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[[folder:Merfolk]]
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
to:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
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->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies,
Giant creatures of living quicksilver who can mold their bodies into any weapon, and
Changed line(s) 323,326 (click to see context) from:
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit the standard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an exotic tint to their hair and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
to:
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit DyingRace: Merchurions cannot reproduce, and are obsessed with averting this trope and finding some way to produce more of their kind.
* EnergyAbsorption: When struck by an enchanted weapon, a merchurion absorbs its magic, allowing thestandard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an creature to manifest said weapon's enchantment on its own morph weapons, while the original weapon's magical properties are suppressed, both for the next hour.
* FantasticRacism: Merchurions consider all other creatures as inferior, with the exception of fire giants, who they view with a mixture of envy and resentment that leads to bloodshed whenever the two meet.
* MetalMuncher: These living constructs' only bodily need is to consume metal, particularly silver.
* ShapeshifterWeapon: They can morph their bodies to produce any weapon, and are proficient with even the most exotictint to their hair of weapons they form this way. Said weapons are considered enchanted, silvered weapons, and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or tradeshould they somehow be separated from outsiders, the merchurion, the weapons will instantly melt into a silvery pool.
* YouHaveFailedMe: The merchurions used to be a race of giants that excelled in metalcrafting, andit takes an extraordinary threat were tasked by Surtur, Lord of the Fire Giants, to make weapons superior to the dwarves' adamantine waraxes. When decades of work produced only a slag of mercurial metal inside a magma rift, and enraged Surtur threw the merchurions into their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown powerown creation, inadvertently transforming them into their current state.state. As much as the merchurions have a jealous hatred towards fire giants, they still feel deep shame over failing Surtur.
* EnergyAbsorption: When struck by an enchanted weapon, a merchurion absorbs its magic, allowing the
* FantasticRacism: Merchurions consider all other creatures as inferior, with the exception of fire giants, who they view with a mixture of envy and resentment that leads to bloodshed whenever the two meet.
* MetalMuncher: These living constructs' only bodily need is to consume metal, particularly silver.
* ShapeshifterWeapon: They can morph their bodies to produce any weapon, and are proficient with even the most exotic
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade
* YouHaveFailedMe: The merchurions used to be a race of giants that excelled in metalcrafting, and
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power
Added DiffLines:
[[folder:Merfolk]]
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
----
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit the standard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an exotic tint to their hair and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
----
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit the standard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an exotic tint to their hair and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Malasynep]]
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/malasnyep.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/malasnyep.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
to:
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->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 92 (click to see context) from:
25-foot-long arctic cetaceans, brilliant but murderous, who use their cryokinesis to attack anything that enters their territories.
to:
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* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as guardians, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are to intruders.
* DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are orca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that have a primal need to attack and kill other creatures.
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are wide enough to swallow even Large prey whole.
* DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are orca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that have a primal need to attack and kill other creatures.
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are wide enough to swallow even Large prey whole.
to:
* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as guardians, BigEater: Much like the tarrasque, malastors spend most of their lives asleep, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings when they're supposedly protecting awake, they're ravenous. This behavior only changes when a mated pair devastates a region to create a huge, rotting pile of corpses, which the female lays her eggs into, but after spending a year guarding the nest, malastor parents have to flee as soon as they are hear their offspring hatch, because the newborns will still be hungry even after eating their way out of the corpse-heap.
* BoulderBludgeon: Against ranged targets, malastors can fling a chunk of earth up tointruders.
400 feet.
*DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are orca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that ItCanThink: Downplayed; their Intelligence is only 2, and malastors primarily act on instinct, but they have enough awareness to enjoy spreading destruction and thus have a primal need to attack and kill other creatures.
Chaotic Evil alignment.
*AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras overMakeMeWannaShout: When injured, a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are widemalastor reflexively roars, powerfully enough to swallow even Large prey whole.stun other creatures in a 30-foot radius.
* RockMonster: Downplayed; malastors' hides are protected by plates of stone, but they're flesh and blood beneath this armor (the coloration of which matches the stony environment where the creature last slept).
* ShockwaveStomp: Malastors can rip into the ground with their claws, triggering a 400-foot-long shock wave that deals heavy damage and potentially buries creatures beneath the resulting rubble.
* BoulderBludgeon: Against ranged targets, malastors can fling a chunk of earth up to
*
*
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are wide
* RockMonster: Downplayed; malastors' hides are protected by plates of stone, but they're flesh and blood beneath this armor (the coloration of which matches the stony environment where the creature last slept).
