Usable by all classes A scarab is a piece of magical jewelry in the shape of a beetle. To be activated, a scarab must be held in the hand, without the use of a gauntlet. The default burnout for magical scarabs is 25%. Burnout for scarabs is rolled after the item is used; if the scarab burns out, it disintegrates. Only one scarab may be activated by a character at a time.
Level 3. When placed on the floor or ground, this scarab turns into a giant beetle that attacks the nearest being in the direction it is facing. The beetle is AC 3, HD4, moves at 6", and bites for 3D10. It attacks until 3D6 rounds pass or it is killed, at which point it returns to scarab form. The scarab can be activated once per week.
Level 3. This item appears to be one of the useful types of scarab. However, when it is held in the hand to be used, or left in a backpack for an hour, it animates and suddenly burrows into the possessor's skin. The victim takes 1 point of damage the first round, 2 points the second, 4 points the third, 8 the fourth, and so on, until either he dies or a Remove Curse is successfully cast upon him as vs. a 10th level. This item can be activated only once.
Level 3. Burnout 25%. When the user activates this item, all other creatures within 1" must save vs. mental at -25% or become enraged. All enraged creatures must make another save vs. mental at -25%; those that succeed attack the user and his party, but those that fail simply attack the nearest available target. Enraged creatures attack until dead, unconscious, or left without visible opponents. A more useful version of this scarab enables the user to select a command word which anyone in the area can speak immediately upon the item's activation to resist its effect.
Level 2. Burnout 25%. When this scarab is touched to bare skin, it bestows the benefits of a clerical Cure Wounds III prayer upon the recipient, with no saving throw.
Level 3. Burnout 25%. When the user activates this item, all other creatures within 3" must save vs. mental or go insane for 10+D6 rounds. The nature of the insanity affecting each afflicted creature is determined randomly from among the following choices: mania, phobia, aphasia, depression, and delusions. A manic creature acts as if he had failed his initial save versus a Scarab of Enraging Enemies, above. A phobic victim flees in panic for the duration, as if affected by the mage spell Fear. Someone experiencing aphasia is treated as if he were affected by the mage spell Confuse. A depressed creature is lethargic; each round there is a 50% chance he initiates no action at all. A person suffering from delusions conceives himself to be someone or somewhere else; the GM has great freedom in choosing the precise effect. At his discretion, a GM may use any other form of insanity whose combat effects are clearly defined to replace any of the above suggestions or to supplement the list.
Level 3. When this scarab is touched to a container, up to a quart of liquid inside it becomes poisoned. Anyone who takes a swallow suffers a dose of standard poison (D6 surge, 1 point/round, another save every 20 rounds to stop taking damage). If multiple swallows are taken, the dose of poison is increased. The poison dissipates harmlessly after 24 hours. The poison is protected by a Conceal Magic prayer as if cast by a level 10 cleric.
Level 3. Burnout 25%. The user of this scarab can either hold it in his hand or place it inside a gauntlet for protection. Whenever the user fails to save versus a Finger of Death prayer, or versus a Cause Wounds prayer that would cause his death, the scarab absorbs the prayer's effect harmlessly.
Level 3. This item appears to be a Scarab of Attack. However, whenever the scarab is activated, the giant beetle attacks the user instead of the intended target. The beetle is AC 3, HD4, moves at 6", and bites for 3D10. The beetle pursues the user if he flees.
Last Modified on September 25,1995.
ammulder@princeton.edu