Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Dinosaurs!

When Gary Gygax compiled the original Monster Manual, he included 28 distinct entries in his “Dinosaurs” section. I have included 42 similar statblocks in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals, but there are still some entries that need conversion!

I remember there being a lot of interest in dinosaurs (and prehistory in general) during the 70s. This was driven in part, no doubt, by new discoveries, but also by older films and novels. Stop-motion dinosaurs appeared on the big screen earlier, but these films were being re-discovered on television broadcasts. Classic authors, like Edgar Rice Burroughs and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, were appearing in new editions due to the popularity of The Lord of the Rings. When I first started playing Holmes Basic (Christmas 1979), I kept a notebook of my own monster stats. Among these were a plethora of dinosaurs.

When I got my hands on The Isle of Dread, I was happy indeed. Not only was the island filled with prehistoric adventure, but it was a fairly large sandbox setting that could hold a multitude of stories. One of my patrons for the first Angels, Daemons, and Beings Between volume includes a patron spell which can bring saurians to “modern” settings, and includes the first version of my dinosaur statblocks for DCC. Discerning readers will note that I took care to keep these in line with what appears in the Cyclopedia. Similarly, The Mysterious Valley (DAMN #1) was written as a tribute to the late Ray Harryhausen, and I tried to keep stats consistent.

I was a little concerned that I would have to revamp the Cyclopedia of Common Animals based on the work done for this post. Going through this list actually makes me feel pretty satisfied with what I included!

Anatosaurus (Trachodon): See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Hadrosaur).

Ankylosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Antrodemus (AIlosaurus): See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Allosaur).

Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus): See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Large Sauropod).

Archelon lschyras: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Brachiosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Large Sauropod).

Camarasaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Small Sauropod).

Ceratosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Theropod).

Cetiosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Large Sauropod).

Dinichtys: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Diplodocus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Large Sauropod).

Elasmosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Gorgosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Theropod).

Iguanadon: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Iguanodon).

Lambeosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Hadrosaur).

Megalosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Theropod).

Monoclonius: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Mosasaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Mosasaur).

Paleoscincus: Init -4; Atk spiked tail club +5 melee (2d12); AC 25; HD 7d8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP defensive armor (3d4, Ref DC 15 negates); SV Fort +12, Ref -4, Will -4; AL N.

These dinosaurs are related to the ankylosaurus, being 1d7+14 feet long and weighing 1d3+2 tons. Because of the armored spines radiating from their sides, large predators attempting to bite them must make a DC 15 Reflex save or take 3d4 damage, whether the attack succeeds or not. These creatures are sometimes aggressive if intruded upon.

Modern understanding of these saurians is not quite what was imagined when the Monster Manual was written, and this write-up of the “walking dreadnoughts” follows the AD&D 1e write-up. Largely known through fossil teeth, paleoscincus remains somewhat mysterious!

Pentaceratops: Init +2; Atk gore +3 melee (3d8), trample +1 melee (2d6), or bite +0 melee (1d4); AC 17; HD 4d8; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP Charge (gore at +4 to hit and +3d4 damage, plus trample as a free attack if successful); SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will -4; AL N.

At 1d3+17 feet long, and weighing 2-3 tons, the pentaceratops is an aggressive herbivore.

Plateosaurus: Init +0; Atk trample +0 melee (2d6) or tail sweep +2 melee (1d6); AC 15; HD 6d8; MV 20’ or 30’; Act 1d20; SP Tail sweep knocks prone unless DC 12 Strength check succeeds; SV Fort +5, Ref -2, Will -4; AL N.

At 1d8+25 feet long and weighing 1d3+7 tons, these dinosaurs can walk upright, reaching heights of 1d4+9 feet. They can move more quickly when on all fours, and are easily panicked.

Plesiosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Plesiosaur).

Pteranodon: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Pterosaurs) and the core rulebook (Pterodactyl, page 424).

Stegosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Styracosaurus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Teratosaurus: Init +4; Atk bite +5 melee (3d6) or claw +7 melee (1d3); AC 15; HD 6d8; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +0; AL N.

Not a true dinosaur, the teratosaurs was a 20-foot-long quadrupedal reptile which hunts on plains or in forests, pursuing any creature which appears to be eatable.

Triceratops: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Tyrannosaurus Rex: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals (Tyrannosaur).

The Cyclopedia of Common Animals is available here.