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5E: Monstrous Arthropods for Fifth Edition
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 9249256" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 26px">Odonatid, Giant (Giant Dragonfly Nymph)</span></strong></p><p><span style="color: green"><em>Medium beast, unaligned</em></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 15 (natural armor)</span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 39 (6d8 + 12)</span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft., swim 10 ft.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><th><p style="text-align: center">STR</p> </th><th><p style="text-align: center">DEX</p> </th><th><p style="text-align: center">CON</p> </th><th><p style="text-align: center">INT</p> </th><th><p style="text-align: center">WIS</p> </th><th><p style="text-align: center">CHA</p> </th></tr><tr><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">16 (+3)</p> </span></td><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">15 (+2)</p> </span></td><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">14 (+2)</p> </span></td><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">1 (–5)</p> </span></td><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">12 (+1)</p> </span></td><td><span style="color: green"><p style="text-align: center">5 (–2)</p> </span></td></tr></table><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +6</span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Senses</strong> blindsight 20 ft., passive Perception 11</span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Languages</strong> —</span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong>Challenge</strong> 1 (200 XP) <strong>Proficiency Bonus</strong> +2</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><em><strong>Ambusher.</strong></em> In the first round of a combat, the giant odonatid has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it surprised.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px">Actions</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><em><strong>Bite.</strong> Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the giant odonatid can't bite another target.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><em><strong>Death Mask (Recharge 4–6).</strong> Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, the target is grappled (escape DC 13) and must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is knocked prone, and the giant odonatid can drag the target closer and make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Until this grapple ends, the odonatid cannot use its <em>Death Mask</em> attack again.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><em><strong>Jet Dash (Recharge 5–6).</strong></em> The dragonfly nymph swims up to 80 feet.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 22px">Description</span></strong></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green">A giant dragonfly nymph is a sturdy insect colored the dull gray-brown of mud or decayed plants. A dragonfly nymph is shorter and thicker than an adult dragonfly and lives in freshwater (usually—see Terrestrial Larva, below). A fully grown giant dragonfly nymph is typically 4½ to 6 feet long, although particularly stocky species can be 4 feet long or even less, with broad or thick bodies that may be somewhat flattened. The nymph has a globular head with large compound eyes similar to an adult dragonfly, although the eyes aren't quite as big, with a "mask" of smooth chitin covering the lower half of its face. A dragonfly nymph has fairly long legs and prefers to move slowly and deliberately, sometimes hesitating before each step. On its back are a pair of wing-buds, sometimes called wing-sheaths, that become larger as the nymph develops.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> <em><strong>Masked Killer.</strong></em> A giant odonatid larva may be ugly to some but might not look dangerous, as it lacks obvious jaws or claws. This is far from the truth as odonatid larvae are all voracious predators. The "mask" covering the larva's face has a concealed pair of hooked jaws, and is the front of a lip-like organ folded under the insect's head called a <em>labium</em>. This organ can unfold with lightning speed to seize prey, which are then pulled in to be devoured. A giant dragonfly nymph can be particularly pugnacious, attacking prey several times its own weight. Odonatid larvae are ambush predators who wait for prey to blunder into them. If one senses a nearby meal, the larva may stalk it, inching closer until the target is within reach of its labium. A larva always start with a <em>Death Mask</em> attack and, if successful, tries to kill and eat its grappled victim with bite attacks. If they fail to grab their target, the larva will continue to press the attack as long as its opponent stays within range, but a giant nymph naiad or almost never chases prey that flees from its reach.