Giant Strider
| Species | reptile |
| No. Appearing | 2–12 |
| Behaviour | herd |
| Range | taiga |
| Size | 4 ft. 9 in. long |
| Weight | 750 lbs. (6 ft. at shoulder) |
| Intelligence | 2 |
| Armour Class | 4 |
| Hit Dice | 4+1 |
| Action Points | 4 |
| Max. Stride | 14 |
| THAC0 | 18 |
| Hp/Die | d10 |
| Attack Forms | 2: beak; foot |
| Damage | beak (1–10); foot (1–8) |
| Special Attacks | none |
Giant striders are large, bird-hipped reptiles with powerful hind legs adapted for swift movement. Their body is covered in leathery, reddish-brown skin, under which are hard-chitinous buboes called "yerts." These 3-inch wide discs attach to the creature's musculature, helping to armour the beast against attacks. Its head is elongated, with a sharp, curved beak designed for tearing flesh. Though it may appear to have dangerous forearms, these are in fact small, vestigial limbs used solely for gripping food while its beak tears into it. They are too weak and too inflexible to be used for attacking or defending, and thus play no role in combat.
Contents
Its eyes have a piercing glint, which should not be mistaken for intelligence; they are extremely hard to train due to their rather low intelligence — yet firenewts have been known to domesticate the creature and use it as a mount. Even under firm control, they remain skittish and unpredictable, requiring constant guidance to prevent them from bolting at unexpected disturbances.
When wild, striders move in loosely assembled packs, with typically two or three dozen feet between each individual. When fleeing, they more closely group together. They prefer places in the taiga where rocky outcrops and considerable deadfall has accumulated. Their diet consists primarily of small to medium-sized animals, but they are known to scavenge or even cooperate with larger predators when it benefits them.
Attacking
In combat they are fairly clumsy, stumbling creatures, attacking with brute force rather than precision. A giant strider will strike out with a powerful kick from either its right or left foot, though most individuals develop a clear preference as they age. These kicks are forceful enough to stagger or knock down smaller opponents, but they often lack proper aim, making them unpredictable rather than truly effective. Their primary attack is a slashing bite, delivered with sharply honed beak. They tend to snap erratically, accounting for the small amount of damage done despite their size.
Against creatures smaller than themselves, they display little in the way of self-preservation, charging recklessly into combat, sometimes colliding with obstacles or even other striders. If stunned, they flee immediately upon regaining their senses. When cornered or trapped, they scream violently, which is not a call for help but a warning to other striders to run. A half-dozen striders can make a lot of noise crashing through a thicket within a forest.
See Bestiary
