"Bug Trooper"

[CRGreathouse]

Does anyone know what 3E MM creature this is?
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm_gallery/BugTrooper.jpg

It's a concept sketch from the Monster Manual Concept Art page, which says "Just to make it tricky for you, some of the monster names may have changed from the sketch stage to the final versions." I can't figure it out, though. Thoughts?

 

[kaomera]

Does anyone know what 3E MM creature this is?

Formian?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Formian?

I thought about it. Formians had been around since before 3E, though; why would they call them bug troopers? The other monsters were either new ("claw monster" = destrachan) or used the names older editions gave them.

 

[Kunimatyu]

I'm not sure, but that artist had a thing for the Predator, I'll say that much.

 

[Shade]

I don't know if the art was originally intended for something else, but it was used for the phalanx vermin in Living Greyhawk Journal #5.

 

[coyote6]

Ethereal marauder, maybe?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd say Hook Horror or Formian.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Ethereal marauder, maybe?

The art gllery has a much more convincing ethereal maurauder, called the "dropper".

 

[demiurge1138]

I don't think the bug trooper made it at all into the Monster Manual, like the urd and Dispater. If any aspect made it through, the head does look a bit like a chuul, but not much. There's no way it's a formian, though - they predate 3e by a while, and haven't changed in appearance since then.

Demiurge out.

 

[Nifft]

I'd guess it's a variant of Umber Hulk, with some Hook Horror thrown in on one side of the body.

Look at how it's hunched over. Look at the feet, knees and its left hand. Note the shiny little eyes above the recessed eye sockets. It's totally a prototype for an Umber Hulk.

Cheers, -- N