Stats for absent OD&D Dungeon Monsters

I haven't found much time to work on Dungeons & Dragons material this week, but in the interests of providing some weekly content for the blog I wrote up the monster entries below while watching Smackdown (pro-wrestling being great for half-watching in the background).  What I've done so far is a complete list of the monsters in original D&D's dungeon encounter tables that weren't given stats in the game.  I intend to design my mega-dungeon using those tables as a framework, and use them heavily in-game, so these stats are necessary.

Luckily for me, the Advanced D&D Monster Manual is quite compatible with what came before it.  There's an entry in there for every one of these monsters except for the white ape, and I used them a lot.  The main alteration that was necessary was in the amount of damage the monsters deal: AD&D uses variable damage dice, while OD&D restricts itself entirely to the use of six-siders.  Not only that, but the damage monsters deal in OD&D is much lower than in AD&D. To get a rough comparison, I used the giants from both editions.  Just to illustrate the difference, a cloud giant in OD&D deals 3d6 damage, while in AD&D that same giant would deal a whopping 6d6.  So I had to scale things down, and the giants were a big help in getting to numbers that I liked.  Luckily, most of the creatures below ended up having damage ranges in AD&D that converted to a single d6, so assume that damage is 1-6 unless I say differently.  I suspect I'll be dealing with higher damage totals for the absent wilderness monsters.

Of the special abilities I had to come up with something for, the giant rat's disease was the most significant.  I was surprised to discover a while back that the disease from giant rats wasn't explained in AD&D, nor was it in AD&D 2nd edition.  Trying to draw as much from the existing rules as I can, I went with a weaker form of the disease caused by mummies.  Instead of the disease causing healing to take ten times as long, I lowered it to five times, and I also made the disease fully curable by Cure Disease.

Other than damage, and altering some special abilities to better for with the OD&D rules, I had to make some decisions about what type of AD&D monster was the correct equivalent.  There are a bunch of giant beetles and giant snakes, so which is OD&D referring to?  I went with the boring beetle for the OD&D giant beetle, as they are the most generic, and match pretty well to the power level of other Level 4 monsters.  For giant hogs I went with the AD&D wild boar.  I considered the giant boar, but it's a little strong for Level 3, and the warthog is much too weak.  I had a harder time with giant snakes, as I couldn't decide between using the poisonous snake or the constrictor.  In the end I split the difference and gave a chance for both to appear, as I think both should be included for maximum trope representation.

The only monster I had to venture outside of the Monster Manual for was the white ape.  Given that it's a creature originating from the John Carter stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs, I drew what stats I could from TSR's Warriors of Mars.  That amounted to a short description, the creature's movement rate, and its Hit Dice total.  The rest I made up, and time will tell if what I created was balanced.  Given their huge size and strength I gave them the same damage as an ogre.  I also figured that, having four arms, they should get multiple attacks per round, and settled on two so as not to make them too much more powerful than the other Level 4 monsters.

Hopefully the write-ups below will prove of use to somebody (although given the proliferation of retro-clones it seems this work has been done many times before me).  I'll probably work on the absent wilderness monsters next, and I may also do write-ups for the various character classes that can be encountered in the dungeons.  It would be handy to have a quick stat-block ready to go for Evil High Priests, Lords, Wizards and the like.

ANT, GIANT

Number Appearing: 1-100

Armor Class: 3

Move in Inches: 18

Hit Dice: 2

% in Lair: 10%

Type or Amount of Treasure: See below

 

It is 90% likely that any group of giant ants encountered will all be workers.  The other 10% of the time, it will be a mixed group of workers and warriors (20% warriors/80% workers).  Warrior ants have 3 hit dice, and if one hits with its mandibles it will also attempt to sting for an additional 1-6+2 damage.  Damage from the sting can be halved by a successful saving throw against poison.

 

If found in their lair (nest) there will be 2-200 worker ants, plus 1 warrior ant for every 5 workers.  The queen will also be present.  The queen ant has 10 hit dice, but she neither moves nor attacks. If she is killed the other ants will become confused (as if affected by the Confusion spell) for six melee rounds, and then leave the nest.

 

Treasure held by ants will be found in the chamber of the queen ant.  There is a 50% chance they will have 3-12 gems, and a 40% chance of 2-8 potions. The egg chamber will be guarded by 5-50 workers and 5 warriors. Giant ant eggs have no normal market value.

BEETLE, GIANT

Number Appearing: 3-18

Armor Class: 3

Move in Inches: 6

Hit Dice: 5

% in Lair: 40%

Type or Amount of Treasure: D

Beetles are non-intelligent, and always hungry.  They do not hear or see well, relying primarily on taste and feel.

Although they favor molds, slimes, and fungi, they feed on virtually any form of organic material, crushing it in their mandibles before eating it. These mandibles deal 2-12 damage with each hit.  Because of the thorough grinding, the only way to revive any character eaten by a giant beetle is by using a Wish. 

CENTIPEDE, GIANT 

Number Appearing: 2-24

Armor Class: 9

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 1/4 (1-2 hp)

% in Lair: Nil

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

 

Giant centipedes are aggressive, and rush forth to bite their prey, injecting poison into the wound.  In many cases this poison is weak and not fatal.  The victim takes no damage from this bite, and also gets a +4 bonus to their saving throw to survive the poison.

 

Due to their small size, centipedes are less likely to resist certain attacks, and suffer a -1 penalty on all saving throws.