* ShockwaveStomp: Malastors can rip into the ground with their claws, triggering a 400-foot-long shock wave that deals heavy damage and potentially buries creatures beneath the resulting rubble.
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[[folder:Mantari]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mantari_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mantari_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
to:
[[quoteright:300:https://static.
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[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin,
[[caption-width-right:320:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
25-foot-long arctic cetaceans, brilliant but
Changed line(s) 109,114 (click to see context) from:
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flying monsters that bear a strong resemblance to manta rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers and trappers), and are aggressive enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in the depths of the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flying monsters that bear a strong resemblance to manta rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers and trappers), and are aggressive enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in the depths of the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.
to:
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as guardians, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouthsjust as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
to intruders.
*FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flyingorca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that bear have a strong resemblance primal need to manta rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers attack and trappers), kill other creatures.
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws areaggressive wide enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in the depths of the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.swallow even Large prey whole.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths
*
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flying
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are
Added DiffLines:
[[folder:Mantari]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mantari_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
----
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flying monsters that bear a strong resemblance to manta rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers and trappers), and are aggressive enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in the depths of the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mantari_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
----
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays: Mantari are flying monsters that bear a strong resemblance to manta rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers and trappers), and are aggressive enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in the depths of the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.
[[/folder]]
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Changed line(s) 136,143 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Maug]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maug_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Hulking creatures of living stone from the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, who hire themselves out as mercenaries to give meaning to their existence.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maug_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Hulking creatures of living stone from the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, who hire themselves out as mercenaries to give meaning to their existence.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:325:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Hulking creatures
The jackal-headed creations of
Changed line(s) 145,153 (click to see context) from:
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Downplayed; maugs have no reason to wage war on each other, but sometimes their mercenary work puts two groups of maugs on opposite sides of a war. This results in horrendous casualties as the maugs lead their troops to clash repeatedly until one or both sides is ground down to nearly nothing. Then the maugs are liable to group up and go off to find a new war to fight in as if nothing happened.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They can make a "Pulverize" action three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They can make a "Pulverize" action three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.
to:
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Downplayed; maugs BackStab: Marrulurks share an assassin's ability to make a [[OneHitKill death attack]] attempt against a target they study for three rounds.
* BeastMan: While their sizes and coloration may vary, all known marruspawn appear as humanoids with the heads of jackals.
* FinalSolution: After countless centuries of isolation, the marruspawn have recently become more proactive, after a marrutact named Wisdom proclaimed that he had received a message from the marru, telling him to purge the world of everything not spawned by the marru, to clear the way for their return. While not all marruspawn have heard Wisdom's message or believe it to be true, those who have embraced it have launched campaigns of genocide.
* HiveCasteSystem: The marruspawn subtypes all have different body sizes, so the skulking marrulurks are Small and slight, while the marrusaults are Large and brawny. While the various castes can interbreed, their progeny is always one of those subtypes, never a hybrid creature.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Once a year, a marruspawn of breeding age is chosen by each community to travel to the Cradle, a hidden structure rumored to be vital to the race's continued survival and containing the secrets of spawncraft. When those chosen return home a year later, they have noreason memory of what they experienced there.
* LivingWeapon: Marruspawn are, as their name suggests, the creations of an ancient people known as the marru, who used their science of "spawncraft" towage war on each other, create soldiers to fight what came to be known as the Flesh Wars. While the marru ultimately destroyed themselves, their spawn remained, lingering in the marru's ruins in the dry wastes.
* MakeMeWannaShout: Marrusaults can let out a "howl of defiance" once per day, forcing those nearby to save or become fatigued or exhausted.
* StaffOfAuthority: The [[InTheHood robed]] marrutacts are also distinguished by their their masterwork staves, "a symbol of the forgotten spawncraft lore" that rather resembles the double helix of a DNA strand.
* SuperSenses: Marruspawn have low-light vision, as well as exceptional hearing -- they can detect the presence of corporeal creatures by the sound of their heartbeat, breathing, or movement, out to 30 feet, and pinpoint their location if the marruspawn is within 5 feet.
* UnusableEnemyEquipment: The marruspawn have a variety of "zymes" that, when imbibed by a marruspawn, grant them a temporary bonus like boosted movement speed, boosted bite attacks, or the ability to make whirlwind attacks. Non-marruspawn can only use them if they first drink a "marrucraft zyme," but the resulting painful biological changes cause them to take damage at the start and end of the concoction's duration.
