Better Dinosaurs 3

A long overdue follow-up post to my first two efforts to make dinosaurs better. It's only been like two years, cut me some slack

Ettercaps, but they're dinosaur ettercaps now!

One of my players found a baby one of these- very adorbs! The cutest little pocket flamethrower <3

Large beast,unaligned

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 19 (3d10+ 3)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. ft.

STR 15 (+2) DEX 12 (+1) CON 13 (+1) INT 2 (-4) WIS 10 (0) CHA 5 (-3)

Proficiency Bonus+2

Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10

Challenge 1/4(50 XP)

Description

Actions

Fire Spittle. The Salasaur sprays a sticky substance that ignites on contact with air or flesh. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 12 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving throw is caught on fire, and takes 3 (1d6) points of damage on each of it's turns until the flames are extinguished.

The fire also ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) fire damage. The target must also make a Strength saving throw or be grappled. A creature that starts it's turn grappled by the 

Grey Render

Such a dinosaur!

Found some perfectly serviceable 5e stats, so that part is done.

What ecological/encounter role do they play on the island?

Huge beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (mage armour)

Hit Points 59 (7d12+ 14)

Speed 40 ft. ft.

STR 21 (+5) DEX 8 (-1) CON 15 (+2) INT 2 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 6 (-2)

Proficiency Bonus+2

Sensespassive Perception 11

Challenge2(450 XP)

Charge. If the rhinoceros moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Magic Resistance. Thanks to it's horn, the thaumoceros has advantage on saving throws against magic.

Magic Horn. The thamoceros's gore and toss attacks count as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance. 

Actions

Toss: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. The target must also make a Strength save or be tossed 2d5x5 feet in a random direction, taking 6 (2d6) extra damage upon landing.

Gnarax

Huge monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 195 (17d12+85)

Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft, climb 30 fit.

STR 24 (+7)  DEX 13 (+1)  CON 21 (+5)  INT 4 (-3)  WIS 10 (+0)  CHA 5 (-3)

Damage Immunities Acid, Poison

Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., Tremorsense 60 Ft., passive Perception 10

Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Long Legs. The gnarax's long legs give disadvantage on melee attacks against it, unless those attacks are made with a polearm, or by a Large or larger creature. Creatures can attempt to climb on to the gnarax's back to negate this effect, with a DC 17 Acrobatics check to move around and make attacks on their turn, and a DC 17 Athletics check every round on the gnarax's turn as the creature tries to shake them off.

Actions

Multiattack: The gnarax makes four claw attacks.

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 + 7) piercing damage.. If the target is a creature, it is Grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is Restrained, and the gnarax can't bite another target.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 20 ft, one target. Hit: 18 (2d10+7) bludgeoning damage

Swallow: The gnarax makes one bite Attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is Grappling. If the Attack hits, that creature takes the bite's damage and is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is Blinded and Restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the gnarax , and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the gnarax turns.

If the gnarax takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the gnarax must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the gnarax . If the gnarax dies, a swallowed creature is no longer Restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of Movement, exiting prone.

Let's just do these guys up like giant otters, but give 'em a grab attack, cuz if these guys chomp you they're not letting go.

Otter-Flea

medium monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 9 (2d8)

Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR 12 (+1)  DEX 14 (+2)  CON 11 (+0)  INT 5 (-3)  WIS 12 (+1)  CHA 12 (+1)

Senses Passive Perception 11 (16 for hearing or smell)

Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

• Keen Hearing and Smell. The otter-flea has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
• Pack Tactics. The otter-flea has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the otter-flea's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
  
  Standing Leap. The otter-fleas's long jump is up to 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.
  ---------------------
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is Grappled (escape DC 11) if it is a Medium or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the otter-flea can't bite another target.
• 
  

This is great, I would use stats similar to a giant rhino, but add a wicked tail attack. And some extra AC, of course. Also this one is already named! I guess it was in that one video game? I never played it

Ocryctomus

huge monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 95 (10d12+30)

Speed 50 ft

STR 22 (+6)  DEX 9 (-1)  CON 11 (+0)  INT 3 (-4)  WIS 11 (+1)  CHA 8 (-1)

Senses Passive Perception 11 

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Charge. If the rhinoceros moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 12 (3d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

ACTIONS
----------

Multiattack: The 0cryctomus makes two attacks: one ram attack and one attack with its tail. It can't make both attacks against the same target.

