d20 Goodman Games The Complete Guide to T-Rex.pdf

Credits

Table of Contents

Writer: Joseph Goodman

Artist: Tim Burgard

Logo Designer: Derek Schubert

Copy Editor: Fred Bush

Graphic Designer: Joseph Goodman

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Stats by Age Category . . . .5

Social Structure . . . . . . . . . . . .6

The Dynasties . . . . . . . . . .7

The Tyrant Kings . . . . . . . .8

Cultural Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Combat Strategies . . . . . . . . .11

Dealing with Swarms . . . .11

Hunting Techniques . . . . .11

The Tyrant Masters . . . . .12

T-rex NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Personality . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Age Progression . . . . . . . .13

Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Non-Psionic . . . . . . . .14

Psionic . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Psionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

New Powers . . . . . . . .19

Bloodline Telepathy . . . . .21

Mark of the Master . . . . .22

Campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Motivations . . . . . . . . . . .23

Adventure Hooks . . . . . . .24

Creating Dynasties . . . . . .25

The Dynasties . . . . . . . . .26

Kil Karn . . . . . . . . . . .26

Sibdan . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Appendix I: T-Rex Stats . . . .29

Nanotyrannus . . . . . . . . . .30

Appendix II: Byproducts . . . .31

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Be sure to look for the rest of the Complete Guide series!

If you like this book, you might also be interested in these:

Complete Guide to Doppelgangers (Nov. 2002) (GMG3000)

Complete Guide to Wererats (Jan. 2003) (GMG3001)

Complete Guide to Velociraptors (GMG1002)

Aerial Adventure Guide Series

Vol. 1: Rulers of the Sky (GMG2000)

Vol. 2: Sellaine, Jewel of the Clouds (GMG2001)

Vol. 3: Monsters, Magic, and Sky Ships (Nov. 2002) (GMG2002)

Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex

Core Rulebook (GMG1000)

Cretasus Adventure Guide (GMG1001)

Introduction

No real-life creature has stoked the flames of imagination

more than tyrannosaurus rex. Since its discovery a century ago,

T-rex has served as a constant reminder of human frailty. Not

only does its massive mouth belittle mankind (its jaws are, after

all, as long as a man is tall), but its Earthly reign makes us piti-

fully insignificant. Homo sapiens has walked the Earth for a

mere 100,000 years – but tyrannosaurus rex ruled for six mil-

lion years.

Dragons were real, and they were called T-rex. This book

gives you the rules and background you need to put these real

life dragons in your d20 game. By the time you’re done read-

ing, T-rex won’t be a dumb lizard; it will be an intelligent con-

queror that forms alliances, remembers treachery, and builds

dynasties that span generations.

We have taken a few fantastic liberties with T-rex. The

standard T-rex is present, of course, in both the forms that his-

tory has known it: the sluggish, tail-dragging version painted by

Charles Knight, and the modern, fleet-footed version depicted

in Jurassic Park . But we go even further than that. (This is a

fantasy game, after all.) Modern reptiles continue growing their

entire lives. What if T-rex were the same? What if this king of

predators (whose only natural enemies were his T-rex rivals)

survived to extreme ages? How large could he get? And what

are the implications of the sheer willpower that must reside in

such a beast?

Over the next 30-odd pages, we will answer these ques-

tions. We hope to show you a side of tyrannosaurus rex that

you’ve never seen. By the time you’re through, we hope you’ll

want to show your players what a real dragon looked like.

Most of this book is world-neutral, designed to be incorpo-

rated into any campaign. When a section must be placed within

the context of a campaign setting, we have used the Dinosaur

Planet: Broncosaurus Rex world. Most of the Broncosaurus Rex

setting material can easily be integrated into any other prehis-

toric world.

For reference, here is the stat block for a standard T-Rex.

Note the relatively high Intelligence, higher than that presented

in the MM. We think T-rex should be smarter!

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Huge Animal

Hit Dice:

18d10+72 (171 hp)

Initiative:

+1 (Dex)

Speed:

40 ft.

AC:

14 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural)

Attacks:

Bite +20 melee

Damage:

Bite 5d8+13

Face/Reach:

10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft.

Special Attacks:

Improved grab, swallow whole

Special Qualities:

Scent, roar

Saves:

Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +8

Abilities:

Str 28, Dex 12, Con 19,

Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10

Skills:

Listen +11, Spot +11

Climate/Terrain:

Temperate or warm land

Organization:

Solitary or family (2 adults and 0-2

young)

Challenge Rating:

Treasure:

Standard

Alignment:

Lawful evil

Advancement:

19-36 HD (Gargantuan), 37-54 HD

(Colossal)

COMBAT

Roar (Ex): A tyrannosaurus facing a real threat will sum-

mon help with a deafening roar. Nearby T-rexes will hear the

roar and come to its aid. (Being summoned is one of the few

times a T-rex will enter another T-rex’s hunting grounds.)

