Allosaurus (3.5e Monster)

Allosaurus
''Out of the undergrowth, a large reptilian creature emerges. In spite of its bulk and saurian appearance, it moves with a bird-like grace. It is a dark green color with brown stripes, and sports a pair of short red ridges above each eye. Spying you, it roars and charges towards you with terrifying speed.''

Strategies and Tactics
In spite of their large size, allosaurs are surprisingly stealthy and swift. Even though they are usually the top predators of a region, they are cautious and appraise prey before striking. They are also skilled pack hunters, using their agility and speed to separate weaker members of a larger group (be it a herd of Iguanodon or an adventuring party) or even to carry off smaller creatures before allies have a chance to react. While individually allosaurs lack the sheer power of a tyrannosaur, in pairs or larger groups, they are more than a match for their solitary rivals.

Sample Encounters
ELC 7: The party voyages at the edge of a volcanic plateau, when a pair of allosaurs ambush them from a nearby clearing. The therapods seek to isolate one or two party members from the group and then carry them off to be eaten later.

Ecology
Physical Characteristics: Most allosaurs have green or khaki coloration with faint brown stripes; during the breeding season, the ridges above the eyes of males become a bright red. They range from 20 to 40 ft. in length, and can reach weights of 2-4 tons. They resemble a more sleek tyrannosaurus, with smaller jaws and larger, three-fingered hands. Females are larger and fiercer than males.

Environment: Allosaurs prefer tropical or temperate climates, usually haunting forests while young before moving onto plains; however, allosaurs are highly adaptable and can be found in tundra or desert climates, or on the edges of beaches.

Lifespan: An allosaurus takes five years to reach maturity, and they continue to grow their entire lives. While most allosaurs only live about twenty years, some can reach ages of forty or fifty.

Diet: Allosaurs usually feed on large vertebrates, and their pack-hunting techniques allow them to corner and bring down even the most massive of dinosaurs, the mighty sauropods. They also use hit-and-run tactics to feed on smaller creatures, such as adventuring parties, although an experienced allosaur won't keep attacking a group of human-sized creatures for long if it realizes the meal will be too much trouble.

Alignment: As animals, allosaurs are incapable of making moral and ethical decisions, and as such are always true neutral.

Typical Treasure
None. Allosaurs migrate with prey and do not make lairs, although they will shelter in caves during storms.

For Player Characters
Allosaurs may be obtained as a druid or ranger's animal companion, but the effective druid level for companion abilities is the character's current druid level -9. This means that the earliest a druid may have an allosaur companion is at 10th level, and a ranger at 20th level.

Advanced Creatures
More powerful allosaurs are generally older animals, cautious, but usually unafraid of other creatures; such a creature usually scavenges other kills, scaring off the original hunters.