Hows about it?
This is what I've made so far, any suggestions?
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2.
I just saw this!
I like it.
what about starting them tiny then move them up to small? a 4-6 ft tall (medium) raccoon is "huge".
I toyed with that. But the raccoons outside my apartment tend to top 4 feet in length and look like they weigh more than most retrievers. If those are Small then they're on the BIG side of Small. And those are the average of the raccoons in my city.
In the case of a Small raccoon:
Starting Statistics: Size Tiny; Speed 20ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d2); Ability Scores Str 8, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Small; Speed 30ft; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2.
I forgot to mention in the original post:
Hands (sp) A raccoon can use their front paws as a humanoid can their hands. A raccoon of an Intelligence of 3 or higher can thus use equipment and wear rings as per a humanoid as long as it is appropriately sized.
I would give racoons disable device as a class skill. :) They're tricksy little critters.
They would steal your car if they could... Heh heh heh
I would give racoons disable device as a class skill. :) They're tricksy little critters.
That's a neat idea!
Actually, might be interesting to have a raccoon as a familiar.
"It's the Wizard and his sidekick, the Fuzzy Bandit!"
I love it!!! I think the small-medium progression makes more sense than tiny-small, plus that way you can give you companion paired hand crossbows and call him Rocket :)
I love it!!! I think the small-medium progression makes more sense than tiny-small, plus that way you can give you companion paired hand crossbows and call him Rocket :)
YES!!! And a size L heavy crossbow for when Thanos pops up... oh wait if your DM uses Thanos quit.
Anyway, what about a dire racoon?
A Raccoon bigger than a Halfling? This is just silly.
Hows about it?
This is what I've made so far, any suggestions?
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2.
I had to wiki info on raccoons, since I thought for sure they should be Tiny-sized. Apparently they can be as big as 28 inches long... and that's bigger than a dire rat which is a small-sized animal. I'd say Small size would be fine. Similar to the dire rat, I would not advance it's size to medium.
... if your DM uses Thanos quit.
Agreed....
Though I just wiki'd too, and the tiny-small progression is probably more realistic :( And they apparently are pretty slow, so maybe a 20ft speed would be more realistic? And while that may seem a downer, they are excellent swimmers and climbers, so possibly swim and climb speeds, all at 20?
Hows about it?
This is what I've made so far, any suggestions?
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2.I had to wiki info on raccoons, since I thought for sure they should be Tiny-sized. Apparently they can be as big as 28 inches long... and that's bigger than a dire rat which is a small-sized animal. I'd say Small size would be fine. Similar to the dire rat, I would not advance it's size to medium.
In that case I would have the raccoons start off as tiny then advance to small. Most animal companions start off a size category smaller than their normal brethren, and in some cases (such as the Bear) don't actually ever reach normal size.
And Raccoons should have Dex bonuses.
And Raccoons should have Dex bonuses.
they start @ 17, and lose the -2 for going up a size category.
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A raccoon of an Intelligence of 3 or higher can thus use equipment and wear rings as per a humanoid as long as it is appropriately sized.
Do keep in mind an animal with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher ceases to be an animal and can no longer be an animal companion. That doesn't mean you can't cast Awaken on your racoon to give him a higher INT. It just means he'll lose all his nifty Animal Companion abilities (which, if you want to get really technical, means all those hit dice, feats and skills etc.) In general, I find it easiest to just rule a player can't boost their companion's INT score without Awaken. It saves them the heartbreak.
Now I want to be an Awakened Dire Raccoon.
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A raccoon of an Intelligence of 3 or higher can thus use equipment and wear rings as per a humanoid as long as it is appropriately sized.Do keep in mind an animal with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher ceases to be an animal and can no longer be an animal companion. That doesn't mean you can't cast Awaken on your racoon to give him a higher INT. It just means he'll lose all his nifty Animal Companion abilities (which, if you want to get really technical, means all those hit dice, feats and skills etc.) In general, I find it easiest to just rule a player can't boost their companion's INT score without Awaken. It saves them the heartbreak.
druid animal companions are the exception. it specifically has been called out millions of times on these boards. animal companions are specifically allowed to use a stat bump to raise int and take whatever skills and feats the player wants
from the srd
"Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can purchase ranks in any skill."
they wouldn't mention that if you couldn't make an animal companions int above 2
druid animal companions are the exception. it specifically has been called out millions of times on these boards. animal companions are specifically allowed to use a stat bump to raise int and take whatever skills and feats the player wantsA raccoon of an Intelligence of 3 or higher can thus use equipment and wear rings as per a humanoid as long as it is appropriately sized.Do keep in mind an animal with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher ceases to be an animal and can no longer be an animal companion. That doesn't mean you can't cast Awaken on your racoon to give him a higher INT. It just means he'll lose all his nifty Animal Companion abilities (which, if you want to get really technical, means all those hit dice, feats and skills etc.) In general, I find it easiest to just rule a player can't boost their companion's INT score without Awaken. It saves them the heartbreak.