 

HOG, GIANT 

Number Appearing: 1-12

Armor Class: 7

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 3+3

% in Lair: Nil

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

Due to their ferocity and large tusks, giant hogs deal 1-6+2 damage on a successful hit. 

A giant hog will fight for 2-5 melee rounds after reaching 0 to -4 hit points but will die
immediately if reduced to -5 hit points or lower.

When encountered in the dungeon, hogs will all be aggressive males. In the wilderness, if more than one hog is encountered, one will be a male and the rest will be sows and sounders (young who do not fight).  There will be a ratio of 1 sow to 4 sounders.  Sows have 3 hit dice, and deal 1-6 damage per attack,

LIZARD, GIANT 

Number Appearing: 2-12

Armor Class: 5

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 3+1

% in Lair: Nil

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

Because of their large maws, giant lizards are able to deliver vicious bites. Any "to hit" score of 20 indicates the creature has snapped both jaws onto its opponent, thus causing double damage (2-12 points).

RAT, GIANT

Number Appearing: 6-36

Armor Class: 7

Move in Inches: 12 (swim 6)

Hit Dice: 1/2 (1-4 hp)

% in Lair: 10

Type or Amount of Treasure: C

  

Giant rats are a plague in many places such as crypts and dungeons.  They will avoid attacking strong parties unless commanded to fight by such creatures as wererats or vampires. They are fearful of fire and flee from it. Giant rats swim quite well, and they can attack in water as well.

 

Any creature bitten by a giant rat has a 5% chance per wound inflicted of contracting a serious disease. If such infection is indicated the victim will become diseased unless a saving throw versus poison is made. This disease will make wounds take 5 times the usual time for healing, but can be fully removed with a Cure Disease spell.

 

SCORPION, GIANT 

Number Appearing: 1-4

Armor Class: 3

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 5+3

% in Lair: 50%

Type or Amount of Treasure: D

  

Giant scorpions are vicious predators, likely to attack any creature which approaches.  Any creature killed by a scorpion will be dragged to its lair to be eaten.

 

A scorpion will attack three times per round, twice with its huge pincers, and once with its segmented tail, which lashes forward to sting its victim to death with poison. This sting inflicts 1-6 points of damage per hit, and the victim must make a saving throw against poison or die immediately.  The scorpion is able to attack up to 3 different opponents in a single round.

 

Note that if a scorpion somehow manages to sting itself, it will be killed by its own poison.

 

SNAKE, GIANT

Number Appearing: 1-6

Armor Class: 5

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 4+1

% in Lair: 0%

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

 

All giant snakes are carnivorous.  Those encountered will either be constrictors (1-5) or poisonous (6).

 

Constrictor snakes will attack with their bite, and on a successful hit they will constrict their victim.  Beginning on the round after the bite, the victim takes 1-6 points of damage per melee round, with no need for the snake to roll to-hit.  Several strong creatures (such as four humans of 16 or greater strength) will be able to uncoil the snake in 2-5 melee rounds.

Poisonous snakes will deliver their poison with a bite, and anyone struck must make a saving throw against poison or die.  At the referee's options, there may be some varieties of snake with poison so strong that the victim may still take damage on a successful save (1-6, 2-12, or even 3-18).

SPIDER, GIANT

Number Appearing: 1-8

Armor Class: 4

Move in Inches: 3 (12 in web)

Hit Dice: 4+1

% in Lair: 70%

Type or Amount of Treasure: C

 

Giant spiders lie in wait in their webs, weaving their sticky traps horizontally or vertically so as to entrap any creature which touches the web. Some will lurk above a path in order to drop upon prey.  They will flee from superior foes, typically hiding in some secret spot for safety.

The web is as tough and similar to the Web cast from a Staff of Wizardry.

 

The bite of a giant spider is poisonous, and anyone bitten.must save versus poison or be killed.

TOAD, GIANT 

Number Appearing: 1-12

Armor Class: 6

Move in Inches: 6 (6" leap)

Hit Dice: 2+1

% in Lair: 0%

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

  

Giant toads are prone to devour any creature which appears edible.

 

They can hop up to 6" in a single round, clearing objects up to 2" in height.  This requires but a single melee round, and the toad can attack in mid-air or at the end of its leap.

WEASEL, GIANT

Number Appearing: 1-8

Armor Class: 6

Move in Inches: 15

Hit Dice: 3+1

% in Lair: 15%

Type or Amount of Treasure: Nil

 

Giant weasels are very vicious and hunt prey aggressively. They will attack until destroyed.

 

When a giant weasel successfully bites its prey, it does not release its jaws, and will suck the blood from its victim.  This begins on the round after the bite, and drains the victim of 1-6 hit points per round. 

If taken before half-grown, and carefully trained, giant weasels can sometimes (25%) be used as hunting animals and guards. When encountered in their lair, there will always be at least 4 giant weasels - two parents and 2-6 young from 10% to 80% mature. The young also attack, doing damage proportional to their development.

Weasel pelts sell for 1,000 to 6,000 gold pieces. 

WHITE APE

Number Appearing: 1-8

Armor Class: 6    

Move in Inches: 12

Hit Dice: 6

% in Lair: 15%

Type or Amount of Treasure: D

 

White apes are enormous, with four arms, white skin and white hair on their heads.  These terrible monsters have an almost human cunning. Many have a rough tribal organization, and those that do always use stone (or some other form of) clubs.

 

Due to their great strength, white apes deal 1-6+2 damage on a successful hit.  They can attack twice per melee round.