Braincrabs are hermit crabs that live in skulls. A tiny beast.

Imagine a skull, something moves in its eye sockets and eyestalks probe the area. As it sees you, multiple sharp legs unfold under it.

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HD: 0	Armor: as leather
Hit it: easy	Dodge it: normal
Move: slow, swim slow

It can detect nearby movement, breathe underwater, walk on any surface, even upside down and also jump up to 10’ without a running start. It can’t see well. Also, it is indistinguishable from a normal skull when not moving.

Attacks (1/round)

Pinch. The braincrab makes a melee attack. If the target is stunned and grappled, it inflicts Willpower damage (1D4).

Skullclamp. The braincrab jumps and attempts to grapple a target. On success the target is blinded. A missed attack on a grappling braincrab has 1/2 chance to hit the grappled creature.

Numbing Saliva. One grappled target must make a save vs poison or be stunned for 1 minute.

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Braincrab Swarm

HD: 0 +4D4HP	Armor: as leather
Hit it: easy	Dodge it: special
Move: slow

It can detect nearby movement, breathe underwater, walk on any surface, even upside down and also jump up to 10’ without a running start. It can’t see well. Also, it is indistinguishable from a skull pile when not moving.

In a swarm, creatures are immune to being grappled or attacked by single target spells, and resist mind and weapon damage. However, they take double damage from area of effect attacks.

Attacks (1/round)

Swarm. To dodge a swarm’s attack, the roll has to beat 10 + the swarm’s HP. On a hit the target takes 1 damageand the same amount of Braincrabs is attached to the victim (see Braincrab above).

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Random Encounter

1. Monster: 2D6 braincrabs.
2. Lair: A mound of moldy, rotting skulls.
     OR
   Omen: A skull rolls in the room.
3. Spoor: A headless skeleton, intact.
4. Tracks: Sideways insectoid tracks.
5. Trace: A skull.
6. Trace: Multiple scattered jaws.

Salvaging the body

If you are careful to extract the venom glands, the braincrab is as edible as a normal crab. You need as many crabs as there are players to make a day’s ration. Many underdark and sea dwelling creatures have learned to coat their weapons in their juices.

Braincrab Juice. Save or be stunned for 1D4 rounds.

D6 Symbolism

In local cultures this beast is a symbol of …

1. Memory
2. Cancer
3. Headache
4. Alzheimer
5. Ghosts
6. Sacred

Credits

A creation of Richard J. Leblanc in the Creature Compendium, I adapted the braincrab to be less save or die, and more a slow painful death from a thousand needles.