Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: Aerial Servant, Anhkheg, Giant Ant, Ape, and Axebeak

I was not exactly wealthy growing up.

When I moved from Holmes Basic to AD&D 1e, the first book I was able to buy was the Fiend Folio, and this was after working a summer at the Youth Conservation Camp in Minong Basin, Wisconsin. The first book I could access was the Dungeon Master’s Guide, because I had players who were better off than I was. If you are wondering why “Make Monsters Mysterious” resonates so powerfully with me, in those days I was operating for about two years without a proper monster book and only sporadic access to the DMG and Player’s Handbook. I had literally copied out the material I needed like a medieval scribe, and like the scribes of yore, thing weren’t always transcribed correctly! The DMG contained an appendix of statistics from the Monster Manual. Without the Monster Manual, trying to figure out what some of these creatures were was challenging. Eventually, I was able to obtain the Monster Manual and learn that a roper was not actually a horse-like predator with lariat-like snout-tentacles!

I’ve been asked to convert the original Monster Manual in a manner similar to my conversion of the Fiend Folio. I am going to do this a bit differently, though, and just try to stick to the essence of creatures without referring to the text of the original work in some cases. This is, in part, because of my plans to create a monster book in the upcoming year. For fun, where I was wildly off on imagining some creatures before I got an actual Monster Manual, I will try to stat out my teenaged ideas as well.

My plan is to give statistics for roughly three monsters per post.

Here we go.

Aerial Servant: I feel that the invisible companion spell, on pages 173-174 of the DCC core rulebook, more than adequately covers this entry.

Anhkheg: Init +2; Atk claw +3 melee (1d6) or bite +2 melee (1d8) or spit acid; AC 16; HD 3d8; MV 40’ or climb 20’ or burrow 20’; Act 2d20; SP surprise (DC 20 Intelligence negates), grasp, spit acid; SV Fort +4; Ref +2; Will +0; AL N.

These giant arthropods are built like a nightmare cross between a centipede and a praying mantis. They burrow beneath the ground, lying in wait with only their antennae exposed. They are able to sense the subtle tremors of creatures moving upon the land, up to 500 feet away, and burst upward from their shallow tunnels when something suitably large comes near. Attacking in this way, an anhkheg almost always gains a surprise round, although a DC 20 Intelligence check negates this, as may other circumstances as determined by the judge.

An anhkheg which hits the same target with both mantis-like claws grasps the target, doing an automatic 2d4 damage each round and gaining a +4 bonus to bite the grasped target. A successful DC q5 Strength check or Mighty Deed can free the victim.

An anhkheg can spit a glob of powerful stomach acid once every 1d4 rounds. This targets a single creature, which must succeed in a DC 12 Reflex save or suffer 4d4 damage. There is a 1 in 4 chance that a single dose of this acid can be taken from a slain anhkheg’s stomach with a successful Handle Poison check. Alchemists and similar characters are considered trained in this check, and a glass container must be available to store the acid in.

Giant Ant: Giant ants are covered on pages 294-395 of the core rulebook. 1 in 7 groups of giant ants has a special ability, as indicated below (roll 1d4):

(1) 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 10 feet upward.

(2) Spraying:  These ants can spray a stream of formic acid from their abdomens.  Giant ants can make a ranged attack roll, spraying up to 30 feet, with a +2 bonus to hit for 116 damage.

(3) 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 (a DC 15 Strength check can force the jaws apart).  The jaws remain clamped fast (and the character remains grappled) even after the ant is killed.

(4) Venom:  These ants are poisonous.  In addition to damage, the bites require a DC 15 Fort save to avoid suffering 1d6 points of Stamina damage for 1d4 rounds.

This entry uses material from this post. You will note that I toned down the original.

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Ape: The Cyclopedia of Common Animals covers a plethora of ape types.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, and not a member of my Patreon, you may be forgiven for wondering just what the Cyclopedia of Common Animals is. It is just what it says on the tin, with over 500 statblocks for everything from areas infested by gnats or mosquitoes to the largest of dinosaurs. Domesticated animals of all types are included, lots of venomous critters (like spiders and snaked), game stats for illnesses transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes, stats for rabies, and the like.

