Ideas for Dino Character

[Vestnik]

Hello y'all,

 

Just thought I'd throw this out there and see if anyone has any ideas.

 

I was sitting around trying to come up with a character and decided to do a Kazar rip-off--a guy from a Lost World kind of thing. Then I decided that playing a pure homage to what is himself an homage to Tarzan might be a bit boring. Thus, I had the idea of making the character a highly-evolved dinosaur from a magical society in a Lost World (or possibly he's a time traveller, I haven't decided yet). I'm thinking of giving him a shamanic side, with Lost World/dinosaur-themed nature magic.

 

What would you guys do with a character like this? What would Dino Magic be like?

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

I have built a Dino character he however he is a brick...here he is take a look.

 

Triceriton

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

100 STR 90 29- Lift 26.2ktons; 20d6 [10]

20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7

60 CON 100 21-

45 BODY 70 18-

8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11-

10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3

30 PRE 20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6

4 COM -3 10-

 

37 PD 17 Total: 37 PD (30 rPD)

32 ED 20 Total: 32 ED (25 rED)

5 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12

32 REC 0

120 END 0

127 STUN 2 Total Characteristic Cost: 364

 

Movement: Running: 16"/32"

Leaping: 20"/40"

Swimming: 2"/4"

 

Cost Powers END

67 Brick Tricks: Multipower, 100-point reserve, (100 Active Points); all slots Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-1/2)

3u 1) Shockwave: Explosion on up to 100 STR, Hole In The Middle (75 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-1/2), Only affects Targets On The Ground (-1/4) 7

3u 2) Tailsweep: Area Of Effect (up to One Hex; +1/2) for up to 100 Active Points of Strength (50 Active Points); Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-1/2) 5

2u 3) Tough Wrap-Up: Entangle 8d6, 8 DEF, Side Effects (Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; +0) (80 Active Points); OIF (material of opportunity) (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Defense Depends On Material Used (-1/2), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-1/2) 8

3u 4) Thunderclap: Hearing Group Flash 13d6, Hole In The Middle (+1/4), Does Knockback (+1/4), Explosion (-1 DC/3"; +3/4) (88 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-1/2) 9

15 Dinosaur DNA: Elemental Control, 30-point powers

15 1) Horn Gore: HKA 2d6 (4d6 w/STR) (30 Active Points) 3

23 2) Reptilian Regeneration: Healing 3 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (79 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Self Only (-1/2)

15 3) Powerful Legs: Running +10" (16" total), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points)

5 Horns (3) & Tail: Extra Limbs (4)

25 Reptilian Life: LS (Extended Breathing: 1 END per 20 Minutes; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Longevity: 200 Years)

34 Dense Reptilian Flesh: Damage Resistance (30 PD/25 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (34 Active Points)

40 One Tough Lizard: (Total: 40 Active Cost, 40 Real Cost) Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Normal Defense (Real Cost: 10) plus Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Resistant Defenses (Real Cost: 10) plus Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Power Defense (Real Cost: 10) plus Power Defense (10 points) (Real Cost: 10)

 

Skills

16 +2 with All Combat

15 +3 with DCV

15 +3 with HTH Combat

13 Brick Tricks: Power 18-

Everyman Skills (Cost: 0 Points)

0 1) Tribal: Language (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

0 2) AK: Savage Land 11-

0 3) Climbing 8-

0 4) Concealment 8-

0 5) Conversation 8-

0 6) Deduction 8-

0 7) PS: Hunter/ Gatherer 11-

0 8) Persuasion 8-

0 9) Shadowing 8-

0 10) Stealth 8-

2 Language: English (fluent conversation)

3 Tracking 11-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 314

Total Cost: 678

 

200+ Disadvantages

20 Distinctive Features: Large Mutant Dinosaur Man (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

25 Enraged: If attacked by Genocide (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 8-

20 Hunted: Genocide 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

10 Physical Limitation: Crushing Grip (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)

15 Physical Limitation: Wierd Bio Chemistry Requires Special Medical Attention (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)

