These amphibians looked looked like huge, flattened, scaly newts, or crocodiles with a few amphibian features. Their armored skin limited oxygen absorption, forcing them to use gills and lungs. Unlike frogs, they did not undergo dramatic metamorphosis as they aged so the young were basically smaller versions of the adults. They thrived during the Carboniferous to Triassic periods, but were reduced to a few highly-specialized lineages during the Jurassic and finally went extinct in the Cretaceous.
Better adapted to land than most of its relatives, ‘stretched-face’ lived in the North-West of the super-continent of Pangaea (North America) during the Carboniferous period. It had a massive wedge-shaped head, rounded body, sprawling legs, and short tail. Its skin was covered in small oval lumps, probably containing hard osteoderms. The wide mouth had numerous conical teeth, as well as fangs and bony hooks on the palate to hold prey even more securely. It ate mostly fish, but may have been an opportunistic ambush predator too.
A distant relative of crocodilians, the 'bird crocodile' was a long-legged reptilian predator which lived in North-Western Laurasia (the continent which would later split to form North America and part of Europe) during the late Triassic. It was fully terrestrial and warm-blooded, typically walking on all fours but lifting its fore-legs off the ground to sprint. Its triangular head tapered to a narrow snout, bristling with teeth, some of them long enough that the opposite jaw was shaped to allow them space to stick out.
This American genus was larger than modern wolves, but smaller than the cave wolves of Europe. They had slender limbs and strong jaws, and were well suited for taking down big, slow prey, or scavenging. They weren't especially close relatives to true wolves, and would not have been able to interbreed. Genetically-modified gray wolves which were edited to have some gene sequences from dire wolves have white coats, but this may not reflect the actual appearance of the extinct genus.
Dire Wolf by Charles R. Knight (1921)
Cave wolves were a (or a number of) subspecies of gray wolf which lived in Pleistocene Europe. In accordance with Carl Bergmann's famous observation that cold climates produce larger animals, they were considerably larger than modern wolves. They also had proportionally shorter legs and more powerful jaws to handle larger prey.
The ‘bone crushing dogs’ were a subfamily of canids, related to modern canines such as jackals and wolves. They thrived in North America during the Oligocene and Pliocene. They are believed to have been ambush predators who used a stalk-pounce-dash strategy similar to big cats. When cats crossed from Asia to the Americas, it seems that the borophaginae struggled to compete in the same ecological niche.
They looked somewhat like wild dogs or wolves, but with heavy builds and short jaws. Their teeth were hyena-like, well suited to (as their name suggests) crushing bones.
Although not as heavy as the massive tyrannosaurs, Allosaurus was big for a carnosaur. Its long legs and stiff tail made it a swift straight-line pursuit predator.
It’s head was long, narrow, tapered, and mounted on a sinuous but muscular neck. Relatively weak jaw muscles, a wide gape, and small serrated teeth suggest that it carved pieces off big prey by dragging its upper teeth through their flesh. The fore-limbs were small but still strong enough to drive their three hooked claws into a victim and hang on as it struggled. The feet, each with three clawed toes and a dewclaw, also seem to have been used to restrain prey.
Two bony crests ran along the top of the skull, with a horn-like projection before the eyes. Lizard-like lips would have sealed the mouth to prevent the teeth from being damaged by dry air. Only a few skin samples have been identified, which all show small scales. Although it is possible that some parts had proto-feathers, they would not have been necessary for insulation, so it is likely that the overall appearance would have been that of a lizard with bird-like legs.
The favorite prey of Allosaurs seems to have been large sauropods, which they hunted in the warm fern prairies and floodplains of the late Jurassic. They had a wide range, often living in environments which would have varied seasonally from wetland to almost desert-like conditions.
Their brains weren’t especially large and there is little evidence of social behavior, so it is likely they were solitary hunters who used a simple stalk-and-dash strategy to take slower prey.
Tyrannosaurus rex ‘the king of the tyrant-lizards’ is the most iconic of all dinosaurs, the largest land predator that ever walked the Earth.
A heavily-built beast, with a broad snout, which flared out into even broader cheeks, a short thick neck, a stout body, relatively tiny arms, long legs, and a thick tail. The diminutive forelimbs had two claws each, while the hind feet had three which came into contact with the ground and one which didn’t. Its teeth were long, sharp, and set into a massive skull which could deliver intense bite forces. Lizard-like lips concealed the teeth, protecting them from the elements. Ridges of heavy scales covered the snout and curved back around the eyes. The skin of adults seems to have been entirely featherless and covered with small, round, non-overlapping scales.
