Dinosaurs

The dinosaurs of the shattered worlds lived on a world where humans were an ancient civilization wiped out by a meteor many ages ago. Since then, not much has changed for the reptilian beasts, save for their increased intelligence and the forming of a society in which they could all thrive.

Physical Description: Picture the dinosaur you want to play as. Got it? Great, you’re that dinosaur.

Society: While the occasional dinosaur prefers solitude or a tight-knit, crack team of operatives, the majority live in largely nomadic tribes featuring one leader (usually the eldest and/or strongest), one or more generals, concubines, children, and gatherers. Without the structure, tribes have been known to fall into disarray at the worst time, only to be picked off by predators and opportunists.

Every member of a dinosaur tribe has a role to play. The leader organizes and oversees migration, the distribution of food, and procreation. Generals help to enforce the leader’s rules and act as guards while the herd, I mean tribe is on the move. Of the groups, these two are always the smartest and most capable.

Concubines act as entertainment for the leader first and the generals second. This does not always involve procreation, but with the lack of wi-fi during the Mesozoic era (that’s right, I did some research on this topic), that was mostly what it meant.

Gatherers is the polite name for the members of society who trail in the back of the caravan and are often picked off first when things get rough. That said, they do a lot of the heavy lifting for the tribe, as well as making sure that children are raised to meet their new roles as they grow up. They also act as fodder so generals and concubines have time to realize and react to what’s happening during an attack.

Speaking of children, those born to the leader have priority on taking over a tribe, even before older generals in most cases. All children are assigned roles when they hatch. These roles can change as a child shows potential, or a lack thereof. Before accepting their final role in the tribe, children are offered a chance to leave, forging their own way. Consequently, this makes them the most likely to become adventurers.

Relations: Carnivores and herbivores tend to remain on their own or within their own groups. Omnivores, of course, walk this fine line, acting as the logical, more reasoned one when interacting with carnivores and the guardian or sage among herbivores.

When a dinosaur decides to interact with other races beyond simply eating them, they are actually quite nice. They speak common, in case you were wondering, with a Geordie accent because if a certain Doctor has taught us anything, it’s that all races ultimately speak common as such.

Alignment and Religion: Naturally, dinosaurs have their own pantheon since it wasn’t until recently that they even bothered to interact with other races as more than predator and prey. Some scholars suspect that many of the existing gods have a favorite dinosaur form they take to play the part of the related dinosaur deity, but we can go into more detail on that at some obscure point in the future when everybody starts wanting to know more about dinosaur religion.

As for alignment, dinosaurs are as varied as humans, though a given alignment structure may exist within a specific tribe.

Adventurers: Dinosaurs make for interesting adventurers. There’s something I never thought I’d find myself writing, but here we are. Young dinosaurs are the most likely to adventure, before they are placed in a final role within their tribe. Some leave because they wish to avoid the role they’re given. Others are pushed out because the tribe believes them too different from other, more conventional members.

Of note, adventuring dinosaurs are often the runts of their tribe, which explains a lot about why they’re on their own.

Standard Racial Traits

Unless otherwise noted, all dinosaurs share the following racial traits.

  • Animal: Dinosaurs are typed as animals for the purpose of abilities such as a ranger’s favored enemy.
  • Actual Intelligence: A dinosaur’s Intelligence score can be higher than 2.
  • Animal Instinct: Regardless of their actual intelligence, dinosaurs remain animals. When a critical hit is confirmed against a dinosaur, or when reduced to fewer than 0 hit points, it must succeed at a Will save (DC equal to half the damage dealt, maximum 25) or be shaken for 1 minute. This stacks, becoming frightened, then panicked.
  • Motion Reliance: Since dinosaurs can’t see well (see below), they have a –4 racial penalty on Perception checks against objects and creatures actively standing still.
  • Scent Reliance: Dinosaurs have the scent special ability. They can’t actually see further than their natural reach, but can distinguish each individual creature’s smell within 60 feet (120 downwind, 30 upwind). When either the dinosaur or a creature it can smell moves, the dinosaur can pinpoint that creature’s location.
  • Languages: Dinosaurs begin play speaking Common. Dinosaurs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Draconic, Elven, Giant, and Goblin.

