Hello, forum lurkers. I'm currently making a kind of battlemedic beast master (or beast conclave ranger) . He's a beastmaster with the Healer Feat, healing spells, knowledge of herbs and alchemy, etc. A pretty important part of his gameplay is that his beast companion must be able to help him with his job somehow, and so I thought of having a gorilla companion, who would be able to easily pick up and carry a patient in an emergency situation.
What I'm not completely sure, however, is whether the "Ape" animal companion is indeed a gorilla, a chimp or something else entirely, like an orangutan or bonobo. What do you think?
D&D is using the term "Ape" not as a generic term, but as a specific reference to non-gentle, killer gorillas (i.e. carnivorous Apes) commonly seen in fantasy.
From 3.5e: "Ape: These powerful omnivores resemble gorillas but are far more aggressive; they kill and eat anything they can catch. An adult male ape is 5½ to 6 feet tall and weighs 300 to 400 pounds."
The standard Ape beast companion is thus expected to look like a gorilla, but is nastier. I'd allow a player to alter the description though, if desired.
Definition of Ape (straight from the dictionary) :
While that is correct, D&D has canonically used the term "Ape" to refer to a specific fantasy creature that does not exist in our world. It was called "Carnivorous Ape" in 2e, but just "Ape" in 3e and 4e. A case might be made that the 5e stats are now broadened to encompass our world's use of the term "Ape"... but dat attack!
That said: I personally would allow it to be described as a less potent primate (but then, I also allow were-bears to be were-pandas and were-koalas).
Str 16 is a decent way above average human. To me, that suggests gorilla or similar
Actually Chimpanzees are stronger then Humans....
Sure, but if I had to rank the strength of the great apes using D&D rules based on my zero biological knowledge (which I never imagined before now that I would, but here we are), I would go:
Str 8 or less - all other primates (tiny monkey to baboon)
Str 10 - Human average
Str 12 - Chimpanzee or similar
Str 14 - Orangutan or similar
Str 16 - Gorilla or similar
Str 20-30 - various giant and humongous apes that are not real.
Str 16 is a decent way above average human. To me, that suggests gorilla or similar
Actually Chimpanzees are stronger then Humans....
Sure, but if I had to rank the strength of the great apes using D&D rules based on my zero biological knowledge (which I never imagined before now that I would, but here we are), I would go:
Str 8 or less - all other primates (tiny monkey to baboon)
Str 10 - Human average
Str 12 - Chimpanzee or similar
Str 14 - Orangutan or similar
Str 16 - Gorilla or similar
Str 20-30 - various giant and humongous apes that are not real.
This is so true...
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D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
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Hello, forum lurkers. I'm currently making a kind of battlemedic beast master (or beast conclave ranger) . He's a beastmaster with the Healer Feat, healing spells, knowledge of herbs and alchemy, etc. A pretty important part of his gameplay is that his beast companion must be able to help him with his job somehow, and so I thought of having a gorilla companion, who would be able to easily pick up and carry a patient in an emergency situation.
What I'm not completely sure, however, is whether the "Ape" animal companion is indeed a gorilla, a chimp or something else entirely, like an orangutan or bonobo. What do you think?
Here's a link to the Ape's sheet in Roll20's Compendium: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Ape#content
LOL I'm a bit confused why you link to Roll20, when Ape is also here ;)
I think the stats ought to reflect any of the apes, but my personal preference would be for an Orangutan in this case.
Maybe because Orangutans were the scientists in the original Planet of the Apes?
Chimp would also be ok in my imagination, Gorilla just sounds too martial too me.
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Str 16 is a decent way above average human. To me, that suggests gorilla or similar
"Any of the above"?
I think you get to choose.
I mean, the stat block is the same regardless, so it's really just flavor? *shrugs*
D&D is using the term "Ape" not as a generic term, but as a specific reference to non-gentle, killer gorillas (i.e. carnivorous Apes) commonly seen in fantasy.
From 3.5e: "Ape: These powerful omnivores resemble gorillas but are far more aggressive; they kill and eat anything they can catch. An adult male ape is 5½ to 6 feet tall and weighs 300 to 400 pounds."
The standard Ape beast companion is thus expected to look like a gorilla, but is nastier. I'd allow a player to alter the description though, if desired.
In what situations could it possibly matter?
Definition of Ape (straight from the dictionary) :
a large primate that lacks a tail, including the gorilla, chimpanzees, orangutan, and gibbons
I would say make it whatever you want
Hope this answers you're question (it probably doesn't)
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
Actually Chimpanzees are stronger then Humans....
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
While that is correct, D&D has canonically used the term "Ape" to refer to a specific fantasy creature that does not exist in our world. It was called "Carnivorous Ape" in 2e, but just "Ape" in 3e and 4e. A case might be made that the 5e stats are now broadened to encompass our world's use of the term "Ape"... but dat attack!
That said: I personally would allow it to be described as a less potent primate (but then, I also allow were-bears to be were-pandas and were-koalas).
lf you use this definition,then you can have a human cause a human is a large primate with no tail.
You're not wrong. Though most apes are bigger than humans.
Sure, but if I had to rank the strength of the great apes using D&D rules based on my zero biological knowledge (which I never imagined before now that I would, but here we are), I would go:
Str 8 or less - all other primates (tiny monkey to baboon)
Str 10 - Human average
Str 12 - Chimpanzee or similar
Str 14 - Orangutan or similar
Str 16 - Gorilla or similar
Str 20-30 - various giant and humongous apes that are not real.
This is so true...
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p