Has anybody ever done stats for classic mythological creatures?
Fantasy Creatures
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
- Start date
Wouldn't it be easier just to 'borrow' them from D&D and update to T20? Unless you're not using T20, of course.
I guess I meant for CT or MT. Anything other than D20.
Space Cadet
SOC-12
Then you'd be making a Classic Traveller Fantasy Role Playing Game. Maybe you can make up a system of spell casting that would be compatible with the Classic Traveller roleplaying combat system. Have Mage or Wizard be one of the Careers the PCs can be a veteran of, and then they might muster out a few magic items or gold pieces before the begin play, now that would be interesting.
That's interesting, but I was just thinking in terms of animal encounters.
Plankowner
SOC-13
I once played around with the idea of Mythical creatures being aliens that came to a primitive Earth.
So Earthers expanded out into the Galaxy and found Centaurs, Dragons and other mythical races.
No magic, no Psionics, just Traveller with different alien races.
So Earthers expanded out into the Galaxy and found Centaurs, Dragons and other mythical races.
No magic, no Psionics, just Traveller with different alien races.
Plankowner
SOC-13
Blue Ghost,
While D20 may not be what you want to use, it would still be a good resource to COMPARE creatures from.
For example, D20 stats for a Wolf or Lion have CT counterparts. So, using that as your basis, you can convert different creatures back to Traveller.
Say you want to convert a Roc to Traveller (VERY large flyer), you could look at an Eagle in Traveller and D20 and then convert based on that template.
It might take a bit of work, but since it was just Stat conversion, it should be too hard.
While D20 may not be what you want to use, it would still be a good resource to COMPARE creatures from.
For example, D20 stats for a Wolf or Lion have CT counterparts. So, using that as your basis, you can convert different creatures back to Traveller.
Say you want to convert a Roc to Traveller (VERY large flyer), you could look at an Eagle in Traveller and D20 and then convert based on that template.
It might take a bit of work, but since it was just Stat conversion, it should be too hard.
Space Cadet
SOC-12
A Roc would require a planet with a very dense atmosphere.
Humanoid creatures are easy - they're just NPCs with altered stats.
For the following creatures, I'd add two types of armor:
Chain, TL1, Cr250, treat as Mesh against melee or thrown weapons and as Jack against ranged weapons. Weights 4000 grams, and, unlike modern or Jack armor, counts against the Encoumberance limit.
Plate, TL2, Cr1,000, treat as Cloth against melee or thrown weapons, as Mesh against primitive ranged weapons and as Jack against modern firearms. Weights 10,000 grams, and, unlike modern or Jack armor, counts against the Encoumberance limit.
Now, on to the critters:
ORC 978521, Brawling-1, Spear-1; Chain, Spear, 2d6* gold coins.
ORC ARCHER 978521, Brawling-1, Short Bow-1, Blade-0; Chain, Short Bow**, 20 arrows, Blade, 2d6 gold coins.
ORC LEADER 978521, Brawling-2, Spear-2, Leader-1, Tactics-1; Chain, Spear, 6d6 gold coins.
GOBLIN 585411, Blade-0; Jack, Blade, 1d6 gold coins.
KOBOLD 4A4871, Dagger-1, Recon-2, Mechanical-1; Jack, Dagger, 1d6 gold coins.
KOBOLD CROSSBOWMAN 5A4871, Dagger-0, Recon-2, Sporting Crossbow-1; Jack, Dagger, Sporting Crossbow, 20 arrows, 1d6 gold coins.
HOBGOBLIN A79762, Pike-1, Sword-1; Chain, Pike, Sword, 3d6 gold coins.
HOBGOBLIN ELITE A7A762, Pike-2, Sword-2; Plate, Pike, Sword, 4d6 gold coins.
BUGBEAR C7A540, Broadsword-2; Chain, Broadsword, 6d6 gold coins.
OGRE F5F310, Cudgel-2; Chain, Cudgel, 2d6x5 gold coins. NOTE: Ogres are so big targets that they grant a +1 bonus to hit them in combat.
DWARF 778777, Axe-2, Craft-1, Mechanical-1; Chain, Axe**, 3d6 gold coins.
ELF 797778, Short Bow-2, Foil-1, Recon-2; Elven Chain***, Short Bow****, 20 arrows, Foil, 3d6 gold coins.
ZOMBIE A79100, Brawling-1; Hands, Teeth.
