Monster Specification

Giant Ants

Giant Ants

Typical Monster Level ("ML"): Workers ML1-2 / Soldiers ML 2-5 / Knights ML5-10 / Queens ML10-12

Typical Number Encountered: If far from nest, 2d6 soldiers, 50% chance led by a knight. If close to nest, at DM's discretion. Nest typically contains 500 workers, 100 soldiers, 5 knights and 1 queen, plus larvae etc.

Usual Alignment(s): N/L, E/L

Description: shaped like ordinary ants, but workers and soldiers 3' tall, knights and queens 4' tall

Habitat: Dungeons, Green Areas, Wilderness Areas

Language: Communicate with each other via hive mind. Some Queens and Knights can speak other languages.

Chars: Co 3d4/d6/d8/d10, Wp 3d4/d6/d8/d10

Movement:

Rate Melee Travelling
Walk 2 ft/sec 2 mph
Scuttle 4 ft/sec 3 mph
Charge 8 ft/sec n/a

All Queens and Knights and all of some sub species are winged and can Fly at up to 15 ft/sec / 10 mph

Fighter Abilities:

1/2/3/4 AMR    D = 25 + (5ML) %    RD = 5 + (5ML) %    5 + (5ML) HP

Attack Modes:

Bite @ A = 10ML %, DAM = d6/2d6/4d6/6d6, soldiers and knights of some sub-species have acid in their bite, doing ML Acid damage if DAM > 0 inflicted

If defending nest or Queen +10% to A and -10% to D for all except Queens 

HitLoc Table:

Workers / Soldiers

HitLoc Area

Front

Side

Rear

Head

01 to 10

01 to 10

n/a

Front Legs (*2)

36 to 50

11 to 20

n/a

Mid Legs (*2)

n/a

61 to 70

n/a

Hind Legs (*2) n/a 71 to 80 01 to 15

Thorax

 11 to 35 21 to 41 n/a

Abdomen

n/a

41 to 60

16 to 50

Knights / Queen

HitLoc Area

Front

Side

Rear

Head

01 to 10

01 to 10

n/a

Wings (*2) 11 to 20 11 to 20 01 to 10

Front Legs (*2)

61 to 75

21 to 30

n/a

Mid Legs (*2)

n/a

31 to 40

n/a

Hind Legs (*2) n/a 91 to 100 11 to 25

Thorax

21 to 60

41 to 65

n/a

Abdomen

 n/a 66 to 90 26 to 75

ADS:

HitLoc Area 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Head

 3 3 1 3 3 3 3 1 3 3
Wings 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Front Legs

 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Mid Legs

 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hind Legs 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Thorax

 3 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3

Abdomen

 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

The above applies to Workers and Soldiers. Knights add 2 to ADS. Queens add 4. Note that weak areas in head and thorax are not obvious at first sight. Combatants unfamiliar with giant ants are unlikely to be able to aim for them.

Effects of Specific Damage:

Hit Loc Area

%age HP Damage taken

Effects

Head

50% Decapitation, Death
Wings (each) 30% Co check vs Wing Crippled
60% Wing Crippled (spirals to ground), Co check vs Wing Severed
90% Wing Severed (plummets to ground)

Legs (each)

 25% Co check vs Leg Crippled
50% Leg Crippled, Co check vs Leg Severed
75% Leg Severed

Thorax

 150% Death

Abdomen

 250% Death

Giant Ants do not have blood and do not bleed.

Thievish Abilities:

None

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

  1. Giant Ants are Insectoid Monsters.
  2. Ants of the same nest are linked telepathically by a "hive mind" so that all know what each sees, and the Queen or her Knights can give directions at a distance. Communication with the hive mind works only within 50 miles or so of the nest, and can be blocked by certain magical means, e.g. Mindbar. An ant who loses connection fights at half ML. While connected, groups of ants can fight in a very organized manner.
  3. Ants have little conception of individuality. Unless directed otherwise they will fight to the death.
  4. Some Knights and Queens are Magic Users, typically Elementalists of ML/2. Air or Fire are common specialities for Knights, Queens are often Charmers.

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