Jab's Dinosaur Builds!: Plateosaurus! Europasaurus!

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab's Animal Builds (Kiwi! Rhea! Emu! Cassowary!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Gamebook wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:13 pm I got very close to one of these at the zoo once, it was just behind a chest-high wooden fence. It was like being in the presence of a dinosaur, the great scaly, clawed feet squishing in the mud of its enclosure (the enclosure was almost completely filled with solid undergrowth about ten feet high, I'd never have seen it if it hadn't come out to have a close look back at me).
Yeah, the Ratites are by far the most dinosaur-like in terms of their feet- it makes me wonder why it took paleontologists so long to figure the link out.
Jabroniville
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Ostrich

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

OSTRICH (Struthio camelus)
Role:
Largest Bird Alive, Odd Mount
PL 4 (37)- Minion Rank 3, Sidekick Rank 8
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+8)
Close Combat (Kick) 1 (+3)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+5)
Intimidation 5 (+2)
Perception 5 (+5)

Advantages:
Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Kick)

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Extended & Low-Light Vision) [2]
Speed 3 (16 mph) [3]

"Powerful Kick" Strength-Damage +1 [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Kick +3 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +0

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +4, Fortitude +6, Will +3

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.
Enemy (Lions, Jaguars, Hyenas, Cheetahs)- Ostrich are numerous and large enough to be ideal prey to numerous large predators.

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 2 / Powers: 6 / Defenses: 9 (37)

Era: Modern
Range: African plains
Stereotypes: Skittish & Panicky.
Colouring: Black & white with pink skin
Size: Up to 9.5 feet tall (220-350 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Mixed-sex herds
Diet: Seeds & flowers, sometimes insects
Tactics: Flee using speed, or kick with powerful legs.

-Ostriches are goofy-looking, but still rather dangerous animals, strong enough to allow humans to ride them, and they can run at 45 mph for up to half an hour. Ostriches have the largest eggs of any land animal today- only extinct creatures like the Moa & Elephant Bird laid larger ones outside of the Dinosaurs themselves. Their feathers are often used in decoration or as feather dusters, and their meat is prized for being lean. Unusually for birds, they only have two-toed feet- almost all other birds have four. Despite that, they are the fastest runners of the avians. They are overall very well adapted to dry habitats, having long eyelashes to protect from dust and sand.

-Ostriches are overall PL 4 animals. It's basically big, strong and tough, but not TOO tough- a human with a weapon can still kill one, and most major predators would easily eat one for lunch if not for their tremendous speed. They're a bit too powerful as adults for a single Cheetah to dare take on alone, which is why one was definitely not expecting it when three BROTHERS came calling (you could actually see the Ostrich's mind process working itself out- he kind of half-assedly jogged when he saw the first. Then all of a sudden he realizes there's THREE of them, and he starts running with interest... far, far too late. The three were on him in moments, and two weighed him down while one choked him to death).
Jabroniville
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Moa

Post by Jabroniville »

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Image
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GIANT MOA (Dinornis)
Role:
Largest Bird Alive, Odd Mount
PL 5 (46)- Minion Rank 3, Sidekick Rank 10
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH 5 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+8)
Close Combat (Kick) 2 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 7 (+4 Size)
Perception 5 (+5)

Advantages:
Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Kick)

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Extended & Low-Light Vision) [2]
Speed 3 (16 mph) [3]

"Powerful Kick" Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Reach) [2]

"Natural Size" Growth 1 (Str & Sta +1, +1 Mass, +0 Intimidation, -0 Dodge/Parry, -1 Stealth) -- (8 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [3]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Kick +3 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Initiative +0

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +5, Fortitude +8, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 2 / Powers: 10 / Defenses: 13 (46)

Era: Up till several centuries ago
Range: Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand
Stereotypes: None (too unknown). Probably like Ostriches.
Colouring: Brown
Size: Up to 12 feet tall (400-600 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Mixed-sex herds
Diet: Seeds & flowers.
Tactics: Flee using speed, or kick with powerful legs.

-The Moas are an extinct species very similar to the Ostrich, living around the Southern Asia area & Australia. Huge, 12-foot bipedal birds, they were extremely strong & heavy, but hunted to extinction by humans, likely because they were big, fat and unused to humans, and thus relatively-easy prey to spear-wielding people compared to smaller, more stealthy creatures. Previously categorized with the Ratites (since they look nearly identical), it's been genetically compared most-closely with the tiny Tinamous of South America, which can fly. Moa, by contrast, are the only birds without wings at all. There are nine recognized species, spread out all over New Zealand- this makes them strong candidates for "Island Gigantism", where creatures evolve without predators and thus their size is never checked.

