Monster Specification: Bulette / Land Shark

Monster Specification

Bulette / Land Shark

Bulette

Typical Monster Level ("ML"): 7 to 14

Typical Number Encountered: 1

Usual Alignment(s): E/N

Description: a large, powerful monster with a head like a shark and a grey, stocky, four-legged body covered in armoured plates, with powerful clawed legs and a thick, muscular tail. The carapace on its back is raised in motion, to form a fin-like crest which is visible when it burrows just beneath the surface.

Habitat: Wilderness Areas, Seabed, Depths of the Earth

Language: none

Chars: Co 4d8, Wp 4d6

Movement:

Dig @ up to 3ML ft/sec

Walk / Bound @ up to 2ML ft/sec, but mostly move on surface by bounding (use Th Jump)

Fighter Abilities:

ML/3, FRU AMR D = 25 + (5ML) % RD = 5 + (5ML) % 5 + (5ML) HP

Attack Modes:

Bite @ A = 10ML %, DAM = 2d12: if does >= 100% of Target’s HP, Target is swallowed whole

Claw @ A = 10ML %, DAM = d20 + 5(DAM done)% chance of Impaling on the Claw (Bleed @5%/MR)

HitLoc Table:

HitLoc Area	Front	Side	Rear
Head	01 to 40	01 to 40	n/a
Front Legs (*2)	61 to 120	41 to 70	n/a
Chest	41 to 60	71 to 120	n/a
Abdomen	n/a	121 to 150	01 to 30
Hind Legs (*2)	n/a	151 to 180	31 to 90
Tail	n/a	181 to 200	91 to 110

ADS:

HitLoc Area	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
Head	5	4	3	2	0	2	2	3	4	5
Front Legs	4	4	3	2	2	2	2	3	4	4
Chest	6	5	4	3	2	2	3	4	5	6
Abdomen	5	4	3	3	1	2	2	3	4	5
Hind Legs	4	4	2	2	1	2	2	3	3	4
Tail	5	4	4	3	3	3	3	4	4	5

Effects of Specific Damage:

Hit Loc Area	%age HP Damage taken	Effects
Head	25%	Unconscious, Co check vs Death
	50%	Decapitation, Death
Front Legs (*2)	25%	Co check vs Leg Crippled
	50%	Leg Crippled, Co check vs Leg Severed
	75%	Leg Severed
Chest	80%	Incapacitated, Co check vs Death, Bleed 5%/min, Co check vs Bleed 5%/MR
	160%	Death
Abdomen	60%	Co check vs Death/MR, Bleed 5%/MR
	120%	Death
Hind Legs (*2)	25%	Co check vs Leg Crippled
	50%	Leg Crippled, Co check vs Leg Severed
	75%	Leg Severed
Tail	25%	Co check vs Tail Crippled
	50%	Tail Crippled, Co check vs Tail Severed
	75%	Tail Severed

Bleeding effects from Crippling, Severance and Decapitation are as for People.

Thievish Abilities:

M on Th Activities:

Scent 10ML%, Far Hear 10ML%
Jump 20ML%

Defensive ThL = ML/2, FRU

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

Bulettes (commonly known as “Land Sharks”) are large, aggressive Monsters that live underground, tunnelling through the Earth. They prefer to move through softer earth near the surface, rather than dig through solid rock or tree roots (so are most commonly encountered in non-forested areas of the Wilderness), but there are also reports of encounters in the Depths of the Earth (where it is thought they may go to breed and nest). Bulettes are amphibious and have Water Breathing, so may also be encountered on the Seabed.
Their most common mode of attack is to track a party through the vibrations it makes through the Earth and then burst out to ambush it. Their powerful tunnelling limbs make them strong jumpers, and they will often leap into the attack. They will attempt to seize a tasty morsel in their jaws and disappear into the Earth to consume it, but may return for a second or third course. Though vicious, and single-minded, they are predictable to those familiar with their methods, and so can easily be tricked. Grasslanders are adept at leading them to enemy encampments.
They have a particular taste for horse or mule meat, so the vibrations of horseshoes can draw an attack from any nearby Bulette. Such an attack is likely to panic the surviving horses or mule train. Caravans across likely Bulette territory will often bind up hooves to muffle them and/or lead a decoy horse out front (on a long lead).
Rumour has it that Bulettes are a result of LLYWELLA’s breeding experiments on the Secret Isle, and were originally intended to take revenge on land against fishermen, but were released when they proved uncontrollable (for example by snacking on Merfolk).

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