Troll, Marsh

Nine-foot tall regenerating trolls with black-green hide and orange hair, adapted for aquatic environments

Basic Fantasy Field Guide Omnibus

Armor Class	14
Hit Dice	7*
Number Appearing	1d10, Wild 1d10, Lair 2d10
Attacks	2 claws, 1 bite, special
Damage	1d4+2 claw, 1d8+2 bite
Movement	30' Swim 50'
Save As	Fighter: 5
Morale	9 (7)
XP	735
Treasure Type	D

Just like their cousins, Marsh Trolls stand at around 9 feet tall and weigh around 500 pounds. Their hide and skin have a deep black and green color to them, while their hair is usually a weird shade of orange that’s unnaturally colorful. One other key physical feature for these creatures is that their noses are extremely long and pointy, to the point they could poke one’s eye out. They have a great lust for anything shiny or see-through and they have a basic capacity for intelligence. In their very limited understanding of social norms, the marsh troll with the most shinies is the leader. As such, they could be bartered with, instead of fighting. Consult the monster reaction table in the Basic Fantasy RPG Core Rules.

These creatures swim well, even better than their walking capabilities. As such, they are usually found around swamps, rivers, or lakes. In this instant, local townsfolk may have called them river trolls, as they were first discovered in marsh regions.

Marsh trolls are hateful creatures, reveling in combat and bloodshed. Though they could easily use a variety of weapons, they much prefer the sensation of flesh being rent by their teeth and claws.

Special Abilities

Regeneration: They heal 2 hit points of damage each round after being injured. They can regenerate slightly faster than their cousins due to their great adaptability. A marsh troll reduced to 0 hit points is not dead, but only disabled for 2d10 rounds, at which point it will regain 2 hit points. Note that the troll may ‘play dead’ until it has regenerated further.

Submerge: If the marsh troll hits with one of its claws and a bite, they may perform a special attack, submerging the victim underwater. The victim must save vs. Paralysis or be dealt an additional 2d8 damage, or half as much on a successful save. If there is no water nearby, the marsh troll will simply bash the creature into the ground with this attack for 2d4 damage; no save is allowed.

Regeneration Weakness: Damage from cold and lightning cannot be regenerated, and must heal at the normal rate; a marsh troll can only be killed by this sort of damage. The lower morale rating (in parentheses) is used when the troll faces attackers armed with cold or lightning.

Limb Regeneration: If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in one turn; or, the creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.