The very first video game console I had was the Super Nintendo. I was five years old and it came with two games: Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart. One of the first things you encounter in Super Mario World is a green dinosaur that Mario rescues. This green dinosaur ends up being a faithful companion to Mario on his journey and gained a place in my heart as one of the first video game characters I ever knew. In honor of this green hero, I statted up Yoshi, so let’s take a look!
Yoshi Creature 6
NG, Medium, Beast
Perception +14; darkvision, low-light vision
Languages Yoshi
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+13, Survival +13
Str +3, Dex +5, Con +4, Int –1, Wis +1, Cha +3
AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 95
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +15, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] tongue +13 (agile, reach 10 feet), Effect Improved Grab
Ranged [one-action] egg +15 (agile, range 60 feet), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Egg Lay [one-action] Requirements Yoshi has a creature grabbed with its tongue. Effect Yoshi swallows the grabbed target, immediately ending the grab. The creature becomes trapped inside a large egg and takes damage equal to Yoshi’s foot attack. The egg appears in an adjacent square of Yoshi’s choosing. The creature within the egg is restrained, but can attempt to break free from the egg by attempting to Escape against Yoshi’s Athletic DC or attempting to Force Open the egg against DC 21. The egg shatters automatically after 1d4+1 rounds if the creature does not break free on its own. An egg laid with this ability has 20 hit points and hardness 5.
Egg Roll [three-actions] Yoshi encases itself in a large egg and roll to overrun its enemies. This has the same effects as the Trample activity as noted here, except that Yoshi gains a +2 status bonus to AC while inside the egg. Yoshi exits the egg once he is done moving. (Trample: Medium or smaller, foot, DC 21)
Flutter Jump When Yoshi Leaps, it travels an additional 5 feet. If it attempts to High Jump or Long Jump, it travels an additional 50% of the distance determined by its Athletics check, even if this distance would be greater than its Speed.
Yoshi is a dinosaur from a far-off land known as Dinosaur Island. Yoshi is a member of a race of intelligent dinosaurs also known as Yoshi. The entire species are lovers of fruit, able to consume large amounts of fruit whole. Yoshi can use their tongue to swallow any size of food and their foes, apparently not limited by the size of their own bodies. When a Yoshi swallows a creature, it can either lay it as an egg or spit the creature back out. This appears to be used entirely for defense as Yoshi tend to use their ability to swallow enemies as a means to buy time for an escape. Yoshi are great jumpers and are able to kick their legs at great speed to gain more air time and reach great heights or distances. Most Yoshi are very friendly, offering their services to those in need. They are also great at cooperating with each other, with legends telling of Yoshi traveling great distances to return children separated from their parents. Yoshi come in a variety of colors and some believe that these colors denote further abilities.
That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Yoshi into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.
