Need help with "bugs"

[Piratecat]

The new Fiend Folio, not the 1e version.

 

[Psion]

Okay... is the Neogi actually in the MM? I see it's not in the SRD, so I assume it's closed content if it is. That's the problem I was having with mind flayers. Still, no big... I can always just make up "slug-like psionic overloards"

Do you specifically want something mind-flayer-like but open content?

Malhavoc's Hyperconscious has a creature called a Mind Grub Collective, which is basically a mass of worms that acts as one creature, that is basically an open content mind flayer if you look at the stats.

Also, Ronin Arts/Lion Den's Press has a similar creature that is intened to be an open game equivalent of a mind flayer, but does not use the psionics rules.

 

[Mazlo]

Alien-like bugs?

Ever read China Mieville's books set in New Crobuzon? Stat up a Khepri-like race and give them a malicious twist and a big meanstreak.

Males are beetles the size of your head. Males are numerous and have vermin intelligence.
Females have humanoid like bodies with a beetle head. Females are intelligent and communicate using a series of mouthpart clicks and chemical emissions. Humans communicate with the females using sign language. Females create sculptures by chewing a pastey plant-like substance and spitting it out again. Males mate with the females by mounting their heads. In the books, the Khepri females have a bug head and a female human body, but I think you could make them more alien by covering their lower body in chitin or perhaps some bumblebee-like fuzz.

In game terms, if your world is heavily psionic, I think it would be interesting to give female Khepri psionic powers based on chemical emissions. Perhaps the majority of females are not psionic, only a gifted few, but all females have a few tricks based on chemical emissions.

--Mazlo

 

[Maldin]

Just out of curiosity... isn't this a home game you're putting together? What difference does it make if a monster is SRD /open content /closed content to anyone other then a publisher?

Denis, aka "Maldin"
============================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

 

[GVDammerung]

I've been trying to come up with a really "alien" like race of bad guys for my PCs to beat on. I wanted to avoid mind flayers (despite their resemblance to the Robotech Invid; stupid non-OGC race), drow, or any of the other staple humanoid bad guys. I decided I wanted to have a "bug" motif. As I brainstormed, I didn't come up with much along the way of monsters: formians, swarms, stirges, giant insect varieties, as well as throwing in intelligent plants and oozes for the "ick" factor. I need a "mastermind" race similar to the mind flayer... should I just add wings or something and call them something different, or are there any kind of monsters I'm forgetting about?

Try The Arachnid Empire from Mongoose for the Starship Troopers game. 30 varieties of "bugs" from "brain bugs" to "tankers" to soldiers to servitors etc. Modifications to move from ST to D&D are slight. And you can show your players the scenes from the movies where the bugs attack en masse. And the PCs in a D&D game won't have automatic weapons.

 

[Nightfall]

*wonders what the deal is with using the SRD...* I mean what you don't wanna buy books?!

 

[Maldin]

*wonders what the deal is with using the SRD...* I mean what you don't wanna buy books?!

Ah! I just assumed everybody had everything. ;-) (Including the old stuff)

Denis, aka "Maldin"
============================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

 

[Herobizkit]

Just out of curiosity... isn't this a home game you're putting together? What difference does it make if a monster is SRD /open content /closed content to anyone other then a publisher?

That's true. If ever I decide to try and publish my campaign in any kind of form, I'd better be sure I got all my bases covered... right?

 

[Herobizkit]

Try The Arachnid Empire from Mongoose for the Starship Troopers game. 30 varieties of "bugs" from "brain bugs" to "tankers" to soldiers to servitors etc. Modifications to move from ST to D&D are slight. And you can show your players the scenes from the movies where the bugs attack en masse. And the PCs in a D&D game won't have automatic weapons.

Funny you should say that... that's sort of what I'm aiming for.

 

[Herobizkit]

*wonders what the deal is with using the SRD...* I mean what you don't wanna buy books?!

Sarcasm aside, no. I have enough books I never use.