Bookworm (CR 1/4)

Fine Vermin
Alignment: Always neutral
Initiative: +0; Senses: scent paper

---

AC: 18 (+8 size), touch 18, flat-footed 18
Hit Dice: 1/2d8 (2 hp)
Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0

---

Speed: 20 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Space: .5 ft./0 ft.
Base Attack -; Grapple -
Damage: -
Special Attacks/Actions: Burrow through paper

---

Abilities: Str 1, Dex 11, Con 11, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Special Qualities: Vermin, chameleon
Feats: -
Skills: -
Advancement: 1-2 HD (Fine)

---

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Swarm (1d4+10)
Treasure/Possessions: None

---

Source: Converted

Burrow Through Paper (Ex): A bookworm can burrow through dead wood or leather at a rate of 10 feet per round and through a leather scroll case or pack in one round, but cannot digest living matter of any type. It will destroy spell books and scrolls at the rate of one spell level per round (i.e., five rounds for a scroll of a single 5th-level spell).

Scent Paper (Ex): A bookworm can smell scrolls, maps, arcane tomes, and spell books at a distance of 60 feet.

Chameleon (Ex): A bookworm can, as a free action, alter its color to blend instinctively with its surroundings. A bookworm gains a +15 circumstance bonus on Hide checks when using this ability.

A bookworm lair is always a library or storeroom of some kind, whether in use or long forgotten. When a bookworm is encountered, there may be undamaged paper items remaining (30% chance). In such cases, the surviving objects will be as follows: a map (60%), scroll (30%), or an arcane work of level 1-8 (10%). If spell books are indicated, they should be appropriate for the level of the characters finding them but will be 0%-90% (1d10-1) destroyed by the worms.

:A feeding bookworm is motionless until attacked. After any attack it will flee (if possible) by first jumping 10 feet and then crawling back to its lair at top speed.

The Bookworm first appeared in the Monster Manual II (Gary Gygax, 1983).