-It's a PL 5 version of an Ostrich, essentially, packing more power and some Growth onto the frame.
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Ken
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Re: Ostrich

Post by Ken »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue Oct 26, 2021 2:10 am OSTRICH (Struthio camelus)

-Ostriches are overall PL 4 animals. It's basically big, strong and tough, but not TOO tough- a human with a weapon can still kill one, and most major predators would easily eat one for lunch if not for their tremendous speed. They're a bit too powerful as adults for a single Cheetah to dare take on alone, which is why one was definitely not expecting it when three BROTHERS came calling (you could actually see the Ostrich's mind process working itself out- he kind of half-assedly jogged when he saw the first. Then all of a sudden he realizes there's THREE of them, and he starts running with interest... far, far too late. The three were on him in moments, and two weighed him down while one choked him to death).
I can't blame the cheetahs. Ostriches are quite tasty. Tastes not dissimilar to beef, but is more akin to chicken or turkey as far as health benefits.
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Ken
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Re: Moa

Post by Ken »

Jabroniville wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:57 am Image

GIANT MOA (Dinornis)
Role:
Largest Bird Alive, Odd Mount
They look interesting, but I've always wondered what Billy Idol would have done with them if he had gotten them in the midnight hour like he wanted.
In the midnight hour, I want moa, moa, moa!
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Terror Birds

Post by Jabroniville »

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Image

TERROR BIRD (Phorusrhacid)
Role:
Freakish Extinct Super-Bird
PL 8 (61)- Minion Rank 5, Sidekick Rank 13
Normal Version:
PL 6
STRENGTH 6 STAMINA 6 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+10)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 3 (+7)
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 10 (+8 Size)
Perception 5 (+5)
Stealth 6 (+6)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons) 2, Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Extended & Low-Light Vision) [2]
Speed 3 (16 mph) [3]

"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +2 [2]

"Natural Size" Growth 2 (Str & Sta +2, +2 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -2 Stealth) -- (8 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [5]

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Natural Weapons +7 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +6, Fortitude +8, Will +5

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: 14 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 12 / Defenses: 14 (61)

Era: Cenozoic Era
Range: North & South America
Colouring: Unknown
Size: Up to 9 feet tall (300-900 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Meat from various sources.
Tactics: Kick with powerful legs, or eviscerate with beak

-Yes, this is a ten-foot bird that eats meat. And yes, it lived at the same time as human beings. HOWEVER, it seems that our ball-shrinking fear at such terrifying animals was not responsible for their demise, as they died out a million years before humans reached the new world. Less known than most dinosaurs, these were basically big theropods in many ways, but possessed large, coconut-cracking beaks instead of pointy saurian teeth. They could do untold amounts of damage, but probably weren't the fighters that Raptors were (they lacked hands, for one thing- and probably couldn't leap about either, weighing up to 400 kg- something like 900 lbs). Their heights and weights tend to vary (some are quite small), but Brontornis is the biggest, and the fairly well-known Gastornis of Patagonia is considerably smaller (a paltry 6'6" or so), but still powerful. Debates rage about all of the Terror Birds, however- some paleontologists placing them all in different families or orders, debating how Gastornis fed (lacking a beak-hook, it may not have been a predator at all), and where all the animals fit. But I chose to make them all around this tier- Gastornis, Brontornis, Kelenken (which had a longer beak and more slender build, but was the tallest of the lot), and more.

-At PL 7.5, they're basically elite, super-predatory versions of Ostriches. Big, strong and fast, they can similarly take up a Raptor-like role in a campaign that shoots a bit short of the Age of Dinosaurs, and are a nice surprise- everyone expects Raptor minions these days, but gigantic Terror Birds? Not so much. They're more or less equal to most Big Cats, but lack some defense- a full-grown Phorusrhacid would never dare attack a Smilodon.
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Seriemas

Post by Jabroniville »

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SERIEMAS
Role:
Long-Legged Relics
PL 1 (24)- Minion Rank 2, Sidekick Rank 3
Normal Version:
PL 0
STRENGTH -5 STAMINA -4 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 8 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Intimidation 10 (+3 Size)
Perception 4 (+4)
Stealth 0 (+9 Size)

Advantages:
Close Attack 3

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended Scent, Low-Light & Extended Vision) [3]
"Beak" Strength-Damage +1 [1]

"Weak Flight" Leaping 1 (15 feet) [1]
Speed 2 (8 mph) [2]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (-5 Damage, DC 10)
Beak +5 (-4 Damage, DC 11)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness -4, Fortitude +0, Will +1

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their wings & beaks to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -22 / Skills: 28--14 / Advantages: 3 / Powers: 24 / Defenses: 5 (24)

Era: Modern Day
Range: South America
Stereotypes: N/A.
Colouring: Tawny-brown.
Size: Up to 2 feet tall (1-5 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Small flocks (often huge in factory farming).
Diet: Usually seeds & grains, also tiny animals.
Tactics: Flee rapidly, occasionally batter with pointy beak.

