
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Giant Tsetse Fly

This blood-sucking fly, the size of a horse, is widely despised as a harbinger of disease. Giant tsetse flies rarely congregate in large numbers, as they require gallons of blood each day to survive and thus crowd out or drive away rivals. Any group of creatures large enough to sustain multiple tsetse flies, such as a herd of dinosaurs, are quite likely to dominate the surrounding ecosystem on their own right.

A single giant tsetse fly can kill an entire herd of large animals within a few weeks, and those they don't kill often succumb to disease. When not hunting, giant tsetse flies prefer to hide in warm, dark places in forests and swamps, though they sometimes inhabit wet cave systems where prey is plentiful. The thrumming drone of their wings echoes around such cave systems, warning travelers familiar with the noise that the creatures are lairing nearby.

If food becomes scarce, a giant tsetse fly relocates elsewhere. They tend to follow rivers, animal tracks, or even roads to find food. This can take them to the fringes of civilization, where farms and ranches often have livestock that draws their attention. Settlers who find evidence of a giant tsetse fly should quickly seek out help to eliminate the pests, as all their animals (and, indeed, their families) are in jeopardy as long as the hungry insect is near.

Giant tsetse flies are only moderately smarter than ordinary flies, but some creatures have learned that they can train the creatures with frequent offerings of fresh blood. Giant tsetse flies might therefore be put to use as guardians or even mounts, but any potential trainer must take care not to become the voracious insect's next meal.

Recall Knowledge - Animal (Nature): DC 16
Unspecific Lore: DC 14
Specific Lore: DC 11

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Giant Tsetse FlyCreature 2

Legacy Content

N Large Animal 
Source Pathfinder #169: Kindled Magic pg. 81
Perception +9; blood scent, scent (imprecise) 60 feet
Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +5 (+9 to Hide)
Str +5, Dex +3, Con +3, Int -5, Wis +1, Cha -5
Blood Scent The giant tsetse fly can detect blood within 30 feet. This is a precise sense against creatures within 30 feet that are bleeding.
AC 18; Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +5
HP 30; Immunities disease, sleep
Speed 10 feet, fly 40 feet
Melee [one-action] proboscis +11 [+6/+1], Damage 1d6+5 piercing plus sleeping sicknessBlood Draw [one-action] If the fly's last action was a successful proboscis Strike, it sucks its target's blood. The target takes 1d4 bleed damage (or 1d6 bleed damage if the target is an animal).Sleeping Sickness (disease) Saving Throw DC 18 Fortitude; Stage 1 enfeebled 1 (1 day); Stage 2 enfeebled 1 and drained 1 (1 day); Stage 3 unconscious (1 day); Stage 4 as Stage 3 (1 day); Stage 5 dead

Sidebar - Additional Lore Terrible Underestimation

A group of evil druids near Bloodcove captured and bred large tsetse flies to distill and empower the disease they spread. The underestimated the flies' ingenuity; the insects escaped and fed on several animals the druids had ritually prepared for sacrifice. The flies grew to their enormous size, killed the druids, and scattered into the surrounding fens.

All Monsters in "Fly"

NameLevel
Giant Fly1
Giant Maggot0
Giant Tsetse Fly2

Fly

Source Bestiary 2 pg. 120 2.0
Giant flies are pony-sized insects that have massive compound eyes and bodies bristling with short, stiff hairs. Their lairs are notorious for the rotting meat they stockpile to lay their eggs into. Their maggot-dens are also prime breeding grounds for virulent diseases.