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Mantises

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
lurking_shadow
Jan 13, 2009 20:19:53 Today I saw a mantis climbing a parasol (patio umbrella?). Very impressive creature. I noticed that the shape and the arrangement of the limbs are very different from the Athasian Kreen's, but everything else fits the Tok'sa neatly, including the head, the antennae and the abdomen. It was green, though.

I was particularly impressed when it started moving upside down along one of the (aluminum?) spokes, grappling it with all 6 legs.

I realise that the differences in shape and, particularly, in size make the comparison invalid, but watching that mantis climb expertly such a difficult surface made it real hard for me to accept that kreen are supposed to be bad climbers...
#2
terminus_vortexa
Jan 13, 2009 23:23:24 It has to do with the extreme weight of a Kreen as opposed to a tiny mantis, as well as the fact that a mantis' four feet grip much better than its hands, so a kreen's bipedal stance reduces its climbing ability. Kreen have been augmented to climb, so perhaps its the natural arrangement of a Kreen's musculature that makes climbing so hard.
#3
phoenix_m
Aug 07, 2009 4:02:11 Necro-Thread
On the subject of mantises, did you guys know several species can FLY? Mostly at night but still, can you imagine giant flying insect warriors of DOOM?
Wiki-link
Image That Brought Me To This Idea

I may have an idea for a new sub-species... size small with functional wings, maybe a slight bonus to Intimidate when displaying the vivid patterns of the wings... Possibly being the Blue Age Kreen?

Yes I know there are already 6 sub-species Thri-kreen (Jeral, J’ez, J’hol, T’keech, Tok’sa, and Tondi), 2+ Thor-kreen, the array of Thri-trin and the Zik’Trin (that as far as I know have never been stated out) when in reality there are approximately 2,200 variety of mantises here on Earth. There’s that and there’s a whole empire still needing to be explored west of the Jagged Cliffs.
#4
Tectuktitlay
Aug 07, 2009 14:18:26 That mantis image is one by the AMAZING Igor Siwanowicz!

Here are a bunch more, and any of these images will take you to his gallery, which is chock full of awesomeness:

Mantis 01
Mantis 02
Mantis 03
Mantis 04
Mantis 05
Mantis 06
Mantis 07
Mantis 08
Mantis 09
Mantis 10
Mantis 11
Mantis 12
Mantis 13
Mantis 14
Mantis 15
Mantis 16
Mantis 17
Mantis 18
Mantis 19
Mantis 20
Mantis 21
Mantis 22
Mantis 23
Mantis 24
Mantis 25
Mantis 26
Mantis 27
Mantis 28
Mantis 29
Mantis 30
Mantis 31
Mantis 32
Mantis 33
Mantis 34
Mantis 35
Mantis 36
Mantis 37
Mantis 38

And no, I couldn't choose just a few pictures to show. :P There are just too many awesome images of mantises in Mr. Siwanowicz's gallery.
#5
outlaw68
Aug 07, 2009 21:49:33
Necro-Thread
On the subject of mantises, did you guys know several species can FLY? Mostly at night but still, can you imagine giant flying insect warriors of DOOM?
Wiki-link
Image That Brought Me To This Idea

I may have an idea for a new sub-species... size small with functional wings, maybe a slight bonus to Intimidate when displaying the vivid patterns of the wings... Possibly being the Blue Age Kreen?

Yes I know there are already 6 sub-species Thri-kreen (Jeral, J’ez, J’hol, T’keech, Tok’sa, and Tondi), 2+ Thor-kreen, the array of Thri-trin and the Zik’Trin (that as far as I know have never been stated out) when in reality there are approximately 2,200 variety of mantises here on Earth. There’s that and there’s a whole empire still needing to be explored west of the Jagged Cliffs.