20 Psychological Limitation: Completely Devoted to Wild Bunch (Common, Total)

15 Psychological Limitation: Reluctant to Kill (Common, Strong)

15 Social Limitation: Permanent ID (Triceriton) (Frequently, Major)

20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Cold Based Attacks (Common)

318 Experience Points

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 160

 

Background/History: Triceriton is from the unique region known as the Savage Land. A tropical paradise beneath the Antartic tundra where dinosaurs still roam the earth and several tribes of humans live. Triceriton was his tribes best hunter and protector, his immesnse strength allowed him to fend of many predators who thought that the villagers would be an easy meal. He has even aided several groups of heroes who, on numerous occasions, had come to the Savage Land for various reasons. One day however a group of minute man robots found their way into this little paradise and after a fierce battle the managed to capture the mighty mutant. When he awoke he found himself in a cell. He pounded on the walls and even his great strength did not make a dent in them. Suddenly a bright light came on in the cell and through one of the walls he saw several men staring at him. He heard their voices as they talked and heard words that he did not fully understand. Words like mutant and test subject. Unfortunatly he soon found out what being a test subjet meant. Over the next few weeks he was subjected to many of the mens test. They poked him, shocked him, tried to set him on fire, subjected him to smokes that smelled funny but otherwise had no effect, they even cut off his tail, which eventually grew back. Triceriton had begun to despair that he would never be free. Then one day the light came on and he thought the men had come, but instead the light did not come through the clear wall, it came through a door that lead to some sort of passage. Triceriton stepped out and standing over the men who had hurt him were several beings. They called themselves the Wild Bunch and told him that he was now free. Triceriton felt that he now owed these people a life debt and swore then and there to fight along side them and protect them.

 

Powers/Tactics: Triceriton is a walking tank. He possess superhuman strenght, toughness, and resistance to harm. He also possess an improved healing rate and the ability to even regrow limbs.

 

Appearance: Triceriton is a large humanoid triceritops with a thick brown reptilian hide.

[Grimble]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

What would Dino Magic be like? Well, that would depend on the type of Dino Culture your character will be from. Are you going for early monolithic, nomadic, agricultural, hunter/gatherers?

 

I'd go with some sort of Spirit Magic or Ancestor spirit Magic. Nature Magic would probably work, as well.

 

Grimble

[OddHat]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Well, first, I'd give him Martial Arts with weapon element: knife, because I like the image of a kung fu raptor with a knife. Call it Tyrano-do or Muay Saurus.

 

For the magic side, I'd go with channelling the ancient Dino spirits, probably a multiform or multipower that doesn't change his outward appearance but does give him access to the Weight and Strength of a brontosaurus (DI if you go the Multipower route), the flight of a pterodactyl, etc. Maybe add in KS to represent the ancient knowledge, and maybe ever Summon to call up the spirits of dinosaurs to protect and advise.

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

This is a quick thing I just wrote up at work (we're pretty lax here). This should be a 350-point character, so he's got a few points to spend. I have in mind a species that evolved from Velociraptor-type dinos, so he's got the "Terrible Claw," plus he has a big two-handed enchanted hammer made from an Ankylosaur tail.

 

Cost CHA Val

 

13 STR 23

39 DEX 23

20 CON 20

6 BODY 13

8 INT 18

6 EGO 13

8 PRE 18

0 COM 10

5 PD 10

5 ED 9

17 SPD 5

0 REC 9

0 END 40

0 STUN 35

 

127

 

 

 

 

2 Nictating Membrane: 2 pts. Flash Defense

4 Tail: Extra Limb (5 Active Points), Reduced Manipulation (-1/4)

5 Dinosaur Eyes: Nightvision

 

