Boring Beetle
by Jamie BatyBMSII 13, 14, 18
Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (42 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 10ft
Armour Class: 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12
Attack: Bite +7 melee (3d6 +5)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (3d6 +5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 10, Con 18, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +9, Spot +9
Feats: ---
Environment: Any underground
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Colony (5-20 plus 5ft-10ft patch of Yellow Mould per beetle and 50% chance of 2-5 oozes, slimes, jellies, or puddings)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Large); 11-15 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Boring beetles are about 15ft long and 5ft thick. They most commonly are found in the remains of gargantuan, felled trees and unused tunnel complexes. This species is capable of growing yellow mould for food, and is also capable of cultivating other slimes, jellies and oozes found in dungeons and other underground environments. These beetles, although not intelligent, seem to have better coordination with and awareness of their fellow colonists than most vermin.
Boring beetle lairs are foul places, as they start their nauseating cultures by gathering various dead bodies and rotting offal (creating a putrid Petrie dish, if you will). The upside to this is their lairs generally contain treasure from the victims.
Combat
These beetles simply attack with their mandibles. They will attack anything they consider food.
Vermin Traits: Vermin are mindless - they have no intelligence score and are immune to all mind-affecting effects. They have no sense of morality and are always neutral. They have 60ft. darkvision and any treasure they possess (which is usually none) consists of the property of former victims.