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So I want to engage in a little project. I want to expand the pool of dinosaurs available in Pathfinder, both as monsters and as animal companions and familiars. I want to make an illustrated, nice looking pdf under the community use license.
I already have a solid list of dinos, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs and archosaurs but I don't want to miss anything good.
So help me out, list any dinosaurs, archosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs or ichthyosaurs you think would make great additions to Pathfinder. Also if you can think of mythological creatures that fit dinosaur themes (such as Mokele Mbembe) or dinosaurs from popular fiction, whether its a completely made up creature like Indominus Rex from Jurassic World, or just an embellished representation of a real one, like Dilophosaurs in the first Jurassic Park movie, go ahead and post them here.
However do keep in mind, that many dinosaurs are very similar, and just differ in slight size variations, and when it comes down to what their rules would be, would likely end up pretty much identical, so I'm looking for dinosaurs that have not been covered by something extremely similar. And since I'm just one person I will not have the time or energy to make a huge 300 page bestiary, so keep it down to the ones you think are the most important ones to cover. I want to make it diverse so I will not want to bother with lists of over 20 creatures. Really, less is more.
You can also list non-saurian prehistoric animals if you want, if it turns out to be immensely popular, I will add those too.
Tanystropheus. Not a dinosaur, but certainly memorable in appearance, and sized appropriately for an animal companion.
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Can you put your list here? It'd be more helpful to us trying to make suggestions if we already know what you had.
I love dinosaurs and such, though I don't use them in my homebrew. I use lots of of other prehistoric beasties, though. And to echo Indagare, could you put up a list of what you already have?
In case you don't already have this one listed, how about Microraptor, the "four winged" avian dinosaur? (It had feathers on its hind legs). Also, examination of its fossilized wing cells it was an iridescent black color.
Can you put your list here? It'd be more helpful to us trying to make suggestions if we already know what you had.
I intentionally neglected to put my list up. I want to see how popular the ones are that I already have wihtout me putting them up beforehand, so I can filter them a little.
But I can see you dont want to "waste" the limited space I gave on things that are already there so, if you want to see it I'll put it in a spoiler, feel free however to echo any of these to let me see your approval.
Archosaurs, Protorosaurs, Synapsids
Euparkeria T
Edaphosaurus M
Dinosaurs
Amphicoelias Fragillimus C
Argentinosaurus C
Dilophosaurus L
Suchomimus/Baryonyx H
Utahraptor L
Microraptor T
Carcharodontosaurus G
Carnotaurus H
Psittacosaurus M
Microceratus S
Protoceratops M
Edmontosaurus G
Maiasaura H
Therizinosaurus H
Majungasaurus L
Kentrosaurus L
Megaraptor L
Oviraptor M
Troodon M
Plateosaurus H
Camarasaurus G
Saltasaurus G
Gastonia L
Euplocephalus L
Ceratosaurus L
Stegoceras M
Pterosaurs
Ornithocheirus L
Dsungaripterus S
Tupandactylus M
Nyctosaurus T
Tapajera S
Plesiosaurs, Ichtyosaurs
Plesiosaurus L
Kronosaurus H
Dolichorhynchops M
Liopleurodon H
Mosasaurus G
Ichthyosaurus M
Ophthalmosaurus H
Shonisaurus G
Cryptosaurs (Dinosaur-Like Cryptids)
- none yet -
Ok, let's see...
Pachyrhinosaurus (a ceratopsian with a large bony bump on it's snout instead of a horn)
Qijianglong (a 50' long sauropod with a 25' long neck)
Entelodonts (buffalo sized relatives of pigs with bone crushing jaws)
Gorgonopsians (mammal like reptiles that came in variety of sizes. Most had one or two sets of saber teeth)
Kaprosuchus (A land based crocodilian with a mouthful of long teeth and and upright, though four footed, stance. About 20 feet long)
Elephant bird (a type of Moa that weighed nearly 1000 pounds and stood about 8 feet tall).
Uintatherium (rhino sized early mammal with 6 knobby horns on its head and short, downward curving tusks)
Plesiadaspis (cat sized ancestor of primates)
Qianzhousaurus (a tyrannosaur with a long, narrow snout)
Dacentrurus (One of the larger stegosaurs with more spikes than plates along its back)
There's a few for ya.
Well, I would normally be in favor of adding more dinosaurs to just about anything but my favorites¹ have actually all been covered by Paizo already. The only additions I would make would be the Apatosaurus, Gallimimus, Maiasaura, Oviraptor and Protoceratops.
