BEARBUG

Init +1
Melee Atk
 • claw arm (smash) +4 (1d5+1)
 • claw arm (grab) +1 (grab)
 • funky pole arm +3 (1d8)
AC 19
HD 3d8+1
MV 30
Act 2d20
SP jump, group thought
Fort +5
Ref +2
Will +2
AL C

Strange as some monsters may be, few can accurately be called insane. The bearbug is an exception to this rule. A towering, multi-segmented beast nine feet tall, the bearbug is a mammal covered in coarse fur, that also grows a dense, encompassing, chitinous carapace. The irritation from the fur beneath the shell is more than an adult bearbug can take for long, and this makes them crazed.

However, they also posses a hive mentality, and in numbers can collectively stave off their inherent madness and function with a high degree of apparent intelligence and cunning. They do not use any sort of audible language, and are suspected of communicating by pheromones, posture or perhaps some low-level telepathy.

Their second-to-last pair of legs are larger and more powerful than their others, allowing them to accurately jump distances up to four times their normal movement if foregoing other actions (or two times their normal movement for sheer vertical jumps).

They have no manufacturing skills of their own, but can use items found or taken from men. They are fond of donning bits of armor when possible (especially the helmets of dwarves), and make great use of pole arms, since their manipulative 'hands' are small and benefit from the two-handed grip.

One favored tactic is to use a claw arm to grab an opponent, and then carve away at them with the business end of a pole arm. In some cases they may grab two foes, and harry them both with subsequent actions. Their strength tends to run to the upper scale of human power and beyond (2d7+10 Str).

When encountered in a group, they are much more effective than any single specimen could be -- the chart below details the changes to their attributes, based on their numbers. This reflects the intensity of their insanity, and their overcoming that insanity by strength of numbers. Please note that these are dynamic changes and if a group of 9 were reduced to a group of 6, the adjustments for groups of 8-15 would then no longer apply.

Number encountered -- Adjustments

1 -- Reduce Action Dice to a single d20; reduce all attack and damage rolls by 1; reduce HD by 1; morale check each round or flee.

2-3 -- Use the stats given above.

4-7 -- Improve all attack and damage rolls by 1; improve AC by 1; improve initiative by 2.

8-15 -- As per 4-7, and: add a third Action Die; improve AC by an additional 2; increase Reflex Saves by 2.

16 or more -- As per 8-15, and: improve all attack rolls by 2; add 1d8 additional hit points; improve initiative by 4.


Sparked by beermotor.