FREQUENCY: Uncommon
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Temperate Wilderness Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Wilderness Plains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Plains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert]) <x>
NO. APPEARING: 1-20
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 3"
HIT DICE: 4
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 + AC of victim
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Illusion/mirage (see below)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IV | 165 + 4

SAVES: 13.14.15.16.16

The dustdiggers inhabit arid areas that have loosely packed, sandy soil,
such as desert dunes. A dustdigger will typically dig a hole, cover itself
with a layer of sand, and then inflate itself to fill up the hole it made,
leaving the ground above level with the surrounding terrain. When an
animal walks on top of the dustdigger, the dustdigger deflates, creating
an area very much like a sinkhole. The dustdigger uses the sands
shifting towards its mouth toslowtheescapeof its prey.After it hasfully
deflated, it folds its arms up around the victim and attempts to kill it
before swallowing. The dustdigger's back is armor class 4 but its front
side is only AC 7. Once the dustdigger has folded up, its prey is
caught andcannot attack. Thus, the bestdefense strategy is torecognize
a dustdigger before it folds.

Dustdiggers look like giant starfish with 5 arms around a central maw.
They travel above ground only at night and never for longer than a few
minutes at a time. They often travel in groups.

Twenty<20> percent of dustdiggers have a born talent for illusion.
They will typically project a pool of bubbling water in the desert sands when approaching victims come within striking range.