¹Favorite Dinosaurs: Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, Parasaurolophus, in that order.
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I've actually done a few of mine myself and it's a blast incorporating them into fantasy worlds. Some of the ones I would want to see are...
Dilphosaurus
Carnotosaurus
Xi Yin (the new bat winged one. Would make an excellent familiar)
Acrocantherousaurus
Gallimimus
Icthyosaurus
Saltasaurus
Protoceratops
The other thing I would really want to do is make sure to make them a little more than just animals (i.e. a ball of stats with a natural attack). I mean even barring the whole dinosaur angle they are apex predators that live in a world of basilisks and cockatrices so giving them some abilities that both feel natural and spectacular feels like something they should have.
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The venom-spitting Jurassic Park variant of Dilophosaurus
How about a trilobite swarm while we're at it?
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The venom-spitting Jurassic Park variant of dilophosaurus
How about a trilobite swarm while we're at it?
Trilobite swarm, giant trilobite, all of the giant amphibians, those would be sick.
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In case you don't already have this one listed, how about Microraptor, the "four winged" avian dinosaur? (It had feathers on its hind legs). Also, examination of its fossilized wing cells it was an iridescent black color.
Could call it Changyu which is the Chinese name, which I think sounds better than microraptor :) ( Changyuraptor yangi is the full name)
It would be a great familiar as well since it is small. They'd grow up to 4' long. IIRC it is a glider not a flyer?
There is also one we just identified this year, also in China:
Yi Qi This one has bat-like wings but large rear legs like other theropods. I think it's also a glider
It would be a great familiar as well since it is small. They'd grow up to 4' long. IIRC it is a glider not a flyer?
There is also one we just identified this year, also in China:
Yi Qi This one has bat-like wings but large rear legs like other theropods. I think it's also a glider
Yeah, I think both are gliders. Yi Qi was only announced, what? Last month? Pretty nifty.
The venom-spitting Jurassic Park variant of Dilophosaurus
Oooh, Ooooh, if we're doing that...
I want Indominus Rex!
And for throwback (way back) fans, I want that fire breathing dimetrodon ("Torchy") from Land of the Lost.
Oh, and sleestak, of course.
(I love dinosaurs and love that you're doing this, but you got all my picks, so I had to throw it back to my favorite Saturday morning TV show when I was a kid).
The venom-spitting Jurassic Park variant of Dilophosaurus
Oooh, Ooooh, if we're doing that...
I want Indominus Rex!
And for throwback (way back) fans, I want that fire breathing dimetrodon ("Torchy") from Land of the Lost.
Oh, and sleestak, of course.
(I love dinosaurs and love that you're doing this, but you got all my picks, so I had to throw it back to my favorite Saturday morning TV show when I was a kid).
Even as a 13 year old kid Torchy irked me, because they didn't breathe fire! AAGGHH..it still irks me, it seems. But sleestaks.. Yeah!
Even as a 13 year old kid Torchy irked me, because they didn't breathe fire! AAGGHH..it still irks me, it seems. But sleestaks.. Yeah!
Hah. Were you OK with Lulu?
ACK! I'd forgotten Lulu.. mercifully! And you brought her back! GACK!
Some very nice suggestions here so far.
About the fire-spitting dimetrodon: I might do at least something like it, if not in reference to Land of the Lost, then in reference to the Salamanders in Warhammer Fantasy. Maybe razordons too. And Stegadons.
For any of those I would change their name in order to not step on other peoples intellectual property too hard.
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Dreadnoughtus. I want to see dreadnoughtuses, please. A completely ineffectual creature that tidily breaks the size system.
Dreadnoughtus. I want to see dreadnoughtuses, please. A completely ineffectual creature that tidily breaks the size system.
A group of scientists have recently redone the numbers based on the bones and shaved about 20 tons off its weight. This is being hotly contested in paleontological circles.
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Booo! Bring back Pluto Dreadnaughtus Opius!
How about Shunosaurus? It's a 30 foot long sauropod with a club on the end of its tail.
Do we have the original (actual) velociraptor statted up yet? Y'know, the one that was about the size of a turkey?
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How about Cameroceras, a straight shelled cephalopod whose shell was 30 feet long?
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Hallucigenia! Granted, they'll have to make giant versions to be interesting to most adventurers, but I think we can manage that.
Maybe they have some connection to Proteans....
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Troodons are very recent. Maybe have them create a dome that preserves the lost world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troodon
Go to Troodon..
