Dire Fly (4e Creature)

Dire Fly

Some species of blowfly are particularly large and vicious.

Dire flies are shiny with metallic colouring, often with blue, green, or black thoraces and abdomens. Bristle-like spikes protrude from their body, and they have large compound eyes.

Lore

Nature DC 10: Dire flies are attracted to the nectar of unnaturally large flowering plants, the dung or refuse of gigantic creatures, or large city garbage dumps or sewers.

Nature DC 14: They lay their eggs in the carrion or dung of gigantic creatures. These hatch into swarms of maggots, each about 1 foot long. They eat rotting flesh, so fresh battlefields also attract them, where they can feed on multiple humanoid corpses. Some Dire flies eat by regurgitating their stomach fluids onto their meal, which liquefies it for them to drink. Others have slicing mouths use for drinking a host's blood.

Nature DC 21: The presence of dire flies could hint at the presence of a large natural beast such as a bulette, or large unclean humanoids such as hill giants.

Encounters

Encounter Examples

Level 4 Encounter (XP 875)

In the sewers of a large city, surrounded by rotting garbage.

• 3 Dire Flies (level 4 skirmisher)
• 1 Dire Maggot Swarm (level 4 brute)
• 1 Green Slime (level 4 lurker) [Monster Vault p. 221]

Dire Fly

Dire Fly Level 4 Skirmisher Small Natural Beast XP 175 HP 56; Bloodied 28 Initiative +11 AC 18; Fortitude 15, Reflex 18, Will 14 Perception +2 Speed 4 (clumsy), fly 6 (hover) Low-light vision Standard Actions Liquefying Labellum ♦ At-Will Attack: +9 vs. AC Hit: Melee 1 (one creature); 2d6 + 5 acid damage. At the end of the encounter the target makes a saving throw. On a failure the target contracts dire fly filth fever (stage 1) Skills Stealth +11 Str 10 (+2) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 10 (+2) Con 16 (+5) Int 1 (-4) Cha 4 (-1) Alignment Unaligned Languages Equipment —

Dire Fly Dire flies are aggressive but unintelligent. They will attack whatever living creature is nearest, preferring unarmoured beasts and humanoids. They will fly away if bloodied.

Dire Maggot Swarm

Dire Maggot Swarm Level 4 Brute Medium Natural Beast (Swarm, Blind) XP 175 HP 66; Bloodied 33 Initiative +4 AC 16; Fortitude 16, Reflex 15, Will 14 Perception +2 Speed 4 Blindsight 10 Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks Vulnerable 5 to close and area attacks Traits Swarm Attack ♦ Aura 1 Any enemy that starts in the aura takes 5 damage. Swarm The swarm can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter its space, which is difficult terrain. The swarm cannot be pulled, pushed, or slid by melee or ranged attacks. It can squeeze through any opening that is large enough for at least one of the creatures it comprises. Standard Actions Chew the Flesh ♦ At-Will Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude Hit: Melee 1 (one creature); 2d6 + 8 damage. At the end of the encounter the target makes a saving throw. On a failure the target contracts dire fly filth fever (stage 1) Skills - Str 14 (+4) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 10 (+2) Con 16 (+5) Int 1 (-4) Cha 4 (-1) Alignment Unaligned Languages Equipment —

Maggots are usually found writhing in the carrion of giant creatures. They will mindlessly swarm over any living, fleshy, creatures that disturb them. Individually they are essentially blind, only able to sense light and dark. As a swarm they are a threat, reacting to movement and smell.

Dire Fly Filth Fever Level 4 Disease
Filth fever causes the victim's wounds to fester and rot, and its skin to erupt in small but painful boils.
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disease.
Stage 1: While affected by stage 1, the target loses 1 healing surge.
Stage 2: While affected by stage 2, the target loses 1 healing surge and takes a –2 penalty to AC, Fortitude and Reflex.
Stage 3: While affected by stage 3, the target loses all healing surges and cannot regain hit points. The target also takes a -2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex.
Check: At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2. 9 or Lower: The stage of the disease increases by 1. 10 - 13: No change. 14 or Higher: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.

Dire Horse Fly

Dire Horse Fly Level 11 Minion Skirmisher Small Natural Beast XP 150 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +13 AC 25; Fortitude 23, Reflex 25, Will 20 Perception +4 Speed 4 (clumsy), fly 6 (hover) Low-light vision Standard Actions Blood-Drawing Bite ♦ At-Will Attack: +16 vs. AC Hit: Melee 1 (one creature); 9 damage. If the target is bloodied, the horse fly grabs the target (escape DC 19). Until the target is no longer grabbed by any fire flies, it takes damage at the start of its turn equal to twice the number of dire flies grabbing it. The target takes this damage only once each turn, regardless of how many dire flies are grabbing it. Triggered Actions Unswattable ♦ Encounter Trigger: The horse fly is hit by an attack. Effect: (Immediate Interrupt): The horse fly shifts 2 squares. Skills Stealth +13 Str 12 (+9) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 10 (+5) Con 16 (+8) Int 1 (-1) Cha 4 (+2) Alignment Unaligned Languages Equipment —

Dire horse flies remain hidden in detritus. Once a PC becomes bloodied through fighting other creatures, they will all emerge and attempt to grab that character with blood-drawing bite.

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