22 Claws and Teeth and Tail: Multipower, 22-Point Powers

u1 1) Teeth: 1/2d6 HKA (1d6+1 w/STR) (10 Active Points), Restrainable (-1/2),

No Knockback (-1/4) (6 Active Points)

u1 2) Hand Claws: 1/2d6 HKA (1d6+1 w/STR) (10 Active Points), Reduced Penetration (-1/4)

(8 Active Points)

u1 3) Raptor Claw: 1d6 HKA (2d6 w/STR), Armor-Piercing (+1/2) (22 Active Points),

Restrainable (-1/2) (15 Real Cost)

u1 4) Tail Bash: 4d6 HTH Attack (20 Active Points), HTH Attack (-1/2) (13 Active Points)

 

2 Tough Skin: 2 PD 2 ED Damage Resistance

 

68 Cretaceous Shamanistic Magic: Variable Power Pool, 50-Point Powers, Can Be Changed

With a Half-Phase Action (+1/2), Dinosaur Nature Magic Only (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4),

Incantations (-1/4), Variable Limitations (-1/2 Limitations; -1/4)

 

20 Enchanted Tyrannosaur Hide Cloak: 10 PD 10 ED Armor (30 Active Points), OIF (-1/2)

 

17 Axe of the Ankylosaur: Multipower, 60-Point Powers, All Slots OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-1/2)

u2 1) Spirit-Slaying: 1d6 HKA, No Normal Defense (+1), Does BODY (+1), Affects

Desolidified (All Desolidified; +1/2), 0 END (+1/2) (60 Active Points), OAF

(-1), Only vs. Spirit Beings or Undead (-1), Two-Handed (17 Real Cost)

u2 2) Rock-Smashing: 1” Tunnelling Through DEF 15 Material, 1/2 END (+1/4)

(59 Real Points), OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-1/2), Extra Segment (-1/2), Visible

(Huge Thunderclap; -1/4) (18 Real Cost)

u2 3) Smash I: 8d6 HTH Attack, 0 END (+1/2) (60 Active Points), OAF (-1),

Two-Handed (-1/2), HTH Attack (-1/2) (20 Real Cost)

u2 4) Smash II: 6d6 HTH Attack, Double Knockback (+3/4) (52 Active Points)

OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-1/2), HTH Attack (-1/2) (17 Real Cost)

 

3 Sharp Dinosaur Senses: +1 to PER Rolls with all Sense Groups

2 Partially Aquatic: +2” Swimming

3 Leaper: +3” Leaping

3 Natural Camouflage: +3 to Concealment Rolls (6 Active Points), only Against

Appropriate (Jungle-Type) Backdrop (-1)

 

 

163

 

Cost Skills

 

5 +1 with HTH Combat

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Stealth 14-

1 WF: Basic Melee Weapons

9 PS: Cretaceous Shamanistic Magic (INT-Based) 16-

3 Tracking 13-

3 Navigation (Land) 13-

4 Survival (Tropical, Desert) 13-

3 LNG: English, Fluent with Accent

2 KS: Dinosaurs and Other Creatures of the Lost World 11-

2 AK: The Lost World 11-

2 CuK: Dinosauroid Society 11-

3 KS: Dinosauroid Shamanism 13-

3 Concealment 13-

 

 

49

 

339

[OddHat]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Not bad. I like the selection of magic items, very Silver Age. Any ideas on the spells he'll be using?

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

What would Dino Magic be like? Well, that would depend on the type of Dino Culture your character will be from. Are you going for early monolithic, nomadic, agricultural, hunter/gatherers?

 

I'd go with some sort of Spirit Magic or Ancestor spirit Magic. Nature Magic would probably work, as well.

 

Grimble

 

I'm thinking hunter-gatherer, but just going over to some agriculture. Probably small villages of about 50-100 critters.

 

(They're a bit over human size, but not enormous -- I'd say about 8' tall.)

 

(These ideas are all just beginning to percolate in my mind and can be modified.)

