Nothosaur

This long-necked reptile swims through the water propelled by four paddle-like feet, whipping a long and slender tail behind it as it gnashes its sharp, needle-like teeth.

Nothosaur (CR 5)

Large Animal
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +1
Senses: Low-Light Vision; Perception +11

Speed: 20 feet, Swim 40 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 18, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 57 (6d8+30)
Saving Throws: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +4

Offense

Melee: bite +10 (1d8+6), tail slap +7 (1d8+3)
Reach: 10 feet

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
23 (+6)	12 (+1)	18 (+4)	2 (-4)	15 (+2)	7 (-2)

Base Attack Bonus: +4
CMB +11
CMD 22 (26 vs. Trip)

Feats: Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills: Perception +11, Swim +14

Languages:

Special Qualities: sprint

Special Abilities

Sprint (Ex)

Once per minute, a nothosaur may sprint, increasing its land speed to 40 feet for 1 round.

Ecology

Environment: Any Aquatic
Organization: solitary, pair, or herd (3-12)
Treasure: none


The nothosaur resembles a smaller version of the land-based brachiosaurus, sharing the distinctive long neck and tail and short legs of its herbivorous brethren. Nothosaurs are also similar in many ways to seals—they spend much of their time in the water, including when they hunt, but emerge to sleep and breed on land.

They lay their eggs in massive sandy mounds in the summer, then abandon their nests and slip back into the sea. A nothosaur is most vulnerable out of the water, but when caught unawares, it can return to the water with alarming speed, notwithstanding its awkwardly short legs and disproportionately large neck and tail.

Nothosaurs can exist in water of any temperature, but prefer the warmer equatorial waters. Herds of nothosaurs make seasonal migrations, following schools of fish over the course of many months. From head to the tip of its tail, an adult nothosaur is 12 feet long and weighs 3,000 pounds.