Random Chimera (Remake)

Riptide Chimera by Ryan Barger.

Sometimes, one must look back at their old work and realize that while seeing any kind of growth is nice there are times where its okay to go back and redo something or to expand upon it. Such is the case with my old blogpost about randomly generated Chimeras. The original stuck a bit too much to the classic Greek design. These tables continue in the trend, but come with extra entries to further make a monstrous, implausible mashup of animals.

Chimeras, by their very nature, are implausible creatures. Dragon, wyvern and owlbears can rationalized to some extent as plausible creatures but the Chimera is a monstrosity spawned of the imagination with simply no basis in reality. While there may be some creatures in real life which appear chimeric in nature (see: Platypus) they do not truly possess the body part of multiple animals. The mythical chimera, meanwhile, laughs at any biological plausibility.

1d8	Impossible Shape
1-2	Chimera Classic: The chimera’s shape is the classic quadrupedal form, usually with three heads. It has a 50% chance of having wings. Optionally you may roll on the Predator Head or Herbivore Head tables.
3	Aquatic Chimera: This chimera has the body of a sea-dwelling creature and three heads. Roll on the Aquatic Creature (either in Predator or Herbivore chart) table and, optionally, on the Predator Head or Herbivore Head tables.
4	Flying Chimera: This chimera has the body of something flying, with the forelimbs replaced by the matching (or not) wings of said beast. Roll on the Flying Creature table and, optionally, on the Predator Head or Herbivore Head tables.
5	Bipedal Chimera: This chimera is bipedal, with its upper body being akin to either a human or some ape-like creature at least in form. It has opposable thumbs and can wield weapons (crudely). Optionally you may roll on the Predator Head or Herbivore Head tables.
6	Serpentine Chimera: This chimera has either no hind legs and only a serpent tail and/or a head at the end of the tail or the body of a snake and its multiple heads. You may optionally roll on the Predator Head or Herbivore Head tables.
7	Lesser Chimera: This chimera combines less animals/monsters. Reroll on this table, ignoring any result of 7 or 8. Then remove either the Predator Head or the Herbivore Head. For example, a lesser Aquatic Chimera would be sea creature+predator+dragon head.
8	Abominable Chimera: This chimera is an absolute nightmare, stranger and more dreadful than any other of its kind in form. Roll on the Abominable Chimera table.

1d4	Abominable Chimera
1	Hydra-Like: The chimera’s various heads are hydra-like, sitting on multiple scaly necks. It has no snake head part.
2	Inverted: The creature has the body of the Herbivore and the head of a snake and/or dragon, while the tail has the Predator head at the end of it.
3	Draconic: The creature has the body of its Herbivore and Predator parts (one is forelimbs, one is hind limbs) mix and matched, with multiple draconic or serpentine heads.
4	Apex Predator: Replace the Herbivore part with another Predator but from a different column.

1d10	Predator Head
	Land Creature	Sea Creature	Flying Creature
1	Tiger	Great White Shark	Eagle
2	Lynx	Hammerhead Shark
3	Jaguar	Goblin Shark	Hawk
4	Puma	Crocodile
5	Hyena	Mosasaur	Owl
6	Bear	Orca
7	Wolf	Beluga	Heron
8	Lizard	Eel	Pelican
9	Badger	Snapping Turtle	Bat
10	Wolverine	Manta Ray	Dragonfly

1d8	Herbivore Head
	Land Creature	Sea Creature	Flying Creature
1	Goat	Manatee	Eagle
2	Auroch
3	Elk	Hippopotamus	Hawk
4	Elephant
5	Rhinoceros	Whale	Owl
6	Moose
7	Horse	Fish	Bat
8	Swine		Flying Squirrel