Troglodyte

TROGLODYTE (Reptile Man)

FREQUENCY: Common
FREQUENCY: Common ([Dungeon Level II])

NO. APPEARING: 10-100
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: A
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1 ~ 16
DAMAGE/ATTACK: (50%) 1-3/1-3/2-5 || (50%) by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Revulsion odor, missiles, suprise on 1-4
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Chameleon power
INTELLIGENCE: low
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II | 36 + 2
DEITY: Laogzed

TROGLODYTE (Chieftan)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 or 4
HIT DICE: 6
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1 ~ 13
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: V | 300 + 6

TROGLODYTE (Major leader)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
HIT DICE: 4
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1 ~ 13
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 110 + 4

TROGLODYTE (Minor leader/guard)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
HIT DICE: 3
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1 ~ 16
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 65 + 3

TROGLODYTE (Female)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
HIT DICE: 1 + 1
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or 1 ~ 18
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II | 28 + 2

Troglodytes are a race of reptilian humanoids who dwell in subterranean places.

Troglodytes have excellent infravision (9").

ENCOUNTER(AMBUSH = 1-4): They loathe humans, and their aim is to slaughter all whom they encounter.

Number Appearing: For every 10 troglodytes encountered there will be 1 minor leader with 3 hit dice.
For every 20 there will be an additional 2 major leaders with 4 hit dice each.
If 60 or more are encountered there will be a troglodyte chieftan with 6 hit dice, and 2-8 guards of 3 hit dice each.
<used DMG wording, except for chieftan>

Lair: The lair of a tribe of troglodytes is typically a large cave or cavern with small chambers adjoining it in which the individual units live.
A lair will contain females equal to 100% of the males.
Females fight as 1 + 1 hit dice monsters. <edit>
There will also be hatchlings and eggs, but these are of no importance.

Weapons: Troglodytes can attack with claws and teeth, but 50% of them use weapons of some type.
The armed half of a group encountered will have:

    javelin (2)    25%
    battle axe (stone)    10%
    morning star (stone)    10%
    sword    5%

Their javelins are great vaned darts which have a +3 chance to hit when used by troglodytes and cause 2-8 hit points damage.

Armor: They shun armor.

Revulsion Odor: When aroused for battle, troglodytes emit a secretion which smells extremely disgusting to humans --
including dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves and halflings.
Those humans failing their saving throw versus poison are affected by revulsion so as to lose 1 point of strength per melee round for 1-6 rounds, cumulative.
Loss of strength lasts 10 melee rounds after it has taken final effect.

Chameleon Power (Surprise on 1-4): Troglodytes have a chameleon-like power, so they can change their skin
coloration to shades of gray, brown or green.
They thus surprise on a 1-4 unless they are angry and excreting their stench.
They use this coloration to hide when an encounter goes against them.

Tribal Spell Casters : Shamen (C3 maximum). Not recommended for random encounters.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ColonelHardisson
Gary, I don't recall this ever being asked (it may have been and I missed it), but how did the stinky reptilian creatures known in D&D as troglodytes come by that name? The word generally is used in reference to what are also known as cave men. I was just curious about the genesis of the D&D critter that has the name.

As a part of the never-ending search for new critters to dismay PCs, I stretched a lot of established fantastic monsters to suit the need, just as I made up quite a few like things out of whole cloth or a mere depiction of name. It worked pretty well, eh?

Anyway, I thought underground dwellers might better be of non-mammalian sort, possibly even of the same genus as salamanders.
Cave men could remain in the mis nicely under that heading

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blair Goatsblood
Mr Gygax

What would you be able to tell us about the inspiration and role of troglodytes and lizardmen?

Trogs are found in many literary sources--cave or underground dwelling sub-human types. They were added to the encounter mix to provide another and different subterranean peril.

Cheers,
Gary