Star Spawn Larva Mage
Aberration · Crown of Despair
T4d10Major
Undead illithid puppets, larva mages command swarms of maggots, casting spells twisted by eldritch influence.
Tier 4 · Role Major · Pool Vigor 8 / Vitality 8 · AC 12 · ATK +6 · Save DC 17 · Dmg d10
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 8 | -1 | -d3 |
| Mind | 22 | +6 | d12 |
| Sense | 20 | +5 | d10 |
| Heart | 18 | +4 | d8 |
| Cunning | 20 | +5 | d10 |
| Fate | 18 | +4 | d8 |
Passives
Spellcasting (maggot-eldritch sorcery)
The larva mage's stolen mind still remembers its spells, now spoken through a chorus of maggots; it casts without hands out to 60 ft. Advantage on saves against spells.
Maggot Shroud
Wrapped in a writhing swarm. A creature that starts its turn within 10 ft or strikes the mage in melee takes 1 Vigor damage.
Maneuvers
Summon Grue
Calls 2 Star Spawn Grue up out of the writhing mass, appearing in open spaces within 30 ft.
Confusion
Whispers eldritch nonsense into a 20 ft sphere within 60 ft. Each creature there makes a Mind save (DC 17) or loses control, acting randomly and dazed for 1 round.
Declarations
Declared in the enemy tactical window and resolved at the start of its next turn. Any Vitality it loses first forces the disruption roll: on a 1 the telegraph is lost.
Maggot Storm
The swarm bursts outward 30 ft in every direction. Each creature in the area must pass a Body save (DC 17) or take 4 damage and be blinded for 1 round as maggots swarm its eyes; on a success, 1 Vigor damage.
Tactics
GM tactics
Summons grue minions early to create chaos. Uses Maggot Storm when enemies cluster and Confusion to break up whatever formation survives. Lets its minions absorb blows while the Maggot Shroud punishes anyone who closes.
Running it
Rules
- Shield of Tier + Heart mod over a Vitality pool of 2 x Tier. Full Vigor at combat start; at the start of its turn it rolls 4 exploding d4s and regains 1 Vigor per 4. Dead at 0 Vigor and 0 Vitality.
- A hit rolls d10. A crit rolls two: 2d10.
- Crits on a natural 15+ (Cunning 20).
- Two or three attacks in a normal turn: multiattack is the threat scaler, and one swing a round makes it a mook.
- Any Vitality lost while a telegraph is pending forces its disruption roll; on a 1 the telegraph is lost.
- Checks morale at one-third Vitality: Heart save against the party leader's presence, or GM judgment.
- NPCs never take wounds.