Whether you are looking for a giant banana spider, a honey badger, a giant shrew, or that chicken your 0-level farmer is carrying around, there is a good chance that you can find it in the Cyclopedia.

Axebeak: Init +2; Atk beak +5 melee (1d8) or claw +2 melee (1d10); AC 14; HD 5d6; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +4; Ref +3; Will +0; AL N.

This horrifying flightless bird has a thick, sharp beak which it can wield with deadly force as well as sharp-clawed legs which can eviscerate opponents. They are large enough to be ridden by humanoids wearing nothing heavier than chaimail, and have been domesticated in some dark corners of the world.

From the Frozen North

Mammoti: Init +3; Atk giant warhammer +15 melee (3d10+10) or giant knife +10 melee (3d4+10) or trunk +8 melee (3d6+10 plus grab) or or tusks +8 melee (4d6+10) or stomp +6 melee (5d10); CRIT 1d6/G; AC 17; HD 12d10; MV 40’; Act 2d24; SP grab (automatic damage each round without using an action die until an opposed Strength check vs. +10 or Mighty Deed of 6+ succeeds), immunity to cold, crit on 20-24; SV Fort +4; Ref +2; Will +3; AL C.

Passing up the coast from warmer climes, one eventually reaches frozen icefields and tundra. Here dwell the giant mammoti – humanoid mammoth elephants with four arms and a warlike attitude. With a height of 15-18 feet, the mammoti (singular and plural) shepherd herds of mammoths in the cold reaches, feeding off their milk and flesh.

Because the mammoti are few, humanoid raiders sometimes seek to cull their herds and escape before being noticed. It is said that, in the enormous dwelling places and feasthalls of the mammoti, a fortune in mammoth ivory awaits those brave, skilled, and cunning enough to obtain it.

(With thanks once again to Noble Hardesty for the artwork!)

 

More Fun at the Seaside

Once more, thanks to the generous art contributions of Noble Hardesty, your PCs can fear the waves even more than they already do!

Giant ARMnemone: Init +0; Atk weapon +4 melee (1d6+2) or weapon +2 ranged (1d4) or bite +1 melee (2d6); AC 14; HD 6d8; MV 20’; Act 6d20; SV Fort +6; Ref -2; Will +4; AL C.

Related to the common anemones of tidal pools and coral reefs, these monstrous creatures have replaced the normal anemones’ tendrils with a multitude of arms which can wield a plethora of weapons. Most of an ARMnemone’s weapons are simple melee ones scavenged from shipwrecks and victims, but sometimes an ARMnemone uses single-handed ranged weapons as well. Rather than the simple maw of their lesser kin, giant ARMnemones have huge mouths filled with gigantic teeth.

Giant ARMnemomes possess an evil intelligence that grows throughout their long lives. After several centuries, a giant ARMnemone can spontaneously grow into an ARMageddon (see below).

ARMageddon: Init +0; Atk claw +8 melee (2d6+6) or tail fist +10 melee (3d6+6) or bite +6 melee (3d6) or spell; AC 24; HD 8d20+16; MV 20’; Act 8d20; SP channel phlogiston, death throes, spellcasting; SV Fort +16; Ref -10; Will +20; AL C.

Its mouth sprouting into an enormous head, as two of its arms thicken to become monstrous, an ARMageddon sprouts bat-like wings too small for flight. Where once it fastened to the sea bed, rocks, or coral, it grows another colossal fist. Over a matter of pain-filled hours, the creature takes in raw energy from the phlogiston itself, growing to a towering size in the process. Its malevolent intelligence entirely bent to hatred of land-dwellers, the ARMageddon goes on a rampage until the coast is decimated or it is slain itself.

The smaller arms of an ARMageddon no longer wield weapons. Instead, they channel raw phlogistonic energy into spellcasting. An ARMageddon gains the ability to cast 1d7 random 1st level, 1d5 2nd level, and 1d3 3rd level wizard spells. They cannot spellburn, but they are absolutely able to enter into spellduels. Because of variables in the phlogistonic flow, when it casts a spell an ARMageddon rolls 2d6 to determine its bonus to the spell check.

