Titanoboa

[Susano]

Because nothing says "welcome to the tropics" like a 50 foot snake.

 

TITANOBOA

(Titanoboa Cerrejonensis)

 

[b]Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes[/b]
28	STR	18	15-	Lift 1212.6 kg; 5 ½d6 HTH Damage [1]
12+3	DEX	4	11-/12-
30	CON	20	15-
8	INT	-2	11-	PER Roll 11-/14-
5	EGO	-5	10-
25	PRE	15	14-	PRE Attack:  5d6

4+1	OCV	5
3	DCV	0
2	OMCV	-3
2	DMCV	-3
3	SPD	10		Phases:  4, 8, 12

6	PD	0		Total:  6 PD (4 rPD)
6	ED	0		Total:  6 ED (4 rED)
10	REC	6
50	END	6
22	BODY	12
50	STUN	15		[b]Total Characteristic Cost:  98

Movement:[/b]	Running:	6m/12m
	Leaping:	0m
	Swimming:	12m/24m

[b]Cost	Powers & Skills[/b]
17	[b]Coils:[/b]  +20 STR, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼), Penetrating (+½); 
Only With Grab And Squeeze (-1), END 1
21	[b]400 Pounds Per Square Inch Of Pressure:[/b]  Reduced Endurance 
(½ END; +¼), Penetrating (+½) applied to STR
4	[b]Water Snake:[/b]  +3 DEX; Only When In The Water (-½)
3	[b]Water Snake:[/b]  +1 OCV; Only When In The Water (-½)
13	[b]Bite:[/b]  HKA 1d6+1; No STR Bonus (-½), END 2
15	[b]Suffocates Its Prey:[/b]  Change Environment (Suffocation), Reduced 
Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Linked (Coils; -½)
12	[b]Scaly Skin:[/b]  +4 PD, Resistant (+½) plus +4 ED, Resistant (+½)
8	[b]Heavy:[/b]  Knockback Resistance -8m
-2	[b]Can't Leap:[/b]  Leaping -4m (0m total)
-6	[b]Slow On Land:[/b]  Running -6m (6m total)
4	[b]Water Snake:[/b]  Swimming +8m (12m total), END 1
6	[b]Serpent's Tongue:[/b]  +3 PER with Smell/Taste Group
18	[b]Sense Vibrations:[/b]  Detect Physical Vibrations  14-/17- (Touch Group), Range
15	[b]Heat-Sensitive Pits:[/b]  IR Perception (Touch Group), Targeting
10	[b]Hunts By Tasting The Air:[/b]  Targeting with Normal Smell
5	[b]Hunts By Tasting The Air:[/b]  Tracking with Normal Smell
2	[b]Can Hold Breath For 45 Minutes:[/b]  LS  (Extended Breathing: 1 END per 
Minute)
2	[b]Eats About Once A Year:[/b]  LS  (Eating: Character only has to eat once 
per year)

[b]Skills[/b]
6	+3 OCV with Grab

2	Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
2	[b]Camouflage Coloration:[/b]  +2 with Concealment; Only In Specific 
Environments (when in the water or marshy areas; -1)
3	Stealth 11- (12-)
2	[b]Camouflage Coloration:[/b]  +2 with Stealth; Only In Specific Environments 
(when in the water or marshy areas; -1)

[b]Total Powers & Skill Cost:  162
Total Cost:  260

175+	Matching Complications (50)[/b]
20	Physical Complication:  Animal Intelligence (Frequently; Greatly 
Impairing)
20	Physical Complication:  Cold-Blooded (Frequently; Greatly Impairing)
20	Physical Complication:  Huge (up to 15m long; +6 OCV for others to 
hit, +6 to PER Rolls for others to perceive) (Frequently; Greatly 
Impairing)
20	Physical Complication:  Poor Eyesight, suffers -2 to all Sight PER Rolls 
(Frequently; Greatly Impairing)
20	Physical Complication:  Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently; Greatly 
Impairing)

[b]Total Complications Points:  50
Experience Points:  85[/b]

 

Ecology: Dwelling in the tropical rain-forests of equatorial South America, Titanoboa (ty-tan-oh-bow-ah) was an apex predator of the region’s Paleocene epoch-era rivers and waterways. Due to its great weight, it probably spent most of its time in the water, where it would be better able to resist the effects of gravity. There it waited near the bottom of shallow rivers, preying on just about anything it could catch, including lungfish six to ten feet in length, and blunt-nosed crocodiles measuring 15 feet in length and weighting around 1,000 pounds.

