A horse-sized burrowing horror with chitinous armour and acid-spitting mandibles — the fields above conceal the tunnels below.
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 3d8+3 (avg 17 HP) |
| AC | 14 |
| AV | 5 (melee) / 3 (missile) |
| HR | +3 |
| FR | +3 |
| FD | 14 |
| Move | 60 ft / 30 ft (burrow) |
| Attacks | 1 bite: 3d6 + acid injection, or 1 acid spit |
| Save As | Fighter 3 |
| Morale | 8 |
| Treasure | Type C (in lair, beneath burrow) |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| CR | 4 |
| Size | Large |
| Intelligence | Animal |
| XP | 75 |
AC/AV Note: The anhkheg’s chitin is equivalent to heavy banded armour. RC original AC 2 (descending). In the Skills-Based framework: the exoskeleton is genuinely hard to penetrate (AV 5 / missile AV 3) but the creature is also Large and relatively slow-turning, giving attackers reasonable opportunity to land hits — hence AC 14 rather than a low defensive AC. Burst from below grants situational AC bonus (see Special Attacks). The shell reduces melee damage substantially, making weapons without high damage output frustrating.
Skill Slots (4 total) #
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR +3 (3 HD base) |
| 2 | FR Investment (Basic) | FR +3 (3 HD base) for grapple/pin |
| 3 | Burrowing (skill-like) | Move 30 ft through earth/loose stone; creates 5 ft wide tunnel; can burst up through 5 ft of soil as ambush |
| 4 | Ambush Burst | When bursting up through ground: +4 to Initiative and gains +2 AC that round from positional surprise; target must Save vs. Paralysis or lose DEX bonus to AC |
Martial Style #
Style: Control (Basic rank, mandibles) Rank: Basic
The anhkheg’s fighting philosophy is entirely about grapple and hold. Once mandibles close on prey, the creature attempts to drag it underground. Against large groups it uses acid spit to clear a path, then seizes the most isolated target. The Control style reflects the save-or-be-grabbed nature of the bite — the creature prioritises restraining over raw damage output, leveraging its burrowing ability to make escape nearly impossible.
Control Style at Basic: Bite on a successful HR vs. AC forces a Save vs. Paralysis (at –2 if acid also injected) or target is Grappled by the mandibles. Grappled targets take automatic 1d4 acid damage per round and suffer –4 AC against outside attackers.
Combat Maneuvers #
Mandible Grapple (FR +3): After a successful bite HR roll, the anhkheg may immediately attempt a Wrestling Grip (FR +3 vs. target FD). On success, target is Grappled. The anhkheg then attempts to drag the target underground — treat as a Shove (FR +3, Shove Die d8 for Large) directed downward into the tunnel entrance. A dragged target must be rescued before the anhkheg retreats 30 ft into its burrow.
Drag Under: If the anhkheg has a Grappled target and uses its move action, it drags the target into its burrow tunnel. Rescuers must chase or the target is effectively removed from combat. Rescuers entering the 5-ft burrow fight at –4 HR due to cramped conditions.
Shove (FR +3, d8 die): Can Shove Medium creatures 5–10 ft with a successful FR check. At FD 14, Medium creatures with typical STR find resisting the shove difficult.
Special Attacks #
Acid Bite (automatic on grapple): When the bite hits and the target is Grappled, acid is injected. Target takes an additional 1d4 acid damage per round while Grappled. This acid bypasses AV — it seeps through armour gaps. Armoured characters may Save vs. Breath Weapon each round to avoid the acid damage entirely (the armour deflects the stream).
Acid Spit (1/6 hours): Range 30 ft, 5 ft wide stream. Target must Save vs. Breath Weapon or take 8d4 acid damage (half on save). AV does not apply to acid spit damage — the acid dissolves through armour. After using acid spit the anhkheg cannot use acid injection for the next 6 hours (glands empty). The creature is aware of this and will avoid acid spit when actively hunting, preferring to save it for self-defence or routing multiple opponents.
Burst from Below: The anhkheg may burst up through soil as its action, attacking simultaneously. This counts as a charge — target loses DEX bonus to AC if they fail Save vs. Paralysis from the surprise eruption. The burst attack deals double damage on a hit (charge rules).
Habitat & Ecology #
Primary Habitat: Temperate farmland, plains, sparse forest with loamy soil; occasionally found in shallow dungeon levels near surface soil. Lair: Burrow system 10–40 ft deep, 5 ft diameter tunnels, with a central chamber containing treasure (victims’ belongings). Lair probability 35%. Social Structure: Solitary or mated pair; young (1 HD, no acid) in lair during spring. Diet: Carnivore. Ambush predator. Prefers large mammals — horses, cattle, humanoids. Digests prey in the burrow over 1d4 days. Encounter Size: 1 (wilderness), 1d3 (lair), 1d4 young if lair in breeding season.
The anhkheg is one of the most feared rural pests in the Known World. Farmers near anhkheg territory find livestock disappearing — pulled down into unmarked holes overnight. The creatures are not malicious; they are simply efficient ambush predators that have learned humanoid settlements mean easy prey. Their acid glands make conventional armour less reliable than usual, forcing adventurers to rely on speed and overwhelming force rather than attrition.
Encounter Notes #
Tactics: The anhkheg always attempts to isolate a single target and drag it underground. It will not fight a full party in the open if it can avoid it. Acid spit is reserved for routing multiple opponents when cornered or when the creature cannot burrow free. Once it has a grappled target underground it fights to the death — it cannot afford to let prey escape back up.
Morale: ML 8. The anhkheg checks morale when reduced to half HP. It will attempt to burrow away if it fails morale rather than flee on the surface — making pursuit underground a dangerous proposition.
Terrain Advantage: The anhkheg is significantly less dangerous on stone or in areas where it cannot burrow (dungeons below the soil layer, mountain terrain). In such environments it loses the Ambush Burst ability and the Drag Under option entirely, reducing its effective CR to 3.
Treasure: The central lair chamber contains bones, rusted equipment, and occasionally intact valuables. Typical finds: 1d6×100 cp, 1d3×100 sp, 1 random magic item (10% chance), assorted personal effects of previous victims.
