SRD Talk:Pseudodragon
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Skill Ranks and Modifiers[edit]
The entry is accurate in terms of what is shown in the source materials, but the source material is not consistent with itself. For example, Dragons advance Base Attack Bonus as a fighter. A 2HD Pseudodragon should have BAB +2. As a Tiny creature, it receives a Size bonus to hit of +2. Adding its Dexterity modifier of +2 (due to Weapon Finesse) should give the Pseudodragon a total attack bonus of +6, which is not reflected in the entry.
Other problems are shown in the Skills entry. While accurate with the source material, the source material itself may be incomplete or unedited. Dragon types have skills equal to 6+INT modifier, with a maximum of 5 ranks for a 2HD monster. If six skills are maxed out at 5 ranks each, that would allow the following:
- 5 Hide (Size +8, Dex +2, racial +4; total mod: +19)
- 5 Listen (Alertness +2, Wis +1; total mod: +8)
- 5 Search (total mod: +5)
- (Grants a Conditional Synergy bonus of +2 to Survival when used to follow tracks)
- 5 Sense Motive (Wis +1; total mod: +6)
- (Grants a +2 Synergy bonus to Diplomacy)
- 5 Spot (Alertness +2, Wis +1; total mod: +8)
That leaves 5 additional ranks unplaced. It appears that the original authors distributed these skill points evenly among the five above, but paid no attention to max ranks per HD.
If using the Pseudodragon as a monster, I doubt that making changes such as these will significantly affect the outcome of an encounter. If using this entry to inform a decision about a Familiar, you should probably take these inconsistencies into consideration, maximizing Survival instead or choosing another appropriate skill.
- Good catch. Given the nature of the skills in which it already has ranks (stealth and perception-based skills), I'd recommend Move Silently as the sixth skill: Diplomacy +2, Hide +19*, Listen +8, Move Silently +7, Search +5, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks). —Sledged (talk) 19:36, 20 March 2017 (UTC)