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> <em><strong>Lake Panthers.</strong></em> Most giant dragonfly nymphs live on the bottom of a lake or swamp, hiding under mud or vegetation or lurking in some crevice. Adult giant dragonflies tend to produce far more eggs than a body of water could support. While natural dragonfly nymphs tend to avoid the surface, the giant variety sometimes hunt like crocodiles, hiding near the water's edge to attack land creatures that come to drink.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> While monstrous giant dragonfly adults will sometimes join forces when attacking, giant odonatid larvae are always solitary. A cluster of dragonfly nymphs will avoid each other, with smaller nymphs hiding at the edges of the pond to avoid being eaten by the larger ones. Two nymphs of roughly the same size may threaten each other with displays of their legs, mask or jaws to establish or defend their territory (especially if both are the same species) but fights to the death are not uncommon.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> Even a small pond may contain multiple giant odonatid larvae, possibly of several species. In tight confines, the biggest and strongest eat their smaller rivals. This is often whichever giant odonatid larva hatched first rather than whichever one could grow the biggest. Small giant dragonfly nymphs can (and will) eat Tiny imperial dragonfly nymphs that would be Large and eat them if given time to grow.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> <em><strong>Life in the Water.</strong></em> Like most insects, giant odonatid larvae grow in stages called <em>instars</em>, molting its exoskeleton each time it goes to the next, larger instar. Most odonatid instars look similar apart from their size, but the last few start to develop obvious "wing buds" on the thorax. The speed and number of instars it takes to reach adulthood varies depending on species and growth conditions, with temperature and food supply being the most important.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> Once the giant dragonfly nymph reaches full size, which can take years, the final instar climbs from the water and metamorphoses into an adult in its final molt, then pumps blood into the veins of its new wings to spread them out. This transformation can take several hours, during which the giant dragonfly is completely helpless until its new wings and exoskeleton harden. They are so vulnerable, most giant odonatids try to hide somewhere before metamorphosing, and they might wait for the cover of darkness before emerging from the water. It is mostly only tropical species that emerge at night, since their adult bodies harden more quickly in hot weather and the nights are too cold in temperate climes. The newly formed dragonfly, called a teneral, then flies off. Tenerals are pale or dull, it takes the dragonfly a few days to gain a mature adult's bright colors.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">V</span>ARIANT<span style="font-size: 18px">: G</span>IANT<span style="font-size: 18px"> T</span>ROPICAL<span style="font-size: 18px"> D</span>AMSELFLY<span style="font-size: 18px"> N</span>AIAD</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: green">This is the larva of a Medium giant damselfly, often a tropical species (see <a href="https://www.enworld.org/posts/9249220" target="_blank">Giant Dragonfly</a> for details). A giant tropical damselfly naiad averages 7½ feet long and uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it is faster (30 ft., swim 30 ft.) and loses the nymph's <em>Jet Dash</em> action option.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">V</span>ARIANT<span style="font-size: 18px">: G</span>IANT<span style="font-size: 18px"> T</span>ENEBROUS<span style="font-size: 18px"> & U</span>NDERDARK<span style="font-size: 18px"> D</span>AMSELFLY<span style="font-size: 18px"> N</span>AIADS</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: green">These are larvae of monstrous damselflies adapted to live in dark environments (see <a href="https://www.enworld.org/posts/9249563" target="_blank">Mammoth Helicopter Damselfly</a> for details, under Tenebrous Helicopter Damselflies and Underdark Helicopter Damselflies). A giant tenebrous damselfly naiad has blindsight 20 ft. and darkvision 60 ft.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green">A giant underdark damselfly naiad uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it moves as well on land as water (30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.), has blindsight 40 ft. and darkvision 90 ft., and gains the following additional trait.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> <em><strong>Amphibious.