Base Animal Stock List Addition - Raptors & Other Avians by Steve Saunders * Raptors * Common Ability Notes: Raptors' Stealth when flying is usually VERY high. Usually twice and up to three times what a comparable walking creature would have, but always at least +3 more than DX would grant. Owls have even better stealth. Obviously, there are few shadows to hide in in the sky, and only cloud for cover. But unless someone is looking up specifically, they are unlikely to spot a raptor until far too late, because of the typical speed or silence of the attack. Raptors are VERY fast, but it takes 2 rounds to get up to full speed in level flight. Raptors based on hawk/eagle/falcon strains are capable of devastatingly fast and powerful attacks, diving from high above the ground. Owls and vultures do not have this pattern of attack. Hawkoids (Terror Birds) are based on Small Falcon stock, and can have this special attack at the GM's option. However, because they use hands rather than talons, a Hawkoid using such a high-power attack must make a DX or PS check to keep hold of their weapon. Failing the check means that the weapon does "only" normal damage (no benefit from the Hawkoid's own inertia), and the Hawkoid is disarmed. Other raptors holding a gripped impact-weapon (rather than using talons or other attached natural weapons) face similar checks and penalties. The raptor diving attack is at 2.5 x normal "top" speed +2 THAC, x 2 damage, (falcons are even faster, with better THAC & damage), and only a -1 on AC (unlike other "charge" type attacks), because the speed of a diving raptor (& problem hitting such a fast-moving target) compensates for their lack of maneuverability. Because of speed, falcons take NO penalty to AC! Only the talons may be given the damage bonus, but if both hit then the beak gets the THAC bonus as well. It takes two rounds of dive from normal speed to get to a full attack-dive; the descent must be steeper than 45 degrees -- figure out how far the raptor will travel in two rounds to determine how much altitude is needed. After such an attack hits, it will take FOUR rounds to regain the altitude, or ONE wasted round returning. Full-speed diving attacks that MISS a target on the ground force the mutant raptor to land, and requires a DX check (roll DX or less on 4d6=4-24, do *NOT* drop the low die!!!) or take 1d10 damage from a "hard landing" and be stunned for 1 round. Optionally, for every 10 cm of height that the target varies from "average" height (under 1 m, over 2 m), take a +1 or -1 on the DX check (i.e. it's easier to land soft after a miss if you were aiming 2.5 meters in the air). Eagle [Great Hawk] PS 6, DX 11, CN 6 Claw/claw/bite for 1d10/1d10/1d8+1 damage. Has wings mutation, but with a flying base speed of 30. Walking base speed is 3. Also has heightened vision as the mutation with twice the effect. Example Base Species: Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Harpy Eagle Falcon, Large PS 4, DX 14, CN 4 Claw/claw/bite for 1d8/1d8/1d6 damage. Has heightened vision and wings (flight speed 45). Walking base speed of 2. Attack dive is at 3 x normal maximum move, THAC is +3, damage is x 3 - not x 2. Example Base Species: Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon Note for the VERY authentically minded: Gyrfalcons are even faster than Peregrine's in level flight, but tend not to dive. They will actually catch up in level flight to ducks and suchlike very poweful flyers, something a Peregrine could hardly ever do. Falcon, Small PS 2, DX 17, CN 1 Claw/claw/bite for 1d6/1d6/1d4 damage. Has heightened vision and wings (base flying speed 40). Base walking (hopping) speed is 3. Stealth when flying is 1 better than comparable other raptors. Attack dive is per Large Falcon: 3 x level top speed, THAC +3, damage x 3. Maneuverability is excellent: can get to full speed in ONE round, not two; can stop dead in one round from full-speed level flight. In an attack-dive, the DX check is just to avoid landing, with no risk of damage/stun on forced landing. These are very small, generally, and rather delicate creatures; hence the very low CN, but excellent maneuverability. Example Base Species: Kestrel, Merlin Owl, Large PS 5, DX 13, CN 6 Claw/claw/bite for 1d8+1/1d8+1/1d8 damage. Has heightened vision, night vision, and wings. Also has heightened hearing at double normal effect. Base flying speed is 24. Base walking speed is 3. Gains +4 to Stealth over other raptors when airborne (assuming 0 DX mod, total Stealth bonus is +7 vs. hearing!). Can turn head 180 degrees to look straight back. The heightened hearing combined with mobile head makes it almost impossible to surprise. Has -1 on all visual scanning/targetting activites (i.e. combat, visual searches, etc) during the daylight. Example Base Species: Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Tufted Owl Note: As an option, the Arctic Owl does not have the night vision mutation but takes no daytime penalty. Owl, Small PS 2, DX 15, CN 3 Claw/claw/bite for 1d4+1/1d4+1/1d4 damage. Base walking speed is 6. Has heightened vision, night vision, heightened hearing and wings. Base flying speed is 21. Receives +3 Stealth over other Raptors when flying. Has +1 Stealth walking, including vs. visual searches. Can turn heads as Large Owls. Optionally, may give up night vision mutation and gain a base walking speed of 9, a +1 DX, and a lower need of water - resulting in a higher resistance to drought and dehydration (represents a desert-dwelling strain of Small Owl). Example Base Species: Pygmy Owl, Screech Owl, Burrowing Owl * Other Avians * Parrot [Macaw] PS 5, DX 12, CN 6 Claw/claw/bite for 1d3/1d3/2d8 damage. Flying base speed of 27. Base walking speed of 4. Can climb as if base walking speed was 12, and at 1 class better than normal. Has sound imitation as the mutation, but with the following changes: Has MP score (roll 4d6-L). 24+(12*MP-Modifier) (min. 12) hours retention, instead of 24-hours. Can retain (MP Modifier) sounds (min 1) for above time-period. Can retain (IN Modifier) sounds indefinitely (until the mutant chooses to replace them with other sounds). No minimum -- a low IN means no sounds ever in the "permanent" repertoire. The natural lifespan of Parrots is extremely long - 100 years on average, or about 50% longer than most humanoids. Example Base Species: Hyacith Macaw, Military Macaw Swan PS 7, DX 10, CN 6 Can peak with beak for 1d3 damage. Can also buffet with wings for 1d4 damage each. Flying base speed is 40. Base walking speed is 4. Can paddle in water at base speed of 6. Can also "semi-fly" across any surface (water, snow, quicksand, etc) at base speed of 15. Always takes a round "semi-flying" before getting airborne (at 15), then another TWO rounds before reaching full speed. Swans (and geese, similar but smaller) have a "flight ceiling" that is *MUCH* higher than most flying animals -- 7-8 km, as opposed to the 1-3 km limit of others. In practical terms, there is no area around the globe (excepting arctic extremes, and perhaps VERY deep deserts) that are beyond the range of a dedicated Swan-descended character. Example Base Species: Trumpeter Swan, Black Swan ______________________________________________________________________________ This material is (c) 1995 by Stephen M. Saunders, except insofar as such copyrights conflict with previously held copyrights by "TSR, Inc" or other license-holders. Permission is hereby given to freely reproduce or modify such of the above material as I may grant said permission for, providing it is not sold for profit or incorporated into a commercial product, without prior written consent of owner(s) of the copyrighted material. This is not intended as a challenge to the copyrights held by TSR or other owners of the copyrights. God how I hate all this legal 8U115H1T, but I think it only prudent to protect Thomas and saranxis, and will emend or alter this note at their request...