* WeaponizedStench: Marrulurks can exhale a 10-foot cone of nauseating gas once per day.
* WhiteMagic: While marrutacts are primarily wizards, they can also let loose a "howl of healing" once per day that heals all marruspawn within 30 feet.
!!Marruspawn Abomination
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_marruspawn_abomination_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 19 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any Evil
A savage and mighty marruspawn with a spark of godhood, who was the downfall of its creators.
----
* DeityOfHumanOrigin: While most abominations are born from "misguided deific concourse," the marru created their own by stealing the blood and essence of a deity to give one of their champions unparalleled power. The resulting marruspawn abomination is thought to have triggered the collapse of the marru civilization, either due to the machinations of the deity whose power was stolen, or the actions of the abomination itself.
* EnemySummoner: Three times per day, they can summon Gargantuan, fiendish, monstrous scorpions.
* NoSell: As an abomination, it's immune to polymorphing, petrification, ability damage or drain, mind-influencing affects, and fire damage to boot.
* SealedEvilInACan: The one known marruspawn abomination is currently imprisoned deep underground, bound by both spells and preservative fluid. Even so, its dreams sometimestheir mercenary work puts two groups interact with other creatures that come too near.
* TakenForGranite: Every few rounds, a marruspawn abomination can loose a "howl ofmaugs on opposite sides of a war. This results in horrendous casualties as the maugs lead their troops fossilization," forcing all within 30 feet to clash repeatedly until one save or both sides is ground down turn to nearly nothing. Then the maugs are liable to group up and go off to find a new war to fight in as if nothing happened.
* ArmorPiercingAttack:stone. They can make a "Pulverize" action also cast ''flesh to salt'' three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.day.
* BeastMan: While their sizes and coloration may vary, all known marruspawn appear as humanoids with the heads of jackals.
* FinalSolution: After countless centuries of isolation, the marruspawn have recently become more proactive, after a marrutact named Wisdom proclaimed that he had received a message from the marru, telling him to purge the world of everything not spawned by the marru, to clear the way for their return. While not all marruspawn have heard Wisdom's message or believe it to be true, those who have embraced it have launched campaigns of genocide.
* HiveCasteSystem: The marruspawn subtypes all have different body sizes, so the skulking marrulurks are Small and slight, while the marrusaults are Large and brawny. While the various castes can interbreed, their progeny is always one of those subtypes, never a hybrid creature.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Once a year, a marruspawn of breeding age is chosen by each community to travel to the Cradle, a hidden structure rumored to be vital to the race's continued survival and containing the secrets of spawncraft. When those chosen return home a year later, they have no
* LivingWeapon: Marruspawn are, as their name suggests, the creations of an ancient people known as the marru, who used their science of "spawncraft" to
* MakeMeWannaShout: Marrusaults can let out a "howl of defiance" once per day, forcing those nearby to save or become fatigued or exhausted.
* StaffOfAuthority: The [[InTheHood robed]] marrutacts are also distinguished by their their masterwork staves, "a symbol of the forgotten spawncraft lore" that rather resembles the double helix of a DNA strand.
* SuperSenses: Marruspawn have low-light vision, as well as exceptional hearing -- they can detect the presence of corporeal creatures by the sound of their heartbeat, breathing, or movement, out to 30 feet, and pinpoint their location if the marruspawn is within 5 feet.
* UnusableEnemyEquipment: The marruspawn have a variety of "zymes" that, when imbibed by a marruspawn, grant them a temporary bonus like boosted movement speed, boosted bite attacks, or the ability to make whirlwind attacks. Non-marruspawn can only use them if they first drink a "marrucraft zyme," but the resulting painful biological changes cause them to take damage at the start and end of the concoction's duration.
* WeaponizedStench: Marrulurks can exhale a 10-foot cone of nauseating gas once per day.
* WhiteMagic: While marrutacts are primarily wizards, they can also let loose a "howl of healing" once per day that heals all marruspawn within 30 feet.
!!Marruspawn Abomination
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_marruspawn_abomination_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 19 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any Evil
A savage and mighty marruspawn with a spark of godhood, who was the downfall of its creators.