-Seriemas are the sole survivors of an Order that is closely linked to the extinct Terror Birds. Now existing as long-legged, 1-5 lb. predators, the Seriemas are effectively South America's answer to the Secretary Bird. Only two species remain- the Red-Legged and Black-Legged Seriemas- the latter are smaller (less than 2 lbs.). Their prey are usually bugs, snakes and rodents.

-As tiny predators, Seriemas aren't that hardcore.
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Tinamous

Post by Jabroniville »

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Brazilian Tinamou.

TINAMOUS
Role:
Ground-Based Bird
PL 1 (17)- Minion Rank 2, Sidekick Rank 5
Normal Version:
PL 0
STRENGTH -5 STAMINA -4 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 0 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 8 (+4)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Intimidation 8 (+1 Size)
Perception 4 (+4)
Stealth 0 (+9 Size)

Advantages:
Close Attack 2

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended Scent, Low-Light & Extended Vision) [3]
"Beak" Strength-Damage +1 [1]

Flight 2 (8 mph) (Flaws: Winged) (2) -- [3]
  • AE: Speed 2 (8 mph) (2)
"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (-5 Damage, DC 10)
Beak +2 (-4 Damage, DC 11)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness -4, Fortitude +0, Will +0

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their wings & beaks to easily manipulate objects.
Power Loss (Flight- Long Distances)- Tinamous can fly, but only do so for short bursts. Some only for 100 meters, and others for longer.

Total: Abilities: -26 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 2 / Powers: 24 / Defenses: 4 (17)

Era: Modern Day
Range: South & Central America.
Stereotypes: N/A.
Colouring: Brown camouflage.
Size: Up to 15 inches long (1 ounce to 4 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Small groups.
Diet: Usually seeds & grains, fruit & insects.
Tactics: Flee rapidly, occasionally batter with pointy beak.

-Tinamous are a South American order of birds of about 46 species in one family. They are actually closely related to the Ratites (Ostriches and stuff), meaning basal ratites could likely fly as these can. They have cryptic plumage and are active by day, but are mostly shy animals. They're mostly about 10-11 inches long and don't weigh very much, so are another low-tier bird, but they can vary a bit in size- the Dwarf Tinamou is smallest at 1 ounce, and the Grey Tinamou is largest at 4.4 lbs.
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Birds of Prey

Post by Jabroniville »

CLASS- FALCONIFORMES:
-These are the Birds of Prey, featuring in myth and legend. Of course, relationships weren't always great with them (many are endangered- even ones we LIKE), as all of our pollutants and garbage tends to mess up the air as fast as it messes up the water. The Class has five Orders- Falcons, Eagles/Hawks, the Condors, the Secretary Birds, and the Ospreys. The Owls are a separate pair of Orders- the Strigiformes. All of them are known for their keen eyesight, sharp talons, and hooked beaks, ideal for stabbing and sheering meat. Most of them aren't dangerous to humans- they're physically quite small and weak, and don't naturally hunt or eat people, but they can still cause horrific wounds.

-Oh yeah, and they're considered by most half-decent scientists to be the closest living descendants on the DINOSAURS- that mightiest and coolest of all animal groups. So they definitely have that going for them. In retrospect, it's kind of hard to imagine why it took them so long- have you SEEN the feet of an Emu?

-PL-wise, they're mid-level, around the Dogs, but leaning towards accuracy rather than sheer damage. Most don't do more damage than a normal human's punches, but they're a fair bit scarier. Most of their prey is small, such as fish (often dive-bombed straight into the water, like Ospreys do), small birds (pigeons & ducks), or carrion. Some especially large creatures (like the Eagles) can attack and kill creatures as large as Deer or Mountain Goats! PLs will be PL 3-ish for small ones (about what a Wildcat's PL is- they are comparable, and neither would likely mess with the other), then slowly upgrade to PL 5 status. Like most birds, their main issue is that they are quite delicate.
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Kites

Post by Jabroniville »

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Black-Shouldered & Swallow-Tailed Kite.

