[Creature] Hey hippogriff, eat your heart out [Archive] - Wizards Community

[Creature] Hey hippogriff, eat your heart out [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Vorpal Tribble
07-28-07, 04:55 PM Dire Duck-Billed Platypus

Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 40 ft., burrow 5 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Spur +4 melee (1d6+2 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 spurs +4 melee (1d6+2 plus poison) and bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +6, Spot +4, Swim +10
Feats: Ability Focus (poison), Alertness(B), Multiattack
Environment: Any Aquatic
Organization: Solitary or Mates
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Medium), 6-8 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

This creature seems a bizarre, predatory mix of several different creature. It is a low, stream-lined body with close-fitting fur set upon two pair of short, sprawled legs. These legs end in great webbed feet with curving claws, and the back two feet each have an evil looking spur jutting out half a foot from the heel. Behind them is a large, flat tail with a knobby bit of bone at the tip. Its head is small and round, with an enormous fleshy bill filled with ridged, bone-crushing teeth. Its eyes are tiny and glint darkly on land, and are covered over with a protective membrane.

Dire duck-billed platypi are predators of rivers and streams, eating voraciously anything that dwells there that they can. They prefer shellfish and aquatic worms, but few creatures are safe from their insatiable appetite. They live in large burrows tunneled out of the sides of hills or raised land nearby if not practically touching the water.

A dire platypus is from 5 to 7 feet in length and can weigh up to 300 pounds.

Combat
A dire platypus senses its prey with its blindsight and may stalk it for some time, keeping to the mud or thick aquatic vegetation, before with a swish of its tail diving upon its prey and stinging it repeatedly with its poisonous spurs. It continues until the creature dies. It then tears off enormous chunks to store in its cheek pouches to eat at its leisure upon land.

Poison (Ex): A dire platypi's spurs hold a deadly poison that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con (DC 15 fortitude negates). Those affected by the poison suffer wracking pains that impose a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. These penalties last for 1 hour, and do not stack from multiple attacks. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Blindsight (Ex): Underwater a dire platypus is blind (and immune to gaze attacks and similar abilities), but it maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature by using scent, vibration and electroreception to ascertain its surroundings. This ability enables it to discern objects and creatures within 60 feet. The platypus does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight.

Blinding A Dire Platypus
A dire platypus senses the faint electrical auras of living creatures and inanimate objects in its immediate vicinity. As such it does not lose its blindsight until both its hearing and electrical senses are impaired. Hearing can easily be damaged by means of spells or effects that create deafness or silence. The electric sense is harder to obscure. Powerful discharges of electricity can do it. If a dire platypus takes 10 or more points of electricity damage, the creature must make a DC 15 fortitude save or lose its electrical sense for 1d4 rounds. If it would take 20 points or more, the save DC is 20, and its electroreception is lost for 2d4 rounds.

Skills: A dire platypus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Raptorial
07-28-07, 06:04 PM That...is one of the most awesome things I've ever seen. Now all we need are monstrous yabbies for it to hunt. :P Great work as always.
The Vorpal Tribble
07-31-07, 10:29 PM And what might a yabbie be?
Raptorial
07-31-07, 11:43 PM An already big Australian crayfish.
TheCrawlingSpleen
08-02-07, 12:27 AM Dire Duck-Billed Platypus

There are...no...words. :bow:
nightmaredragon
08-08-07, 09:23 PM NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIICE:bow:
Grizzled Gryphon
10-20-07, 12:09 AM Oh, this is soooooo being used.
bhu
10-20-07, 12:25 AM :bow: stolen for my silly campaign
Dead_Weasel
10-20-07, 01:36 AM I lawled. Usually you space your creatures out a bit, VT; been saving them up for this little deluge?
turalisj
10-20-07, 03:39 PM WE
ARE
NOT
WORTHY!
:eek:
:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
The Vorpal Tribble
10-21-07, 10:34 PM I lawled. Usually you space your creatures out a bit, VT; been saving them up for this little deluge?
Naw, not really. Have about 3 I'll be posting soon though if thats a deluge.
Dead_Weasel
10-22-07, 12:43 AM Naw, not really. Have about 3 I'll be posting soon though if thats a deluge.As of this moment, there are four of your monsters on the first page of Monster's Lair, and two on the second. When I said that there was one on the Psionics board's first page, as well.

Not that I am complaining, mind; we usually have to wait a week for two or three. I was just curious.
ArgulFraster
10-22-07, 03:42 PM When (not if, it WILL be coming back) Dragon Magazine should hire you.
The Vorpal Tribble
10-23-07, 01:14 PM As of this moment, there are four of your monsters on the first page of Monster's Lair, and two on the second. When I said that there was one on the Psionics board's first page, as well.

