Buy me a coffeeDire Hippopotamus, (Antiquus, Behemoth, Gorgops)
“Behold the Dire Hippopotamus: a towering, river-dwelling titan with jaws strong enough to shatter bone and a temper to match the fiercest predators of the Lost World!”
The Dire Hippopotamus, is a hulking behemoth of prehistoric waterways, dwarfing its modern cousins. Its massive body, covered in thick, mud-colored hide, is scarred with the marks of countless territorial battles. Its immense jaws house teeth the size of daggers, capable of tearing through both vegetation and flesh. Its high-set, bloodshot eyes and prominent nostrils, perched atop its skull, allow it to remain submerged while watching the world above. Thick, paddle-like limbs support its colossal frame, enabling it to lumber with surprising speed across both land and water.
Behaviour
The Dire Hippopotamus is an apex aggressor, dominating its environment with sheer ferocity. Highly territorial and belligerent, it will challenge any intruder—whether predator or prey—who dares to approach its riverbank domain. Unlike modern hippos, this prehistoric titan exhibits predatory tendencies, scavenging carrion and opportunistically hunting smaller creatures. Socially, Dire Hippopotamuses form loosely organized pods of 3–5 individuals, primarily during breeding seasons, but they are solitary and fiercely independent otherwise.
Habitat
Native to sprawling, prehistoric river systems and wetlands across Pleistocene Europe, the Dire Hippopotamus thrives in regions marked by fluctuating climates. It inhabits deep river channels, expansive floodplains, and swampy deltas, where water provides safety and food. These habitats are teeming with aquatic vegetation, while nearby forests and grasslands offer a secondary food source. The creature’s thick hide and aquatic adaptations protect it from cold, while its aggressive nature ensures dominance over competitors.
Modus Operandi
A master of ambush and intimidation, the Dire Hippopotamus strikes swiftly from the water, its massive jaws clamping down with bone-crushing force. Whether protecting its territory or attacking prey, it uses a combination of brute strength and cunning. Submerging just below the surface, it waits in eerie silence, camouflaged by the murky depths. When an unsuspecting animal approaches, it erupts with explosive power, delivering a devastating charge. On land, it uses its size and weight to trample adversaries, turning its environment into a deadly arena.
Motivation
The Dire Hippopotamus operates on primal instincts of survival and dominance. Its motivation lies in ensuring control over vital resources: food, water, and breeding grounds. Protecting its territory is paramount, as it seeks to maintain access to fertile riverbanks and aquatic havens. During mating seasons, it is driven by a fierce desire to assert dominance over rivals and secure mates. Despite its wrathful tendencies, it also harbors a remarkable resilience, its every action shaped by the unforgiving world it inhabits.
Dire Hippopotamus 5e
Dire Hippopotamus Pathfinder
Dire Hippopotamus
Huge Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 525 (30d12 + 240)
Speed 50 ft., swim 70 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 (+7) | 12 (+1) | 30 (+10) | 2 (-4) | 16 (+3) | 6 (-2) |
Saving Throws Con +18, Wis +11
Skills Athletics +14, Perception +11
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages Understands Sylvan but cannot speak
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Traits
Aquatic Adaptation. The Dire Hippopotamus can breathe underwater and move through water without impediment.
Keen Smell. The Dire Hippopotamus has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Tough Hide. The Dire Hippopotamus has resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Swamp Endurance. While in water or swampy terrain, the Dire Hippopotamus regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point remaining.
Terrifying Charge. If the Dire Hippopotamus moves at least 30 feet straight toward a target and hits with a bite attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Trample. The Dire Hippopotamus can move through the space of any creature smaller than itself. The first time it enters a creature’s space on its turn, that creature must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or take 4d10 + 7 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the Hippopotamus can make a bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Multiattack. The Dire Hippopotamus makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its slam.
Bite.
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 36 (5d10 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be dragged into the Hippopotamus’s space.
Slam.
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 28 (4d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Water Spout (Recharge 5-6). The Dire Hippopotamus exhales a powerful blast of water in a 40-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 feet away and knocked prone. On a failed save, creatures take 5d10 + 7 bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, creatures take half damage and are not knocked prone.
Stomp (Recharge 5-6). The Dire Hippopotamus stomps the ground violently, creating tremors in a 30-foot radius. All creatures within that radius must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d10 + 7 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. On a successful save, creatures take half damage and are not knocked prone.
Legendary Actions
The Dire Hippopotamus 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 Dire Hippopotamus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The Dire Hippopotamus makes one slam attack.
Charge. The Dire Hippopotamus moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Reckless Roar (Costs 2 Actions). The Dire Hippopotamus lets out a terrifying roar. All creatures within 60 feet that can hear it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
Reactions
Indomitable Defense. When the Dire Hippopotamus is hit by an attack, it can use its reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to half its hit point maximum. These temporary hit points last until the end of its next turn.
Tactics
- Territorial Fury. The Dire Hippopotamus is incredibly territorial. When defending its home territory, it uses its environment to trap and overwhelm opponents, ambushing them from the water with Terrifying Charge and Water Spout to scatter groups. It focuses on knocking enemies prone and following up with devastating Bite and Trample attacks.
- Ambush Predator. It hides beneath the surface, only revealing itself when it can attack with the full weight of its momentum. The Hippopotamus uses Water Spout to scatter foes and create openings for powerful Slam or Bite attacks. In close quarters, it capitalizes on its Terrifying Charge to throw enemies into disarray.
- Unyielding Brute. The Dire Hippopotamus fights with the intent to crush, literally and figuratively. It will use Stomp to break the ground beneath its enemies, knocking them prone, then capitalize on their vulnerability with its Bite or Trample attacks.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day)
If the Dire Hippopotamus fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Description:
The Dire Hippopotamus is a towering, monstrous creature of the wildest rivers and swamps. Its immense size—nearly double the size of a normal hippo—gives it a terrifying presence, while its tusks and jaws are deadly weapons capable of tearing through most creatures. It is a brutal, territorial predator that thrives in both water and land, using its powerful limbs to crush enemies and dominate the riverbanks it calls home. With primal rage and calculated strikes, the Dire Hippopotamus moves through its world as an unstoppable force, leaving destruction in its wake.
Dire Hippopotamus
This immense behemoth of a hippo is larger than an elephant. Its teeth are like scimitars, and it moves with an indomitable gait.
The behemoth hippopotamus is a true monster. Standing taller than an elephant, this animal has few enemies in the natural world—even dinosaurs and dire crocodiles avoid fights with them. Making them even more dangerous is the fact that they are practically carnivores—while not above eating plant matter, they devour carrion or foolish creatures that come too close.
Behemoth Hippopotamus CR 10
XP 9,600
N Huge animal
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 7, flat-footed 23 (–1 Dex, +16 natural, –2 size)
hp 133 (14d8+70)
Fort +14 (+16 vs. nonmagical disease), Ref +8, Will +7
Defensive Abilities sweat
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +17 (4d8+13/19–20 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks capsize, trample (2d6+13, DC 26)
STATISTICS
Str 29, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 5
Base Atk +10; CMB +21 (+25 grapple); CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +12, Stealth +2 (+12 underwater), Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +10 Stealth underwater
SQ hold breath
ECOLOGY
Environment warm rivers
Organization solitary or bloat (2–8)
Treasure none
Section 15: Copyright Notice
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.