Converting prehistoric animals

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Zaster

First Post
Good stuff. For comparison here's a version I did a while ago:

Iguanodon
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 12D8+78 (132 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+26
Attack: Thumb spike +16 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: 2 thumb spikes +16 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample 2d8+13
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 7
Skills: Hide -6*, Listen +12, Spot +8, Swim +11
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Listen), Toughness (2)
Environment: Warm forest and marsh
Organization: Solitary or herd (5-8)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always nuetral
Advancement: 13-24 HD (Huge); 25-36 HD (Gargantuan)

You see a squat, massive herbivore with broad, earthen stripes . It seems equally comfortable loping on two legs or foraging on all four. A wicked spike projects from the side of each paw.

Iguanodons are adaptable and highly successful dinosaurs that grow roughly 30 ft. long and weigh five or six tons. They stoop low or crawl to browse on ferns and other low-growing plants, but otherwise walk on thier hind limbs. With the few changes noted below, iguanodon stats can also be used to represent duckbill dinosaurs.

Combat:
Iguanodons are generally peaceful herd animals, but are best kept at a distance owing to the readiness with which they defend themselves against perceived threats. An iguanodon uses its "thumb spikes" (which are not actually digits at all) to jab at the head and neck of an opponent. If you use iguanodon stats to represent a duckbill dinosaur, omit these thumb spike attacks. A duckbill has only one attack; a slam for 1d8+13. Duckbills would rather flee into nearby water from any threat, attempting a panicked slam or trample only if denied this escape.

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

Skills:
*Iguanodons have a +8 racial Hide bonus amongst dense foliage, while duckbills receive a similar bonus in water.
 
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BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
wippit, instead of that could you please find your thread and bump it up? thanks.
 
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Krishnath

First Post
Comments on the Iguanadons, drop the scent, and trample, change tumb spikes to claw attacks (well they are claws...) and give it rend.

Just a suggestion, ignore it or embrace it as you see fit.
 


BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
demiurge1138 said:
So, Boz, just asking, but when are you going to start posting the dinosaurs I sent you?

Demiurge out.

ahhh, when i stop being lazy. how about now. ;)

since i want to get all the ones from X1 out of the way, might as well go through that list alphabetically, starting with Allosaurus. i don't know if demiurge did a conversion of that one or not, but if anyone knows of a conversion they can point me to, that would be grrrreat!


First of all, the OD&D stats from X1 Isle of Dread:

Allosaurus
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 13
Move: 150’ (50’)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 4-24
No. Appearing: 0 (1-4)
Save As: Fighter: 7
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: V
Alignment: Neutral
An allosaurus is a huge carnivorous dinosaur which runs upright on its large hind legs. It stands almost 15' tall, and weighs several tons. The allosaur's attack is to bite with its large jaws, which are filled with dagger-like teeth. Allosaurs hunt most often in lowland hills and plains.


i found a 1E version of it in Dragon Mag #55 ("Dinosaurs: New Theories For Old Monsters," November 1981, Lawrence Schick):

Allosaurus
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 12
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK:1-6/1-6/3-24
SIZE: L (30’ long)

Though it weighs several tons, allosaurus is easily one of the quickest and most agile of the large carnosaurs. Its forelimbs are strong compared to those of the tyrannosaurs, and are useful for helping to hold and tear its prey. However, allosaurus’ long teeth are its primary armament. When on the move, an allosaur’s tooth-filled head is held about 10 feet above the ground.
Allosaurus is one of a group of species called megalosaurs, a family that includes carnosaurs like megalosaurus (naturally) and ceratosaurus. These creatures are all similar to allosaurus, though slightly smaller. (Megalosaurus is about 10 HD, ceratosaurus about 8.)


And, to make things even more confusing, a set of 2E stats for the allosaurus (aka antrodemus) from MC3 (its stats reprinted in MCA2 are below):

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non- (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 15
HIT DICE: 15
THAC0: 8
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4/1d4/6d4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: G (40’ long)
MORALE: Steady (12)
XP VALUE: 9,000

One of the most vicious predators, this monster can run across hard ground at great speed. In size, the allosaurus is between its two relatives, the smaller megalosaurus and the larger tyrannosaurus rex. It weigh about 1 ½ tons.
The allosaurus has a massive skull, formed of bony plates that give it strength. The design of these plates is such that the head is still light enough to snap quickly at prey.
Besides feeding on the occasional brontosaurus and diplodocus, this “flesh lizard” is known to eat carrion.
Few other creatures are foolish enough to fight the allosaurus for a share of its meal.


OK. So, I guess we’ll just have to go with whatever stats are the best, or most accurate to current scientific theory, and mix and match as needed.
 

demiurge1138

Inventor of Super-Toast
The allosaurus is in MM2. That's not a very good conversion, IMO (they don't need trample, should have had more HD then 10).

Demiurge out.
 

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
doi! why didn't someone warn me first. oh yeah, cuz i didn't ask. :)

how about the brontosaurus burger?
 


Zaster

First Post
This is quick & rough, and I don't have previous addition bronto stats anywhere, but by comparing other dinos in the 3.5 SRD against one another I come up with something like the following. Bronto weighed about 30 tons (as compared to something in the area of 100 tons for seismosaurus if I recall correctly). BTW, I don't know whether we care or not, but bronto's name was officially changed to Apatosaurus some years back.

Brontosaurus
Gargantuan Animal
Hit Dice: 24D8+192 (309 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (-1 dex, +8 natural, -4 size), touch 5, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+41
Attack: Tail slap +29 melee (2d8+16)
Full Attack: Tail slap +29 melee (2d8+16)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample 2d6+16
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +13, Will +9
Abilities: Str 33, Dex 9, Con 27, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +?, Spot +?
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run, Toughness (3)
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
This thread is becoming very hard to follow. Could we stick to one dinosaur at a time, like the other conversion threads, and then move on to the next?
 

Wippit Guud

First Post
Ok, getting on the original track...

Hyena's are in the Miniature's Handbook, which I don't have access to. And I'd want to see the stats for one before I try to 'adon' it.
 





Wippit Guud

First Post
Ok, here's what I got. To avoid making it just a smaller T-Rex, he has piddly little claw attacks, and goign with a Michael Chrieton appraoch, gave him a chameleon ability. CR might be a bit off...

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Allosaurus
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 12d8+48 (105 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+15
Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d8+7)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (2d8+7), 2 claws +9 melee (1d3+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +12, Will +8
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +8*, Listen +9, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Run, Toughness, Track

Environment: Warm plains and forests
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 13-36 HD (Huge); 37-42 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an allosaurus must hit an opponent of up to one size smaller 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 automatcially deals bite damage the following round. Creatures held in this way cannot be hit by the claws attacks.

Skills: Allosaurus have a chameleonlike ability that grants them a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. *In forests or overgrown areas, this bonus improves to +8
 
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