Monsters of Magic The Gathering: Sliver (Basic Fantasy)

This is partially based off the work of Daniel Nnorth on the 'Shrill', which are a conversion of Slivers for D&D 5e which can be found here.

Purebred Sliver by John Stone.

Sliver Biology

Sliver are a communal, hive-based swarm of...things. Calling them insectoids is not entirely accurate, as the classic Sliver body shape combine traits of arthropods, lizards and snakes. They have a large plated head, (usually) one or two limbs which (usually) end in a blade and a bifurcating tail which compose most of their body length. There are exceptions, however, as later Sliver breed appear to have evolved into new shapes. Sliver are creatures which are entirely based on adaptation and addition: each Sliver's mutations are shared with nearby Slivers, making the overall brood stronger. Large concentrations of Sliver turn an otherwise dangerous but mostly manageable beast into a swarm of horrific monsters with razor-sharp talons, flight, regeneration and acid spit among many other abilities. 

The Sliver stats listed here are mainly for Basic Fantasy but conversion to similar systems should be fairly easy. Sliver statlines are based on their overall bulk, which inform their Hit Dice and thus overall combat potency. Each Sliver usually has a single ability shared among those it is encountered with but not every Sliver in a pack has an ability which is useful in combat. Fortunately. Sliver are graded ranging from the newborn Broodlings, which are larval Sliver to the Lesser and Drones to the Warriors. The Large Sliver tend to be those rare few breeds notable for their sheer size and bulk and they share such growth with their allies in time of need.

Stats	Broodling	Lesser	Drone	Warrior	Large
AC	11	12	13	14	15
HD	1	2	3	4	5
No. Attacks	1 Claw	1 Claw	1 Claw	1 Claw	1 Claw
Damage	1d4	1d6	1d6	1d6+1	1d6+2
Movement	40’ Scuttle	40’ Scuttle	40’ Scuttle	40’ Scuttle	30’ Scuttle
Save As	Fighter 1	Fighter 2	Fighter 3	Fighter 4	Fighter 5
Morale	11	11	11	11	11
XP	49 XP	125 XP	205 XP	320 XP	450 XP

All Slivers have the innate capacity to share their special ability to any Sliver within 60'. This radius increase to 'plot convenience' when inside a hive/nest or when the Sliver assemble in a force large enough to qualify for some suitable system of Mass Combat, whichever you are using.

Sliver Encounter Table
Type	Wild	Small Nest	Large Nest	Hive
Broodling	0%	50% 1d4, 50% 2d4	3d4	6d4
Lesser	2d4+1 Ability	3d4+1 Ability	4d4+1 Ability	5d4+2 Ability
Drone	10% 1 Ability	50 % 1d4+1 Ability	1d6+1 Ability	1d8+1 Ability
Warrior	5% 1 Ability	15% 1 Abiliy	30% 1 Ability	60% 1d4+1 Ability
Large	1% 1 Ability	2% 1 Ability	4% 1 Ability	8% 1 Ability

The Hive Stir and hungers...

Hive Stirring by Johann Bodin

The Sliver Hives are myriad in the forms of abominations they can spawn as the ravenous Slivers constantly adapt, mutate and refine themselves. The following abominations have been known to exist and to grant these special abilities:

• Muscle, Predatory and Sinew Sliver (Lesser): Usually a single one of these exist within a specific Hive and they represent an overall increase to Sliver combat potency as they share their enhanced vigor. These Slivers grant to others +1 to hit and damage.
• Armor Sliver (Lesser): These Slivers have extended, almost metallic armor. They give to other Slivers the ability to ignore 1 point of damage from each attack they receive.
• Battering Sliver (Warrior): Battering Slivers are living siege engines who give all other Slivers a burrowing speed equal to their land movement speed.
• Diffusion Sliver (Warrior): These Slivers dispel the energy of spells targeted at them and other Slivers, giving all Slivers the ability to pass a Spell Saving Throw on an 8+ irrelevant of HD.
• Fury Sliver (Drone): These energetic and vicious Slivers give all other Sliver have a second Claw attack.
• Flying and Galerider Sliver (Lesser): These creatures have the fairly self-explanatory gift of giving Slivers a flight speed equal to their land movement speed.
• Meganthic Sliver (Large): Towering monstrosities who grant Slivers +1 to hit, damage and AC.
• Reflex Sliver (Warrior): These Slivers grant enhanced metabolism and reflexes, giving all Slivers the ability to pass a Dragon Breath Saving Throw on an 8+ irrelevant of HD.
• Spitting Sliver (Warrior): These Slivers have the ability to spit stream of biological acid, granting to other Slivers an extra attack in the form of a spit which deal 1d8 damage.
• Talon Sliver (Lesser): These Slivers share their lengthened talons, increasing the damage die of all Slivers by one category.

Of course these do take some creative liberties with the original game material while others are some new creations. Slivers are infinite in shapes and functions, so get crazy!