SKELETON 777100, Sword-1; Sword. NOTE: weapons that rely on a sharp point deal only 1 point of damage per attack to the skeleton; weapons that rely on a sharp edge deal only half damage to the skeleton; heavy blunt weapons and explosives deal full damage.
SKELETON ARCHER 777100, Short Bow-1, Brawling-0; Short Bow, 20 arrows, Claws. NOTE: weapons that rely on a sharp point deal only 1 point of damage per attack to the skeleton; weapons that rely on a sharp edge deal only half damage to the skeleton; heavy blunt weapons and explosives deal full damage.
GHOUL 9B9520, Brawling-2; Claws, Teeth. NOTE: after each combat with a ghoul in which the character was hit by a ghoul, the character should roll END or less of 2D to avoid contracting Neo-Rabies which, if untreated, will turn the character into a ghoul in 5d6 nights; to treat, roll 8+, DM +Medic skill, DM-2 if not in a medical facility.
* A gold coin weights 10 grams; how much woud it be worth in Credits?
** Are there stats for an axe in any CT book?
*** Treat as Chain, but weighting only 2000 grams.
**** See S4: Citizens of the Imperium, p.11 and pp.16-17.
For the following creatures, I'd add two types of armor:
Chain, TL1, Cr250, treat as Mesh against melee or thrown weapons and as Jack against ranged weapons. Weights 4000 grams, and, unlike modern or Jack armor, counts against the Encoumberance limit.
Plate, TL2, Cr1,000, treat as Cloth against melee or thrown weapons, as Mesh against primitive ranged weapons and as Jack against modern firearms. Weights 10,000 grams, and, unlike modern or Jack armor, counts against the Encoumberance limit.
Now, on to the critters:
ORC 978521, Brawling-1, Spear-1; Chain, Spear, 2d6* gold coins.
ORC ARCHER 978521, Brawling-1, Short Bow-1, Blade-0; Chain, Short Bow**, 20 arrows, Blade, 2d6 gold coins.
ORC LEADER 978521, Brawling-2, Spear-2, Leader-1, Tactics-1; Chain, Spear, 6d6 gold coins.
GOBLIN 585411, Blade-0; Jack, Blade, 1d6 gold coins.
KOBOLD 4A4871, Dagger-1, Recon-2, Mechanical-1; Jack, Dagger, 1d6 gold coins.
KOBOLD CROSSBOWMAN 5A4871, Dagger-0, Recon-2, Sporting Crossbow-1; Jack, Dagger, Sporting Crossbow, 20 arrows, 1d6 gold coins.
HOBGOBLIN A79762, Pike-1, Sword-1; Chain, Pike, Sword, 3d6 gold coins.
HOBGOBLIN ELITE A7A762, Pike-2, Sword-2; Plate, Pike, Sword, 4d6 gold coins.
BUGBEAR C7A540, Broadsword-2; Chain, Broadsword, 6d6 gold coins.
OGRE F5F310, Cudgel-2; Chain, Cudgel, 2d6x5 gold coins. NOTE: Ogres are so big targets that they grant a +1 bonus to hit them in combat.
DWARF 778777, Axe-2, Craft-1, Mechanical-1; Chain, Axe**, 3d6 gold coins.
ELF 797778, Short Bow-2, Foil-1, Recon-2; Elven Chain***, Short Bow****, 20 arrows, Foil, 3d6 gold coins.
ZOMBIE A79100, Brawling-1; Hands, Teeth.
SKELETON 777100, Sword-1; Sword. NOTE: weapons that rely on a sharp point deal only 1 point of damage per attack to the skeleton; weapons that rely on a sharp edge deal only half damage to the skeleton; heavy blunt weapons and explosives deal full damage.
SKELETON ARCHER 777100, Short Bow-1, Brawling-0; Short Bow, 20 arrows, Claws. NOTE: weapons that rely on a sharp point deal only 1 point of damage per attack to the skeleton; weapons that rely on a sharp edge deal only half damage to the skeleton; heavy blunt weapons and explosives deal full damage.
GHOUL 9B9520, Brawling-2; Claws, Teeth. NOTE: after each combat with a ghoul in which the character was hit by a ghoul, the character should roll END or less of 2D to avoid contracting Neo-Rabies which, if untreated, will turn the character into a ghoul in 5d6 nights; to treat, roll 8+, DM +Medic skill, DM-2 if not in a medical facility.
* A gold coin weights 10 grams; how much woud it be worth in Credits?
