Converting prehistoric creatures

[Shade]

I think so. I'll throw the next one out here, but if anyone has further feedback on sarkastodon, we can definitely revisit it.

Agriotherium (savannah bear)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Savannah
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
DIET: Omnivore
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVEMENT: 15
HIT DICE: 8
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1-10/1-10/1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hug
SIZE: L (10. high)
MORALE: Average (8-10)
XP VALUE: 2,000

Although bears do not now live in Africa, Agriotherium roamed the southern African plains of the Pleistocene. Paleontologists are not sure how it got there; no other bear fossils have been found elsewhere south of the Sahara. Agriotherium was a huge, primitive bear, slightly smaller than the cave bear, with a doglike head.

Combat: Like other bears, Agriotherium strikes with two paws and a bite. If either paw hits with an 18 or better, it also hugs for 3-18 hp damage. It fights for 2-5 rounds at 0 to -10 hp, but dies instantly from greater damage.

Habitat/Society: All bears are solitary, pairing briefly only to mate. The mother raises the cubs alone. Agriotherium does not hibernate, due to its warm climate. Being at the top of the food chain and having no natural enemies, this bear can bring down large game that is sick or wounded, but it usually feeds on plants and small animals.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #167 (1991).

Agriotherium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[demiurge1138]

OK--this is a dire bear. I'd be alright with just calling it a version of dire bear... but let's see about differentiating it.

How many HD did cave bears have in this edition?

[Shade]

6+6, while polar bears have 8+8.

[demiurge1138]

Huh. Cave bears were less than polar bears. Which... actually makes a lot of sense judging by the historical record. These guys, though, were almost to Sarkastodon levels with size. In fact, IPR's first Sarkastodon draft would probably be a pretty good place to start. Maybe raise Dex a bit and lower Str a touch. Give them ferocity as per a dire boar. Switch trip for Improved Grab... and rend?

[freyar]

Seems almost like a constrict.

[demiurge1138]

It does look like constriction, yes. But all bears could constrict in 2e.

[Shade]

Like so?

Agriotherium
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 15d8+75 (142 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+25
Attack: Claw +20 melee (xdx+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +20 melee (xdx+10) and bite +15 melee (xdx+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Dire, ferocity, improved grab, rend
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +10
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 15, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: 18 ranks
Feats: 6
Environment: Warm plains?
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: x
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: x
Level Adjustment: -

Dire (Ex): Agriotherium is considered to be a dire animal for the purposes of saving throws.

Ferocity (Ex): An agriotherium is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an agriotherium must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Rend (Ex): If an agriotherium hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional xdx+15 points of damage.

[demiurge1138]

We could constrict rather than rend--do natural attacks that are listed as Improved Grapple deal damage every round in the grapple? I never can remember. I feel like WoTC's gone back and forth on that a few times.

[Shade]

Yeah, they've definitely waffled on that one.

Here's the latest I could find...

"A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text)."

So it sounds like constrict is necessary to avoid additional grapple checks to deal damage.

[demiurge1138]

Oh! OK. So... do we want to give it constrict, or just mention in its tactics that it uses additional grapple checks to deal damage?

[freyar]

I kind of like the idea of a "bear hug" constrict, but I could also see the idea of just mentioning the extra grapple checks.

[Shade]

I suppose the make-or-break question is whether we want the bear to be able to bite in the same round it uses its "bear hug". If so, then we'll need constrict.

[demiurge1138]

Doing more research... These were Hemicyonids, which are colloquially called "dog-bears". They were fast runners and possibly cooperative hunters, with body-proportions described as "tiger-like". In which case giving them Improved Grab and (?) Constrict would be fine, but I think we should boost the Speed to 50ft.

[freyar]

Rather than Constrict, we could give it Chew or some similar thing where it does automatic bite damage every round it maintains a grapple.

[demiurge1138]

I'm far more keen on chew than on constrict. Nice pick, freyar.

[Shade]

Brilliant!

Added to Homebrews.

[InsanePsychoRabbit]

What's with it having the flavor text for Sarkastodon!?

Unless any of you can come up with flavor text I'll have some posted tomorrow.

[demiurge1138]

Because the stat-block was originally copy-pasta, that's why.

This great beast looks like a bear with the proportions of a tiger. It runs towards you, a hungry gleam in its eyes.

Agriotherium is not a true bear, but rather a hemicyonid, close relatives of bears built for running. Rather than the omnivory of most bears, Agriotherium is a true carnivore, feeding mostly on the flesh of elephants, rhinos and other huge beasts, although it can and will scavenge and feed on fruits, grubs and honey. Agriotherium hunts in pairs or in small packs, and these groupings are very territorial--they are likely to view intrusions of humanoids into their ranges as a threat.

[Shade]

Oops! It was indeed a cut n' paste error.

Updated.

Claw and bite damage?

Skills: 18 ranks

Feats: 6

[freyar]

Original damage was 1d10 each. That's probably good for the claws, but it might be fun to bump the bite a little. Maybe 1d12 or even 2d8.

Spot and Listen would probably be good skills.

Feats: Alertness, Run, Weapon Focus (claw), Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow?