My favorite creatures

[Derek Holland]

Between here and rpg.net I have posted between 600 and 700 critters. I think it is time to go back over them, refresh my memory and find those I think are the most useful or interesting. Most, if not all of them will have comments as well.

Name      Ant, Giant- Healer Caste
No. Enc.   d4 (3d4)
Movement   180' (60')
AC      3
HD      6
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   2d6
Save      L3
Morale      7
Hoard Class   VI

These ants are slightly larger than workers and provide healing to the other castes in the form of a ray. The range is 50', heals 2d6 points of damage and can be used every third round. The ray is invisible to everything but ultraviolet vision. Raiding parties have d4 healers in addition to the soldiers and there are always 3d4 healers in the colony, some near the entrance and some near the queen and larvae.

Mutations: gigantism, energy ray, regenerative capacity

This one was just an extension of the caste system of eusocial arthropods. It can make combat a real headache but also makes the ants that much more powerful, possibly to the point of being able to reduce the populations of megamonsters (ie those one step below kaiju). With mutations, it shouldn't be that difficult to make many more castes based around combat and other survival.

Name      Lunar Ant
No. Enc.   4d4 (20d10X10)
Movement   150' (50')
AC      3
HD      4
Attacks      1 or 1 (bite or sting)
Damage   d8 or d4
Save      L2
Morale      11
Hoard Class   XVIII

Looking up in the night sky, one may notice shapes such as concentric rings or lines radiating out from a single point on the Lunar surface. They look quite small from this distance but if the PCs end up up there, they will find the shapes to be astoundingly large. As the centuries pass, more and more of the surface is converted into these shapes.

The are tunnels or covered trails created by lunar ants, which use them as highways to reach the plants they consume. Both are adapted to either vaccuum or the thin air the Elder People placed up there. The common worker caste is 14' long and has an ability to sense life from 200' away.

Mutations: special, unique sense

There are many different ways to point out the alien nature of the setting and the lunar ant is relatively minor in that respect. The GM may want to have them visibly working and thus attract the PCs and others who want to discover what is up there (and loot it). The ant is also easy to change from an animal to a robot, esp if there is never to be any contact with the PCs.

Name      Ueno
No. Enc.   0 (d4)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   30' (10')
AC      3 (6)
HD      6
Attacks      1 (sonic pulse)
Damage   2d10
Save      L3
Morale      9
Hoard Class   VIII X2

A 4' long caddisfly larva, the ueno prefer to use plastic, light metal and wood to make their cases. Predatory, it captures fish and other creatures in an unusual way- it creates a bubble of air with a 10' diameter around it. Creatures with only a swim movement rate caught in the bubble are helpless and the ueno kills them at leasure or makes an escape from large predators. When it is about to pupate, an ueno climbs into the shallows and burrows itself into the mud without the case. People who live nearby know this time of year and collect the cases to get the potentially valuable items within them.

Mutations: gigantism, part water, special

The ueno (named after a family ot caddisflies) is just one of many predators that have indirect methods of prey capture. Part water, a mutation in the mutations thread, can be altered to affect air (producing a vacuum), soil, rock or pretty much any other substance. Giving it to a mole or woodchuck means sink holes either to bring prey to them, bury underground predators* or stop surface dwellers.

*This has an interesting visual- the bubble forces the soil to bulge on the surface and then, after it has been ended, dropping onto whatever the woodchuck is attempting to kill. Even if it doesn't kill, such a collapse will stop anything that can't phase.

Name      Water Whip
No. Enc.   0 (2d6)
Movement   swim 60' (20')
AC      8
HD      7
Attacks      1 (special)
Damage   special
Save      L5
Morale      3
Hoard Class   XVIII

Mutant octopuses, water whips are found in ruined and flooded water treatment plants, wells and subway tunnels. They are a hivemind and have a unique control over water. They get around by animating it and swimming to whatever body of water that look like it has potential to draw prey. They sit on the bottom and change color and shape to hide and then animate a tentacle of water to make a kill. As they are working as a group, they have a +1 to hit for every 2 whips. Anyone struck must save versus energy attacks or be engulfed. Drowning rules apply. If any of the whips are hurt, then they all attempt to escape to a nearby location to hide. But seeing them in the first place is difficult enough (through water that is usually dark and cloudy). Many people who have faced water whips and survived believe the tentacle is the monster.

Mutations: aberrant form, chameleon epidermis, metaconcert, special

The creature that I developed the animate object mutation from. Like the ueno, the water whip uses something other than direct attacks to deal with food or unwanted attention. It is still, after several months, a staggering idea that has many applications. And speaking of which.

Name      Reef Builder
No. Enc.   1 (d4)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   180' (60')
AC      6
HD      18
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   3d8
Save      L9
Morale      10
Hoard Class   XXII (X5)

The reef builder is a massive larval caddisfly. It lives in freshwater and uses three mutations to build its case. Animate object allows it to move pieces more effectively than with its mouth, alter physical state ensures the pieces are the write shape and consistancy and reverse corrosion keeps everything in good shape. Reefs built by these creatures are usually several generations old and contain more than one insect as well as an array of smaller creatures. When the local environment has been stripped of items that could be used in the reef, the builder comes ashore for a few minutes and animates up to a ton of objects within a few dozen yards and takes them back with it. Because of the amount of junk floating in larger bodies of water, this does not happen often and the reef can be a great resource for those willing to face the inhabitants. Unfortunately the majority of artifacts have been reshaped even if they are in nearly new condition. Even then, the value as spare parts can not be under stated.

