Flame Ants

Flame ants are a terrible evolution from ordinary giant ants found only in Auldelia, although most flame ants are the size of rodents the elder ants of a colony can grow to the size of men, queens are often substantially larger still. Though the larger varieties are the most physically powerful of the species the swarms of the smallest varieties are often the most feared. Unlike ordinary ant swarms flame ants cannot be fought with fire making them very difficult to deal with particularly en mass.

These monsterous ants are each the size of rats, their crimson bodies shimmer with radiant heat

Flame Ant Swarm CR 2(300 XP)
N Tiny Vermin
Initiative: +2 Senses: Darkvision 60 feet.


DEFENSE


Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 size), touch 14, flat-footed 12
hp: 18hp (4d8+0)
Fort+4, Ref+3, Will +1
Defensive Abilities: half damage from slashing and piercing weapons Immune: Individually targeted spells


OFFENSE


Speed: 20ft.
Melee: Swarm (1d3 + 1d3 fire)
Space: 10 ft. Reach: 0
Special Attacks: Distraction


STATISTICS


Str 1, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 0, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk:+3 Combat Manuver Bonus:-4 Combat Manuver Defence:8
Skills: Climb +10, Perception +7
SQ: Swarm Traits, Vermin Traits


ECOLOGY


Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary, march (2-4 swarms), or colony (7-12 swarms)
Treasure Value:


SPECIAL ABILITIES

Ability (Ex):

Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a flame ant swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills
A flame ant swarm has a +2 racial bonus on Stealth and Perception checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Vulnerability to Water:
As living creatures flame ants require water to survive but they are extremely poor swimmers. The young that flame ant swarms are composed of can easily be paralyzed by sudden drops in body temperature and if expsed to water can drown easily. A swarm hit with at least 1 quart of water (as a grenade weapon) suffers 1d6 points of damage may not move in its next turn. Swarms take %50 more damage from cold attacks and rarely survive them, if it does survive it may not move on its next turn. A flask of acid is doubly harmful to a flame ant swarm inflicting 2d6 points of damage with a direct hit and 2 points on a splash.

A flame ant swarms seeks to crawl upon any living prey they encounters, while their mandibles do some damage it is usually the blistering heat of their bodies that overwhelms most opponents. A swarm deals 1d3 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. Any creature so damaged also takes 1d3 points of fire damage unless protected.

Any creature wearing damp clothing (at least 1 quart or watterskin worth of liquid) is immune to fire damage from flame ants. Unfortunately this benefit is short lived as contact with a swarm for has a culumative %10 chance per round to dry cloathing.

Flame ant swarms are the first stage in the Flame Ant life cycle, thousands of flame ants are born every day but only a select few grow to become workers. The rest either perish in adolecence of natural causes or are eaten by their siblings.

Combat

A flame ant swarms seeks to crawl upon any living prey they encounters, while their mandibles do some damage it is usually the blistering heat of their bodies that overwhelms most opponents. A swarm deals 1d3 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. Any creature so damaged also takes 1d3 points of fire damage unless protected.

Any creature wearing damp clothing (at least 1 quart or watterskin worth of liquid) is immune to fire damage from flame ants. Unfortunately this benefit is short lived as contact with a swarm for has a culumative %10 chance per round to dry cloathing.


Flame Ant, Worker Flame Ant, Soldier Flame Ant, Queen
Size/Type: Small Vermin (Fire) Medium Vermin (Fire) Large Vermin (Fire)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp) 2d8+2 (11 hp) 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +0 +0 -1
Speed: 30 ft. (10 squares), climb 20 ft. 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 20 ft. 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+7 natural +1 size), touch 11, flat-footed 18 17 (+7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17 17 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/CMB: +0/-1 +1/+3 +3/+6
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4) Bite +3 melee (2d4+3) Bite +5 melee (2d6+4)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4) Bite +3 melee (2d4+3) Bite +5 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft./5 ft. 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab Improved grab, incendiary sting Improved grab, Breath Flame
Special Qualities: Scent, vermin traits, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold Scent, vermin traits, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold Scent, vermin traits, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0 Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +1 Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +2
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 9 Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int Ø, Wis 13, Cha 11 Str 16, Dex 9, Con 13, Int Ø, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +9 Climb +10
Feats: TrackB TrackB TrackB
Environment: Warm or Temperate plains Warm or Temperate plains Warm or Temperate plains
Organization: Gang (2-6) or crew (6-11 plus 1 flame ant soldier) Solitary or gang (2-4) Hive (1 plus 10-100 workers and 5-20 soldiers)
Challenge Rating: 1 1 3
Treasure: None None 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large) 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large) 5-6 HD (Large); 7-8 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:

Incendiary Sting (Ex)

A flame ant soldier has a stinger and an incendiary-producing gland in its abdomen. If it successfully grabs an opponent, it can attempt to sting each round (+3 attack bonus). A hit with the sting attack deals 1d3+1 points of piercing damage and 1d3 points of fire damage, the target must make a DC 12 reflex save or catch fire.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a giant ant must hit with its bite attack. A giant soldier ant that succeeds at a CMB check establishes a hold and can sting.

Breath Flame (Ex)
The queen(s) of a flame ant colony may breath a short cone of fire when her brood is threatened.
10-foot cone, once every 2d4 rounds, damage 2d6 fire, Reflex DC 12 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills

*Flame ants have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A giant ant can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

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