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

THESE guys

These next few would just have stats as dire wolves or guard drakes. Nothing much needs tweaking.

Make sure this guy gets a good pounce attack for sure

Maybe a giant boar with a bite attack

Basically just a giant lizard with better armor, but this guy also has some lore from Dark Sun. Probably the most vanilla of those weird monster-dinosaurs they have over there, but I like the crawly illustration. Maybe next post (in another year or two) I'll tackle dark sun monsters specifically.

I just want to give them chin scritches

Do these guys need their own statblocks? Maybe...

Slaad!

Slaaaaaad!

Some Relevant Links.

I know I know, it's kind of blasphemy converting OSR things into 5e things, but it's what my players are into. Just think of it as the OSRification of 5e, if it makes you feel more comfortable.


Yellow Slaad

Medium Aberration, CN
AC 14 (natural armour)

HP 45 (6d8+18)

Speed 30 ft, swim 20 ft

STR16(+2) DEX 12(+1) CON16(+3)

INT 9(-1) WIS 6(-2) CHA7(-3)

Skills: Athletics +4, Perception +1

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder

Senses: Darkvision 60, PP 11

Languages: Slaadi, Telepathy 60 ft

CR 2 (450 xp)

SPECIAL

Zone of Chaos. 50 feet radius centered on the Slaad. Whenever a non-slaad within the zone declares an action, they must instead choose two unrelated actions, and flip a coin to determine which one they actually do.

Schism. Turns into 2 Orange Slaad when reduced to 0 hp.

Abiosis. Requires 30 people. Can turn into nothing larger than a cottage, nor worth more than 1,000 coin.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The salad makes one large and one small claw attack.

Large Claw, Melee Weapon Attack, 1d12+3

Small Claw 1d6+3

c'mooooon

Emptycanvass Deviantart

Orange Slaad

Medium Aberration, CN
AC 13 (natural armour)

HP 27 (5d8+5)

Speed 30 ft, swim 20 ft

STR15(+2) DEX 14(+2) CON13(+1)

INT 6(-2) WIS 6(-2) CHA14(+2)

Skills: Perception +1

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder

Senses: Darkvision 60, PP 11

Languages: Slaadi, Telepathy 10 ft

CR 1 (200 xp)

SPECIAL

Innate Spellcasting The slaad is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The slaad can innately cast the of the following spells, requiring no components:
At Will: randomize object

1/day; has one of these spells determined randomly: 1- enter chaos, 2- chaos bolt, 3- shatter.

Schism. Turns into 2 Pink Slaad when reduced to 0 hp. Pink slaad have stats

Abiosis. Requires 10 people. Can turn into nothing larger than a cart, nor worth more than 100 coin.

Standing Leap. The slaad's long jump is up to 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.

ACTIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------

Bite. +4, 1d8+2 damage

Pink Slaad

Small Aberration, CN
AC 11 

HP 13 (3d6+3)

Speed 20 ft, swim 20 ft

STR 8(-1) DEX 12(+1) CON10(+0)

INT 5(-3) WIS 6(-2) CHA8(-1)

Skills: Acrobatics +3

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder

Senses: Darkvision 60, PP 8

Languages: Understand Slaadi, but only speak gibberish at best

CR 1/8 (25 xp)

SPECIAL

Death Burst. When the slaad dies, it explodes in a burst of chaotic energy. Each Medium or smaller creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or be effected. The effects are determined randomly, unless one would be particularly hilarious. 1- red light, blinded. 2- white noise, deafened; 3- pink goop, restrained; 4- green slime, 1d8 acid damage/round; 5- black goop, poisoned. The effects last for 1 minute, or until the target makes a successful save at the end of one of their turns.

Schism. Turns into 2 lumpy black pearls, worth 10 coin each

Abiosis. Can turn into nothing larger than a sword, nor worth more than 10c

Nimble Movement. The slaad does not provoke attacks of opportunity from characters who are adjacent to one of the slaad's allies

ACTIONS

----------------------------------------------------------------

Bite. +3, 1d6+1 damage
Spit: +3, range 15 ft, 1d4+1 damage.

better dinosaurs 2

Let's keep reskinning MM critters into dinosaurs

Slow Bulette

It's like a bulette, but slower! And that turtle shell implies it'd have better armour. Rather than burrowing really fast like the 'land shark' this thing scoops out a little hole and lies in wait, before leaping out like a really dangerous frog.
Basing the stats off've the 'giant snapping turtle' from Tomb of Annhilation.

