Acid Ant

homebrew , monster

Acid ant

Small beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

-1
8
+2
15
+1
13
-3
4
-3
4
-4
3

Saving Throws INT -1

Damage Immunities Acid

Senses Tremorsense 120ft, Passive Perception 8

Pack Tactics The Acid Ant has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one additional Acid Ant is within 5 feet of the creature and isn’t incapacitated.

Hive Mind Intelligence emerges from groups of Acid Ants working together. 10 or more Acid Ants within 120 feet of each other form a hive mind; they act as a single creature for the purposes of Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma checks and saves. For every 10 Acid Ants in the hive that are not incapacitated, the hive gains +2 to its Intelligence score. A hive cannot exceed an Intelligence score of 12 regardless of numbers.

Actions

Attack An Acid Ant makes one Bite or Projective Vomit attack per round.

Bite Melee Weapon Attack +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 1 target. Hit: 7 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4 + 1) acid damage.

Projectile Vomit Ranged Weapon Attack +4 to hit, range 30/80 ft., 1 target. Hit: Target takes 5 (2d4 + 1) acid damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw (DC 15), or half as much on success. If the target takes damage, it is coated in vomit and will take this much damage at the start of its next turn and every subsequent turn until it is wiped off.

Sticky Coating Damage from Projectile Vomit and Explosive Detonation is cumulative and adds to the total damage a target takes on the start of its next turn. Vomit can be wiped off at the cost of one action or with the Prestidigitation spell, resetting this damage to 0.

Reactions

Explosive Detonation On death, the Acid Ant’s swollen bile ducts rupture. All targets in a 15ft radius take 5 (2d4) acid damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw (DC 15) or half as much on a success. If a target takes damage, it is coated in vomit and will take this much damage at the start of its next turn and every subsequent turn until it is wiped off.

Lair and Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), 1d4+1 additional Acid Ants emerge from any unblocked ant mounds.

Acid Ants are rare, predatory insects native to hot climates, especially jungles and rain forests. Each one is the size of a small dog, standing up to 18 inches tall, 32 inches long and weighing up to 25 pounds. Acid Ants have undifferentiated circulatory and digestive systems; vital nutrients are delivered throughout the body between bile ducts under the carapace which continuously generate a highly corrosive bile that must be frequently expelled when not eating, or the build-up in pressures can create fissures or even explosive ruptures. Acid Ants use this corrosive vomit to dig extensive networks of underground tunnels and clear the vegetation around their colonies. An Acid Ant colony is recognizable by a large clearing in dense forest where only clear soil is visible, from which dirt mounds four to five feet tall extrude tunnel entrances.

Acid Ants operate in groups known as hives, taking on extra intelligence and cunning. When hunting or defending their colony they will attack in distinct groups, melee shock troops rushing their prey to attack with their mandibles while ranged attackers spewing corrosive vomit in streams arcing up to 80 feet away.