Giant Shrimp

[Agamemnon]

Hmm, now I'm hungry for a Giant Shrimp Coctail...

 

[D.Shaffer]

...Huh. I was just thinking that I wanted to make a giant pistol shrimp, and here someone's already gone and done it for me. That said, shouldnt shrimp be Vermin, not Animals? All the 'giant' version of other arthropods (Including crags and giant brine shrimp) are Vermin.

 

[BOZ]

Vermin would probably be best.

 

[Brimshack]

Hmm..., Vermin it will be.

 

[Brimshack]

Taking a new pass at it, using some of the suggestions and corrections you guys provided. Thanks for all the input.

Shrimp, Giant
Daniel S. Wall
(11/22/06)

Giant Mantis Shrimp
Medium Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 20’, 40’ in water
Armor Class: 20 (+2 Dexterity, +8 Natural) Touch 12, Flat Footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Claw +6 Melee (1d6+3 +1d6 Sonic)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +6 Melee (1d6+3 +1d6 Sonic)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
Special Attacks: Cavitation Damage, Superior Penetration/Crushing
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60’, Suitable Companion
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: STR 16, DEX 15, CON 16, INT -, WIS 11, CHR 3
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Search +4, Spot +8
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack
Environment: Warm Aquatic
Organization: Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 5-8 Large, 9-12 Huge
Level Adjustment: -

Giant Thunder Shrimp
Medium Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 20’, 40’ in water
Armor Class: 20 (+2 Dexterity, +8 Natural) Touch 12, Flat Footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Claw +6 Melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: 1 Claw +6 Melee (1d4+3)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
Special Attacks: Sonic Boom
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60’, Suitable Companion
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: STR 16, DEX 15, CON 16, INT -, WIS 11, CHR 3
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Search +4, Spot +4
Feats: Ability Focus (Sonic Boom), Improved Initiative
Environment: Warm Aquatic
Organization: Solitary or Pair or possibly a School (3d6+queen) in the case of Thunder Shrimp
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 5-8 Large, 9-12 Huge
Level Adjustment: -

Two kinds of shrimp have developed into giant varieties, the Thunder Shrimp and the Mantis Shrimp. Giant Shrimp inhabit the reef systems of warm ocean waters. They are seldom seen at depths of over 100’, and they have occassionally been known to crawl up on land in search of food. Each of these can be a hazard if threatened or if it decides that a character would make a good meal. Most encounters with these rather fearsome crustaceans will occur quite by accident, presenting characters with a sudden life or death struggle to prevent themselves from serving as an ironic meal to an ironically named creature.

Like their smaller cousins, both of these varieties of giant shrimp are prone to bond with other creatures. When found alone or in a pair, there is a 20% chance that a these will have bonded with some species of nesting giant fish (most likely an eel). They possess the exceptional ability, Suitable Companion.

Thunder Shrimp

This unusual variety of giant shrimp is endowed with one oversized claw which it may use to generate a special attack. A Thunder shrimp has only one claw attack, but its second oversized claw is the source of an exceptional ability, Sonic Boom.

Giant Thunder Shrimp sometimes dwell in schools in which a single queen shrimp produces fry while 3d6 soldiers protect her. The queen shrimp is always 1 size larger than her soldiers, being endowed with the necessary hit dice to justify the advance.

Mantis Shrimp

Giant Mantis Shrimp are notable for the unusual development of their claws. They come in two varieties, one with spear point claws which it uses to skewer opponents and one with a claws suited to mashing its opponents. The former type of Mantis Shrimp does piercing damage and the latter does bludgeoning damage. In either case, the Mantis Shrimp gains 2 Special Attacks: Cavitation Damage and Superior Penetration/Crushing.

COMBAT

Cavitation Damage (Ex): (Mantis only) The speed of the attack by a Mantis Shrimp is sufficient to cause the water around a victim to burst, thus generating extra damage from the strike. As a result, victims take an additional d6 in sonic damage from the strike of a Mantis Shrimp.

Limited Swimming (Ex): Due to their large size and rather heavy weight, giant shrimp are able to swim about for only short periods of time. A Giant Shrimp may take a single move action to swim as far as it wishes. After completing this action, a Giant Shrimp may not attempt to swim again for 3 full rounds. In the meantime, the shrimp will sink at a rate of 30’ per round and it may begin movement once again in contact with the ocean floor. Giant shrimp do get their full waterborne movement when moving about the ocean floor. Skills: Both varieties of giant shrimp are skilled at hiding against the ocean floor, giving them a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. They gain a +4 racial bonus when swimming. Giant Mantis Shrimp also gain an additional +4 bonus on Search and Spot checks due to their unusually well developed visual system.

Note that the speed listed for Giant Shrimp in the water applies both to movement along the ground (when in water) and to movement while swimming.

Sonic Boom (Ex): (Thunder Only) Once ever 3 rounds a Giant Thunder Shrimp can release a sonic blast from its large claw. This blast does 3d6 in sonic damage in a 15’ cone, and leaves the victims stunned for 1 round. A Reflex Save at DC 17 results in half damage and negates the stun effect. The cone also lights up, though this has no discernible effect on its targets. The DC for the saving throw is Strength based. This attack works best underwater. Outside an aquatic environment, the damage is considered non-lethal.

Suitable Companion (Ex): If used as an Animal Companion, a Shrimp adds 2 to the effective level of its sentient companion for purposes of determining extra benefits gained from the bond.

Superior Penetration/Crushing (Ex): (Mantis Only) A Mantis Shrimp strikes with such force that armor is largely ineffective against its attack. Its attacks are always considered touch attacks.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I was going to post today about when we could expect an update...and here it is! Looks pretty good!

Hey, the one thing I'd still want to see is something you were hinting at in the first version...the Hatchling Brood.

I think that you could have a nice additional entry for what would effectively be a Swarm of the hatchlings, ranging from just a couple of inches to 1' in length...

I could see this as almost an aquatic version of Creeping Doom!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Very cool. I had planned to throw Malenti at the characters next session, but now those maleti have mounts!

 

[Slife]

You know, mantis shrimp are pretty smart (for shrimp, at least). For that reason I'd call them animals rather than vermin.

Mantis shrimp appear to be highly intelligent, are long-lived and exhibit complex behaviour, such as ritualised fighting. Scientists have discovered that some species use fluorescent patterns on their bodies for signaling with their own and maybe even other species, expanding their range of behavioural signals. They can learn and remember well, and are able to recognise individual neighbours with whom they frequently interact. They can recognise them by visual signs and even by individual smell. Many have developed a complex social behaviour to defend their space from rivals.

 

[Brimshack]

Not a bad point. I think I'll think about that a bit.

A swarm of little shrimp eh?

Hm...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A swarm of little shrimp, each capable of breaking human bone...