FORMIAN
Creature Type: Humanoid, Insectoid
Typical Adult Height: 4'10-5'6"
Birth Rate: 1-2 infants once a year
Lifespan: 0-6 months (Child), 6 months-2 years (Young Adult), 2-20 (Adult), 21-35 (Elder)
Nicknames: Ant People
Sexual Dimorphism: Size, length of thorax (females are larger)
Skin Tones: Pink, grey, brown, red
Hair: None
Racial Mounts & Animals: Parasects, Giant Beetles
Racial Weapons: Spears
Religion: None
Allies: None
Encounter Groups:
Solo (1)
Gang (2-10 plus 0-1 Elite, 0-2 Parasects)
Band (11-20 plus 2-6 Elites, 0-1 Myrmarch, 0-6 Parasects, 0-6 Venonats)
City (20-500 plus 5-30 Elites, 1-25 Myrmarchs, 1 Queen, 5-50 Parasects, 2-50 Venonats)
PL Variants:
PL 1: Common Worker
PL 4: Soldier
PL 5: Elite Soldier
-Formians are unrelated to Beastkin and other animal-like people, and are a subterranean race of ant-like people, sporting two pairs of legs beneath their abdomen. They have an incredible hive mind that can spread for miles, and they are devoted to the constant upkeep and building of their enormous tunnel-based cities. As they frequently take slaves to help build these cities, they are a notorious enemy for many races- Dark Elves will have nothing to do with them, and they have gone to war with both Shokan & Dwarves.
-Formians have little personality of their own, and do not keep secrets- such things are pointless to the hive mind. Every member of the race has their position set in stone from birth- Workers, Soldiers, Taskmasters, and more. Only the administrative Myrmarchs and the ruling Queens have any character to them at all, though they are generally hive-obsessed creatures as well. Venomous Parasects, Venonats and other creatures of the Underdark are kept as tamed animals and defensive measures, though they have a special hatred for Zubats, which they hunt down mercilessly, believing them to be needlessly chaotic.
Jab's Notes: Formians are ant-people who take up two whole pages of the 3e Monster Manual, despite being such a minor part of D&D that their own role- Ant-People- is better taken up by the psionic Thri-Kreen from later books! Formians are Outsiders in D&D, but I felt this was boring, and they fit in as "Another Subterranean Race". I used the four warrior classes for stats- Soldiers (CR 3), Taskmasters (CR 5), Myrmarchs (CR 10) and Queens (CR 18!!!!), gearing them around a bit so they are varied threats- your average party could take out a Myrmarch, and Queens are more or less powerful depending on spells- the Monster Manual, typically, gives pre-set spells, but I'd rather be more variable than that (also, it's boring typing all that crap out).
FORMIAN SOLDIER
Role: Literal Soldier Ant
PL 4 (60)
STRENGTH 3 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 3 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -1 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -2
Skills:
Athletics 5 (+8)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+5)
Intimidation 4 (+2)
Perception 5 (+5)
Stealth 3 (+4)
Advantages:
Equipment (Spear +2), Fast Grab, Improved Hold, Ranged Attack 4, Set-Up, Teamwork
Powers:
"Insectoid Physiology"
"Insect Senses" Senses 3 (Acute Scent, Radius Sight, Direction Sense) [3]
Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling 1) [2]
"Ant Strength" Power-Lifting 1 (400 lbs.) [1]
Extra Limbs 2 [2]
"Hive Mind" Communication (Mental) 3 (Extras: Area) (Flaws: Limited to Formians) [12]
Offense:
Unarmed +3 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Spear +3 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +1
Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness +3, Fortitude +4, Will +0
Complications:
Responsibility (The Colony)- The Colony means everything; the individual nothing.
Total: Abilities: 14 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 20 / Defenses: 6 (60)
-Formians are typically small but very strong.
