots of additional ST helps in all natural combat a wolf will be performing in, a size upgrade also seems prudent at that cp level which will make it cheaper.
You should also look into keeping its Move and Dodge up, again normal wolves harry their prey until they find an opening, so being able to stay out of harms way until that point is pretty much essential.
Make sure its got Night Vision at max or Dark Vision too.

Increase Brawling skill a lot so that it can make lots of deceptive attacks, boost Stealth as well so that it can get initial strikes in. A level or two of Silence might also work here, limited to only woodlands if you don't want it to be too supernatural.
Give it some techniques for targeting neck and limbs as those are favoured attacks.

Depending on how supernatural it is give it a lot more DR, if its still meant to be a normal animal make it Tough Skin. Increasing its HT will keep it alive for a lot longer too, but a few levels of Hard to Kill and Hard to Subdue would also really help here without inflating its HT too high so that poisons can still affect it.

If you're willing to go a little less mundane in its characteristics, give it a Terror (hearing) attack for a wolf howl that'll stun enemies before/during combat, Takes Extra Time might be needed for the classic long drawn out howl too. Make sure you invest in additional fright check penalties to get worthwhile results.
Also if you're finding damage still a little too weak, put in some more levels of Striking ST or even Weapon Master (Bite) to allow them to really chew through armour.

[starslayer]

oh hey additional info: this is the red riding hood 'big bad wolf'

So perhaps 'morph: cosmetic only, strange features- needs sample: must eat whole body'

Cause either the wolf could morph.

Red riding hood was more then mildly obtuse.

Grandma looked pretty wolfish.