Almost realistic Giant Worms

[Athanbeli]

Hi there!

My low-fantasy characters are to encounter giant worms in the next few sessions, and I need a few ideas for almost realistic worm designs. I said realistic since these are actually normal sized worms: it’s the character who are unknowingly being shrunk!
So, we’re talking about worms that are – comparatively – SM +1 or +2 creatures. What about their combat stats and attack routines? Which other useful traits (borrowing ability and speed, perhaps) should I take in consideration?

[Anders]

You may want to look at these.

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

You may want to look at these.

You might also want to check out T Bone's GULLIVER rules for realistic stats for non-SM 0 creatures.

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by Athanbeli

So, we’re talking about worms that are – comparatively – SM +1 or +2 creatures. What about their combat stats and attack routines? Which other useful traits (borrowing ability and speed, perhaps) should I take in consideration?

Worms in general are very flexible and can squeeze through tiny openings. They are simple creatures with highly redundant organs that can withstand lots of damage before dying. Their simple nervous systems make them almost automata.
DX 9 IQ 1 HT 10
Flexibility (Double Jointed, or even Squishy)
No Legs (slithers)
No Manipulators
Hard to Kill 3
Hard to Subdue 3
High Pain Threshold
Regrowth
Reduced Consumption 3
Injury Tolerance (No Brain, No Neck, No Vitals)
Cannot Speak
Low Empathy
Hidebound
Incurious
No Sense of Humor
Bestial
Cold Blooded
Deafness
Invertebrate
Reduced Endurance 2

For SM +1, use ST ~ 15, for SM +2, use ST ~ 20.

Most dangerous predatory worms are aquatic. Predatory errant polychaetes such as Nerieds and Eunice worms have pincer-jaws on the end of an eversible proboscis hidden in their throat that they can thrust out of their mount, Alien style, to pierce and cut. Eunice worms have been known to cut fish in half with one bite. Eunice worms spend a lot of time hiding in their burrows, ready to shoot out, grab their prey, and drag it back into the burrow. Nerieds spend a fair amount of time foraging, squirming through tidal muck.
Constriction Attack
Fangs
Doesn't Breathe (Gills)
Vibration Sense
Discriminatory Smell
Bad Sight (Motion Sensitive) 9
Slippery 1
Reduced Consumption +1 (Cast Iron Stomach)

Nemertean worms, or ribbon worms, have a proboscis almost as long or longer than the worm's main body. They can rapidly thrust out this proboscis to penetrate their prey with a paralytic sting.
Affliction (paralysis)
Doesn't Breathe (Gills)
Discriminatory Smell
Vibration Sense
Blindness
Restricted Diet (meat)
Slippery 2

Velvet worms are terrestrial predators, not aquatic. They capture prey by shooting strands of sticky goo onto it from a distance. Then they dissolve them by secreteing digestive juices onto their victims and slurping up the resulting goo
Clinging
Binding (Engulfing, Sticky)
Toxic Innate Attack
Vibration Sense
Discriminatory Smell
Restricted Diet (meat)
Bad Sight (Motion Sensitive) 9

[Athanbeli]

Well, thank you. Didn't think about things like vibration sense (not in gurps terms, at least) and injury tolerance!
I did consider constriction attack, which you also mention, still I'm a bit uncertain about that: should this be inflicted as the worms coils around its victim, or by its maw (in a way similar to the crushroom monster in DF2, taking for granted the born biter trait)?

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by Athanbeli

Well, thank you. Didn't think about things like vibration sense (not in gurps terms, at least) and injury tolerance!
I did consider constriction attack, which you also mention, still I'm a bit uncertain about that: should this be inflicted as the worms coils around its victim, or by its maw (in a way similar to the crushroom monster in DF2, taking for granted the born biter trait)?

It could represent either method (if engulfing, you could apply it to nemertean worms, too, as they swallow their helpless but still living victim whole). The errant polychaetes could easily wrap around their victims to constrict them while biting.

Other thoughts: Velvet worms probably have some level of reduced move. A polychaete or ribbon worm, in a hurry, though, has a mode of locomotion that could probably allow them speeds somewhat similar to a running man of the same size - the polychaete can simply extend its body at high speed while anchoring itself from behind, and then contract while anchoring its front. A ribbon worm can extend and retract its proboscis for the same effect.

Which reminds me - any worm might have Stretching 3 (always on) to represent its length and ability to coil up into a small area and then uncoil to strike. Polychaetes can contract or extend considerably along their length - you can give them Stretching 2 (always on) and 2 additional levels of Stretching that they can engage at will (level 2 is a fully contracted state, level 3 a neutral "at rest" state, and level 4 a fully extended state).

Another worm that might be fun - fireworms are errant polychaetes. They are detritovores, so they will not directly attack adventurers for food. However, they have highly venomous bristles - Spines (Short) with an Innate Attack (toxic, follow-up (spines), Symptoms (Severe Pain 1/3 HP, Terrible Pain 1/2 HP, Agony 2/3 HP)). While they are flamboyantly colored in red, orange, and yellow, the name fireworm refers at least as much to the excruciating burning pain of their stings as it does to their appearance.

Luke

[Spudzill]

The worm IS the spice. The Spice IS the worm. You may now return to your regularly scheduled thread. Thank You.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Spudzill

The worm IS the spice. The Spice IS the worm. You may now return to your regularly scheduled thread. Thank You.

Darth Vader is really a man, Keyser Söze!!

[Athanbeli]

One last thing: what about DR? I really cant't figure that. There should be 'armor chinks' between their segments?

[David Johnston2]

Worms don't have DR. Not even on their scale. Insects do, but there already rules for aiming for chinks in natural DR.