CREATING ANIMALS
Often overlooked, animals provide great depth to a setting as well as out-of-ordinary puzzles or obstacles to Adventurers.
Guides need the following minimum information (or “stat block”) for animals assisting or opposing the Adventurers.
Core Animal Design
☐ ANIMAL NAMES
- What names do people call this animal?
☐ ANIMAL APPEARANCE
- What does the animal look like? Shape? Covering? Markings? Colors? Features?
- Movable appendages?
- What does the animal sound like?
- How large is the animal?
- Entire animal is mobile?
- Hovers or flies?
- Makes noise when approached or touched?
☐ ANIMAL USES
How can or do people use this animal?
- Staple food?
- Medicinal?
- Narcotic?
- Poison?
- Cloth?
- Ritual?
Additional (Optional) Animal Design
☐ ANIMAL ENVIRONMENTS OR LOCATIONS
Where can you find this animal?
- Salt water?
- Fresh water?
- Coastline?
- Mountains?
- Underground?
- Swamp?
- Cold?
- Living on another creature?
☐ ANIMAL SEASONS
When is this animal most readily found?
- Rarely?
- Seasonally?
- Annually?
- Year round?
- Daytime only?
- Nocturnal?
☐ ANIMAL REQUIREMENTS OR DIET
What does the animal require to thrive?
- Salt or fresh water?
- Blood?
- Herbivore?
- Omnivore?
- Carnivore?
- Animal flesh?
- Insects?
- Decaying/decayed plants?
- Decaying/decayed animals?
☐ ANIMAL GROUPS
What groups or social structures can this animal form?
- Herds
- Packs
- Hierarchies
- Pairs
- Solitary
☐ ANIMAL TERRITORY
What territory does the animal claim?
☐ ANIMAL MATING OR REPRODUCTION
What reproductive strategies will this animal follow?
- Courtship Rituals?
- Procreation?
- Gestation?
☐ ANIMAL YOUNG
What kind of care does the animal provide for its young?
☐ ANIMAL LAIRS OR NESTS
What kind of lair or nest does this animal prefer?
☐ ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE
How smart is this animal?
- Instinctive?
- Trainable?
- Complex problem solving or tool use?
☐ ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
How does this animal communicate?
- Noises?
- Pheromones?
- Posture or Body Language?
☐ ANIMAL RESPONSES
What customs, superstitions, phobias, or laws are triggered by this animal?
☐ ANIMAL MOVEMENT
How fast does the animal move, especially in combat?
- Crawling?
- Running?
- Burrowing?
- Swimming?
- Flying?
- Climbing?
☐ ANIMAL ARMOR OR DEFENSES
How tough are the animal defenses or hide, especially in combat?
- Weaknesses?
☐ ANIMAL ATTACK METHODS
How does the animal attack?
- Strengths?
☐ ANIMAL ATTACK FORCE
How deadly are the animal attacks?
☐ ANIMAL SPECIAL EFFECTS
Does this animal possess any Special Effect (SFX) abilities such as magic use, mutant powers, or psionics?
- Stores energy?
- Stores water?
- Resists heat, cold, fire, etc?
- Fast growing or reproducing?
☐ ANIMAL EFFECTS
What effects can use or exposure to this animal cause?
- Spines?
- Generates electrical shock?
- Poisonous?
Animals may enhance or impair one or more of the Adventurer Attribute Score or Attributes Reserves.
| Physical | Physical Reserves | Mental | Mental Reserves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Strength Reserves | Intelligence | Intelligence Reserves | ||||
| Endurance | Endurance Reserves | Will | Will Reserves | ||||
| Agility | Agility Reserves | Awareness | Awareness Reserves | ||||
| Dexterity | Dexterity Reserves | Ingenuity | Ingenuity Reserves | ||||
| Appearance | Appearance Reserves | Charisma | Charisma Reserves | ||||
| Speed | Speed Reserves | Reflexes | Reflex Reserves |
Animal Worksheet
| CORE ANIMAL DESIGN | ||
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Animal Names | |
| ☐ | Animal Appearance | |
| ☐ | Animal Uses | |
| OPTIONAL DESIGN | ||
| ☐ | Animal Environment | |
| ☐ | Animal Seasons | |
| ☐ | Animal Requirements | |
| ☐ | Animal Groups | |
| ☐ | Animal Territory | |
| ☐ | Animal Mating or Reproduction | |
| ☐ | Animal Young | |
| ☐ | Animal Lairs or Nests | |
| ☐ | Animal Intelligence | |
| ☐ | Animal Communication | |
| ☐ | Animal Responses | |
| ☐ | Animal Movement | |
| ☐ | Animal Armor or Defenses | |
| ☐ | Animal Attack Methods | |
| ☐ | Animal Attack Force | |
| ☐ | Animal SFX Abilities | |
| ☐ | Animal Effects |