Dolphin
by Jamie BatyCO, X7 29, RC 167
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: swim 80 ft. (16 squares)
Armour Class: 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+7
Attack: Slam +2 melee (2d4 +1)
Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (2d4 +1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Hold breath, tremorsense, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 12
Skills: Jump +2, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Swim-by Attack
Environment: Any aquatic
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, or Pack (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Dolphins are seagoing mammals; their favourite food is fish. They are related to whales, but are much smaller. They are 10' long with a smooth hide. Dolphins cannot breathe in water and must come to the surface for air.
Dolphins are very intelligent for an animal (much moreso than a dog or horse) and have their own high-pitched language that can be heard for 50 miles underwater. They are very capable of being trained (reduce all training Handle Animal training DCs by 2).
Dolphins hate sharks and occasionally attack them. Dolphins are the friends of most sailors and have been known to help people in trouble. Mermen sometimes ride dolphins as steeds, or use them to pull underwater chariots.
Combat
Dolphins are generally friendly creatures unless they are threatened. When they do attack, they slam into the foe and attempt to get out of danger quickly. They only sustain combat if too injured to flee, or their young are threatened.
Hold Breath (Ex): A dolphin can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 10x its Constitution score before it risks drowning. For a typical dolphin, this equals 150 rounds, or 15 minutes.
Tremorsense (Ex): A dolphin is sensitive to vibrations in the water and can automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in the water within 360ft of its body.
Skills: A dolphin gains a +8 racial bonus to any swim check. It may always take 10 on a swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line