When reduced to 0 hp, the ARMageddon explodes in a blast of raw phlogiston, doing 3d10 damage to everything within 200 feet. Living creatures within 60 feet must roll 1d20, modified by their current Luck modifier, and consult the following: (5 or less) Creature suffers greater corruption, (6-10) Creature suffers major corruption, (11-19) Creature suffers minor corruption, or (20+) Creature suffers no additional effect. At the judge’s discretion, a creature rolling 25 or higher may gain a random mutation from the Mutant Crawl Classics tome.

There is a 20% chance that a unique organ within the ARMageddon’s brain survives the explosion. A wizard or elf can use this is a power component to fuel a single spell, granting a +2d6 bonus to the spell check but requiring a Will save (DC equal to the bonus) or suffer major corruption as the spell is released. Using the organ in this way consumes it utterly.

Another Seaside Encounter

Thanks to the generous art contributions of Noble Hardesty, your PCs now have a few more reasons to avoid the oceans! Port cities provide opportunities for those on land, but they also provide opportunities for bold raiders riding the waves….

Captain John “Ironsides” Jellico: Init +2; Atk canon slam +5 melee (1d8+6) or fist +5 melee (1d6+6) or iron canon +4 ranged (60’range increment, 3d10); AC 16; HD 5d8+5 (35 hp); MV 20’or swim 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +4; Ref +2; Will +3; AL C.

Ogres are stupid, crass creatures overall, but Captain John Jellico, called “Cap’n Ironsides” by his crew, is a cut above his kin. Crass and cunning, Captain Jellico is far from the brightest on his crew, but none is so eager for command that they will fight the Captain one-on-one per the Pirate’s Code. And it is true that the ogre buccaneer has led them to some serious booty on daring raids along the sea lanes.

Captain John Jellico uses a canon that he is strong enough to carry and fire himself. He carries a pouch of a dozen three-pound iron balls for ammunition. Although it takes him a full minute to reload between shots, he is more than happy to use the canon as a melee weapon or strike opponents with a massive fist.

Since coming aboard, and more so since killing the previous Captain Spiner in a pirate’s duel, John Jellico has made the Catspaw feared and hated wherever it goes.

Cheater’s Ring

This cursed ring is made of gold and silver. With pleasing decorations making the whole seem to be worth 80 gp. However, when acquired in any manner other than as a gift, the bearer must make a DC 20 Will save or immediately become convinced that it is a perfect gift for a loved one, or, barring that, some worthy they wish to influence, such as a powerful noble or wealthy merchant.

However, the ring never fits the person it is given to.

If received as a gift, the recipient must make a DC 20 Will save or feel slighted by the gift, and seek to get rid of it by whatever means seem feasible (such as selling the ring). While the gifter may be able to salvage the relationship, the magic of this pernicious band is long-lasting, and some special quest (or series of quests) might be required to prove the gifter’s fidelity.

 

Based off this Facebook post.

Evil Alien Jellyfish

Quivering Jelly: Init +0; Atk psionic vibrations; AC 7; HD 1d7; MV swim 20’; Act 1d20; SP psionic vibrations (60’ range, 1d6, Fort DC 15 for half), liquefy victims, teleportation, telepathy; SV Fort -4; Ref +0; Will +6; AL L.

Alien, intelligent jellyfish native to the planet Madkeen, those beings now known as “quivering jellies” migrated en masse to another world when their planet’s oceans began to die. Peaceful and indolent on their own world when the salt waters carried the nutrients needed to sustain them, these creatures were forced to adapt or die upon relocation. Unfortunately, they relocated to the campaign world and have had centuries to adapt.

Unlike most terrestrial jellyfish, quivering jellies cannot sting. Instead, their tendrils are used for swimming, manipulating objects, and filter feeding nutrients from the water. On Madkeen, they defended themselves by psionically setting up vibrations in living tissue. Lightly “buzzing” predators was usually enough to warn them from approaching further.