T-rexes summon aid with discretion, and rarely do so

unless their opponent is a threat to their neighbors, as well as

themselves (e.g., human or carnivore invaders, not just a big,

angry triceratops). But when the threat is real, and they are in

danger, they do not hesitate.

A T-rex can roar with a full-round action and attract 1d4 T-

rex families. The roar carries many miles; aid may come from

far away. Each summoned family will arrive in 2d20 minutes.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the T-rex must

hit a Medium-size or smaller opponent with its bite attack.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A T-rex can try to swallow a Medi-

um-size or smaller opponent by making a successful grapple

check. The swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of crushing

damage per round plus 8 points of acid damage from the tyran-

nosaur’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by

using claws or a Small or Tiny slashing weapon to deal 25 points

of damage to the gizzard (AC 20). Once the creature exits, mus-

cular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must

cut its own way out. The gizzard can hold two Medium-size or

four Small opponents (and so on for other sizes).

Physiology

The basics of tyrannosaur physiology are well known. A T-

rex stands roughly 18 feet tall. A six foot tall human sees eye-

to-eye with its kneecap. T-rexes are about 45 feet long and

weigh up to 7 tons. Their jaws are six feet long, just large

enough to swallow a human in a single gulp.

Beyond that, discussing the physiology of T-rex is an inter-

esting endeavor. Interpretations of T-rex physiology have

changed over time. When scientists thought dinosaurs were

cold-blooded, it was popular to think of T-rex as a slow, stupid

beast that walked upright and dragged its tail on the ground. But

modern paleontologists suspect otherwise. They envision T-rex

as a warm-blooded creature that balanced its spine over its legs,

with the head and tail at each end like two children on a see-

saw. The modern T-rex can run quickly, turn quickly, and per-

haps even think quickly.

In a fantasy environment, both are possible. We have divid-

ed T-rexes into two types: the endo (warm-blooded) and exo

(cold-blooded). Both kinds of T-rex can coexist in the same

game world.

tion of T-rex.

The exo-rex is exothermic, or cold-blooded. Cold-blooded

creatures (such as reptiles) have limited ability to regulate their

own temperature. Their body temperature is the same as the air

around them. When it gets below 32 degrees, humans can still

move (although it’s pretty cold!) – but reptiles start to freeze.

That’s the advantage of being warm-blooded. Exothermic crea-

tures are generally slower and more sluggish than their

endothermic counterparts. Exo-rex, therefore, is the “old style”

T-rex.

The standard T-rex stats, as described in the d20 rules and

recapped above, are for an endo-rex. From this point on, the dis-

tinction won’t matter; all the discussion that follows is about

warm-blooded dinosaurs. But, for reference, we have presented

the stats for the cold-blooded exo-rex in Appendix I.

Age Categories

Tyrannosaurs are massive creatures. But before they grow

massive, they are quick and nimble. Young T-rexes differ

markedly from their parents, and

not merely in physical

attributes. Older T-rexes

are smarter and

tougher, and their

greater hunting experi-

ence makes them deadly

in more ways than just their

larger jaws.

There are four main cat-

egories of T-rex aging. The

youth, or “young rex,” are slen-

der, lightly-built dinosaurs that resemble the

nimble velociraptors more than their heavy, stocky

parents. As a T-rex ages, it bulks up considerably.

Only after several years does it gain the barrel-

chested, thick-legged appearance of an adult, the

second category of T-rex age.

Like all reptiles, tyrannosaurs (and all dinosaurs) grow

for their entire lives. That’s right – their entire lives. The rate of

growth slows significantly once they mature, but the growth

does continue. This has enormous repercussions for reptiles

with long life spans – and T-rex is such a creature.

There is no known upper limit on the age of a tyrannosaur.

Most tyrannosaurs die from the debilitating injuries that are part

of a carnivore’s life. A triceratops gore here, a pachycephalosaur

head-butt there... sooner or later, all those minor scars add up.

But some T-rexes are lucky, or smart, or otherwise gifted, and

they reach old age without severe injury. Like all reptiles, they

Endo vs. Exo

The endo-rex (as we’ll refer to it) is endother-

mic, or warm-blooded, like humans and birds.

