[3.5] Best Animal For Primeval

[Thurbane]

Is there a primeval handbook out there?

Just wondering what some good Primeval Forms for a medium primeval might be? Since you have to pick one form and stick with it, it's an important choice.

Dire Lion seems to be the best, unless I'm missing anything? What else is good? Megaraptor? Dire Boar? Cave Ankylosaurus?

Just looking for general ideas and feedback.

Cheers - T

[Sutr]

Giant Octopus? Generally the same animals that are good to summon so big cats, bears for grappling.

[noce]

In Frostburn there is a sabertooth tiger. I don't remember if it is a legal form, but it is worth checking.

[Thurbane]

Giant Octopus? Generally the same animals that are good to summon so big cats, bears for grappling.

Not sure giant octopus would qualify as "a prehistoric animal of some sort", but maybe? I guess they've been around a long time. Would be of limited use on land, though...


In Frostburn there is a sabertooth tiger. I don't remember if it is a legal form, but it is worth checking.

9HD unfortunately, and Primeval caps at 8HD.

[Sutr]

I dont think primeval changed your breathing? The tentacles should always be useful.

They are definitely prehistoric though they have been around for a very long time.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A Dire Lion is 8 HD, flavor it as a mountain lion.

Polar Bear and Rhinoceros are both 8 HD.

Cave Ankylosaurus and Cave Triceratops in Miniatures Handbook are 7 HD and 8 HD, respectively.

[Aniikinis]

I guess they've been around a long time.

...That's underselling it. They've been around since before bony fish were the main thing in the seas, longer if you count nautilus.

Anyways, what about a Dire Boar to represent the Hell Pig? It's not as good as a lion but it's terrifying to face down due to ferocity and long tusks.

[ZamielVanWeber]

...That's underselling it. They've been around since before bony fish were the main thing in the seas, longer if you count nautilus.
Octopi's ancestors appear in the Carboniferous while placoderms are from the Silurian, so not quite there.

If you do not gain the aquatic subtype you end up turning into an octopus that can only breathe air.

[Aniikinis]

Octopi's ancestors appear in the Carboniferous while placoderms are from the Silurian, so not quite there.

I was more referencing cephalopods in general, but true.

[Thurbane]

If you were a large Primeval (say, a Half-Ogre from RoD), then you could assume up to Huge forms, right?

The options there are pretty underwhelming: Giant Crocodile, Dire Snake, Huge Viper and Huge Sea Snake.

[ZamielVanWeber]

The HD limit is the big factor in holding primeval form down. I can respect such a harsh limit but it creates a very narrow band of effective forms.

[Thurbane]

Found one more huge animal in the HD range: Dragonhawk (FN p.45). A little underwhelming for attacks, but if you want to be a flying mount for another party member, not bad I guess. :smalltongue:

[DrMotives]

Went looking for legal dinosaurs in Dragon mag, found one aquatic beastie in #318, the helicoprion. It's an 8 HD Large shark with a weird sawblade lower jaw. Gets some unusual abilities like a super-powered scent ability, and reach with the provision that if they bite an opponent within 5', they get an extra +2 to hit & damage. Not as strong as a dire lion, but with a +10 str, +6 dex, +8 con, they have a nice spread for boosting physical stats.