Invisibility. The bug is invisible.
Bicep Latch. The bug latches onto one of the target's arms. The bug will latch onto it forever until the target drops to 0 hit points or the target manages to succeed on a Strength saving throw to force it off. (Escape DC 18 + 1 per every bug after the first on the same arm.) If the bug starts it's turn while it is latching, the target automatically takes 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Although the target has to do a separate Strength check for every arm that has a bug latched onto it, the target can do them all on the same turn. If the target succeeds the check, all the bugs will be forced off on the arm that the target did the check on and the bugs will take 4 force damage.
While the target is latched, it's Strength score either decreases to 5, or gets divided by 3, depending which is lower. The target's Strength score can't be reduced to less than 1 in this way.
Nigh-Invincibility. Only a wish spell or the force damage made when the target succeeds on the Strength check from the Bicep Latch trait to force it off can damage the bugs.
Muscle Sense. The bug magically knows the Strength score of every creature it can see within 100 feet.
Hive Bond. The bug can see others of it's kind as if they are not invisible.
Bicep Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit (+2 if the target can see it), reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage. If the target is a creature that isn't a construct, has arms and not smaller than Small and not bigger than Huge, the target is subjected to it's Bicep Latch trait.
Description
Strange Green Hives Hanging From the Tree
The only warning most mundane creatures get of the presence of a bicep's bane bug colony is the almost alienatingly giant, single dark green hive dangling from the thickest branch of a tree.
Any creature perceptive enough to inspect the hive without getting close enough to risk an attack will find the horrifying components that make up the hive: masses of muscle ripped from all the victims of the insects crudely stuck together by the bugs' saliva. The very few who can see through the invisible report the bugs resembling wasps without a sting with two major differences; they are an overwhelmingly bright green in colour and bear mandibles large enough to bite around the entire circumference of a bulked up barbarian's biceps.
Intelligent humanoids sometimes keep handfuls of sand on them when wandering through bicep's bane bug territory for the sole purpose of throwing at the bugs to reveal their position, whom lack the intellect to realise it betrays their stealth, and as a warning for other humanoids.
Fanatics with Muscle
A bug colony's motivation to latch, kill and steal muscle from the corpse only serves two reasons, as food and for expansion and repairs of the hive.
Invisible Predators
Bicep's bane bugs are surprisingly good at flanking and teamwork maneuvers and combined with their invisibility, persistence and numbers, even creatures as strong as ogres more often than not fall prey to them, swatting at the air fruitlessly as it's strength fades by the second.
If potential prey is spotted in a group, the bugs usually ignore all but one of them, using their magical senses to pinpoint whose muscles would make the best material for their hive. The ones who are spared cannot do anything except watch and hope the target can break free themselves as even the most powerful spells simply bounce off their exterior like a casual hand slap to a human's back.
Once contact with the biceps have been made, a bicep's bane bug is physically incapable of letting go until it is forced off or the target dies.
Previous Versions
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9/5/2026 12:18:38 PM
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Coming Soon
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