** Are there stats for an axe in any CT book?
*** Treat as Chain, but weighting only 2000 grams.
**** See S4: Citizens of the Imperium, p.11 and pp.16-17.
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Heh, for a minute I imagined some of these guys carrying a sack of Droyne gold...
"How much for that bag of holding? What? Five Vargr?! No way! I give you a K'Kree and an Aslan for that, and that's my final offer!"
"How much for that bag of holding? What? Five Vargr?! No way! I give you a K'Kree and an Aslan for that, and that's my final offer!"
Seriously, good conversions.
They're more used as benchmarks in terms of describing behaviors of extraterrestrial animals, but I don't think lions, house cats, birds and sundry other creatures have been codified.
How about a Gryphon, Roc, serpents of various kinds, and/or even Giants?
Space Cadet
SOC-12
What about dragons? Unlike D&D, Traveller dragons can't cast spells, and they can't change their form, but they could be intelligent and breath fire.
There was a movie I rented once about What if dragons existed. The movie then went into how such a creature could exist.
Dragons start out with lizard like reptilian forms with scales, and wings. Dragons would have to have hollow bones and manufacture some flamible substance in their guts so they can "breathe" fire. In the Traveller Universe Dragons would probably live on planets with Dense atmosphere to support their flight.
There was a movie I rented once about What if dragons existed. The movie then went into how such a creature could exist.
Dragons start out with lizard like reptilian forms with scales, and wings. Dragons would have to have hollow bones and manufacture some flamible substance in their guts so they can "breathe" fire. In the Traveller Universe Dragons would probably live on planets with Dense atmosphere to support their flight.
Generally speaking, how realistic do you want to be with the critters? Would you want creatures that will atleast seem plausible (i.e. having enough wingspan and/or gas pockets to support it if it flies? Or do you want fantastic creatures without regard to (semi-)realism?
Dragons... well.. The biggest issue in a non-magical world would be how their wings could support their weight. In other words, how heavy could an avian realistically be on, say, a Size-3 world (the smallest world that could support Atm-8 under CT-LBB3 rules)?
Answer that and I'll generate you a dragon, complete with rules for its breath weapon!
Dragons... well.. The biggest issue in a non-magical world would be how their wings could support their weight. In other words, how heavy could an avian realistically be on, say, a Size-3 world (the smallest world that could support Atm-8 under CT-LBB3 rules)?
Answer that and I'll generate you a dragon, complete with rules for its breath weapon!
Plankowner
SOC-13
Anne McCaffrey's PERN gives plausable Dragons in a normal atmosphere: Bones made of Boron so they are light but strong. Chemicals used to produce the flame.
A TV show about "real Dragons" postulated Hydrogen as a source of bouyancy and flame. Kinda cool actually.
A TV show about "real Dragons" postulated Hydrogen as a source of bouyancy and flame. Kinda cool actually.
I think it was the History Channel that had that show. Very interesting.
Employee; I think the simple hand-wave effect works wonders. As long as the wing area looks respectable I think a GM's in the clear. If you have a hard-core engineer in your gaming group who does aerodynamics, and tosses some lift/weight ratios in your group, then the best you can do is shrug.
I don't think pure realism is a limit. For the Traveller gamers who like that kind of adventure, then they probably wouldn't bother with things like interstellar travel, and/or just stick with one planet and one milieu.
I think what's important are the performance stats for such creatures, and not so much the schematics of how they work. Like a Gauss gun we know that magnetism plays an important role, but we don't have all of the technical aspects explained in the rule book. I think the same holds true for Dragons.
I don't think pure realism is a limit. For the Traveller gamers who like that kind of adventure, then they probably wouldn't bother with things like interstellar travel, and/or just stick with one planet and one milieu.
I think what's important are the performance stats for such creatures, and not so much the schematics of how they work. Like a Gauss gun we know that magnetism plays an important role, but we don't have all of the technical aspects explained in the rule book. I think the same holds true for Dragons.
I don't think that pure realism is the limit, either. I like to handwave alot while keeping a certain level of realism (more in feel than in practice). I've asked you about realism to know how you like your dragons to be... And I've got the answer, so here I have some numbers to crunch
Also, speculating about strange lifeforms in semi-realistic terms (i.e. a combination of realism with some handwaves) is fun - me and my girlfriend (both with background in biology, especially her) love to do that as a thought-game and a part of Shadowrun, D&D or Traveller.
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