Swarm, Plague Ant (CR 5)
Medium Vermin (Swarm-Fine)
Alignment: Always neutral
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Senses: darkvision (60-foot range)
Languages: No language
AC: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Hit Dice: 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Space: 10 ft./0 ft.
Base Attack +7; Grapple -
Attack: Swarm
Full Attack: Swarm
Damage: Swarm 2d6 plus disease
Special Attacks: Disease, distraction (DC 17), wounding
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 16, Con 14, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 7
Special Qualities: Swarm traits, vermin traits
Feats: -
Skills: Climb +3
Advancement: -
Climate/Terrain: Warm land and underground
Organization: Solitary or army (3-8 swarms)
Treasure/Possessions: -
Source:
Fiend Folio
Plague ants are large and particularly nasty relatives of mundane army or harvester ants. They are 4 inches long, with bloated white bodies and bright orange eyes. Their mandibles are as long as their heads and have an orange hue on the inside (cutting) edge.
As mindless creatures, plague ants do not speak or understand any language.
Combat
Plague ants are a mindless force of nature and swarm over everything in their path. They operate based on sophisticated instinct, with ants in the forefront of the swarm's approach carrying large chunks of food (preferably bloody meat) back to the queen, who is protected in the swarm's bivouac by a shelter formed from living ants.
Disease (Ex): Any creature that takes damage from a plague ant swarm must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17) or contract red ache. The incubation period is 1d3 days, and the disease deals 1d6 points of Strength damage.
Wounding (Ex): A wound resulting from a plague ant swarm attack bleeds for an additional 1 point of damage per round thereafter. Multiple wounds from such attacks result in cumulative bleeding loss (two wounds for 2 points of damage per round, and so on). The bleeding can be stopped only by a successful Heal check (DC 10) or the application of any cure spell or other healing spell (heal, healing circle, or the like).
Vermin Traits: A plague ant swarm is immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). It also has darkvision (60-foot range).
Skills: Plague ant swarms have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Distraction (Ex): Any non-mindless creature vulnerable to a swarm's damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save )DC 10 + 1/2 swarm's HD + swarm's Con modifier) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills requiring patience and concentration requires a Concentration check )DC 20).
Swarm Traits: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage.
Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or fewer causes the swarm to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple another.
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes a -10 penalty on saving throws against spells or effects that affect an area, such as many evocation spells or grenadelike weapons. If the area attack does not allow a saving throw, a swarm takes double damage instead,
Swarms made up of Diminutive or Fine creatures are susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. To determine the effect of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures. For example, a swarm of Abyss ants (Diminutive creatures) can be blown away by a severe wind. Wind effects deal 1d6 points of subdual damage to the swarm per spell level or Hit Die of the originating creature, in the case of effects such as an air elemental's whirlwind). A swarm that takes subdual damage sufficient to exceed its current hit points becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not re-form until its current hit points exceed its subdual damage.