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Not bad. I like the selection of magic items' date=' very Silver Age. Any ideas on the spells he'll be using?[/quote']

 

Thanks. I was originally thinking of spells involving manipulation of plants, animal summoning, weather manipulation and so forth, but then you got me started thinking about spells like "Wings of the Pteranodon" and "Strength of the Brontosaurus," which has a different flavor. I have to ponder it.

 

(Heck, it's a VPP, he could use both.)

[OddHat]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Thanks. I was originally thinking of spells involving manipulation of plants, animal summoning, weather manipulation and so forth, but then you got me started thinking about spells like "Wings of the Pteranodon" and "Strength of the Brontosaurus," which has a different flavor. I have to ponder it.

 

(Heck, it's a VPP, he could use both.)

 

Well, Shamanism generally follows a cosmology where spirits of ancestors, animals, and places are contacted and asked for favors in exchange for sacrifices. A Shaman who wants to manipulate the weather or summon an animal is conceptually asking the spirit of the animal or storm to do him a favor, in exchange for anything from praise and thanks to actual blood sacrifice. "Strength of the Ancestor" is the same sfx; the Shaman is asking the ancestor's spirit to lend him strength.

 

As it is, I really am liking this character. Something between Thor and Doctor Strange, but a Dinosaur.

[Blade]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

As a potential source of material/inspiration, you may want to check out "West of Eden" by Harry Harrison, which has saurian humanoids dominating the earth (humans are around, but are slaves). Might inspire some thoughts, or just some appearance traits.

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Well, Shamanism generally follows a cosmology where spirits of ancestors, animals, and places are contacted and asked for favors in exchange for sacrifices. A Shaman who wants to manipulate the weather or summon an animal is conceptually asking the spirit of the animal or storm to do him a favor, in exchange for anything from praise and thanks to actual blood sacrifice. "Strength of the Ancestor" is the same sfx; the Shaman is asking the ancestor's spirit to lend him strength.

 

As it is, I really am liking this character. Something between Thor and Doctor Strange, but a Dinosaur.

 

I like him too. If only I had a game to actually play him in.

 

I think I'll come up with a cosmology, or the bare bones of one at least, and derive some spells from it. Should be an interesting intellectual exercise at least. I could imagine a God of Death being represented as a huge, pitch-black Tyrannosaurus.

[OddHat]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

I like him too. If only I had a game to actually play him in.

Well, if you can make the time commitment and deal with the slow combats Hero Central isn't a bad way to get a gaming fix. You can get some good interaction. OTOH, an adventure that would take maybe two or three game sessions FtF can easily stretch out over a year.

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Well' date=' if you can make the time commitment and deal with the slow combats Hero Central isn't a bad way to get a gaming fix. You can get some good interaction. OTOH, an adventure that would take maybe two or three game sessions FtF can easily stretch out over a year.[/quote']

 

I've never used Hero Central, though I've been meaning to check it out. I've done some PBEM gaming, and it is sloooow. Better than nothing however.

 

I shall try Hero Central!

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

I would suggest that the character's magic and general style should be Oriental - meditative, philosophical, perhaps based on the five elements of Chinese alchemy (fire, earth, water, wood, metal).

 

Why? Well, what would an evolved, magical dinosaur be, if not a dragon?

[Captain Emu]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

I like him too. If only I had a game to actually play him in.

 

I think I'll come up with a cosmology, or the bare bones of one at least, and derive some spells from it. Should be an interesting intellectual exercise at least. I could imagine a God of Death being represented as a huge, pitch-black Tyrannosaurus.

 

Though it wasn't for HERO, I did run a campaign once centered around a tribe of diminutive lizardmen in a fantasy world. For this I developed a series of Rites of Passage and a few minor "dieties". They might be useful for your cosmology.

 

There were -

 

The Great Mother - A mother figure that represented the nesting and home concepts

 

The Devourer, Eater of Eggs - An Ovaraptor type devil who was repsented by an evil, yellow eye.

