Tanystropheus
Middle Triassic (250-230 MYA)
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole [Diminutive-sized as combat attack, 1d4+2 plus 2 acid, 5 hp, AC11]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +7* (+11 in water or half-concealed, +15 half-concealed in water), Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +10
Feats: Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This reptile has an extraordinarily long neck, longer than the rest of the body put together. It has a slim lizard-like torso with fat, muscular hindquarters and a tail of average length. Parts of the body are covered in rectangular scales. The head is tiny, with a narrow snout full of spike-like teeth that interlock when its jaws are closed. The neck is pretty stiff, about as flexible as fishing rod.
Tanystropheus are carnivores, mainly eating little fish and squid. They usually hunt by concealing their body – typically in swamp vegetation, above an overhanging rock along the shore, or buried in mud or a rock-hollow under the water – and wait until a meal swims by, then move out to snatch their prey up in their jaws. Their extravagantly long necks allow them to close with a witless fish without the latter realizing they've come within a larger creature's reach.
In areas with abundant marine life Tanystropheus can be quite common. They are not social animals, but are gregarious enough to cluster at a particularly good fishing spot without too much squabbling.
A typical Tanystropheus has a total length from nose to tail of around 13 feet, 7 feet of which is neck, but has a head only 8 or 9 inches long. It weighs 180 pounds or so. An extremely big individual may approach 20 feet in length. Smaller individuals are quite common, both actual Tanystropheus and related species of lesser size.
Combat
Tanystropheus only attack prey small enough to swallow. When faced with larger creatures they would rather hide or flee than fight, but will readily bite in self defence.
Hold Breath (Ex): A Tanystropheus can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Tanystropheus must hit with a bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A Tanystropheus can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to three sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. A Tanystropheus can swallow a creature two sizes smaller than itself, but it takes it 1d6+4 rounds and two successful grapple checks to do so (one to start, one to finish). Therefore it does not swallow bigger victims while in combat.
The swallowed creature takes 1d4+2 points of bludgeoning damage and 2 points of acid damage per round from the Tanystropheus's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 5 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 11). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
A Medium-sized Tanystropheus's gizzard can hold 4 Tiny, 16 Diminutive or 64 Fine opponents.
Skills
A Tanystropheus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
*A Tanystropheus has a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when it is in water. Further, if a Tanystropheus conceals its body, leaving its slim neck and tiny head visible, it gains a +4 cover bonus on Hide checks, or +6 if it is a Large-sized Tanystropheus.
Large Tanystropheus
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (27 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (15 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole [Tiny-sized as combat attack, 1d6+4 plus 4 acid, 10 hp, AC12]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +5* (+9 in water, +11 if half-concealed, +15 if half-concealed in water), Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +12
Feats: Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
Like many reptiles, Tanystropheus do not stop growing, so a particularly old and well-nourished specimen can reach an impressive size, as represented by the above stats. Such individuals are very rare, however.
A big Tanystropheus is some 20 feet from nose to tail, with a foot-long head upon a neck that's10 feet long, if not longer. They typically weigh from 500 to 700 pounds.
Small Tanystropheus (Dinocephalus)
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/–2
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole [Fine-sized as combat attack, 1d3+1 plus 1 acid, 5 hp, AC10]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +7* (+11 in water or half-concealed, +15 half-concealed in water), Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +9
Feats: Weapon Finesse(B), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This could be a adult Tanystropheus of modest size, or a member of a smaller related species, such as Dinocephalosaurus orientalis.
A typical Small Tanystropheus is 9 feet long with a 6 inch head on a 5 foot neck, and weigh about 60 pounds.
