Converting prehistoric animals

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I sent BOZ a conversion of lots of dinosaurs I'd done from the 1e MM and MM2 a long time ago... apparently, it's not around anymore. Here's what I did to the megalosaurus:

Megalosaurus
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 10d8+40 (85 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+23
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d8+8 plus lacerate)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d8+8 plus lacerate), 2 claws +11 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 15ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Improved grab, lacerate
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +13, Spot +12
Feats: Alertness, Multiattack, Run, Track
Environment: Warm and temperate forests and plains
Organization: Solitary, pair or pack (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 11-20 HD (Huge), 21-30 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

This large bipedal creature is obviously a predator, as indicated with its knife-like teeth and powerful claws. Small studs of bone run in lines on either side of its back.

Megalosaurs are savage predators that specialize in hunting sauropods and other massive dinosaurs.

A megalosaurus usually grows to 30 feet in length, and many weigh over two tons. They are usually pack hunters, specializing in sauropods, especially old, young, infirm or wounded ones. Lone megalosaurs are not unknown, however, but they feed mainly on iguanodons and similar species.

Combat
Megalosaurs hunt not by speed or stealth but by sheer persistence. A pack will overwhelm a potential target, biting it multiple times with one or two grabbing hold to slow they prey down. After a few successful attacks, the pack retreats, waiting for their victim to bleed to death before moving in to feast.

Improved Grab (Ex): In order to use this ability, a megalosaurus must hit with a bite attack. If it hits, it can make a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it deals automatic bite damage each round.

Lacerate (Ex): The bites of a megalosaurus leave deep, bleeding wounds. Any creature injured by a megalosaurus’ bite attack takes an additional 1 point of damage each round from the bleeding until the wound is bound (Heal check DC 15) or the target dies. This damage stacks from multiple attacks; for example, a creature bitten three times by a megalosaurus bleeds for 3 points of damage each round.

Skills: A megalosaurus receives a +2 racial bonus on all Listen and Spot checks.

The thinking on lacerate was the serrated teeth plus the need to take down sauropods, which are great chunks of hit points.

Now, however, I have learned that megalosaurids had shallow, long skulls, which were not conducive to very powerful bites. They also had leg proportions less equipped for running than, say, an allosaur. Their arms, however, were large and stoutly muscled. I might be willing to switch the claws and the bite as primary/secondary weapons, and switch Imp. Grab to the claws. May want to turn down the bite damage, although lacerate could be kept. And we may also wish to lower the speed even to 30ft.
 
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Added to Homebrews, and reversed the claws and bite and lowered the bite damage as you suggested.

Other than that, I don't really see the need to change anything.

If you've still got that dino file, that might speed up the conversions of many of the remaining ones. ;)
 

Sure!

I'd also recommend changing the descriptive text; it's a wee bit embarrassing in retrospect. Perhaps:

This large bipedal reptile is obviously a predator, as indicated by its long jaws and knife-like teeth. Its arms are powerfully muscled and bear three claws. Small studs of bone run in lines on either side of its back.
 


The document consists of:

Anatotitan
Anchisaurus
Apatosaurus
Archelon
Brachiosaurus
Camarasaurus
Camptosaurus
Ceratosaurus
Cetiosaurus
Coelophysis
Compsognathus (and swarm)
Dacentrus
Dilophosaurus
Dimetrodon
Dinichthys
Diplodocus
Euparkeria
Gorgosaurus
Kentrosaurus
Iguanodon
Lambeosaurus
Mamenchisaurus
Massospondylus
Megalosaurus
Monoclonius
Mosasaurus
Nothosaurus
Ornitholestes
Paleoscincus
Pentaceratops
Plateosaurus
Struthiomimus
Styracosaurus
Tanystropheus
Tennodontosaurus
Teratosaurus

I don't know what's been converted and what hasn't.
 

Off the top of my head:
Archelon - Stormwrack
Brachiosaurus - Monster Manual II
Mosasaurus - Stormwrack

And for the classification, related animals:
Dinosaurs
Prosauropods
- semi-bipedal long-necked herbivores
Anchisaurus
Plateosaurus

Sauropods - long-necked quadrupedal herbivores
Apatosaurus
Camarasaurus
Cetiosaurus
Diplodocus
Mamenchisaurus
Massospondylus

Coelurosaurs - small to medium-sized long necked carnivores
Coelophysis
Compsognathus (and swarm)
Dilophosaurus
Ornitholestes
Struthiomimus

"Carnosaurs" - large carnivores
Ceratosaurus
Gorgosaurus
Megalosaurus

Ornithopods - quadrupedal herbivores
Camptosaurus
Iguanodon
Temnodontosaurus

Hadrosaurs - "duck-billed" dinosaurs
Anatotitan
Lambeosaurus

Ceratopsian - frilled and horned dinosaurs
Monoclonius
Pentaceratops
Styracosaurus

Stegosaurs - back-plated tail-spiked dinosaurs
Dacentrus
Kentrosaurus

Ankylosaurs - armored and club-tailed dinosaurs
Paleoscincus

Non-dinosaur archosaurs
Teratosaurus
Euparkeria

Others
Nothosaurus - amphibious long-necked plesiosaur ancestor

Tanystropheus - amphibious long-necked reptile

Dimetrodon - fin-back carnivorous mammal-like reptile

Dinichthys - armored carnivorous fish (placodont)
 

Based on a quick check...

Anatotitan - Creature Catalogue
Anchisaurus - Creature Catalogue
Apatosaurus - Creature Catalogue
Archelon - Stormwrack
Brachiosaurus - Not yet updated
Camarasaurus - Not yet updated
Camptosaurus - Not yet updated
Ceratosaurus - Serpent Kingdoms
Cetiosaurus - Not yet updated
Coelophysis - Not yet updated (is this the same thing as a Coelurosaur?)
Compsognathus (and swarm) - Dragon #318
Dacentrus - Not yet updated
Dilophosaurus - Not yet updated
Dimetrodon - Dragon #318
Dinichthys - Not yet updated
Diplodocus - Dragon #318
Euparkeria - Not yet updated
Gorgosaurus - Creature Catalogue
Kentrosaurus - Not yet updated
Iguanodon - Not yet updated
Lambeosaurus - Not yet updated
Mamenchisaurus - Not yet updated
Massospondylus - Not yet updated
Megalosaurus - Not yet updated
Monoclonius - Not yet updated
Mosasaurus - Stormwrack
Nothosaurus - Vaults of Pandius
Ornitholestes - Creature Catalogue
Paleoscincus - Not yet updated (is this the same thing as a Paleocinthus?)
Pentaceratops - Creature Catalogue
Plateosaurus - Not yet updated
Struthiomimus - Not yet updated
Styracosaurus - Not yet updated
Tanystropheus - Not yet updated
Tennodontosaurus - Not yet updated
Teratosaurus - Not yet updated
 


Echohawk said:
Is this in the MMII under another name? I don't see it there.
You're right. I remember the picture but it was a Seismosaurus. It was drawn with the neck more vertical than horizontal because Brachiosaurus could orient it that way.

"Coelurosaur" is a general name for the small to medium-sized theropods (bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs). Paleocinthus does appear synonymous with Paleoscincus.
 
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