Monster: Ectoplasmic Swarm

Monster: Ectoplasmic Swarm

Ever wanted to surprise the player characters with a swarm of spiders that can envelop and pin them in

a single second with no active defenses allowed? Even if they are insubstantial? Here's exactly what you need, but be prepared for the players to throw dice at you.

 

Ectoplasmic Swarm [Complete Psionic, page 129]

145 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-9 [-90]; DX+2 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [24]; IQ-9 [-180].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+7 [14]; Will+9 [45]; Per+11 [55]; Basic Move-1 [-5].
Advantages: Clinging [20]; Blessed (Ghost Weapon; Metacreativity instead of Divine, -0%) [15]; Infravision [10].
    Swarm: Injury Tolerance (Diffuse; Body of Swarm, Gnat-Sized, +40%) [130].
    Sting: Small Piercing Attack 1 (Area Effect, 1 yard, +25%; Contact Agent, +150%; Cosmic, No die roll required, No active defense allowed, +400%; Melee Attack, C, No Parry, -35%) [7].
    Ectoplasmic Coccoon: Binding 12 (Affects Insubstantial, +20%; Cosmic, No die roll required, No active defense allowed, +400%; Engulfing, +60%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Metacreativity, -10%) [130].
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators [-30].
Creature Type: Magical Beast.

Typical Stats

ST:	1	HP:	8	Speed:	5.5
DX:	12	Will:	10	Move:	4
IQ:	1	Per:	12
HT:	10	FP:	10	SM:	+0
Dodge:	8	Parry:	N/A	DR:	-

    Sting: 1 point small piercing damage. 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 oneyard away; if not, he automatically takes 1 point of damage unless wearing sealed armor. Subjects with natural DR (but not with the Tough Skin limitation) are safe only if they keep their eyes and mouth shut and plug their nose, ears, etc. This can affect insubstantial beings.
    Swarm: An ectoplasmic swarm consists of about a thousand of ectoplasmic spiders. 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. The swarm can seep under doors, or through screens, ventilation grates, clothing (2 seconds), chinks in armor (5 seconds).
    Ectoplasmic Cocoon: An ectoplasmic swarm can spin ectoplasmic web around the target, even an insubstantial one. 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 oneyard away; if not, he automatically is pinned (see p. B370) and rooted in place. He cannot move his limbs or speak; his only options are to use purely mental abilities, to attack the cocoon with an Innate Attack, or to try to break free using ST (not Escape skill). The ST of the cocoon is equal 12, but the swarm can layer additional layers on a successfully bound victim. Each extra layer gives +1 to ST.
    To break free, the victim must win a Quick Contest of ST against the ST of the cocoon. Each attempt takes one second. If he tries to break free and fails, he loses 1 FP and is only allowed a repeated attempt every 10 seconds – and on a 17 or 18, he becomes so entangled that he cannot escape on his own! Alternatively, he may try to destroy the cocoon with an Innate Attack (they hit automatically). External attacks on the cocoon take no penalty, but risk hitting the victim on a miss (see Striking Into a Close Combat, p. B392).
    The cocoon has DR 4. Each point of damage reduces ST by one. At ST 0, the cocoon is destroyed and the victim is freed.

    Traits: Clinging; Infravision; No Fine Manipulators.
    Creature Type: Magical Beast.