Big Cats & Other Animals

[timm meyers]

wow I think the idea of giving wild animals various levels of U.C. is BRILLIENT! Basically you equate "claws" as per level of U.C.
Remove all damage dice and just go by bare hand ST chart with claw I, II, or III Which is equal to U.C. I, II, or III (even IV or V if you want bigger than bear claw mutant sabre lions...)

You no longer need fur armor (which I personally think is visually silly) as the U.C. always on Evade grants -DX defense and far more reflective of a quick agile wolf, cat, or even bear.
Change the Kick to a HtH only "throat bite or belly rip" attack still keeping all adjustments.
Yes! shield rush yes! of course it titles "pounce or rush" instead of throw

Common Wolf ST-10 DX-14 with Claws I = does reg. snapping attack 1d-2, HtH throat bite(-4DX kick but +4DX HtH = 0 change) 1d damage

Timber Wolf ST-10 DX-14 with Claws II = reg. attack 1d-1, HtH throat bite (-2DX but +4DX HtH = +2DX) 1d+2 Plus they are -1DX to hit from front and deflect 1 hit, and can "Rush" for knockdown

Dire wolf ST-10 DX-14 with Claws III =reg. attack 1d, HtH throat bite (-1DX but +4DX = +3DX) 2d !!!! Plus -2DX to hit and deflect 2hits (not liking the armor aspect so much but...) and their "Rush" attack is a 4d6 defense roll to fall or not

A pack of 10 Strength timber wolves with an alpha dire wolf would be so much more potent and fun this way I think.

Tiger - ST-24 DX-14 with Claw II? = reg. attack 1d+4 (is that a 2d6+1?), HtH throat rip is +3DX at 1d+7! (or 3d+1) yikes

OK maybe claws this way might be a bit too scary come the large ST animals but probably far more true to life. Hmmmm?

[Shostak]

Do you let animals pin, too, so that those that hunt in packs can work cooperatively to first render human foes helpless and then slaughter them?

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by timm meyers

wow I think the idea of giving wild animals various levels of U.C. is BRILLIENT! Basically you equate "claws" as per level of U.C.
Remove all damage dice and just go by bare hand ST chart with claw I, II, or III Which is equal to U.C. I, II, or III (even IV or V if you want bigger than bear claw mutant sabre lions...)

You no longer need fur armor (which I personally think is visually silly) as the U.C. always on Evade grants -DX defense and far more reflective of a quick agile wolf, cat, or even bear.
Change the Kick to a HtH only "throat bite or belly rip" attack still keeping all adjustments.
Yes! shield rush yes! of course it titles "pounce or rush" instead of throw

You would still want those other things, like fur armor and claw damage, because they can still attack and be attacked while not in HTH.

Tiger in cage. Guard gets to close. Tiger reaches through bars and swipes at guard, hits and drops him. Second guard comes near with spear and stabs at Tiger doing some damage while fur stops some damage.



I like this approach of levels of species Claw Talent. Perhaps something like this is in the upcoming Beastiary?

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Do you let animals pin, too, so that those that hunt in packs can work cooperatively to first render human foes helpless and then slaughter them?

The fictional wolf attacks generally have one animal jumping the target from behind and the rest piling on.

[timm meyers]

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB

You would still want those other things, like fur armor and claw damage, because they can still attack and be attacked while not in HTH.


Tiger in cage. Guard gets to close. Tiger reaches through bars and swipes at guard, hits and drops him. Second guard comes near with spear and stabs at Tiger doing some damage while fur stops some damage.



I like this approach of levels of species Claw Talent. Perhaps something like this is in the upcoming Beastiary?

I still don't see how fur effectively stops anything except cold air. But I see the tactical nuance and possible explanation of blubber or excessive muscle structure resulting in same effect.
I consider the regular attack is still there its just based on ST + Claw level. I was pleased to see the wolf examples became really poor "I run up and nip/bite/swipe for pitiful damage but the HtH(ie Kick) does a fair amount more so it encourages the "pack" style of - surround, feint and nip, then dog pile for kill.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by hcobb

The fictional wolf attacks generally have one animal jumping the target from behind and the rest piling on.

How about the nonfictional ones?

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Shostak

How about the nonfictional ones?

Armed humans take down a half dozen or more wolves before dying.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._North_America

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by timm meyers

I still don't see how fur effectively stops anything except cold air. But I see the tactical nuance and possible explanation of blubber or excessive muscle structure resulting in same effect.
I consider the regular attack is still there its just based on ST + Claw level. I was pleased to see the wolf examples became really poor "I run up and nip/bite/swipe for pitiful damage but the HtH(ie Kick) does a fair amount more so it encourages the "pack" style of - surround, feint and nip, then dog pile for kill.

Yeah. I think of it as animal Toughness talent, and let some individual animals have more than others sometimes.