Scrab

''Although it stands only a little taller than a halfling, this insectile humanoid has a fearless glare. It has a thick, white, sectioned shell over most of its body, separated into three parts, a pair of arms that end in opposable pincers and a small mouth. Hundreds of tiny legs run along the underside of its body.''

Combat
Scrabs use their psionic powers and their pincers in combat. When many scrab fight, they break up, half going into melee, the other half using ranged psionics. Scrab leaders are often accomplished psions or defilers and will lead their followers in battle, using their abilities to enhance the group's attacks.

Description
Scrabs are small, insectoid men that live in nests in the desert. A scrab can draw air through sand while submerged due to the long gills located all along the grooves in their shells. Scrabs are ruled over by monstrously bloated members of the species known as nest mothers.

Scrabs need very little water to survive and seem to derive all the sustenance that they need from the blood and other bodily fluids of their victims.

Scrabs can speak their own language. A small percentage can also speak elven. Adult scrabs live to be 25 years old, but nest mothers can live twice that long.

Scrab Society
Scrabs inhabit tunnels deep under the desert, which they fashion using spittle that solidifies the sand. If possible, the entrance to the nest will be concealed behind a rocky outcrop. Scrabs hate elves and prefer their flesh above that of any other creature. This hatred extends beyond a desire for food and, in fact, anything with pointed ears is likely to be identified as an elf. A captive elf may be kept alive for weeks, even months, just to be tortured. Legends of both races hold that there were once great wars between the two species, with each side blaming the other for the conflicts and for the many unspeakable atrocities perpetrated on innocent victims of each race.

The eldest male in the nest is allowed to mate with the nest mother, with clutches of up 100 eggs resulting. The eggs hatch in three months, and the young are possessed by a cannibalistic frenzy when they are born. Fewer than half the hatchlings survive this period. Three quarters of all hatchlings are male.

Only males who develop additional psionic abilities or spellcasting powers grow into leaders, and only females with clerical abilities can become nest mothers. A female who begins to develop into a nest mother will take a number of males and depart to create a new nest of her own.

Scrabs are predators first and foremost but will trade with merchants brave enough to risk contact with the creatures. They are also preyed upon by the larger creatures that inhabit the wastes. Part of the scrabs' hatred of elves stems from the fact that elves use every part of a scrab they have defeated. A scrab shell can be used to make breastplates, and the sharp parts of the pincers make decent polearms.

Scrabs as Characters
Highly intelligent, scrabs have an affinity for magic but prefer the inner disciplines of psionics to the varied accouterments of the wizard. Some species are skilled in physical combat, and scrab groups tend to be evenly divided between those who resort to physical means and those who prefer more unseen methods.

Scrab characters possess the following racial traits.
 * Small. Scrabs gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
 * Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
 * A scrab‘s base land speed is 50 feet. Scrabs also have a burrow speed of 10 ft.
 * Darkvision out to 60 ft.
 * Racial Hit Dice: A scrab begins with 3 levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3 and Will +3.
 * Racial Skills: A scrab‘s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Concentration, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Psicraft, Spot and Survival.
 * A scrab‘s monstrous humanoid levels give it 2 feats.
 * Weapon Proficiency: A scrab is proficient with its natural weaponry and all simple weapons.
 * +2 natural armor bonus.
 * Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4).
 * Special Attacks (see above): Improved grab, psi-like abilities.
 * Automatic Languages: Common, Scrab. Bonus Languages: Elven.
 * Favored Class: Psion.
 * Level Adjustment: +2.