Converting prehistoric animals

[Zaster]

Now, what's next? The trachodon/anatosaurus/anatotitan or the plesiosaurus?

Given that choice, I vote for Anatosaurus. They both seem pretty inoffensive, though.

Any chance we could take on a deinosuchus or suchomimus at some point?

 

[BOZ]

sure thing. i want to get those other two out of the way first.

 

[Zaster]

If noone else wants to take a crack at this, I'll give it a try. I hope next month's Dragon magazine doesn't steal our thunder by giving us a generic duckbill.

Anatosaurus
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 10D8+53 (98 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+24
Attack: Slam +14 melee (1D8+13)
Full Attack: Slam +14 melee (1D8+13)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 7
Skills: Hide ??, Spot ??, Listen ??, Swim ??*
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Listen), Toughness
Environment: Warm forest and marsh
Organization: Solitary or herd (5-8)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always nuetral
Advancement: 11-20 HD (Huge); 21-30 HD (Gargantuan)

Skills: *Anatosaurus has a +8 bonus on all Swim checks made to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered.

 

[BOZ]

here's demiurge's version, just to keep discussion alive. i'll post the earlier stats when i get a moment of free time in which to do it.

Anatotitan
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 12d8+90 (144 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 40ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +6 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+25
Attack: Tail slam +15 melee (1d8+12)
Full Attack: Tail slam +15 melee (1d8+12)
Space/Reach: 15ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Trample 2d10+12
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 9, Con 24, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 7
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8, Swim +13
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Run, Toughness (x2)
Environment: Temperate and cold plains
Organization: Solitary, pair or herd (6-36)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 13-24 HD (Huge), 25-36 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

This massive creature has a leathery hide, long slender limbs and a wide beak somewhat like that of a duck.

Anatotitans are huge herbivorous ornithischians that are generally harmless unless provoked.

The average anatotitan is 30 to 40 feet long and can weigh up to 3 tons. Despite its bulk, it is shy and not aggressive. Anatotitans, like other hadrosaurs, rear their young and have large herds consisting of one or more families. They are quite resistant to cold temperatures, despite their reptilian appearance.

Combat
Anatotitans avoid combat whenever possible, preferring to flee from confrontation. If their young are threatened, however, they fight with their powerful tails.

Trample (Ex): An anatotitan can literally run over any creatures in its way that are of Large or smaller size. Creatures trampled must make a Reflex save (DC 24 half) or take 2d10+12 damage. The save DC is Strength based.

 

[Zaster]

Looks like the main difference is Environment.

I think we should err on the side of making environment pretty inclusive, since anato's stats could be used to represent practically any duckbill. How about "any plain, forest, or swamp"?

 

[demiurge1138]

I'm not sure that the anatotitan should be a generic hadrosaur, as there is a lambeosaurus in the MMII, which I also statted, and is in the doc Boz has. Also, most evidence points to duckbills feeding mainly on conifers and cycads, and living on dry ground, so I'm not sure that marsh should be part of the terrain.

Demiurge out.

 

[Zaster]

I'm not sure that the anatotitan should be a generic hadrosaur, as there is a lambeosaurus in the MMII

O.K., I didn't realize that. I'd honestly prefer one generic creature since duckbills don't seem that diverse in thier capabilities, but its all good.

Also, most evidence points to duckbills feeding mainly on conifers and cycads, and living on dry ground, so I'm not sure that marsh should be part of the terrain.

You may be right. The Smithsonion Handbook on dinosaurs puts Hadrosaurus in "swamps and forests", which is the only reason I mention it. Most of the other duckbills are indeed described as woodland critters.

 

[BOZ]

which of those is the correct name, BTW?

 

[Filby]

which of those is the correct name, BTW?

I'm not as up on paleontology as I was when I was a kid, but I believe that Anatotitan is currently the accepted name. The creature commonly known as Anatosaurus was recently found to be merely a different species of Edmontonsaurus, I think. Not sure.

 

[Zaster]

whoops. Beaten to the punch.
Here's a website that sorts the mess out a little. Alot of this is stuff I didn't know.
http://www.cybercomm.net/~rmarguls/stamps/trachodon.html

But it seems to hinge alot on tooth characteristics of interest only to paleontologists. From a gaming perspective, I'm not sure how riveting some of these distinctions are going to be.