Buy me a coffee(Dinosaur) Ankylosaurus, the Living Bulwark
Armored like a tank and swinging a tail like a wrecking ball, Ankylosaurus is the prehistoric bruiser no predator wants to mess with!
Ankylosaurus resembles a walking fortress—massive, low to the ground, and entirely clad in thick, bony plates known as osteoderms. Its broad, muscular body is protected by layered armor from snout to tail, with rows of blunt spikes jutting from its flanks. Its most iconic feature is a colossal tail club—fused bone and muscle—that it swings with shocking force. Small eyes peer from beneath a low-slung, shielded skull, often covered in additional ridged plating.
Behaviour:
Despite its intimidating build, Ankylosaurus is a passive herbivore. It spends its days slowly foraging through low-lying vegetation, often alone or in loosely associated groups. Cautious but not fearful, it ignores most creatures unless approached too closely or threatened. Once provoked, however, it transforms into a living siege engine—lowering its stance and swinging its tail with calculated precision to break bones and shatter predators.
Habitat:
Ankylosaurus roams the temperate river valleys, conifer forests, and open woodlands of the Late Cretaceous. It prefers areas with thick undergrowth, ferns, and cycads, where its low, wide body can move with surprising ease beneath the canopy. It often uses well-worn trails and rests in shallow, natural hollows where its armored back remains exposed while it sleeps.
Modus Operandi:
When sensing danger, Ankylosaurus holds its ground, turning its armored flanks and tail toward a threat. If attacked, it retaliates with a powerful swing from its clubbed tail, aiming for the legs or ribs of its enemy. It avoids prolonged chases or pursuits, relying on endurance and impenetrable defense to outlast attackers. It will defend its territory or offspring ferociously, especially against predators that test its perimeter.
Motivation:
Ankylosaurus is driven by simple survival instincts: feeding, defending its range, and avoiding unnecessary conflict. However, if cornered or if its path is blocked, it shows no hesitation in using overwhelming force. In a fantasy context, some cultures may revere it as a sacred beast of protection or use its bones and armor in powerful relics.
Ankylosaurus 5e
Ankylosaurus 5e
Ankylosaurus, Pathfinder
Ankylosaurus
Huge Beast, Unaligned
CR 6 (2,300 XP) • Proficiency Bonus +3
Armor Class 18 (armored hide)
Hit Points 126 (12d12 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 (+5) | 9 (–1) | 19 (+4) | 2 (–4) | 14 (+2) | 5 (–3) |
Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +5
Skills Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages —
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Traits
Natural Fortress.
The Ankylosaurus cannot be knocked prone. Its armor plating gives it resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Critical hits against it only occur on a natural 20.
Tail Club.
The Ankylosaurus’s tail is a devastating weapon. Any creature hit by it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and have its speed reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn.
Low Center of Gravity.
The Ankylosaurus has advantage on any saving throw or ability check to resist being moved or shoved.
Trample Resistance.
The Ankylosaurus has advantage on Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone or displace it.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Ankylosaurus makes one Tail Club attack and one Body Slam if both targets are within reach.
Tail Club.
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target
Hit: 26 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage
If the target is a Large creature or smaller, it must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and stunned until the start of its next turn if it fails by 5 or more.
Body Slam.
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) bludgeoning damage
The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be winded (disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saves until the end of its next turn).
Tail Sweep (Recharge 5–6).
The Ankylosaurus sweeps its tail in a wide arc. Each creature within a 10-foot radius behind or to the side of it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Creatures that fail are also knocked prone.
Tactics
- Sentinel Beast: Stands its ground to guard territory or a chosen location, acting as a natural wall against aggressors.
- Reactive Striker: Waits for close-range threats and unleashes area denial attacks with Tail Sweep.
- Zone Control: Blocks tight terrain and makes it dangerous for enemies to maneuver freely near it.
- Retreat Crusher: Targets fleeing or repositioning enemies with devastating tail attacks.
Optional Variant: Sacred Guardian
In sacred or druidic settings, an Ankylosaurus might serve as a protector of ancient places.
Spell Immunity.
The Ankylosaurus is immune to Entangle, Hold Monster, and Earthbind.
Territorial Rage (Legendary Action).
Once per round, when a creature harms the environment or an ally within 20 feet, the Ankylosaurus can make one Tail Club attack.
Lair Trait – Earthen Wake.
While in its lair, the Ankylosaurus causes the ground within 30 feet of it to become difficult terrain for other creatures.
Dinosaur, Ankylosaurus
Family: Dinosaurs
Huge beast, unaligned
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 95 (10d12 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 (+5) | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 2 (-4) | 10 (+0) | 6 (-2) |
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
ACTIONS
- Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and Large or smaller targets must succeed on a DC 16 Strength check or be knocked prone and stunned until the end of their next turn.
ABOUT
Ankylosauruses are four-legged herbivores that graze on low-lying vegetation along the jungle’s margins, be they the edge of the jungle, glades, or the banks of streams. Their bodies are encased in thick, scaly armor that features many points along the edges and down the back. Their tails are long and held aloft behind them. These tails are often tipped with a bony head although some have fluted spikes, but they are always strong and flexible. Ankylosauruses are irritable and nearsighted; they prefer to feel out strange creatures with a few tail whacks, just to be careful.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Tome of Horrors 2020, (C) 2020, Necromancer Games
Thick bony plates armor the domelike back of this quadrupedal dinosaur, its powerfully muscled tail ending in a bony club.
| [This content was created for the Pathfinder rules by Paizo Publishing LLC and is part of the Pathfinder RPG product line.] |
The ankylosaurus is a powerful, squat dinosaur more than capable of defending itself against enemies. Its back is heavily armored with thick bony plates and spikes. A solid blow from an ankylosaurus’s tail can leave most creatures stunned long enough for the armored dinosaur to make good an escape, although once confronted, most ankylosauruses are too ill-tempered and stubborn to flee. Instead, they stand their ground and use their tails to great effect in battle. An ankylosaurus is 30 feet long and weighs 6,000 pounds.
| Ankylosaurus CR 6 |
| XP 2,400 N Huge animal Init +0; Senses Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +14 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 22, touch 8, flat-footed 22 (+14 natural, -2 size) hp 75 (10d8+30) Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +4 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee tail +14 (3d6+12 plus stun) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 27, Dexterity 10, Constitution 17, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 13, Charisma 8 Base Atk +7; CMB +17; CMD 27 (31 vs. trip) Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail) Skills Perception +14 |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Stun (Ex) The ankylosaurus’s tail can deliver a powerful, stunning blow. A creature struck by this attack must make a DC 23 Fortitude save or be dazed for 1 round. If the strike is a critical hit and the target fails its save, it is instead stunned for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Strength-based. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment warm forests and plains Organization solitary, pair, or herd (3-12) Treasure none |
Ankylosaurus Companions
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; AC +9 natural armor; Attack tail (1d6); Ability Scores Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 9, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 8; Special Qualities Low-Light Vision, Scent.
7th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Attack tail (2d6); Ability Scores Strength +8, Dexterity
2, Constitution +4; Special Qualities stun.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Bestiary 2
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.