The long overdue second post of GURPS Dinosaurs Pseudo-Conversions covers some of the more famous active hunters of the Cretaceous period that have become frequent stars in written and filmed media. This monstrous menagerie is made up of seven theropod dinosaurs, as well as one awe-inspiring crocodilian. As with any GURPS Dinosaurs Pseudo-Conversions post, refer to the introductory post for some basic conversion logic being used, as well as for mental lenses such as using PK’s house rules separating Will and Perception from IQ.
Carnotaurus [-21 Points]
Meta-Traits: Wild Animal [-30].
Attributes: ST +20 [40]; DX +2 [24]; IQ -7 [-140]; HT +2 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: SM +4; Will +7 [35]; Per +8 [40].
Advantages: Claws (Sharp) [5], Damage Resistance 4 (Cranial armor, upper layer; Skull only, -70%) [6], Damage Resistance 3 (Hide, lower layer) [15], Discriminatory Smell [15], Enhanced Move 2 (Ground move 12) [20], Horns (Short) [2], Striking Tail [4], Teeth (Sharp) [1].
Perks: Long-Range Smell1 [1], Scales [1].
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators [-30], No Physical Attack (Arms) [-10], Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10], Short Arms [-10], Short Lifespan 2 [-20].
- Source: GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses, pg. 26.
Average Carnotaurus
ST: 30
DX: 12
IQ: 3
HT: 12
HP: 30
Will: 10
Per: 11
FP: 12
Speed: 6
Move: 6
Weight: 1.5 tons
SM: +4
Dodge: 9
Parry: N/A
DR: 3 (4 on skull)
Bite (13): 3d-1 cutting.
Kick (11): 3d cutting.
Horns (13): 3d+3 impaling.
Striking Tail (13): 3d crushing.
Traits: Discriminatory Smell, Enhanced Move 2 (Ground), Long-Range Smell, No Fine Manipulators, No Physical Attack (Arms), Restricted Diet (Carnivore), Short Arms, Short Lifespan 2, Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling 14, Running 13, Tracking 12.
This 25′ to 30′ long theropod from Argentina takes the biological features of its family, the abelisaurids, to their logical extreme: slender legs, thick tail, relatively long neck, thick skull with rugose cranial ridges, big shoulders, and almost vestigial arms. Its snub nose and brow horns give it a unique facial profile put on the big screen in films such as Disney’s Dinosaur and the upcoming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (both of which have a bulkier, more heavy-legged creature than the fossil material indicates). The morphology of its Carnotaurus‘ tail suggests it had thick, meaty tail muscles that would have been a great stabilizer during fast runs but also stiffen the connection between it and the hips, preventing it from being used to steer particularly well when turning. Conversely, its clawless and impotent vestigial hands would have had no capabilities whatsoever, with the weight of hunting and inter-species conflict being entirely placed on its long, muscular neck and vicious hatchet jaws.
At the time of the writing of GURPS Dinosaurs, the bone beds which yielded Carnotaurus were believed to be from somewhere in the early Cenomanian (~100-95 MYA), the first age of the Late Cretaceous, which would have placed it alongside famous Argentine giants such as Argentinosaurus and Giganotosaurus; further studies and better understanding of the formation in question in the over two decades since have instead revealed it to be from the early part of the Maastrichtian (~70 MYA), living alongside later dinosaurs from the country such as Austroraptor, Noasaurus, Dreadnoughtus, and Saltasaurus.
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