----
* DeityOfHumanOrigin: While most abominations are born from "misguided deific concourse," the marru created their own by stealing the blood and essence of a deity to give one of their champions unparalleled power. The resulting marruspawn abomination is thought to have triggered the collapse of the marru civilization, either due to the machinations of the deity whose power was stolen, or the actions of the abomination itself.
* EnemySummoner: Three times per day, they can summon Gargantuan, fiendish, monstrous scorpions.
* NoSell: As an abomination, it's immune to polymorphing, petrification, ability damage or drain, mind-influencing affects, and fire damage to boot.
* SealedEvilInACan: The one known marruspawn abomination is currently imprisoned deep underground, bound by both spells and preservative fluid. Even so, its dreams sometimes
* TakenForGranite: Every few rounds, a marruspawn abomination can loose a "howl of
* ArmorPiercingAttack:
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.
Changed line(s) 156,163 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Meazel]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_meazel_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Humanoid (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_meazel_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Humanoid (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
Hulking creatures of living stone from the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, who hire themselves out as mercenaries to give meaning to their existence.
Changed line(s) 165,171 (click to see context) from:
* BackStab: 3rd Edition meazels can deal extra Sneak Attack damage to flanked or surprised foes.
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
to:
* BackStab: 3rd Edition meazels ApeShallNeverKillApe: Downplayed; maugs have no reason to wage war on each other, but sometimes their mercenary work puts two groups of maugs on opposite sides of a war. This results in horrendous casualties as the maugs lead their troops to clash repeatedly until one or both sides is ground down to nearly nothing. Then the maugs are liable to group up and go off to find a new war to fight in as if nothing happened.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They candeal extra Sneak Attack damage to flanked or surprised foes.
make a "Pulverize" action three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
*{{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead use to improve and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin diseaseaugment themselves, such as fists that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and Constitution damage.allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
*{{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs arediseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to theirshadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowingemployer, making them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.perfect mercenaries.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They can
*
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease
*
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
Changed line(s) 174,175 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Medusa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 177,182 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusa_d&d.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
Added DiffLines:
* BackStab: 3rd Edition meazels can deal extra Sneak Attack damage to flanked or surprised foes.
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Medusa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusa_d&d.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
----
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Medusa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusa_d&d.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
----
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Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]'': Non-human Pantheons ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDemihumanDeities Demihuman Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiantDeities Giant Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGoblinoidDeities Goblinoid Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsScalykindDeities Scalykind Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUnderdarkDeities Underdark Deities]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsElderEvils Elder Evils]]\\
to:
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]'': Real-World Deities ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRealWorldDeitiesAtoF A to F]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRealWorldDeitiesGtoZ G to Z ]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsLiteraryDeities Literary Deities]] | Non-human Pantheons ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDemihumanDeities Demihuman Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiantDeities Giant Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGoblinoidDeities Goblinoid Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsScalykindDeities Scalykind Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUnderdarkDeities Underdark Deities]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsElderEvils Elder Evils]]\\
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Changed line(s) 15,16 (click to see context) from:
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | [[Characters/ForgottenRealmsFactions Factions]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) ]] -]]]
to:
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | [[Characters/ForgottenRealmsFactions Factions]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) | Characters/{{Spelljammer}} ]] -]]]
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Changed line(s) 15,16 (click to see context) from:
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) ]] -]]]
to:
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | [[Characters/ForgottenRealmsFactions Factions]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) ]] -]]]
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Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesA A]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesB B]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesC C]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesD D]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesE E]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF F]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesG G]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesH H]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | '''M''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesS S]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends Fiends]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures Setting-Specific Creatures]]\\
to:
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesA A]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesB B]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesC C]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesD D]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesE E]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF F]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesG G]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesH H]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | '''M''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesS S]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends Fiends]] ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons Demons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDevils Devils]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsYugoloths Yugoloths]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures Setting-Specific Creatures]]\\
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[[folder:Mockery Bug]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mockery_drone_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mockery drone (3e)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mockery_drone_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mockery drone (3e)]]
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 739,742 (click to see context) from:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (mockery drone), 14 (mockery monarch) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Neutral Evil
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster with a silvery carapace and dangerous intelligence, which quickly leaves the nest to strike out on its own. These mockery monarchs are able to spawn copies of humanoids they consume, and send those mockery drones to lure more victims to their lairs.