 

There was also a Sun figure too and a personification of the big mega predators. As they lived near a murky swamp, there was also a creeping, lurking Deep Death figure associated with crocodillian predators.

 

As silly as it sounds I find my kids' "Land Before Time" videos, now beign shown on Cartoon Network, are really useful for getting into the "dino" frame of mind.

 

-CE

[Bloodstone]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

First though that came to my mind was this:

 

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/frx_Saurials_lg.jpg

 

the second one was this:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changing_Breed#Mokol.C3.A9

[Spidey88]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Another good set of books for inspiration would be the "Far-Seer" trilogy by Robert J. Sawyer. The main characters are Nanotyrannus evolved to sentience, with a well-fleshed-out culture and ecosystem.

 

 

My first instinct for a dinosaur shaman-type character would be to assume he's an animist-type worshipper too, calling upon the spirits of the earth, natural objects and creatures and asking them nicely to do things for him.

 

Another thought: the shaman realizes his entire world is 65 million years gone. He's bitter as hell, but he can do something else as a result - since he can summon the spirits of long-dead creatures whose name he knows, he can produce an infinite variety of phantom dinos. With a few chants and gestures, voila! Ethereal brachiosaurus stampede.

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

What do you think of this tentative set of Dino-Nature magic spells? I'm also toying with defensive wards (a FF) and perhaps an Armor (Ankylosaur) spell. Probably Healing magic as well.

(The "only vs. Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, and Dinosaurs" Limitation is so large because there just aren't a lot of useful critters of that type in the modern world outside of the tropics.)

 

29 Cretaceous Nature Magic: Multipower, 50-Point Powers, All Slots Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4)

u2 1) Wings of the Sky Hunters: 17” Flight, x4 NCM, ½ END (+1/4) (49 Active Points), Restrainable (-1/2), Lockout (Can’t Use Hands While Slot Is Activated; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4)

(18 Real Cost) (Note: Arms extend into pterodactyl-type wings)

u2 2) Control Plants I: 4d6 4 DEF Entangle, Indirect (+1/2) (50 Active Points) OIF (Plants of Opportunity; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2) (20 Real Cost)

u2 3) Control Plants II: 8d6 Energy Blast (vs. PD), Indirect (+1/4) (50 Active Points), OIF (Plants of Opportunity; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2) (20 Real Cost)

u2 4) Terrifying Visage of Dark Father Allosaurus: 3d6-1 HKA (4d6+1 w/STR), 1/2 END (+1/4) (50 Active Points), No Knockback (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4) (25 Real Cost) (Note: Character’s face extends and takes on the aspect of a terrible saurian.)

u3 5) Incarnation of Grandmother Brontosaurus: 40 Points Growth (+40 STR, 7” tall, 3 1/2” wide, 3” reach, +8 STUN, +8 BODY, -4 DCV, +4 to Others’ PER Rolls), 1/2 END (+1/4) (50 Active Points), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4) (29 Real Cost)

u2 6) Speak with Primeval Critters: 10d6 Telepathy for Animal Class

of Minds (50 Active Points), Only vs. Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, and Dinosaurs (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2)) (17 Real Cost)

u1 7) Summon Primeval Critters: Summon One 200-Point Animal, Amicable (+1/4), (50 Active Points), Summoned Creature Must Inhabit Locale (-1/2), Summoned Creature Arrives under Own Power (-1/2), Only Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Dinosaurs (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2) (12 Real Cost)

u1 8) Aspect of Uncle Ichthyosaurus: Expanded Breathing (Water) (5 Active Points), Costs END (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4) (2 Real Cost) plus +12” Swimming, 1/2 END (+1/4) (15 Active Points), Linked to Expanded Breathing (-0), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4) (9 Real Cost)

u2 9) Call Lightning: 2d6 RKA, Indirect (+1/4), +1 STUN Multiplier (+1/4)

