Dinosaur, Sauropelta
Sauropelta
This armored quadruped bears two rows of spikes on its neck, ending in massive horns rising from its shoulders. Its head is narrow and vaguely horse-like.
Sauropelta is one of the most dramatic of the nodosaurids, a group of dinosaurs related to ankylosaurs. Rather than possessing tail clubs, nodosaurids defend themselves with large spines growing from the shoulders and flanks. They are territorial and aggressive, using their shoulder horns in fencing matches with other members of their own species. Sauropelta tend to live in open woodland environments, where they feed selectively on young and delicate plant matter. Sauropelta supplement this diet with other easily digested and non-combative foods, such as social insects and even the dung of other dinosaurs. A sauropelta grows to about 15 feet long, but weighs several tons due to its heavy bone armor.
Sauropelta as Animal Companions
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft..; AC +7 natural armor; Attack gore (2d6); Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5; Special Qualities low light vision, scent, irascible, wide load
7th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack gore (4d6) Ability Scores Str +8, Dex -2, Con +4
Sauropelta CR 8
XP 4,800
N Large animal
Init +0; Senses low-light vision, Perception +16, scent
Defense
AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 23 (-1 size, +14 natural)
hp 102 (12d8+48)
Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +9
Defensive Qualities irascible, wide load
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee gore +18 (4d8+13/19-20)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 28, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD 32 (36 vs. trip)
Feats Defensive Combat Training, Endurance, Improved Critical (gore), Great Fortitude, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (gore)
Skills Perception +16
Ecology
Environment warm and temperate forests
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Irascible (Ex) A sauropelta treats its good saves as Fortitude and Will, not Fortitude and Reflex. All Handle Animal checks and wild empathy checks made to influence a sauropelta take a -4 penalty.
Wide Load (Ex) A sauropelta is treated as one size category larger than its actual size for the purposes of grappling and being swallowed whole.