Critter Cache 1: Big Bugs is a new GSL product from Goodman Games and Blackdirge Publishing. It retails for $3.99 and is available at RPGNow. Aeyrn Rudel and Blackdirge Publishing jump into the 4e water producing this 17 page tome of vile vermin.
The beasties in this book represent both mundane fantasy vermin, such as Giant Ants and Giant Preying Mantis, as well as more fantastical creatures, such as the Blackjacket Bolters and Viceclaw Crabs. There are 20 vermins in total at a cost of 20 cents a beastie. There are three types of monstrous ants; three beetles, including the devasting butcher beetle (which can resist AC attacks and deal ongoing damage); three centipedes, including the deathstep centipede (which immobilizes you and injects digestive fluid to liquify your organs); three crustaceans (two oversized mundanes and the vicegrip crab); two mantis (giant preying and sickleclaw, which graces the cover); three slugs/snails (no puppy dog tails) including the somewhat bizzare Corpse Slug (which has nercrotic attacks and likes slumming with undead); and finally there are three wasps, including the agile Blackjacket Bolter (which darts and weaves through the sky raining poisonous death upon opponents, and can also serve as mounts). Strangely absent are bees, scorpions and spiders; sure there are spiders in the MM, but you can't really have too many spiders, right?
A good number of the monsters have attacks that deal ongoing damage. The attack routines make sense for the theme of each vermin and the statblocks are simple to follow. For the most part these critters do not possess bizarre abilities, like being able to shoot lightning from their eyes, or have magical attacks, being more well thought-out extrapolations of the vermin we know.
The product is bookmarked, crisp-looking and illustrated throughout. There was one colour band error in the Corpse Slug's statblock but the rest of the book was flawless. If you need more creepy crawlies for your 4e game, Critter Cache #1: Big Bugs will be right up your alley.
