Manabane Scarab Swarm
_These clicking, turquoise-colored beetles have faintly luminescent golden glyphs on their backs, which grow brighter as they draw near._ Manabane scarabs are vermin infused with the ancient magic of
- Armor class
- 15
- Hit points
- 75
- Challenge
- 4
- Creature type
- Beast
- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- unaligned
_These clicking, turquoise-colored beetles have faintly luminescent golden glyphs on their backs, which grow brighter as they draw near._
Manabane scarabs are vermin infused with the ancient magic of fallen desert empires.
_Devour Magic._ Whether from gnawing on the flesh of the undead or nesting in areas rife with lingering enchantment, these beetles have developed a taste for the power of magic even as its power has marked them. The graven glyphs on their carapaces resemble the priestly cuneiform of long-dead kingdoms, and the more magical energy they consume, the brighter they glow, up to the equivalent of a torch.
Manabane scarabs pursue magic without hesitation or fear, tirelessly seeking to drain it for sustenance.
Stat block
- Cha
- 2
- Con
- 16
- Dex
- 16
- Int
- 1
- Str
- 3
- Wis
- 13
- Speed
- Walk: 20; Climb: 20; Burrow: 5
- Senses
- blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 30 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 13
- Skills
- Stealth: 5; Perception: 3
- Actions
- Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm's space. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage, or 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or one randomly determined magic item in its possession is immediately affected by the Mana Erosion trait. A spellcaster hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or one of its lowest-level, unused spell slots is expended.
- Languages
- -
- Special abilities
- Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
- Magic Immunity. The manabane scarab swarm is immune to spells and other magical effects.
- Scent Magic. The manabane scarab swarm can detect the presence of magical creatures, active spells or spell effects, and magical items within 120 feet.
- Mana Erosion. The manabane scarab swarm consumes magic. Unattended magic items in the swarm's space at the end of the swarm's turn have their effects suppressed for 1 minute. Additionally, charged items in the swarm's space lose 1d6 charges at the start of each of the swarm's turns; items with limited uses per day lose one daily use instead, and single-use items such as potions or scrolls are destroyed. Magical effects in the swarm's space are dispelled (as if affected by dispel magic cast with +5 spellcasting ability).
- Damage resistances
- bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
- Condition immunities
- charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Source and licence
From Tome of Beasts.
Licence: Open Game Content (OGL 1.0a).