Aeldari Striking Scorpion-Type

Saves: Toughness +5

Proficiencies: Stealth +8, Awareness +5

Shadow Hunter. Despite its armor, the scorpion has Advantage on Stealth checks in dense terrain, darkness, or ruins.

Mandiblasters. The first time each scene the scorpion enters a creature's reach, that creature takes 1d4 energy damage and makes a Toughness Save DC 14 or is Exposed until the end of its next turn.

Aspect Plate. Once per scene, when the scorpion is hit by an attack, it reduces the damage by 5. It can afford one bad exchange; most Aspects cannot.

Scorpion Chainsword. Melee Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 3 slashing damage, plus 1d10 damage against a target that has not yet acted this scene.

Strike from Darkness. The scorpion attacks from hiding with Advantage on its chainsword attack. Until a creature succeeds on an Awareness check DC 15, the target's allies cannot target the scorpion with attacks or reactions.

Shuriken Pistol. Ranged Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 4 slashing damage.

Mandiblaster Reprisal. When a creature adjacent to the scorpion misses it with a melee attack, the mandiblasters flick: the attacker takes 1d4 energy damage.

Morale: Withdraws into terrain the moment the ambush advantage is spent. A scorpion revealed in open ground has already made its one mistake.

Tactics: Place it before the fight begins — behind the party's route, above the objective, inside the room being cleared. The first round should be its entirely: mandiblasters, chainsword, one downed target. Then it melts back and re-sets, and the party fights the terrain's shadows all night.

Loot / Evidence / Hooks: Scorpion plate is shrine-grown and useless to looters, but the mandiblaster pods fascinate any magos willing to pay — and to ignore where they came from.

An Aeldari Striking Scorpion-Type is a hidden melee killer built for ambush and close-range execution — heavier plate than most Aspects, mandiblaster stings, and infinite patience in the dark. It is the Aeldari answer to terrain the party thought was theirs.

Use this enemy in dense terrain, ruins, and ship corridors where the ambush is the encounter and the party's formation is the victim.

Threat Profile: Moderate durability, devastating ambush melee, strong stealth despite armor, mandiblaster opening damage, weaker once revealed in open ground.

Shadow Hunter. Gains Advantage on Stealth in dense terrain, darkness, or ruins despite armor.

Mandiblasters. When it first engages a target each scene, the target takes automatic minor damage and saves or is Exposed.

Aspect Plate. Sturdier than other Aspects; it can afford one bad exchange.

Scorpion Chainsword. Heavy melee attack with +1 die of damage against targets that have not acted this scene.

Strike from Darkness. Attacks from hiding with Advantage; the target's allies must locate it before reacting properly.

Claw of the Exarch. Crushing grapple-strike (exarch variant) that Pins a target for the squad to finish.

Morale: Withdraws into terrain when the ambush advantage is spent; a scorpion revealed in open ground has already made its one mistake.

Tactics: Place them before the fight begins — behind the party's route, above the objective, inside the room being cleared. The first round should be theirs entirely: mandiblasters, chainswords, one downed target. Then they melt back and re-set, forcing the party to fight the terrain's shadows all night.

Full Stat Block Priority: High