General Rules: Monsters - Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus (from Dragon Magazine #318)
Gargantuan Animal

Hit Dice: 24d8+288 (396 hit points)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 feet
Armor Class: 15 (-4 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural); touch 7, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +18/+44
Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d6+21, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 19-20 x3)

Full Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d6+21, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 19-20 x3) and 2 claws +23 melee (1d8+10, piercing and slashing 20 x2)

Space/Reach: 20 feet by 20 feet/20 feet
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pinning, swallow whole, wounding bite
Special Qualities: Keen scent, low-light vision
Saves: Fortitude +22, Reflex +15, Will +10
Abilities: Str 38, Int 2, Wis 14, Dex 12, Con 26, Cha 10

Skills: Listen +15, Spot +16

Feats: Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Run, Toughness x4, Track
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or group (3 - 6)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 25 - 36 Hit Dice (Gargantuan), 37 - 72 Hit Dice (Colossal)

This massive bipedal reptile is formidable both in size and armament. Its front arms are somewhat short for its body, but are still quite muscular and end in large talons. It is the creature's head that it most terrifying: Over six feet long, it possesses stubby horns over the eyes and a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.

The giganotosaurus represents the pinnacle of the dinosaurian food chain. It is a massive predator capable of inflicting terrible wounds with its teeth.

The giganotosaurus fears nothing, simply because there isn't much that can threaten it without being eaten. Although they are powerful predators, they aren't above scavenging for food. Gigantosauruses often travel in small family groups led by a dominant male.

A giganotosaurus typically measures 50 feet long from head to tail, and stands about 12 feet high at the hip. They can weigh up to 8 tons.

Combat
Giganotosauruses often hunt in pairs or small groups and use cunning tactics.

A favored tactic finds one or two giganotosauruses charging into the midst of their chosen prey and flushing them toward the others who lurk in ambush. Against single targets, a giganotosaurus uses its formidable special attacks to grab, pin, and swallow victims with shocking speed.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a giganotosaurus must hit an opponent at least one size smaller than itself with its bite attack. it can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. if it wins the grapple, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow or pin the foe the following round.

Pinning (Ex): A giganotosaurus can pin a grabbed opponent of up to two sizes smaller than itself to the ground with one of its feet by making a successful grapple check. The pinned creature takes 2d6+21 points of bludgeoning damage per round and cannot move as long as the pin persists. The giganotosaurus gains a +4 circumstance bonus on attack rolls to hit a pinned target with its bite. A giganotosaurus can pin one creature at a time.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A giganotosaurus can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to two sizes smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of bludgeoning damage and 8 points of acid damage per round from the giganotosaurus's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapons to deal 35 points of damage to the AC 14 gizzard. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the whole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A Gargantuan giganotosaurus's immense gizzard can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, or 128 Tiny or smaller opponents.

Wounding Bite (Ex): A giganotosaurus's teeth are razor-sharp an slice through flesh with shocking ease. Its it naturally threatens a critical hit on a 19-20 and inflicts triple damage on a successful critical hit. In addition, a creature critically hit by giganotosaurus's bite takes 2 points of Constitution damage from the terrible nature of the wound.

Keen Scent (Ex): A giganotosaurus can detect creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius.

Giganotosauruses as Animal Companions
If raised from an egg, a giganotosaurus can be trained using Handle Animal. A 21^st-level druid, 23^rd-level outdoorsman, or 21^st-level ranger may take a giganotosaurus as an animal companion.

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