Although its long legs enabled long, energy-efficient strides, a fully grown tyrannosaur could not take advantage of this to achieve high speeds without risking injury. The colossal impact of each step was only somewhat managed by the thick cushioning on each foot.
Although its eyes are almost lost in the massive face, they were actually some of the largest of any animal. They seem to have been optimised for daylight and tyrannosaurs may have had vision better than birds of prey. Their hearing and sense of smell would also have been very good, with brain regions relating to them being enlarged.
Despite being stereotyped as crude and stupid, tyrannosaurs had relatively large brains, and would probably have been smarter than most reptiles, and possibly many birds and mammals. However, with large amounts of brain dedicated to processing sensory information and precise control over movement, it is doubtful there was much to spare for more abstract thinking.
There is some evidence that tyrannosaurs lived in groups, although it is impossible to say how big they were or what social structures they formed. One hypothesis is that adults and young worked as a ‘combined arms’ team where the juveniles herded prey into the path of mature predators. If this wasn’t the case, they would have hunted different prey, occupying different ecological niches at different stages of development. While younger individuals could run their prey down quickly, older ones may have had to rely on ambush, or wearing down their target with lengthy pursuit.
T. rex lived across a huge area with multiple different types of terrain, from forests to semi-arid plains, but it was most common in the wetlands bordering the Western Interior Seaway (where the Great Plains are now). These would have been similar to the modern bayous of the Gulf Coast.
This profile represents a typical adult T. rex. The very largest (18,000 lbs.) get ST and HP 52, giving effective ST 54 with a biting grapple and 15 with a claw grapple. Damage increases to 6d+7 with a bite, 1d with a claw, 6d+6 with a stamp, 6d+12 with the tail, and 6d+5 when trampling. For a small adult or nearly-mature sub-adult (7,000 lbs.) reduce ST and HP 38, SM to +3 (16 hexes), DR (both) to 2, and Striking ST to 3. This changes effective ST to 40 with a bite grapple, 12 with a claw grapple. Tail reach becomes 2 and maximum SM for trampling victims becomes +1. Damage changes to 4d+5 with a bite, 1d−2 with a claw, 4d+5 with a stamp, 4d+8 with the tail, and 4d+4 when trampling.
Young tyrannosaurs looked quite different to the adults. They were small, lightly-built, very long-legged, and probably covered in fluffy proto-feathers for insulation. Smaller body mass allowed them to run faster than their parents.
For an even younger juvenile (200 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 12. This changes damage to 1d−2 with a bite, 1d−6 with a claw, 1d−1 with a kick, and 1d with a tail-swipe.
Early interpretations of T. rex were essentially similar to the current scientific consensus: it was a slow-moving predator with many lizard-like features, about 40 feet long and weighing around six tons. The main differences were that it was often portrayed in a somewhat upright tail-dragging posture, and that it was believed, like most dinosaurs, to be profoundly stupid. Reduce adult IQ to 2 and remove Enhanced Move on the juvenile to represent such creatures.
Tyrannosaurus rex, by Charles R. Knight (1940)
Some have suggested that tyrannosaurs were more scavengers than hunters. Large terrestrial scavengers are rather rare, and it seems unlikely that a warm-blooded animal of such size would be able to find enough carrion to sustain it. However, if you want to create a giant land vulture, add Reduced Consumption (Cast-Iron Stomach) or Resistant to Disease, remove the Stealth skill, and increase Survival. Either hunting or scavenging could have been combined with kleptoparasitism, stealing the kills of smaller predators. Given their dominance of all ecological roles for large predators, this could mean mostly stealing from their own species! Improve Intimidation if this is a major source of food.
A more recent trend was to assume that they could sprint quite fast. The latest computer modelling suggests that the leg bones of a full-sized adult would crack under the strain of moving more than about 11 miles per hour. Add up to 2 levels of Enhanced Move to the adult if you wish to ignore that.
Many skeletons which are generally accepted as belonging to T. rex have been classed as different species at some point. Any of the alternative profiles could be used for one of these species. For example, a fully grown T. imperator would use the largest adult profile.
