| Hit Dice: | 1d8 (4 hp) |
| Initiative: | +6 |
| Speed: | 10 ft. (2 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +1/–8 |
| Attack: | Bite +2 melee (1d3–1) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +2 melee (1d3–1) |
| Space/Reach: | 2½ ft./0 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Wounding |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60 ft., death burst, outsider traits, planar rip |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1 |
| Abilities: | Str 8, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 9, Cha 4 |
| Skills: | Hide +14, Listen +3, Spot +3 |
| Feats: | Improved Initiative |
| Environment: | Any land or underground |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, cluster (3–5), or swarm (6–11) |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Always neutral |
| Advancement: | 2–3 HD (Small) |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
These panicky, harmless-looking beetles are native to the Ethereal Plane. A wide variety of ethereal predators eat ether scarabs, so the latter have developed the ability to flee across planar boundaries. They often appear on the Material Plane next to buildings or other large objects near which they have made their lairs on the Ethereal Plane.
An ether scarab has six tentaclelike legs and a hard, amethyst-veined, chitinous shell marked by swirling, colorful patterns. It sports two pairs of vicious-looking mandibles, which it uses to tear through planar boundaries.
The timid ether scarab almost always runs from trouble. If forced into battle, it bites with its mandibles. Ether scarabs do not enjoy the gravity of the Material Plane, so they return to their home plane as soon as it is safe to do so.
Wounding (Ex): A wound resulting from an ether scarab’s bite attack bleeds for an additional 1 point of damage per round thereafter. Multiple wounds from such attacks result in cumulative bleeding loss (two wounds for 2 points of damage per round, and so on). The bleeding can be stopped only by a successful Heal check (DC 10) or the application of a cure spell or some other healing spell (heal, healing circle, or the like). Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this wounding effect.
Death Burst (Ex): An ether scarab that dies on the Material Plane explodes harmlessly, causing a planar rip between the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. This hole in the planar fabric lasts 1d4+1 rounds.
Planar Rip (Su): By ripping at the planar fabric with its mandibles, an ether scarab can create a two-way portal between its own plane and another (usually the Material). This hole between the planes appears tiny, but it can accommodate any Large or smaller creature traveling in either direction. A planar rip closes in 1d4+1 rounds.
Source: Monster Manual II, page 94. This creature’s statistics block has been updated to version 3.5 as given in the D&D® V.3.5 Accessory Update for Monster Manual II.