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Yellowjacket, Giant

The massive winged insect has a pattern of black and yellow markings on its body and a wicked-looking stinger at the tip of its thorax.

Giant Yellowjacket CR 4

XP 1,200
N Large vermin
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +3
Immune mind-affecting effects, vermin traits

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +7 (1d3+4) or sting +7 (1d4+4 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

TACTICS

Giant yellowjackets attack by biting their foes. Though it has a poisonous stinger, it usually conducts combat with its bite attack, unless threatened by or confronting a particularly powerful opponent. In such cases, the giant yellowjacket brings its stinger to bear and repeatedly stings its foes until they are dead. If attacked, a giant yellowjacket releases a pheromone that agitates all others of its kind, making them deadlier and more aggressive.

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int --, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 20 (28 vs. trip)
Skills Fly +3, Perception +9, Survival +5; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +4 Survival
SQ pheromone

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Pheromone (Ex)

The first time a creature successfully hits a giant yellowjacket it releases a fear pheromone that heightens the aggressiveness of all other giant yellowjackets within 50 feet. All affected giant yellowjackets receive a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls for the remainder of the encounter and fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

Poison (Ex)

Sting--injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm land
Organization solitary, swarm (2-5), or nest (11-20)
Treasure none

Giant yellowjackets are often mistakenly called giant hornets. They can be distinguished from giant hornets by the yellow markings on their thorax and abdomen. Giant yellowjackets spend their days suckling nectar from flowers and fruit juices from plants. When hunting for food to feed the young, they seek out sources of carrion or animal tissue. Living prey is attacked and stung to death and then cut into pieces by the giant yellowjacket's sharp mandibles and carried piece by piece back to the nest.

Giant yellowjackets generally build their nests high above ground in rocky outcroppings or forested areas. Some giant yellowjackets prefer to build their nests underground, constructing them in abandoned giant snake holes.

Giant yellowjackets are 8 feet long with alternating bands of black and yellow on their thorax and abdomen. Workers generally have thicker black bands than the queen or soldiers. The yellowjacket's stinger is slightly curved and barbed and their mandibles are well-formed and developed, allowing them to chew their food.

Section 15: Copyright Notice - Tome of Horrors Complete
Giant Yellowjacket from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.