Ant Special Qualities

Planning on using some giant ants in your next adventure? Why not spice them up a little? Ants may have several special qualities.  The three qualities below all exist in actual ant species found on the Earth today.

Assume that giant ants are between 2 and 5 feet long, and monstrous ants are even bigger. The giant ants in the Dungeon Crawl Classics core rulebook are considered monstrous by this measure.  Ant swarms are a form of insect swarm that does not fly.

Jumping:  Some ants are capable of using their two rear sets of legs together in order to jump.  A giant ant with this quality can jump up to 20 feet forward and 7 feet upward.  A monstrous ant with this quality can jump 30 feet forward and 10 feet upward.  Jumping does not affect ant swarms.

Spraying:  These ants can spray a stream of formic acid from their abdomens.  For giant and monstrous ants, this requires a ranged attack roll.  Giant ants can spray up to 20 feet for 1d6 damage; monstrous ants can spray up to 30 feet for 2d6 damage.  Ant swarms with this ability do an extra 1d6 damage per round, and can target creatures within 5 feet of the swarm with this damage.

Trap-Jaws:  These ants do not let go once they bite, automatically doing normal bite damage each round after the initial bite.  In addition to the damage, characters bit by these ants are considered to be grappling with them.  In the case of giant ants, a Strength check (DC 10) can force the jaws apart.  In the case of monstrous ants, a Strength check (DC 20) can force the jaws apart.  Otherwise, the jaws remain clamped fast (and the character remains grappled) even after the ant is killed.  Ant swarms with the trap-jaws quality do an extra 1 point of damage each round, and continue to do cause distraction and do 1 point of damage each round for 1d6 rounds after the swarm is killed or escaped.

Venom:  These ants are poisonous.  In addition to damage, the bites require a Fort save to avoid poisoning.  Venomous giant ants require a DC 15 save to avoid suffering 1d6 Stamina damage.  Venomous monstrous ants require a DC 20 save to avoid suffering 1d6 points of Stamina damage for 1d6 rounds.  Venomous ant swarms require a DC 12 save to avoid suffering 1d6 Stamina damage.