by Lawrence Schick
A herd of brontosaurus stomps across the plains of Utah in search of food
(Editor’s note: This article is a discus-
sion of dinosaurs
as depicted for use in
the AD&D™ game, with regard
to recent
additions to the body of scientific
know-
ledge about the creatures. It is not
an
official alteration to the dinosaur
listings
in the AD&D Monster Manual.)
The sages
of paleontology have dis-
covered a great deal of information about
dinosaurs and their habits in the last
15
years. The new knowledge is not reflect-
ed in the AD&D
Monster Manual. Many
of these new ideas can have a bearing
on
the play of dinosaurs in the game.
For example, debate is currently un-
derway among scientists over whether
dinosaurs are ectothermic (cold-blood-
ed) like reptiles, endothermic (warm-
blooded) like mammals, some of each,
or something in between. Regardless of
how this question is eventually resolved,
it seems certain that dinosaurs are not
the slow-moving, slow-reacting slug-
gards they were once commonly thought
to be. The best compromise at present
is
to play them as energetic creatures that
don’t quite have the stamina of mammals.
The comparatively small size of dino-
saur brains has long led the sages to
assume that dinosaurs must be extraor-
dinarily stupid creatures, living practically
on instinct alone.
However, recent analyses indicate that
their brain sizes
are proportionately correct for reptiles
of their size. This still makes them a
lot
more stupid than mammals, but not quite
the unthinking, senseless brutes they
were originally thought to be. Regard
their intelligence as at the level of
alliga-
tors or snakes.
There are hundreds of known distinct
species of dinosaurs. Obviously, these
are more than can be covered in a maga-
zine article. Fortunately, however, most
dinosaurs belong to a family of similar
creatures, and statistics for one member
of the family can usually be applied to
other members with little alteration.
This
is why the dinosaurs covered in this arti-
cle have been grouped into families rath-
er than listed alphabetically. In each
sec-
tion, general traits are covered first,
fol-
lowed by statistics for the best-known
or
most interesting group members.
Use of dinosaurs in AD&D games
Dinosaurs will generally be found in
areas completely separated from the
ecologies of the human-inhabited world.
This is just as well, for a full-grown
spec-
imen of the larger dinosaur species
makes a formidable adversary, one that
few humans can cope with. The big di-
nosaurs, particularly the meat-eaters,
are suitable opponents only for middle-
or high-level parties. An adult allosaurus
can wipe out a low-level party without
even working up a sweat.
This doesn’t mean that low-level char-
acters should never encounter dinosaurs;
but DMs should use good judgement
when picking an adversary. Most dino-
saur families have creatures of every
size
from 3 feet tall on up. The individual
spe-
cies detailed here are generally among
the largest of their types. Similar crea-
tures in smaller versions are not un-
common. The DM can use these un-
named cousins if their larger relatives
would be too tough. For example, if an
encounter table indicates a party of char-
acters averaging 4th level meets an allo-
saurus, the DM can decide the party in-
stead encounters a much smaller meg-
alosaur, perhaps with only 1/3 the hit
dice and 1/3 the damage potential of an
allosaurus. (This might be a small cera-
tosaurus.) Optionally, the DM could just
make it an immature allosaurus, similar-
ly scaled-down. After all, big dinosaurs
aren’t born colossal — they have to start
out “merely” large.
Certain standard AD&D
monster sta-
tistics are the same for all dinosaurs.
These are given here to avoid repetition
in the listings that follow.
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil
Triceratops digs in against Tyrannosaurus
Rex
(Courtesy of the Field Museum of Natural
History)
The listing will start with the carno-
saurs (meat-eating dinosaurs),
since
many players and DMs find them the
most interesting. All dinosaurs belong
to
one of two groups: the saurischians
(lizard-hipped) or the ornithischians
(bird-
hipped). All carnosaurs are saurischi-
ans, or sauropods. In general, carno-
saurs walk on two legs, with the body
held forward horizontally (not up at a
45-degree angle). The tail is held out
be-
hind as a counterweight; it does not drag
on the ground unless the creature is at
REST or moving very slowly. Occasionally
in its search for prey, a carnosaur will
stop and rear up to its full height to
get a
better view. Carnosaurs rely on sight
to
find their victims.
A carnosaur is always hungry, but like
most modern predators it will always
take the easiest food it can catch: the
young, the weak, the small, and the slow.
Like a lion, a carnosaur usually won’t
pursue a fleeing target for more than
a
few hundred yards. A carnosaur faced
with fighting dangerous prey will almost
always give it up if easier prey is offered.
| Allosaurus | Deinonychus | Teratosaurus | Therezinosaurus | Tyrannosaurus Rex |
| Carnosaurs | - | - | - | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
SAUROPODS
This group includes the huge herbi-
vorous (plant-eating) dinosaurs,
which
are all saurischians like the carnosaurs.
Though their ancestors were all bipedal,
the great size the sauropods attained
forced them to return to standing on four
legs. There are many types of sauro-
pods, but most of them are similar to
the
well-known types described below.
Sauropods are herding beasts, con-
stantly searching food. Previously placed
near lakes and streams, recent analyses
show they are land dwellers. Sauropods
live an elephant-like existence in the
scrublands and forest (kept open by
their passage), browsing on trees and
thinning out vegetation. Their heads are
set on long necks, and they can munch
on the tops of very tall trees.
