PDA

View Full Version : Lupus Urbanus (PEACH)



The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-25, 03:10 PM
Alley Wolf

Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 50 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (+3 dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Powerful jaws, trip
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, roof leaper, slum gullet, uncanny dodge, urban lunge
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +13, Jump +11, Listen +13, Move Silently +6, Spot +5, Survival +3
Feats: Blindfight(B), Hear the Unseen (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Hear_The_Unseen,CAd), Track(B), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Any Urban
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–6), or pack (7-20)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium), 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

Alley wolves are the descendants of magical wolves who lost their lands to the building of cities and supernaturally adapted to a life within civilization, breeding with local mongrels. The result are creatures that rival both the natural senses of a wolf and the ferocity of the meanest mutt. As this adaption can take hundreds of generations, alley wolves are usually found in only the oldest of sprawling metroplises.

An alley wolf's looks tend to vary to the extremes, though they all possess the lupine form of their wild ancestors. However, fur length and color can be of al ltypes, though they tend to be muted colors darkened with soot and ash and the mud of the streets.

Alley wolf packs are greatly feared, the most hardened scrapper running for their doggy lives at the mere scent of an alley wolf. These packs tend to stay to the rooftops for sleeping and birthing, coming down only to feed. They take whatever they can get, sometimes bursting through windows several stories high to raid kitchens or pull children from their beds. Little is ever left of their meals. They possess an almost intelligent cunning, far beyond that of their lesser brethren.

Combat
An alley wolf hunts without fear, though tends to prefer night to hunt, and will track from scent the nearest available food, be it refuse, dog, or man. Most hunt in packs, taking multiple alleys and creeping through homes to surround their opponent from all angles before lunging. When overpowered they take to the rooftops to hide.

Powerful Jaws (Ex):
Alley wolves have adapted to defend against the weapons of men. As a swift action once per round that does not trigger an attack of opportunity an alleywolf can leap forward directly after an attack on itself to make a sunder attack against the weapon. An alley wolf's bite has a hardness of 10 for the purpose of sundering. It gains a +4 bonus on attack rolls to strike the weapon. If the weapon used was natural, such as fist or claw, and the wolf makes a successful sunder attack, its opponent must make a DC 15 fortitude save or lose the use of that attack for 1 round per point the save was failed. The save DC is Strength-based.

Roofleaper (Ex):
Alley wolves are able to gather themselves like a predatory spring and can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps.

Slum Gullet (Ex): An alley wolf can eat near anything and often hide amongst the concealing clouds of ash upon rooftops. They recieve a +4 bonus to fortitude saves against disease and poison, and are immune to damage from smoke inhalation.

Trip (Ex): An alley wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+3 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): An alley wolf retains its dexterity bonus to AC even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, it still loses its Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

Urban Lunge (Ex):
As long as an alley wolf has two vertical surfaces within jumping distance of one another it can leap from side to side as a full round action each round, moving up or down at its base speed. If it stops this leap at any point to perform another action without coming to a horizontal surface it falls, taking standard damage for the height its fallen.

The wolf need not make a climb check, and can hop from even smooth surfaces. Slippery surfaces require the wolf to make a DC 15 reflex save each round or fall.

Skills: Alley wolves have a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They recieve an additional +6 racial bonus on listen and hide checks. They also have a +6 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

X15lm204
2006-06-25, 04:40 PM
Urban Lunge = Flying Bird Flip. It seems we have a Ninja Dog. 8)

Very nice. Makes me glad I recently moved to a rural area and only have to deal with regular wolves.

Winged One
2006-06-25, 04:46 PM
You may want to make Hear the Unseen a bonus feat, as it requires Blind-fight, a feat that the Alley Wolf doesn't have.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-25, 04:56 PM
You may want to make Hear the Unseen a bonus feat, as it requires Blind-fight, a feat that the Alley Wolf doesn't have.
D'oh, had forgotten that. Guess I'll add it in.

