Library / Bestiary

Formian Taskmaster

CR 7.00 Monstrous Humanoid LN Medium
This centaurlike creature is equipped with an ant's mandibles and antennae.

Formian taskmasters are merchants, traders, diplomats, and spies, and particularly talented taskmasters may even advise the queen. Taskmasters can often be found outside the hive engaging in commerce or routine diplomatic missions. While traveling, a taskmaster is usually accompanied by 3-5 workers and at least 5 warriors.

When dealing with other creatures, formians recognize that their telepathy can be off-putting and use normal speech, although their mandibles are not well suited for the task and their voices are often hoarse and difficult to understand.

Like myrmarchs, taskmasters are highly competitive and take great pride in their successes. Notable accomplishments are carved into their carapaces and highlighted with the use of bright inks, precious metals, or gems. Formian society is largely free of the crime that is common in other humanoid societies, but formians do have occasional duels within a caste. Two taskmasters might have a duel over promotions, a trade route, or an insult. These duels are rarely lethal for fear of weakening the hive, and taskmasters who are too aggressive attract the wrong kind of attention from the myrmarchs. Dueling victories are often recorded on taskmasters' carapaces alongside their other major accomplishments.

STR
17
DEX
14
CON
16
INT
13
WIS
16
CHA
19
HP
85 (10d10+30)
AC
20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +8 natural)
Speed
40 ft.
Init
+2 (+6 with hive mind)
Melee
sting +13 (1d4+3 plus poison), 2 claws +13 (1d4+3)
Ranged
dart +12/+7 (1d4+3)
BAB
+10
CMB
+13
CMD
26 (30 vs. trip)
Fort
+6
Ref
+9
Will
+10

Weapons: Simple

Poison — Sting—injury; save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Dexterity; cure 2 consecutive saves.

formian traits

Mental Motivator — A formian taskmaster can inspire competence or inspire courage as a 7th-level bard (typically 20 rounds/day). The taskmaster's performance is purely mental and only affects formians from its own hive within telepathic range.

Combat Casting from Feat

<p class="stat-block-1"> You get a +4 bonus on concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability when casting on the defensive or while grappled.</p>

Point-Blank Shot from Feat

<p class="stat-block-1"> You get a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.</p>

Quick Draw from Feat

<p class="stat-block-1"> You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action. You can draw a hidden weapon (see the Sleight of Hand skill) as a move action.</p><p class="stat-block-2">A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow).</p><p class="stat-block-2">Alchemical items, potions, scrolls, and wands cannot be drawn quickly using this feat.</p>

Rapid Shot from Feat

<p class="stat-block-1"> When making a full-attack action with a ranged weapon, you can fire one additional time this round. All of your attack rolls take a &ndash;2 penalty when using Rapid Shot.</p>

Spell Focus from Feat

<p class="stat-block-1"> Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.</p>

Appraise +6, Bluff +9, Climb +11, Craft (armor) +9, Diplomacy +14, Perception +16 (+20 with hive mind), Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +6

spell-like abilities:
3/day—Detect Thoughts, 3/day—Sending
bard spells known:
3rd (2/day)—Confusion, 3rd (2/day)—Good Hope, 2nd (4/day)—Heroism, 2nd (4/day)—Invisibility, 2nd (4/day)—Sound Burst, 2nd (4/day)—Suggestion, 1st (5/day)—Charm Person, 1st (5/day)—Comprehend Languages, 1st (5/day)—Cure Light Wounds, 1st (5/day)—Hideous Laughter, 1st (5/day)—Silent Image, At will—Dancing Lights, At will—Daze, At will—Detect Magic, At will—Mending, At will—Message, At will—Prestidigitation
Details
Type
Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment
LN
Size
Medium
Environment
warm or temperate land or underground
Organization
solitary, work crew (1 plus 6–12 workers), band (1 plus 3–15 workers and 5–8 warriors), embassy (2–6)
Treasure
standard (10 darts, other treasure)
Senses
blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., hive mind; Perception +16 (+20 with hive mind)
Languages
Common; telepathy 120 ft.
Source
Bestiary 4
Sources Used in This Record
24 House/Core
  • Uses feat: Combat Casting (Feat)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Uses feat: Point-Blank Shot (Feat)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Uses feat: Quick Draw (Feat)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Uses feat: Rapid Shot (Feat)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Uses feat: Spell Focus (Feat)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Detect Thoughts (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Sending (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Confusion (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Good Hope (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Heroism (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Invisibility (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Sound Burst (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Suggestion (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Charm Person (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Comprehend Languages (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Cure Light Wounds (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Hideous Laughter (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Silent Image (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Dancing Lights (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Daze (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Detect Magic (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Mending (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Message (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
  • Knows spell: Prestidigitation (Spell)
    House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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