Warm-blooded creatures regulate their own tem-

perature. This lets them stay warm in winter and

cool in the summer. It also makes them a

lot more active; they can move at

a relatively quick pace

even in extreme

temperatures. The

endo-rex is a

warm-blooded

dinosaur, like

the modern

interpreta-

continue growing the whole time. When they reach a certain

point, they are so large, and their skin is so thick, and their teeth

are so long, that they are practically invulnerable. From then on,

their growth continues unchecked.

These unbelievably enormous tyrannosaurs are the tyrant

kings. This is the third category of T-rex age. As the oldest

tyrannosaurs in each family group, the tyrant kings are the

acknowledged leaders of the T-rex dynasties (which will be dis-

cussed in more detail later). So few tyrannosaurs survive to this

age that tyrant kings are only rarely seen.

As the tyrant kings age, they discover that even their bod-

ies are not immortal. Yes, the growth continues indefinitely, but

a bone can rotate in its socket for only so long before it begins

to wear away. Tyrant kings eventually falter from the simple

stress of progressive age degeneration. They grow until their

old bones can’t support their weight, then they collapse and die.

Most die – but not all. Difficult as it may be to imagine, T-

rexes have powerful minds. Their unstoppable bodies fuel their

existence for so long that few pause to consider what minds

must lie behind those bodies. Yet they are intelligent – and, more

importantly, strong-willed. Imagine an ancient tyrannosaur that

has ruled the wilderness for hundreds of years. When its physi-

cal might begins to decline, it discov-

ers – for the first time – the

strength of its mind. While its

body was strong, it never

needed thought; but as its

body weakens, it learns what

its mind inherited from its

physical strength: an

indomitable will. Those tyrant

kings who live to discover their psionic

abilities are few in number, but they are

dangerous indeed, for they can propel their

aging bodies with sheer willpower alone.

These are the tyrant masters. No more than a

handful of tyrant masters exist at any one

time, and they are virtually never seen by

non-tyrannosaurs, but they are the true rulers

of the prehistoric world.

Tables 1-1 through 1-3 describe the

physical profiles, abilities and saves, and

attacks of tyrannosaurs at various age cate-

gories. Notice how a T-rex grows in every

regard until it reaches the age of 400 years

– at which point its physical abilities

begin to decline. That is the age

where a T-rex’s body is so worn

down that regardless of physical

injuries (or lack thereof), it deterio-

rates. Then tyrant kings falter –

unless they develop psionic abilities

to compensate, which carry them to the exalted status of tyrant

master.

Attacks: As tyrannosaurs age, their attacks improve. A nor-

mal adult T-rex has only one attack: its bite. But the attack

bonus, damage, and threat range of the bite improve dramati-

cally over time. Moreover, older T-rexes can swallow creatures

of progressively larger sizes, culminating in a colossal T-rex’s

ability to swallow whole creatures of size Huge or smaller –

which means they can swallow whole a normal T-rex!

Older T-rexes gain additional attacks. At the age of 76, a T-

rex is able to head butt and tail slap. At the age of 126, a T-rex

learns to kick effectively. At the age of 251, the T-rex’s mere

presence is enough to cause fear in opponents.

Feats: At the same time a T-rex is learning these new

attacks, it is also developing specialized attacks of its own. A T-

rex gains a feat at each of its last four age increments. These are

treated exactly as feats are for normal PCs. Tyrannosaur-specif-

ic feats are described on page 14. The head butt, tail slap, and

ferocious kick attacks, as well as frightful presence, are

described as feats.

Table 1-4 lists the attack bonus, threat range, and damage

of tyrannosaur attacks. Attack bonuses and damage for second-

ary attacks are listed even for those T-rexes too small to nor-

mally acquire those attacks, because some exceptional T-

rexes develop these attacks early in life.

Skills: Tyrannosaurs of normal

Intelligence for their age receive skill

points equal to their HD. Adjust skill

points by 4 for each point of Intelli-

gence below or above normal. The

tyrannosaur’s class skills are

Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha),

Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump

(Str), Knowledge (nature)

(Int), Listen (Wis), Move

Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis),

and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

A tyrant master continues

gaining skill points after its

HD stop progressing. It gains

one additional skill point for each

effective level as indicated on table

1-5 (see page 17). Tyrant masters may

also take the skills Autohypnosis (Wis),

Concentration (Con), Knowledge (psion-

ics) (Int), Psicraft (Int), and Stabilize

Self (Con).

A tyrannosaur’s maximum

rank in a skill is equal to its HD

plus its effective level (if any) plus

three.

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