FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (75%) or 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 6”
HIT DICE: 4
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: I, Y
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% (see below)
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (7’-10’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil
These creatures are usually found
singly in dungeons and similar subterranean
settings. The light worm’s principal
weapon is a very poisonous bite. Victims
must make a saving throw vs. poison (at
+1 on first bite, then -2 for each additional
bite, cumulative) or die in 1-8 minutes.
There is no known antidote for this poison,
although Slow
Poison and Neutralize
Poison spells are effective.
The bite, however, isn’t the creature’s
most potent weapon. There is a 35%
chance per round that the light worm will
create a sphere of colored lights around
its victims. The diameter of this hypnotic
sphere is 20 feet, and the monster can
cast it at a range of 120 feet. During
the
first three rounds of its use, all in the
affected area are dizzy (-2 “to hit” per
round, cumulative). In rounds 4 and 5,
the victims will have become so dizzy
that no forms of attack are possible, and
it will be a struggle merely to keep their
feet. After six rounds of continuous exposure
to the lights, those affected will
fall unconscious for 11-20 minutes, during
which the light worm will devour its
prey if left undisturbed.
A saving throw vs. spells at -2 is allowed
during the first round of the worm’s
mental attack; those who make the save
will suffer only the dizzying effects of
the
first three rounds, with the corresponding
penalties “to hit.” After three rounds,
they will shake off the hypnotic effects
of
the sphere and will be able to attack
normally. Dispel Illusion, Mind Blank,
and True Seeing stop the effects of the
light pattern, as does the use of a Helm
of
Telepathy.
Once the creature begins to use its
colored-light attack, there is only a 5%
chance per round thereafter that it will
discontinue that form of attack. The
creature has the ability to maintain the
pattern despite all attacks directed at
it,
or any damage it takes short of death.
If
the lights are negated by some means or
the worm ceases to maintain the sphere,
the monster will immediately return to
biting or it will disengage. It generates
a
sphere of light once every 12 hours.
If more than one light worm is encountered,
and more than one uses the colored-
light attack, victims must make saving
throws against each sphere of lights.
If a victim is affected by more than one
sphere, each at full strength, the effects
are cumulative.
Light worms are immune to Sleep,
Charm, Hold, and Illusion spells of any
strength or form. Snakes to Sticks will
stun the creature for 1-3 rounds, cancelling
the light pattern in use at the time.
Cold- and heat-based attacks do double
damage if the creature fails a saving
throw, normal damage otherwise. The
worm’s magic resistance does not apply
to cold- and heat-based spells, or to
spells which negate the light pattern.
The light worm looks very much like a
giant snake, but there are several distinguishing
features, The worm’s coloring
is black on the underside and alternating
bands of violet and light blue on top.
The
head is that of a normal snake, except
for
two small bumps above the eyes that
may have been or may yet evolve into
horns. Along the beast’s underside are
two rows of small stubs which are apparently
the vestiges of some sort of “feet.”
| Dragon magazine | - | Monster Manual III | - | Dragon #61 |