 

Personality/Motivation: Typical animal motivations.

 

Powers/Tactics: As noted under Ecology, the Titanoboa—like its relative the green anaconda—is an ambush predator. Lying in wait in marshy wetlands, or slow-moving rivers, the Titanoboa will settle down and sit virtually motionless, waiting until something comes within range. Using its ability to “taste” the air with with its tongue, the Titanoboa will also works its way closer and closer to a potential target, finally lunging out to snatch up a prey item with its jaws before bringing its massive coils into play. In addition, infrared sensitive pits on the nose can “see” body heat, while physical vibrations can be felt through the sensitive belly scales. Due to its slow metabolic processes, the snake may eat only once a year, although in order to due so, it needs to consume the aforementioned 1,000 pound crocodile.

 

As with all constrictors, a Tiitanoboa will first Bite, using its jaws to Grab prey. It will then wrap coil after coil around its victim (a follow up Grab using its full 48 STR), pinning limbs and slowly suffocating its prey (see the rules for drowning on page 130 of 6E2, the listed Power uses the optional Change Environment rules from APG 83). Once dead, prey items are swallowed head first, and its possible the Titanoboa will lift its head vertically in order to use gravity to assist in forcing a meal down its throat. Once its prey has been swallowed, the snake will then crawl off somewhere secluded to digest its meal (a process taking anywhere from a week to ten days [or more]).

 

Appearance: An ancestor of anacondas and boas, Titanoboa is the largest snake known to man. A fully-grown adult can measure 48 feet in length, is three feet wide at its thickest point, and weighs 2,500 pounds. Coloration is probably akin to that of the green anaconda, with a dark speckled back and a pale belly.

 

Designer's Notes: First discovered in 2009, fossils of T. cerrejonensis were found in the slopes surrounding the Cerrejeón coal mines, in La Guajira, Columbia. As of this writing, the fossils of 28 different Titanoboas have been unearthed with the largest being between 40 and 50 feet long. Based on its size, the snake could only have survived in a tropical environment with average annual temperatures of 84°-93° F.

 

At 48-50 feet, Titanoboa easily beats the previous record-holder of Gigantophis, which was a “mere” 33 feet in length. It’s also significantly longer then any extant snake, seeing as the green anaconda may grow to 25 feet in length, while the reticulated python reaches a maximum length of around 29 feet.

 

Recommended Viewing:

Titanoboa: Monster Snake (Smithsonian Channel, viewed via Youtube)

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I would say this complciations isn't quite as limiting in it#s normal habitat. Unless there are a lot of cold projectors in your world:

 

20 Physical Complication: Cold-Blooded (Frequently; Greatly Impairing)

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I would say this complciations isn't quite as limiting in it#s normal habitat. Unless there are a lot of cold projectors in your world:

 

20 Physical Complication: Cold-Blooded (Frequently; Greatly Impairing)

 

This is standard for snakes in the HERO System Bestiary and I'm not going to make an assumptions as to how people might intend to use the character in question. In addition, even in a tropical environment, chilly nights are possible, extended time spent at the bottom of a river may mean extended time in the sun to warm up, a snake digesting a meal can be sluggish, and a powerful hurricane or other storm can drop the temperature by quite a bit.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Titanoboa

 

No Tracking for Smell/Taste?

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

No Tracking for Smell/Taste?

 

Not sure if snakes "track" prey via their tongues. As I mention, most are ambush predators and strike at whatever comes near them, as opposed to hunting something down. Saves energy that way.

