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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 6890812" data-attributes="member: 57383">Whiz-Bang Beetles Original StatsHere's the original entry:Whiz-bang Beetles(Coleoptera Conflagratio Amotensia)Created by John HagemanFREQUENCY: Rare NO. APPEARING: 5-50 ARMOR CLASS: 2 MOVE: 60” HIT DICE: 1 hp % IN LAIR: 50% TREASURE TYPE: (see below) NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1 hit point SPECIAL ATTACKS/DEFENSES: Nil (see below) MAGIC RESISTANCE: (see below) INTELLIGENCE: Very low ALIGNMENT: Neutral SIZE: 1” to 2” (beetle size) PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil Attack/Defense Modes: Nil His shield held in front of him with one hand, a torch raised aloft in his other, Murphy proceeded cautiously around the corner. “This stretch of corridor seems too quiet,” he thought to himself, however he could think of nothing else to do but push forward.A faint whining sound came up the corridor and an instant later something whizzed by his head, followed by another and another. Suddenly the air was full of speeding projectiles. Two or three hit his torch and tore it from his fingers. One struck his arm a stinging blow, numbing his hand. Then they were hitting him all over. Protecting his face he reeled back around the comer.“What the hell,” he muttered under his breath, “was that?”*   *   *Murphy has just encountered the dreaded Coleoptera Conflagratio Amotensia, colloquially known as the whiz-bang for the noise of its airborne attack.Unusually speedy dungeon creatures, whiz-bang beetles love fire and smoke. It’s this attraction that makes them dangerous to run into, as they will be compelled to throw themselves at the source of a flame. Whiz-bang beetles will attack fire sources at a range from their hive that is determined by the size of the fire source. Some of these ranges are given below:<table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>SIZE OF FIRE </td><td> </td><td>RANGE FROM HIVE </td></tr><tr><td>5’ diameter pool of oil </td><td> </td><td>200’ </td></tr><tr><td>Torch or lantern </td><td> </td><td>  70’ </td></tr><tr><td>Candle </td><td> </td><td>  30’ </td></tr><tr><td>Pipe or cigarette </td><td> </td><td>  10’ </td></tr></table>The larger the fire, the more beetles it is likely to attract. When beetles are drawn, a roll is made to determine the number appearing. Each beetle then rolls to hit. All successful hits automatically do 1 point of damage. Most beetles will hit near the area of the fire but some will be as far as 5’ off course randomly striking surrounding objects.Burrowing into dungeon walls by repeatedly throwing themselves at it, whiz-bang beetles form hives, usually at the end of a corridor stretch (so they can get a run at it), although they have been known to dig into pillars with an entrance on either side. The entrance hole is usually 3” to 4” in diameter.Inside the hive there is a 75% chance of finding 1 to 6 ounces of whiz-bang “honey”. This honey has some very unusual properties. Roll percentile dice to determine its effect.<table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>01 to 25 </td><td>No effect </td></tr><tr><td>26 to 75 </td><td>1 oz. will give one person double speed for 1 turn. </td></tr><tr><td>76 to 90 </td><td>1 oz. will give one person double speed for 1 turn plus 1 side effect for the next turn* </td></tr><tr><td>91 to 100 </td><td>1 oz. will give one person 1 side effect for 1 turn with no increase in speed. </td></tr></table>*side effects can include such things as half-speed, alignment change, explosive indigestion, food poisoning, etc.Whiz-bang beetles can usually (75%) be subdued if found in their hive and kept from seeing light. In order to keep them alive outside the hive they must be fed 1 oz. of Whiz-bang honey per 50 beetles per day. In this manner they can be kept for up to two weeks. Queens cannot be removed from the hive without killing them.MAGICWhiz-bang beetles will attack magic fire sources only 25% of the time. Magic attacks upon them will also be successful only 25% of the time, plus 5% per level of magic user.DESCRIPTIONWhiz-bang beetles are 1” to 2” in length with two transparent wings on either side of their bony, bullet-shaped body. Their dark color (grey to black) makes them hard to spot in a dimly lit dungeon. Queen beetles are twice that size and light grey or white in color.EXPERIENCE POINTSBeing fairly low level creatures, Whiz-bang beetles are worth 1 point of experience each for all avoided or captured beetles. Whiz-bang honey is worth up to 100 G.P. per oz. to Alchemists if it is to be sold.Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #29 (1979).</blockquote>

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