Fingerless (0 RP)

As you may have noticed, some dinosaurs have no discernable hands. That’s okay, because thanks to some very wonderful little ponies, they have learned how to operate just fine without those appendages.

  • Hand and ring slot magic items automatically adjust to fit, becoming anklets that otherwise function normally.
  • Any worn magical foot slot items(boots, shoes, etc.) adapt to cover all four feet.
  • They may use horseshoe items, but doing so occupies the foot slot, preventing boots, shoes, and other such things.
  • Fingerless races may wield/use items with their mouth as if using their primary hand.
  • Touch attacks can be made with hooves or horn. There is no mechanical benefit to this and it resolves exactly the same as a humanoid touch with a finger.
  • Unarmed attacks from fingerless races can come in the form of teeth, slams, or tails. They do normal damage for an unarmed adventurer of the race’s size and are resolved entirely as unarmed strikes, not natural attacks.
  • Somatic components are handled with forelegs and horns.

Stegosaurus Racial Traits (12 RP)

Slow and cautious are the tribes of the stegosaurus. Plodding along, they get where they’re going in due time. As herbivores, they are more aware of potential predators, but also lack killer instinct.

These racial traits are in addition to the standard traits gained by all dinosaurs.

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Stegosauruses are the dinosaur equivalent of dwarves. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –4 Dexterity.
  • Large: These dinosaurs are large creatures with a space of 10-ft. x10 ft. and 5 ft. reach. They gain a –1 penalty to their AC, a –1 penalty on attack rolls, a +1 size bonus to their CMB and CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks.
  • Base Speed: Stegosauruses have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Quadruped: Due to being four-legged, these dinosaurs receive +4 racial bonus to their CMD  against trip attacks and +50% carrying capacity.

Defense Racial Traits

  • Natural Plating: A stegosaurus has sharp scales on its hide that protect it from danger. They grant the dinosaur a +1 natural armor bonus. When hit with an unarmed strike or natural attack, the attacker takes 1 point of bleed damage. This bleed damage stacks, but can all be healed by the same Heal check or application of magic.
  • Spell Resistance: Stegosauruses gain spell resistance equal to 6 + their character level.

Offense Racial Traits

  • Slam: These dinosaurs throw their weight around in combat. They gain a primary, natural slam attack that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
  • Slapping Tail: Stegosauruses have a tail they can use to make attacks of opportunity with a reach of 5 feet. The tail is a natural attack that deals 1d10 points of damage plus 1-1/2 times the dinosaur’s Strength modifier.

Tyrannosaurus Racial Traits (11 RP)

The king of the dinosaurs, T-rex is a massive, apex predator, evolved over many thousands of generations to possess unrivaled biting power (4 tons) and teeny tiny arms. As a carnivore, these great beasts prefer brawn over brains, but that doesn’t make them stupid by any stretch. They’re surprisingly good at hiding in trees and large brush of a similar color until it’s time to bite the legs off of something.

These racial traits are in addition to the standard traits gained by all dinosaurs.

  • Ability Score Modifiers: The t-rex is the mightiest of dinosaurs, and only because of its size is it any less dexterous than other members of its race. They gain +4 Strength, +2 Charisma, –2 Dexterity.
  • Large: These dinosaurs are large creatures with a space of 10-ft. x10 ft. and 5 ft. reach. They gain a –1 penalty to their AC, a –1 penalty on attack rolls, a +1 size bonus to their CMB and CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks.
  • Base Speed: Tyrannosauruses have a base speed of 40 feet.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

  • Sneaky: Tyrannosauruses gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks (this effectively negates their size penalty).

Movement Racial Traits

  • Sprinter: These dinosaurs gain a +10 foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.

Offense Racial Traits

  • Bite: The tyrannosaurus has a primary natural bite attack that deals 1d8 piercing and slashing damage on a hit plus 1-1/2 x its Strength modifier. On a critical hit, the bite deals x3 damage.

Weakness Racial Traits

  • Small Arms: A tyrannosaurus can only wield weapons sized for Small creatures.