(52 Active Points), Only Under an Open Sky (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2) (23 Real Cost)

u1 10) Scrying: Clairsentience for Sight Sense Group, 6400” range (50 Active Points), Extra Time (Post-Segment 12; -1 1/4), Concentration (0 DCV Throughout Use of Constant Power; -1), OIF (Any Pool of Still, Clear Water; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) (12 Real Cost)

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

 

Another thought: the shaman realizes his entire world is 65 million years gone. He's bitter as hell, but he can do something else as a result - since he can summon the spirits of long-dead creatures whose name he knows, he can produce an infinite variety of phantom dinos. With a few chants and gestures, voila! Ethereal brachiosaurus stampede.

 

You know, I thought of and like this idea. It's just hideously expensive...

 

(Summon 400-Point Ghost Triceratops, Fanatically Loyal (+1). That's pricey.)

["V"]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

I like him too. If only I had a game to actually play him in.

 

I think I'll come up with a cosmology, or the bare bones of one at least, and derive some spells from it. Should be an interesting intellectual exercise at least. I could imagine a God of Death being represented as a huge, pitch-black Tyrannosaurus.

 

 

Surely to a dinosaur the god of Death would be a giant comet, trailing volcanoes in one hand and vast glaciers in the other?

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

Surely to a dinosaur the god of Death would be a giant comet' date=' trailing volcanoes in one hand and vast glaciers in the other?[/quote']

 

Not before it happens!

[Spidey88]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

The "summon dino ghost" schtick doesn't have to necessarily be that expensive, I'f you're willing to just assume that the shaman has different powers with the special effect of "summon dino ghost". Not quite the same thing, of course, but you could do things like:

 

TK, physical manifestation, limited manipulation (mindless ghost pterodactyl swooping about under the control of the shaman)

 

attack with double knockback, limited range (ghost triceratops ramming, or ghost ankylosaur tail-clubbing the shaman's enemy)

 

RKA, physical manifestation, limited range, only for targets within 5" of ground (Ghost T-Rex chomping enemies)

 

etc.

 

I gave "Physical manifestation" on the assumption that there'd be some sort of visible dino spirit that could be physically attacked/dispelled. You could also give the continuous advantage, to represent the fact that the spirits keep on chomping/ramming/swooping around, even when the shaman is otherwise occupied. Gestures and Incantations could be appropriate too.

 

Still not cheap, but you could cram them into a multipower with a base cost of 60 points or so (less, w. limitations), as opposed to one 160 point power, and have a wide range of effects. For that matter, a VPP could do the job nicely, too - with the limitation "only to reproduce abilities you could concievably achieve with the equivalent of a mind-controlled dinosaur" or some such thing.

 

Incidentally - looking at your multipower (which is cool, btw) a few posts up, I feel compelled to mention that ichthyosaurs breathed air! They could hold their breath for long periods, however (I'd just scale back the LS: extended breathing by a point or two). If you're just going with the aquatic theme, then that's fine - I just couldn't help slipping into biologist mode.

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

 

Incidentally - looking at your multipower (which is cool, btw) a few posts up, I feel compelled to mention that ichthyosaurs breathed air! They could hold their breath for long periods, however (I'd just scale back the LS: extended breathing by a point or two). If you're just going with the aquatic theme, then that's fine - I just couldn't help slipping into biologist mode.

 

You are completely correct -- I feel dumb. Wasn't there some kind of huge shark around at the time (that is, the long, long period the dinosaurs were around)?

[Spidey88]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

The huge, huge shark you're likely thinking of is Carcharodon megalodon, what was essentially a great white (same genus) that reched lengths of as much as 50 feet or so long, though it's difficult to be sure - cartilage doesn't fossilize well. The jaws are about all we've got physical evidence of, but they are so similar to great white jaws in everything but scale that scientists can be reasonably sure of the accuracy of their projections.

