FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 1"/20" (MC: B)
HIT DICE: 2 hp
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (see below)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning spark
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to electrical attacks
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (2" long)
LEVEL/XP VALUE: II/34
Giant lightning bugs tend to swarm
harmlessly in tempoerate forests unless a
piece of metal larger than 30 gp in weight is
brought within 60? of them. The bugs will
sense the presence of the metal and will
move toward it. When they get within
range, they will each discharge a 10? long
spark of lightning at the metal; this attack
can be made only once per turn. No ?to
hit? roll is required, though persons wearing
metallic armor or carrying metallic
weapons or tools of sufficient size must
make saving throws vs. spells to sustain half
of the total damage taken from the lightning
in each round. Note that being properly
insulated, such as holding a metal weapon
in rubber or thick leather gloves, will prevent
any electrical damage from being
taken. However, victims who are standing
in water have a -4 penalty on their saving
throws.
Any magical metal object struck by this
electrical spark must save vs. lightning at
+4, or all magical properties it has will be
lost forever. Giant lightning bugs are themselves
immune to all electrical attacks,
including natural lightning and blue dragon
breath. Nonmagical or nonmetallic items
are unaffected by this spark.
These magical insects give off a blink of
light from their abdomens at night, one
flash per segment, that can be seen up to
60? away. A dead giant lightning bug will
radiate this light continuously for up to an
hour, and they have been used as temporary
trail markers in this manner. A pile of 20
dead bugs will produce enough light to
equal a clerical light spell.
Giant lightning bugs have no lairs and
keep no treasure, even incidentally. Their
habit of "sparking" metal appears to be
related to their rituals.
| Dragon magazine | MM | - | Dragon # | 1st Edition AD&D |
Fixing the bug
Dear Dragon:
I have a couple of questions concerning the
giant lightning bug from Creature Catalog II
(issue #94). First, what is the damage from its
“sparking” attack? If a character or creature
touched one of these bugs, would it take damage
as if it was “sparked”? Is there a saving throw
involved when a creature is wearing clothing
under his armor?
Benjamin Weiss
Delmar, N.Y.
Instead of “See below,” the damage statistic for
the giant lightning bug should have read “2-5.”
Anyone who touches a bug would not be harmed,
assuming that the bug wasn‘t “sparking” at
precisely that instant. Anyone struck by a spark
gets a saving throw for half damage, but will take
at least half damage unless his body is insulated
from the electricity Whether wearing clothing
under one’s armor constitutes sufficient insulation
is a matter for DMs to decide; a thin shirt
wouldn‘t do anything, but thick leather probably
would absorb the charge. — KM