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.
Pteranodon
Name: Winged and Toothless
Size: 5.6 m wingspan
Diet: Carnivore
Habitat: South Western North America
Age: Late Cretaceous
Examining the pteranodon’s wing structure suggests its flight would have been similar to an albatross: soaring for long periods, aided by occasional rapid flapping.
This build focuses on the pteranodon, as a relatively small, quick hunter. They can see in low light, and Move-by Action allows them to attack and move, swooping past their target as they strike. Two ranks of Improved Initiative means the pteranadon is very often going to get the first attack.
Though not actually dinosaurs, pteranodons are close enough for mad science, and should be close enough for you.
Pteranadon • PL 4, MR 3
Str 1 Sta 1 Agl 3 Dex 2 Fgt 3 Int -5 Awe 1 Pre 0
Powers: Damage 3 [Beak], Flight 2, Senses 1 (Low-light Vision), Shrinking 4 (Innate, Permanent)
Advantages: All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action
Skills: Close Combat: Beak 2 (+5), Perception 6 (+7)
Offense: Initiative +11, Beak +5 (Close, Damage 3)
Defense: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 1, Toughness 3/1 (Without Defensive Roll), Will 1
Totals: Abilities 10 + Powers 17 + Advantages 6 + Sills 4 + Defenses 0 = Total 37 points
Pachycephalosaurus
Name: Thick-headed Lizard
Size: 1 m x 4.5 m
Diet: Herbivore
Habitat: North America
Age: Late Cretaceous
Like the man said, “Life, uh, finds a way.” Sometimes that way is being extremely well-suited to slamming your head into things. As they developed to maturity, the pachycephalosaur’s skull could grow to be up 25 cm thick, and their head was adorned with spikes. Modern paleontologists think they would have used this in intra-species competition by swinging their heads at one another, striking at their rival’s flank, as opposed to bashing their skulls into one another directly as was once believed.
The pachycephalosaurus build has an Immunity to self-inflicted Slam Damage, allowing the dinosaur to perform the maneuver without fear of hurting itself. Combined with the All-out Attack, a pachycephalosaur can deliver an extremely formidable headbutt.
Pachycephalosaurus • PL 6, MR 3
Str 3 Sta 2 Agl 3 Dex 1 Fgt 6 Int -5 Awe 2 Pre 0
Powers: Strength-based Damage 3 [Head Bash], Growth 2 (Innate, Permanent), Immunity 2 (Self-inflicted Slam Damage), Protection 2, Senses 1 (Acute Smell)
Advantages: All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Improved Initiative 2
Skills: Athletics 5 (+8), Perception 3 (+5)
Offense: Init +11, Head Bash +6 (Close, Damage 6)
Defense: Dodge 4, Parry 6, Fortitude 3, Toughness 6/4 (Without Defensive Roll), Will 2
Totals: Abilities 16 + Powers 14 + Advantages 5 + Skills 4 + Defenses 4 = Total 43 points