Kappasaur

Large beast, unaligned 

Armor Class 17 (natural armor),  

Hit Points 75 (l0dl0 + 20)

Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft. 

STR 19 (+4) 

DEX 6 (-2) 

CON 14 (+2) 

INT 2 (- 4) 

WIS 12 (+l) 

CHA 5 (-3) 

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 

Challenge 3 (700 XP) 

Stablility. Whenever an effect knocks the kappasaur prone, it can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid being knocked prone. 

Deadly Leap: If the kappasaur jumps at least 15 ft. as part of its Movement, it can then use this action to land on its ft. in a space that contains one or more other creatures. Each of those creatures must succeed on a DC 16 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target's choice) or be knocked prone and take 8 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 8 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage. On a successful save, the creature takes only half the damage, isn't knocked prone, and is pushed 5 ft. out of the kappasaur's space into an unoccupied space of the creature's choice. If no unoccupied space is within range, the creature instead falls prone in the kappasaur's space.

ACTIONS 

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) slashing damage

Basilisaur

Got a bite that turns you to stone, like a cockatrice. Built like a skinny long-necked dino, with kinda crocodile-y splayed legs. 

Basilisaur

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 68 (8d10+24)

Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft.

STR      DEX      CON      INT     WIS      CHA

18 (+4)  15 (+2)  16 (+3)  2 (-4)  12 (+1)  5 (-3)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4

Senses passive Perception 13

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Actions

Bite Melee Weapon attack, + 6 to hit, reach 10 ft, one creature. 13 (3d6+4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against being magically Petrified. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is Restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is Petrified for 24 hours.

It's like a giant elk, but with an acid spit attack instead of an antler attack. 10 ft, does the same damage. I'll let you just ad-lib the stats for this one.

Weird dino worms! 

Basing this off the 'young remhoraz' stats, adding in some carrion crawler for flavour.

Saurworm
Large Monstrosity (dinosaur)

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 93 (11d10+33)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (0) 4 (-3)

Damage Resistance: Acid, Poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Keen Smell

The saurworm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

Multiattack

The saurworm makes two attacks: one with its tentacles and one with its bite.

Tentacled Bite

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (1d10 piercing + 2d10 poison +4), and the target is grappled.

Inject Poison. The saurworm injects poison into one creature it is grappling. Make opposed grapple checks, and the saurworm has advantage. If the saurworm wins the grapple, it deals 30 (6d10) poison damage to the target, and the target gains 1d4 bleed and 1d4 pain dice. At the end of each of the target's turns, they may make a DC 14 Constitution save, removing one of the dice on a success.

Next on 'Better Dinosaurs!' 

Ettercaps, but they're dinosaur ettercaps now!

Fire-spitting dinosaur! 

This thing!!

Technically a mammal, but we're calling it a dinosaur!!

Better Dinosaurs

Getting ready for my 'post-apocolyptic pirate wizard-ninjas' group to make it to the Isle of Dread. If they get there, they're still about a thousand miles away, and I'm essentially running it as a loose hex crawl the entire way. Last session they lost half of their water reserves when the green slime one of the PCs was carrying (Alain van York) leaked out of the stone cistern he was transporting in and infected the adjacent barrels. They also recently unleashed an angry storm god. So we'll see.

That said, I've been going over the material, and it needs some tweaking. Dinosaurs are great, as in when I was a kid I planned to be a paleontologist, but always feel a little out of place in a fantasy world. My answer is to make 'em more alien, more draconic, more insectoid, more MONSTROUS.  I want these to be terrifying (potentially terrifying), weird things, unknown quantities, like encountering dinosaurs for the first time would be, but I also want them to be kinda familiar.

This is basically a photo/concept dump for my own benefit, lets be honest, but I do plan on inserting some usable content. Mostly quickly reskinning MM creatures, and quick notes, but hey

Sub-dinos (Tertiasaurs)
You know those weird early sketches of dinosaurs, from when they didn't really know what they were dealing with? I love those.

First thing they encounter, I'm hoping it's a gaggle of these sad lumpy things, huddling on a beach. They kinda remind me of the lobstrosities from Dark Tower, but they probably eat those, actually. Stat the lobstrosities as giant crabs, and the hylabosaurus as a slower, clumsier giant lizard of some kind, with a weaker bite attack and some claws.

