Converting prehistoric creatures
Cleon
Legend
So all we need is a weight and fleshing out the flavour and tactics a bit.
For a start, they don't have a swim speed or swim skill listed so "it swims just above the muddy ocean floor" makes little sense.
The description could do with a bit more prettying up, too.
How about:
This creature resembles a cross between a trilobite and a centipede. Its head is a large, armored shield sporting two pairs of long rearward spikes. Two pairs of antennae protrude from the underside of its head, one pair of antennae are long whiplike organs, the other pair are short and stout. Its colorful body has an iridescent sheen, each body segment has a pair of branched appendages, the lower branch is a leg and the upper a feathery gill.
Marrella is a prehistoric marine arthropod. It spends most of its time crawling across the muddy ocean floor looking for food. Marrella are primarily scavengers, but capture prey if given the chance. They can spend several hours at a time on dry land, and often leave the water to comb beaches for food or travel from one body of water to another.
A marrella is 12 feet long and weighs 2000 pounds.
COMBAT
A marrella starts combat by charging an opponent with a smashingly powerful slam, then attack by lashing its two whiplike antennae. Marrella never retreat, since they are too brainless to realize when they're losing a fight.
Cleon
Legend
Shade
Monster Junkie
Odontogriphus
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 10
MOVEMENT: 6, SW 12
HIT DICE: 4
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood drain,
constriction
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
SIZE: H (18’ long)
MORALE: Average (8)
XP VALUE: 270
Odontogriphus is seems like a cross between a flatworm (like the planaria you mess with in biology class) and a leech, with a swimming style somewhat like that of a manta ray. It has a mouth with a curious ring of teeth on its underside, so its attack method is obvious: drop down on the prey from above, bite in, and start sucking. The bite does 1d6 points of damage initially, with another 1d4 points per round due to blood drain. A stricken AD&D character must roll a successful Strength check (as above) to escape.
Because of its flexibility, Odontogriphus also has the capability for a constriction attack, dropping itself down on man-sized or smaller prey and wrapping itself around it like an aquatic version of the AD&D game’s lurker above. Constriction adds 1d6 damage per attack, and suffocates the victim within 1d4 + 1 rounds at most. Even if the character is underwater and has her own air supply, she still suffocates, as this attack prevents her from drawing air into her lungs. All attacks made on the constricting monster will do half damage (rounding down) on the constricting victim.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #204 (1994).
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 10
MOVEMENT: 6, SW 12
HIT DICE: 4
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood drain,
constriction
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
SIZE: H (18’ long)
MORALE: Average (8)
XP VALUE: 270
Odontogriphus is seems like a cross between a flatworm (like the planaria you mess with in biology class) and a leech, with a swimming style somewhat like that of a manta ray. It has a mouth with a curious ring of teeth on its underside, so its attack method is obvious: drop down on the prey from above, bite in, and start sucking. The bite does 1d6 points of damage initially, with another 1d4 points per round due to blood drain. A stricken AD&D character must roll a successful Strength check (as above) to escape.
Because of its flexibility, Odontogriphus also has the capability for a constriction attack, dropping itself down on man-sized or smaller prey and wrapping itself around it like an aquatic version of the AD&D game’s lurker above. Constriction adds 1d6 damage per attack, and suffocates the victim within 1d4 + 1 rounds at most. Even if the character is underwater and has her own air supply, she still suffocates, as this attack prevents her from drawing air into her lungs. All attacks made on the constricting monster will do half damage (rounding down) on the constricting victim.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #204 (1994).
Cleon
Legend
These seem too weak too be Huge.
Make them Large Vermin (Aquatic) with 4 Hit Dice?
I'd set their stats as similar to a Large Constrictor Snake with no NA and Dex 13 which has a Blood Drain attack.
If they're built like leech/flatworms I think they should climbers as well as crawlers.
Should be easy to whip up some stats.
Cleon
Legend
Odontogriphus Working Draft
Odontogriphus
Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 10 (-1 size, +1 Dex), touch 10, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, constrict 1d6+6, improved grab
Special Qualities: Scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 13, Int –, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +1, Listen +5, Swim +12
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or swarm (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Large); 7-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
Description
Flavour
COMBAT
Odontogriphus hunt by grabbing prey with their mouths and sucking their blood, while squeezing their victim with their powerful bodies.
Blood Drain (Ex): An odontogriphus drains blood for 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round it maintains a hold on an opponent. It does not need to make a grapple check, but continues automatically draining blood until its victim escapes its grip (see Escape from Grapple) or dies and is drained of all their blood.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, an odontogriphus deals 1d6+6 points of damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an odontogriphus must hit with its 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 blood drain and constrict.
Skills: Odontogriphus have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks. An odontogriphus has a +8 racial bonus on Climb and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Odontogriphus 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.
Odontogriphus
Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 10 (-1 size, +1 Dex), touch 10, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, constrict 1d6+6, improved grab
Special Qualities: Scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 13, Int –, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +1, Listen +5, Swim +12
Feats: —
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or swarm (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Large); 7-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
Description
Flavour
COMBAT
Odontogriphus hunt by grabbing prey with their mouths and sucking their blood, while squeezing their victim with their powerful bodies.
Blood Drain (Ex): An odontogriphus drains blood for 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round it maintains a hold on an opponent. It does not need to make a grapple check, but continues automatically draining blood until its victim escapes its grip (see Escape from Grapple) or dies and is drained of all their blood.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, an odontogriphus deals 1d6+6 points of damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an odontogriphus must hit with its 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 blood drain and constrict.
Skills: Odontogriphus have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks. An odontogriphus has a +8 racial bonus on Climb and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Odontogriphus 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.
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Shade
Monster Junkie
As long as they advance to Huge, I'm happy with making them large. 
Upsizing a giant leech (Small) to Large yields...
Str 18, Dex 8, Con 17, Int -, Wis 8, Cha 2
I can't find a Large constrictor, but the giant (Huge) variety has...
Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Your assessment of Dex 13 appeals, but I'm not sure what do do with the Str and Con. I'm tempted to use the leech's Str (18) and the snake's Con (13). The leech's mental scores should suffice.
Upsizing a giant leech (Small) to Large yields...
Str 18, Dex 8, Con 17, Int -, Wis 8, Cha 2
I can't find a Large constrictor, but the giant (Huge) variety has...
Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Your assessment of Dex 13 appeals, but I'm not sure what do do with the Str and Con. I'm tempted to use the leech's Str (18) and the snake's Con (13). The leech's mental scores should suffice.
Cleon
Legend
As long as they advance to Huge, I'm happy with making them large.
Upsizing a giant leech (Small) to Large yields...
Str 18, Dex 8, Con 17, Int -, Wis 8, Cha 2
I can't find a Large constrictor, but the giant (Huge) variety has...
Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Your assessment of Dex 13 appeals, but I'm not sure what do do with the Str and Con. I'm tempted to use the leech's Str (18) and the snake's Con (13). The leech's mental scores should suffice.
You couldn't find a Large Constrictor 'cause there isn't one in the SRD.
However, a standard Constrictor is Str 17 and Medium and a Giant Constrictor is Str 25 and Huge.
Averaging the two produces Str 21 and Large.
That said, I like Strength 18 better since it gives a nice neat 1d6+6 damage.
Wisdom 8 like a leech also looks good to me.
I'll change them both.
Updated.
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