Ok, now while this may sound silly, that's because it is.
I have a Bariaur Ranger (specifically a Planar Ranger build from Unearthed Arcana) who, upon a recent trip back to Ysgard, was given a bundle of stuff from her childhood. In said bundle, a squirrel. (It's in keeping with the flavor of Ysgard, IMO. Cross-reference 'ratatosk' if you don't believe me)
As this is going to be her Animal Companion, and she is an 8th level Ranger, this means that the squirrel is equivalent to a 5th level Druid Animal Companion.
My question is thus. How would you build the base creature? Obviously the Celestial template will modify that.
Then how would you advance such a creature at the 4th/7th level increase?
The base creature, as presented by my Beloved Spouse (Kobold chorus: "We love you!") is as follows:
Squirrel: CR --; Diminutive Animal; HD 1/4 d8 (1 hp); Init +3 (Dex);
Spd 10 ft., climb 15 ft.; AC 17 (+3 Dex, +4 size); Atk none; SQ Scent; Face
1 ft. by 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 1, Dex 16, Con
11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4. Climb +15, Hide +18, Jump +4, Listen +5. Squirrels
use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, and gain a +4 racial modifier
to Jump checks.
I'm thinking that at 4th the squirrel would go to Tiny size, would gain +2 DEX +2 CON and a 1d4 bite.
Thoughts?
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Squirrel: CR --; Diminutive Animal; HD 1/4 d8 (1 hp); Init +3 (Dex);
Spd 10 ft., climb 15 ft.; AC 17 (+3 Dex, +4 size); Atk none; SQ Scent; Face 1 ft. by 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 1, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4. Climb +15, Hide +18, Jump +4, Listen +5. Squirrels use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, and gain a +4 racial modifier to Jump checks. [/i]I'm thinking that at 4th the squirrel would go to Tiny size, would gain +2 DEX +2 CON and a 1d4 bite.
Thoughts?
Mostly that, that is so Cute! But it also seems relatively balanced.
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Squirrel: CR --; Diminutive Animal; HD 1/4 d8 (1 hp); Init +3 (Dex);
Spd 10 ft., climb 15 ft.; AC 17 (+3 Dex, +4 size); Atk none; SQ Scent; Face
1 ft. by 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 1, Dex 16, Con
11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4. Climb +15, Hide +18, Jump +4, Listen +5. Squirrels
use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, and gain a +4 racial modifier
to Jump checks. [/i]
I'm thinking that at 4th the squirrel would go to Tiny size, would gain +2 DEX +2 CON and a 1d4 bite.
Thoughts?
I think you have a few options here, I would personally run it as a rat, since they have similar stats, and adjust skills for more squirrel like things. The other thing I would do is think of running it as a Dire Rat at 7th, It grows really big since it is from Ysgard and very special. I would also look very closely at the new bestiary, the rules give very good ideas for how to create and expand on any monster.