Converting prehistoric creatures

[Mortis]

That's a bit iffy. Material based DR is for creatures with a particular vulnerability to a material, like a werewolf's susceptibility to silver weapons.

True, and I don't want to sidetrack the discussion. It was a fleeting thought that doesn't really stand upto scrutiny. Now if D&D had a system where armour reduced damage suffered...

...we'd have a completely different game system (yes I know D&D and other d20 variants have offered such systems in the past - Mongoose's Conan for one).

Anyway back to our regular programming.

Rhino advance and a 1d6 claw damage look fine.
And I guess I'll stick with CR 6.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Cleon]

True, and I don't want to sidetrack the discussion. It was a fleeting thought that doesn't really stand upto scrutiny. Now if D&D had a system where armour reduced damage suffered...

...we'd have a completely different game system (yes I know D&D and other d20 variants have offered such systems in the past - Mongoose's Conan for one).

Agreed. I wouldn't want to divert my laser-like focus.

Now Conan, I was distressed to hear the allegations about the rules problems its original edition had. It is so much prettier than the Hyborian edition, but I didn't want to buy a game with mechanical issues.

What was that? Side tracking you say? I don't know what you mean...

Rhino advance and a 1d6 claw damage look fine.
And I guess I'll stick with CR 6.

In that case I think we're about done with it.

Hmm, since it's a downscaled Giant Ground Sloth, does that make it a Mini-Megatherium?

 

[Shade]

Hold on, shouldn't its claw damage be 1d6+4? A 2d4 weapon usually downsizes to 1d6, not 2d3.

I just did that to retain the odd damage dice. I'm perfectly content with 1d6, though.

Hmm, since it's a downscaled Giant Ground Sloth, does that make it a Mini-Megatherium?

Indeed!

Updated. Finished?

 

[Cleon]

I just did that to retain the odd damage dice. I'm perfectly content with 1d6, though.

Indeed!

Updated. Finished?

200 kilos is too light for a 3 metre tall ground sloth. That's probably the weight of an average-sized specimen considerably smaller than the 10 foot maximum height it goes "up to". I've seen skeletons of ground sloths that were shorter than a man, albeit much stockier. Since we're talking a creature with the Str and HD of a Rhinoceros, it's presumably one of the bigger Mylodontid sloths, just not elephant-sized like the largest Megatherium.

A Megatherium can reach 6000 pounds if I remember correctly. Assuming that's what the 20 foot-long, 15-foot tall Fiend Folio version weighs, a 10 foot tall sloth should be about 2500 pounds.

Let's see what info I can find...

According to the San Diego Zoo website's handy facts sheet, a large ground sloth was about as big as a bison, and a small one was the size of a brown bear.

Hmm, I'm thinking we could stat up the smaller ground sloths as a Medium sized creature.

Oh, by the way, did you know some ground sloths dug burrows and there were also marine species?

I also don't much care for the "wickedly sharp" claws. They're more like picks than razors.

How's this:

Ground Sloth (Mylodon)
This large, red-haired sloth has powerful forelegs with huge, curved claws.

Mylodons are giant ground sloths related to the larger Megatherium. Its diet consists of trees and shrubs, and it grazes mostly in open areas. Some Mylodons use their powerful claws to dig out burrows, such burrows can be 7 feet wide, 5 feet high up to 100 feet long.

This entry describes the larger varieties of mylodon. These bison-sized animals weigh around 2500 pounds and stand about 10 feet tall when walking on their hind legs, or about 4 feet tall and 13 feet long when on all fours. See lesser ground sloths, below, for details of the smaller species.

Ground Sloth, Lesser
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (26 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+2) and bite +0 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pin down
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude
Environment: Any forest, hill, or plains
Organization: Solitary or family (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

About the size of a black bear, lesser ground sloths are the smallest cousins of the giant ground sloth Megatherium. About 8 feet long and 2½ feet tall when walking on all fours, or 6 feet tall when walking upright, a lesser ground sloth usually weighs 400 to 500 pounds.

Giant Marine Sloth
Thalassocnus was a variety of giant sloth that had taken to see sea to graze on seaweed. A giant marine sloths' limbs are adapted for the water, this makes them good swimmers but prevents Thalassocnus making trample attacks. They have the same stats as a normal Mylodon ground sloth, except for the following changes:

Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 30 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pin down
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hold breath, low-light vision, scent
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +9, Swim +12
Environment: Warm aquatic
Challenge Rating: 5

Hold Breath (Ex): A giant marine sloth can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 6 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Skills: A giant marine sloth has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

 

[freyar]

Looks good for a rather substantial underbar!

 

[Cleon]

Looks good for a rather substantial underbar!

Are we done then?

 

[freyar]

I think so, if everyone's satisfied.

 

[Mortis]

I think so, if everyone's satisfied.

I'd say so.

Regards
Mortis

 

[Cleon]

What's next then?

Glancing through Dragon #137's Into the Age of Mammals it looks like we've done most of them already.

Have we done Zeuglodon yet? Maybe under its correct name of Basilosaurus?

 

[Shade]

What's next then?

Glancing through Dragon #137's Into the Age of Mammals it looks like we've done most of them already.

Have we done Zeuglodon yet? Maybe under its correct name of Basilosaurus?

Zeuglodon is in Frostburn, and it's quite impressive. I think I killed at least one PC with one of 'em.