Mutations: accumulated resistance, alter physical state, animate object, gigantism, reverse corrosion

Name      Hairy Megamoth
No. Enc.   1 (d8)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   fly 240' (80')
AC      6
HD      15
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   2d6
Save      L5
Morale      6
Hoard Class   none

This is the adult version of the reef builder. It looks like a moth with hairy wings (rather than scales) 25' long. Megamoths are herbivores that eat very little for their size and prefer harder plant material they soften with alter physical state. They live for a month before breeding and dying. People who live near water with reef builders may use megamoth heads and wings as decoration of VIP housing (usually a shaman or other spiritual leader).

Mutations: accumulated resistance, alter physical state, gigantism

Yes, a very recent addition but one that uses animate objects in a very different way than most of my creatures. The combination of animate object and alter physical state means the reef builder can reshape almost anything and combine them like a giant jigsaw puzzle. I added reverse corrosion to both keep the case intact and to provide the PCs with a desirable target (many potentially working artifacts even if they are reshaped). Add intelligence and tinkerer affinity or techno-organic limb and the reef builder could become a librarian of a sort, keeping the past alive through the artifacts it repairs and keeps save from surface dwellers.

Enough for now. Is there any interest in me continuing?

[Skirmisher]

So are the Lunar Ants inspired by the creatures in the H.G. Wells story The First Men in the Moon? I have, in any event, thought for some time that a campaign setting set on the moon, with encounter areas or even city-states based on various literary works, might be a fun and interesting project.

[Derek Holland]

No, I have never read that or seen the film adaptation. I wanted something that could manipulate the lunar surface into regular shapes and the first thing that came to mind was ants. Some day I might revisit the lunar surface and flesh out the number of creatures there.

[Derek Holland]

Today I am going to look at some of the human mutants.

Name      Bridge Troll
No. Enc.   d4 (d4)
Movement   120' (40')
AC      6
HD      4
Attacks      2 (claws)
Damage   d6/d6
Save      L3
Morale      8
Hoard Class   XIV

Yet another mutant human, bridge trolls live in deep, dry river beds. They project the illusion of a bridge over the river and wait under it. When something tries to cross and falls, the trolls rend survivors with their claws. They don't collect artifacts purposefully, but do generally have a pile of them somewhere nearby.

Mutations: aberrant form (natural weapons), mental phantasm

This was created more from a humor standpoint than an actual predator, though it does work well for one. The danger is having a party where some people see the bridge and others do not. For those who want a light based effect (thus negated the issue), replace mental phantasm with control light waves (illusion generation). Variants that dwell in cities and hide inside fake buildings might work better in large groups preying on ruin raiders.

Name      Edio
No. Enc.   0 (d4)
Movement   120' (40')
AC      8
HD      1
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   d4
Save      L0
Morale      5
Hoard Class   none

A non-sapient mutant human, the edio is bred by some cultures as a source of entertainment. As long as it is kept happy, an edio broadcastes positive emotions to 100'. In said cultures, the best establishments are known for edios that can create a slight difference, enough to be memorable.

Mutations: empathy

This may have been my first non-sapient human. Showing humans breeding other humans for pets or livestock can make a setting very impressional and disturbing.

Name      Gremlin
No. Enc.   3d4 (6d8)
Movement   60' (20')
AC      8
HD      2
Attacks      1 (weapon)
Damage   weapon +10
Save      L2
Morale      5
Hoard Class   special

2' tall mutant humans, gremlins are the most amazing users and modifiers of technology. Place any broken advanced technology within their reach and they will make it work again, though likely with a different function. A suit of powered armor may be armor when they are done, but also could be a vehicle (for tiny people), reshaped into 6 laser rifles or even a atomic generator (with or without fuel). They will also do this with functional items, thus the name.

They claim some ruins (likely ancient labs) as their homes. Anyone foolish enough to invade will be met with amazingly deadly force. Traps are common and they may even use deadly mutants that they have created themselves or captured from the outside.

Gremlins may not be hired or threatened and almost never leave a piece of technology untouched, when they can get their hands on it. Their language is complex and may be partially computer language in origin though they are not cyborgs.

They are a way for the ML to introduce any technology he or she wishes without using the plane shift mutation. I was considering calling them watchmakers, but those aliens were much worse in The Mote in God's Eye.

Mutations: dwarfism, tinkerer's affinity

Gremlins should get the techno-organic limb mutation. Otherwise they could make for interesting allies- tiny people squawking like birds when they are disturbed or given a new item to play with. Their best use might be the PCs placing gremlin colonies in old landfills and seeing what they can produce from all the waste.

Name      Hecton
No. Enc.   d6 (2d4)
Movement   150' (50')
AC      armor
HD      8
Attacks      4 (weapons)
Damage   ranged weapon/ranged weapon/melee weapon +4/melee weapon+4
Save      L8
Morale      10
Hoard Class   gear and VI

These 10' tall mutant humans have what appear to be 6 arms- 2 small ones from the neck, the 2 standard arms and 2 large arms from a second pair of shoulders midtorso. If the large arms are closely observed, it is apparent they were actually 2 arms that have fused- the forearms has 4 bones and the hands have 10 fingers. Hectons are a fairly peaceful people who are more accepting of mutants than most humans and form the nucleus of mutant communities. They have no qualms about using weaponry for defense and typically use a couple small firearms with their standard arms and rebar axes or spears with their large arms. Otherwise they are and act human.