I was thinking of statting out a Stegoceratops (Coolest hybrid ever... JW toy btw) and an Anklyoceratops (same concept, but a triceratops with armor plates and a club tail). Heck, even a dimetrodon mixed with a triceratops would be cool.
FYI, the triceratops is my all-time favorite dinosaur.
Dimetrodon
Do we have the original (actual) velociraptor statted up yet? Y'know, the one that was about the size of a turkey?
Both of these are in the bestiaries. 3 and 4, or both 4 I think.
How about Shunosaurus? It's a 30 foot long sauropod with a club on the end of its tail.
Oh that sounds fun.
Dreadnoughtus. I want to see dreadnoughtuses, please. A completely ineffectual creature that tidily breaks the size system.
How would it break the size system?
I currently have a list of 67 items. Unfortunately no mytholgical/cryptid dinosaur-likes on it so far.
Also on the Poison spitting Dilophosaurus, what do you people think its name should be?
I have come up with these ideas:
Toxikovolitis (My best broken greek for Poison-Shooter)
Dilophovenator (mix of the orignal greek name and latin meaning two-crested hunter)
Dilophosputor (also latin-greek mix meaning two-crsted spitter)
Dilophotoxitis (this name sounds poisonous but actually means somethiong like two-crested archer)
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Or go with Sinornithosaurus, which has been suggested to be venomous (Although I and others don't buy it)
Sinornithosaurus is something else though. I'm looking for a name for this guy
Sinornithosaurus is something else though. I'm looking for a name for this guy
It's supposed to be 7 meters long. What's Latin for tiny? Add that to the name.
Go to Dilophosaurus
Since there are no more suggestions, I have started statting up dinosaurs.
I completed statblocks for the following so far:
Amphicoelias Fragillimus, Colossal, CR 18
Dilophosaurus, Large, CR 5
Baryonyx, Huge, CR 8
Microraptor, Tiny, CR 1/4
Utahraptor, Large, CR 4
Carcharodontosaurus, Gargantuan, CR 12
Carnotaurus, Huge, CR 7
Protoceratops, Medium, CR 2
I also had an idea for a dinosaur themed fantasy monster: Fossil Skeletons
I also had an idea for a dinosaur themed fantasy monster: Fossil Skeletons
Is that different than applying the skeleton template to a dinosaur base creature?
Also, just curious, what reasoning did you use to make Dilophosoaurus higher CR than Utahraptor? Both were about 7 meters and about 500kg with similar mouths and claws. I would have pegged them as virtually identical in terms of game mechanics, including CR.
And both of their CR seems a little weak to me too - you've essentially said that Utahraptor vs. Tiger (modern, non-dire, ordinary tiger) is an even battle. While they might be matched in ferocity, my bet goes to those super nasty claws and huge mouths of the raptor - it just has vastly superior weapons. Even a 1 CR bump feels a bit weak.
(not trying to be critical; just trying to help you get satisfactory results - feel free to ignore, of course, if you think your reasoning is right where you want it to be)
I also had an idea for a dinosaur themed fantasy monster: Fossil SkeletonsIs that different than applying the skeleton template to a dinosaur base creature?
It will be different. I'm not sure yet whether it will be a sub-template for skeletons or an independent template. It will definitely be slower but tougher because the bones are stone. It wikll also be usable with exoskeletal creatures.
Also, just curious, what reasoning did you use to make Dilophosoaurus higher CR than Utahraptor? Both were about 7 meters and about 500kg with similar mouths and claws. I would have pegged them as virtually identical in terms of game mechanics, including CR.
And both of their CR seems a little weak to me too - you've essentially said that Utahraptor vs. Tiger (modern, non-dire, ordinary tiger) is an even battle. While they might be matched in ferocity, my bet goes to those super nasty claws and huge mouths of the raptor - it just has vastly superior weapons. Even a 1 CR bump feels a bit weak.
(not trying to be critical; just trying to help you get satisfactory results - feel free to ignore, of course, if you think your reasoning is right where you want it to be)
I will probably re-evaluate the CRs, currently Utahraptor is one step up from Deinonychus, mainly the same creature but with higher strength and more hit dice, that may be too little, the stats are currently slightly lower than the "Megaraptor" suggested in the Bestiary (Large Advanced Deinonychus) in most parts sop I left the CR lower too.
