Beetle, Death Watch [693] 
| Climat/Terrain | Temperate forest | ||
| Organisation | Solitary | ||
| Fréquence | Très rare | ||
| Diète | Carnivore | ||
| Cycle d'activité | Any | ||
| Intelligence | 1 - Intelligence animale | ||
| Trésor | Nil | ||
| Alignement | Neutre Absolu | ||
| Nombres | 1 | ||
| Classe d'armure | 3 | ||
| Mouvement |
Au sol :
12'' Vol : - Classe de vol : Nage : Enfouissement : Web : |
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| Dés de vie | 9 | ||
| Thac0 | 11 | ||
| Nbre d'attaques | 1 | ||
| Dommage / attaques | 3-12 | ||
| Attaques spéciales | Death rattle | ||
| Défenses spéciales | Camouflage | ||
| Résistance à la magie | Nil | ||
| Taille |
M - man-size ( 4+' to 7' ) (5’ long) |
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| Morale | 13-14 - Elite | ||
| Valeur en XP | 2000 xp | ||
| Commentaires : Death watch beetles are jet black in color, except for a single patch of white (on the back of their carapaces) that resembles a human skull. | |||
| Combat :
The death watch beetle is feared more than any other giant beetle for two reasons. The first is its cunning ability to disguise itself. When a death watch beetle finds a place to hunt, it gathers items from the area (mainly earth, fallen branches, and the like). As it acquires these things, it uses a natural form of cement created with its saliva and soil to affix them to its back. When it finishes this process, it is well camouflaged and can lie in wait for hours until prey passes near. When the death watch beetle makes its attack, its opponents suffer a -2 penalty to their surprise rolls. Far more deadly than the death watch beetle’s ability to surprise its foes, however, is its death rattle (a deadly sonic vibration). When the creature is in combat, it vibrates its carapace very rapidly, setting up an unusual clicking sound that resembles a gong. Victims are unlikely (only a 10% chance) to locate the beetle by this sound alone. This noise is very destructive at close range. One round after the beetle begins to make its rattle, anyone within 30 feet must roll a successful saving throw vs. death magic or be instantly slain. Those who succeed suffer 5d4 points of damage, as well as muscle pains and tingling sensations in their limbs for several hours after the battle. The creation of the death rattle is very tiring to the creature, requiring it to rest for 1d4+1 hours before it can produce the horrible noise again. |
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| Habitat / Société : The death watch beetle is a solitary creature that lives in the temperate woodlands of the world. It does not particularly enjoy wetlands, but can be found there on occasion. Overall, the death watch beetle lives a nomadic life. It stops in one location only long enough to hunt and then moves on. In fact, the beetle will abandon a selected hunting location after 4d4 hours if there is no sign of prey in the area. | |||
| Ecologie :
While other beetles fulfil many roles in the natural system, the death watch beetle is first and foremost a powerful hunter. It is high on the food chain, as few animals or monsters are capable of engaging it in combat with any hope of victory. The wings of the death watch beetle are highly valued by skilled armorers, who can fashion them into very effective shields. If an expert armorer is provided with both of a death watch beetle’s wings, he can manufacture the equivalent of a body shield +1 (although it is not actually enchanted). |