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

This is standard for snakes in the HERO System Bestiary and I'm not going to make an assumptions as to how people might intend to use the character in question. In addition' date=' even in a tropical environment, chilly nights are possible, extended time spent at the bottom of a river may mean extended time in the sun to warm up, a snake digesting a meal can be sluggish, and a powerful hurricane or other storm can drop the temperature by quite a bit.[/quote']

Okay, if it's in the book it is good idea.

 

But at least for the cold nights, that is not going to happen in Tropical Climate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_climate

"Tropical" not some arbitrary label. It's a clear definition, like where the human visible light spectrum is or where the dwarf planets stop and real planets begin.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Not sure if snakes "track" prey via their tongues. As I mention' date=' most are ambush predators and strike at whatever comes near them, as opposed to hunting something down. Saves energy that way.[/quote']

 

It's a rather well accepted hypothesis...

 

In my experience, all snakes can track using their tongue to one degree or another. This including pythons and boas, which I have raised in captivity. It's actually something of a targeting sense for them (the forked tongues allow them to more accurately gauge direction).

 

Here's a dramatized video of an anaconda hunting and then ambushing it's prey... probably not for the squeamish, so spoilered.

 

 

 

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Okay, if it's in the book it is good idea.

 

But at least for the cold nights, that is not going to happen in Tropical Climate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_climate

"Tropical" not some arbitrary label. It's a clear definition, like where the human visible light spectrum is or where the dwarf planets stop and real planets begin.

 

I said "are possible" -- and 64 degrees F sound rather chilly for a cold-blooded animal, so it's possible a "cold" night may result in a very sluggish snake who needs to warm up the next morning. And, as with all things HERO, if you don't feel something is a Complication (or a Limitation) don't use it.

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Not sure if snakes "track" prey via their tongues. As I mention' date=' most are ambush predators and strike at whatever comes near them, as opposed to hunting something down. Saves energy that way.[/quote']

At least Wikipedia says they do:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes#Perception

It also says eyesight is propably not targeting and that they have a vibration sense (propably a detect or ranged for touch).

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

It's a rather well accepted hypothesis...

 

In my experience, all snakes can track using their tongue to one degree or another. This including pythons and boas, which I have raised in captivity. It's actually something of a targeting sense for them (the forked tongues allow them to more accurately gauge direction).

 

Tracking sounds like a good idea. Also, Range?

[Bloodstone]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Realistically, they are just using their tongue to pull scent particles out of the air and into their mouth so that it can be analyzed by the Jacobson's Organ.

 

With taste/smell being so closely linked already, it might be mechanically easier to just say they smell with their tongue, rather than adding Range to Taste.

 

Would have to double check to see if I'm missing something though... it's an interesting thing to consider...

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Realistically, they are just using their tongue to pull scent particles out of the air and into their mouth so that it can be analyzed by the Jacobson's Organ.

 

With taste/smell being so closely linked already, it might be mechanically easier to just say they smell with their tongue, rather than adding Range to Taste.

 

Would have to double check to see if I'm missing something though... it's an interesting thing to consider...

I've read the german wikipedia Article as well. It tells a lot more about the sense organs:

The tungue is actually used to get "spartial information" and detection of prey/mates.

 

A few have delevoped thermal senses. And that is a trait the giant snakes have as well, so you might add that. It helps finding exothermic prey, even at night.

 

The eyes varry greatly:

Some can only see light amounts*

Some can only see color, but not light amounts.*

Some have both and even at decent levels.

 

*If they don't have thermal sense, they can't hunt at night.

 

Since they lack an out ear, thier hearign is bad. But the tremor sense (part of the inner ear) seems to compensate for it. It helps with early detection, but is propably not targetting.

Some can even vibrate thier yaws to get a crude echolocation (spartial, not targetting).

 

When comparing to humans and most animals, Snakes have "cheat" senses: Infrared (dependign on species) and the tremorsense allow them to see potential dangers/prey regardless of cover.

 

From the description I would say your big rainforest snake should have normal eyesight, thermal sight (would put it into the sight group as well) and nontargettign tremor sense (would put it rinto hearing or touch group), but a bad normal hearing (not that it is much of a drawback). You could also consider thier hearing to be "pressing ones ear against the ground" all the time. You can't hear much aroudn you, but noticing vibratiosn is easy.

