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Hornet, Giant

This massive horse-sized hornet has a black body with white markings on the thorax and abdomen and a cruel looking rapier-length stinger.

Giant Hornet CR 5

XP 1,600
N Large vermin
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)
hp 45 (7d8+14)
Fort +7; Ref +3; Will +3
Immune vermin traits

STATISTICS

Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +9 (1d3+5), sting +9 (1d4+5 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks poison

STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 12, Con 15, Int — Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +11; CMD 22
Skills Perception +9, Survival +1 (+4 orient direction); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +4 Survival to orient direction
SQ pheromone

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex)

Sting—injury; save DC 21; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dexterity damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Pheromone (Ex)

The first time a giant hornet is successfully hit in combat, it releases a fear pheromone that heightens the aggressiveness of all giant hornets within 50 feet. All affected giant hornets receive a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls for the remainder of the encounter and fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm land
Organization solitary, cluster (2–5), or nest (11–20)
Treasure standard or otherwise

Giant hornets are larger, more aggressive versions of normal hornets. They are generally inoffensive if left alone, but if provoked, become very deadly opponents. Giant hornets have a society structure consisting of two distinct classes: workers and the queen.

Workers spend their time pulling nectar from flowers and carrying it to the nest where they feed the young, the queen, and the other hornets. They are also the hornets involved in defending the nest and queen from attack. When aggressors are detected within 100 feet of the nest, the workers fly out and patrol the area. Creatures that move within 20 feet are attacked.

The queen’s sole purpose is to lay eggs that ultimately hatch and grow into new hornets. She has no stinger and does not attack—workers kill most aggressors long before they reach the queen. Giant hornet builds its nest high above the ground in much the same way a standard wasp does. A giant hornet’s nest has a curved flare at the top.

Giant hornets attack by biting their foes, only relying on its stinger when threatened. During combat, it releases a pheromone that agitates all other giant hornets in the area, making them more aggressive.

Section 15: Copyright Notice - Tome of Horrors Complete

Giant Hornet from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.