In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the tunnel worm is a type of monster.
Contents
Publication history
The tunnel worm first appeared in first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in set 3 of the Monster Cards series in 1982. The tunnel worm also under the "worm" heading in the original Monster Manual II (1983).
The tunnel worm appeared in the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons under the "worm" heading in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and under the "centipede" entry in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
Description
A tunnel worm is a giant cousin of the centipede, and an aggressive predator and scavenger. It lives in burrows which honeycomb the walls and ceiling of caves and dungeons. A tunnel worm feeds on and lays its eggs on carrion and will drag corpses back to its lair. It lies in wait near the hidden entrance of its burrow for prey to pass. A tunnel worm attacks by lunging out of its tunnel and seizing prey with its mandibles. Its teeth will chew through the victim's armor, and once the armor is bitten through the worm will automatically bite the victim.
Other publishers
The tunnel worm appeared in the Tome of Horrors (2002) from Necromancer Games.