I'm also not sure about amphicoelias yet, it is a bucket of hit points (over 400!) with a 90 foot reach, but its damage output is comparatively low and it doesn't have the immunities and resistances that monsters of that CR usually have.EDIT: I just looked at Dilophosaurus and Utahraptor back to back and decided to swap their CRs, Utah will now be 5 and Dilo 4
87. Old Stoney
This is a Sabertooth Tiger with the fossilized undead template. It has no con. score, DR 10/adamantine, and turns as an undead with that number of dice, 14. It has all the other traits of undead creatures.
This is from The Cleaves. I added DR and more dice. Fossilized bones are more common, but nothing is imposable in a magical world.
Newest fully statted dinosaurs are
Shantungosaurus, Gargantuan, CR 9 (I used this instead of Edmontosaurus, because its bigger)
Therizinosaurus, Huge, CR 7
Oviraptor, Medium, CR 3
Troodon, Medium, CR 5 (this one is a little wonky on CR, it would be a lot less if it's only one of them)
Pachyrhinosaurus, Huge, CR 7
Ornithomimus, Large, CR 3
Dilophovenator, Medium, CR 3
I haven't had a lot of time to do these recently, when I do have the time and energy i can stat our several in a day. In fact the ones listed so far were made in 2 separate days next to working my day job.
I have basic stats for a few non dinosaurs ready too. I'm not sure what to do with the trilobites though, they seem extremely boring as there appears to be nothing special to them.
A swarm of them or giant dire trilobites might be more interesting.
I think they evolved into pill bugs.
A swarm of them or giant dire trilobites might be more interesting.
I think they evolved into pill bugs.
I think they'd just be bigger and boring.. lol.
They went extinct at the end of the Permian Period. Sad, that.
A swarm of them or giant dire trilobites might be more interesting.
I think they evolved into pill bugs.
The problem is, no matter the size they will just be a pack of hit points with maybe a bite and a slightly higher natural AC than most things of their size.
I still demand an oversized Hallucigenia monster, preferably with f~+#ed-up magical powers!
Large Magical Beast, roughly CR 10 sound good?
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How do people like the idea of prehistoric/dinosaur themed races?
I was thionking about giving stats to Dinosauroids, we've heard Sleestak mentioned before (which would probably be copyrighted but in essence seem somewhat similar to the dinosauroids), but I can also imagine doing various anthropomorphic dinosaur or megafauna races, and I don't know if Neanderthals already have 3.P rules somewhere.
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The problem is, no matter the size they will just be a pack of hit points with maybe a bite and a slightly higher natural AC than most things of their size.A swarm of them or giant dire trilobites might be more interesting.
I think they evolved into pill bugs.
You could say their heavy plated bodies lend them a flattening trample attack. Maybe you could take much further creative license and say their attack has a chance to fossilize victims.
I still demand an oversized Hallucigenia monster, preferably with f~+#ed-up magical powers!Large Magical Beast, roughly CR 10 sound good?
CR and size sounds, fine, but how about...Aberration?
Aberration also works. The lines between the two can be blurry.
Dilophovenator, Medium, CR 3
I can't find anything on this. Is it a newly announced dinosaur?
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Even as a 13 year old kid Torchy irked me, because they didn't breathe fire! AAGGHH..it still irks me, it seems. But sleestaks.. Yeah!The venom-spitting Jurassic Park variant of Dilophosaurus
Oooh, Ooooh, if we're doing that...
I want Indominus Rex!
And for throwback (way back) fans, I want that fire breathing dimetrodon ("Torchy") from Land of the Lost.
Oh, and sleestak, of course.
(I love dinosaurs and love that you're doing this, but you got all my picks, so I had to throw it back to my favorite Saturday morning TV show when I was a kid).
My next game very likely will make use of, or borrow heavily from Isle of Dread, with the addition of Robert E. Howard/Clark Ashton Smith style Serpentfolk and Degenerate Serpentfolk. I think I worked on this for an hour or two before I realized I'd just described Land of the Lost. ;)
Dilophovenator, Medium, CR 3I can't find anything on this. Is it a newly announced dinosaur?
No it'll be the jurassic park style rendition of Dilophosaurus.
Ah. Thanks!
Do you want dinosaur-like magical beasts too?
I have a couple on my attempt at a blog. Check the Bestiary page. If I dig around, I might be able to find the animal companion stats for it too.
Trilobite swarm, giant trilobite, all of the giant amphibians, those would be sick.
I am with doc the grey. I prefer getting some non-dinos since with paizo and your list, most concepts should be covered. Mega amphibians would be slick.
Also, I would want more familiars from a book like this. Possibly some of the super massive insects.
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Ha! Slick! Its an amphibian pun!