</strong></em> The underdark damselfly naiad can breathe air and water.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">V</span>ARIANT<span style="font-size: 18px">: G</span>IANT<span style="font-size: 18px"> T</span>ERRESTRIAL<span style="font-size: 18px"> D</span>AMSELFLY<span style="font-size: 18px"> & D</span>RAGONFLY<span style="font-size: 18px"> L</span>ARVAE</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: green">This is a giant tropical damselfly naiad or giant dragonfly nymph adapted to live on land, although It cannot survive dry conditions for long (see below for details, under Terrestrial Giant Odonatid Larvae). A giant terrestrial odonatid larva uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it moves better on land than water (30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 10 ft.), loses the <em>Jet Dash</em> action option if it's a dragonfly nymph, and gains the following additional trait.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> <em><strong>Limited Amphibiousness.</strong></em> The terrestrial odonatid larva can breathe air and water, but it needs to be drenched in water at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><span style="font-size: 26px">T</span>ERRESTRIAL<span style="font-size: 26px"> G</span>IANT<span style="font-size: 26px"> O</span>DONATID<span style="font-size: 26px"> L</span>ARVAE</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="color: green">A few naiads and nymphs are able to breathe air and spend some or most of their time on land. Even the normal aquatic larvae have to breathe air at least once, in order to survive out of water long enough to transform into adults. Some of the terrestrial air-breathing species just venture out earlier, so spend some of their later instars hunting for prey out of the water. Others spend pretty much their entire larval lives on land. These terrestrial species need to keep themselves damp to stay alive for they are unable to breathe if they dry out. Most therefore keep to the soggy banks of fast-flowing streams and rivers. For example, the giant waterfall damsel (also known as the cascade damselfly, <em>Thaumatoneura inopinata</em>) lives in the constant spray of waterfalls. Its naiads hatch from eggs laid in damp moss on the cliffs beside the falls, and live among the wet rocks and mist-dampened roots. Other species could live in damp undergrowth, such as the deep leaf litter of a tropical jungle.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"> While very few species of natural odonatids have terrestrial larvae, it's more common among the giant monster versions. Possibly they find it easier to breathe air than the normal-sized insects, or their size makes them far more resistant to dehydration. As well as the cascades and damp undergrowth mentioned above, these giant terrestrial odonatids are also found in wet cave systems. These troglodytic species are almost all tenebrous damselflies able to see in the dark, and these giant odonatids may be the original stock that the underdark damselflies evolved from (see Tenebrous & Underdark Damselfly Naiads above for an example of such creatures).</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p>(Monster designed by Casimir Liber and Cleon on Enworld.org's <em>General Monster Talk</em> Creature Catalog Forum; based on the giant dragonfly nymph that first appeared in <em>EX2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror</em> (1983) by Gary Gygax.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 9249256, member: 57383"] [B][SIZE=7]Odonatid, Giant (Giant Dragonfly Nymph)[/SIZE][/B] [COLOR=green][I]Medium beast, unaligned[/I] [B]Armor Class[/B] 15 (natural armor) [B]Hit Points[/B] 39 (6d8 + 12) [B]Speed[/B] 30 ft., swim 10 ft. [/COLOR] [TABLE] [TR] [TH][CENTER]STR[/CENTER][/TH] [TH][CENTER]DEX[/CENTER][/TH] [TH][CENTER]CON[/CENTER][/TH] [TH][CENTER]INT[/CENTER][/TH] [TH][CENTER]WIS[/CENTER][/TH] [TH][CENTER]CHA[/CENTER][/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]16 (+3)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]15 (+2)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]14 (+2)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]1 (–5)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]12 (+1)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [TD][COLOR=green][CENTER]5 (–2)[/CENTER][/COLOR][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [COLOR=green] [B]Skills[/B] Stealth +6 [B]Senses[/B] blindsight 20 ft., passive Perception 11 [B]Languages[/B] — [B]Challenge[/B] 1 (200 XP) [B]Proficiency Bonus[/B] +2 [I][B]Ambusher.[/B][/I] In the first round of a combat, the giant odonatid has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it surprised. [/COLOR] [SIZE=6]Actions[/SIZE] [COLOR=green] [I][B]Bite.