Paracyclotosaurus

Huge Amphibious Beast (Temnospondyli), Unaligned

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Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 136 (16d12 + 32)

Speed 30 ft., Swim 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	2 (-4)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)

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Skills Perception +3

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13

Languages Understands Draconic and Aquan, but can’t speak

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

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Amphibious. It can breathe both air and water.

Hold Breath. It can hold its breath for up to 30 minutes.

Water Dependency. While fully immersed in water, the Paracyclotosaurus gains a +1 bonus to AC.

Keen Smell. It has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

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Multiattack. It can make three attacks: one with its bite and two with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Swallow. The Paracyclotosaurus makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Paracyclotosaurus, and it takes 27 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the Paracyclotosaurus’s turns.

If the Paracyclotosaurus takes 50 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Paracyclotosaurus must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the swallowed creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the Paracyclotosaurus. If the Paracyclotosaurus dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

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Actions

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the Paracyclotosaurus’s choice that is within 120 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. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the Paracyclotosaurus’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Swamp Camouflage. It has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain.

Tail Grapple. It makes one tail attack and, if it hits, the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the Paracyclotosaurus can’t use its tail on another target.

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Reactions

Deflect Missile. It can expend its reaction to catch and deflect a missile when hit by a ranged weapon attack. When the Paracyclotosaurus makes a successful Dexterity saving throw against a ranged weapon attack, it can reduce the damage by 1d10 + 5.

Devourer’s Reflex. When a creature makes an attack against the Paracyclotosaurus with a melee weapon, the Paracyclotosaurus can use its reaction to make a bite attack against the creature.

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Legendary Actions

It can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Paracyclotosaurus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Tail Swipe. It makes a tail attack.
• Rush (Costs 2 Actions). It moves up to its speed in a straight line and makes one tail attack at the end of that move.
• Muddy Vortex (Costs 3 Actions). The Paracyclotosaurus whips its tail against the ground, causing a muddy spray to erupt in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and restrained until the end of the Paracyclotosaurus’s next turn. The area within the cone becomes difficult terrain until it’s cleaned.

Paracyclotosaurus

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.  
On this Thread

Paracyclotosaurus are giant amphibians although they can live on dry land, They spend most of its time in water. A fish-eater, it lies just below the surface of the water. When an unsuspecting fish come within reach of its jaws, It lifts its massive head, its mouth opened wide and the fish was sucked inside. It was 6–8 feet long, and it lived in the Triassic period.   Paracyclotosaurus is a larger relative of eryops. Spending more of its time in the water, it is a faster swimmer, but extremely slow on land.   A paracyclotosaurus is 6 to 8 feet long, weighing around 300 pounds.  

Paracyclotosaurus
Medium animal (Aquatic)
Hit Dice	3d8+15 (28 hp)
Initiative	+0
Speed	5 ft. (1 square), Swim 70 ft.
Armor Class	13 (+3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple	+2/+6
Attack	Bite +6 melee (1d10+6)
Full Attack	Bite +6 melee (1d10+6)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Improved grab, swallow whole, vortex maw
Special Qualities	Amphibious, Low-Light Vision
Saves	Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities	Strength 19, Dexterity 10, Constitution 21, Intelligence 1, Wisdom 11, Charisma 5
Skills	Hide +10*, Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Spot +3, Swim +11
Feats	Alertness, Stealthy
Environment	Warm marshes
Organization	Solitary
Challenge Rating	3
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	4-5 HD (Medium), 6-9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	–

COMBAT

Like a crocodile, it often hides the bulk of its body underwater, with only its eyes and nostrils breaking the surface. It sucks fish and other small prey into its huge mouth, swallowing them whole.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a paracyclotosaurus must hit an opponent of up to one size smaller 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 check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

Swallow Whole (Ex): It can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to two sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 1d10+4 points of bludgeoning damage and 1d4 points of acid damage per round from the gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 10 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 11). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A Medium paracyclotosaurus’s gizzard can hold 2 Tiny, 8 Diminutive, or 16 Fine opponents.

Vortex Maw (Ex): It can open its mouth so quickly that it creates a powerful suction. All creatures within a 10-foot cone must make Strength checks opposed by the paracyclotosaurus’s Strength check (+4 for a standard paracyclotosaurus), with the same modifiers as a bull rush. If the paracyclotosaurus beats a creature’s Strength check result, it pulls the victim 5 feet closer to its jaws. For each 5 points by which its check result is greater than a victim’s check result, the paracyclotosaurus pulls the victim an additional 5 feet closer. The victim provokes attacks of opportunity if it is moved.

Skills: It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

_{*A paracyclotosaurus gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in the water. Further, a paracyclotosaurus can lie in the water with only its eyes and nostrils showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.}

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #112 (1986) as “Labrynthodont”.