Mutations: aberrant form, gigantism

My answer to the orlen (a two headed, four armed GW race) and the concept creature for altered duplicate body parts. I was reading Carroll's Endless Forms Most Beautiful and the part on how arthropods use modified duplicated body sections to specialize hit me as something important in mutant design. Mouth parts, gills, wings and even spinnerets of insects and spiders are modified legs. With humans it is harder to come up with modified and fused limbs without affecting their ability to move or manipulate objects, thus the 4 arms from 6 arms for the hecton. Obviously there is a lot more that can be done, but back then I wanted a quick and easy creature to showcase the idea. For plants, arthropod deformity and cnidarian deformity are based on this idea as well.

Name      Monument Builder
No. Enc.   d4 (3d6)
Movement   180' (60')
AC      4
HD      15
Attacks      2 (fists)
Damage   2d8/2d8
Save      L15
Morale      10
Hoard Class   special

30' tall mutant humans, monument builders specialize in creating art on a large scale. They take broken ruins, trees and boulders and turn them into alien looking art. Some of the possible effects on those who look upon the art are:

Causes the viewers to fall asleep. Save versus stun attacks to negate. Those who do fall asleep are looted and moved to somewhere they can't see the monument.

Causes the viewers to go insane (i.e. confusion). Save versus poison to negate. These monuments are left by the builders, though predators that are immune take up eating those who have been affected.

Causes the viewers to be drawn to the monument. Save versus poison to negate. The builders either want to talk to others about art or use the lure to collect shiny bits to add to new art.

Causes the viewers to become addicted to the sight of the art. Save versus stun attacks to negate. The builders use the addicts to go out and buy or steal goods and food the builders desire.

Causes a chemical reaction in the brain of the viewers (class 3 toxin). Save versus poison to negate (must save every round of viewing). Bodies are looted and then fed to pets or eaten.

Each effect may affect some races and not others.

Mutations: gigantism, special

I honestly don't remember where I got the idea for monument builders but they are in my top 10 favorites list. So much potental in making new societies based on an abandoned monument as well as the builders themselves.

Name      Social
No. Enc.   3d6 (5d10)
Movement   120' (40')
AC      8 or armor
HD      2
Attacks      1 (weapon)
Damage   weapon
Save      L1
Morale      12
Hoard Class   VI, VII and XXII

Socials are mutant humans with an unique mental mutation. Anyone within 100' of a social must save versus stun attacks with a -4 penalty or be calmed and unable to cause harm to another. He can defend himselves and run away, but he may not attack if he failed the save. There are several ways to use them:

Socials are carnivores that subdue their prey (other humans usually) with nice words and the field. They kill small groups of people so they are not detected.

Socials are working for the machines. They are to pacify the population over several generations so that the military robots have little resistance when they come to exterminate the biologicals.

Socials are progressives who want a world of peace. Of course they either don't know of or try to ignore the military robots and many will suffer for this.

Socials are thieves that rob people blind. They use the field to calm the victim and for defense when the victim comes for the stolen goods.

The socials' mental field is addictive and they use it to put themselves in positions of power.

Or whatever else the Mutant Lord can think of.

Mutations: special

These were designed for a space opera setting but fit MF well. I like them more than monument builders and for similar reasons- so much potential in their effects on the world.

[Derek Holland]

Just one today.

Name      Basic, Larva
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Movement   180' (60')
AC      2
HD      25
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   2d12
Save      L18
Morale      9
Hoard Class   special

Mutations: special

Name      Basic, Youth
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Movement   swim 240' (80')
AC      -4
HD      60
Attacks      1 or 4 (bite or cannons)
Damage   4d12 or 6d12/6d12/6d12/6d12
Save      L21
Morale      9
Hoard Class   special

Mutations: special

Biological Starship, IX Class, or Basic, are a rare sight on Earth. They have several possible sources such as a Elder People base, alien seeding project or even invasion via the plane shift mutation. In any event, larval basics look and act like 75' long catterpillars. They feed on forests and swamps before migrating to the ocean to pupate. Young adult basics are sea serpents 250' long that filter feed as well as consume fish, whales and whatever else they come along. After a few decades of feeding, basics develop their engines and leave the planet. But only very few survive to this point- even kaiju fall to the mutant onslaught of Earth in this era.

Since they are protoships, basics can be a source of many different biotechnological items. They are impossible to farm for obvious reasons, but powerful communities follow them, hoping to kill a youth just after it ecloses (emerges from the pupa).

Basics are kaiju meant to be more than just something to run from, though they fit that niche very well. It was only until after I posted them, did I think about how they could be used to send a campaign off into another direction completely. Obvious is space but there could be high flying, burrowing or planar travelling versions.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Ripper
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Movement   fly 150' (50')
AC      -2
HD      11
Attacks      1 (vortex)
Damage   4d8 + special
Save      L9
Morale      11
Hoard Class   none or special

These paradimensional aliens look like a flying snail shell surrounded by a vortex of energy and matter. It exists in several universes and forces material and energy between them. Anyone touching the vortex takes damage and must save versus energy attacks or be thrown into another universe. As it is also drawing creatures and artifacts, almost anything might be found in its wake (though they do take damage and may be dead or destroyed).

Mutations: special

This was one of the few creatures in the threads that I thought was too good not to use in CotW (it has nice art too). The ripper has so many applications- providing aliens and alien technology, throwing PCs into other realities, introducting variants of the PCs, destroying communities or landscape and providing something that will get everyone's attention for miles. Every ripper will have nomads that follow them around hoping to get new technology or materials. The problem is when several nomadic tribes fight over, or are eaten by, the things the ripper brings to the current universe.