The Limited Camouflage perk reflects the fact that pack hunting or ambush require significant stealth, so some form of camouflage seems likely. Scavengers and long-distance pursuit predators may not need concealment, and so adult tyrannosaurs who use such tactics may lack effective camouflage.
Aesthetic details like whether they had lips (and, if so, how large) and the possible presence of some proto-feathers on adults make no difference in the rules but has long been the subject of passionate debate.
A very successful and diverse order of predators, Hyaenodonts resembled modern carnivores like wolves and lions, but weren’t closely related to them. They were Creodonts, a now extinct clade of meat-eaters. They were generally more carnivorous than even the carnivore clade, with teeth unsuited for anything except flesh. Most of them were had sturdy builds, short legs, and long heads.
They thrived in the warm climate of the Oligocene, then died off as global temperatures fell and landscapes shifted from dense woodland to open plains during the Miocene.
A small, semi-aquatic genus which used its strong jaws to crack shellfish open. Powerful front limbs allowed it to dig burrows for shelter.
ST 6; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 6; Will 11; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 8.
SM −1, 25 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d−2 cutting.
Traits: Amphibious; Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Breath Holding 5; Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Night Vision 3; Striking ST 3 (Bite only); Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Survival (Island/Beach)-13; Swimming-15.
A very big animal, possibly the largest hyper-carnivorous mammal ever. Despite its size, it was well suited for running. Megistotherium may be a close relative or even the same genus. Either way, it attained similar sizes, as did Simbakubwa.
ST 21; DX 10; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 21; Will 12; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +2 (3 hexes), 1,100 lbs.
Bite (12): 3d+1 cutting.
Claw (12): 2d+1 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 3; Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Night Vision 3; Striking ST 6 (Bite only); Parabolic Hearing 2; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-12; Survival (Woodland)-12.
This profile represents a compromise between several wildly different size estimates for these animals. The smallest estimate would instead weigh around 600 lbs. and have ST and HP 17 (damage 2d+2 with a bite, 1d+2 with a claw), SM +1, Born Biter 3, and DR 2. The largest would be 3,300 lbs. and have ST and HP 30 (damage 4d+2 with a bite, 3d+2 with a claw), SM +3, Born Biter 1, and DR 4.
These dog-like creatures came in a huge variety of species, ranging from terrier to bear sized. All of them had large heads with long, powerful jaws. They seem to have used a combination of stalking, pouncing, and pursuit to capture prey, like lions. Sturdy teeth suggest they would bite and then hang on to struggling prey, also reminiscent of lions. Dissopsalis was a later genus with similar anatomy which survived into the late Miocene. Pyrocyon was another dog-shaped animal, a little smaller than the smallest Hyaenodon species. It lived in the early Eocene and, like a dog, was able to eat a wider variety of food than most of its relatives.
ST 9; DX 11; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 9; Will 12; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 8.
SM 0, 80-90 lbs.
Bite (13): 1d cutting.
Claw (13): 1d−2 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 3; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Night Vision 3; Striking ST 4 (Bite only); Parabolic Hearing 2; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Climbing-12; Survival (Woodland)-14.
This profile suits mid-sized species such as H. horridus or H. leptorynchus or Dissopsalis. For a small species such as H. crucians (40 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 7 and Striking ST to 3 (bite damage 1d−1, claw damage 1d−3). For the smallest, such as H. microdon and H. mustelinus (11 lbs.) or Pyrocyon (6 lbs.), reduce ST and HP to 4 and Striking ST to 2 (bite damage 1d−4, claw damage 1d−5) and remove DR. For the giant species like H. gigas, H. mongoliensis, and H. weilini (800-900 lbs.) raise ST and HP to 19, DR to 2 and Striking ST to 6 (bite damage 2d+3, claw damage 2d).
A large early Hyaenodont from Eocene Europe. It was a jaguar-sized ambush predator, poorly suited to running. It shared its habitat with the far smaller but generally similar Lesmesodon, which resembled a cross between a fox and a weasel. Exceptionally well-preserved remains show that it had long brown fur and a bushy tail. Galecyon was another small animal with a combination of canine and mustelid features from the same place and time, which spent more time on the ground.
ST 13; DX 11; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 13; Will 11; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 6.
SM 0, 300 lbs.