FORMIAN TASKMASTER
Role: Slaver
PL 6 (112)
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 5 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 0
Skills:
Athletics 6 (+10)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+7)
Intimidation 5 (+5)
Perception 5 (+7)
Stealth 3 (+5)
Advantages:
Equipment (Spear +2, Whip +1), Fast Grab, Improved Hold, Ranged Attack 4, Set-Up, Teamwork
Powers:
"Insectoid Physiology"
"Insect Senses" Senses 3 (Acute Scent, Radius Sight, Direction Sense) [3]
Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling 1) [2]
"Ant Strength" Power-Lifting 1 (400 lbs.) [1]
Extra Limbs 2 [2]
"Hive Mind" Communication (Mental) 3 (Extras: Area) (Flaws: Limited to Formians) [12]
"Dominate Person" Mind Control 6 [24]
Offense:
Unarmed +5 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Spear +5 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Dominate Person -- (+6 Perception-Ranged Affliction, DC 16)
Initiative +2
Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +5, Fortitude +6, Will +4
Complications:
Responsibility (The Colony)- The Colony means everything; the individual nothing.
Total: Abilities: 38 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 44 / Defenses: 9 (112)
-Formian Taskmasters are slavers- responsible for gathering non-Formians and peacefully taking them captive. They will then take them to Formian Cities, where they are given controlling herbs that sap their free will.
FORMIAN MYRMARCH
Role: Elite
PL 8 (112)
STRENGTH 6 STAMINA 7 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2
Skills:
Athletics 4 (+10)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+8)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimidation 5 (+8)
Perception 5 (+8)
Stealth 3 (+3)
Advantages:
Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Claws), Improved Hold, Ranged Attack 4, Set-Up, Teamwork
Powers:
"Insectoid Physiology"
"Insect Senses" Senses 3 (Acute Scent, Radius Sight, Direction Sense) [3]
Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling 1) [2]
"Ant Strength" Power-Lifting 1 (400 lbs.) [1]
Extra Limbs 2 [2]
"Hive Mind" Communication (Mental) 3 (Extras: Area) (Flaws: Limited to Formians) [12]
Growth 2 (Str & Sta +2, +2 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -2 Stealth) -- (8 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [5]
"Sting" Weaken Strength 8 (8) -- [9]
- AE: "Claws" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Split) (3)
Unarmed +7 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Claws +7 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Sting +7 (+8 Weaken, DC 18)
Initiative +2
Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +7, Fortitude +8, Will +4
Complications:
Responsibility (The Colony)- The Colony means everything; the individual nothing.
Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 34 / Defenses: 10 (112)
-Myrmarchs are the administrators and powerhouses of Formian society. Unlike the others, they experience free will, emotions and more. Elite Myrmarchs will possess magical powers, making them very versatile opponents with a lot of hitting power.
FORMIAN QUEEN
Role: Ruler
PL 9 (133)
STRENGTH 8 STAMINA 9 AGILITY -2
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 5 PRESENCE 4
Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+10)
Insight 3 (+8)
Intimidation 5 (+11)
Perception 5 (+9)
Persuasion 4 (+8)
Advantages:
Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Claws), Improved Hold, Ranged Attack 4, Set-Up, Teamwork
Powers:
"Insectoid Physiology"
"Insect Senses" Senses 3 (Acute Scent, Radius Sight, Direction Sense) [3]
Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling 1) [2]
"Ant Strength" Power-Lifting 1 (400 lbs.) [1]
Extra Limbs 2 [2]
"Hive Mind" Communication (Mental) 3 (Extras: Area) (Flaws: Limited to Formians) [12]
Growth 4 (Str & Sta +4, +4 Mass, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge/Parry, -4 Stealth) -- (12 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [9]
"Telepathy" Mind-Reading 8 Linked to Communication 1 (Mental) (20) -- [22]
- AE: "Sting" Weaken Strength 8 (8)
- AE: "Claws" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Split) (3)
Unarmed +7 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Claws +7 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Sting +7 (+8 Weaken, DC 18)
Initiative +2
Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +9, Fortitude +10, Will +6
Complications:
Responsibility (The Colony)- The Colony means everything; the individual nothing.
Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 51 / Defenses: 10 (133)
-Extremely large, Formian Queens are intelligent, powerful creatures that rule Formian society with an absolute grip on power. They they are greatly slowed by their massive size, they are mighty fighters and nearly always well-protected. In addition, most of them possess great magical might, typically focusing on Druidism or Mentalism.