Leech Roach
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Size/Type | Fine Vermin |
| Hit Dice | 1d8-1 (3 hp) |
| Initiative | +7 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 10 ft. |
| Armor Class | 21 (+4 size, +7 Dex), touch 21, flat-footed 14 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +0/-7 |
| Attack | Touch +3 melee (cling) |
| Full Attack | Touch +3 melee (cling) |
| Size/Reach | ½ ft./0 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Cling, drain fluids |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., vermin traits |
| Saves | Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +0 |
| Abilities | Str 1, Dex 25, Con 8, Int ―, Wis 10, Cha 2 |
| Skills | Climb +3*, Hide +23, Jump +17*, Listen +5*, Spot +5* |
| Feats | ― |
| Environment | Underground |
| Organization | Solitary, colony (2-5) or swarm (6-11) |
| Challenge Rating | 1/2 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | ― |
| Level Adjustment | ― |
Description
The leech roach is a tiny insect that lives upon carrion or live flesh. It is always dwells in dank, dimly-lit settings where the dark brown shell blends readily into the surroundings. When surprised in the open by light or loud noises, a leech roach will rapidly scurry for cover, attempting to ascend vertical surfaces and crawl into narrow cracks and crevasses. The favored prey of the leech roach are lumbering creatures with heavily wrinkled flesh or else the faceted armor of large insects.
Leech roaches closely resemble an over-sized brown cockroach with long, curving antennae and wide, hairy pads at the end of their limbs. They can grow to nearly six inches in length, but have a low, flat profile that will readily squeeze through the narrowest of openings. Leech roaches are silent except during mating season when they make a grating sound by rubbing together their back legs.
Combat
A leech roach will attack from concealment by leaping onto a foe, then scurrying across the hide until it finds a fold into which it can crawl and bury a proboscis to drain nutrients out of the host body. Once attached it can cling to a position indefinitely, fleeing only when dislodged. The leech roach has the discomforting habit of crawling into opening in suits of armor, and rapidly moving to awkward locations before draining blood. This can require the victim to remove entire sections of their armor before the insect can be dislodged.
Cling (Ex): If a leech roach hits with a touch attach, it uses padded feet to grasp a part of the opponent's body. A clinging leech roach is effectively grappling its prey. The leech roach loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 14, but is able to cling to the body with great tenacity. Leech roaches have a +12 racial bonus on grapple checks (already figured into the Base Attack/Grapple entry above).
A clinging leech roach can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove a clinging leech roach through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the leech roach.
A round after cling to its prey, a leech roach moves into a convenient protective opening on the opponent. It can fit through surprisingly small openings, moving into cracks in armor or clothing. Once inside, the leech roach gains the Armor bonus of the opponent against all types of attacks including grappling.
Drain Fluids (Ex): A leech roach drains bodily fluids, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage in a round. Once it has dealt 4 points of Constitution damage, it release the opponent and jumps away to digest the meal. If its victim dies before the leech roach's appetite has been sated, the leech roach detaches and seeks a new target.
Skills: *Leech roaches have a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks. A leech roach can choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Leech roaches use their Dexterity modifier for Jump checks.
Also in this section of the source
Copyright Information
THIS LICENSE IS APPROVED FOR GENERAL USE. PERMISSION TO DISTRIBUTE THIS LICENSE IS MADE BY WIZARDS OF THE COAST!