Acid Ant

Small monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	13 (+1)	12 (+1)	1 (-5)	7 (-2)	3 (-4)

Damage Immunities acid
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Special Traits

Perituta fungi spores are attracted to the chitinous shell of acid ants. If the green, mossy fungus covers the shell of an ant, it is immune to the poisoned condition and replaces the Explosive Death trait with the following:

• Fungi Bloom. A creature that touches the ant or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
• Explosive Death. When the ant is reduced to 0 hp, it explodes in a burst of acid. Each creature within 5 feet of the ant must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) acid damage.
• Keen Smell. The ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

• Acid Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) acid damage and the target takes 1 acid damage at the start of its next turn unless the target immediately uses its reaction to wipe off the spit.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.

About

An ant the size of a housecat with a throbbing green abdomen gnaws everything in sight. Hissing liquid drips from its chittering mandibles.

Though a single acid ant is barely a problem, these colonial insects travel in acid-spewing hordes that can lay waste to an entire village in a matter of hours.

Endless Appetite. The arcane energy that swirls within acid ants keeps them constantly hungry. Their acidic bite allows them to devour almost any matter, though acid ants prefer the taste of meat. The beasts stay in an area until they have consumed everything organic and then hunt for more food, carving a path of devastation wherever they go.

Potential Weapons. Many militaries have thought to capture and then unleash acid ants upon enemy troops. Such a challenge often results in those militaries losing their own soldiers to the ants. First, the ants must be captured. Then those ants must be held in acid?proof housings; otherwise they are not contained for long. If these initial steps can be accomplished, the next challenge is releasing the ants in a way that they devour only enemies. Armies that can solve these problems master the art of destruction.

Unknown Origin. No one knows how acid ants came to be, but elemental magic was involved. Perhaps they are the product of a deranged wizard’s experiment or an elemental summoning ritual gone awry. Scholars and adventurers hunt for the origin of these beasts, searching for knowledge to better understand and annihilate the ants.

Ant Colony. Acid ants are sometimes found with ordinary giant ants and giant ant queens. In these cases, the acid ants are a specialized warrior caste within the hive that still answer to the queen.