Stating out a Sarcosuchus imperator

[TheNaga]

I need some help in setting the stats Sarcosuchus imperator since I have a character I am making that can turn into a Sarcosuchus imperator.  I know I could just use the stats for     Deinosuchus and done with but Sarcosuchus imperator is said to be larger than Deinosuchus  Sarcosuchus imperator said to be 40 feet (12.2 meters) long while Deniosuchus is said to be from 8 to 10 m (26 to 33 ft).

 

How would I stat out the strength score and bite damage of a Sarcosuchus imperator?  Sarcosuchus imperator weighed 17,500 pounds (7,938 kilograms), was said to be 40 feet (12.2 meters) long.  It is estimated to have a bite force of 18,000 pounds (8,165 kilograms), or about the weight of a Mack Truck.  So from what I have said what would the Strength score and bite damage be for Sarcosuchus imperator then?

 

What do you think the DEX score of a Sarcosuchus imperator should be?  The write-up for the Deinosuchus has it having a 14 DEX.  

[Christopher]

Both Deinosuchus and Sarcosuchus are just giant Alligators/Crocodiles. So any set of Crocodile power would work.

 

1 hour ago, TheNaga said:

I need some help in setting the stats Sarcosuchus imperator since I have a character I am making that can turn into a Sarcosuchus imperator.

 

1 hour ago, TheNaga said:

How would I stat out the strength score and bite damage of a Sarcosuchus imperator?  Sarcosuchus imperator weighed 17,500 pounds (7,938 kilograms), was said to be 40 feet (12.2 meters) long.  It is estimated to have a bite force of 18,000 pounds (8,165 kilograms), or about the weight of a Mack Truck.  So from what I have said what would the Strength score and bite damage be for Sarcosuchus imperator then?

 

What do you think the DEX score of a Sarcosuchus imperator should be?  The write-up for the Deinosuchus has it having a 14 DEX.  

Look at your campaign limits. Pick the stats according to that. None of your other questions mater.

This is not about perfectly simulating an animal, but making a fun and unique character to play. Compared to the "baseline Sarcosuchus"  that the GM may use as a animal NPC, his abilities can be higher, lower and totally different from whatever the is in every single direction and at every point.

 

Most of the "STR" that was measured is focussed in the jaw. So that sounds more like relatively low strenght with extra STR to hold a grab/HTH attack damage dice. An option that is often overlooked is to realize animals "unique strenghts" via Martial Arts. A constrictor is really good at grabbing (+STR/DC to hold Grab and do damage during Grab). The jaw of an aligator is kind of the same.

[unclevlad]

Well, one apparent qualifier is Sarco has somewhat better armor, but that might be just implicit anyway.

 

If you're buying this as a multiform, then the Sarco form just uses the size template, but the lizard-like shape leads to some tweaks.  For example, the legs are short, so not all the extra running should apply.  (EDIT: but a Swimming bonus would probably fit.) 40' is 12 meters;  that, and the mass slot the form into the Huge category.  But that's +45 (!!!) Str, and as noted, that's probably an overstatement for the general Str.  The bite, sure, but that's a whole lotta Str for everything else.  So yeah, I'd drop that.  Reach is weird because of the shape.  I'd go an attack multi:

 

a)  Bite:  HTH 2d6, BUT with martial maneuvers and DCs so there's bonuses to the Grab and Crush maneuvers.  Pure HTH won't help retain the grab.

b)  Tail:  HTH with, say, 3-4 meters of Stretching.  

 

So, NO reach based on size.  

 

Also, Dex is gonna be poor overall, but Lightning Reflexes would be appropriate.

 

Crocs are also pretty good at holding their breath, so extended breathing might fit.

 

 

[massey]

Yeah, you're probably going to be playing a genre-appropriate version of that particular animal, not the real thing.  That means the build you use will have to fit your particular campaign.

 

Think of a Batman cartoon where he gets dropped into a pit or something and has to fight a lion or an alligator (or some other large predatory animal).  Now if Batman has a 30 Dex and a 6 Speed, with a half-dozen combat levels and he can do a 12D6 offensive strike, then a puny little lion isn't going to be a threat to him.  Heck, your average Champions martial artist could probably beat up a T-Rex out of the book with just punches and kicks.  That's because superheroes exist in a range way beyond that of normal characters.  So if an animal is going to be a threat to a superhero, it needs to be a version that has been eating its Wheaties.  It probably needs its Dex and Speed raised, and probably more PD and ED to be a credible threat.

 

Your animal form is probably not going to be interacting with many real animals, it'll be interacting with whatever NPCs you encounter in the game.  It needs to be scaled to affect them.  Realism takes a back seat to playability.

[Christopher]

Wich does remind me:
Are we talking about a Heroic or Superheroic game? The point values and even how you built Multiform are often different for both.

[TheNaga]

1 hour ago, Christopher said:

Wich does remind me:
Are we talking about a Heroic or Superheroic game? The point values and even how you built Multiform are often different for both.

Superheroic

[Christopher]

1 hour ago, TheNaga said:

Superheroic

Then it is good that this is the powerlevel we were talking about.

 

In Heroic it is a bit more common to stat out the Animal and have Multiform give you exactly those stats for balancing reasons. But for superheroics, just ignore the realistic Stats and go with whatever archetype you feel fits.

[massey]

Yeah, then it should be cinematically powerful.

 

The giant T-Rex model they used for Jurassic Park was actually a bit larger than a real T-Rex.  It looked better on film that way.  An actual Tyrannosaur probably couldn't chase down that jeep.  But it was awesome in the movie.  If you've got a giant crocodile form, you probably want it to be able to flip over a city bus with one smash from its tail.

 

You don't want an animal 50% longer (and significantly heavier, thus probably slower) than a modern day saltwater croc.  You want this:

 

[Tech]

Christopher, thank you (!) for being specific as to what in the world this was about. At first, I thought it was some alien gladiator.

 

When it comes to giving animals stats, don't forget there are exceptional animals out there with stats way higher than usual. Don't be afraid to give your normal dog a 5 SPD because it's highly trained (...... or a hyper poodle.)

[unclevlad]

4 hours ago, Tech said:

(...... or a hyper poodle.)

 

 

I can never unsee the visual here......

 

You're getting my therapy bill for that one!!!!

 

 

[Tech]

If you don't like a poodle, howabout a chihuahua? They're always hyper, yapping at everything.