Triple Threat: Tatou

[The following creature is  from a nightmare I had. Enjoy.]

The tatou is a vicious apex predator typically found in swamplands or jungles. Resembling a horrid combination of snapping turtle, salamander, and armadillo the tatou has heavily armored plate-like skin that is resistant to small arms fire and all but immune to most melee weapons. These plates are wickedly sharp and can inflict severe lacerations to those that try to grapple them. They have developed the unique ability to curl up into a ball and using special-purpose muscles ‘bounce’. They can also remain curled up in a ball thus covering up their more exposed portions making them immune to all but the most powerful of handguns and small-arms fire. Tatou are incredibly territorial and will go out of its way to protect what it considers its. While they have no teeth they do have incredibly sharp beak-like mouths that can crush limbs and break bones. While they can use their special bouncing ability to move they prefer tunneling under the earth and surprising their prey from below. Tatou can reach upwards to 30 feet long and weigh over 5 tons in some of the largest adult specimens.

For Any Game…

Adult Tatou

ST: 50                    HP: 50                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 6

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 5 tons

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +4

Dodge: 10            Parry: 11              DR: 12/36*

Bite (13): 5d+2 cut; Reach C-3.

Bouncing Slam (20): 5d+6 cr; see notes. Made as a Move and Attack and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 12; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-13; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 5d+6 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 29 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts a whopping 29d+30! Each jump costs 1 FP. If the GM is using Intrinsic Fright Check GURPS Horror, (p. 139) tatou have a modifier of -3.

Juvenile Tatou

ST: 20                    HP: 20                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 7

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 1,000 lbs.

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +1

Dodge: 10           Parry: 11              DR: 6/18*

Bite (13): 2d-1 cut; Reach C.

Bouncing Slam (15): 1d+2 cr; see notes. Made as an All-Out Attack (Strong) and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 14; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-13; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 2d+3 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 34 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts 14d+15. Each jump costs 1 FP. If the GM is using Intrinsic Fright Check GURPS Horror, (p. 139) tatou have a modifier of -3.

* The tatou can take a All-Out maneuver and effectively triple its DR. This is done by the creature squeezing into a ball and overlapping several of its armored plates.

† This functions exactly like the regular Spines advantage except it inflicts cutting damage versus impaling.

‡ When slamming a target this perk gives +1 to damage.

For Dungeon Fantasy

Adult Tatou

ST: 50                    HP: 50                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 6

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 5 tons

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +4

Dodge: 10            Parry: 11              DR: 12/36*

Bite (13): 5d+2 cut; Reach C-3.

Bouncing Slam (20): 5d+6 cr; see notes. Made as a Move and Attack and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 12; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-13; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Classification: Dire Animal.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 5d+6 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 29 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts a whopping 29d+30! Each jump costs 1 FP. Tatou plates make excellent armor. Use the statistics for dragonhide. Due to the rigidity of the material only scale, lamellar, or plate armor can be made of tatou plate.

Juvenile Tatou

ST: 20                    HP: 20                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 7

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 1,000 lbs.

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +1

Dodge: 10           Parry: 11              DR: 6/18*

Bite (13): 2d-1 cut; Reach C.

Bouncing Slam (15): 1d+2 cr; see notes. Made as an All-Out Attack (Strong) and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 14; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-13; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Classification: Dire Animal.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 2d+3 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 34 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts 14d+15. Each jump costs 1 FP. Tatou plates make excellent armor. Use the statistics for dragonhide. Due to the rigidity of the material only scale, lamellar, or plate armor can be made of tatou plate.

* The tatou can take a All-Out maneuver and effectively triple its DR. This is done by the creature squeezing into a ball and overlapping several of its armored plates.

† This functions exactly like the regular Spines advantage except it inflicts cutting damage versus impaling.

‡ When slamming a target this perk gives +1 to damage.

For Monster Hunters

Adult Tatou

ST: 50                    HP: 50                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 6

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 5 tons

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +4

Dodge: 10            Parry: 11              DR: 12/36*

Fright Check: -3

Bite (16): 5d+2 cut; Reach C-3.

Bouncing Slam (20): 5d+6 cr; see notes. Made as a Move and Attack and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 12; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-16; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 5d+6 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 29 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts a whopping 29d+30! Each jump costs 1 FP. Use the skills listed under Cryptids in the Know Thy Enemy box in Monster Hunters 1 (p. 16). An entire team of champions should be able to handle a single adult tatou.

Juvenile Tatou

ST: 20                    HP: 20                   Speed: 6.00

DX: 11                   Will: 11                Move: 7

IQ: 3                      Per: 12                  Weight: 1,000 lbs.

HT: 12                   FP: 12                    SM: +1

Dodge: 10            Parry: 11              DR: 6/18*

Fright Check: -1

Bite (16): 2d-1 cut; Reach C.

Bouncing Slam (15): 1d+2 cr; see notes. Made as an All-Out Attack (Strong) and performed as a Pounce (p. B371). Roll against Jumping skill at the end of the attack, success means the tatou is still on its feet! Regardless, the tatou cannot make an active defense afterward.

Traits:  Bad Temper (9); Basic Speed +1.00 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Berserk (12); Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Storage, x300); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 14; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Natural Biter 1; Nictitating Membrane 4; Quadruped; Sharp Beak; Spines (1d-1 cutting; Reach C)†; Striking Shell‡; Super Jump 3 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP); Tunneling (Move 8); Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling-16; Camouflage-14; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival (Swampland)-12.

Notes: Tatou can bounce onto a target up to 5 yards away doing an 2d+3 slam attack. If they can catch their target unaware they can leap onto them from 34 yards away doing a slam attack that inflicts 14d+15. Each jump costs 1 FP. Use the skills listed under Cryptids in the Know Thy Enemy box in Monster Hunters 1 (p. 16). Two champions should be able to handle a single juvenile tatou.

* The tatou can take a All-Out maneuver and effectively triple its DR. This is done by the creature squeezing into a ball and overlapping several of its armored plates.

† This functions exactly like the regular Spines advantage except it inflicts cutting damage versus impaling.

‡ When slamming a target this perk gives +1 to damage.
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