[/B] Melee Weapon Attack:[/I] +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. [I]Hit:[/I] 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the giant odonatid can't bite another target. [I][B]Death Mask (Recharge 4–6).[/B] Melee Weapon Attack:[/I] +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. [I]Hit:[/I] 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, the target is grappled (escape DC 13) and must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is knocked prone, and the giant odonatid can drag the target closer and make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Until this grapple ends, the odonatid cannot use its [I]Death Mask[/I] attack again. [I][B]Jet Dash (Recharge 5–6).[/B][/I] The dragonfly nymph swims up to 80 feet. [/COLOR] [B][SIZE=6]Description[/SIZE][/B] [COLOR=green] A giant dragonfly nymph is a sturdy insect colored the dull gray-brown of mud or decayed plants. A dragonfly nymph is shorter and thicker than an adult dragonfly and lives in freshwater (usually—see Terrestrial Larva, below). A fully grown giant dragonfly nymph is typically 4½ to 6 feet long, although particularly stocky species can be 4 feet long or even less, with broad or thick bodies that may be somewhat flattened. The nymph has a globular head with large compound eyes similar to an adult dragonfly, although the eyes aren't quite as big, with a "mask" of smooth chitin covering the lower half of its face. A dragonfly nymph has fairly long legs and prefers to move slowly and deliberately, sometimes hesitating before each step. On its back are a pair of wing-buds, sometimes called wing-sheaths, that become larger as the nymph develops. [I][B]Masked Killer.[/B][/I][B][/B] A giant odonatid larva may be ugly to some but might not look dangerous, as it lacks obvious jaws or claws. This is far from the truth as odonatid larvae are all voracious predators. The "mask" covering the larva's face has a concealed pair of hooked jaws, and is the front of a lip-like organ folded under the insect's head called a [I]labium[/I]. This organ can unfold with lightning speed to seize prey, which are then pulled in to be devoured. A giant dragonfly nymph can be particularly pugnacious, attacking prey several times its own weight. Odonatid larvae are ambush predators who wait for prey to blunder into them. If one senses a nearby meal, the larva may stalk it, inching closer until the target is within reach of its labium. A larva always start with a [I]Death Mask[/I] attack and, if successful, tries to kill and eat its grappled victim with bite attacks. If they fail to grab their target, the larva will continue to press the attack as long as its opponent stays within range, but a giant nymph naiad or almost never chases prey that flees from its reach. [I][B]Lake Panthers.[/B][/I][B][/B] Most giant dragonfly nymphs live on the bottom of a lake or swamp, hiding under mud or vegetation or lurking in some crevice. Adult giant dragonflies tend to produce far more eggs than a body of water could support. While natural dragonfly nymphs tend to avoid the surface, the giant variety sometimes hunt like crocodiles, hiding near the water's edge to attack land creatures that come to drink. While monstrous giant dragonfly adults will sometimes join forces when attacking, giant odonatid larvae are always solitary. A cluster of dragonfly nymphs will avoid each other, with smaller nymphs hiding at the edges of the pond to avoid being eaten by the larger ones. Two nymphs of roughly the same size may threaten each other with displays of their legs, mask or jaws to establish or defend their territory (especially if both are the same species) but fights to the death are not uncommon. Even a small pond may contain multiple giant odonatid larvae, possibly of several species. In tight confines, the biggest and strongest eat their smaller rivals. This is often whichever giant odonatid larva hatched first rather than whichever one could grow the biggest. Small giant dragonfly nymphs can (and will) eat Tiny imperial dragonfly nymphs that would be Large and eat them if given time to grow. [I][B]Life in the Water.[/B][/I][B][/B] Like most insects, giant odonatid larvae grow in stages called [I]instars[/I], molting its exoskeleton each time it goes to the next, larger instar. Most odonatid instars look similar apart from their size, but the last few start to develop obvious "wing buds" on the thorax. The speed and number of instars it takes to reach adulthood varies depending on species and growth conditions, with temperature and food supply being the most important. Once the giant dragonfly nymph reaches full size, which can take years, the final instar climbs from the water and metamorphoses into an adult in its final molt, then pumps blood into the veins of its new wings to spread them out. This transformation can take several hours, during which the giant dragonfly is completely helpless until its new wings