The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level)
#6
Tectuktitlay
Aug 07, 2009 22:47:44
The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level)

Yeah, and Blue Age thri-kreen had wings as well. So it says in either Thri-kreen of Athas or Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (don't remember). There are racial memories of kreen with wings living on islands, flying from landmass to landmass, over a world of oceans, alongside halflings.
#7
phoenix_m
Aug 07, 2009 22:49:10
The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level)

Outlaw, I'd like to see that feat, if you don't mind sharing please.
What was the magazine issue number for that article?
#8
outlaw68
Aug 08, 2009 0:44:41
Outlaw, I'd like to see that feat, if you don't mind sharing please.
What was the magazine issue number for that article?

It is in Dragon Mag Annual 1 (from 1996), page 98

my feat is as such

Evolutionary Advance (Thri-Kreen)
You are born slightly mutated from others of your kind
Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, Level 1
Benefit: You have a set of large insectile wings that allow you to do short bursts of flight.
Special: This feat must be taken at level 1.

Encounter ✦ Movement
Move Action Personal
Effect: Fly up to 7 squares at an altitude of 2 squares.

If you are interested, i have link in my signature to a enworld thread, i have 3 PDF's posted with around 200 pages worth of Dark Sun conversion. You might find some stuff in there you can use in your own games.
#9
phoenix_m
Aug 08, 2009 15:18:08 Outlaw, is this fron 3rd or 4th edition?
#10
outlaw68
Aug 08, 2009 20:46:53
Outlaw, is this fron 3rd or 4th edition?

It is for 4th ed
#11
phoenix_m
Aug 08, 2009 23:25:19
It is for 4th ed

That would be why it makes little sense to me. Drat.
#12
outlaw68
Aug 09, 2009 0:27:54
That would be why it makes little sense to me. Drat.

You may be able to convert something to 3rd ed rules form the original dragon material (if you can get a copy of it).. basically the dragon players option ability converted two arms to insectile wings and allowed short bursts of fairly clumsy flight.

