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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 4816085" data-attributes="member: 18280">The RCFG Ankheg!Ankheg(Huge Vermin)Movement:  30 ft., burrow 20 ft.Armour Class:  18Initiative Bonus: +2Hit Dice:  3d8+12Attacks:  1 Bite (2d6 plus 1d4 acid)Special Attacks:  Ambush, Grab (with Reach), Spit Acid (60 ft. line, 4d4 acid damage, Reflexes DC 14 for half)Special Defences:  NoneSpecial Qualities:  Low-light vision, TremorsenseSaves: Fort +6, Perc +6, Prow +8, Reas –, Refl +3, Will –.Ability Scores:  S 21, I 1, W 12, D 10, C 17, Ch 6.Morale:  10Habitat:  Temperate to Warm Light Forests and PlainsFrequency:  RareNo. Appearing:  1 or 2d4Skills:  Climb +8, Stealth +4Treasure Type:  IncidentalXP Value: An ankheg is a huge insect-like creature that burrows beneath light woodland and fertile pastureland.  It appears to be a cross between a mantis, a cockroach, and a pill bug.  Its carapace is usually yellowish-brown to dark brown, but sometimes has green highlights.  They can burrow through soil using mandibles and legs, or even loose stone at half their normal burrowing speed.  Ankhegs usually lair in a series of tunnels beneath the surface, where the ground is more compact and their burrows do not collapse beneath them.  They do not hoard treasure.  Sometimes, however, incidental treasure may be found near an ankheg’s lair – this is generally evidence of past victims.  They have been known to burrow into cave complexes, dungeons, and old barrows, which they defend as their lair.  In this case, an ankheg tunnel may lead to more spectacular finds.Ankhegs lurk beneath loose soil with only their antennae showing, waiting to sense prey through their vibrations.  When another creature approaches within 60 feet of an ankheg, it is detected through tremorsense.  The ankheg explodes upward in a shower of earth, attempting to surprise its prey.  When ambushing prey in this fashion, ankhegs gain a +10 bonus to their Stealth check to determine surprise.When an ankheg bites, it spits a small amount of digestive acid into the wound, which is reflected in the listed bite damage.  In addition, an ankheg can spit a stream of this acid up to 60 feet away, although it can only do so once every 1d4 x 10 minutes.  The acid stream affects every creature within range of the attack along the line, causing 4d4 damage.  A Reflexes save (DC 14) reduces the damage by half.  As a reaction, a creature can instead save to block this attack, taking twice the normal acid damage (8d4 points) if successful.  Once an ankheg spits acid, it no longer does acid damage with its bite attack until half the recharge time has expired.  Thus, an ankheg which takes 20 minutes to be able to spit acid again causes no acid damage with its bite for 10 minutes.  At the GM’s discretion, an ankheg’s acid spitting attack may provoke a morale check from affected creatures.An ankheg can grab with its mantislike forelegs.  These legs have reach, being able to attack opponents up to 10 feet away from the ankheg.  This is a touch attack, and causes no damage, but the ankheg can automatically bite any grabbed creature thereafter with a +4 bonus to its attack roll.  A grabbed opponent can escape by making a Prowess Action Save or an Escape Artist skill check, opposed by the ankheg’s Prowess save.TacticsThe ankheg is an ambush predator.  It prefers to attack by surprise, combining a charge move with a grab attack, targeting the largest creature it senses (up to size Large).  Given the opportunity, an ankheg will consume a grabbed creature immediately, or retreat with it into its burrow if other creatures disturb its dining.  It usually takes an ankheg 1d4 hours to digest a meal, during which time it will only fight in defence of itself or its lair, or to prove fitness for mating.   An ankheg that grabs a pack mule, therefore, is no further danger to a group of adventurers provided that they leave the creature alone.An ankheg that misses in its initial grab attack continues to grab until it succeeds, or until prey flees.  Ankhegs do not pursue prey that successfully gets beyond the range of their acid spit, but they will attempt to spit acid at retreating prey as a last resort.  Spitting acid is otherwise reserved to dissuade creatures that succeed in a single attack that either causes ¼ of the ankheg’s total hit points in damage, or that brings the ankheg down to ½ hit points or fewer.Short FormAnkheg (Huge Vermin):  Mv 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.; AC 18; Init +2; HD 3d8+12; Att 1 bite (2d6 plus 1d4 acid); SA Ambush (+10 Stealth), Grab (with Reach), Spit Acid (60 ft. line, 4d4 acid damage, Reflexes DC 14 for half); SD None; SQ Low-light Vision, Tremorsense; SV (Fort +6, Perc +6, Prow +8, Reas –, Refl +3, Will –); ML 10; XP .  Skills:  Climb +8, Stealth +4.</blockquote>

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