Blaster Bugs
The Blaster Bug are slightly larger than warriors, with a huge gapping maw. Blasters are quadrupedal bugs standing 9.5 feet tall, 14 feet long, with colourization to match their surrounds. The mouth has three long fangs on the top with the lower jaw splits in two. The rear legs are longer than the front legs, similar to the warrior bugs, showing the Arachnids are adapting their base warrior into different strains and genetic modifications.
The Blaster Bug absorbs heat from the surrounding environment to ignite an exothermic biochemical reaction in its prothorax, resulting in a flame-throwing capability, burning through power suits or melting sand into glass-like substance. A swarm of Blaster Bugs firing off in synchronized bursts can create a massive wall of fire. The abdomen of the bug glows when there is a reaction in the prothorax, prior to firing. Blaster Bug swarms also generate enough residual heat collectively to form a dome-shaped heat shield capable of destroying incoming weapons fire and missiles, but underneath their abdomens there is a significant drop in temperature, with their undersides being vulnerable to explosives.
Blaster Bugs are used as artillery support, keeping out of melee combat as much as possible.
CR 4;
Large aberration [Arachnid];
Hit Dice: 4d8+12; hp 28; Mas —; Init +6;
Speed: 50 ft, Climb 30 ft, burrow 20 ft;
Defense 15, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural);
BAB: +4; Grap +8; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2 bite); or +7 ranged blaster (3d10, 20x2, fire, 150 ft)
FS: 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.;
SQ: darkvision 60 ft., DR 3, Fire Resistance 5, Swarm Heat Shield;
AL: Hive;
SV: Fort +4, Ref +3 , Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0;
Ability Scores: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 8, Cha 2.
Skills: Climb +6, Hide +7*, Jump +6, Listen +2, Move Silently +1, Spot +2, Swim +5, Survival +3
Feats: Improved Initiative.
Advancement: 4–6 HD (Large).
Organization: Found in groups of 1, pairs or swarms as large as thousands.
Species Traits
Bonus Feat: Blaster Bugs gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
Damage Reduction (Ex): Blaster bugs have tough exoskeletons that provide DR 3, and Natural armour bonus to Defense +2.
Blaster (Ex): The Blaster Bug expels a powerful blast of fire, similar to plasma, but only able to fire once every 1d4 rounds, dealing 3d10 points of fire damage, plus half damage to a 10 foot area around the point of striking, Reflex DC 14 for half. The blast also ignores 5 points of hardness/DR to the initial target struck, not those in the blast area.
Skill Bonuses: Warrior gain a +2 species bonus on Climb and Survival checks.
Camouflage (Ex): Warrior bugs are bred so their exoskeleton colouring matches their environment, granting them +8 racial bonus to Hide checks.
Swarm Heat Shield (Ex): When multiple Blaster Bugs are grouped together, the amount of heat they radiate creates a field around them that protects them against attacks. For every 5 Blaster Bugs within 30 feet of each other grants each Blaster Bug DR +2 against all ranged attacks, and +3 Fire Resistance (counts against plasma and other heat attacks, but not lasers), but to a maximum of +10 DR and +30 Fire resistance, at which point the group becomes immune to fire attacks (except against lasers).
Blister Bug - Blaster Bug Variant
The Blister Bugs are a variant strain of Blasters that spew a powerful, corrosive green liquid that can eat through nearly anything. Blister Bugs work individually or in small groups, usually working as support for groups of warriors.
Make the following changes to Blaster Bugs to make a Blister Bug:
Reduce speed by -10 ft;
Remove Blaster Attack;
Add Acid Blast Attack;
Remove Fire Resistance;
Remove Swarm Heat Shield;
Add Acid Resistance 10.
Acid Blast Attack (Ex): The Blister Bug spews forth a line of acid, 5 ft wide up to 30 ft, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage, Reflex DC 19 for half damage, and continues to deal damage each round, reducing damage by 1 die each round until reduced to 0 die (3 rounds later).