New Creature---The Hyenadont

[MurfinMS]

Hi gang,

I was reading abour dire wolves and wondering about just how bif they *really* got too--none of this D&D nondsense. Anyway, it got me to thinking about Wargs in tolkien, and just how big they're supposed to be...Then around that time the 2nd LOTR movie came out with the orcs riding their Wargs, which looked decidedly NOT like wolves, regular or dire. Well, they looked a lot more like hyenadonts to me, so I decided to track down *that*

elusive beasty, and eventually worked out stats for them, just because I thought they'd be cool

Anyways, here they are ...

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Hyenadont

This species of gigantic carnivore shares traits common to both hyena and wolf, and is characterized by a broad, massive head with extremely powerful, long jaws mounted on a short, powerfully muscled neck. Its strong, wolf-like body is stocky, with heavy forequarters, high, strong shoulders, long muscular limbs, and a sloping back. The hyenadont’s coarse coat, usually short, can be of any of a wide variety of colors.

Hyenadonts are 3.7-5m in length, stand 1.8-2m at the shoulders, have a skull more than 1m in length, and can reach weights in excess of 800 kg.

Hyenadont

Characteristics Average

STR 3D6+25 35-36 Move 8

CON 2D6+8 15 Hit Points 28

SIZ 4D3+32 40 Fatigue 51

INT 5 5

POW 3D6 10-11

DEX 2D6+6 13

Notes: The creature’s large size gives foes +10% to their

chances to hit.

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Hit Location Melee (D20) Missile (D20) Points

RH Leg 01-02 01-02 3/ 7

LH Leg 03-04 03-04 3/ 7

Hind Q 05-07 05-09 3/ 11

Fore Q 08-10 10-14 3/ 11

RF Leg 11-13 15-16 3/ 7

LF Leg 14-16 17-18 3/ 7

Head 17-20 19-20 3/ 9

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Weapon SR Attack% Damage

Bite 6 40+8 1D8+1+4D6

Notes: After a successful bite, a hyenadont will hang on and continue biting each melee round. Roll to determine whether the creature obtains a Critical hit, but it does damage on any roll except 96-00. It will only release its grip if it fumbles or is wounded.

Skills: Dodge 35-17, Listen 75-1, Track by Scent 80-1,

Hide 30-38

Armor: 3-point fur.

[Ars Mysteriorum]

Holy leaping snotbuckets, Murfin.

We gotta put these in the wiki!

And by we... I mean... not me.

[Harshax]

Notes: After a successful bite, a hyenadont will hang on and continue biting each melee round. Roll to determine whether the creature obtains a Critical hit, but it does damage on any roll except 96-00. It will only release its grip if it fumbles or is wounded.

MurfinMS,

Your stats always seem right on the spot, but I do think this is a little too powerful. Maybe this ability should only kick in on a Special or Critical?

[Trifletraxor]

Is this a fantasy or an extinct earth creature?

SGL.

[p_clapham]

Is this a fantasy or an extinct earth creature?

SGL.

Both I think.

[vagabond]

The creature is the hyaenodon from the genus Hyaenodonts:

Hyaenodon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A prehistoric carnivore.

-V

[Trifletraxor]

Thanks!

SGL.

[MurfinMS]

MurfinMS,

Your stats always seem right on the spot, but I do think this is a little too powerful. Maybe this ability should only kick in on a Special or Critical?

Hi, and thanks for the input.

The hanging on and worrying mechanic isn't my own, but was lifted straight from some old RQ2 material abour dogs or wolves.

When I decided to give it to canines in my version of the Bestiary (I love to tinker with things), I remember that in RQ2 there werre 12 Strike Ranks per round, so the dog could bite then worry 3 RSs later. With RQ3's 10 SR per round, the dog (and the normal hyena, as it works out) didn't have enough SRs to do both actions in a round anymore, so they instead bite 1 round, then hang on and continue biting the next round, worrying the target.

Wolves, with a bite attack as SR7, and the Hyenadont, with bite at SR 6 will bite, then hang on and worry 3 SRs later instead of having to wait all the way til the next round.

Now if you feel the chances or effects of worrying are too much, by all means, feel free to modify as desired

Best,

-Ken-