Bombadier Beetle (giant)

Beetle (giant bombadier)

A ground crawling beetle which is defensive in nature, preferring to scavenge upon rotting flesh or wood that it finds. It has been known to find and dig up bodies that are buried in shallow graves. When feasting, the giant bombardier beetle will defend its food pile aggressively until it is stunned.

The creature will fight with its pincers until it has been stunned; if this occurs, while the creature will be unable to attack, it will reflexively twist its abdomen forward and release a cloud of boiling, superheated acid in a 120-degree arc centered on the direction of the last successful attack. The cloud emerges as a liquid gas, causing skin burns that are very painful. cause 3–2 damage to all opponents to a distance of 3 combat hexes (15 feet). Characters suffering 8 or more damage from the cloud will be unable to wear armor for 1–4 days afterwards.

In addition, the sonic boom of the cloud's release is so intense that anyone within 6 hexes will be made deaf for 1–4 rounds (no saving throw); spellcasters will have their concentrations broken by this effect to a distance of 12 hexes.

Following its cloud attack, the bombadier beetle will seek to escape, moving continuously for 100–400 yards before stopping.

During chilly weather (30–39°F), the bombadier beetle is not active. Once this (or colder) weather becomes continuous, the beetle will bury itself in mulch or loam until the following spring.

See Bestiary.