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Starfinder: Ankylosaurs - Augmented

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Yet another dinosaur augmented through genetic engineering and cyber-technology by the Vesk to be used as a beast of war.

The problem is that this particular creature was originally a herbivore, and strangely enough tended to have the mentality of a dog. It was dangerous enough, because it has a large heavy tail it can use very effectively as a club, and if that did not work, it would simply ram anything threatening.

The Vesk changed the beast. They thickened the armor covering it and added a reflective coating, which would automatically reflect any incoming energy attacks approximately one in five times. Furthermore, they altered the internal structure so that it could generate a powerful electrical field once every 18 seconds, shocking anything near the creature. Of course because these creatures often fight as a small herd, they had to ensure that they did not kill one another with this burst, so they ensured the creatures were immune to electrical attacks.

Combat is what the creatures were created for and that is what they are always tasked with. The creatures will always turn their rears towards attackers in order to use their clubbed tails – which the Vesk were kind enough to add titanium spikes – in order to attack.

What vexes the Vesk is the fact that the creatures became highly inquisitive and playful after their augmentation. They do not see combat as actual combat – they see it as playtime! They do not actively charge targets in an attempt to kill or trample, but instead as simple play. The fact that the enemy tends to die during such charges is purely inconsequential to the creatures.

Since the pain receptors have been turned off, the creatures do not feel the wounds they sustain, and take attacks by other targets as the creatures playing right along with them.

This can be quite frustrating for the Vesk handlers, as with these creatures wanting to play all the time is not only annoying, but highly dangerous. The only way the Vesk have been able to curb this habit of these dino’s is to either drug them, or to ensure there is plenty of food for them to eat, as the creatures love food more than they love to play.

Vesk geneticists are working diligently to remove this annoying trait.

Starfinder Creature Index

Chris Van Deelen is the creator and contributor to over half of the Wisdom from the Wastelands series, contributor to the Swords of Kos: Hekaton anthology. He also wrote Creatures of the Tropical Wastelands, and 100 Oddities found in a Car. As prolific as he is, Chris Van Deelen continues to write and produce material which will be in publication soon. Not only is he a prolific content creator, he also has a wide selection of fiction and stories! If you like his work, please follow his personal author page on Facebook and on Twitter to keep up with his latest news and game content.