Now, this same power is used to supply much-needed nutrients. A quivering jelly can target a single living creature within 60 feet, who takes 1d6 points of vibrational damage as the jelly’s psionic power begins to shake it apart (Fort DC 15 for half). When reduced to 0 hp, a target can take further damage until it reaches -20 hp, at which point the body is liquefied and can be neither healed nor recovered. Attempts to heal a fallen creature must also heal any negative hit point damage, as it is real damage happening to the body. Once a creature is liquefied, it can be slowly consumed if the jellies involved do not feel threatened.

Note that this is an exception to the rule that normally hit points in DCC do not go lower than 0, but then again, monsters do not need to play by the rules.

Quivering jellies can use an action die to psychically teleport up to 10 feet, which they can use to leave combat without provoking free attacks. Very large groups of quivering jellies can use this ability to teleport even farther – even interstellar distances – but this is time consuming and leaves the quivering jellies exhausted and helpless for 2d6 hours. This is, indeed, how they came to the campaign world.

Although quivering jellies are telepathic and can communicate with other intelligent creatures to a range of 200 feet, having to use their formerly defensive power to obtain food has changed them. From being wise, philosophical beings revered for their wisdom, they have become thoroughly twisted until they see empathy for other beings as a weakness.

Quivering jellies are found in warm saline waters, in tropical or sub-tropical areas. Although lawful, their communities only number 4d6 individuals as larger groups have difficulty finding enough prey. These communities maintain contact with each other, though, and individuals work together with frightening intelligence to ensure a constant supply of nutrients.

Based on this Facebook post.

Brain Spiders

Brain Spider: Init +2; Atk bite (venom); AC 8; HD 1 hp; MV 10’ or climb 10’; Act 1d14; SP venom (Fort DC 12, 1 Personality on a success, 1d3 Personality on a failure), daze (30’ range, DC 5 Will to act); SV Fort -10; Ref +2; Will +2; AL C.

Brain Spider Swarm: Init +2; Atk swarming bite +1 melee (1 plus venom); AC 9; HD 4d8; MV 10’ or climb 10'; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks, venom (Fort DC 15, 1d3 Personality on a success, 1d6 Personality on a failure); daze (30’ range, DC 10 Will to act); SV Fort +0, Ref +10, Will -2; AL N.

Monstrous Brain Spider: Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3 plus venom); AC 12; HD 1d3; MV 20’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP venom (Fort DC 12, 1d3 Personality on a success, 1d6 Personality on a failure), attraction (50’ range, DC 10 Will or move toward spider and lose all actions); SV Fort -4; Ref +3; Will +2; AL C.

Giant Brain Spider: Init +3; Atk +4 melee (1d6 plus venom); AC 14; HD 2d8; MV 30’ or climb 30’; Act 1d20; SP venom (Fort DC 20, 1d4 Personality on a success, 3d4 Personality on a failure), attraction (100’ range, DC 15 Will or move toward spider and lose all actions); SV Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +6; AL C.

Brain spiders are intelligent creatures which are capable of working together in swarms. A normal-sized brain spider is only about the size of a human hand. Singularly or in swarms, they emanate a psychic field that dazes other (non-brain spider) creatures in their vicinity, and makes it difficult for those creatures to act. Brain spiders can choose not to daze creatures, but need not use an action die to turn this power on or off. Their venom affects the victim’s Personality, eventually rendering them catatonic and helpless.

Monstrous and giant brain spiders are even larger. Monstrous brain spiders are cat-sized, while giant brain spiders are slightly smaller than a human. These brain spiders do not simply daze creatures in their vicinity, but their emanations can make creatures take no other action but move toward the brain spider at their normal Move.

Brain spider venom heals normally. A thief may extract 1d4 doses of venom from a giant brain spider with a successful Handle Poison check, but other versions of this spider are too small to yield adequate doses. If a PC speaks the language of spiders, they may be able to convince the creature to supply venom willingly, granting a +1d bonus to the Handle Poison check.

Based on this Facebook post.

Gary Con 2025

 

This has been tough the last couple of years, due to health and finances. I hope to do this for many more years to come, but I am not sure how that will go. I hope to see you there! Silver badge event registration is this Saturday.

