Converting prehistoric animals

[RavinRay]

I think we've nailed this one. What I like about this is what for whatever environment you're in there's a proboscidean adapted to that with its own set of abilities that make it just that different enough from the others.

 

[Shade]

Indeed! Let's see where this one fits in...

Ambelodon
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 12"//6"
HIT DICE: 9
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 forefeet
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12/2-12
% IN LAIR: Nil (free roaming)
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

This was a member of the mastodon family. The lower jaws of these pachyderms were elongated into a scoop 6½' long, giving them the nickname of shovel-tusked mastodons. Ambelodon had a pair of short tusks (worth 100-300 gp each to adventurers). Since the proboscis was weak, the shovel clumsy, and the tusks badly placed for combat, Ambelodon lived attacked with only its front feet. Ambelodon lived in Miocene swamps and rivers, where vegetation was abundant. A very <missing text> Platybelodon, which had an even broader shovel jaw.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #137 (1988).

Here's the Wikipedia entry. Note the different spelling.

 

[freyar]

Maybe start with the mastodon and remove the gore attacks. I think we can leave the slam and trample to go with the stamps, though.

 

[Shade]

OK, downsizing the mastodon to 9 HD and removing the gore attack yields...

Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 9d8+54 (94 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-2 size, +8 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+25
Attack: Slam +15 melee (2d8+11)
Full Attack: Slam +15 melee (2d8+11) and 2 stamps +10 melee (2d6+5)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample 2d12+16
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 32, Dex 11, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 5
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Iron Will
Environment: Temperate swamps
Organization: Solitary, pair, or herd (3-6)
Challenge Rating: x
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 10-27 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 25. The save DC is Strength-based.


I dropped Improved Natural Attack (gore) and Toughness.

It looks like it had a swim speed which converts to 15 feet. Do we want to stick with that, or simply give it a racial bonus on Swim checks?

Do we want to give them any special ability related to shoveling?

 

[freyar]

Give it a swim speed. If I'm not mistaken, RW elephants swim decently, and a swim speed would distinguish it some. Besides, if they did shovel water plants, they probably spent a lot of time in the water.

Not sure about shoveling. Any of our prehistoric experts want to weigh in?

 

[Echohawk]

Yes, real world elephants can definitely swim surprisingly well. (I live not very from an elephant sanctuary!)

 

[Shade]

Yes, real world elephants can definitely swim surprisingly well. (I live not very from an elephant sanctuary!)

Very cool! That beats living near a zoo.

Added to Homebrews.

 

[freyar]

CR 5 or 6? Is this one done otherwise?

 

[Shade]

Technically, it would be CR 7. Since a mastodon is CR 9, and animals increase CR at a rate of +1/3 HD, reversing that gives us -2 CR (-6 HD).

I just noticed that a standard elephant has 11 HD. Should we boost these guys since the smallest of them were supposed to be as big as an elephant?

 

[freyar]

Give 'em 10-11HD, and I'll go along with CR 7. Without the gores, they certainly aren't any tougher than an elephant.