Buy me a coffee(Dinosaur) “Nothosaurus, the Phantom Lurker.”
“With dagger-like teeth and a serpent’s grace, the Nothosaurus lurks in the shallows—half-lizard, half-nightmare, all predator!”
The Nothosaurus is a sleek, serpentine reptile measuring up to 12 feet long, with leathery slate-gray skin that ripples with sinewy muscle. Its elongated snout is lined with interlocking, needle-like teeth, perfect for seizing slippery prey. Piercing yellow eyes sit high on its head, granting it an almost eerie awareness of its surroundings. Webbed limbs end in clawed digits, hinting at its amphibious nature. When it surfaces, its narrow skull and ridged back give it the appearance of a drifting log—until it strikes.
Behavior
Solitary and calculating, the Nothosaurus is a patient ambush predator. It spends hours lurking beneath kelp forests, shipwrecks, or river deltas, surfacing only for air or when stalking prey. Though not inherently aggressive toward humanoids, it will not hesitate to attack anything that ventures into its hunting ground. In combat, it relies on swift underwater strikes and grappling maneuvers, dragging prey into the depths to drown or disorient.
Habitat
Nothosaurus prefers warm, shallow coastal waters, lagoons, and estuaries, though it can also be found in large freshwater lakes and subterranean river systems. It often claims a specific stretch of shoreline or reef as its territory, fiercely defending it from other large predators.
Modus Operandi
The Nothosaurus strikes with precision. It waits near the surface or among rocks, motionless, then lunges with a burst of speed to clamp its jaws on prey. If threatened, it retreats into deeper water or attempts to drown larger foes by grappling them underwater. It is known to tail small boats or rafts silently, waiting for an opportunity to capsize them or snatch a struggling swimmer.
Motivation
Driven purely by instinct and hunger, the Nothosaurus exists to hunt and survive. However, ancient myths speak of certain specimens that serve as guardians of drowned temples or sunken relics, bound by magic or druidic pacts. Such beasts show an uncanny awareness of intruders and may defend sacred waters with almost supernatural intent.
“It watched us from beneath the tide. Not a ripple, not a sound—until Joren vanished in a scream and froth of blood. Gods help us, we never saw it coming.”
—Captain Elira Vane, Journal of the Foamrunner
Nothosaurus 5e
Nothosaurus, Pathfinder
Nothosaurus 3.5
Nothosaurus
Large Beast (Aquatic, Reptilian), Unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 112 (15d10 + 30)
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 2 (−4) | 14 (+2) | 6 (−2) |
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +4
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Hold Breath
The Nothosaurus can hold its breath for up to 30 minutes. It cannot breathe underwater.
Aquatic Ambusher
If the Nothosaurus surprises a creature while underwater, it has advantage on attack rolls against that creature during the first round of combat.
Slippery Predator
The Nothosaurus has advantage on saving throws against being grappled, restrained, or paralyzed.
Actions
Multiattack
The Nothosaurus makes two attacks: one with its Bite and one with its Tail Swipe.
Bite
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 18 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage.
If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the Nothosaurus cannot bite another target.
Tail Swipe
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
If the target is grappled by the Nothosaurus, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Drown and Drag (Recharge 5–6)
The Nothosaurus moves up to half its swim speed without provoking opportunity attacks, dragging any creature it is grappling with it.
At the end of this movement, if it is underwater with a grappled creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or begin suffocating and take 14 (4d6) cold damage from pressure shock.
Tactics
The Nothosaurus lurks beneath kelp beds, shipwrecks, or silted cave mouths, using stealth and surprise to seize prey. It disables targets with crushing force, then drags them into deeper water to drown or disorient. It avoids prolonged combat unless defending a nest or territory.
Nothosaurus
This horse-sized reptile has smooth skin, long jaws with needle-like teeth, webbed paws and a short fin running along its back and tail.
Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.
On this Thread
A nothosaurus is a primitive semi-aquatic reptile related to plesiosaurs.