Dire Tanystropheus
Large Animal (Dire)
Hit Dice: 7d8+21 (52 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+15
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+9)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (20 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d10+9, improved grab, swallow whole [Tiny-sized as combat attack, 1d8+6 plus 4 acid, 15 hp, AC13]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +6
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +8* (+12 in water, +14 if half-concealed, +18 if half-concealed in water), Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +14
Feats: Alertness, Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Large); 15-29 HD (Huge); 30-45 (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
This is not a real-world animal (or even a realistic one). While an ordinary Tanystropheus has a quite rigid neck, a dire Tanystropheus's neck is as flexible as a serpent, and can crush victims in its coils like a python. They can also process prey items too large to swallow, by bracing a carcass in their coils, or wedging it under a rock or sunken tree, then tearing off bite-sized chunks with their jaws. However, a dire Tanystropheus is so stupidly voracious they have been known to attempt to swallow objects to big for them to consume and subsequently choke to death.
A dire Tanystropheus averages about 25 feet long, with a cubit-long head on a neck 13 feet long, and weighs between 1200 to 1500 pounds.
Combat
Dire Tanystropheus are far more aggressive than the mundane variety, and will attack any prey smaller than themselves. When faced with larger creatures they would rather hide or flee, but will ferociously fight in self defence.
A dire Tanystropheus usually lurks in ambush under the water or above a cliff, then lashes out its long neck when prey wanders within reach. Once combat begins they are recklessly vicious, and generally fight to the death without even a thought of retreat.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a dire Tanystropheus deals 1d10+9 points of damage.
Hold Breath (Ex): A dire Tanystropheus can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a dire Tanystropheus must hit with a bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to constrict or swallow the foe the following round.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A dire Tanystropheus can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to three sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. A dire Tanystropheus can swallow a creature two sizes smaller than itself, but it takes it 1d6+4 rounds and two successful grapple checks to do so (one to start, one to finish). Therefore it does not swallow bigger victims while in combat.
The swallowed creature takes 1d8+6 points of bludgeoning damage and 4 points of acid damage per round from the dire Tanystropheus's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 13). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
A Large-sized dire Tanystropheus's gizzard can hold 4 Small, 16 Tiny, 64 Diminutive or 256 Fine opponents.
Skills
A dire Tanystropheus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
*A dire Tanystropheus has a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when it is in water. Further, if a dire Tanystropheus conceals its body, leaving its slim neck and tiny head visible, it gains a +6 cover bonus on Hide checks.
Huge Dire Tanystropheus
Huge Animal (Dire)
Hit Dice: 15d8+75 (142 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+29
Attack: Bite +20 melee (3d6+15)
Full Attack: Bite +20 melee (3d6+15)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. (30 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+15, improved grab, swallow whole [Small-sized as combat attack, 2d6+10 plus 8 acid, 25 hp, AC14]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +10
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +10* (+14 in water, +16 if half-concealed, +20 if half-concealed in water), Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +18
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16-29 HD (Huge); 30-45 (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A huge dire Tanystropheus averages about 40 feet long and typically weighs between 4000 and 7000 pounds, with a head at least 2 feet long on a neck 25 feet long.
Combat
A huge dire Tanystropheus ambushes prey like a regular dire Tanystropheus. Its head strikes with blinding speed. They often use their Combat Reflexes feat to bite multiple opponents as they close with them. The Gargantuan-sized variety can snap up a couple of lesser foes in one pass by using the Cleave feat.
Gargantuan Dire Tanystropheus
Gargantuan Animal (Dire)
Hit Dice: 30d8+150 (345 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (–4 size, +3 Dex, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +22/+48
Attack: Bite +33 melee (5d6+21)
Full Attack: Bite +33 melee (5d6+21)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft. (40 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Constrict 3d8+21, improved grab, swallow whole [Medium-sized as combat attack, 3d6+14 plus 8 acid, 30 hp, AC16]
Special Qualities: Hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +26, Will +18
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +13* (+17 in water, +19 if half-concealed, +23 if half-concealed in water), Listen +10, Spot +10, Swim +22
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (bite)
Epic Feat: Epic Reflexes, Great Dexterity
Environment: Warm aquatic and swamps
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 31-45 (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
A Gargantuan dire Tanystropheus is at least 70 feet long and weighs 16 tons or more, with a yard-long head on a neck that can reach over 40 feet. Such a monster can swallow human beings like oysters.
