New Psionic Monster (BX/LL): Hive-Mite

Today's creature, the hive-mite, is a low-level psionic creature I created to answer Eric Potter's request for more psionic stuff that low level characters could fight. I have dual-statted this monster (for Oe/1e and BX), but the body description is written for BX. Anyone wishing to use this for Oe/1e psionics will have to take the principals presented and do a bit of reverse engineering (based on the Oe/1e stat block), since the Original/Advanced edition of psionics don't really use psionic saving throws or psionic levels.

HIVE-MITE

DESCRIPTION These 2’-long, maggot-like creatures are typically found in areas of rot, and are particular fond of the rotting flesh of animals. Any hive-mite within 10' of another hive-mite automatically shares its mind with that hive-mite. Subsequently, all hive-mites contiguously within a 10' range of one another share their minds with all of the others in the “chain.” Solitary hive-mites have a psionic level of 1 (5 PSPs), and may opt to make a psionic attack (with id insinuation) during the round, rather than their standard bite attack. Hive-mites which are sharing their minds have a psionic level equal to the number of hive-mites in the group of shared minds, but collectively get only 1 psionic attack per round (which only one of the mites in the chain may use in lieu of its bite attack). When making a psionic attack with a shared mind, PSPs may be cannibalized from other hive-mites in the chain, deducting the cannibalized PSPs from the reservoir of those hive-mites. Psionic saving throws for any hive-mite in a chain is made as a fighter equal to the shared mind’s psionic level. Any clairsentient or telepathic ability (psionic, magic, or otherwise), as well as any attack mode, targeted against any hive-mite (or hive-mites) in a chain has a chance to affect the other hive-mites in the chain. Each member of the shared mind must make a successful psionic saving throw or suffer the ability’s/attacks effects. Hive-mites are always protected by a tower of iron will with no PSP cost. Psychometabolic, psychokinetic and psychoporative sionic abilities which target an individual “externally” (e.g., disintegration), affect only the single hive-mite against which the ability is targeted. All other (non-psionic) saving throws are made as a 1st level fighter. The morale of any hive mite is dependent upon the number of minds being shared as outlined below: # of hive- mites in chain Morale 1 7 2-3 8 4-6 9 7-10 10 11+ 11

Oe/1E STATS FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. APPEARING: 2-8 ARMOR CLASS: 7 MOVE: 3" HIT DICE: 1+1 % IN LAIR: 40% TREASURE TYPE: Nil NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: Poison SPECIAL ATTACKS: 1 psionic attack per hive-mite "chain" SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard INTELLIGENCE: Low- ALIGNMENT: Neutral SIZE: S (2' long) PSIONIC ABILITY: 15 (per hive-mite) Attack/Defense Modes: D/J BX STATS ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 1+1 MOVE: 30'(10') ATTACKS: 1 bite or special DAMAGE: 1-4 or special NO. APPEARING: 1-4 (2-8) SAVE AS: See below MORALE: See below TREASURE TYPE: Nil ALIGNMENT: Neutral PSIONIC LEVEL: See below (5 PSPs per hive-mite) ATTACK MODES: id insinuation DEFENSE MODES: tower of iron will* (no PSP cost, always on)