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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steinhauser" data-source="post: 5023707" data-attributes="member: 86705">I'd been giving a lot of thought to changing the dromaeosaurs in the MM for a while. I'm glad I found this thread.Personally I think 4 HD is kind of steep. It's almost lion HD, and left over from when they were Large (pre-errata). Maybe 3 HD - comparable in size (and threat posed) to a leopard.The damage is similar, left over from when they were Large. I'd guess they should do at most 1d6/talons and 1d4/bite. They won't be doing as much as a leopard with their bites, since it wasn't their main hunting weapon. Talons are mainly for rakes, as mentioned. (Technically a stab rather than a rake.) 15 Str, as Cleon suggested, is a good approximation, and Con should be greatly reduced too (they're birds after all).If you want the deinonychus to be able to tackle larger prey, my idea is to give them Improved Grab (claw) and, if they hit, the ability to substitute a Jump (or perhaps Climb) check for the first grapple check. However, the reality of their pack hunting is questionable, and as solo hunters, pounce (+rake) is preferable. Either way I like the idea of the claw being primary and the talons being a rake, since I can't imagine them lashing out with feet (like a kangaroo!?) without first trying to grab on.I reduced all skill bonuses to +4 (from +8). But it's probably not that big a deal. I also reduced them to 1 Int, based on the size of their brains. Personally I don't think any dinosaur would have had 2 Int. But that's just me.Speed, I'll let you guys handle. My house rules still use 60 ft.</blockquote>

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