Bite (13): 1d cutting.
Claw (13): 1d−2 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 3; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Night Vision 3; Striking ST 5 (Bite only); Parabolic Hearing 2; Quadruped; Temperature Tolerance (Heat) 2; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Climbing-12; Survival (Jungle)-12.
For Lesmesodon (1 lb.) reduce ST and HP to 2, SM to −4, Striking ST to 1 (damage 1d−5 with a bite, 1d−6 with a claw), and remove DR. For Galecyon (15 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 5, SM to −2, Striking ST to 2 (damage 1d−3 with a bite, 1d−4 with a claw), increase Enhanced Move to 1.5 (Ground Speed 18), and remove DR and Climbing skill.
Dimetrodon is the most famous early synapsid. Indeed it is likely the only one which most people would recognize. Despite appearing alongside dinosaurs in works of fiction and cheap plastic toys, it died out millions of years before they evolved. Although sometimes called ‘mammal-like reptiles’, Dimetrodon and its relatives aren’t actually reptiles either. It did look reptilian, however, with scaly skin, sprawling legs, a thick tail, and a spectacular sail running along its spine.
The sail's purpose remains hotly debated. The leading theory suggests it regulated body temperature, capturing morning sunlight and managing heat throughout the day. Other hypotheses propose it served for sexual display, rival intimidation, or spinal stabilization during rapid movement. The apparently conspicuous sail might have actually provided camouflage by mimicking the silhouettes of plants or harmless herbivores. Rather than the commonly depicted thin membrane, the sail could have been a fleshy hump storing fat and fluids for lean periods. More outlandish theories include it functioning as a sensory organ for detecting wind and air vibrations, or even acting as an actual sail when swimming!
As one of its era's biggest land animals, Dimetrodon was an apex predator. Later species grew even larger with proportionally bigger sails. Though favoring wetland habitats, these adaptable beasts could survive in arid environments as well.
Dimetrodon
ST 16; DX 11; IQ 2; HT 13.
HP 16; Will 12; Per 10; FP 13; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 4.
SM +2 (4 hexes), 500 lbs.
Bite (13): 1d+1 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Cold-Blooded (50°); Discriminatory Smell; DR 2; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 8; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Survival (Swampland)-14; Swimming-13.
This profile suits the later and larger species such as D. angelensis or D. grandis. Earlier species such as D. natalis (60 lbs.) could have ST and HP as low as 8 (bite damage 1d−3) and DR 1.
The ‘dagger-toothed cats’ never got as large as the biggest saber-toothed cats. They had robust, conical, and relatively short fangs, well suited to throttling struggling prey. Their tails were almost as long as those of modern cats.
Dinofelis
This bulky ambush predator had powerful forelegs, which helped both in climbing and subduing prey.
ST 14; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 14; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 7.
SM 0, 330 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 14; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-16; Stealth-13; Survival (Woodlands)-13.
Metailurus
This cat’s long, powerful legs allowed it to make impressive leaps, ideal for pouncing from ambush.
ST 10; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 10; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 12.
SM 0, 110 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-15; Jumping-16; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.
Yoshi
A cheetah-like animal with a slender build, long-legs, and short muzzle.
ST 9; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 9; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 13.
SM −1, 85 lbs.
Traits: Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 26; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 1; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-15; Running-16; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-12.
The ‘scimitar cats’ had lighter builds and were better adapted for running than their relatives the Smilodontini. It is believed that their flattened and serrated fangs would have been fully covered by lips. Their overall appearance would have been similar to modern cats, mostly distinguished by their short tails.
A huge cat, even larger than Smilodon populator, with relatively short legs, necessitating ambush as its main hunting strategy. Sexual dimorphism in size suggests that it was a social animal. It seems to have preferred smaller prey. Its close relative Nimravides was better built for speed and preferred big game. It seems to have used its jaws in a manner similar to modern big cats, clamping onto the throat to strangle large prey. The largest species, N. catocopis, was similar in size to Amphimachairodus, but others were less than one-third their weight.
ST 19; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 19; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 9.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 900 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Chummy; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 18; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-14.
For Nimravides catocopis, increase Move to 10, (Ground Speed 20 with Enhanced Move), and remove Chummy. Smaller species such as N. galiani (260 lbs.) and N. thinobates (300 lbs.) also reduce ST and HP to 13 (bite and claw damage 1d) and SM to 0.
