Giant Crayfish

Crayfish (giant)

Species	mollusk
No. Appearing	1–4
Behaviour	solitary
Range	profundal, wetland
Size	8 ft. long
Weight	1,300 lbs.
Intelligence	0
Armour Class	4
Hit Dice	4+4
Action Points	4
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	18
Hp/Die	d12
Attack Forms	claw/claw
Damage	2–12/2–12
Special Attacks	capsizing, claw, surprise on a 1-3

Giant crayfish are intimidating lake creatures found along the wetland and sodden areas adjacent to freshwater lakes and tropical nyanza. They dwell in dug holes of hard clay, preferring to feed and rest 50 ft. below the surface. When hunting, they wander swampy areas deep enough to remain submerged. They can be seen from the wake they cause as their backs move beneath the water. They also dwell in drowned swamps. They're largely scavenging creatures, but if disturbed they've been known to attack.

If provoked, giant crayfish have been known to attack small surface boats, capsizing or swamping water over the gunnels, attacking with one claw before sinking below the surface. Villagers are careful to attack these crayfish from firm ground; success produces a great deal of food — though giant crayfish rarely approach close to a bank. The meat from a giant crayfish is edible and can, if preserved and transported to a market, be sold for a good price.

Advantages

When attacking out of the water, crayfish surprise 1-3 out of 6. From the water, they can attack with only one claw; but if their legs find firm purchase on the bottom, they will attack with both. They always attack the same target when fighting with both claws.

The claws will seize a creature if the crayfish succeeds in stunning it; the claws will close in a vise-like grip. This causes 1-4 damage per round; to get free, the victim must have a strength of at least 18/30 or the crayfish must be killed. Once the crayfish has a victim, it will back into the water as soon as possible, in order to drown its victim — storing it underwater until it is ready to be eaten.

See Bestiary