Not that I am complaining, mind; we usually have to wait a week for two or three. I was just curious.
Oh, well, I posted them some time ago. Can't help them being brought up from the dead :cool:

When (not if, it WILL be coming back) Dragon Magazine should hire you.
They are back up (with their online version) and supposedly taking new material as before, but I've sent in over 60 mails to them with proposals for each of my critters and not heard back even once that they want to hear more about them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 07-28-07, 04:55 PM	Dire Duck-Billed Platypus Medium Animal Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 40 ft., burrow 5 ft. Armor Class: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Spur +4 melee (1d6+2 plus poison) Full Attack: 2 spurs +4 melee (1d6+2 plus poison) and bite +2 melee (1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Poison Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +2 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11 Skills: Hide +2, Listen +6, Spot +4, Swim +10 Feats: Ability Focus (poison), Alertness(B), Multiattack Environment: Any Aquatic Organization: Solitary or Mates Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 4-5 HD (Medium), 6-8 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: - This creature seems a bizarre, predatory mix of several different creature. It is a low, stream-lined body with close-fitting fur set upon two pair of short, sprawled legs. These legs end in great webbed feet with curving claws, and the back two feet each have an evil looking spur jutting out half a foot from the heel. Behind them is a large, flat tail with a knobby bit of bone at the tip. Its head is small and round, with an enormous fleshy bill filled with ridged, bone-crushing teeth. Its eyes are tiny and glint darkly on land, and are covered over with a protective membrane. Dire duck-billed platypi are predators of rivers and streams, eating voraciously anything that dwells there that they can. They prefer shellfish and aquatic worms, but few creatures are safe from their insatiable appetite. They live in large burrows tunneled out of the sides of hills or raised land nearby if not practically touching the water. A dire platypus is from 5 to 7 feet in length and can weigh up to 300 pounds. Combat A dire platypus senses its prey with its blindsight and may stalk it for some time, keeping to the mud or thick aquatic vegetation, before with a swish of its tail diving upon its prey and stinging it repeatedly with its poisonous spurs. It continues until the creature dies. It then tears off enormous chunks to store in its cheek pouches to eat at its leisure upon land. Poison (Ex): A dire platypi's spurs hold a deadly poison that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con (DC 15 fortitude negates). Those affected by the poison suffer wracking pains that impose a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. These penalties last for 1 hour, and do not stack from multiple attacks. The save DC is Constitution-based. Blindsight (Ex): Underwater a dire platypus is blind (and immune to gaze attacks and similar abilities), but it maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature by using scent, vibration and electroreception to ascertain its surroundings. This ability enables it to discern objects and creatures within 60 feet. The platypus does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight. Blinding A Dire Platypus A dire platypus senses the faint electrical auras of living creatures and inanimate objects in its immediate vicinity. As such it does not lose its blindsight until both its hearing and electrical senses are impaired. Hearing can easily be damaged by means of spells or effects that create deafness or silence. The electric sense is harder to obscure. Powerful discharges of electricity can do it. If a dire platypus takes 10 or more points of electricity damage, the creature must make a DC 15 fortitude save or lose its electrical sense for 1d4 rounds. If it would take 20 points or more, the save DC is 20, and its electroreception is lost for 2d4 rounds. Skills: A dire platypus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Raptorial 07-28-07, 06:04 PM	That...is one of the most awesome things I've ever seen. Now all we need are monstrous yabbies for it to hunt. :P Great work as always.
The Vorpal Tribble 07-31-07, 10:29 PM	And what might a yabbie be?
Raptorial 07-31-07, 11:43 PM	An already big Australian crayfish.
TheCrawlingSpleen 08-02-07, 12:27 AM	Dire Duck-Billed Platypus There are...no...words. :bow:
nightmaredragon 08-08-07, 09:23 PM	NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIICE:bow:
Grizzled Gryphon 10-20-07, 12:09 AM	Oh, this is soooooo being used.
bhu 10-20-07, 12:25 AM	:bow: stolen for my silly campaign
Dead_Weasel 10-20-07, 01:36 AM	I lawled. Usually you space your creatures out a bit, VT; been saving them up for this little deluge?
turalisj 10-20-07, 03:39 PM	WE ARE NOT WORTHY! :eek: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
The Vorpal Tribble 10-21-07, 10:34 PM	I lawled. Usually you space your creatures out a bit, VT; been saving them up for this little deluge? Naw, not really. Have about 3 I'll be posting soon though if thats a deluge.
Dead_Weasel 10-22-07, 12:43 AM	Naw, not really. Have about 3 I'll be posting soon though if thats a deluge.As of this moment, there are four of your monsters on the first page of Monster's Lair, and two on the second. When I said that there was one on the Psionics board's first page, as well. Not that I am complaining, mind; we usually have to wait a week for two or three. I was just curious.
ArgulFraster 10-22-07, 03:42 PM	When (not if, it WILL be coming back) Dragon Magazine should hire you.
The Vorpal Tribble 10-23-07, 01:14 PM	As of this moment, there are four of your monsters on the first page of Monster's Lair, and two on the second. When I said that there was one on the Psionics board's first page, as well. Not that I am complaining, mind; we usually have to wait a week for two or three. I was just curious. Oh, well, I posted them some time ago. Can't help them being brought up from the dead :cool: When (not if, it WILL be coming back) Dragon Magazine should hire you. They are back up (with their online version) and supposedly taking new material as before, but I've sent in over 60 mails to them with proposals for each of my critters and not heard back even once that they want to hear more about them.