NEW MONSTER: FROGLODYTE

FROGLODYTE

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 5-30

ARMOR CLASS: 5

MOVE: 12”//15”

HIT DICE: 3+2

% IN LAIR: 55%

TREASURE TYPE: R, S

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1

DAMAGE/ ATTACK: 1-3/1-3/1-6 or by weapon + 1 to damage due to strength

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Steam breath

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

SAVE: Fighter 4

INTELLIGENCE: Low

MORALE: 67%

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil

SIZE: M (up to 7' tall)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

LEVEL/ X.P. VALUE: IV/ 125 + 4/hp

Female: IV/ 125 + 4/hp

4+2 HD: V/ 165 + 5/hp

5+3 HD: V/ 225 + 6/hp

6+3 HD: VI/ 400 + 8/hp

Wangateur: IV/ 150 + 4/hp

1 HD Young: I/ 10 + 1/hp

2 HD Young: II/ 20 + 2/hp

The weird hybrid amphibian-reptile race of froglodytes are avoided by all right-thinking forms of mammalian life. They despise humans, demi-humans, and most other life, and will kill and eat those who are unfortunate enough to run across them. Froglodytes will inhabit natural caverns but they also feel at home in subterranean dungeon complexes. They can see, even in complete darkness, up to 90'. They are strong (rate a 17 strength) and do an additional point of damage when using weapons.

For every 10 froglodytes encountered there will be an exceptional creature with 4+2 hit dice, attacking with a bonus of +2 to damage due to a strength of 18. If 20 or more are encountered there will be a massive froglodyte warrior (AC 4, size L, 5+3 hit dice, with an 18/01-50 strength for +3 to damage).

If found in their lair, there will be the above types and a monstrous chieftain (AC 3, size L, 6+3 hit dice, attacking with an 18/51-75 strength for +3 to damage). There is also a 50% chance that there will be a wangateur with limited magic abilities. This individual with have 4 hit dice and be able to chant in a fashion similar to clerics. This gibbering is not a spell, in that it takes no time to cast, but it will have the effect of the chant spell as long as the wangateur continues and is not struck or made mute (such as with a silence spell). The wangateur also attempts to predict the future for the group by casting bones and examining entrails, but with mixed success.

In the lair will be females numbering approximately 20% of the number of males. The large-sized obese females have 4 hit dice and have an equivalent strength of 18. They do not use weapons, but their massive clawed hands strike for 2-5/2-5 along with their bite for 1-8. In a lair, there will also be young froglodytes, between 80% and 120% of the total number of adults. They will be size S and have 1 to 2 hit dice and do 1-3 damage if attacking. Froglodytes need pools of hot water for their jelly-like eggs to incubate, so they will always lair in such a place.

Froglodytes are aggressive and will war on neighboring humanoids. About a quarter of male froglodytes will have some form of weapon stolen from men or other creatures, often a sword, axe, or polearm. Leader-types will always carry one or more. They lack the coordination to employ missile weapons.

Adult froglodytes of both sexes have a remarkably high internal temperature. They store super-heated water in special sacks in the throat and they can release this as scalding steam from their mouth in a cone reaching 10' away and having a diameter of 4' at the base. This attack does 2-12 points of damage (save vs breath weapon for half). They must drink another supply of water and heat it up internally before spraying again, a process that takes a turn.

Froglodytes are social creatures and their growth and reproductive cycles are controlled by hormones given off by others in the group. It is said that if one of these creatures is expelled from the tribe and cast off, it will continue to grow unchecked by normal biological mechanisms, and can grow to gigantic proportions and possess terrible strength, should it survive.

Description: The heads of these creatures is frog-like, while the humanoid body is reptilian, with green-blue scales and a strong tail. Eyes are yellow or red with black vertical slit pupils. The mouth is filled with sharp teeth. Females lack the tail and have smooth skin. Young appear as miniature adults of whichever gender.