Monster of the Month
Manticore
Martichoras Ctesiae
ST:30 MA:10/16
DX:11-12 Armour:1 pt skin
IQ:5
These 2-hex monsters are stupid, aggressive lion-bodied, bat-winged humanoids with reddish skin and numerous rows of shark like, pointed teeth. Manticores are found in warmer climes, in desolate areas as they have often eaten or ruined everything nearby.
They attack with claw/bite for 2-1 damage or a volley of tail spikes, firing 6 a turn for up to 4 turns, inflicting 1+1 damage each (accuracy as per molotail).
Manticores are the result of a failed experiment long long ago, where a wizard attempted to mix a man (for intelligence), with a bat (for flight) and a lion and shark (both for ferocity; sharks are resistant to disease). Unfortunately, the resultant creature, the first manticore, also had the intelligence of a shark and was a hunting and killing machine, totally unable to be trained. Furthermore, it escaped and was able to breed with large felines (lions, tigers, sabretooths, pumas) and the offspring were always manticores. Manticores mature quickly and are long lived and resistant to most diseases. They are rapacious and always hungry and will hunt and eat anything organic. All manticores are considered to have alertness and some of the electromagnetic sensory equipment of their shark parents. They thus get an automatic 2/IQ roll for any illusion they come across, which is automatic and not counted as an action for a combat turn.
Notes:
I found, years ago, at the time of the TFT webring, a fine TFT page full of stats for monsters,
Cas Liber's TFT Bestiary was oustanding and complete.
Cardboard at 200%. Let's print at 50%.
It should be a bit more larger than two hex, a very old and lethal specimen ;-)