[Derek Holland]

A lot today.

Name      Bison Brush
No. Enc.   0 (40d10)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   0'
AC      9
HD      1/2
Attacks      none
Damage   none
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

A rare plant in the wild found in monocultures, bison brush is a small shrub that is a blessing and a curse for those who farm it. The core of the plant is bison meat and a single shrub can feed one person for two or three days. But it also has a poison that is easily neutralized- by alcohol. One has to be drunk while eating the meat or suffer as if affected a class 3 poison. Towns that rely on bison brush don't get much done and are somewhat obvious upon first inspection.

Mutations: animal organ, toxic weapon

I do not drink but I thought it would be nice to write up something humorous for those who do. An old gaming group would have had so much fun with this one...

Name      Finger Mold
No. Enc.   d4 patches (2d6 patches)
Movement   10' (3')
AC      9
HD      12
Attacks      1 (spores)
Damage   special
Save      L4
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

A slow moving fungus, finger mold has small, hand-like structures randomly distributed over the patch. They are not edible and carry a class 15 poison. They aren't that dangerous either, at least to living things. Anything moving within 5' of a patch is enveloped by a cloud of spores. The spores stick to the surface of the creature or object and fall off as tiny patches within 24 hours. Until that time, creatures take a -1 to hit (or -1 to DEX for characters) because of how the spores gum up armor. Unfortunately for androids and machines that use electricity, the spores are conductive and usually cause shorts. Anything powered and has exposed circuts takes 3d4 points of damage per round for d10 rounds. After that, the spores have burned away.

Finger mold can be found anywhere fungi can grow. It prefers plants as a substrate but can survive underground. Sometimes it is found colonizing other, more dangerous, species of fungi.

Mutations: special, toxic weapon

This is one of several creatures meant to eat/harm basic androids. They don't look or smell edible to most creatures so most monsters are either going to ignore androids or flatten them on sight (eh). Monsters that specialize on machines can be interesting with attacks different from those that feed on flesh or wood.

Name      Grey Pudding
No. Enc.   1 (0)
Movement   60' (20') swim 30' (10')
AC      5
HD      6
Attacks      1 (slam)
Damage   3d8 or d6
Save      L3
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

This ooze melts stone, metal and concrete and swims in the resulting liquid. It leaves it's pool to consume nearby machines such as robots and basic androids but will go no farther than 100' or so. Extremely territorial, grey puddings wil eat each other; the winner claims the loser's pool and expands it's own to incorporate it. Grey puddings can not consume flesh and do very little damage to it.

Mutations: special, toxic weapon

Another machine eater, this one is much scarier than the finger mold as it eats and alters the landscape as well.

Name      Ghost Hound
No. Enc.   0 (2d6)
Movement   180' (60')
AC      6
HD      2
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   d6
Save      L1
Morale      10
Hoard Class   none

Ghost hounds have one of the oddest mutations- pure humans can not detect them in any way. If a PH is bitten, he feels the pain and see the blood, but can not see, hear or feel the hound. Because of this, mutants that are plagued by or are hunting PH use ghost hounds to track and attack PH. They bay only when they see PH and thus make good guard dogs as well. Other than their odd ability, they are dogs similar to blood hounds.

Mutations: special

They are based on a mutation from the 1st edition of GW that never made it into the 4th, 5th or 6th. They also provide a good horror senario for those players who think that powered armor is the answer to everything.

Name      Green Blade
No. Enc.   0 (3d8)
Movement   0'
AC      9
HD      2
Attacks      1 (leaf)
Damage   4d6
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

The green blade is a mutant grass that can not move at all. When it detects something walking over it, the blade grows fast enough to impale most potential prey. It can only damage creatures and objects with an armor class worse than 0.

Mutations: special

Simple, painful and useful for GMs who want blood in the air. Green blades may or may not be that dangerous but the creatures drawn to the scent of blood can change the dynamic of the session from exploration to running away.

Name      Hydromelon
No. Enc.   d6 (4d4)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   150' (50')
AC      7
HD      3
Attacks      1 (spine)
Damage   d6
Save      L2
Morale      6
Hoard Class   none

The hydromelon is a large shrub bred by nomads to provide clean water and as a pack beast. It is immune to poisons and radiation and constantly grows water rich fruit as long as it has access to streams, lakes or oceans no matter what they are polluted with. As a pack plant, it can carry 100 Lb at full speed and a maximum of 175 Lb.

Mutations: free movement, full senses, natural vegetal weapons, special

Useful monsters are sadly ignored in most monster books. The hydromelon may seem silly but it may be the only reason the PCs can survive in toxic or semi-arid regions.

Name      Puddle Scale
No. Enc.   swarm
Movement   fly 10' (3')
AC      9
HD      2
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   special
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

Puddle scales are used by some people to draw useful amounts of food out of otherwise inedible trees and shrubs. The scales, which are 1" long insects, produce honeydew in huge quantities and a typical swarm will feed 4 humans per day. Unfortunately this also quickly kills the plant (d4 weeks). Humans that resort to only consuming honeydew for a month are weakened- -4 to STR and CON until a week of regular food is eaten.

Mutations: special

Another useful monster, though it has a much larger price than the hydrostar. If a population has to start picking which plants have to die, it may very well follow soon.