Omeyer, the Weenie Wizard

Photo Credit Unknown

Inspired by a post on Facebook:

Omeyer, the Weenie Wizard: Init +2; Atk short sword +3 melee (1d6) or magic staff +3 melee (1d4+7) or spell; Crit IV/d12 AC 12; HD 6d6+6 (36 hp); MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP magic staff, magic book, spellcasting (+8 spell checks) , spells: (1st) charm person, detect magic, magic missile, ventriloquism, ward portal,  (2nd) fire resistance, wizard staff, (3rd) breath life, and dispel magic;  SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +5; AL N.

Whether Omeyer was once a man whom magical corruption turned into a living hot dog, or he was once a hot dog which had somehow attained life, sentience, and a semi-humanoid form, is no longer known if ever it was. Even Omeyer doesn’t seem to know. All of his spells have manifestations relating to his form when possible. Charm person works through an appetizing aroma, for instance, and magic missile takes the form of mustard streams and sauerkraut.

Omeyer’s magic staff acts as a +1 magical weapon and can emit light in a 20 foot radius at Omeyer’s command. Omeyer gains a +2 bonus when casting dispel magic while wielding the staff, but takes 5d4 damage is the staff is ever destroyed.

Omeyer also owns a magical book which comes from the World of the Red Doors, and was written by the arch-sorcerer and wondrous artist Gokov Udaks. This magic book allows the reader to use three rounds to summon a dog storm with a DC 25 spell check, as outlined below, attempted at the end of the reading. Failure causes the readers 2d6 damage (3d6 on a natural “1”).

Dog Storm: The reader calls down a storm of small astral dogs from the heavens, targeting a point up to 500 feet away and covering a radius of 200 feet. Anything in this radius which is struck by a dog (DC 25 Reflex save to avoid) takes 6d6 damage and must succeed in a Fort save (DC equal to damage taken) or die. Cover grants a +2 to +8 bonus to the Reflex save, depending upon the degree of cover as determined by the judge. Targets with 100% cover are not affected The book’s reader must have line-of-sight to the central point of impact. Once the astral dogs have impacted the ground, their charred and pulverized corpses remain for 1d6 minutes before fading away, although touching them at this point is no different than touching any similar burned and smashed animal remains.

1d7 Encounters with the Weenie Wizard

1.        Omeyer is in a beerhall, trying to drown his sorrows with cheap ale. Inebriated, he has a -4 penalty to all d20 rolls until sober once more. The Weenie Wizard is aware of some nearby treasure he greatly desires, but he is not strong enough to seek it alone…The judge is invited to use this as an adventure hook.

2.        The Weenie Wizard is haggling with an open-air baker, seeking to replace parts of his bun which have gone decidedly moldy.

3.        Hazards of the Road. Omeyer is surrounded by wild dogs which cannot differentiate him from any other sausage. He is grateful for any help.

4.        Omeyer is seeking the lost and fabulous Weinermobile, which is capable of traversing between dimensions. If the PCs aid him, he offers them one ride into a strange new world and back (allowing the judge to run a Mutant Crawl Classics, Umerica, Weird Frontiers, etc., adventure).

Photo by WeaponizingArchitecture - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123961242

5.        A rather dispirited Weenie Wizard seeks a source of condiments large enough to renew his mustard S-curl.

6.        Omeyer seeks out the five Hot Dog Suit characters that have fallen into this dimension from a world not unlike our own. He seeks to have these hapless Hot Dogs as acolytes and henchmen. If there is a PC using the Hot Dog Suit class, they are among those sought by the Weenie Wizard. For more information, see The Gongfarmer’s Almanac 2016, Volume 1.

7.        Having learned of another word by the great warlock-artist Gokov Udaks, Omeyer is on a quest to acquire every slender volume of the Book of Hobos, which he believes will reveal the location of a world of living meats. Perhaps, at last, the Weenie Wizard may find a place where he fits in…

           ADDENDUM 2 Jan 2024: A rumor has come to my attention that the Weenie Wizard arose upon a strange world not unwholly like our own. He is said to have encountered a malicious genie while singing a commercial jingle, and the rest is history.....