Armor Class
13
(natural armor)
Hit Points
4
(1d6 + 1)
Speed
30 ft.
STR
8
(-1)
DEX
10
(+0)
CON
12
(+1)
INT
1
(-5)
WIS
7
(-2)
CHA
3
(-4)
Senses
Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 8
Languages
--
Challenge
0 (10 XP)
Proficiency Bonus
+2
Traits
Illumination. The beetle sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 − 1) slashing damage.
Description
A giant fire beetle is a nocturnal creature that takes its name from a pair of glowing glands that give off light. Miners and adventurers prize these creatures, for a giant fire beetle's glands continue to shed light for 1d6 days after the beetle dies. Giant fire beetles are most commonly found underground and in dark forests.
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Posted Jun 17, 2022I can’t tell if it’s gross or cute
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Posted Jun 26, 2022Bug
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Posted Jul 25, 2022Literally my favorite DnD creature. Loved this thing since I saw it in an old 2e manual. Finally using it wherever I can in an adventure I'm running.
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Posted Sep 3, 2022kindof a letdown that this creature doesn't at least have some fire-themed abilities. I get it's meant to be weak but it's made of fire and not even immune to fire? Just feels like a reskin of another creature, at least give it a 15 foot line of fire for like a d6 of fire damage with a DC 11 Dex save for half or something.... that way it would at least feel like something a low-level party of adventurers would be given a quest to slay because peasants can't deal with them theirselves.
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Posted Dec 30, 2022The Stat block doesn't say anything about "Fire Immunity" or it being "Made of fire". The description says that it gets its name from its glands. Also, why kill it? Just tame it and you can have a night light or an assistant in caves or dark places. One player in a low level campaign I ran got one as a pet and managed to last it up to the final boss, who stepped on it like it was nothing. The same guy also tamed a velociraptor(stat block without buying volo's monster guide here)and named it Victor, but it was then ripped apart by a Giant lizard. Good times.
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Posted Mar 28, 2023Im sad no one else saw this amazing joke well done
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Posted Apr 8, 2023These should be valued as trained pets, not *just* for their glands. 1d6 days isn't a lot of time after it dies. I can see there being Dwarves and places in the Underdark you can buy these as pets to help you see. If anybody's wondering why I say Dwarves when they have innate Darkvision... Well, in the pitch dark, they can only see in shades of gray, and this beetles light would help them ID ores and gems without the need of torches.
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Posted Jun 1, 2023cute beetle
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Posted Apr 9, 2024-
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Posted Jul 9, 2024You can make a swarmkeeper and flavor text the swarm to be fire beetles. Would have to be creative with the light, like say you casting "Light" on the swarm makes one of the beetles glow. Nothing in the rules say you can't target your swarm.
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Posted Jan 31, 2025scary a bit
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Posted Oct 15, 2025why
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Posted Oct 15, 2025thats the same height as one of my players
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Posted Oct 15, 2025perfect pet
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Posted Oct 15, 2025cute