and exoskeleton harden. They are so vulnerable, most giant odonatids try to hide somewhere before metamorphosing, and they might wait for the cover of darkness before emerging from the water. It is mostly only tropical species that emerge at night, since their adult bodies harden more quickly in hot weather and the nights are too cold in temperate climes. The newly formed dragonfly, called a teneral, then flies off. Tenerals are pale or dull, it takes the dragonfly a few days to gain a mature adult's bright colors. [B][SIZE=5]V[/SIZE]ARIANT[SIZE=5]: G[/SIZE]IANT[SIZE=5] T[/SIZE]ROPICAL[SIZE=5] D[/SIZE]AMSELFLY[SIZE=5] N[/SIZE]AIAD[/B] This is the larva of a Medium giant damselfly, often a tropical species (see [URL='https://www.enworld.org/posts/9249220']Giant Dragonfly[/URL] for details). A giant tropical damselfly naiad averages 7½ feet long and uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it is faster (30 ft., swim 30 ft.) and loses the nymph's [I]Jet Dash[/I] action option. [B][SIZE=5]V[/SIZE]ARIANT[SIZE=5]: G[/SIZE]IANT[SIZE=5] T[/SIZE]ENEBROUS[SIZE=5] & U[/SIZE]NDERDARK[SIZE=5] D[/SIZE]AMSELFLY[SIZE=5] N[/SIZE]AIADS[/B] These are larvae of monstrous damselflies adapted to live in dark environments (see [URL='https://www.enworld.org/posts/9249563']Mammoth Helicopter Damselfly[/URL] for details, under Tenebrous Helicopter Damselflies and Underdark Helicopter Damselflies). A giant tenebrous damselfly naiad has blindsight 20 ft. and darkvision 60 ft. A giant underdark damselfly naiad uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it moves as well on land as water (30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.), has blindsight 40 ft. and darkvision 90 ft., and gains the following additional trait. [I][B]Amphibious.[/B][/I] The underdark damselfly naiad can breathe air and water. [B][SIZE=5]V[/SIZE]ARIANT[SIZE=5]: G[/SIZE]IANT[SIZE=5] T[/SIZE]ERRESTRIAL[SIZE=5] D[/SIZE]AMSELFLY[SIZE=5] & D[/SIZE]RAGONFLY[SIZE=5] L[/SIZE]ARVAE[/B] This is a giant tropical damselfly naiad or giant dragonfly nymph adapted to live on land, although It cannot survive dry conditions for long (see below for details, under Terrestrial Giant Odonatid Larvae). A giant terrestrial odonatid larva uses a giant dragonfly nymph's statistics, except it moves better on land than water (30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 10 ft.), loses the [I]Jet Dash[/I] action option if it's a dragonfly nymph, and gains the following additional trait. [I][B]Limited Amphibiousness.[/B][/I] The terrestrial odonatid larva can breathe air and water, but it needs to be drenched in water at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating. [SIZE=5][B][SIZE=7]T[/SIZE]ERRESTRIAL[SIZE=7] G[/SIZE]IANT[SIZE=7] O[/SIZE]DONATID[SIZE=7] L[/SIZE]ARVAE[/B][/SIZE] A few naiads and nymphs are able to breathe air and spend some or most of their time on land. Even the normal aquatic larvae have to breathe air at least once, in order to survive out of water long enough to transform into adults. Some of the terrestrial air-breathing species just venture out earlier, so spend some of their later instars hunting for prey out of the water. Others spend pretty much their entire larval lives on land. These terrestrial species need to keep themselves damp to stay alive for they are unable to breathe if they dry out. Most therefore keep to the soggy banks of fast-flowing streams and rivers. For example, the giant waterfall damsel (also known as the cascade damselfly, [I]Thaumatoneura inopinata[/I]) lives in the constant spray of waterfalls. Its naiads hatch from eggs laid in damp moss on the cliffs beside the falls, and live among the wet rocks and mist-dampened roots. Other species could live in damp undergrowth, such as the deep leaf litter of a tropical jungle. While very few species of natural odonatids have terrestrial larvae, it's more common among the giant monster versions. Possibly they find it easier to breathe air than the normal-sized insects, or their size makes them far more resistant to dehydration. As well as the cascades and damp undergrowth mentioned above, these giant terrestrial odonatids are also found in wet cave systems. These troglodytic species are almost all tenebrous damselflies able to see in the dark, and these giant odonatids may be the original stock that the underdark damselflies evolved from (see Tenebrous & Underdark Damselfly Naiads above for an example of such creatures). [/COLOR] (Monster designed by Casimir Liber and Cleon on Enworld.org's [I]General Monster Talk[/I] Creature Catalog Forum; based on the giant dragonfly nymph that first appeared in [I]EX2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror[/I] (1983) by Gary Gygax.) [/QUOTE]
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5E: Monstrous Arthropods for Fifth Edition
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