Formian Taskmaster

Source: Alien Archive 2

CR: 7 XP: 3,200

LN Medium monstrous (humanoid)

Init.: +2 (+6 with hive mind) Senses: blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft. Perception: +14 (+18 with hive mind)

Defense

HP: 90

EAC: 18 KAC: 19

Fort: +6 Ref: +8 Will: +12

Offense

Speed: 40 ft.

Melee: stinger +12 (1d8+8 P plus taskmaster toxin)

Ranged: thunderstrike streetsweeper +14 (1d10+7 So; critical knockdown)

Offensive Abilities: None

Statistics

Str: +1 Dex: +2 Con: +1 Wis: +5 Int: +2 Cha: +4

Skills: Diplomacy +19, Profession (merchant) +19, Sense Motive +14

Languages: Common; telepathy 120 ft.

Gear: thunderstrike streetsweeper with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each)

Ecology

Environment: any land or underground (Castrovel)

Organization: solitary, exchange (2–6), work crew (1 plus 6–12 formian workers), or band (1 plus 3–15 formian workers and 5–8 formian warriors)

Special Abilities

<p><b>Hive Mind (Ex)</b> Formians operate from a shared hive intelligence that allows them to communicate nearly instantaneously. While within telepathic range of at least one other formian with this ability, a formian gains a +4 bonus to initiative and to Perception checks. If one formian is aware of a combatant, all members of the hive mind within range are aware of it, and a member of the hive mind cannot be surprised unless all members within range are surprised. If one member of the hive mind succeeds at a Will save to disbelieve an illusion effect, all members of that hive mind within telepathic range also disbelieve the effect.<br/><br/> <b>Mental Motivation (Su)</b> As a move action, a taskmaster can inspire all other formians from the same hive within range of its telepathy, granting them a +2 morale bonus to attacks, skill checks, and saves against charm and fear effects for 1 minute. A creature can be affected by only one taskmaster’s mental motivation ability at a time.<h3 class="framing">Taskmaster Toxin</h3> <b>Type </b>poison (injury); <b>Save </b>Fortitude DC 17<br/> <b>Track </b>Dexterity; <b>Frequency </b>1/round for 6 rounds<br/> <b>Cure </b>1 save</p>

Description

Formians resemble giant ants with humanoid upper bodies, and carve their chitinous plates with insignias reflecting their individual names and achievements. Members of a hive all share a telepathic link, allowing them to coordinate efficiently.

Within a hive are castes specialized to particular tasks. The queen leads the hive and is its sole means of propagation, while castes like the aristocratic myrmarchs and mercantile taskmasters direct lower castes like warriors and workers.

Formians are most common on Castrovel. For millennia they sought to eradicate the lashunta, their traditional foes, but their queens now instead focus on adopting other species’ technology to industrialize their traditional hive societies.