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I've updated the character sheet to include the ability to hunt via Taste, the ability to "see" into the infrared, and a vibration sense. I've also edited the text to fix a few errors and to expand on the animal's senses.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Didn't Conan fight one of these?

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Didn't Conan fight one of these?

 

For all intents and purposes, yes.

 

Robert E Howard had a creature he called "Satha the Old One," who appeared in two stories. Satha was a pure-white venomous constrictor 80 feet in length. And Conan didn't fight it so much as avoid it. He may have fought 40-50 foot snakes as well, I can't recall exactly.

 

Oh, and Satha the Old One: http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptationscreatures/fiction/reh/satha.html

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I am, not certain, but can't suffocation simply be countered by holding ones breath?

And the ability to hold your breath longer is pretty cheap.

 

I always though it also applies pressure against your Torso, pressing the air out.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I think, if I recall some reading years ago, that the Constrictor tightens a bit every time the target exhales, so he can't inhale. While they may break the bones of some prey in the process, suffocation is the primary cause of death.

 

Holding one's breath has the same result as suffocation, doesn't it? Holding your breath, being underwater or in a vacuum, or being constricted by a huge Boa. If you need less oxygen, then as long as the ancillary effects (physical damage from the squeeze) don't take you out, you could survive a long time. Of course, if you can't break out, eventually your longer than normal capacity to endure suffocation will run out anyway.

 

Is it cheap to enhance the time you can hold your breath? Sure. It's also very cheap to enhance your lifespan. That character has a significant advantage against our Constrictor Snake friend.

 

Mind you, there's a limit to that advantage. You lose an END (then a stun and a BOD) less often, but you still don't get recoveries while unable to breathe. Spending any END trying to escape the snake? Taking any STUN from its constant Squeeze? Even if he only slips one or two STUN a phase past your defenses, that adds up pretty quickly if you can't take a recovery, even on PS 12. If your teammates are hacking it to bits, that won't have too much impact, but most constrictors are ambush hunters, and aren't often dealing with groups of prey that fight back.

 

If you don't need to breathe at all, can't break the grab and don't take significant damage from the squeeze - well, let's see how long it takes before the snake gives up. I can see this being very confusing for the snake after a few hours!

 

With 9 1/2 d6 Penetrating damage while it squeezes, I don't think a lot of characters will be immune to its attacks. Taking 9.5 STUN every phase of the snake is 27 STUN per turn - seems likely to KO in pretty short order, especially if you can't breathe so you get no recoveries.

 

Susano, what kind of game is the snake intended for? This thing could take out a lot of lone Supers! If you wanted to buff it up a little more, Grab based martial arts (enhancing Hold and/or Squeeze, and a Choke Hold to adopt the "drive the air out of its lungs" model would make this thing even more scary.

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Susano' date=' what kind of game is the snake intended for? This thing could take out a lot of lone Supers! If you wanted to buff it up a little more, Grab based martial arts (enhancing Hold and/or Squeeze, and a Choke Hold to adopt the "drive the air out of its lungs" model would make this thing even more scary.[/quote']

 

The character sheet is meant to simulate the real snake, so it's meant for Fantasy Hero and Pulp Hero games. It's also possible the Penetrating on its STR isn't needed as it has the Suffocation power, but... the video had it killing a 40' crocodile and it did it faster than the Suffocation power would allow (although that might be due to "editing" and dramatic license). As with any character sheet, you should edit it to get the exact effect you want. And yes, I do think a 48', 2,500 pound snake could take out a lot of supers (Batman or Daredevil both come to mind).

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

I am, not certain, but can't suffocation simply be countered by holding ones breath?

And the ability to hold your breath longer is pretty cheap.

 

I always though it also applies pressure against your Torso, pressing the air out.