X15lm204
2006-06-25, 05:32 PM
Back on the subject of Urban Leap for a moment, what happens if the Alley Wolf takes damage while using it? Perhaps a Reflex save vs. the damage dealt or it falls?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-25, 05:39 PM
Back on the subject of Urban Leap for a moment, what happens if the Alley Wolf takes damage while using it? Perhaps a Reflex save vs. the damage dealt or it falls?
It'll hurt, but it won't stop them any more than it'd stop a wolf running normally or an ape from climbing, that is unless its killed.

Yuki Akuma
2006-06-25, 05:54 PM
It'll hurt, but it won't stop them any more than it'd stop a wolf running normally or an ape from climbing, that is unless its killed.

But an ape can stop climbing, do something else while hanging from a branch, then continue climbing again.

X15lm204
2006-06-25, 05:55 PM
Hmm...seems to me that it would take a little more precision to leap gracefully from wall to wall than to run along the ground, but it's your creature...

SpiderBrigade
2006-06-25, 06:50 PM
This creature reminds me of Wolf's Rain a bit, or at least the Urban Lunge ability does.

Cool critter as usual, VT.

Winged One
2006-06-25, 07:08 PM
A wonderful urban terror, as if people aren't enough of one. ;)

I don't DM, but wiping out a pack of these sounds like a good side-quest for mid-levels.

How do druids feel about Alley Wolves?

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-25, 07:54 PM
But an ape can stop climbing, do something else while hanging from a branch, then continue climbing again.
Fine, bad example, what happens if a monk is shot while using his Slow Fall? Just can't really plan for every occassion. You can be on fire and still manage to bluff someone out using a feint without making checks.


Hmm...seems to me that it would take a little more precision to leap gracefully from wall to wall than to run along the ground, but it's your creature...
Well, it IS a magical beast ;)


How do druids feel about Alley Wolves?
I'd say they feel both saddened and impressed by them. Not every creature can adapt to a completely new enviroment, and they've more than thrived here.

In fact, some of the more neutral druids may even have a sense of vindication from seeing the wolves getting back at the creatures who took over their once natural lands.

Yuki Akuma
2006-06-25, 08:20 PM
Fine, bad example, what happens if a monk is shot while using his Slow Fall?

Absolutely nothing, because when she gets shot the monk has stopped Slow Falling! ;)

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-26, 10:00 AM
Absolutely nothing, because when she gets shot the monk has stopped Slow Falling! ;)
Yea... err. I think the punchline died in transit :-/


Edit: Just corrected mistakes in HP, some modifiers and increased its AC. Whats with standard dogs having +4 natural armor? ???

Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick
2006-06-26, 10:06 AM
I just took a moment to visualize actually fighting these things in an Alley and got chills.
Real chills. Rock on.

Somebody caught the Hear The Unseen thing, good.
That was my only critique mechanically.

ExHunterEmerald
2006-06-26, 10:22 AM
I want to see low intelligence characters meet them.
"Aww, it's so cute. Aaaah! It bites! It bites!"
I like it. And, as always, I hope my DM doesn't find it, or my rogue will probably be the one to meet a pack...

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-26, 02:36 PM
I just took a moment to visualize actually fighting these things in an Alley and got chills.
Aye, I just wish I ran a campaign I could use them in. A city-based campaign would definetely be interesting.

I'm also thinking of doing a super version of these guys whom have completely adapted to the city life of Sigil.

Abd al-Azrad
2006-06-26, 02:51 PM
I'm also thinking of doing a super version of these guys whom have completely adapted to the city life of Sigil.

Ach! Hans, run! It's the Sigillian Paragon Alley Wolves!

Man, that Urban Leap ability is weird. It would be very surreal to watch a wolf bounce back and forth off walls, even as its packmates sneak up to finish you off.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-06-26, 05:43 PM
Man, that Urban Leap ability is weird. It would be very surreal to watch a wolf bounce back and forth off walls, even as its packmates sneak up to finish you off.
If you knew what was good for you you wouldn't be watching any but the ones going for your jugular ;)