Phos Leech
Beast · no Crown (Meridian)
T2d6Minor
Forearm-sized aquatic parasites that drain both blood and progenitor-light, glowing with the stolen colors of their hosts and imposing cumulative debilitation.
Tier 2 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 2 (+2 overflow) · AC 9 · ATK +4 · Save DC 13 · Dmg 2 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 16 | - | - |
| Mind | 4 | - | - |
| Sense | 12 | - | - |
| Heart | 12 | - | - |
| Cunning | 14 | - | - |
| Fate | 12 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Luminance Drain
A host it is attached to takes 1 Vigor damage at the start of the leech's turn as its progenitor-light visibly dims. Three or more attached leeches impose -1 to all the host's rolls.
Maneuvers
Attach
Drops from vegetation or lunges from water onto a creature within 5 ft. The creature makes a Cunning save or the leech latches on. Tearing it free takes a Body check against DC 13 and deals 1 Vigor damage to the host. Salt or flame makes it drop off at once.
Deep Drain
Burrows deeper into an attached host. The host makes a Body save or takes 2 damage and its racial abilities are suppressed for an hour; on a success it takes 1 Vigor damage.
Tactics
GM tactics
Phos leeches drop from overhanging vegetation onto creatures crossing streams. Multiple leeches attach simultaneously, stacking their drain effects. They are sluggish on land but fast in water. The priority is attachment -- once attached, they drain passively.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 2, then 2 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 2, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d6 and never lands below 2.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 4 kills it outright, and a single blow of 4 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.