Miniature Creature (CR varies)[3pp]

Miniatures are normal beings whose size has been greatly diminished by magic. Humans become the size of mice, and great wyrm dragons become the size of humans.

Miniatures look exactly like normal specimens of their kinds save for their size.

Creating a Miniature Creature

Miniature” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A miniature uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: The miniature template drastically and unpredictably changes a creature’s challenge rating. Against other miniature foes, the creature’s CR may stay the same. Against normal-sized foes, however, the creature’s CR should be diminished. Consider one-half or one-quarter normal as a rule of thumb, but evaluate each creature individually using the Monster Creation rules as a guide.

Size: Base creature’s size decreases by four categories below that of the base creature as given on Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities. Creatures of different size categories that decrease to the same size category because of the table’s lower limit retain their proportions to one another within their new size category. Thus, a miniature halfling is smaller than a miniature human, and a miniature Fine creature is smaller than a normal Fine version.

Senses: Divide the range of any sense with a specific range by 20, rounding to the nearest 5 ft. increment. For example, senses such as darkvision and scent would have their ranges reduced, but low-light vision wouldn’t.

Aura: Divide the range of any auras that the base creature has by 20 rounding to the nearest 5 ft. increment.

Armor Class: The base creature’s size modifier to AC is replaced by one based on the miniature’s new size. In addition, its natural armor decreases from that of the base creature by the amount indicated in Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities in this entry. (minimum +0 natural armor bonus).

Hit Dice: The miniature creature’s racial Hit Dice are reduced by one quarter. Recalculate hit points, base attack bonus, etc. based on new HD total. If the base creature has fast healing or regeneration its value is reduced to one-fifth of its value (minimum 1).

Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities
Old Size New Size New Size Range Natural AC Change New Space/Reach Str Dex Con
Fine Fine 6 in. or less +0 1/2 ft./0 ft. +0 +0 +0
Diminutive Fine 6 in. or less +0 1/2 ft./0 ft. +0 +2 +0
Tiny Fine 6 in. or less +0 1/2 ft./0 ft. -2* +4 +0
Small Fine 6 in. or less +0 1/2 ft./0 ft. -6* +6 +0
Medium Fine 6 in. or less +0 1/2 ft./0 ft. -10* +8 -2*
Large Diminutive 6 in. -1 ft. -2 1 ft./0 ft. -18* +8 -6*
Huge Tiny 1 ft. -2 ft. -5 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. -24* +8 -10*
Gargantuan Small 2 ft. -4 ft. -9 5 ft./5 ft. -28* +6 -14*
Colossal Medium 4 ft. -8 ft. -14 5 ft./5 ft. -32* +4 -16*
* minimum 1

Saving Throws: Recalculate saving throws based on any change to Hit Dice and Ability Scores.

Defensive Abilities: A base creature’s damage reduction is reduced to one-fifth of its value (minimum 1). Other resistances retain their values.

Speed: Each of the miniature’s speeds decreases with its size as given on Table 2-30. If the base creature’s speed is greater than 100 feet, subtract 100 feet and consult the chart again, adding +20 feet to the new speed to obtain the final speed. For example, a base creature with a speed of 250 feet would have a speed of 50 feet when miniaturized (20 feet for the final 100 feet, 20 feet for the second 100 feet, and 10 feet for the last 50, from the table).

Table 2-30: Miniature Speeds
Old Speed New Speed
5 to 35 ft. 5 ft.
40 to 55 ft. 10 ft.
60 to 75 ft. 15 ft.
80 to 100 ft. 20 ft.
100 ft.+ 20 ft. + another table increment

Attacks: A miniature creature’s bonus on attack rolls changes based on its new Strength, Dexterity, and size modifier. Each of a miniature’s natural attacks and manufactured weapons deals damage as a creature of its new size. If a natural attack is reduced to no damage and it doesn’t deal damage from some other effect (such as additional fire damage, poison, etc. ), it loses that attack.

Space/Reach: The miniature creature’s space and reach for its new size is given on Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities. For creatures with extraordinary reach from a specific attack, divide it by 4 and round down to the nearest 5 ft. increment.

Special Attacks: If a special attack deals hit point damage, its base damage decreases as the damage from natural attacks do (see Attacks above). With the exception of poisons and diseases, attacks that deal ability damage or drain scale as natural attacks, but have a minimum value of 1 point of damage or drain. Poisons, diseases, and Energy drain attacks keep their original damage values. If a special attack has a range, divide it by 20 and round down to the nearest 5 ft. increment.

Abilities: The miniature’s ability scores change based on its size change, as given on Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities.

BAB: Its bonus on attack rolls changes based on its new Strength modifier and its new size modifier, as given on Table 2-29: Miniature Creature Abilities.

CMB/CMD: The miniature’s CMB and CMD change based on its new size, base attack bonus, and Strength/ Dexterity scores.

Skills: Skill ranks in excess of the miniature creature’s new total due to the reduction in Hit Dice become racial modifiers. The change in size changes the creature’s Stealth and Fly skill modifiers. The change in speed changes the base creature’s Acrobatics modifier to jump.

Feats: A miniature creature retains all the base creature’s feats, even if they do not meet the usual requirements. Excess feats above the amount allowed by its new HD total become bonus feats.

Special Qualities: If a special quality explicitly states a range, divide the range by 20 and round to the nearest 5 ft. increment.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Advanced Bestiary, Copyright 2014, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author Jeff Hersh, Developer Owen K.C. Stephens

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