Building a brain eating bug [Archive] - Wizards Community

Building a brain eating bug [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DonThelonious
11-03-07, 07:23 PM Just as the title says I want to build a bug that, in its larval form, eats its way out of the brain through the back of the skull. I figured it would be about the size of a thumb.
I will be filling this in as I go along.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2015/1850273646_ef0926e870_o.jpg
Boring Beetle
Size/Type: Fine Vermin
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP)
Initiative: +5
Speed: Fly 15 ft. (Good)(3 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (+8 size, +1 natural, +4 Dexterity), touch 22, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-9
Attack: Bite/Sting +12 melee Touch (1+Poison+Egglaying)
Full Attack: Bite/Sting +12 melee Touch (1+Poison+Egglaying)
Space/Reach: 0 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Bite/Sting (poison + egglaying)
Special Qualities: Vermin Traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 18, Con 10, Int Ų, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +21
Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite/Sting)
Environment: Warm Coastal forests
Organization: Cluster (2-5) or mass (6-11)
Challenge Rating: 6
Advancement: --
Level Adjustment: —

I wanted to have stats for the beetles since I will be making swarms out of them.

The larvae can enter the system by either being injected by the parent into the host or by ingesting undercooked meat which the beetle has laid its eggs on.

As for the eggs themselves here is the rundown. I made it into a disease:
Boring Beetle Larvae: Ingested or Injury/Fort Save DC11/Incubation 1d3 days/ Damage 1d4 Int+Wis/When victim reaches 0 on both Intelligence and Wisdom they die and a fully formed Boring Beetle digs its way out of the back of the victims skull.

The poison goes like this:
Boring Beetle Poison: Injury or Ingested/Fort Save DC 11/Initial Paralysis/ Secondary 2d6 Dex
Return of the Flumph
11-03-07, 07:36 PM Um...how does it get in there?
dman11235
11-03-07, 07:43 PM Wait, you mean the Mind Flayer larva? Or do you want something different?
DonThelonious
11-03-07, 07:50 PM Some thing different from the illithid larvae, as for how it get there, I figured the females of the species would inject them in with a stinger, like a scorpion. They would use it as a defense mechanism that also injects a powerful paralytic poison.
Return of the Flumph
11-03-07, 08:20 PM I'd treat it as a disease that deals 1d4 intelligence, wisdom, and dexterity damage per day (no save once you're infected) until it kills you. Larva emerges a few hours later.
DonThelonious
11-03-07, 08:23 PM Thank you Flumph. Now to just build up the stats for the beetles.
DonThelonious
11-03-07, 10:28 PM Just got the stats for the beetle posted. Now I need to work out the stats for the larvae that eat their way out of the back of the skull:D
Return of the Flumph
11-04-07, 02:12 AM It doesn't need stats. It has one hit point, moves a few inches per round, and has no way of defending itself.

