Monster: Cranium Rat Swarm

Monster: Cranium Rat Swarm

Cranium rats are rats with exposed brains and a hive mind, used as spies by the illithids. They grow smarter and more psionically powerful near other such swarms. These were tricky to build.

Cranium Rat Swarm [Fiend Folio, page 167]

361 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST-6 [-60]; DX+2 [40]; IQ-1 [-20]; HT+4 [40].

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+2 [4]; FP-2 [-6]; Will+2 [10]; Per+3 [15]; Basic Move -2 [-10]; Basic Speed -0.5 [-10].

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Flexibility [5]; Infravision [10]; Night Vision 4 [4]; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast Iron Stomach, -50%) [3]; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+8) [15]; Silence 2 [10].

Swarm: Injury Tolerance (Diffuse; Body of Swarm, Rat-Sized, +0%) [100].

                Swarm Bite: Cutting Attack 1d (Area Effect, 1 yard, +25%; Cosmic, No die roll required, No active defense allowed, +400%; Melee Attack, C, No Parry, -35%) [35].

                Pack Merging [224]: DR 20 (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%; Includes Eyes, +10%; Includes Internal, +20%; Limited, Cold, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%; Telepathy, -10%) [20] + Flash 1 (Granted by Other, One swarm, -40%) [18] + Hologram 1 (Granted by Other, One swarm, -40%) [5] + Immunity to Noxious Cold Effects (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%; Telepathy, -10%) [7] + IQ+2 (Granted by Other, One swarm, -40%; Telepathy, -10%) [20] + IQ+3 (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%; Telepathy, -10%) [39] + Photorefraction 5 (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%) [23] + Resistant to Psionics (+3) (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%; Telepathy, -10%) [7] + Suggestion 4 (Granted by Other, Three swarms, -25%) [23] + Telesend 4 (Granted by Other, One swarm, -40%) [12] + TK Grab 10 (Granted by Other, One swarm, -40%) [50].

Disadvantages: Bestial [-10]; Cannot Speak [-15]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Short Lifespan 4 [-40].

Perk: Fur [1].

Racial Psionic Abilities: Mental Blow 4 [28].

Racial Psionic Skills: Flash (H) Will-2 [1]; Mental Blow (H) Will-2 [1]; Photorefraction (H) IQ-2 [1]; Suggestion (H) IQ-2 [1]; Telesend (H) IQ-2 [1]; TK Grab (H) IQ-2 [1].

Creature Type: Magical Beast.

Sapient-Only Telepathy [-1] Mental Blow 4 [28] -> Mental Blow 4 [27]

Typical Stats

ST:	4	HP:	6	Speed:	6
DX:	12	Will:	11 (see Pack Merging)	Move:	4
IQ:	9 (see Pack Merging)	Per:	12 (see Pack Merging)
HT:	14	FP:	12	SM:	+0
Dodge:	10	Parry:	N/A	DR:	0 (see Pack Merging)

Swarm Bite: 1d cutting, Reach C. The swarm must “step” into close combat with the target and attack. The target can retreat or dodge and drop (p. B377) to move at least one yard away; if not, it automatically takes 1d large area cutting damage that is reduced by DR normally.

Swarm: A cranium rat swarm consists of about a dozen of rats. This makes it immune to crippling injuries and reduces the damage it suffers from most physical blows; see Injury to Unliving, Homogenous, and Diffuse Targets (p. B380). The swarm cannot be slammed or grappled. Diffuse includes all the benefits of No Blood, No Brain, and No Vitals. The swarm is dispersed by injury equal to its HP. A dispersed swarm is effectively “unconscious” and unable to act in concert. A determined foe might contain and continue to damage the dispersed bodies, though. Should the swarm reach -HP, enough of the bodies have been killed to destroy the swarm.

Pack Merging: Cranium rat swarms grow smarter and more powerful near other such swarms. When there is another cranium rat swarm nearby (i.e. it can reach this swarm in a minute), IQ of both swarms gains a +2 bonus (Will, Per, and skills that depend on them are increased too), the swarms become able to use the following psionic abilities: Flash 1, Hologram 1, Telesend 4, and TK Grab 10.

When there is at least three other swarms nearby, the IQ bonus is increased to +5, and the swarms gain the following psionic abilities: Photorefraction 5 and Suggestion 4. In addition, the swarms gain DR 20 against cold attacks (including internal attacks and attacks that target the eyes), become immune to noxious cold effects, and gain a +3 bonus to resist psionic abilities.

                Traits: Bestial; Cannot Speak; Combat Reflexes; Flexibility; Fur; Infravision; Night Vision 4; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast Iron Stomach); Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+8); Semi-Upright; Short Lifespan 4; Silence 2.

Skills: Climbing-14; Escape-14; Scrounging-13; Stealth-14.

Racial Psionic Abilities: Mental Blow 4, but see Pack Merging above.

Racial Psionic Skills: Flash-11; Mental Blow-11; Photorefraction-11; Suggestion-11; Telesend-11; TK Grab-11. See Pack Merging above.

Creature Type: Magical Beast.