The ephemera (PEACH)

[Karu]

Ephemera

Ephemera
Medium Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8 (16 hp)
Initiative: +6 (Dex)
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
AC: 20 (+6 dex, +4 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attacks: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+3) or sting +5 melee (1d4+5 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+3) and bite +0 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d4 acid)
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Death throes, poison, suicide
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will -3
Abilities: STR 17, DEX 23, CON 10, INT -, WIS 3, CHA 3
Skills: -
Feats: -

Climate/Terrain: Prison of the Swarm, Warm Forests
Organization : Flight (2-10), Swarm (50-200)
Challenge Rating : CR 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Medium), 7-10 HD (Large)

Before you stands a giant winged insect. It looks much like a bloated wasp of pale blue colour with a thick, chitinous hide covered by mesmerizing patterns of evermoving chemical matter. Two liquids of different hues slosh inside it’s semitransparent, bulbous belly. Baleful acid drips from the thing’s clacking mandibles as it crawls clumsily in your direction.

The race’s background has been censored for setting purpose.

Combat:

An ephemera deserves her name from her lack of wisdom and tactic. She will close in the target and try to attack with her natural weapons if she feels like she has a chance of winning; in other cases, the creature uses her deadly suicide ability to bring down her foes with her. Ephemeras are known for having one thing in mind: killing.

Darkvision (Ex): An ephemera can see up to 60 feet in total darkness. Darkvision is black and white only.

Death throes (Ex): When an attack kills the ephemera, the sphincters who separated the two halves of her bloated belly let go and allow the venom and acid to mix in a lethal chemical explosive. This reaction provokes a 5d10 (fire) deflagration of a radius equal to the creature’s size surrounding her dying position. This first explosion allows for a reflex saving throw (DC20) for half damage. This explosion is also followed by a 1d10 acid splash in a radius equal to double the creature’s size, allowing another reflex saving throw (DC15) to dodge de damage.

Poison (Ex): The victim of an ephemera’s sting must succeed a fortitude save (DC12) or suffer 1d4 primary constitution damage, followed by 1d4 debilitating wisdom damage.

Scent (Ex): An ephemera can detect enemies by sense of smell, which is allowed by her antennas. She can detect opponents within 30 feet, 60 feet if upwind and 15 if downwind. Strong scents (smoke, rotting garbage…) can be detected at twice the ranges noted. Overpowering scents (skunk, troglodyte musk…) can be detected at triple normal range. And ephemera can pinpoint an opponent within five feet of herself with this ability.

Suicide (Ex): At any time, the ephemera can decide to end her life and trigger her death throes ability to take down her target. Be it an adventurer, another monster, an army squad or even an enemy structure.

My CR is probably inaccurate. Sorry :S

[Karu]

Bump?

[Scorpina]

I think, as you say, the CRs a bit out. With the death throes ability, it probably needs to be a wee bit higher.

Other than that I can't see much wrong with it.

[Parallax]

The CR here is a tricky bit. I'm thinking a lvl 3 party of 4 with 2 ranged attackers and a mage should be able to take one down from a safe distance before it even acts if it got unlucky on its initiative roll.
On the other hand, if it gets into contact range it might take down the entire party with it. As a free action. I'd make its suicide ability a standard action, so it can't charge, attack and blow up all in the opening round, which seems to be a very devastating use for it.
I'd give it horrible penalties on move silently as well, but I'm not sure how to put that into a monster that has no intelligence score.

[Karu]

I could also scale the explosion damage in function of their HD.

1d10 fire damage per HD
1d8 acid damage if Medium
1d10 acid damage if Large

[Karu]

The actual version:

Ephemera

Ephemera
Medium Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8 (16 hp)
Initiative: +6 (Dex)
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
AC: 20 (+6 dex, +4 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attacks: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+3) or sting +5 melee (1d4+5 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+3) and bite +0 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d4 acid)
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Death throes, poison, suicide
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will -3
Abilities: STR 17, DEX 23, CON 10, INT -, WIS 3, CHA 3
Skills: -
Feats: -

Climate/Terrain: Prison of the Swarm, Warm Forests
Organization : Flight (2-10), Swarm (50-200)
Challenge Rating : CR 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Medium), 7-10 HD (Large)

Before you stands a giant winged insect. It looks much like a bloated wasp of pale blue colour with a thick, chitinous hide covered by mesmerizing patterns of evermoving chemical matter. Two liquids of different hues slosh inside it’s semitransparent, bulbous belly. Baleful acid drips from the thing’s clacking mandibles as it crawls clumsily in your direction.

The race’s background has been censored for setting purpose.

Combat:

An ephemera deserves her name from her lack of wisdom and tactic. She will close in the target and try to attack with her natural weapons if she feels like she has a chance of winning; in other cases, the creature uses her deadly suicide ability to bring down her foes with her. Ephemeras are known for having one thing in mind: killing.

Darkvision (Ex): An ephemera can see up to 60 feet in total darkness. Darkvision is black and white only.

Death throes (Ex): When an attack kills the ephemera, the sphincters who separated the two halves of her bloated belly let go and allow the venom and acid to mix in a lethal chemical explosive. This reaction provokes a deflagration (roll an equal number of d10 as she has HD to determine the fire damage) of a radius equal to the creature’s size surrounding her dying position. This first explosion allows for a reflex saving throw (DC20) for half damage. This explosion is also followed by an acid splash (1d8 if Medium sized, 1d10 if Large) in a radius equal to double the creature’s size, allowing another reflex saving throw (DC15) to dodge the damage.

Poison (Ex): The victim of an ephemera’s sting must succeed a fortitude save (DC12) or suffer 1d4 primary constitution damage, followed by 1d4 debilitating wisdom damage.

Scent (Ex): An ephemera can detect enemies by sense of smell, which is allowed by her antennas. She can detect opponents within 30 feet, 60 feet if upwind and 15 if downwind. Strong scents (smoke, rotting garbage…) can be detected at twice the ranges noted. Overpowering scents (skunk, troglodyte musk…) can be detected at triple normal range. And ephemera can pinpoint an opponent within five feet of herself with this ability.

Suicide (Ex): As a move equivalent action, the ephemera can decide to end her life and trigger her death throes ability to take down her target. Be it an adventurer, another monster, an army squad or even an enemy structure.

[Scorpina]

Definately looks good. Can't find a single flaw in that version.

[Krade]

The race’s background has been censored for setting purpose.

I was going to ask why, but then realized you meant setting as in "These Forums" instead of setting as in "Campaign Setting." But now I am intrigued and wish to know more.

[Karu]

Ah, mainly that I don't want to give away informations related to my campaign's setting's backstory before it is released.