^This.
From the AC text...
"Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can put ranks into any skill."
Also...
"Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using."
Animal companions are special. These things help make up for the fact that they do not have access to racial bonuses as per Animals from the Bestiary, and the fact that many of them start out smaller and do not grow to full size.
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Damn. I thought I'd read that somewhere and totally missed it when I went back to check it. Well, no harm done.
By the way, Cartigan, one of my players once played an awakened racoon ranger. We named him after Ranger Rick.
In that case I would have the raccoons start off as tiny then advance to small. Most animal companions start off a size category smaller than their normal brethren, and in some cases (such as the Bear) don't actually ever reach normal size.Hows about it?
This is what I've made so far, any suggestions?
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2.I had to wiki info on raccoons, since I thought for sure they should be Tiny-sized. Apparently they can be as big as 28 inches long... and that's bigger than a dire rat which is a small-sized animal. I'd say Small size would be fine. Similar to the dire rat, I would not advance it's size to medium.
Except the wolf. The Bestiary says wolves only reach Medium size but as animal companions they get a 7th level progression to Large.
I like where this is going. Funky idea!
Except the wolf. The Bestiary says wolves only reach Medium size but as animal companions they get a 7th level progression to Large.In that case I would have the raccoons start off as tiny then advance to small. Most animal companions start off a size category smaller than their normal brethren, and in some cases (such as the Bear) don't actually ever reach normal size.Hows about it?
This is what I've made so far, any suggestions?
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30ft, climb 10ft; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities low-light vision, hands.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2, Con +2.I had to wiki info on raccoons, since I thought for sure they should be Tiny-sized. Apparently they can be as big as 28 inches long... and that's bigger than a dire rat which is a small-sized animal. I'd say Small size would be fine. Similar to the dire rat, I would not advance it's size to medium.
Ah, the iconic wolf. True, but you'll note I said some cases. Plus, a Large wolf is more believable than a Medium raccoon. To me at least. And I've seen all shapes and sizes of those little thieves. I guess the right question is...can you really imagine raccoons the size of full-grown men running around?
If Small is the size of a full-grown raccoon, then they should start as Tiny, IMHO.
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a wolf companion becomes large
that means it was a baby dire wolf IMHO, so a medium raccoon would be a dire raccoon i guess?
Very much this. A raccoon the size of a dwarf (very much similar to the proportions they would end up taking) is no less believable than a wolf this size of a clydesdale.
And speaking personally, living out in BFE, I've personally shot (blah blah moral stuff here, but to us they are pests) a raccoon almost the size of a moderate size dog.
It seems like there are two options: first, you can call the raccoon a dire raccoon and make it small then medium, since real raccoons don't exceed small size. Or second, they could start small size and recieve a stat bump like the horse, pony, or bird. Giving a druid a tiny companion is a huge insult and a waste of a class feature, since the damned thing would provoke opportunity attacks every single time it tried to contribute.
It seems like there are two options: first, you can call the raccoon a dire raccoon and make it small then medium, since real raccoons don't exceed small size. Or second, they could start small size and recieve a stat bump like the horse, pony, or bird. Giving a druid a tiny companion is a huge insult and a waste of a class feature, since the damned thing would provoke opportunity attacks every single time it tried to contribute.
Not all contributions are in combat.
It seems like there are two options: first, you can call the raccoon a dire raccoon and make it small then medium, since real raccoons don't exceed small size. Or second, they could start small size and recieve a stat bump like the horse, pony, or bird. Giving a druid a tiny companion is a huge insult and a waste of a class feature, since the damned thing would provoke opportunity attacks every single time it tried to contribute.
Ooh ooh third option!!! It's a fantasy game so when you get that animal companion bump the racoon can go up to being medium because maybe racoons just get that big in your world! (Mostly because it would be really cool to have a gnome ranger with 'Boon Companion' feat riding a medium sized racoon into battle.)