KITES
Role:
Fast Fliers, Mouse-Eaters
PL 3 (48)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 10
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -4 STAMINA -3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 3 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+3)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Perception 10 (+10)

Advantages:
Evasion, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +3 [3]
Flight 7 (60 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [7]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-4 Damage, DC 11)
Natural Weapons +6 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness -3, Fortitude +1, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -8 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 30 / Defenses: 9 (48)

Era: Modern
Range: Worldwide.
Stereotypes: None.
Colouring: Various (usually brown & white).
Size: Up to 20 inches long (1-4 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Insects, small mammals & reptiles.
Tactics: Chase at high-speeds and disable, or dive-bomb from a "stoop".

-Kites are one type of Falconiforme, part of the "Hawk" family. They are noted for having weaker beaks and talons than other Birds of Prey, and for having forked tails and wings longer than the tail- this allows for hovering or soaring. As specialized rodent-hunters, they are often more populous than larger, more charismatic Birds of Prey, and can more readily take advantage of human habitats- the Black-Shouldered Kite of Australia, for example, increased its numbers thanks to the introduction of house mice into the country by white settlers, often bursting into huge numbers as a result of mouse plagues. The only rare one is the White-Collared Kite of Brazil, which has been reduced to less than 300 animals thanks to deforestation in its small region.

-Kites include the Red Kite (European carrion-eater), Black Kite (throughout the entire Old World), Black-Winged Kite (widespread throughout Africa & South Asia), Black-Shouldered Kite (Australia), White-Tailed Kite (South America), Swallow-Tailed Kite (South America, named for its large forked tail), Pearl Kite (smallest bird of prey of the Americas at only 90 grams) and the Bat Hawk, named for its choice of prey. There are about 24 species in all.

-Being small, Kites take smaller prey than other Birds of Prey, and are a lower PL overall- their typical prey include insects and rodents. With Toughness -2 or -3 in general, they are among the weakest predators in the world, but their lifestyle doesn't require much toughness.
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Osprey

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
Role:
Fish-Eater, Small Bird of Prey
PL 3 (52)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 11
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -3 STAMINA -3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+3)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Perception 10 (+10)

Advantages:
Evasion, Fast Grab, Favored Foe (Fish), Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +3 [3]
Flight 7 (60 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [7]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-3 Damage, DC 12)
Natural Weapons +6 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness -3, Fortitude +1, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -6 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 30 / Defenses: 8 (52)

Era: Modern
Range: Worldwide.
Stereotypes: None.
Colouring: Various (usually brown & white).
Size: Up to 20 inches long (2-4 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Fish (almost exclusively)
Tactics: Chase at high-speeds and disable, or dive-bomb from a "stoop".

-The Osprey is a fish-eating Bird of Prey, and the only one with a reversible outer toe, allowing it to grip prey with two toes in front, and two in the back. The same species occurs almost globally, hitting every continent but Antarctica- a true testament to how well it's designed. The Chinese made them a symbol of monogamy for their mating habits, the Romans imagined that parents forced their young to fly to the sun as a test and dispatched those who failed, and Shakespeare mentions a myth that Osprey so transfixed fish that they raised their bellies in supplication.

-Ospreys are small, but fish-catching specialists.
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Kestrel

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

KESTRELS
Role:
Small Bird of Prey
PL 3 (48)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 10
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -4 STAMINA -3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 3 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+3)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Perception 10 (+10)

Advantages:
Evasion, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +3 [3]
Flight 7 (60 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [7]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-4 Damage, DC 11)
Natural Weapons +6 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness -3, Fortitude +1, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -10 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 30 / Defenses: 9 (48)

Era: Modern
Range: Worldwide.
Stereotypes: None.
Colouring: Usually brown & white.
Size: Up to 20 inches long (around a pound)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Rodents, lizards, large insects.
Tactics: Swoop down from a soaring position.

-The name "Kestrel" goes to a certain type of Falcon, mostly separated for their habit of soaring 30-60 feet above the ground before diving onto small prey. Not all are super-closely related- there are three grey species from Madagascar that are named Kestrels for similar habits. The American Kestrel is the only New World species termed that, but is more closely related to other birds like the Peregrine Falcon- it's also called the "Sparrow Hawk" for its taste in bird prey, and is a popular starter bird for falconers, as it's lightweight (America's smallest bird of prey, in fact) and intelligent. The small Lesser Kestrel may be the most widespread, crossing much of Asia and wintering in Africa.

