Rhinoceros Beetle (giant)

Beetle (giant rhinocerous)

Species	insect (scarabaedae gargantua)
No. Appearing	1–4
Behaviour	solitary
Range	savannah
Size	12 ft. long
Weight	2½ tons
Intelligence	0
Armour Class	2
Hit Dice	12
Action Points	3
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	12
Hp/Die	2d4+d6
Attack Forms	horn
Damage	4–24
Special Attacks	buffeting

A giant form of scarab beetle, the giant rhinoceros beetle is an immense creature with a thick, shiny and smooth exoskeleton. They are nocturnal in nature, and it is not unknown for isolated persons to hear trees being torn down or the heavy tramping of the beetle's feet as it passes close by in the dark. Unlike its smaller cousin, giant rhinoceros beetles are omnivorous as well as being scavengers.

The horns are heavy and are used in a swinging or butting fashion to defend themselves or kill prey of sufficient size. The back carapace is actually a wing-cover, though these beasts are far too heavy to take to the air. If highly threatened, however, a rhinoceros beetle will spread its wings and beat them rapidly enough to buffet the air around them, creating a 360° windstorm around the creature with a radius of 2 combat hexes (10 feet). Creatures smaller than 300 lbs. will be blown out of this circle and take 4–6 buffeting damage, half if a save vs. breath weapon is made. Creatures between 300 and 750 lbs. will be forced back one hex; creatures larger than 750 lbs. will be able to stand their ground.

Larvae are deposited under a large tree following a savanna fire, where they gestate below ground before eating their way into the trunk of the tree. Once the tree dies, the beetles (usually between 4–6) will emerge with soft bodies, growing to full size within about eight weeks. It is not known how the subterranean larvae are gestated.

When hunting, the rhinoceros beetle approaches cautiously, moving at normal speed before launching itself forward at double speed, ramming with its horn. These creatures are not known to act in groups.

See Bestiary.