Giant Crabs: a must in every Holmes inspired setting.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/05/holmes-harryhausen-tribute.html
Originally shared by Alex Schroeder
Did I skip the Giant Crab? 🦀 I was never a friend of giant crabs. But I ran Darkness Beneath, those upper levels in Fight On! magazine with the crab cultists and Garaskis the sea mother or whatever she was – that was great. They are all part of my campaigns, now.
Also, those giant crabs in Mouse Guard are awesome! https://goo.gl/images/FlPJ3m
https://campaignwiki.org/wiki/Halberds%C2%A0and%C2%A0Helmets/Crab%2c_Giant
Those are not just Giant Crabs, they are Giant Death Crabs of Doom! If you look at the stat block, you will see an enemy with a strong AC, two attacks per round, and 2d6 Hp for both of those two attacks. They can also come in groups.
ReplyDeleteAs I have found in play, even mid-level characters will find this combination deadly, while a lower-level company (guaranteed if you stick to the Holmes rules) will be chewed up before they even realise what hit them.
Holmes' crab in the manuscript only had 1 HD (like most of his 1st level "giant animals"), and while I think he intended two attacks per round (the wording is unclear), each would only do 1d6. Gary toughened up most of the encounters in the Sample Dungeon.
ReplyDeleteAlex's crabs are pretty close to Gary's, as of Greyhawk. In U&WA (OD&D Vol 3) they have 3 HD and two attacks (1d6 each), but Greyhawk is where the 2d6 per pincher comes in.
ReplyDeleteAnother early candidate is the Giant Crab in Tegel Manor, in room I4 (Sauna): HD 3; AC 2; 2-12/2-12 pincers; 25% of 1-3 victims seized per attack.
ReplyDeleteI heart the GC as a GM. If my players are near water, there's a pretty good chance ol' Shelly is going to at LEAST be on a wandering monster table.
ReplyDeleteBest attack against Giant Crabs: boiling water, a +1 hammer, and copious amounts of Old Bay... ;)
ReplyDeleteJulian Levallon The fabled Mallet of Cracking +1, +3 vs Giant Crustaceans
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