Nothosaurs live on beaches in tropical and semi-tropical climates, and behave much like seals- spending most of their time sleeping on the shore and going into the water to feed. Despite their bulk (10 feet long and about 500 pounds), they are very graceful in the water, where they hunt small fishes and squid.
| Dinosaur, Nothosaurus | |
| Large animal | |
| Hit Dice | 4d8+8 (26 hp) |
| Initiative | +1 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 40 ft. |
| Armor Class | 13 (-1 size, +1 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +3/+11 |
| Attack | Bite +6 melee (1d8+4) |
| Full Attack | Bite +6 melee (1d8+4) |
| Space/Reach | 10 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Improved grab |
| Special Qualities | Dart, hold breath, Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2 |
| Abilities | Strength 18, Dexterity 13, Constitution 15, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 13, Charisma 7 |
| Skills | Hide -1, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, Spot +6, Swim +13 |
| Feats | Alertness, Stealthy |
| Environment | Warm aquatic |
| Organization | Solitary, pair or shoal (3-12) |
| Challenge Rating | 2 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | 5-8 HD (Large) 9-12 HD (Huge) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
COMBAT
Nothosaurs are usually not aggressive to anything larger than a fish, but during mating season the bulls do get territorial and lash out against anything in their way. If provoked, a nothosaurus attacks with its bite and its two front claws.
- Dart (Ex): Once per hour, a nothosaurus can Swim five times its normal speed (200 feet) when it makes a charge.
- Hold Breath (Ex): A nothosaurus can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
- Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a nothosaurus 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.
- Skills: A nothosaurus has a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. A nothosaurus 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.
Originally appeared in Monster Manual II (1983).
Nothosaurus
Large Animal (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 10d8+40 (85 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+19
Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d8+7 plus grab)
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d8+7 plus grab) and tail slap +7 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Grab, constrict (2d8+7), tail slap, drown and drag
Special Qualities: Hold breath 30 minutes, low-light vision, scent, slippery predator
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +4
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Perception +13, Stealth +10 (+14 underwater)
Feats: Improved Grab, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite), Toughness
Environment: Warm oceans and coastal waters
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 11–15 HD (Large); 16–20 HD (Huge)
Defense
The Nothosaurus has thick, leathery skin providing natural armor and is exceptionally agile underwater, making it difficult to pin down.
Offense
The Nothosaurus is a stealthy underwater predator. It uses its tail to knock prey off balance and its powerful jaws to grasp and constrict victims. It drags struggling prey underwater to drown them.
Statistics
- Hold Breath (Ex): The Nothosaurus can hold its breath for 30 minutes, but it cannot breathe underwater.
- Slippery Predator (Ex): Gains a +4 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks and a +4 racial bonus on saving throws against grapple and restraint.
- Low-Light Vision: Can see twice as far as a human in dim light.
Special Attacks
- Grab (Ex): To use grab, the Nothosaurus must hit with a bite attack. If successful, it can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. It can grapple creatures up to Large size.
- Constrict (Ex): Deals 2d8+7 damage when grappling.
- Tail Slap (Ex): The Nothosaurus can make a melee attack with its tail to damage and push back foes.
- Drown and Drag (Ex): Recharge 5–6. The Nothosaurus can move up to half its swim speed while dragging a grappled opponent. At the end of this movement, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or begin to suffocate, taking 4d6 damage per round until rescued or dead.
Tactics
In combat, the Nothosaurus attempts to ambush prey from underwater cover such as kelp forests or reefs. It tries to hit with a bite, initiate a grapple, then use constrict damage and drag its victim underwater to drown them. The tail slap is used to knock away potential threats or multiple foes.
If outnumbered or heavily wounded, the Nothosaurus will attempt to retreat to deeper waters to recover.
Ecology
Nothosaurs are ancient marine reptiles that thrive in warm coastal waters. They are apex predators with keen senses, hunting fish, smaller sea creatures, and occasionally land animals that venture near the water. Despite their ferocity, they avoid direct confrontation with intelligent creatures unless defending territory or young.