Here's a slightly more regal looking specimen.

Ok now lookit this thing:

 magnificent, isn't it? I don't know what to do about the fact that it kinda contradicts the appearence of this:

buuuut... maybe they're just different postures? Anyway the spike on the nose should be exaggerated so it can be an effective attack. 

Stats as a giant boar, but with better AC, and a bite instead of a gore. They hunt in ones or twos, and are scavengers as much as predators- they don't want to fight anything bigger than them, or groups that outnumber them (they normally hunt in ones or twos), but they'll follow the party and scavenge off anything THEY kill, and opportunistically move in if they end up wounded or split up. 

Not much to say here, except if you're playing a fantasy game and you're NOT using brontosaurs instead of the 'real' creatures they were composites of, you're making a huge mistake. Maybe give them some sort of reality-bending, half-real kinda ability, to reflect that origin??

Scientists figured out that for this guy to scoot on his belly, he'd make a giant trench. But dragons can fly in this, so I dunno. Or maybe it actually does scoot in a trench? Kinda interesting to have a monster/encounter that's basically on rails. They players probably don't need to fight these, but just getting PAST ginormous creatures and their mud-trench moats would be a situation in itself.

Basically people got the neck and the tail mixed up on these, so just take the plesiosaur from the monster manual and double the reach for it's bite attack. 

It's a stegosaurus, obviously. Didn't you know they walk on their hind legs?

Re-skinning MM creatures
My favourite way of making 'new' monsters. Luckily I haven't introduced these yet in-game, so they're still undefined in the lore. I'm thinking, gargoyles, trolls, and bulettes are all dinosaurs in this, as well as maybe some weirder ones. Remhoraz?



Gargoyles

Medium monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 52 (7d8+21)

Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR 15 (+2)  DEX 13 (+1)  CON 16 (+3)  INT 4 (-3)  WIS 14 (+2)  CHA 7 (-2)

Senses Blindsight 60 Ft., passive Perception 14

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Traits

Camouflage: While the gargulasaur remains motionless, Wisdom (Perception) checks made to discern it's location have disadvantage.

Pounce. If the gargoyle moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the garguladon can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Stone form. When motionless, the gargulasaur has resistance to fire, lightning, cold, and against Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing (Adamantine). It gets advantage on saving throws against being pushed, thrown, shoved, etc.

Actions

Multiattack. The gargulasaur makes two attacks, one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite + 4, 6 damage (1d8+2)

Claws + 4, 5 damage (1d6+2)

Reactions

Stone Block. The gargulasaur* gains the benefits of its Stone Form until it's next turn. It's speed drops to 10, and it can't fly on it's next turn (if it's flying it falls at half speed, and can right itself at the end of its turn) 

Tail whip. The gargulasaur makes a special attack with its tail against a creature that tries to grapple it, or that moves to flank it. Melee weapon attack, +4 to hit, 5 damage (1d6+2) and the target is stunned until the beginning of their next turn. 

TROLLS

Troglasaurus Belua
Large monstrosity, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 84 (8d10+40)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 18 (+4) DEX 13 (+1) CON 20 (+5)
INT 5 (-3)  WIS 14 (+2)  CHA 7 (-2)

Skills Perception +5
Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands olman and carsek but can't speak

Keen Smell: The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Fast healing: If the troglasaur is under half it's max HP, it regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn.

Actions

Multiattack: The troll makes two attacks with its claw

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 4) piercing damage. Advantage to hit targets troll is grappling.

Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the troglasaur hits with a claw attack it can either throw/push the target 15 feet (STR save DC 14 resists) or attempt a free grapple.

Wraithform

Large monstrosity, neutral 

Armor Class 15 (natural armour)

Hit Points 76 (9d10+27)

Speed 15 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR 16 (+3)  DEX 16 (+3)  CON 16 (+3)  

INT 12 (+1)  WIS 14 (+2)  CHA 8 (-1)

Damage Resistance: Acid

Damage Immunities: Poison

Condition Immunities: Prone

Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 12

Traits

Life Drain: Creatures that end their turns grappled by the wraithform take 21 (4d8 + 3) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a Long Rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Sunlight Sensitivity: While in sunlight, the wraith has disadvantage on Attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Flyby: The wraithform doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.