JM116 - How to Make Dinosaur Encounters Feel Different in TTRPGs

“Dinosaurs aren’t just big monsters — they deserve mechanics that make them feel like dinosaurs.”

In this episode of The Jaunty Mantis, hosts Jesse and Matty riff on mechanical ways to make dinosaurs stand out at the table — beyond simple reskins or bigger HP pools. They cover size & reach, zone-based combat, fear/horror mechanics, animal companions and mounts, pack tactics, and inspiration from other RPG systems (Rifts, Exalted, 4E, Runehammer).

Whether you run theater-of-the-mind sessions or use a full tactical grid, this episode is a toolkit for DMs and designers who want dinosaurs to play like dinosaurs — mechanically and narratively. Stick around for a listener challenge at the end: tweak or homebrew one mechanic that makes dinosaurs feel better in your game.

00:00 – Intro: Welcome & episode premise
01:30 – Why dinosaurs must feel different (not just big monsters)
04:00 – Size, scale & reach: why maps matter
08:00 – Zone-based systems (near / close / far) vs theater of the mind
10:00 – Charging, momentum, and giving dinosaurs mechanical teeth
12:30 – Fear, awe, and horror-factor mechanics for big beasts
15:00 – Player options: mounts, companions, familiars (how to make them interesting)
19:00 – Designing pack mechanics & team-based dinosaur tactics
22:30 – Inspirations from other systems (Rifts, Exalted, 4E, Runehammer)
26:30 – Building a dinosaur “class” or subclass — ideas and pitfalls
30:00 – Practical examples: stampedes, scent pouches, marking, taunts
33:00 – Balancing animal companions: glass cannons vs tanks
35:00 – Listener challenge & outro: share your dinosaur homebrew