 

All constrictors kill by basically pushing in every time the victim breathes out. Eventually, the target is unable to breath in and death comes soon after. So yes, if you're a super who doesn't need to breath or can hold his breath for hours, then you're not going to be harmed much by most constrictors. But not everyone plays Champions, and if a GM decided to use Titanoboa in a fantasy, pulp, post-apoc, or even a Star Hero setting, the typical PC is going to be in for a world of hurt if caught by the snake. And even if you can hold your breath for that long, there's still the 400 psi to deal with. That alone can do serious damage.

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Holding one's breath has the same result as suffocation' date=' doesn't it? Holding your breath, being underwater or in a vacuum, or being constricted by a huge Boa. If you need less oxygen, then as long as the ancillary effects (physical damage from the squeeze) don't take you out, you could survive a long time. Of course, if you can't break out, eventually your longer than normal capacity to endure suffocation will run out anyway.[/quote']

It would sound like that on the first look, but then why is a choke hold so dangerous and fast?

 

Holding your breath cost you 1 END/Phase (unless you expend that much or more anyway) and your ability to Recover.

Being in a chockehold is 1d6 NND, but nothing says you are unable to recover and you loose no mandatory amount of endurance. In addition the choking character has to attack (with OCV roll) in each of his phases he wants to do this damage.

 

However once you pass out from a choke, the suffocation rules take over (since your start out of stun and end, you immediately start taking body).

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

It's also possible the Penetrating on its STR isn't needed as it has the Suffocation power' date=' but... the video had it killing a 40' crocodile and it did it faster than the Suffocation power would allow (although that might be due to "editing" and dramatic license).[/quote']

Actually scientists themself aren't certain how they can kill thier prey that fast. That is on Wikipedia regardign that topic:

Traditionally, it has been thought that snakes hold tightly enough to prevent the prey from drawing air into its lungs, resulting in death from asphyxia. However, some prey items seem to die faster than would be possible through asphyxia, so it has also been suggested that the pressure of constriction causes a rise in the pressure in the prey's body cavity greater than the heart can counter, resulting in immediate cardiac arrest.^[2] This new hypothesis has yet to be confirmed, but data indicates that snakes can exert enough pressure for this mechanism to be plausible.^[3] Research into this topic is ongoing. It has been found that the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) has a constriction strength of 6 kg/cm², which effectively means a total strength of 4000 kg.^[4]

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Perhaps this is more a flaw in the Choke Hold mechanic than the Suffocation mechanic. It is only with 6e's APG that we have finally attempted to allow characters to purchase the ability to impose the "suffocation" effect. All previous "official" writeups were both faster (way more damage, generally as an NND) and weaker (not stopping recoveries, for example).

 

And both must be addressed in light of the rules for suffocation - perhaps they are too slow to be realistic, and thus suffocation is a much poorer combat tactic in game than in reality.

 

Assessing the Penetrating damage as "forcing the air from the target's lungs" might be a reasonable mechanic by that standpoint. And perhaps a Choke Hold should impose the Suffocation condition rather than inflicting NND damage, while maintaining some element of "grab and squeeze".

 

As built, the snake will take out pretty much anyone unable to escape a 48 STR grapple, most very quickly (2 turns tops), assuming it is able to establish that initial grapple (probably the toughest step in the process, which is consistent with attacking from surprise). A 4 OCV won't hit too many aware characters, heroic or superheroic.

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Susano wouldn't the suffaction power be eaiser built by buying it as HKA NND (defense the same as chikehold) and linked to grab or appropriate limitation to grab?

[Susano]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Susano wouldn't the suffaction power be eaiser built by buying it as HKA NND (defense the same as chikehold) and linked to grab or appropriate limitation to grab?

 

If you don't have the APG, yes. But the APG Suffocation works just like drowning -- no recoveries, STUN damage until unconsciousness, then BODY damage. This better simulates the slow death via constriction. With an AVAD/NND HKA, it'll be over a lot faster (which works for a "Hollywood" snake, I guess.)

[Christopher]

Re: Titanoboa

 

Susano wouldn't the suffaction power be eaiser built by buying it as HKA NND (defense the same as chikehold) and linked to grab or appropriate limitation to grab?

In 6E KA isn't the choice to do big Stun anymore. This is now (correctly) handeled by Normal Damage Attacks.