Sunday, September 11, 2016

The rest of the Aspis nest.

Not long ago I posted a 5e conversion for the Aspis Drone. Below are the Aspis Larva and Aspis Cow, as well as 5e stats for giant ants, since they are a pretty big part of the Aspis nest. I'll admit that I'm actually a little shocked that the Monster Manual didn't include giant ant stats, since once upon a time, they were a somewhat commonly encountered monster.

From the original entry for the Aspis way back when in AD&D. I don't remember if this is supposed to be the Cow or the Larva, but since they look very much alike except for a significant size difference, I don't think it matters.

Aspis Larva
Small monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 15 ft., Swim 20 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
7 (-2)   10        10        3 (-4)   10        6 (-2)

Damage Resistances acid
Damage Immunities thunder
Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Keen Smell. The aspis larva has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage.

Aspis larvae resemble giant maggots or grubs, typically being white or off-white in color. Aspis larvae are deaf and blind, using their sense of smell and ability to perceive vibrations to sense potential food. Unlike drones, aspis larvae are soft-bodied and easily injured.

Aspis larvae have incredible appetites and spend all of their time eating. They are strictly kept in the nest’s grub hatcheries, where the drones dump food scraps and other waste into a pit that looks like a sewer. The larvae constantly swim and eat in these pits. The stench can be nauseating to a non-aspis visitor.

Aspis Cow
Huge monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 76 (8d12+24)
Speed 10 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
18 (+4) 8 (-1)   16 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)

Damage Immunities acid
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Aspis
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Acidic Secretion. The aspis cow exudes a dangerous corrosive that coats its body and adheres to the walls and floor of its chamber. A creature that touches the aspis cow takes 4 (1d8) acid damage. A nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the aspis cow corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If this penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the aspis cow is destroyed after dealing damage.

The aspis cow can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or metal in 1 round. Aspis drones and larvae are immune to the cow’s acidic secretion.

Keen Smell. The aspis cow has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) piercing damage.

On rare occasions, an aspis larva is selected by the nest’s drones and separated from its siblings. It is fed a specific diet and nurtured in a very careful way, ultimately growing to a massive size and never maturing into an aspis drone. It instead matures into an aspis cow, looking very much like a huge larva. The aspis cow is slow and clumsy, but exudes a corrosive substance from its body and has a powerful bite.

Giant Ant Worker
Small beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 4 (1d6+1)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
11 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 1 (-5)   7 (-2)   3 (-4)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Keen Smell. The giant ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage, and the giant ant clings to the target. To remove the giant ant, the target may attempt a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target that the giant ant is clinging to. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) poison damage.

Many species of giant ant workers have modified ovipositors that they use as a stinger when defending their nest. Some species have developed much larger mandibles and have lost their stinger, their bite causing 1d6 piercing damage. Others have lost their stinger and have the ability to spray acid from an acidopore in their gaster. This attack has the following stats: Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) acid damage.

Giant Ant Warrior
Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5)   8 (-1)   3 (-4)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Smell. The giant ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage, and the giant ant clings to the target. To remove the giant ant, the target may attempt a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target that the giant ant is clinging to. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.

The giant ant warrior is really just a larger worker ant, being more dangerous than its smaller brethren due to its increased size and strength. Like the worker ant, some species have lost the ability to sting and have larger mandibles, causing 1d8 piercing damage with a bite. Some species have acidopores instead of stingers, with the following acid spray attack: Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) acid damage.

Giant Ant Queen
Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (3d10+6)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 1 (-5)   10 (+0) 3 (-4)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Keen Smell. The giant ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage.

Giant ant queens lack the stinger of the worker and warrior ants. Before the queen ant mates for the first time, she has a pair of wings that give her a flying speed of 50 ft. She loses these wings once she has mated and established a nest.

Giant Ant Drone
Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 50 ft.

Str        Dex      Con      Int        Wis      Cha
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 1 (-5)   7 (-2)   3 (-4)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Smell. The giant ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage.


Giant ant drones are the males of the ant colony. They exist for one purpose; to mate with the queen and then die. Unlike the workers and warriors, they are equipped with a pair of wings. As males, they have no ovipositors, and thus lack the sting of the other ants of their nest.

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