Anancus

Colossal Proboscidean, Gargantuan Beast, CR 17

Armor Class: 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 310 (23d20 + 138)
Speed: 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	10 (+0)	23 (+6)	3 (−4)	14 (+2)	7 (−2)

Saving Throws: Con +12, Wis +8
Skills: Perception +8, Survival +8
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities: Frightened, Charmed
Senses: Truesight 60 ft., Passive Perception 18
Languages: Understands Giant but cannot speak

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Traits

Trampling Charge. It moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, Anancus can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

Colossal Presence. Any creature of Large size or smaller that starts its turn within 30 feet of Anancus must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of its next turn.

Siege Monster. Anancus deals double damage to objects and structures.

Innate Magical Resistance. Anancus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

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Actions

Multiattack. Anancus makes two attacks: one with its tusks and one with its stomp.

Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 38 (5d10 + 8) piercing damage.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 32 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage.

Sweeping Charge (Recharge 5–6). Anancus moves up to its speed in a straight line. Each creature in a 30-foot-wide line must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (6d12 + 8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one, and be knocked prone.

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Legendary Actions

Anancus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.

• Tusk Strike. Make one tusk attack.
• Stomp. Make one stomp attack.
• Terrifying Trumpet (Costs 2 Actions). Anancus lets out a deafening trumpet. Each creature of Large size or smaller within 60 ft. must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

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Tactics

Anancus dominates open terrain, leveraging its massive tusks and powerful bulk to control the battlefield. It begins combat by charging to knock foes prone, following up with stomp attacks or Sweeping Charge to punish groups of enemies. Legendary actions disrupt formations and keep opponents off balance. It fights defensively to protect its herd or young, using its innate resilience to outlast foes. Retreat occurs only when severely injured.

Anancus

Colossal Proboscidean (Animal), CR 17

XP 81,000

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N Huge Animal

Init +0; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +23

DEFENSE

AC 34, touch 10, flat-footed 34 (+24 natural, +0 size)
hp 310 (23d8+207)
Fort +19, Ref +6, Will +10
Defensive Abilities: Colossal Presence, Innate Magical Resistance
DR 10/— (nonmagical weapons)
Immune: frightened, charmed

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OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.
Melee tusks +38/+33/+28 (5d10+8 plus trample), stomp +38 (4d10+8)
Space/Reach 20 ft./15 ft. (tusks), 20 ft./5 ft. (stomp)
Special Attacks: Trampling Charge, Sweeping Charge

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STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Attack +23; CMB +36; CMD 48 (cannot be tripped except by creatures 4+ sizes larger)
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Cleave, Improved Overrun, Great Fortitude, Toughness, Lightning Reflexes
Skills: Perception +23, Survival +23
Languages: understands Giant but cannot speak

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Trampling Charge (Ex): If Anancus moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits with a tusk attack, the target is knocked prone (Fort DC 19 negates). Anancus can immediately make a stomp attack against prone targets.

Colossal Presence (Ex): Any creature of Large size or smaller starting its turn within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or be shaken for 1 round.

Sweeping Charge (Ex) [Recharge 5–6]: Anancus can move up to its speed in a straight line. Each creature in a 30-foot-wide line must succeed on a DC 19 Reflex save or take 45 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone, half damage on a successful save.

Siege Monster (Ex): Anancus deals double damage to objects and structures.

Innate Magical Resistance (Ex): +4 bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.

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COMBAT TACTICS

Anancus dominates open terrain with overwhelming bulk. It charges to knock foes prone, following with tusk and stomp attacks, using Sweeping Charge to punish groups of enemies. It fights defensively to protect its young and uses its sheer size to control the battlefield. Anancus retreats only if severely wounded and instinctively coordinates with herd members.

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ECOLOGY

Environment: Temperate grasslands, river valleys, sparse woodlands
Organization: Solitary or herd (3–6)
Treasure: Standard animal treasure (ivory tusks may be valuable)

Anancus

Although not as famous, Anancus was at least as big as its cousins the mammoths.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums. 

On this Thread

This elephantine creature has extremely long, straight tusks, almost as long as its body, jutting straight out from its mouth. Its ears and trunk are smaller than most other elephants.

The anancus is a proboscidean adapted to life in temperate forests, where it feeds on foliage. Its size and deadly tusks prevent most predators from bother it, although its young sometimes fall prey to larger carnivores.

An anancus has a shoulder height of about 15 feet, weighs between 8 and 10 tons, and has tusks roughly 15 feet long.

Anancus (Pike-Tusked Elephant)
Huge animal
Hit Dice	10d8+60 (105 hp)
Initiative	+0
Speed	40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class	16 (-2 size, +8 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple	+7/+27
Attack	Gore +17 melee (2d10+18)
Full Attack	Slam +17 melee (2d6+12) and 2 stamps +15 melee (2d6+6) or gore +17 melee (2d10+18)
Space/Reach	15 ft./10 ft. (15 ft. with tusks)
Special Attacks	Improved grab, toss, trample 2d8+18
Special Qualities	Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves	Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities	Strength 34, Dexterity 10, Constitution 23, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 7
Skills	Listen +10, Spot +9
Feats	Alertness, Improved Bull Rush, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment	Temperate forest
Organization	Solitary or herd (2-20)
Challenge Rating	8
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	11-20 HD (Huge); 21-28 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment	–

COMBAT

An anancus usually only becomes aggressive if it or its young are threatened. Once angered, it attacks with its long tusks, scooping up smaller foes and tossing them against trees or onto the ground to be trampled.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an anancus must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a gore attack. If it gets a hold, it tosses its opponent.

Jungle Movement (Ex): Pike-tusked elephants have supreme agility and maneuverability despite their size, allowing them to pass through the thickest forests with ease. An anancus can move through light undergrowth without penalty, and treats heavy undergrowth as light undergrowth for the purposes of movement (two squares to pass through, +2 to Tumble and Move Silently DCs).

Narrow Berth (Ex): Due to its narrow body, an anancus is treated as being one size smaller than it actually is for the purposes of squeezing (see page 149 of the Player’s Handbook for the rules for squeezing).

Toss (Ex): Pike-tusked elephants vigorously shake any creature caught in their tusks and fling it in a random direction. Resolve the toss as a bull rush maneuver (+20 check modifier), except that there is no attack of opportunity, since the anancus has already grabbed its foe when it tries to toss the victim.

The anancus does not need to move with its foe in order to to throw its foe more than 5 feet. If the tossed victim beats the anancus’s bull rush check, he remains in his current square with no ill effects and is not grappled any longer. Tossed victims take impact damage on landing as if they had fallen a distance equal to the distance they were tossed.

Trample (Ex): As a full-round action, an anancus can move up to twice its speed and literally run over Large or smaller creatures. This attack deals 2d8+18 points of damage. Trampled opponents can make attacks of opportunity against the anancus at a -4 penalty. If they do not make attacks of opportunity, trample opponents can attempt a DC 27 Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Strength-based.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #167 (1991).