SRD:Hellwasp Swarm

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HELLWASP SWARM

Size/Type:	Diminutive Magical Beast (Extraplanar, Evil, Swarm)
Hit Dice:	12d10+27 (93 hp)
Initiative:	+10
Speed:	5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft.
Armor Class:	20 (+4 size, +6 Dex), touch 20, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple:	+12/—
Attack:	Swarm (3d6 plus poison)
Full Attack:	Swarm (3d6 plus poison)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:	Distraction, inhabit, poison
Special Qualities:	Damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immune to weapon damage, resistance to fire 10, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves:	Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +7
Abilities:	Str 1, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 9
Skills:	Hide +19, Listen +10, Spot +10
Feats:	Ability Focus (poison), Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Toughness
Environment:	A evil-aligned plane
Organization:	Solitary, fright (2–4 swarms), or terror (5–8 swarms)
Challenge Rating:	8
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Always lawful evil
Advancement:	None
Level Adjustment:	—

A single hellwasp resembles a thumb-sized normal wasp, except its carapace is gleaming black with ruby-red stripes, and its compound eyes are an iridescent green. In swarms, hellwasps form a collective hive mind intelligence with infernal cunning and bloodlust.

COMBAT

Like any swarm, a hellwasp swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 3d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. The swarm can take over the bodies of its prey and infest both the living and the dead, using them as horrible living (or unliving) puppets to accomplish acts of wickedness that a swarm of insects could never attempt.

A hellwasp swarm’s attack is treated as an evil-aligned weapon and a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a hellwasp swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Inhabit (Ex): A hellwasp swarm can enter the body of a helpless or dead creature by crawling into its mouth and other orifices. Inhabiting requires 1 minute, and the victim must be Small, Medium, or Large (although four swarms working together can inhabit a Huge creature). The swarm can abandon the body at any time, although doing this takes 1 full round. Any attack against the host deals half damage to the hellwasp swarm as well, although the swarm’s resistances and immunities may negate some or all of this damage.

If a hellwasp swarm inhabits a dead body, it can restore animation to the creature and control its movements, effectively transforming it into a zombie of the appropriate size for as long as the swarm remains inside. If a hellwasp swarm inhabits a living victim, it can neutralize the effects of its own poison and control the victim’s movement and actions as if using dominate monster on the victim. The hellwasps quickly consume a living victim, dealing 2d4 points of Constitution damage per hour they inhabit a body. A body reduced to Constitution 0 is dead.

A hellwasp-inhabited creature is relatively easy to spot, since its skin crawls with the forms of insects inside. The swarm is intelligent enough to attempt to hide beneath loose clothing or a large cloak to keep its presence from being detected. The swarm can attempt a Disguise check to conceal its inhabitation of a host, with a –4 penalty if currently inhabiting a Small host.

A remove disease or heal spell cast on an inhabited victim forces the hellwasp swarm to abandon its host.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 18, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Hive Mind (Ex): Any hellwasp swarm with at least 1 hit point per Hit Die (or 12 hit points, for a standard hellwasp swarm) forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 6. When a hellwasp swarm is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless.

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