-Kestrels share stats with the Kites, being less than a pound generally. It's just not large enough to take a hit.
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Peregrine Falcon

Post by Jabroniville »

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Image

PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus)
Role:
World's Fastest Animal, Divebomber
PL 4 (57)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 12
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -3 STAMINA -3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+3)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 4 (+8)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Perception 10 (+10)

Advantages:
Evasion, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +3 [3]

Flight 8 (120 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [8]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-3 Damage, DC 12)
Natural Weapons +8 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness -3, Fortitude +1, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -6 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 31 / Defenses: 12 (57)

Era: Modern
Range: All land masses but Antarctica
Stereotypes: Speedy. Voiceless predators.
Colouring: Brown, yellow & white
Size: Up to 20 inches long (1-4 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Medium-sized birds (especially pigeons).
Tactics: Chase at high-speeds and disable, or dive-bomb from a "stoop".

-The Falcons are in the middle-ground of Birds of Prey as far as size goes, but the Peregrine is an iconic flier- the fastest flying animal in history, reaching speeds of up to 200 mph in a stoop (dive), hunting down other birds like lightning from the sky. It does lethal damage with its beak and talons, crippling the animals- they must soon land, and are thus easier to finish off. They are extremely common, spread across most of the world save Antarctica- it is in fact the world's most widespread raptor. They are highly adaptable, living mostly along coastlines and mountain ragnges, but increasingly moving to cities- pigeons make easy prey. Their prey tends to vary widely considering its range, but mostly consists of medium-sized birds. Though Peregrines in North America will prey on anything from a Hummingbird to a Sandhill Crane, most prey consists of pigeons (their favorite city-born prey), small songbirds of the passerine family, and Ducks.

-Peregrines have been used in falconry for 3,000 years, being one of the most admired and readily-available species. The Japanese term for these is "Hayabusa"- a show of the respect given to this animal is that the pro wrestler Hayabusa, Ninja Gaiden hero Ryu Hayabusa, and the Hayabusa motorcycle are all named for them.

-This Falcon is PL 4.5 in most of it's balances, having terrific accuracy and defensive power because of it's relatively small size and natural agility. It's Natural Weapons are kind of a "waste" of points, but I felt that since they're Strength-based in real life, I'd go with a Strength-Damage instead of a straight-up Damage effect, which is cheaper, but goes against reality.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Falcons

Post by Jabroniville »

Image
Image

Gyrfalcon & Merlin.

FALCONS
Role:
Fast Birds of Prey
PL 4 (57)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 12
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -3 STAMINA -3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+3)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 4 (+8)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Perception 10 (+10)

Advantages:
Evasion, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Improved Hold

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +3 [3]

Flight 8 (120 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [8]

"Tiny Size" Shrinking 8 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) -- (1 foot) [17]
(-2 Strength, +4 Defenses, +8 Stealth, -4 Intimidation, -1 Speed)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-3 Damage, DC 12)
Natural Weapons +8 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness -3, Fortitude +1, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Birds cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: -6 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 31 / Defenses: 12 (57)

Era: Modern
Range: All land masses but Antarctica
Stereotypes: Speedy. Voiceless predators.
Colouring: Brown, yellow & white
Size: Up to 20 inches long (1-4 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Medium-sized birds (especially pigeons).
Tactics: Chase at high-speeds and disable, or dive-bomb from a "stoop".

-Falcons are a large genus of small Birds of Prey- unlike eagles and hawks, they kill with their beaks instead of talons. Small falcons with long wings are called "Hobbies", and soaring ones are called "Kestrels". The smallest is the Little Falcon, and the largest the white Gyrfalcon, though even that one is only about 4 lbs. maximum. Gyrfalcons will actually chase prey from a horizontal position, dispatching it on the ground (even grounding flying birds). Gyrfalcons were famous in falconry for being the hardest birds to attain, being only from northern climates. Bat Falcons hail from South American and are specialized bat-hunters. The Merlin is also a specialized hunter, earning it the nickname "Pigeon Hawk", though they usually take sparrows & quails. The name is a coincidence and not related to the Arthurian wizard, whose name is a corruption of a Welsh name. Brown, Black & Grey Falcons are small falcons from Australia- the Browns are smallest and usually take small mammals, while Black Falcons specialize in hunting other birds- Magpies, Starlings, Honeyeaters and more.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Hawks

Post by Jabroniville »

HAWKS:
-Hawks are closely related to Eagles, but are about the size of Falcons. They typically hunt from stealthy positions or rapidly chasing down prey, dispatching them via sharp talons. Females are nearly always larger, by about 25% or so. There are two different families- Accipiter (Goshawks, Sparrowhawks, etc.) and Buteo (Buzzards, Red-Tailed Hawks, etc.).
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