Need some ideas for warm/hot savannah terrain encounters

[The_Gneech]

Lions (or dire lions) seem an obvious choice. Ginormous giraffe-eating spiders buried in the sandy earth would be cool, too. Desert-dwelling lizardfolk or jackalweres are probably around the edges.

-The Gneech

 

[NewJeffCT]

a big mud bowl could be interesting - it would slow down the party, with them losing dex bonuses and the like. Plus, there is a halfling & a dwarf that could be in trouble when it comes to big mud.

 

[darjr]

Just thought of another thing.

The rains aftermath would bring bugs. Lots of bugs. Biting vicious blood suckers. The air would be thick with them.

Maybe swarms of flesh shredding piranha flies.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A tribe or tribes of unallied hostiles who have a nomadic lifestyle.

I did this once with Minotaurs...gave them a Plains Indian lifestyle and culture, made them charioteers instead of horsemen, and then had them harry the party using their size L weapons. Big Javelins, Arrows, Spears, etc. HURT.

I like the Termite idea as well- termites can be some pretty nasty critters.

If you want a natural trap, there are depressed bowls in the African plains that actually collect deep reservoirs of heavier-than-air gases. And since they have water at the bottom of the depressions, they often attract thirsty wildlife (and sometimes uninformed or oblivious humans)...who then suffocate.

Also in Africa are crocodile-infested rivers that cross the plains. The crocs mass near the migratory paths of herding animals, and feast when they're finally forced to cross.

Another hazard- lightning-sparked wildfires.

 

[Connorsrpg]

I was going to come in with the bushfire thing, but I was ninja'ed. Perhaps a tribe started the fire, caused the stampede and then follow it to collect game and then run into the PCs.

Ankheg nest is a good idea. Gotta have cats or dire cats of some sort.

Tribesmen (humanoids) on rhinos or elephants.

Emphasise the openess and loneliness. A whirling tornado might come from the distance.

Wemics! I love wemics

C

 

[NewJeffCT]

I was going to come in with the bushfire thing, but I was ninja'ed. Perhaps a tribe started the fire, caused the stampede and then follow it to collect game and then run into the PCs.

Ankheg nest is a good idea. Gotta have cats or dire cats of some sort.

Tribesmen (humanoids) on rhinos or elephants.

Emphasise the openess and loneliness. A whirling tornado might come from the distance.

Wemics! I love wemics

C

Wemics sound interesting, but I don't have Monsters of Faerun and they don't seem to be in the SRD.

 

[NewJeffCT]

A tribe or tribes of unallied hostiles who have a nomadic lifestyle.

I did this once with Minotaurs...gave them a Plains Indian lifestyle and culture, made them charioteers instead of horsemen, and then had them harry the party using their size L weapons. Big Javelins, Arrows, Spears, etc. HURT.

I like the Termite idea as well- termites can be some pretty nasty critters.

If you want a natural trap, there are depressed bowls in the African plains that actually collect deep reservoirs of heavier-than-air gases. And since they have water at the bottom of the depressions, they often attract thirsty wildlife (and sometimes uninformed or oblivious humans)...who then suffocate.

Also in Africa are crocodile-infested rivers that cross the plains. The crocs mass near the migratory paths of herding animals, and feast when they're finally forced to cross.

Another hazard- lightning-sparked wildfires.

I think the idea of ankhegs/termites could be a good one, and then couple it with maybe some other plains creature nearby that picks off those who survive the ankhegs (maybe some gnolls?) - so, right after the party blows off some spells, takes some damage from the ankhegs, they start to go through healing only to find themselves surrounded by a pack of vicious & hungry looking gnolls.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I think the idea of ankhegs/termites could be a good one, and then couple it with maybe some other plains creature nearby that picks off those who survive the ankhegs (maybe some gnolls?) - so, right after the party blows off some spells, takes some damage from the ankhegs, they start to go through healing only to find themselves surrounded by a pack of vicious & hungry looking gnolls.

You want nasty?

Have the planes tribesmen- whatever species- drive the critters to the party (or vice versa) to soften them up for the kill.

 

[NewJeffCT]

You want nasty?

Have the planes tribesmen- whatever species- drive the critters to the party (or vice versa) to soften them up for the kill.

sounds like a good idea as well. thanks