Cloning dinosaurs for use as a theme park attraction is an objectively bad idea. However, if pop culture has taught us anything, it’s that if something goes horribly wrong the first time, you should probably just keep trying until you get it right, regardless of common sense, logic, or the wretched screams of terrified innocents as they’re torn limb from limb by angry prehistoric monsters.
Dinosaurs can be a great addition to any role-playing game, but are particularly well suited to superhero stories. Whether the cloned experiments of some mad scientist, denizens of some hidden land untouched by millennia, or the result of a time-travel accident, nothing says we need a hero like terrible lizards rampaging their way through the downtown core. That’s why every day for Dinosaur Week, the Gamer Nation Blog is presenting stats for two different dinosaurs for use in your Mutants & Masterminds 3E games.
Ankylosaurus
Name: Fused Lizard
Size: 1.7 m x 6.25 m
Diet: Herbivore
Habitat: Western North America
Age: Late Cretaceous
Large, armored, and sporting a club of dense bone at the end of their tail, the ankylosaurous was one of the toughest herbivores to ever roam the Earth.
This build presents the ankylosaurus as aggressive and dangerous, able to shrug off most damage. All-out Attack gives them the opportunity to land some devastating attacks with their heavy tail club, relying on their high Toughness rating to compensate for the lowered active defenses.
Ankylosaurus • PL 9, MR 4
Str 11 Sta 8 Agl 1 Dex -3 Fgt 5 Int -4 Awe 1 Pre 0
Powers: Strength-based Damage 3 [Tail Strike], Growth 8 (innate, Permanent), Protection 6, Senses 1 (Acute Smell)
Advantages: All-out Attack, Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash
Skills: Athletics 2 (+13), Close Combat: Tail Strike 1 (+6), Intimidation (+4), Perception 5 (+6)
Offense: Initiative +5, Tail Strike +6 (Close, Damage 13)
Defense: Dodge 0, Parry 4, Fortitude 12, Toughness 14, Will 4
Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 29 + Advantages 4 + Sills 4 + Defenses 11 = Total 54 points
Velociraptor
Name: Swift Siezer
Size: 0.5 m x 2 m
Diet: Carnivore
Habitat: Mongolia, North Eastern China
Age: Late Cretaceous
Contrary to some media depictions, the velociraptor was actually fairly small and feathered. The oversized crescent shaped claws on their feet were all too real, though.
The velociraptor build works best if you use them as pack hunters, using three or more to attack as a group. The Set-up Advantage allows them to transfer bonuses gained from Agile Feint or Startle to other members of their group. They’re fast, and Move-by Action lets them attack and move past their prey. Finally, the Fast Grab Advantage lets the velociraptor make a Grab attempt after a successful attack, representing them digging in with their sickle shaped claws.
Velociraptor • PL 5, MR 5
Str 2 Sta 1 Agl 5 Dex 2 Fgt 4 Int -2 Awe 3 Pre 1
Powers: Strength-based Damage 2 [Sickle Claw], Protection 1, Senses 3 (Acute Smell, Low-light Vision, Ultra-hearing), Shrinking 4 (Innate, Permanent), Speed 1
Advantages: Agile Feint, Assessment, Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll, Fast Grab, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Critical: Sickle Claw, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Set-up, Startle, Teamwork, Tracking
Skills: Acrobatics 1 (+6), Athletics 4 (+6), Intimidation 5 (+4), Perception 4 (+7)
Offense: Init +9, Sickle Claw +6 (Close, Damage 4, Crit 19-20)
Defense: Dodge 7, Parry 6, Fortitude 4, Toughness 3/2 (Without Defensive Roll), Will 4
Totals: Abilities 34 + Powers 16 + Advantages 14 + Skills 7 + Defenses 4 = Total 75 points