Name      IFO-CD
No. Enc.   2d12 (2d12)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   fly 180' (60')
AC      3
HD      1/2
Attacks      1 (slam)
Damage   3d4+2
Save      L0
Morale      11
Hoard Class   none

There are many identified flying objects but only a few go by the designation IFO. They are usually disc or saucer shaped. CDs are plants that have taken the mosquito niche and are mimics of CDs, DVDs or whatever the Elder People come up with for data storage. They are bloodfeeders that require blood to produce seeds. Fortunately for most, all the needs of a female CD are met with just one hit. Of course there are as many as two dozen in a swarm (which are usually divided by sex) and thus can slice a human apart.

Mutations: flight, special

Ah, humor mimics. Data discs are going to be popular for a long time, so why not use them for creature design? That they are deadly is just a bonus.

Name      Killer Candy
No. Enc.   d4 (2d4)
Movement   30' (10')
AC      8
HD      1/2
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   d2
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

These are creatures of unknown origin made of hard candy in the shape of tiny animals. They breed in great numbers and where one is seen, there are many more. Their flesh is sweet and very mildly toxic. Only when someone gorges on them (eats more then 20 in a sitting) does the effects start to mount. Treat it as a class 1 poison plus 1 for every 5 over 20. Those who die from the poison gain a sweet odor and a poison class equal to that which killed them.

Since they live in large numbers, they simply allow themselves to be eaten as the predators will die and the survivors will flourish.

Mutations: special, toxic weapon

Most creatures avoid predators so I wanted something did the opposite. They are, in part, inspired by cicadas and their huge numbers when certain species emerge from the ground. If used seasonally, they may leave mass death to just about everything (class 15+ poison can kill most creatures). Also, the poison should skip classes 9, 10 and 11.

Name      Pack Drake
No. Enc.   d8 (3d10)
Alignment   Lawful
Movement   180' (60')
AC      5
HD      3
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   d6
Save      L2
Morale      11
Hoard Class   VI

Dogs with green, scaly skin and antennae, pack drakes collect other canines to track for them as they have lost their sense of smell. They use a form of mental domination and a pack may include several species such as wolves, foxes and jackels. The drakes are very protective of their pack and will fight almost to the death to protect them. Each drake can control 3 other canines, though the pack may be larger due to family ties of uncontrolled members. Pack drakes and keeper hounds (see thread on rpg.net) dislike each other and pack drakes can not dominate the hounds.

Mutations: bizarre appearance, familiar, natural armor

Mixed groups of monsters have interested me for a long time and the pack drake has some built in reasons for working that way. Depending on the mutations of their familiars, the pack may very well be the top predators in their turf.

Name      Puddle Vine
No. Enc.   0 (d6)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   90' (30')
AC      4
HD      6
Attacks      1 (vine)
Damage   d6 + constriction
Save      L3
Morale      11
Hoard Class   VI

Found in very small bodies of water, puddle vines prey on those that come to drink. They reach 18' long and can coil up to hide in as small a body as a puddle 3' in diameter. After a puddle vine hits, it wraps around the victim and inflicts d6 points of damage per round. Up to 4 vines can attack the same human sized target at one time. They are only dangerous in fall and winter as they do not get enough sunlight to power their ability to move. In the spring they climb nearby trees and flower. Most people can't tell a flowering puddle vine from similar species and thus not realize the danger.

Mutations: free movement, natural armor, natural vegetal weapon

One joke from Gamma World fans is "never get near the water" because of the predators that can hide in it. The puddle vine is in the top 5 favorites of mine because it takes that proverb to the extreme. It can also drive paranoia and weird behavior so I don't know how useful it really is.

Name      River Runner
No. Enc.   0 (6d4)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   180' (60')
AC      7
HD      2
Attacks      1 (seeds)
Damage   d6
Save      L1
Morale      5
Hoard Class   none

The river runner is an aggregate of horse and grass. The grass replaces the mane and covers most of the horse's back. The roots cause damage to the skin and flesh underneath. Because of this, the creature takes an additional point per die from fire damage. River runners can gain most of their water from rain or very high humidity, but in dry regions they are restricted to living very close to bodies of water (4 hours travel). This is because the grass has a high transpiration and the skin must remain wet or crack and bleed. So in a way, they are very similar to hippos in behavior.

For defense, the grass part of the river runner flings sterile seeds. These seeds are 1/2" long and are as hard as oak wood. Their reproductive seeds, which are placed on newborn runners, are much smaller and softer.

In a few decades, some runners will adapt to swimming and become even more hippo like. Where they go from there entirely depends on evolution and mutation.

Mutations: epidermal suceptibility, spiny growth, special

The crusty bunny, from CotW, was my first aggregate creature. I wanted to explore the idea but it isn't easy to find 2 species that can merge into something that is much more than its parts over many generations. River runners are a favorite because of the flaws as much as their strengths.

Name      Rust Spider
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   150' (50')
AC      1
HD      6
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   2d4
Save      L4
Morale      10
Hoard Class   VII X3

This arachnid incorporates iron into its exoskeleton and silk. Most people who survive an encounter think they are robots. Rust spiders are fairly intelligent and spin their webs in locations that have enough traffic to fill their dietary needs. Some use openings in skyscrapers where fliers roost, some prefer entrances to subway tunnels or sewer lines and the rest use forest paths. Anything human sized walking into a web takes 4d4 points, save versus stun attacks for half damage. Anything human sized running into a web is killed is the save is failed and takes 4d6 points of damage otherwise. Metal vehicles, robots and EMA (powered armor) automatically makes the save and only take 1/4th damage. The webbing is easiest to destroy with flamethrowers or plasma weapons. Anyone using metal melee weapons will destroy those weapons after striking the webbing 10 times. Wood, bone and ceramic weapons are broken on the first hit (but also destroy some of the webbing).

