Bulette
Species | beast |
No. Appearing | 1–2 |
Behaviour | subsocial |
Range | savanna, steppe, veldt |
Size | 43 in. at shoulder, 12 ft. long |
Weight | 1,605 lbs. |
Intelligence | 1 |
Armour Class | 0 |
Hit Dice | 9 |
Action Points | 6 |
Max. Stride | {{{stride}}} |
THAC0 | 15 |
Hp/Die | d12 |
Attack Forms | claw/claw, bite |
Damage | 3–18/3–18, 4–48 |
Special Attacks | spinning jump |
The bulette is a smaller, more nimble descendant of the ancient ankylosaurus, a member of the dinosaur family. It is rarely found, usually in obscure regions, preferring habitats of open ground with scattered trees. Trees form a part of its diet, as well as any creatures of any size hapless enough to fall into its path.
It is feared, quite rightly, for the tremendous power of its snapping mouth and heavy claws. Its mouth is a tremendous maw, 31 in. long from the pointed chin to the back joint, filled with two rows of heavy incisor-like teeth. The claws on both the back and fore feet are razor-sharp and quick, as the beasts four-legs are curiously made of highly-flexible ball-joints, strengthened by corded tendons as thick as a human's wrist.
Unless the bulette is threatened, it will usually attack only with its front claws and bite. However, if it is struck more than twice in a previous round and not completely stunned, the beast will surge into a fit of bloodlust, jumping eight feet in the air and attacking with a spinning attack that will bring all four of its feet and its jaws as well into contact with an enemy. Such action is so formidable that most, encountering the beast, will let it go its way. On the whole, it prefers heavier hoofed creatures as game, deigning to eat humanoids only when pressed or in times of great hunger.
One of the most misunderstood creatures in the game, it is supposed by many that this armoured, plated creature of massive proportion can somehow burrow through earth, though it is in no way streamlined in a manner that will allow this; that it will willingly expose the most vulnerable part of its protective armour plating to prey and that — most of all — that the knobs and natural plates of bone found along its back are somehow tougher or comparably lighter than metal once removed and dried from the bulette's carcass. None of these things has ever been observed and have been known to make many a knowledgeable sage laugh cheerfully for hours at a time.
See Bestiary