Andrewsarchus

[vraad]

Hello once again.

After all the encouragement from my Smilodon and Dinofelis conversions (made the change to beast by the way), I decided to take a shot at one of the prehistoric creatures I still needed from my list.

I found most of my want list from the Creature Catalog. When I set about doing this creation I looked very closely at the Entilodont. Considering that Andrewsarchus was supposed to be the largest carnivorous land mammel, I made him a little bigger and meaner.

I will also admit ot a little confusion with the number of attacks this beast gets. He equates to a 9th level cleric (+6/+1). Did I do the attacks correctly?

Comments welcome and appreciated.

Andrewsarchus
Huge-Size Beast
Hit Dice: 13d10+78 (150 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 14 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: 2 bite +14/+9 (+6/+1 Base, +8 Str, -2 size)
Damage: bite 2d6+8
Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, crushing bite 1d8+8
Special Qualities: Low light vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 15, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9, Wilderness Lore +4*
Feats: --

Climate/Terrain: Costal, Plains
Primarily Darklands
Organization: Solitary of Pair (1 or 2)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement Range:

Description
A huge-sized, wolf-like carnivore, andrewsarchus is a strange carnivorous hoofed animal. Despite having little hooves instead of claws, this animal has developed enormously long and powerful jaws with crushing teeth.

Combat
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the andrewsarchus must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can crush its victim.
Crushing Bite (Ex): An andrewsarchus that gets a hold can do additional crushing damage for 1d8 +8 damage.
Skills: * Andrewsarchus receives a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

 

[Magus Darkholme]

Not bad job Vraad. Andy ws always one of my favorite non-dino predators, next to the terrorbirds of course .
The only thing wrong I see offhand is the attack bonus. It should read: Bite+12 melee (-2size, +8strength, +6 base).
A creatures natural attack does not gain the extra attack listed in the BAB. So for a natural attack just add the first number .

 

[Krishnath]

Actually the bite attack should be: +15 (+9 Base, +8 str, -2 size.).

You see, beasts have the same attack bonus as a cleric.

Nice work by the way.

 

[vraad]

Magus Darkholme:
It should read: Bite+12 melee (-2size, +8strength, +6 base).

Ach!! You're right. Usually I'm better at math than this. THANKS!

Magus Darkholme:
A creatures natural attack does not gain the extra attack listed in the BAB. So for a natural attack just add the first number

Seems hardly fair. After all, Andrew's challenge rating means he's going to be going against some pretty nasty characters. With only one attack, he doesn't stand a chance at all. Even worse, I can't see how he can have any attack other than bite.

Krishnath:
Actually the bite attack should be: +15 (+9 Base, +8 str, -2 size.).

You see, beasts have the same attack bonus as a cleric.

Ok, maybe I missed something. Looking at the MM2, it says that a Beast's Base Attack Bonus is "As cleric (3/4 HD, rounded down)" Did I miss some errata or something?

Thank you all for you patience, encouragement, and suggestions.

Later

 

[Geocorona]

The entelodont is just barely Huge, and I've thought about reducing its size to Large, which would make its stats and CR drop, too, though not dropping them as severely as the SRD Creature Overview states, since it would only be a drop from the bottom of Huge to the top of Large.

Do you think I should do that?

 

[keb]

Ok, maybe I missed something. Looking at the MM2, it says that a Beast's Base Attack Bonus is "As cleric (3/4 HD, rounded down)" Did I miss some errata or something?

Later

Krishnath is correct, a 13th level cleric would have a BAB of +9.

Just to add to Magus's post, when a creature has only a single attack with a natural weapon it adds 1.5 it's Strength modifier to damage, so andrewsarchus's attack would be: Bite +15 melee, damage 2d6+12. You could probably do the same with the damage for the Crushing Bite ability.

BTW, it's nice to see descriptions of prehistoric mammals - dinosaurs seem to get most of the glory. Keep up the good work.

 

[vraad]

Krishnath is correct, a 13th level cleric would have a BAB of +9.

Ok, I must be as thick headed as a brick wall or something here. I submit the following:

The creatures hit dice is 13.
The book says: As cleric (3/4 HD, rounded down)
So....13 times .75 = 9
Therefore we have a 9th level cleric.
looking at the chart that's a +6 to hit.

Where have I gone wrong???? Why am I wrong?????????????

I'm more confused now than I was before!!

so andrewsarchus's attack would be: Bite +15 melee, damage 2d6+12

I do believe you're right. My bad!! THANKS

Later

 

[Krishnath]

The trouble is that you add a step to much when calculating. The 3/4 HD is what a cleric has as BAB, so a 13th level cleric has 13*3/4=+9 in BAB. You need to count the creatures HD as class levels. Therefore a Beast with 13HD has the same BAB as a 13th level cleric, or +9. Do you understand?

 

[vraad]

AH HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do believe I understand now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YIPPY!!!

THANKS

Sorry if I've been a pain.

THANKS again!!

Later



P.S. Ignorance is SO frustrating!

 

[Krishnath]

No, actually I think ignorance is bliss.