Also, I'd recommend making it so that the infection is only succesful if the victim fails the saving throw against the poison. That way, you can tell right off the bat if you've been infected, and can get healing. Otherwise its just unfair.
DonThelonious
11-04-07, 03:50 AM I did up the stats for the poison and the disease. I am thinking about converting this over to a swarm.
dman11235
11-04-07, 04:24 PM The attack bonus should be +13. That's +8 size and +5 dex. It should also get Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Before you say mindless can't have feats, take a look at the monsterous vermin (little versions) and the effigy template. Still think it should be touch? And it should have hide +21. And initiative +5. With that DC, AC, and attack bonus, this should be about CR 6 or so, maybe even more. However, that HP sggests CR less than 1. Well, that DC is wrong, it should technically be DC 7, but that needs to be higher. Give it 2 HD (the max for fine creatures), and up the con. Lower the dex to 18, up con to 10. That gives a DC 11 fort save, lowers the attack bonus and AC by one, ups the HP to 9, and changes the saves to f +3, ref +4, will +0. Oh, and charisma should be lower (and even).
DonThelonious
11-04-07, 08:55 PM Thank you Flumph, you just helped me make this into a little beasty that fits perfectly into my campaign setting.
dman11235
11-04-07, 11:24 PM It should have 9 HP now. Touch AC should be 22 (you get size bonuses to all forms of AC).
DonThelonious
11-05-07, 01:05 AM Oops. Thanks for pointing that out.
Necroramo
11-05-07, 09:23 PM If you go by the Kyuss worms to determine how fast a brain-eating bug kills you, this thing should do you in pretty quick.
DonThelonious
11-05-07, 10:35 PM Thats the deviously wonderful idea behind this. It is meant to keep players on their toes, and put the fear of tiny things inot them
Necroramo
11-05-07, 11:45 PM I was referring to the fact that once a Kyuss worm enters your brain you're probably going to die within the minute....
DonThelonious
11-05-07, 11:54 PM I kind of wanted this bug to reflect the horror of someone slowly dying and knowing it. The Kyuss worm is more of a quick kill bug that was intended to do its work within a few rounds, or the span of a single average encounter.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DonThelonious 11-03-07, 07:23 PM	Just as the title says I want to build a bug that, in its larval form, eats its way out of the brain through the back of the skull. I figured it would be about the size of a thumb. I will be filling this in as I go along. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2015/1850273646_ef0926e870_o.jpg Boring Beetle Size/Type: Fine Vermin Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP) Initiative: +5 Speed: Fly 15 ft. (Good)(3 squares) Armor Class: 23 (+8 size, +1 natural, +4 Dexterity), touch 22, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-9 Attack: Bite/Sting +12 melee Touch (1+Poison+Egglaying) Full Attack: Bite/Sting +12 melee Touch (1+Poison+Egglaying) Space/Reach: 0 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Bite/Sting (poison + egglaying) Special Qualities: Vermin Traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 18, Con 10, Int Ų, Wis 10, Cha 6 Skills: Hide +21 Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite/Sting) Environment: Warm Coastal forests Organization: Cluster (2-5) or mass (6-11) Challenge Rating: 6 Advancement: -- Level Adjustment: — I wanted to have stats for the beetles since I will be making swarms out of them. The larvae can enter the system by either being injected by the parent into the host or by ingesting undercooked meat which the beetle has laid its eggs on. As for the eggs themselves here is the rundown. I made it into a disease: Boring Beetle Larvae: Ingested or Injury/Fort Save DC11/Incubation 1d3 days/ Damage 1d4 Int+Wis/When victim reaches 0 on both Intelligence and Wisdom they die and a fully formed Boring Beetle digs its way out of the back of the victims skull. The poison goes like this: Boring Beetle Poison: Injury or Ingested/Fort Save DC 11/Initial Paralysis/ Secondary 2d6 Dex
Return of the Flumph 11-03-07, 07:36 PM	Um...how does it get in there?
dman11235 11-03-07, 07:43 PM	Wait, you mean the Mind Flayer larva? Or do you want something different?
DonThelonious 11-03-07, 07:50 PM	Some thing different from the illithid larvae, as for how it get there, I figured the females of the species would inject them in with a stinger, like a scorpion. They would use it as a defense mechanism that also injects a powerful paralytic poison.
Return of the Flumph 11-03-07, 08:20 PM	I'd treat it as a disease that deals 1d4 intelligence, wisdom, and dexterity damage per day (no save once you're infected) until it kills you. Larva emerges a few hours later.
DonThelonious 11-03-07, 08:23 PM	Thank you Flumph. Now to just build up the stats for the beetles.
DonThelonious 11-03-07, 10:28 PM	Just got the stats for the beetle posted. Now I need to work out the stats for the larvae that eat their way out of the back of the skull:D
Return of the Flumph 11-04-07, 02:12 AM	It doesn't need stats. It has one hit point, moves a few inches per round, and has no way of defending itself. Also, I'd recommend making it so that the infection is only succesful if the victim fails the saving throw against the poison. That way, you can tell right off the bat if you've been infected, and can get healing. Otherwise its just unfair.
DonThelonious 11-04-07, 03:50 AM	I did up the stats for the poison and the disease. I am thinking about converting this over to a swarm.
dman11235 11-04-07, 04:24 PM	The attack bonus should be +13. That's +8 size and +5 dex. It should also get Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Before you say mindless can't have feats, take a look at the monsterous vermin (little versions) and the effigy template. Still think it should be touch? And it should have hide +21. And initiative +5. With that DC, AC, and attack bonus, this should be about CR 6 or so, maybe even more. However, that HP sggests CR less than 1. Well, that DC is wrong, it should technically be DC 7, but that needs to be higher. Give it 2 HD (the max for fine creatures), and up the con. Lower the dex to 18, up con to 10. That gives a DC 11 fort save, lowers the attack bonus and AC by one, ups the HP to 9, and changes the saves to f +3, ref +4, will +0. Oh, and charisma should be lower (and even).
DonThelonious 11-04-07, 08:55 PM	Thank you Flumph, you just helped me make this into a little beasty that fits perfectly into my campaign setting.
dman11235 11-04-07, 11:24 PM	It should have 9 HP now. Touch AC should be 22 (you get size bonuses to all forms of AC).
DonThelonious 11-05-07, 01:05 AM	Oops. Thanks for pointing that out.
Necroramo 11-05-07, 09:23 PM	If you go by the Kyuss worms to determine how fast a brain-eating bug kills you, this thing should do you in pretty quick.
DonThelonious 11-05-07, 10:35 PM	Thats the deviously wonderful idea behind this. It is meant to keep players on their toes, and put the fear of tiny things inot them
Necroramo 11-05-07, 11:45 PM	I was referring to the fact that once a Kyuss worm enters your brain you're probably going to die within the minute....
DonThelonious 11-05-07, 11:54 PM	I kind of wanted this bug to reflect the horror of someone slowly dying and knowing it. The Kyuss worm is more of a quick kill bug that was intended to do its work within a few rounds, or the span of a single average encounter.