Converting prehistoric animals

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I was scanning the lacerate ability and you comment about the skull biomechanics. Carnosaur evolution generally led to more powerful bites and weaker arms, as typified by the famous T. rex. A megalosaur may not have a bone crushing bite, but it could have raked its serrated teeth to create long wounds that bleed profusely. This was, in fact, the attack tactic famed paleontologist Dr. Bob Bakker wrote for several predators.
 

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Let's just go alphabetically down the unconverted list, starting with Brachiosaurus.

Do you see any reason to post the original stats? It seems like we generally rely on more recent material and retain none of the original information.
 

Brachiosaurus
Colossal Animal
Hit Dice: 28d8+270 (396 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 15ft (3 squares)
Armor Class: 10 (-8 size, -2 Dex, +10 natural), touch 0, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +21/+52
Attack: Claw +28 melee (4d6+15)
Full Attack: 2 claws +28 melee (4d6+15)
Space/Reach: 50ft/40ft
Special Attacks: Trample 10d8+22
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +27, Ref +14, Will +13
Abilities: Str 40, Dex 7, Con 29, Int 1, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +15, Spot +27
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Spot), Toughness (x3)
Environment: Warm and temperate forests and hills
Organization: Solitary, pair or pod (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 29-84 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: -

This incredibly tall quadruped has a huge, almost erect neck, a short tail, a very broad chest, thin legs and a short head with a flat snout and a high crest.

Although the seismosaurus might be longer and heavier, the brachiosaurus is the tallest of all the dinosaurs.

Brachiosaurs are almost 90 feet long and nearly 50 feet tall. They are slow and clumsy by even the standards of the sauropods, but their long legs and neck allow it to reach the tallest branches. They are herd organisms, and because of their size have no natural enemies.

Combat
A brachiosaurus is most likely to use its front claws for uprooting trees, but when attacked by something large enough to concern it (usually a rival brachiosaur), it can use them to deadly effect. Against most dangers, it simply walks over them.

Trample (Ex): A brachiosaurus can literally run over any creatures in its way that are of Gargantuan or smaller size. Creatures trampled must make a Reflex save (DC 39 half) or take 10d8+22 damage. The save DC is Strength based.

May want to replace the claws with stamps (that also do slashing damage). May want to make it faster. May want to boost its natural AC.
 

Here's the Wikipedia entry for those playing at home:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachiosaurus

Agreed to boosting speed and probably natural armor. I'm assuming you based the original speed off seismosaurus. I find it hard to imagine something with a gait that large only moving 20 feet. Hell, it's strides should be larger than that! Increase to 40 ft.?

I also agree with stamps instead of claws (but we can retain half-slashing damage).

Shouldn't it have 10 feats? I'm thinking we can drop the Toughness feats and replace with Epic Toughness (since it qualifies for 3 epic feats). Thoughts?

I wonder if we should go for a Colossal+ advancement to allow for Sauroposeidon...
 

Epic Toughness makes good sense to me.

And yes, I was working within the constraints of the MM-published dinosaurs. Probably not a good idea.
 

Added to Homebrews.

It looks like it gets one more non-epic feat. Any suggestions?

Should I just list in tactics that its stamps deal half slashing damage, or should that be an Ex ability?

How high shall we go with natural armor?

Any thoughts on going for a Colossal+ advancement to allow for Sauroposeidon?
 

I like the idea of Colossal +.

For the last non-epic feat, I'm not sure. These guys are really big sacks of hit points. We could give it ordinary Toughness in addition to Epic Toughness, but that feels a little weak. Improved Critical (stamp)? Improved Initiative?

As for its Epic feats, I like the idea of Damage Reduction. Twice.

The slashing on stamps is a non-ability, really. I'd put in a mention of it before the combat section, like "the stamps of a brachiosaurus are considered to be bludgeoning and slashing weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction".
 

What kind of DR/ did you have in mind? Its hide may have been thick enough and nodules to resist piercing and slashing damage. I like the Colossal+ size and Epic feats.
 

The Damage Reduction feat gives the creature DR 3/- and stacks with itself, which fits nicely with a creature so large that it can literally ignore attacks from smaller enemies.

Which reminds me--I feel as if next ankylosaur we convert should get DR /- as a baseline.
 


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