Sauropods’ tails are held out behind
them to counterbalance their necks. They
rely on their huge size to keep safe from
most carnosaurs. They defend them-
selves clumsily by rearing up and kick-
ing with their forefeet, but are poor
figh-
ters and attack at a level equal to one-
quarter of their number of hit dice. (A
40HD sauropod, for example, attacks as
a 10HD monster.) If a herd is stampeded
by a big carnosaur (the only thing these
creatures fear), they will probably crush
everything in their path.
| Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus) | Brachiosaurus | - | Diplodocus | Plateosaurus |
| Sauropods | - | - | - | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
These prolific ornithopods are found
nearly everywhere. They collect in herds,
relying on their senses of sight, hearing
and smell to warn them of approaching
carnosaurs. They are the main diet of
KILLERS like the tyrannosaurs,
and will run
in panic at their enemies’ approach.
Though most can go travel on four legs
when convenient, they run on two legs.
| Anatosaurus (Trachodon) | Iguanadon | - | Parasaurolophus | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
OTHER ORNITHOPODS
This catch-all group includes all of the
armored dinosaurs.
These herbivores
rely on armor and bony defenses instead
of SPEED to protect themselves from car-
nosaurs. They are all quadrupeds.
| Ankylosaurus | Stegosaurus | - | Triceratops | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
PTEROSAURS
Pterosaurs are in a class by them-
selves, and are not strictly dinosaurs
as
such. Flying requires a great deal of
energy, so the pterosaurs are the best
candidates for being endothermic. Also,
their bodies are covered with a fine,
furry
down — insulation unneeded by ecto-
therms. Pterosaurs would be remarkable
if only for their intelligence,
which is on
par with that of the dromaeosaurs and
modern birds. Flying also requires a lot
of nervous coordination.
Pterosaurs come in all sizes, from
animals no larger than sparrows to the
largest natural creatures ever to fly.
The
smaller pterosaurs are actually wing-
flapped flyers, but the larger pterosaurs
are primarily gliders, capable of no more
than an occasional weak flap to help
them in the right direction. The smaller
pterosaurs are of little consequence to
adventurers (except possibly as pets),
so
the descriptions will deal only with the
larger ones.
| Pteranodon | - | Quetzalcoatlus | - | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
MARINE CREATURES
Below are the most interesting-and
well known of the marine animals con-
temporary with the dinosaurs. Not all
of
these are dinosaurs but will be encoun-
tered in the same time and place. Not
covered is the megalodon,
which is found
in the Monster Manual under “Shark.”
| Archelon | Crocodile, Marine | Dinichthys | Elasmosaurus | Icthyosaurus |
| Plesiosaurus | Tylosaurus | - | - | Dinosaurs (New Theories) |
DINOSAUR ENCOUNTER
TABLE
When characters in an AD&D™
game are adventuring in dinosaur country and the DM is using this article
as a reference, this
updated encounter table will prove more
appropriate than the one found in the Monster Manual.
| Creature name and type | Plains | Scrub | Forest | Marsh |
| Allosaurus (carnosaur) | 01-04 | 01-04 | 01-04 | 01-04 |
| Anatosaurus (hadrosaur) | 05-08 | 05-11 | 05-08 | 05-13 |
| Ankylosaurus (ornithopod) | 09-12 | 12-15 | 09-12 | --- |
| Apatosaurus (sauropod) | 13-16 | 16-22 | 13-20 | 14-19 |
| Brachiosaurus (sauropod) | 17-18 | 23-26 | 21-24 | 20-25 |
| Crocodile, Marine | --- | --- | --- | 26-37 |
| Deinonychus (carnosaur) | 19-22 | 27-30 | 25-28 | 38-40 |
| Diplodocus (sauropod) | 23-26 | 31-37 | 29-36 | 41-46 |
| Iguanadon (hadrosaur) | 27-38 | 38-44 | 37-44 | 47-52 |
| Misc. small dinosaur* | 39-50 | 45-51 | 45-52 | 53-58 |
| Parasaurolophus (hadrosaur) | 51-54 | 52-58 | 53-60 | 59-67 |
| Plateosaurus (sauropod) | 55-62 | 59-66 | 61-68 | 68-73 |
| Pteranodon (pterosaur) | 63-66 | 66-69 | --- | 74-76 |
| Quetzalcoatlus (pterosaur) | 67-68 | --- | --- | 77-79 |
| Stegosaurus (ornithopod) | 69-76 | 70-76 | 69-76 | 80-85 |
| Teratosaurus (carnosaur) | 77-80 | 77-80 | 77-80 | 86-91 |
| Therezinosaurus (carnosaur) | 81-82 | 81-84 | 81-84 | 91-94 |
| Triceratops (ornithopod) | 83-94 | 85-93 | 85-92 | --- |
| Tyrannosaurus rex (carnosaur) | 95-96 | 94-96 | 93-96 | 95-96 |
| Other creature† | 97-00 | 97-00 | 97-00 | 97-00 |
* — “Miscellaneous small dinosaur” includes
all dinosaurs deer-sized or smaller.
They are edible, but of no other
interest to adventurers.
† — When “Other creature” is rolled, the
DM should employ one of the following:
A standard AD&D fantasy monster.
A monster that might be found on dinosaur
turf if it were real (lizard men,
giant toads, giant snakes, etc.)
A new kind of dinosaur of the DM’s creation,
previously unknown.
A highly evolved dinosaur; for instance,
an intelligent dromaeosaur with “hands” (two fingers and a thumb)
instead of mere clawed fingers.
As previously mentioned, the DM should
use judgement about how tough the encounter should be. It may be desirable
to use a
species similar to, but smaller than,
the one rolled up. Crocodiles may be normal or giant-sized, depending on
the circumstances.