A relatively slender, long-legged cat, well suited to high-speed chases across open ground. Well-preserved remains show that it had a plain brown coat as an infant. It seems to have hunted very large prey, which indicates it probably hunted in groups. Its relative Lokotunjailurus was even more lightly built. Both had enlarged dewclaws to assist in grappling prey.
ST 15; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 15; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 440 lbs.
Traits: Born Biter 1; Chummy; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20); Night Vision 1; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-15; Running-13; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-12; Wrestling-15.
For Lokotunjailurus, reduce ST and HP to 12 (bite and claw damage 1d−1), SM to 0, increase Move to 12 (Ground Speed 24 with Enhanced Move), and remove Chummy.
The ‘cookie-cutter cat’ not only had two large slicing fangs, but also serrated incisors. It is believed to have used these to carve chunks out of its victims, killing them slowly from blood loss. It was a bulky animal, almost bear-like in its proportions.
ST 18; DX 11; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 18; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 8.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 770 lbs.
Bite or Claw (13): 2d cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Climbing-13; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.
Promegantereon was the earliest known member of the ‘dirk-toothed cats’. It was leopard-sized and well suited to climbing. Although it had long upper canines and reduced incisors, these features weren’t nearly as pronounced as they would become in later genera. Its descendant Paramachaerodus had somewhat more powerful shoulders, indicating a preference for grappling with claws before using its teeth. Rhizosmilodon was a larger and more robust animal, but still lacked truly massive fangs. Megantereon was even bigger and did have long fangs, but was still smaller and less well armed than Smilodon fatalis. It also had a distinctive flange under its chin, a feature which convergently evolved in many other saber-toothed predators.
Promegantereon
ST 10; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 10; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM 0, 140 lbs.
Bite or Claw (15): 1d−2 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Catfall; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Flexibility; Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-15; Climbing-16; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.
For Paramachaerodus, add Wrestling-14.
Rhizosmilodon
ST 11; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 11; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM 0, 170 lbs.
Bite or Claw (14): 1d−1 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Catfall; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Flexibility; Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Brawling Bite/Neck)-12.
Megantereon
ST 12; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 12; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM 0, 220 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d−1 impaling.
Claw (14): 1d−1 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Catfall; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Flexibility; Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Brawling Bite/Neck)-12.
Ground sloths are an example of a body-plan which has evolved several times in mammals; large semi-upright herbivores with formidable claws on their forelimbs. They were ancestral to modern sloths, but were very different in appearance and habits.
They usually walked on all fours, resting their weight on the knuckles of their ‘hands’ and the outer edges of their back feet. These feet were very strange, with the inner toes being rotated away from the ground so that their claws turned inwards. At the back of each foot was a bony extension, resembling an additional toe. Despite this curious anatomy and the great size of some of the sloths, it seems they were able to rear up on their hind limbs, using their thick tails as a third point of support. This allowed them to reach up into tall trees to bring buds, leaves, and fruit close enough to seize with their prehensile lips. It seems likely that they also used their claws for defense and competition with each other for mates.
Their metabolisms appear to have been fairly slow, a feature they share with modern sloths. Combined with their bulk and thick coats of fur offering significant insulation, they would have been able to survive on a relatively meager diet.
Megalonyx (‘Great Claw’) remains were first discovered in West Virginia and named by Thomas Jefferson, who published a paper on them. Jefferson assumed that the claws must have come from a giant predator, only later learning of the existence of Megatherium and concluding that the two creatures must be related. It was a fairly typical ground sloth, distinguished mostly by the fact it lived in the pine woods of North America. Its ancestor Pliometanastes was only slightly smaller and crossed into North America before it had fully joined to South America by island-hopping. Their South-American relative, Ahytherium was only about two-thirds their weight.
ST 25; DX 9; IQ 2; HT 12.
HP 25; Will 10; Per 10; FP 12; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 4.
SM +2 (3 hexes), 2,000 lbs.
Claw (11): 2d+3 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 3; Night Vision 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Food Only); Semi-Upright; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 3; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-11; Survival (Woodlands)-10.
Use the same profile for Pliometanastes. For Ahytherium (1,300 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 22 (claw damage 2d+1).
