Dilophosaurus

Large Beast, Unaligned
Challenge: 3 (700 XP) • Proficiency Bonus: +2

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Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 60 (8d10 + 16)

Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	2 (–4)	12 (+1)	7 (–2)

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Saving Throws

• Dexterity +5
• Wisdom +3

Skills

• Perception +3
• Stealth +5

Senses

• Passive Perception 13

Languages

—

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Traits

• Pack Tactics. The Dilophosaurus has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Dilophosaurus’s allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
• Keen Smell. Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
• Ambush Predator. In the first round of combat, the Dilophosaurus has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t yet taken a turn.
• Crest Flash (Recharge 5–6). As a bonus action, the Dilophosaurus flicks its twin cranial crests in a sudden display. Each creature in a 15‑foot cone must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

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Actions

Multiattack

The Dilophosaurus makes two attacks: one with its Bite and one with its Tail Slam.

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Bite

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.

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Tail Slam

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

• If the target is Medium or smaller and is knocked prone, the Dilophosaurus can immediately make one Bite attack against it.

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Tactics

• Hit-and‑Run: Uses Ambush Predator to strike first, then disengages or repositions using its high speed.
• Coordinated Assault: In groups, flanks foes to trigger Pack Tactics and overwhelm them with Multiattack.
• Crest Control: Saves Crest Flash for when enemies close ranks or when an ally falls, forcing foes to hesitate.
• Terrain Advantage: Favors rocky outcrops and dense brush to conceal its approach and leverage climbing speed for sudden descents onto prey.

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Environment

Riverine woodlands, fern‑choked floodplains, and rocky badlands. Typically solitary but sometimes hunts in pairs or small family bands.

Dilophosaurus

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 45 (6d10 + 12)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	2 (-4)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)

Skills: Stealth +4
Senses: passive Perception 11
Languages: –
Challenge: 2 (450 XP)

Actions:

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Spit Acid. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) acid damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the Dilophosaurus’s choice within 30 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Reactions:

Opportunistic Attack. If a creature moves within 5 feet of the Dilophosaurus on its turn, the Dilophosaurus can use its reaction to make a bite attack against that creature.

This Dilophosaurus is a fierce and cunning predator, using its speed and agility to hunt down its prey. Its primary attack is a powerful bite that can cause severe damage to its target. In addition, it can spit acid to damage foes from a distance and frighten them with its terrifying presence. The Dilophosaurus is also an opportunist, using its quick reflexes to strike at any creature that comes within range of its deadly bite.

Dinosaur, Dilophosaurus

The weak skulll of this monster prevents strong jaw muscle attachments, so it uses its taloned hind feet, especially its spurs, to inflict horrible wounds on its prey while its snakey neck darts into inflict smaller bite damage.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

This slender biped has a long neck, powerful rear legs and a long darting tail. Its most noticeable feature are its two bony frills running the length of its skull.

Dilophosaurus are large carnivorous dinosaurs that have evolved several unusual hunting strategies.

A dilophosaurus stands about 5 feet high at the shoulder, and is nearly 20 feet long, although much of this is tail. It weighs about 1,000 pounds. Its head is its most unusual feature; the lower jaw is unusually thin and weak for a creature of its size, and the upper jaw has a distinctive kink near the tip of the snout, where the creature’s venom glands are located. Two bone plates run along the length of the head. Dilophosaurs are an intermediate species between ceratosaurs and coelophysises.

Dinosaur, Dilophosaurus
Large animal
Hit Dice	7d8+14 (45 hp)
Initiative	+6
Speed	50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class	16 (-1 size, +2 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple	+5/+14
Attacks	Talons +10 melee (2d6+5)
Full Attack	Talons +10 melee (2d6+5) and bite +8 melee (1d4+2 plus poison)
Space/Reach	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Poison, pounce
Special Qualities	Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves	Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities	Strength 20, Dexterity 15, Constitution 14, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 15, Charisma 11
Skills	Listen +11, Spot +11, Survival +6
Feats	Ability Focus (poison), Multiattack (B), Run, Track
Environment	Warm forest, plains and desert
Organization	Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating	5
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	8-14 HD (Large), 15-21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	–

COMBAT

Dilophosaurus are not particularly Stealthy hunters, but they do not need to be. They rely on their speed to chase down potential prey, and rake at it with their strong hind legs. On particularly large and strong prey, they deliver a venomous bite and retreat, waiting for the poison to take its effect before finishing off the wounded animal.

Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude DC 17, initial damage 1d6 Strength plus permanent blindness, secondary damage 1d6 Strength. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Pounce (Ex): If a dilophosaurus charges a foe, it can make a full attack.

Spitting Dilophosaurus

A variant dilophosaurus has a retractable neck frill and is capable of spitting its venom once every 3 rounds as a ranged touch attack with a maximum range of 10 feet.

Originally appeared in Monster Manual II (1983).