 

Unfortunately, C. megalodon lived far more recently than the dinosaurs - from about 16 million years ago to about 1.6 million years ago (conclusively, anyway - some folks figure it may have gone extinct as recently as 10-20 thousand years ago!)

 

 

Fear not, however! Sharks certainly existed at that time, and long before - so a dino nature shaman could still have a shark themed power (you just might not have a really impressive, well-known shark to base the power off of). The biggest Creatceous shark that comes to mind is Cretoxyrhina mantelli, sometimes called "the jaws of the Cretaceous", which tops out at about 18 feet. I presume you'd want a well known prehistoric template for the power, or it just wouldn't feel quite right (that's how I'd feel, anyway).

 

For other aquatic creatures with gills, you've got Xiphactinus audax, a predaceous bony fish that got to be at least 20 feet long, and of course, ammonites! They'd be a good template for extra limbs, jet-propelled swimming, possibly an ink cloud (though it's unlikely they had ink sacs like modern cephalopod branches), or an armoured body (though perhaps not so iconic as an ankylosaur).

 

If all else fails, you could still justify the gills thing relating to an ichthyosaur with the concept of channeling the "essence" of ancient sea creatures, as opposed to summoning the abilities of just one particular species; or assume your dino shaman can work with any type of extinct animal, regardless of whether or not they existed in the Mezozoic.

 

Hope that's useful!

[Vestnik]

Re: Ideas for Dino Character

 

The huge' date=' huge shark you're likely thinking of is [i']Carcharodon megalodon,[/i] what was essentially a great white (same genus) that reched lengths of as much as 50 feet or so long, though it's difficult to be sure - cartilage doesn't fossilize well. The jaws are about all we've got physical evidence of, but they are so similar to great white jaws in everything but scale that scientists can be reasonably sure of the accuracy of their projections.

 

Unfortunately, C. megalodon lived far more recently than the dinosaurs - from about 16 million years ago to about 1.6 million years ago (conclusively, anyway - some folks figure it may have gone extinct as recently as 10-20 thousand years ago!)

 

 

Fear not, however! Sharks certainly existed at that time, and long before - so a dino nature shaman could still have a shark themed power (you just might not have a really impressive, well-known shark to base the power off of). The biggest Creatceous shark that comes to mind is Cretoxyrhina mantelli, sometimes called "the jaws of the Cretaceous", which tops out at about 18 feet. I presume you'd want a well known prehistoric template for the power, or it just wouldn't feel quite right (that's how I'd feel, anyway).

 

For other aquatic creatures with gills, you've got Xiphactinus audax, a predaceous bony fish that got to be at least 20 feet long, and of course, ammonites! They'd be a good template for extra limbs, jet-propelled swimming, possibly an ink cloud (though it's unlikely they had ink sacs like modern cephalopod branches), or an armoured body (though perhaps not so iconic as an ankylosaur).

 

If all else fails, you could still justify the gills thing relating to an ichthyosaur with the concept of channeling the "essence" of ancient sea creatures, as opposed to summoning the abilities of just one particular species; or assume your dino shaman can work with any type of extinct animal, regardless of whether or not they existed in the Mezozoic.

 

Hope that's useful!

 

Thanks for the information and suggestions. I think I'll stick with things that relate to dinosaurs as they appear in the popular consciousness, so no ammonites (or birds, despite their actual close relationship to dinosaurs).

 

I think that the Icthyosaur, as you say, could more represent a symbol of a sea god than representing actual Icthyosaurs (heck, these intelligent dinos probably no more know that Ichthyosaurs can't breathe underwater than Ancient Greeks knew that whales can't.)

 

A lot of this depends on whether the character comes from a classic "Lost World" setting, in which animals from all sorts of different eras are jumbled together, or from a more realistic setting, in which Allosauruses and Pteranodons did not exist at the same time (IIRC).