Converting prehistoric creatures

[Shade]

Part Three.

Original Thread here.

 

[Shade]

Did we determine the following was too similar to the dire hippo in Sandstorm? Or is it worth a quick conversion?

Hippopotamus, giant
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical lakes and rivers
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Family group
DIET: Herbivore
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 6; SW 12
HIT DICE: 10 +5
THAC0: 9
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 5-20 or 4-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise
SIZE: L (12. long)
MORALE: Unsteady (7)
XP VALUE: 2,000 (males), 1,400 (females)

This massive animal is the direct ancestor of the behemoth (AD&D 1st Edition Monster Manual II) but has two differences, detailed below.

Combat: First, the giant hippo has smaller tusks than the behemoth, doing only 5-20 hp damage (4-16 for females). Second, the giant hippo has eyes that stick up above the skull like periscopes. Thus, it can hide its entire body below the water, with only its eyes above the surface. This gives it a -2 modifier to surprise rolls against swimmers and boats.

Habitat/Society: When a group is encountered, it will typically be one male (bull) and 1-3 females (cows). Only the young are subject to attack, and only by the largest predators.

Originally appeared in Dragon #167 (1991).

 

[Cleon]

Well the Sandstorm version has a lot more HD so I guess we could do one. Something between a Dire Hippo and a regular one.

Not terribly interesting though, a Sandstorm Hippopotamus with a few HD advancement would do in a pinch.

I'll leave it to you.

 

[Cleon]

Further on the Giant Hippo, it says it's an ancestor of the Behemoth.

The Creature Catalog 3.0 version of the Behemoth is mighty close to what I'd imagine our Giant Hippopotamus conversion will end out like.

How about we just update the Behemoth to 3.5 and say it's also known as Giant Hippopotamus, and make the Sandstorm Dire Hippopotamus the "real" Behemoth?

 

[Shade]

How about we just update the Behemoth to 3.5 and say it's also known as Giant Hippopotamus, and make the Sandstorm Dire Hippopotamus the "real" Behemoth?

Yeah, that makes good sense.

 

[Cleon]

Yeah, that makes good sense.

Okay then!

So, do we want to give them anything more than the usual 3.5 updates to feats, skills and so forth.

Hold Breath?

Augmented Critical with the bite?

A +10 bonus to Hide when submerged, like the SRD crocodile? That would fit with the Surprise of the Dragon 167 Giant Hippopotamus.

 

[freyar]

All those suggestions sound pretty good to me.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Feats: 4
Hippo has Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack
Dire hippo has those plus Alertness, Die Hard, Endurance, Improved Critical (bite),

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

Feats: 4
Hippo has Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack
Dire hippo has those plus Alertness, Die Hard, Endurance, Improved Critical (bite),

I'd give them the Hippopotamus's feats plus Alertness.

Sadly, they don't have the BAB for Improved Critical (bite).

The size limit and DC for their Overturn SQ seems very low. I'd have thought they'd be able to overturn boats at least their own size & weight. At +1 DC per 100 lb and Str 34 they couldn't flip a boat weighing more than 1200 lbs, but its maximum carrying load is 16,800 pounds.

How about:

Overturn (Ex): Behemoths can overturn small watercraft on a Strength check, the DC depends on the total weight of the craft and contents: DC20 if the weight it a light load for the behemoth (up to 5,600 pounds for a typical behemoth); DC 25 for a medium load (up to 11,200 pounds); and DC 30 for a heavy load (up to 16,800 pounds). If the check succeeds, the boat overturns, spilling its passengers and contents into the water.

 

[Shade]

It's got augmented critical, so it's still better off.

That all sounds good. Updated.