Fiend Factory 5E. White Dwarf 36: The Loculi

 Issue 36 The Loculi



White Dwarf issue 36 has a Brian Bolland cover featuring Judge Dredd and “Spikes” Harvey Rotten. The Fiend Factory features but a single creature this month. Albie Fiore quotes Aesop by saying “only one, but a lion!”

It’s not a lion, though, it’s the subterranean anyklosaurus people that are The Loculi.

 


I don’t recall the name “Eric Hall” from any previous contributions, so he’s really made his mark here. Unlike, say, Daniel Collerton’s flymen, however, the bulk of this two-page article is taken up with describing the changing abilities of the loculi over 11 different age groups, and is much more mechanics than flavour. Because 5th Edition is a bit more granular than 1st, I’m only going to convert the three broad categories of age group – Young, Adult and Ancient. When writing these I usually copy and paste the stat block from the previous issue, so it’s funny that the loculi share the same cold susceptibility of the spidron, causing them to be slowed.

 





The loculi look a bit like six-legged anykylosaurs, wielding weapons in their front two arm-like limbs and able to attack with their tail. As they age, their arsenal if attacks change, and they have a lot to chose from. Ancient loculi get a bit of spellcasting as well, which I’ve mostly been able to translate straight into 5th Edition spells. Other than that, they’ve got an affinity for fire which was straightforward to convert.

I always feel that more straightforward creatures can be much more versatile than ones with a notable special ability – you could use these as both allies and foes, as anything from a simple obstacle to a complex negotiation of loculi society. I want them to be loculi plural, loculus singular, but that’s not how Eric has written it.

 

Young Loculi

Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral

Armour Class 13 (natural armour)

Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

12 (+1)

10 (+0)

14 (+2)

9 (-1)

10 (+0)

10 (+0)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Damage Immunities fire

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages Common, Loculi

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Cold Susceptibility. If the loculi takes cold damage, it is slowed until the end of its next turn.

Stable. The loculi has advantage on all checks against effects that would leave it prone.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The loculi makes two claw attacks, one bite attack, and one tail attack. Alternatively it can make one bite, one tail, and one rake attack.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.

Rake. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d8 + 1) slashing damage.

  

Adult Loculi

Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral

Armour Class 15 (natural armour)

Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

10 (+0)

14 (+2)

12 (+1)

12 (+1)

12 (+1)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Saving Throws Wis +3

Damage Immunities fire

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11

Languages Common, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Loculi

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Cold Susceptibility. If the loculi takes cold damage, it is slowed until the end of its next turn.

Fiery Healing. Whenever the loculi is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Iron Will. The loculi has advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Stable. The loculi has advantage on all checks against effects that would leave it prone.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The loculi makes one claw attack, one sword attack, one bite attack, and one tail attack. Alternatively it can make one bite, one tail, and one rake attack.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (3d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

Rake. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d8 + 2) slashing damage.

  

Ancient Loculi

Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral

Armour Class 17 (natural armour)

Hit Points 49 (9d8 + 9)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

14 (+2)

10 (+0)

14 (+2)

14 (+2)

14 (+2)

14 (+2)

Proficiency Bonus +4

Saving Throws Wis +6

Damage Immunities fire

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Gnomish, Loculi

Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Cold Susceptibility. If the loculi takes cold damage, it is slowed until the end of its next turn.

Fiery Healing. Whenever the loculi is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Iron Will. The loculi has advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Stable. The loculi has advantage on all checks against effects that would leave it prone.

Weapon Focus. The loculi causes an extra +2 damage when using a longsword.

Spellcasting. The loculi is a 7th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14,

+6 to hit with spell attacks). The loculi knows the following spells that it casts as a druid:

         Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, light, message

1st level (3 slots): blur, colour spray, darkness, detect evil and good, detect magic

2nd level (2 slots): blindness/deafness, fog cloud, hypnotic pattern

3rd level (2 slots): confusion, suggestion, hold person

 ACTIONS

Multiattack. The loculi makes one claw attack, one sword attack, one bite attack, and one tail attack.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (3d4 + 2) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10 + 2) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d12 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

 

 

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