Megatherium was one of the largest ground sloths, around the size of an Asian elephant. It had an even more robust skeleton and proportionally longer claws that its relatives. Its relative Eremotherium was even larger and lived in warmer regions, so it may have had little or no fur.
ST 41; DX 8; IQ 2; HT 13.
HP 41; Will 10; Per 10; FP 13; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 5.
SM +3 (10 hexes), 8,500 lbs.
Claw (10): 4d+5 cutting or impaling.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 4; Night Vision 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Food Only); Semi-Upright; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 2; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-10; Survival (Woodlands)-10.
For Eremotherium (10,000 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 43 (claw damage 5d+3) and remove Temperature Tolerance.
Some members of this family had numerous small bony plates embedded in their skin, making them very challenging prey even for fearsome predators such as Smilodon populator. Mylodon lived in the Southern end of South America and was around the size of a modern rhinoceros. Although it mostly ate grasses, there is evidence that it also enjoyed meat from time to time, probably scavenged carrion or the remains of unfortunate predators which misjudged the sloth. Its close relative Paramylodon lived in North America, and was very similar. Lestodon lived slightly further North of Mylodon and grew to the size of an elephant. Glossotherium was smaller, and avoided predators and inclement weather by digging immense burrows. Catonyx was a distant relative which grew to about the same size as Mylodon, while Scelidotherium and Thinobadistes were only about half its weight.
ST 31; DX 9; IQ 2; HT 12.
HP 31; Will 10; Per 10; FP 12; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 4.
SM +3 (8 hexes), 3,600 lbs.
Claw (11): 3d+6 crushing.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 5; Night Vision 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Food Only); Semi-Upright; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 2; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-11; Survival (Plains)-10.
Use the same profile for Paramylodon. For Lestodon (9,000 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 42 (claw damage 4d+9), and DR to 6. For Glossotherium (2,800 lbs.), reduce ST and HP to 28 (claw damage 3d+4), SM to +2, DR to 4. For Catonyx, reduce DR to 3 and Temperature Tolerance to 1. For Scelidotherium (1,900 lbs) or Thinobadistes (2,000 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 25 (claw damage 2d+5), SM to +1, DR to 2, and Temperature Tolerance to 1.
Although not as impressive as the truly giant sloths, these bear-size animals still had thick hide and fearsome claws. Nothrotherium lived in dry, open forests and may have been able to climb trees, while Nothrotheriops was slightly larger and lived in arid scrubland.
ST 14; DX 10; IQ 2; HT 12.
HP 14; Will 10; Per 10; FP 12; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 4.
SM +1 (3 hexes), 330 lbs.
Claw (12): 1d cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 2; Night Vision 1; Reduced Consumption 2; Semi-Upright; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-12; Climbing-12; Survival (Woodlands)-10.
For Nothrotheriops (550 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 16, remove Climbing skill and replace Survival (Woodlands) with Survival (Desert)-13.
Although the ‘dog-bear’ was more closely related to modern bears than dogs, it was extremely dog-like in appearance (although more robust and with a larger head than modern canines of its size). Its diet was highly carnivorous and it was probably a pursuit predator.
Hemicyon
ST 10; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 10; Will 12; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 9.
SM 0 (2 hexes), 110-140 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d-3 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 18); Night Vision 1; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-14.
The 'bear-dogs' included the ancestors of both bears and dogs. The earliest examples were small, low-slung animals which vaguely resembled civets or mongooses. They were likely tree-dwelling omnivores. The earliest known is the North-American Gustafsonia cognita. Slightly later examples with essentially similar body-plans and lifestyles include the Eurasian Cynodictis lacustris and the North-American Daphoenus hartshornianus. Larger relatives of the latter include the coyote-sized D. vetus and D. ruber.
Early amphicyonid
ST 5; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 5; Will 11; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 9.
SM −2, 12-20 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d-5 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-14.
Larger species (25-30 lbs.) would have ST and HP 6, SM −1.
Later species tended to be larger, more carnivorous, and more adapted to life on the ground. Daphoenodon were wolf-like pursuit predators. They appear to have been eventually out-competed in this niche by canines, who were even better adapted to running.
Daphoenodon
ST 11; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 12.
HP 11; Will 12; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 8.
SM 0, 150-190 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d-2 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 2; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-14.
