Monsters: Aquatic Swarms (+Finished Overhaul)

Monsters: Aquatic Swarms (+Finished Overhaul)

At last, I'm done with the monster overhaul project! I looked over every single entry, fixed mechanical mistakes, fixed formatting inconsistencies, reworked some monsters from the ground up, removed unneccessary abilities, added new abilities, etc. Also, while doing that, I found that I accidentally skipped three monsters from Stormwrack, so here they are.

 

Jellyfish Swarm [Stormwrack, page 161]

-292 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-9 [-90]; DX-2 [-40]; IQ-9 [-180].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+7 [14]; Will+6 [30]; Per+6 [30]; Basic Move -3 [-15].
Advantages: Chameleon 2 (Accessibility, Only underwater, -30%) [7]; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Absorption, -25%) [15]; Doesn’t Sleep [20].
    Swarm: Injury Tolerance (Diffuse; Body of Swarm, Rat-Sized, +0%) [100].
    Sting: Toxic 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].
Disadvantages: Blindness [-50]; Cold-Blooded (50°) [-5]; Deafness [-20]; Invertebrate [-20]; No Manipulators [-50]; Weakness (Immersion in fresh water, 1d per 30 minutes) [-5]; Wild Animal with Mute [-40].
Features: No Legs (Aquatic).
Creature Type: Vermin.

Typical Stats

ST:	1	HP:	8	Speed:	4.5
DX:	8	Will:	7	Move:	1 water
IQ:	1	Per:	7
HT:	10	FP:	10	SM:	+0
Dodge:	7	Parry:	N/A	DR:	0

    Sting: 1 point toxic 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.
    Swarm: A jellyfish swarm consists of about a dozen of jellyfish. 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.

    Traits: Blindness; Chameleon 2 (Accessibility, Only underwater); Cold-Blooded (50°); Deafness; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Absorption); Doesn’t Sleep; Invertebrate; No Manipulators; No Legs (Aquatic); Weakness (Immersion in fresh water, 1d per 30 minutes); Wild Animal with Mute.
    Creature Type: Vermin.

Leech Swarm [Stormwrack, page 162]

-47 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-9 [-90]; DX-2 [-40]; IQ-9 [-180].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+7 [14]; Will+6 [30]; Per+6 [30]; Basic Move -3 [-15].
Advantages: Clinging [20]; Discriminatory Taste [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Injury Tolerance (No Eyes) [5].
    Swarm: Injury Tolerance (Diffuse; Body of Swarm, Gnat-Sized, +40%) [140].
    Blood Drain: Leech 1 (Area Effect, 1 yard, +25%; Contact Agent, +150%; Cosmic, No die roll required, No active defense allowed, +400%; Heals FP, +60%; No Signature, +20%) [189].
Disadvantages: Blindness [-50]; Cold-Blooded (50°) [-5]; Invertebrate [-20]; No Manipulators [-50]; Restricted Diet (Fresh Blood) [-10]; Weakness (Immersion in salt water, 1d per 30 minutes) [-5]; Wild Animal with Mute [-40].
Features: Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); No Legs (Aquatic).
Creature Type: Vermin.

Typical Stats

ST:	1	HP:	8	Speed:	4.5
DX:	8	Will:	7	Move:	1 water
IQ:	1	Per:	7
HT:	10	FP:	10	SM:	+0
Dodge:	7	Parry:	N/A	DR:	0

    Blood Drain: If a leech swarm moves into a hex with a foe, it may attach to him without any rolls required. An attached leech swarm is effectively grappling its prey. A creature bitten by a leech swarm must succeed on Per-5 roll to notice the attack. If the victim is not sealed, then the leech swarm can drain 1 HP per second from him. For every 3 HP stolen, the leech swarm heals 1 HP or 1 FP (its choice). It cannot raise its HP or FP above normal this way. The leech swarm very rarely uses this ability offensively, typically only draining 1 HP per day to satisfy its hunger for blood.
    Swarm: A leech swarm consists of about a thousand of leeches. 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).

    Traits: Blindness; Clinging; Cold-Blooded (50°); Discriminatory Taste; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); Doesn’t Sleep; Injurty Tolerance (No Eyes); Invertebrate; No Manipulators; No Legs (Aquatic); Weakness (Immersion in salt water, 1d per 30 minutes); Wild Animal with Mute.
    Creature Type: Vermin.

Piranha Swarm [Stormwrack, page 162]

-54 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-6 [-60]; DX+2 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [24]; IQ-7 [-140].

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+2 [4]; Will+6 [30]; Per+9 [45]; Basic Move +4 [20].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Discriminatory Taste [10]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast Iron Stomach, -50%) [2]; Vibration Sense (Water; Biological (Passive), -5%) [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].
Disadvantages: Berserk (12) [-10]; Bloodlust (6) [-20]; Cold-Blooded (50°) [-5]; No Manipulators [-50]; Short Lifespan 4 [-40]; Weakness (Immersion in salt water, 1d per 30 minutes) [-5]; Wild Animal with Mute [-40].
Perk: Scales [1].
Features: Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); No Legs (Aquatic).
Creature Type: Animal.

Typical Stats

ST:	4	HP:	6	Speed:	5.5
DX:	12	Will:	9	Move:	9 water
IQ:	3	Per:	12
HT:	10	FP:	10	SM:	+0
Dodge:	10	Parry:	N/A	DR:	0

    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 piranha swarm consists of about a dozen of piranhas. 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.

    Traits: Berserk (12); Bloodlust (6); Cold-Blooded (50°); Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Taste; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); Night Vision 5; No Manipulators; No Legs (Aquatic); Peripheral Vision; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast Iron Stomach); Scales; Short Lifespan 4; Vibration Sense (Water; Biological (Passive)); Weakness (Immersion in salt water, 1d per 30 minutes); Wild Animal with Mute.
    Creature Type: Animal.