Magical Evolution

[XBobbis]

Hi, I'm running a high magic campaign and I'd just like to get a few ideas for magical evolution of creatures. Basically, I worked like this:

Blink dogs are evolutions of normal dogs, why would they need to be able to blink to their prey?

Easy, cats have blindsense, so they can't sneak up easily. Why would cats have true seeing?

Easy, to capture the invisible mice.

I want to see what people on this board can come up with; think of a natural creature, add a magical ability that makes sense (or doesn't); then follow it up and down the evolutionary ladder and add it to other critters. Bonus points if anyone thinks of a good reason for flying elephants.

[Draken]

True Seeing has nothing to do with Hide and Move Silently...

[mikeejimbo]

Well you see, the Dogs originally tried invisibility, like the mice.

Elephants needed to be able to fly so that they don't step on the invisible mice.

Naturally, lions, who can hunt small elephants in large packs, needed a way to get at the flying elephants. So they invented the elephant gun.

Gazelle, who are more commonly hunted by lions, evolved kevlar.

Hunters, who normally hunted gazelle, had to invent kevlar piercing arrows, which are also effective against rhino-hide.

So the Rhinos learned magic and cast protection from missiles.

[XBobbis]

Draken, right you are; blinsense instead.

[DracoDei]

Doesn't this go on silly forum games rather than home-brew?

Frogs evolved the ability to hold water in their mouth and then squirting it for the eyes before hoping away.

Panthers evolved tentacles so they could trigger the water squirting ability of frogs from long range and thus only get the tip of a limb wet, because cats hate water.

Frogs then evolved the ability to magically boost the range of their water jets so they could hit the panthers from tentacle range.

The panthers then evolved Displacement to help avoid the water jets. This was the start of the Displacer Beasts.

[Draken]

Actually the author wants things that make sense (note jokes), because he's making such a complex scenario that he wants the monsters magic powers to make sense (with, actualy doens't makes sense).

I feel sorry for him when he tries to understand the aberrations...

[XBobbis]

Well, I started out serious and made the mistake of putting a joke in my post (flying elephants). But I do want serious suggestions, you don't nessecarily have to start with a pre-made creature; even things like deer having expedious retreat 3/day just to make the world slightly more fantastic.

Edit: To Draken, it's a very high magic world; most people can even cast one or two cantrips. I feel in a world so saturated with magic some creatures might evolve the ability to utilize some helpful spells. Also, I don't try and understand abberations.

[DracoDei]

Herd/pack Animals (especially dominant males) with Cure Minor Wounds 1/day... every female you keep from getting infected or stabilize after injury is one more breeder you have available to you... not to mention pure strength in numbers (which applies regardless of sexual dynamics or gender).

Pidgeons, Squirrels, rats?, cats?, dogs? etc with Eagle's Splendor and/or Charm Person to get humans to feed them or simply tolerate their presence more...

[knightsaline]

Spiders with jump 3/day to even have a chance to kill larger creatures. However, if you want something that might be a challenge,

Dire spider with permanent Enlarge monster, Greater invisibility 2/day, jump, spider climb and magic missile at will. fireball 1/encounter. you now have an armor-less spider tank. give it some natural armor and you have a tachikoma.

also, if you want some ideas for living spells, there is a thread on that in the other gaming forum. make sure you look at the epic Living Vengeful Gaze of God/ Contingent True Resurrection. Instant TPK!

[kellandros]

There are numerous small animals that puff themselves up to appear larger and tougher than they are. Why not actually get bigger when backed into a corner?

And take something like a wolverine and give it the barbarian rage abilities?

[Angafirith]

I know that this is not the sort of response you're looking for, but...

It's not like evolution is a conscious process. It's not like Apes were thinking to themselves "huh... I bet if I were able to stand on two legs, I'd be able to...". In the same way, I wouldn't say that a bunch of dogs intentionally said "I bet I would be a more effective hunter if I could fade in and out".

Blink Dogs exist because of some (magic based) mutation to the DNA of some dog. This dog was better able to survive because it was harder to kill. As such, it was more able to breed and pass on this gene to its young.

My point is that the mutation does not have to occur as a response. Some of these creatures may not need a direct explanation. Maybe their existence is what causes other creatures to evolve.

An example: Blink Dogs came into existence somehow. Certain breeds of cats evolved the ability to see and otherwise sense ethereal creatures.

Or, perhaps flying elephants already exist (a wizard did it!). Occasionally, lions will predate on elephants, so this may be a problem for them. There's now a breed of lions that can do a jump as a part of a charge attack and gets a +10 to jump checks. They can now jump onto low flying elephants and attack them.

These lions can now jump and attack gazelles from further away, so Gazelles get the Run feat (if they don't already) and a higher base speed.

[detrevnisisiht]

I know that this is not the sort of response you're looking for, but...

It's not like evolution is a conscious process. It's not like Apes were thinking to themselves "huh... I bet if I were able to stand on two legs, I'd be able to...". In the same way, I wouldn't say that a bunch of dogs intentionally said "I bet I would be a more effective hunter if I could fade in and out".

Blink Dogs exist because of some (magic based) mutation to the DNA of some dog. This dog was better able to survive because it was harder to kill. As such, it was more able to breed and pass on this gene to its young.

My point is that the mutation does not have to occur as a response. Some of these creatures may not need a direct explanation. Maybe their existence is what causes other creatures to evolve.

An example: Blink Dogs came into existence somehow. Certain breeds of cats evolved the ability to see and otherwise sense ethereal creatures.

Or, perhaps flying elephants already exist (a wizard did it!). Occasionally, lions will predate on elephants, so this may be a problem for them. There's now a breed of lions that can do a jump as a part of a charge attack and gets a +10 to jump checks. They can now jump onto low flying elephants and attack them.

These lions can now jump and attack gazelles from further away, so Gazelles get the Run feat (if they don't already) and a higher base speed.


i agree. go read a 5th grade science book

[Dryad]

Hmm.. If you let every species evolve in a high-magic environment, what would happen to one of the most intrinsically evolved species to walk the earth: Humans?

[HomerHT]

^ Easy. They can take levels in wizard and become demigods :smallwink:

[Angafirith]

i agree. go read a 5th grade science book
Woah, woah, woah! Let's not put words into my mouth here. I'm just saying that it's not all responsive. I think it's pretty reasonable to say that cats having blindsense might cause blink dogs to evolve. My point is that not every creature has to have an explanation.


Hmm.. If you let every species evolve in a high-magic environment, what would happen to one of the most intrinsically evolved species to walk the earth: Humans?
Humanoids are already capable of manipulating magics on a high level. Myself, I'd say that all the humanoid races are descended from the same ancestor. Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Humans, and Gnomes are all differently specialized descendants.

[XBobbis]

I'm not going to get into a debate as to how evolution works, because I've taken one biology course in middle school about 8 years ago; it's not why I made this thread.

On humans: Most humanoid races get a free cantrip at first level usable 1/day once they hit puberty. Sorcerers are fairly common, though I don't use the 'draconic DNA' fluff; they're just more naturally adept at forming the magical energies coursing through the planet.

And Angrafirith, you're right, not ever creature needs to have an explanation. Especially in a world where "a wizard did it" is a compeltely adequate explanation.