After seeing this thread, I home brewed a raccoon companion for a Kingmaker character. I just used the badger (small-medium progression, but about the same size IRL, species dependent) as a template, dropped the burrow speed, added 10ft to climb speed (20 ft total), and traded hands for rage. The character is a Huck Finn type, so this fit the "scamp" mold better than any of the "normal" companions. DM hasn't given me too much grief for it so far :)
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After seeing this thread, I home brewed a raccoon companion for a Kingmaker character. I just used the badger (small-medium progression, but about the same size IRL, species dependent) as a template, dropped the burrow speed, added 10ft to climb speed (20 ft total), and traded hands for rage. The character is a Huck Finn type, so this fit the "scamp" mold better than any of the "normal" companions. DM hasn't given me too much grief for it so far :)
Thats a good idea!
Racoons tend not to be over 2.4 ft long and 20 lbs max.
That is a far cry from 6ft and 60 lbs.
Here is the 3.5 chart on sizes.
Here are the facts about raccoons and their size and weight.
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Racoons tend not to be over 2.4 ft long and 20 lbs max.
That is a far cry from 6ft and 60 lbs.
Here is the 3.5 chart on sizes.
Here are the facts about raccoons and their size and weight.
See, you may be right in so far as that those are the measurements of the AVERAGE raccoon, or adult age found in captivity. As I said, I can personally attest to coons around these parts and in the UP that stand well over 3 feet tall.
Also we aren't talking about NORMAL creatures anyway. These animal companions are the equivalent of the hero versions of their type just like the PCs.
Racoons tend not to be over 2.4 ft long and 20 lbs max.
That is a far cry from 6ft and 60 lbs.
Here is the 3.5 chart on sizes.
Here are the facts about raccoons and their size and weight.
See, you may be right in so far as that those are the measurements of the AVERAGE raccoon, or adult age found in captivity. As I said, I can personally attest to coons around these parts and in the UP that stand well over 3 feet tall.
Also we aren't talking about NORMAL creatures anyway. These animal companions are the equivalent of the hero versions of their type just like the PCs.
The link clearly says the largest breed is 16 to 28 in. in length.
If you want a heroic version make a dire racoon.
If you want an animal companion or straight animal it is size small. Other wise you are nearly doubling, DOUBLING, the MAXIMUM length as stated. They may look bigger in his area because they are fat.
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The link clearly says the largest breed is 16 to 28 in. in length.
If you want a heroic version make a dire racoon.
If you want an animal companion or straight animal it is size small. Other wise you are nearly doubling, DOUBLING, the MAXIMUM length as stated. They may look bigger in his area because they are fat.
I hate to be "this guy" but Wikipedia is not a reliable source for scientific knowledge
Also, that listing is for the average raccoon as I said, not the upper reaches of the size they can get, there are even recording of animals weighing as much a 62 pounds in the wild. Are they common? NO, not by a long shot, but they do exist.
And in speaking of "typical" animals, the crocodiles are MUCH larger than the core book gives them credit for so I don't think consistency is quite a issue.
That being said, maybe a 7th level progression to medium would make more sense than a typical 4th level.
1. It saysThe link clearly says the largest breed is 16 to 28 in. in length.
If you want a heroic version make a dire racoon.
If you want an animal companion or straight animal it is size small. Other wise you are nearly doubling, DOUBLING, the MAXIMUM length as stated. They may look bigger in his area because they are fat.I hate to be "this guy" but Wikipedia is not a reliable source for scientific knowledge
Also, that listing is for the average raccoon as I said, not the upper reaches of the size they can get, there are even recording of animals weighing as much a 62 pounds in the wild. Are they common? NO, not by a long shot, but they do exist.
And in speaking of "typical" animals, the crocodiles are MUCH larger than the core book gives them credit for so I don't think consistency is quite a issue.
That being said, maybe a 7th level progression to medium would make more sense than a typical 4th level.
It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 in) and a body weight of 3 1⁄2 to 9 kg (8 to 20 lb) to 9 kg (8 to 20 lb).
Those are ranges, not averages. And I don't see you providing any sources for your information.
While the Wikipedia has several References
* Bartussek, Ingo (2004) (in German). Die Waschbären kommen. Niedenstein, Germany: Cognitio. ISBN 978-3932583100.
* Hohmann, Ulf; Bartussek, Ingo; Böer, Bernhard (2001) (in German). Der Waschbär. Reutlingen, Germany: Oertel+Spörer. ISBN 978-3886273010.
* Holmgren, Virginia C. (1990). Raccoons in Folklore, History and Today's Backyards. Santa Barbara, California: Capra Press. ISBN 978-0884963127.
* Lagoni-Hansen, Anke (1981) (in German). Der Waschbär. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-037-0.
* MacClintock, Dorcas (1981). A Natural History of Raccoons. Caldwell, New Jersey: The Blackburn Press. ISBN 978-1930665675.