Ysengrinia was a genus of pure carnivores, although their relatively short legs suggest they may have had to rely on ambush and scavenging rather than long-distance pursuits. The overall appearance seems to have been that of a very robust big cat with a dog-like head. European species such as Y. gerandiana, Y. tolosana, and Y. valentiana were the size of large jaguars, while the North-American Y. americana was a massive creature the size or a lion.
Magericyon was a later European genus which had a similar size to Y. americana and competed with saber-toothed cats for the role of apex predator. Magericyon was closely related to the diverse and wide-spread genus Amphicyon, the smallest of which (A. astrei) was similar to the European species of Ysengrinia, while larger ones were the size of a tiger (in the case of A. gutmani), polar bear (A. frendens), or kodiak bear (A. ingens). Ischyrocyon was another genus which achieved sizes similar to A. frendens.
Amphicyon astrei
ST 12; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 12.
HP 11; Will 12; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 5.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 200-240 lbs.
Bite (14): 1d-2 cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 2; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal.
Use the same profile for European Ysengrinia species. For Y. americana, Magericyon, or mid-sized species of Amphicyon (400-450 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 15, which changes bite damage to 1d. A. gutmani (550 lbs.) increases ST and HP to 16 (bite damage 1d). For A. frendens or Ischyrocyon (950 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 20 (bite damage 2d−2) and DR to 2. For A. ingens (1,200 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 21 (bite damage 2d−1) and DR to 2.
The creature that stood in the gate was like the embodiment of nightmare legend. Its color was of a curious pale quality which made it seem ghostly and unreal in the dim light. But there was nothing unreal about the low-hung savage head, and the great curved fangs that glistened in the firelight. On noiseless padded feet it approached like a phantom out of the past. It was a survival of an older, grimmer age, the ogre of many an ancient legend—a saber-tooth tiger. No Hyborian hunter had looked upon one of those primordial brutes for centuries. Immemorial myths lent the creatures a supernatural quality, induced by their ghostly color and their fiendish ferocity.
The beast that glided toward the men on the stakes was longer and heavier than a common, striped tiger, almost as bulky as a bear. Its shoulders and forelegs were so massive and mightily muscled as to give it a curiously top-heavy look, though its hind-quarters were more powerful than that of a lion. Its jaws were massive, but its head was brutishly shaped. Its brain capacity was small. It had room for no instincts except those of destruction. It was a freak of carnivorous development, evolution run amuck in a horror of fangs and talons.
Robert E. Howard, Beyond the Black River
Paleontologist P. W. Lund originally named Smilodon (‘double-edged-knife-tooth’) after the shape of its incisors, being unaware of the huge canine fangs of the upper jaw. These fangs are the most iconic feature of the cat, and have a flattened knife-like profile for slicing into flesh. It is believed that they were not used during the initial attack, but instead delivered the killing blow after the prey was immobilized with claws. The force of their bite was considerably less than that of a lion or tiger, but precision and deep penetration apparently allowed them to dispatch their victims quickly.
Aside from the teeth, they were distinguished from other cats by a heavy build, large size, short tail, and relatively massive front limbs. They seem to have been specialized in taking large prey from ambush, lacking the speed and endurance for pursuits over long distance. Fur length, coloration, and pattern are unknown, but some degree of camouflage seems likely. Although it isn’t clear what they sounded like, the bones related to vocalization don’t seem especially similar to those of any of their modern relatives, but are a bit closer to the big cats. They couldn’t purr, but may have been able to roar. Sexual dimorphism in skull shape, healed injuries, and several finds of multiple individuals suggest that they were at least somewhat social and may have hunted in packs.
Three species are known. The earliest and smallest was the North S. gracilis, which seems to have been a bit more of a generalist predator rather than a big-game specialist. S. fatalis was larger and more specialized. After spreading into South America it evolved into the even larger S. populator.
Smilodon gracilis
ST 11; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
Will 11; Per 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM 0, 180 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-14; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Brawling Bite/Neck)-12.
Smilodon fatalis
ST 16; DX 11; IQ 4; HT 13.
Will 11; Per 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 9.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 480 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 18; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-14; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Brawling Bite/Neck)-12.
Smilodon populator
ST 18; DX 11; IQ 4; HT 13.
Will 11; Per 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 8.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 700 lbs.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-14; Wrestling-14.
Techniques: Targeted Attack (Brawling Bite/Neck)-12.