Corn Stalker
rating: +1+x

By jhubertjhubert

This is a 4' tall, vaguely humanoid bundle of corn stalks (or stalks of other crops) animated by a possessing spirit, fell magic, perverted genetic engineering, or possibly all three. Its primary motivation will be to gather enough material to grow a Corn Avatar. For this purpose it (and the other Stalkers of the same basic plant type from the same area) will collect fertilizer, dung, dead plant material, dead animal bodies (or dead human bodies!) into a huge compost heap, which they will fertilize with their seeds (this is probably not as dirty as it sounds…) to grow an Avatar.

Corn Stalkers aren't inherently aggressive, and will prefer to hide or flee from danger. That being said, they are persistent and will try to go after the same source of fertilizer repeatedly. Furthermore they are fiercely protective of their heap, and if attacked they will defend themselves, using intelligent group tactics to overwhelm attackers.

ST: 8 HP: 8 Speed: 5.50
DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 5
IQ: 6 Per: 11
HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -1
Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 0

Punch (12): 1d-4 crushing
Grapple (12): Enemy has -4 to DX as long as the Corn Stalker is holding on.
Takedown (12): Only after a successful grapple. +2 for each additional Corn Stalker grappling the target (maximum +4). Quick contest versus target's highest of ST, DX, or grappling skill. If successful, target falls down in Corn Stalker's and one adjacent hex.
Pin (8): Only after a successful grapple at the torso. Quick Contest of ST. Corn Stalker has +3 if target has less hands free than the Corn Stalkers attempting to pin it, and +2 for each additional Corn Stalker attempting to pin the target (maximum +6).
Choke (8): Only after a successful grapple at the neck (-5 to hit). Quick Contest against the higher of the target's ST or HT, +4 if one additional Corn Stalker is grappling the neck. If successful, crushing damage to neck equal to the margin of success, with an injury modifier of 1.5. If any damage penetrates, the target also suffocates (loses 1 FP per second).

Traits: Fanaticism (The Heap), Injury Tolerance (Homogenous), Intolerance (Corn Stalkers derived from other plant types), Obsession (Gather fertilizer for the Heap) (12).
Skills: Area Knowledge (near the Heap)-12, Camouflage-13, Stealth-13.
Class: Plant.
Combat Effectiveness Rating: 19 (OR 9 and PR 10).
Notes: As described on B380, Corn stalkers have wounding modifiers of x1/2 versus impaling and huge piercing, x1/3 versus large piercing, x1/5 versus piercing, and x1/10 versus small piercing thanks to their Injury Tolerance, and they don't have any "vital organs" that can be hit, either. They will not attack larger enemies (though smaller animals are another matter) unless they are cornered or they outnumber their enemies. They will attempt to grapple, pin, and then choke their enemy, and once they stop moving, they will attempt to add them to the Heap.

Variants

Adventure Ideas