* Zeveloff, Samuel I. (2002). Raccoons: A Natural History. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. ISBN 978-1588340337.
So I will give you that wiki isn't the most reliable, but could you please provide some references?
"oops, looks like you dripped some science in your fantasy there..."
Let it go fellas.
Guys, you are arguing over RACOONS!!!!. Please see the silliness in that.
My first thought was to just use the Small Cat animal companions and keep them small. Why do people get so worked over over stuff like this?
*rolls eyes*
Cause debating let's people know they are alive. Get that dander up and know you feel something. Argue with intelligence to your hearts contentment. Plus you know a raccoon really needs a cool ability to set itself apart from all the other animals. They are the forests ninja's...
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Cause debating let's people know they are alive. Get that dander up and know you feel something. Argue with intelligence to your hearts contentment. Plus you know a raccoon really needs a cool ability to set itself apart from all the other animals. They are the forests ninja's...My first thought was to just use the Small Cat animal companions and keep them small. Why do people get so worked over over stuff like this?
*rolls eyes*
No no no no no, cats are the forest's ninjas. Raccoons are just their far less ninja-y cousins. Even in houses cats are dangerously clever creatures.
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Cause debating let's people know they are alive. Get that dander up and know you feel something. Argue with intelligence to your hearts contentment. Plus you know a raccoon really needs a cool ability to set itself apart from all the other animals. They are the forests ninja's...No no no no no, cats are the forest's ninjas. Raccoons are just their far less ninja-y cousins. Even in houses cats are dangerously clever creatures.
Nah, I've always thought of Raccoons as the forest gangsters, sippin on fourties and mac'n on shorties.
Nah, I've always thought of Raccoons as the forest gangsters, sippin on fourties and mac'n on shorties.
Ninja-cats still kick gangsta-coon butt six-ways to Caturday!
Cause debating let's people know they are alive. Get that dander up and know you feel something. Argue with intelligence to your hearts contentment. Plus you know a raccoon really needs a cool ability to set itself apart from all the other animals. They are the forests ninja's...My first thought was to just use the Small Cat animal companions and keep them small. Why do people get so worked over over stuff like this?
*rolls eyes*
Actually I just want to see proof of 60 lbs./4ft long raccoons. That would be dam cool.
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Let's not forget that modern day racoons have access to our culture of excess and waste.
I.E - there's more food available..
..more, modern day zomg beholden the calories food...
..which makes sustaining a larger form easier...
..which is why there are some REALLY BIG ASS rats down there!
o_o
Fantasy variants, unless they exist in a really opulent fantasy city, most probably wouldn't have the same kind of access to food/easer of access to food/refined nutrients...
..and as such would probably be smaller.
So aye, what you see out of the window ripping through your garbage is..
..well, from a long line of some seriously indulged fur balls >_<
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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Fantasy variants, unless they exist in a really opulent fantasy city, most probably wouldn't have the same kind of access to food/easer of access to food/refined nutrients.....and as such would probably be smaller.
So aye, what you see out of the window ripping through your garbage is..
..well, from a long line of some seriously indulged fur balls >_<
Ah, but aren't we talking about Animal Companions? Surely it's not unreasonable to say that by tagging along with an adventurer, the raccoon would have access to much better food and more of it than his wild kin?
This guy was kept by a lady as a pet, and he got up to 75 pounds.
The largest wild raccoon seems to me a male shot in Michigan, who weighed in at 28.4 kg (62 lbs, 6 oz), with a runner up in Texas at 25.5 kg (56 lbs). Here's a book which mentions them.
As for the ranges on wikipedia, those are averages, not minimum/maximum. It's a range because average size varies by location and subspecies.
Fantasy variants, unless they exist in a really opulent fantasy city, most probably wouldn't have the same kind of access to food/easer of access to food/refined nutrients.....and as such would probably be smaller.
So aye, what you see out of the window ripping through your garbage is..
..well, from a long line of some seriously indulged fur balls >_<
Ah, but aren't we talking about Animal Companions? Surely it's not unreasonable to say that by tagging along with an adventurer, the raccoon would have access to much better food and more of it than his wild kin?
This guy was kept by a lady as a pet, and he got up to 75 pounds.
The largest wild raccoon seems to me a male shot in Michigan, who weighed in at 28.4 kg (62 lbs, 6 oz), with a runner up in Texas at 25.5 kg (56 lbs). Here's a book which mentions them.
As for the ranges on wikipedia, those are averages, not minimum/maximum. It's a range because average size varies by location and subspecies.
A raccoon that is x3 the size they are supposed to be?