Elasmosaurus
As captioned in Life of a Fossil Hunter Fig. 23.—The
Snake-necked Elasmosaurus, Elasmosaurus platyurus.
Discovered in the Niobrara Group of the Cretaceous. Restoration by Osborn and
Knight. (From painting in American Museum of Natural History.) 1909(1909) Fig.
23 (opposite page 123) of The Life of a Fossil Hunter (New York, 1909) by Charles
H. Sternberg (1850–1943). Scanned by the Internet Archive. Charles R.
Knight (1874–1953)
Has a thick, ovoid body with fins instead of legs and a long, snaky tail and neck. Though it resides primarily in the water, an elasmosaurus only breathes air. An elasmosaurus has a total length of some 30 feet, including a tail half as long as its entire body, and weighs about 5,000 pounds. Observers who see only its head or tail might easily mistake it for a massive snake.
Roleplaying
Notes
Source(s) 3.5E Monster Manual I, 3E Monster Manual I, Forgotten Realms (MC3),
1E Monster Manual 1, Monstrous Manual
| Huge Animal | |
| Hit Dice | 10d8+66 (111 hp) |
| Initiative | +2 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 50 ft. |
| Armor Class | 13 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +7/+23 |
| Attack | Bite +13 melee (2d8+12) |
| Full Attack | Bite +13 melee (2d8+12) |
| Space/Reach | 15 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks | - |
| Special Qualities | Low-light vision, scent |
| Saves | Fort +15, Ref +9, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Str 26, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 9 |
| Skills | Hide -4*, Listen +4, Spot +9, Swim +16 |
| Feats | Dodge, Great Fortitude, Toughness (2) |
| Environment | Warm aquatic |
| Organization | Solitary, pair, or herd (5-8) |
| Challenge Rating | 7 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | 11-20 HD (Huge); 21-30 HD (Gargantuan) |
| Level Adjustment | - |
Combat
An elasmosaurus is aggressive and attacks anything it notices. The creature
is strong, fast, and highly maneuverable, able to turn quickly and lunge at
prey. When hunting, it travels with its head out of the water, snapping down
quickly to seize prey.
Skills
*An elasmosaurus has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in water.
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