Mutations: special

Another rust monster analog, though it is dangerous to more than just androids. I am not sure if I would use it even in high level play but the concept is too useful to pass up.

Name      Whatthehellisthat!?!
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Alignment   Chaotic
Movement   120' (40')
AC      5
HD      8
Attacks      1 (branch)
Damage   d8
Save      L6
Morale      9
Hoard Class   VII

This mutant plant collects mutations from other plants by ripping off bits of them and grafting them onto itself. Each has an unique appearance, even those with identical mutations. The base plant is a shrub 15' tall and 10' wide. It is highly destructive in its attempts to find new plants to "sample" from. If the grafts become too numerous and heavy, a whatthehellisthat!?! will remove some and take d6 points of damage per graft removed. Called shot when attacking the plant can result in the same.

Mutations: special

Where the finger mold was meant for machines, the whatthehellisthat!?! is meant for plants. It doesn't kill its victims, just horrobly mutilates them. A horror senario for plants?

Enough for now.

[Derek Holland]

Name Giant Phorid Fly
No. Enc. 2 (2)
Movement 10' (3') fly 150' (50')
AC 7
HD 1 hit point
Attacks 1 (implantation)
Damage special
Save L0
Morale 11
Hoard Class none

These insects are 6" long and are greatly feared by most sapients. Only the female can attack and she implants a few dozen eggs into the victim (save versus poison to negate). After 24 hours, the eggs hatch and the maggots swim and crawl to the brain. There they eat a small portion of the brain, inflicting d4 points of intelligence drain (i.e. it is permanent) and removes 1 mental mutation, if any. After a week, the maggots pupate and the new adults leave the heat via the nose or back of the neck.

Because they are not lethal to most creatures, phorids can use the same host multiple times. It is only when the intelligence score is reduced to zero does the host die. Creatures with the regenerative capacity mutation regain their points and mutation after a week and some populations of the flies target these creatures because of that (it may be due to odor).

Mutations: gigantism

This is one of the 13 free ones that ended up in CotW. The idea of a parasite that can do permanent, non-lethal damage was something inspiring for me. It could easily be adapted to do kill parasite mutations, remove some standard mutations (or magical abilities in fantasy games). Heck, they could be bred specifically to be used as punishment. They are terrifying in ways that most monsters are not and drawing out their attack should freak out some players.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Chipper Termite
No. Enc.   swarm
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   30' (10')
AC      6
HD      6+
Attacks      contact
Damage   2d6+
Save      L1+
Morale      12
Hoard Class   VII to XX

This former soil dwelling termite has 2 non spectacular mutations that have made it a powerhouse. It can survive sunlight and it has much better reflexes. The latter makes them all but immune to ants and similar predators (sort of like tropical stingless bees). The species it came from farmed fungi and chippers still do. The difference is where. The stock species grew it underground whereas chippers farm on the surface. A typical colony has 50 million workers and two dozen queens. They strip the surrounding area of woody plants for it is the wood that the fungus consumes. Anyone coming upon a large colony would see a meadow or patch of grass surrounded by dying trees. They may or may not see the skeletons. Anything walking in the farms is attacked for damaging the crops. A small colony does 2d6 points of damage per round and a large colony does 5d6 points. The flesh is discarded and the bones removed if possible. If not, the termites incorporate the bones into their architecture.

Mutations: special

Sometimes mutations don't have to be flashy to have a big impact upon a setting. Chipper termites and other mutants from underground or the deep sea that have adapted to life on land (or the reverse) are just one small theme of this. Humans given the ability to digest grass and leaves they couldn't before is another and one that could be the only reason that a population can survive in a world of monsters.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Grampa Beetle
No. Enc.   swarm
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   10' (3')
AC      8
HD      3
Attacks      contact
Damage   d3
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   I

These insects have a very long lifespan- 20 years, thus the name. During the growing season they aren't pests and are solitary (i.e. they aren't found as swarms but may be found in groups on food). Come late fall, they congregate in ruins, logs and walls and may attack those people who disturb them. The swarm doesn't have the capacity to fly because of the effects of cold weather. What makes the beetles very unusual isn't the beetles themselves. They collect plants for food for the winter and slowly consume them during warm snaps. Because they are not in hibernation, the beetles have normal biological functions through out the winter and it is because of this they are a serious danger. Their biological waste during the winter collects and eventually turns into grey oozes. Each swarm produces an ooze that may consume the swarm that spawned it. But that isn't likely as the beetles are much more cold resistant than the oozes and will leave the nest long before the ooze can move.

Mutations: alter atomic composition, special

IIRC I was reading up on how some beetles hibernate and have waste issues. I was tinkering with the idea as a way to make ruins more unpleasant to visit when the origin of oozes hit me- they are an active form of pollution. And, as I have mentioned in the D&D thread, the idea can be expanded to demonic bees, deepspawn or other critters for fantasy games.

