Mr. Brock, please allow us to become more familiar with our dear friend, the Rhamphorhynchus.


Pathfinder Society

Sczarni 1/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Inside the wonderful Pathfinder Adventure Path #37: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (Serpent's Skull 1 of 6) we meet the fabulous rhamphorhynchus, or swoop lizard for those, like me, who don't want to pronounce ' rhamphorhynchus'.

Actual stats:

N Tiny animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6

DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +2
Defensive Abilities evasion

OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee bite +0 (1d3–2)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 2-1/2 ft.
Special Attacks sudden swoop

STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 9
Feats Lightning Reflexes
Skills Fly +11, Perception +6, Stealth +11

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Sudden Swoop (Ex)

If a rhamphorhynchus makes a charge attack while flying, it does not provoke attacks of opportunity when it enters an opponent’s space to make a melee attack. It also gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls with its bite attack when it makes a sudden swoop.

This content was created by Paizo Publishing LLC for the Pathfinder rules but is not from the Pathfinder RPG product line.
Rhamphorhynchus Familiars
Rhamphorhynchuses (also called swoop lizards) make excellent familiars for spellcasters who are looking for a quick and nimble minion.

A rhamphorhynchus familiar grants its master all of the typical benefits familiars grant, but their jittery and quick reactions also impart a +2 bonus on the master’s Initiative checks. A rhamphorhynchus is generally too small to serve well as an animal companion— if a character wishes to take one as a companion anyway, they have the same statistics as bird animal companions.

ECOLOGY
Environment warm coastline or forest
Organization solitary, pair, or flock (3–16)
Treasure none

Pterosaurs are often found in regions where dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures are commonly encountered, yet they are not dinosaurs themselves. The pteranodon is the most well known and widespread of these flying reptiles, but numerous other species exist, such as the relatively small rhamphorhynchus, the venomous dimorphodon, and the lumbering, giraffe-sized quetzalcoatlus. While the larger pterosaurs are awkward fliers, the smaller ones can be quite agile and quick. Pterosaurs generally dwell on coastlines, along rivers, or near swamps or lakes, for the majority of their diet consists of fish snatched from the water in daring dives. Pterosaurs are quite territorial, though, and most won’t hesitate to swoop down and hiss, shriek, and attack things their size or larger.

This pterosaur is a quick-moving reptile with a 5-foot wingspan, a narrow snout filled with dozens of needle-like teeth, and a long tail tipped with an arrowhead shaped ridge. Males are generally quite brightly colored, displaying brilliant reds, greens, and bright blues, often bearing complex patterns like stripes; females tend to be more drably colored. Although tiny, the rhamphorhynchus is swift and aggressive, and its attack method of swooping down suddenly to attack creatures allows it to bite with increased damage and ferocity. At the end of a sudden swoop, a rhamphorhynchus is typically at a disadvantage, and most won’t stick around to keep fighting in melee, instead taking to the air once more to gain enough height to swoop again in a few rounds. Their tiny size, erratic flight patterns, and swift reflexes make them difficult to affect with area effects. A pterosaur on the ground walks in a quadrupedal gait; the tips of its wings arc up alongside its body, while its lower torso remains closer to the ground than its shoulders and head as it moves.

"Hazzah!" I thought, "This is the best familiar ever!" (no, not really, but I do want one).

So I hastened to the Additional Resources page and found:

"Serpent's Skull
Pathfinder Adventure Path #37: "Souls for Smuggler's Shiv"
Animal Companions: dimorphodon, quetzalcoatlus"

Oh no! Then I thought I could just ask politely, before Con season kicks into high gear.

My reasoning and comparisons:

1) The Swoop Lizard is a dinosaur from the middle of nowhere.

Answer: The compsognathus is much the same, and an allowed Familiar

2) The swoop lizard grants the wizard a +2 bonus to Initiative.

Answer: The compsognathus mentioned above grants a +4, as does the infinitely easier to conceal greensting scorpion, as well as the no-longer extinct dodo birds.

3) The swoop ability is very powerful and handy.

Answer: I agree; however, it is a rare caster who is willing to send his familiar into combat on anything like a regular basis. I think this is even more true when the method of entering combat would be a charge, reducing the Armor Class from 15 down to 13 (or 11 touch). As an example, I ask, "How often do GMs have to worry about the poison on the greensting scorpion, house centipede, or compsognathus?"

4) The lizard has other perceptive enhancers, such as scent.

Answer: True. Again I point to the compsognathus as a +4 initiative creature with scent, the same perceptive enhancer as our dear rhamphorhynchus enjoys. Several other familiars also grant scent or some other nifty perceptive enhancer. The bat, for example, has blind sense.

Conclusion:

Although the rhamphorhynchus does have some nifty abilities, I do not believe it will ever be considered a top tier familiar simply because the bonus it grants (+2) is significantly lower (half) than can be obtained through other sources.

Please consider the mighty swoop lizard as a viable animal companion and/or familiar for those with the appropriate book!

Thank you!

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

Might I point you to Player Companion: Animal Archive? According to that, I understand said pterosaur is legal. We would just need to double check the stats in #37 and make sure they line up.

Sczarni 1/5

Well, color me embarrassed. I did not see them on the table when I looked last!

Page 10, half way-ish down. There it sits. Coupled with "Familiars: all familiars on pages 10-11 and 30-31 are legal. Approximating familiars in not legal for PFS play;" I am a happy camper. Consider the request withdrawn!

Animal Archives does not list the statistics, but it does reference directly to the AP, so good enough!

Thank you Mr. Compton.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

I'm not sure why the little critter didn't show up in the Serpent's Skull entry, but I'll chat with Mike to confirm. Assuming no concerns, it's something that would be worth adding to the Additional Resources entry for #37.

Sczarni 1/5

Thanks again! I was about to edit my post to make just that request.

3/5 5/5

Yay! Love those little flying lizards!

Sovereign Court 5/5 RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Ugh, I hope we keep it, I want to play a little white blond sorcerer with short cropped hair with one named Rex. :-)

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

Matthew Morris wrote:
Ugh, I hope we keep it, I want to play a little white blond sorcerer with short cropped hair with one named Rex. :-)

Nice pull!

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

Akinra wrote:
we meet the fabulous rhamphorhynchus, or swoop lizard for those, like me, who don't want to pronounce ' rhamphorhynchus'.

I used to draw these as a kid.

I believe it's pronounced "ram-for-in-cuss".

5/5

So any chance we will soon find out what items the rhamphorhynchus can use in addition to maybe a few other of our friends from the Bestiary 4?

:p

I'm actually pretty excited that this one appears to work. Looking at a saurian themed character now.

Grand Lodge 5/5 5/55/55/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.

I flyed?

No. You falled.

Sovereign Court 5/5 RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Nefreet wrote:
Akinra wrote:
we meet the fabulous rhamphorhynchus, or swoop lizard for those, like me, who don't want to pronounce ' rhamphorhynchus'.

I used to draw these as a kid.

I believe it's pronounced "ram-for-in-cuss".

I miss that show.

Community / Forums / Organized Play / Pathfinder Society / Mr. Brock, please allow us to become more familiar with our dear friend, the Rhamphorhynchus. All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.