When we first started up the Twitter account, somebody there requested this monster, and while I had always planned to build a stat block for dodogama at some point, this gave me a reason to get to him sooner. Whenever I do a build like this, I always try looking up info on them online whether through lore discussion videos or the Monster Hunter websites where they collect information on ecology and stuff like that. But dodogama's was surprisingly sparse! I ended up having to boot up MHW after going on hiatus on it to pit myself against the dodogama again so I could remember what all it did.
I decided its ability to create explosive, molten stone in its mouth by mixing its saliva with minerals was enough to label it as a 'magical beast' in Pathfinder 1e. As a cave dweller, it has darkvision even if the caves we find it in are generally well-lit. The dodogama's AC and hp are a little high for its CR, but its damage is on the lower end and it has a relatively easy vulnerability to exploit in the form of electricity damage. Its immunity to fire is commonplace but appropriate given its dwelling and its ability to carry molten minerals in its mouth. I gave it a slow burrow speed that it mostly just uses to bury itself. Obviously, with a mouth like the one it has, its bite is its main means of damage but it ended up using its tail multiple times in the fight I had with it, leading me to add that as an attack as well. Powerful charge drastically increases a dodogama's damage at the expense of its AC and it does still need the room to do so.
With a dodogama's pyroclastic spit, I ended up looking towards Paizo's lava drake and its own pyroclastic vomit, which I liked the name of, if you couldn't tell. However, I wanted the dodogama to be able to do more than just launch it as an explosive projectile and decided the wrap up its ability to produce a burning pool of magma in this ability. While this might be annoying to have both of these fun abilities tied to the same source, forcing the GM to choose which to use, I think the idea for it is fun. I ended up delving a bit into feats that complimented the dodogama's charge as I found that attack somewhat infuriating in my reacquaintance with his moveset. Powerful bite rounds out his abilities, applying double his Strength modifier to his bite damage, but I added a little something to it with the ability for his bite to ignore a certain amount of hardness - making it a little easier for the beast to chew up rocks.
Pathfinder 1e:
As with many MH monsters converted into PF2e critters, the dodogama ended up becoming an animal. I guess the idea is that since magic is so commonplace in their world, innate magical properties, which I guess its iffy to call a dodogama's spit that, are not enough to distinguish between 'Animal' and 'Beast.' Again, I went for the higher side of AC and HP for the dodogama and kept its usual immunities and weaknesses. Part of me worries I should have made it slightly slower. To account for a dodogama's higher defenses, I made its Strikes somewhat weaker with low to moderate attack bonuses and the same for their damage. Without a lava drake in PF2e to reference, I built Pyroclastic Spit to the best of my ability, settling for persistent fire damage on the ball form and having the pool deal damage for each square a creature moves through. While I struggled on how to fit this ability into 1e, I had an idea for how to do the dodogama's Roll in 2e as soon as he did it in my hunt of him. Essentially a mini-trample, it gives him a means to attack a group of creatures that are stacked against him. I also changed powerful charge into Scooping Charge - effectively functioning how other Powerful Charges, such as the minotaur's, do in 2e but adding the effect that the dodogama can potentially recharge its Pyroclastic Spit by scooping up minerals to mix with its saliva as part of the charge.
Pathfinder 2e:
Blue's D&D 5e Version:
I was honestly struggling to come up with fun and engaging encounter hooks for a creature that is this docile and chill. While some ideas were bandied about, I couldn't find any that I really liked, so to make up for it, I made some dodogama hide to be usable as an armor material even if such sweet and beautiful creatures should never actually be slain and merely captured.
PF1e Dodogama Hide:
PF2e Dodogama Hide:
While it is to compensate you guys for the lack of encounter hooks, I do want to make more hides like this for the various MH monsters and I with the extra time I have now, I might try to do so. I have monsters created all the way out to the first week of March, with art and everything, so I've been having a break of sorts which is nice. Valentine's Day is this Sunday, and with it will come another Holiday Horror though the second part of my alliteration might not apply to this monster.
As always, lemme know what you think about the sweet boy! If you want to join in on the discussion of stuff I'm working on or share your own homebrew stuff, come join our Discord. We also have a Twitter now where we put up teasers for upcoming creatures and builds.
Have a Monstrous Monday!
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