Velociraptor Racial Traits (10 RP)

Velociraptors are tiny (by dinosaur standards), selfish creatures who work in groups only out of necessity because of their size. They are generally carnivorous, and lack fear of their larger cousins since they can just dart away if truly threatened.

These racial traits are in addition to the standard traits gained by all dinosaurs.

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Velociraptors are wicked fast and stupid smart, but they don’t pay attention well. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom.
  • Small: These dinosaurs are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
  • Base Speed: Velociraptors have a base speed of 50 feet.

Defense Racial Traits

  • Fearless: Velociraptors gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear effects. This replaces animal instinct.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

  • Run: Velociraptors gain Run as a bonus feat at 1st level.
  • Silent Hunter: Velociraptors reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this trait).

Movement Racial Traits

  • Sprinter: These dinosaurs gain a +10 foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.

Offense Racial Traits

  • Bite: Velociraptors have a primary natural bite attack that deals 1d4 piercing and slashing damage on a hit with a critical threat range of 19–20.
  • Claws: Velociraptors have two secondary, natural claw attacks that deals 1d3 slashing damage on a hit.
  • Swarming: Up to two velociraptors can share the same square at the same time. If two velociraptors that are occupying the same square attack the same foe, they are considered to be flanking that foe as if they were in two opposite squares.

Alternate Racial Traits

These traits will help to change one of the base dinosaurs above into the dinosaur you’re looking for.

  • Allosaurus: These dinosaurs are Medium velociraptors with +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence and a base movement speed of 40 feet. Their bite deals 1d6 damage, and theirclaws deal 1d4. Once per day, whenever an allosaurus takes damage, it flies into a frenzy for 1 minute, gaining a +2 racial bonus to Constitution and Strength, but a –2 penalty to AC. This alters the dinosaurs ability scores, size, and base movement and replaces animal instinct, fearless, and swarming.
  • Brontosaurus: These dinosaurs are stegosauruses with a slam that deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage with a x3 critical modifier and 10-ft. reach. This reach applies to their slapping tail as well. This alters slam and slapping tail and replaces natural plating.
  • Dilophosaurus: These dinosaurs are velociraptors that can spit a non-magical acid arrow out to 30 feet up to 3 times per day, using their character level as their caster level. Their bite only deals 1d3 damage and their speed is 30 feet. This alters the dinosaur’s base movement and bite and replaces claws.
  • Indominous: These dinosaurs were modified by some plucky alchemist or wizard who felt the tyrannosaurus wasn’t quite scary enough to appeal to children. They can cast vanish once per day as a spell-like ability, using their character level as their caster level. This replaces sprinter.
  • Triceratops: These dinosaurs are stegosauruses with +2 Strength, –2 Dexterity, and a +2 to one other ability score of their choice. They gainImproved Bull Rush as a bonus feat and a primary, natural gore attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. When a triceratops charges, it deals double damage with its gore attack. This alters the dinosaur’s ability scores and replaces natural plating and slapping tail.

Favored Class Options

The following options are available to all dinosaurs who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

  • Accelerist: Add +1 ft. to the distance at which the accelerist can distinguish an individual creature with scent (+2 downwind, +1/2 upwind). This provides no immediate benefit in combat until the bonus is at least an increment of 5. Source: BoMT V1
  • Agent Elite: Gain 1/6 of a new Pam agent talent. If this talent increases your unarmed damage, you can also deal that damage with one natural attack of your choice.
  • Astrologer: Add +1/4 spell the astrologer can cast per day. This spell must be of a spell level lower than the highest the astrologer can cast. Source: BoMT V2
  • Culinarian: Add a +1/5 enhancement bonus on one non-magical natural attack. This stacks with the bonus from rotisseur.
  • Gamer: Add +1/6 to the number of times the gamer can change specializations each day. Source: BoMT V2
  • Gunslinger: Add +1/4 to the dodge bonus to AC granted by the nimble class feature (maximum +4)

Racial Archetype

The following racial archetype is available to dinosaurs:

Coming Soon

Racial Feats

The following feats are available to a dinosaur character who meets the prerequisites.

  • Predatory Instinct
  • Razor Hide
Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Book of Many Things: Decidedly Laughable Collection, © 2019, Samurai Sheepdog; author Kevin Glusing.

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