I am not very familiar with 3rd ed, so i am not sure where to start.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lurking_shadow Jan 13, 2009 20:19:53	Today I saw a mantis climbing a parasol (patio umbrella?). Very impressive creature. I noticed that the shape and the arrangement of the limbs are very different from the Athasian Kreen's, but everything else fits the Tok'sa neatly, including the head, the antennae and the abdomen. It was green, though. I was particularly impressed when it started moving upside down along one of the (aluminum?) spokes, grappling it with all 6 legs. I realise that the differences in shape and, particularly, in size make the comparison invalid, but watching that mantis climb expertly such a difficult surface made it real hard for me to accept that kreen are supposed to be bad climbers...
#2 terminus_vortexa Jan 13, 2009 23:23:24	It has to do with the extreme weight of a Kreen as opposed to a tiny mantis, as well as the fact that a mantis' four feet grip much better than its hands, so a kreen's bipedal stance reduces its climbing ability. Kreen have been augmented to climb, so perhaps its the natural arrangement of a Kreen's musculature that makes climbing so hard.
#3 phoenix_m Aug 07, 2009 4:02:11	Necro-Thread On the subject of mantises, did you guys know several species can FLY? Mostly at night but still, can you imagine giant flying insect warriors of DOOM? Wiki-link Image That Brought Me To This Idea I may have an idea for a new sub-species... size small with functional wings, maybe a slight bonus to Intimidate when displaying the vivid patterns of the wings... Possibly being the Blue Age Kreen? Yes I know there are already 6 sub-species Thri-kreen (Jeral, J’ez, J’hol, T’keech, Tok’sa, and Tondi), 2+ Thor-kreen, the array of Thri-trin and the Zik’Trin (that as far as I know have never been stated out) when in reality there are approximately 2,200 variety of mantises here on Earth. There’s that and there’s a whole empire still needing to be explored west of the Jagged Cliffs.
#4 Tectuktitlay Aug 07, 2009 14:18:26	That mantis image is one by the AMAZING Igor Siwanowicz! Here are a bunch more, and any of these images will take you to his gallery, which is chock full of awesomeness: Mantis 01 Mantis 02 Mantis 03 Mantis 04 Mantis 05 Mantis 06 Mantis 07 Mantis 08 Mantis 09 Mantis 10 Mantis 11 Mantis 12 Mantis 13 Mantis 14 Mantis 15 Mantis 16 Mantis 17 Mantis 18 Mantis 19 Mantis 20 Mantis 21 Mantis 22 Mantis 23 Mantis 24 Mantis 25 Mantis 26 Mantis 27 Mantis 28 Mantis 29 Mantis 30 Mantis 31 Mantis 32 Mantis 33 Mantis 34 Mantis 35 Mantis 36 Mantis 37 Mantis 38 And no, I couldn't choose just a few pictures to show. :P There are just too many awesome images of mantises in Mr. Siwanowicz's gallery.
#5 outlaw68 Aug 07, 2009 21:49:33	Necro-Thread On the subject of mantises, did you guys know several species can FLY? Mostly at night but still, can you imagine giant flying insect warriors of DOOM? Wiki-link Image That Brought Me To This Idea I may have an idea for a new sub-species... size small with functional wings, maybe a slight bonus to Intimidate when displaying the vivid patterns of the wings... Possibly being the Blue Age Kreen? Yes I know there are already 6 sub-species Thri-kreen (Jeral, J’ez, J’hol, T’keech, Tok’sa, and Tondi), 2+ Thor-kreen, the array of Thri-trin and the Zik’Trin (that as far as I know have never been stated out) when in reality there are approximately 2,200 variety of mantises here on Earth. There’s that and there’s a whole empire still needing to be explored west of the Jagged Cliffs. The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level)
#6 Tectuktitlay Aug 07, 2009 22:47:44	The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level) Yeah, and Blue Age thri-kreen had wings as well. So it says in either Thri-kreen of Athas or Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (don't remember). There are racial memories of kreen with wings living on islands, flying from landmass to landmass, over a world of oceans, alongside halflings.
#7 phoenix_m Aug 07, 2009 22:49:10	The old dragon magazine that has the Skill and Powers options for Dark Sun had an option for Thri-Kreen to have wings and limited flight... so does my conversion I have made (its a feat that can only be picked up at first level) Outlaw, I'd like to see that feat, if you don't mind sharing please. What was the magazine issue number for that article?
#8 outlaw68 Aug 08, 2009 0:44:41	Outlaw, I'd like to see that feat, if you don't mind sharing please. What was the magazine issue number for that article? It is in Dragon Mag Annual 1 (from 1996), page 98 my feat is as such Evolutionary Advance (Thri-Kreen) You are born slightly mutated from others of your kind Prerequisite: Thri-Kreen, Level 1 Benefit: You have a set of large insectile wings that allow you to do short bursts of flight. Special: This feat must be taken at level 1. Encounter ✦ Movement Move Action Personal Effect: Fly up to 7 squares at an altitude of 2 squares. If you are interested, i have link in my signature to a enworld thread, i have 3 PDF's posted with around 200 pages worth of Dark Sun conversion. You might find some stuff in there you can use in your own games.
#9 phoenix_m Aug 08, 2009 15:18:08	Outlaw, is this fron 3rd or 4th edition?
#10 outlaw68 Aug 08, 2009 20:46:53	Outlaw, is this fron 3rd or 4th edition? It is for 4th ed
#11 phoenix_m Aug 08, 2009 23:25:19	It is for 4th ed That would be why it makes little sense to me. Drat.
#12 outlaw68 Aug 09, 2009 0:27:54	That would be why it makes little sense to me. Drat. You may be able to convert something to 3rd ed rules form the original dragon material (if you can get a copy of it).. basically the dragon players option ability converted two arms to insectile wings and allowed short bursts of fairly clumsy flight. I am not very familiar with 3rd ed, so i am not sure where to start.