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Gremlin Swarm

Most gremlins are communal creatures, dwelling in gangs, mobs, and hives just out of mortal sight. These groups are often contentious, each gremlin believing they are taking advantage of the rest, yet they never live alone if they can help it.

On occasion, an entire mass of gremlins can be roused to anger. Such a swarm is surprisingly coordinated and effective, driven not by any one gremlin's leadership but by their excellent instincts for causing trouble. Gremlin swarms cooperate easily to bring down much larger foes, trussing them up like a holiday goose or poking them with knives and claws until they stop twitching.

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Gremlin SwarmCreature 4

Large Fey Swarm 
Source Feybound pg. 115
Recall Knowledge DC 19 • Fey (Nature)
Perception +11; darkvision
Languages Common, Fey, Sakvroth
Skills Acrobatics +12, Athletics +10, Stealth +12, Thievery +12
Str +1, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4
AC 19; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +8
HP 60; Immunities grabbed, precision, prone, restrained, swarm mind; Resistances bludgeoning 2, piercing 5, slashing 5; Weaknesses area damage 5, cold iron 5, splash damage 5
Absolute Nuisances (aura) 5 feet. The gremlin swarm constantly harasses nearby creatures to break their concentration, kicking shins and screaming in ears. A creature in the aura taking a concentrate action, must first succeed at a DC 18 Will save or lose the action. Creatures occupying the gremlin swarm’s space take a –2 circumstance penalty to this save.
Speed 25 feet, climb 20 feet
Clever Little Monsters [one-action] Frequency once per round; Effect The gremlin swarm cooperates to harass a foe, attempting to Disarm, Grapple, Shove, or Trip a creature that occupies the swarm’s space. The swarm can use their Thievery modifier, rather than Athletics, for the skill check for this action.Grem-a-pult [two-actions] (manipulate) Frequency once per round; Effect The gremlin swarm hurls a hapless “volunteer” at the enemy. Each creature in a 5-foot burst within 30 feet takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save). A creature who critically fails the save is also clumsy 1 for 1 round. The gremlin swarm then loses 1d4 Hit Points as the gremlin scuttles back injured.Swarming Blows [one-action] Each enemy in the mob’s space takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save). A creature that fails this save is also knocked prone.

All Monsters in "Gremlin"

NameLevel
Durtik3
Fuath1
Gnagrif2
Gremlin Swarm4
Grimple-1
Grimple Guards-1
Haniver-1
Hobkins0
Jinkin1
Mitflit-1
Monaciello1
Nuglub2
Pugwampi0
Scrit0
Very Drunk Jinkin-1
Vexgit1

Gremlin

Source Monster Core pg. 180
Gremlins are cruel fey tricksters and saboteurs who have fully acclimated to life in the Universe, finding distinct niches for their inventive destructiveness. Nearly all gremlins delight in ruining or breaking things, whether it's something physical like a device or vehicle or something intangible such as an alliance or relationship. A gremlin's greatest joy is watching the collapse of complex creations, preferably after the slightest, carefully targeted nudge from the gremlin. Gremlins tend to denigrate, bully, or even slaughter their lesser kin, particularly mitflits, whom stronger gremlins derisively call “baggies.”

Sidebar - Treasure and Rewards Gremlin “Treasure”

All gremlins are hoarders, and their nests are cluttered with objects both valuable and worthless. Sorting through a gremlin nest can reveal unexpected treasures like pieces of jewelry or minor magic items, but care must also be taken to avoid being cut on rusty shards of metal, taking cursed items, or disturbing a hidden nest of venomous vermin.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Gremlin Bells

Superstitious societies sometimes hang tiny bells made of semiprecious metals in the belief that such bells will dissuade gremlins from destroying an affixed object or infesting a home. Strangely enough, most gremlins believe this superstition as well, and even when a gremlin bell hasn't been magically enhanced, a gremlin usually won't risk tinkering with objects that have been protected in this manner.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Gremlin Games

When gremlins gather, one challenge always presents itself: figuring out which gremlin should be in charge. Sometimes, this is resolved by a simple rule, “the biggest and meanest gremlin is the boss,” but there are other ways. Sometimes, a gremlin takes command on the merits of a really impressive and complicated act of sabotage. Other times, the group plays a rousing game of Screaming Mortal. Gremlins take turns scaring random mortals, and whoever can make a victim scream or swear the loudest earns the title of Gremlin King. Regardless of the result, each gremlin believes in their heart of hearts that they're the one in charge.

Sidebar - Additional Lore The Gremlin Way

“Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong if I have anything to say about it.” If gremlins can be said to have a philosophy, it is this. No one knows who first coined this saying, and over the eons, variants that leave off the final clause have spread to other societies, where it's much beloved by cynics and all who study complex systems, social or mechanical. To gremlins, this mantra verges on a religion, and many seek to embody it with all their actions. Besides, following the saying is a lot of fun—if you're of a gremlin-ish disposition.

Shelyn's Corner

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