Name      Lime Beetle (and kin)
No. Enc.   swarm
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   fly 120' (40')
AC      6
HD      8
Attacks      contact
Damage   d6
Save      L2
Morale      5
Hoard Class   none

In some parts of the world there are odd little woods that pop up here and there. They could be on mountain tops, in the middle of deserts or even within an existing forest. They are made up of a single species of tree, many of which support an amazing complement of life. What keeps the trees alive in such tough conditions is the tree beetle. Lime beetles are the most common of this family and, not suprisingly, are associated with lime trees. The insects have some way of chemically changing their tree so that it has deeper roots, a stronger draw for soil moisture, resistance to heat, cold or radiation, or whatever else might be needed so that the tree thrives under those conditions. Tree beetles are not aggressive as long as their trees are unharmed. Try to cut down their grove and the beetles gain a morale of 12 and try to slaughter the invaders. If the beetles die, then the trees will follow them and soon everything else that relied on the trees. The beetles do not have the reproductive potential of houseflies or aphids, otherwise these woods would be much larger. A typical grove is only 100-500 acres.

Mutations: induce mutation

Yes, an ecological parable in the form of a creature but that doesn't make it any less useful for setting design. In games like Mutant Future and Gamma World, mutation is so common that new creatures appear all the time. Symbiotic relationships (ala aggregates, parasite mutations and hive communities) may be the only way that many species can survive. Anyways, the beetles are based on real fungi that really do help plants survive (many species would go extinct without them).

[Derek Holland]

Name      Blanket Worm
No. Enc.   d8 (d8)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   60' (20')
AC      7
HD      1/2
Attacks      1 (net)
Damage   special
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   XX

4' long snakes that produce a silk like material, blanket worms are considered a major pest for ruin raiders. The webbing is made up of carbon fiber and does decay and burns at a very high temperature (melting copper). As the serpents constantly add to their nest, the amount of living space decreases until the point they leave due to loss of prey. The fiber just sits there clogging ruins (and the occasional grove) until it is harvested or destroyed. The fibers can be used to make rope and cloth, but it is hard to work with. Since there are many other sources, its use is the sign of poverty even if it is one of the strongest fibers.

If something large enters the nest, the worms drop netting on it (attack roll required). The target can make a strength check to see if he can burst the net. If the check fails and no one frees him, the target will die a couple days later as the serpents will drain him of bodily fluids (they can't eat human sized targets).

Mutations:  special

Inspired partially by the spider's lair in Return of the King, these creatures just make looting more difficult (not to mention trapping the PCs or monsters). What I didn't mention is all the corpses a blanket worm lair would have. If there is enough prey, there is going to be a lot of bodies decaying in their- disease and insects will be rampant. It may seem cruel, but this is a good way of keeping PCs out of buildings that the GM doesn't want them snooping in yet. After the worms leave, the bodies will be stripped in a few months and then the disease issue will go away. Not that the webbing is going to make exploring easy but the characters' won't have to worry about dropping dead from a horse fly bite. And speaking of insects and other arthropods that spread disease and other nasty things that could be used in a blanket worm lair:

Name      Bronze Tick
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   10' (3')
AC      8
HD      1/4
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   1
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

The bronze tick is one of many parasites that act as a form of horizontal gene transfer. In other words, it takes genetic material from its previous hosts and injects it into anything it feeds on. The tick usually feeds on mammals and reptiles, though there are similar parasites that only feed on two host species or those within a family. In all cases, the hosts must save versus poison or gain a mutation, drawback or species trait that belonged to a previous host. For those parasites that have only two hosts, the species will eventually become genetically similar enough to allow crossbreeding or may even become one species with traits from both parent species. Most of these parasites do not feed on pure humans and other genetically locked species- something they can tell upon first bite.

As for the tick, it only takes 5 blood meals (5 hit points) over the course of 5 days and then searches for a new host. The tick is driven to find new hosts as the more diverse the bloodmeals are, the healthier the tick's offspring will be. It would be obvious to tiny creatures but irrelevant to humans (a tick is a tick at that scale).

Mutations: gigantism, special

Name      Ghoulfly
No. Enc.   d8 (2d10)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   fly 180' (60')
AC      4
HD      1/2
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   1
Save      L0
Morale      12
Hoard Class   none

Ghoulflies are mutant mosquitos 2' long. They are unusual in that they both take and give mutations. From the first mutant a ghoulfly feeds on in the day, it replicates a random physical mutation. This includes drawbacks. Depending on the mutation stolen, the fly may become more or less aggressive in taking blood meals. It also injects its warmblooded food with a virus that causes them to gain the prey scent drawback (save versus poison to negate). This drawback only attracts ghoulflies and is inherited by the victim's offspring. Each time someone who has this specific odor is bitten again by a ghoulfly, they must make the save again or gain a stronger version. This applies only once per day and each failure means the ghoulflies can detect the victim farther and farther away- 1 mile per failure. There are some creatures that have failed the save many times over many generations and they have reached the maximum distance of 100 miles. There can be a lot of ghoulflies in that area....

Mutations: gigantism, induce mutation, steal physical mutation

Both of these creatures are just plain nasty ways of screwing with PCs and creatures that are allied to the PCs. They are my versions of the rot grub, though hopefully not as common.

Name      Rattle Shrub
No. Enc.   d6 (d6)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   0'
AC      6
HD      5
Attacks      2 (branches)
Damage   d6/d6
Save      L3
Morale      12
Hoard Class   VI

Mutations: aberrant form, special

Name      Trash Sparrow (or Rust Sparrow)
No. Enc.   4d6 (4d6)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   fly 180' (60')
AC      3
HD      1
Attacks      none
Damage   none
Save      L1
Morale      3
Hoard Class   special

Mutations: special

Rattle shrubs and trash sparrows are one species. The shrubs are males and the birds female. Because they aren't real plants, the shrubs can be found underground or in other dark places. The female collects metal bits and glues them onto her self and her mate thus the names. The sparrow is an herbivore during the growing season and a scavenger during the winter. She consumes small parts of the kills made by the shrubs and other hunters. Some are even known for their ability to pluck food from a spider's web- if they touch the web all that gets stuck is some of the metal bits. The shrubs have a colorful display each spring to attract the females and the brightest gets the most mates as well as attention from annoyed pollinators looking for flowers (which the male doesn't have as it is an animal). The male then grows 4d6 nesting spots (one for each female attracted) and protects his offspring with his branches. After the eggs hatch, the females take the young males and plant them nearby. Female hatchlings are fed by both parents- the shrubs attract certain flies via odor right to the nests and the females hunt for both seeds and insects. After their offspring fledge, the shrub drops the nests like leaves in fall and relies on the females to draw prey to them. Any male that fails to have a large complement of females will die of starvation sooner or later.

This is why I started this thread. I completely forgot about this species even though I love the ideas behind it. Sexual dimorphism and interdependance between the sexes are things that more monsters should be designed around. Having monstrous males and inoffensive females has just as much impact as harmless adults and killer larvae or the reverse if no one knows the creatures' lifecycles. One of the very first creatures I designed back in high school was a cat that was adopted by humans and later preyed upon them after transforming into a 6 legged tiger-like creature. That is the stuff that makes designing creatures so enjoyable to me.

[Derek Holland]

The last free critter that was put into Cotw

Name      Xeno Shrimp
No. Enc.   0 (1)
Movement   swim 120' (40')
AC      4
HD      9
Attacks      2 (claws)
Damage   d12/d12
Save      L5
Morale      7
Hoard Class   none

This crustacean is 16' long and has 1 pair of large claws. It's palps and legs that provide mutation benefits and they can dropped and replaced by differently shaped palps and legs which provide different benefits. 4 legs replicate physical mutations and 2 palps replicate mental mutations. If the limb is lost or damaged, it takes 48 hours to replace.

Mutations: regenerative capacity

Suggested mutations for limbs:
Physical: aberrant form, echolocation, energy ray, energy retaining cell structure, epidermal photosynthesis, fragrance development, thermal vision, toxic weapon, unique sense

Mental: control light waves, damage turning, metaconcert, temperature control, vampiric field

Arthropod limbs have been called Swiss Army knives and the xenoshrimp is meant to be the most flexable version of that. There are a lot (hundreds, thousands?) of creatures that can be based on this concept and they don't have to be arthropods or even animals (see the arthropod deformity mutation for plants). It is one of the ideas I wish I could spend a decade or so exploring just to see how it goes.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Swarming Pine
No. Enc.   swarm
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   90' (30')
AC      5
HD      8
Attacks      contact
Damage   2d6
Save      L2
Morale      6
Hoard Class   VI

There are many different kinds of swarming pines. Some, like this one, is a colony of rats that can assume the form of a tree. Others can actually become trees (usually to hibernate or gain energy or healing from sunlight during the summer) or take other forms like boulders or brick walls. This one gains only the benefit of hiding while in the form of a tree and is a very adept ambush predator. Several swarming pines together can overwhelm almost any creature that decides to sleep under their branches.

Mutations: metamorph

One of my top 3 creatures, this is a horror that will get players paranoid. Having the landscape change into monsters does that for some reason. Though metamorph does not allow the use of mutations for different forms, this is easy to ignore for creature creation. Having a predator that can follow the party underwater, on land and in the air is just as horrific as the trees that aren't trees. This is another one I wish I had a few years to examine the possibilities.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Mock Hydra
No. Enc.   1 (1)
Alignment   Neutral
Movement   60' (20')
AC      7
HD      3
Attacks      1 (bite)
Damage   d6
Save      L2
Morale      6
Hoard Class   none

The mock hydra is a venomous snake with 10-20 vestigial heads found randomly along the body. Those that have heads on the belly die soon after hatching. The rest have a short lifespan as the heads are easily damaged and infected. The most common mock hydra has a class 5 poison.

Mutations: bizzare appearance, toxic weapon

Sometimes a monster doesn't have to have super powers to be interesting. Drawbacks can add a lot of character (or in this case heads) to a creature. Though it can be used to provide weak points for the PCs to use, I do not suggest this for all monsters. Sometimes having a hot spot of defective creatures can be useful in scaring the players as well as giving the PCs a chance to live.

[Derek Holland]

Name      Skeletal Walker
No. Enc.   1 (0)
Movement   180' (60')
AC      -3
HD      22
Attacks      5 (bites)
Damage   3d8/3d8/3d8/3d8/3d8 (+20)
Save      L14
Morale      11
Hoard Class   special

A swarm of metal eating beetles that animate piles of junk, skeletal walkers are the bane of all artifact hunters. A typical pile is several tons and 50' long. At least 5 places on the body there are places that are mouth like and are where the walker chews up machinery and other metal objects. Against flesh and wood the bites do 3d8 points of damage and against metal and stone they do 3d8+20.

Mutations: special

This was created to make the landscape dangerous. When a junkyard stands up, everyone notices. I am not sure if I like this or the swarm-morphing idea more. For those GMs who want something more realistic, it could easily be smaller robots or nanites that animate trash.