'''Alignment:''' Neutral Evil
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster with a silvery carapace and dangerous intelligence, which quickly leaves the nest to strike out on its own. These mockery monarchs are able to spawn copies of humanoids they consume, and send those mockery drones to lure more victims to their lairs.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (mockery drone), 14 (mockery monarch) 11 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''Neutral Evil
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monsterChaoticNeutral
Huge predators witha silvery carapace and dangerous intelligence, which quickly leaves oversized, acidic jaws that hunt in the nest to strike out on its own. These mockery monarchs are able to spawn copies Windswept Depths of humanoids they consume, and send those mockery drones to lure more victims to their lairs.Pandemonium.
'''Alignment:'''
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster
Huge predators with
Changed line(s) 744,753 (click to see context) from:
* AcidAttack: Like true ankhegs, mockery monarchs deal acid damage with their bite attacks, while mockery drones can spit a long line of acid every six hours.
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born with incoherent fragments of memories from their previous lives, and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so well. As a result, they're prone to behavior like tilling the same patch of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, and it spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable of normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born with incoherent fragments of memories from their previous lives, and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so well. As a result, they're prone to behavior like tilling the same patch of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, and it spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable of normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
to:
* AcidAttack: Like true ankhegs, mockery monarchs deal acid damage with Mivilorns' pronounced jowls contain acid-producing glands, and acidic drool often drips even when their mouths are closed -- thus, their bite attacks, while mockery drones attacks deal additional acid damage, and a large part of a mivilorn's digestion occurs before its prey is swallowed. They can spit also, three times per day, spew out a long line 15-foot cone of acid every six hours.
as a BreathWeapon attack.
*ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born CanisMajor: They're more or less extraplanar mastiffs with incoherent fragments of memories from their previous lives, the size and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so well. As a result, they're prone to behavior like tilling the same patch build of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
elephants.
*AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery dronesHorseOfADifferentColor: Mivilorns are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] prized as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, war mounts by some demons, though without magical assistance, there's no going back, a chance they'll try to murder inept riders or trainers.
* MonsterMouth: Their oversized mouths are eight feet wide, andit spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of thetheir jaws can open up to seven feet apart. When mivilorns charge, they try and scoop up prey with their gaping maws -- either one Large creature, or two adjacent Medium-sized creatures they eat, but are incapable of normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock inat a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
time.
* SwallowedWhole: A variant, in that the victim doesn't immediately make it to the monster's belly. Anythingbitten that a mivilorn hits with its bite attack has to save or get caught in its jaws and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular jowls the next round, where it takes automatic bite and acid damage. After three rounds of chewing, the mivilorn will spit out its prey to see if it's dead; if not, it'll bite and bludgeoning chew it some more. But if a trapped creature manages to deal enough damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point to the monarch can spawn inside of a fresh mockery drone that looks like mivilorn's mouth, it'll spit the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]morsel out.
*
*
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones
* MonsterMouth: Their oversized mouths are eight feet wide, and
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: A variant, in that the victim doesn't immediately make it to the monster's belly. Anything
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
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[[folder:Modron]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_modrons_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Pentadrone and monodrone (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/8 (monodrone), 1/4 (doudrone), 1/2 (tridrone), 1 (quadrone), 2 (pentadrone) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Clockwork creatures from the plane of Mechanus, modrons are living personifications of law and order. They follow a rigid hierarchical society where every modron interacts only with others of its own rank and with its immediate inferiors or superiors: anything further away is beyond their comprehension.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_modrons_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Pentadrone and monodrone (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/8 (monodrone), 1/4 (doudrone), 1/2 (tridrone), 1 (quadrone), 2 (pentadrone) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Clockwork creatures from the plane of Mechanus, modrons are living personifications of law and order. They follow a rigid hierarchical society where every modron interacts only with others of its own rank and with its immediate inferiors or superiors: anything further away is beyond their comprehension.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:Pentadrone and monodrone (5e)]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mockery drone (3e)]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Clockwork creatures from the plane of Mechanus, modrons are living personifications of law and order. They follow a rigid hierarchical society where every modron interacts only
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster with
Changed line(s) 765,772 (click to see context) from:
* AirborneMook: Quadrones are the only winged variant of modrons, and often combine this with their proficiency with bows to serve as aerial ranged support for modron forces.
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gears of Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of modrons to survey the Outer Planes of the Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful and important the modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they're often fairly difficult for mortals to communicate with -- modrons are utterly devoted to their assigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, and literally incapable of thinking in terms of good and evil. None of them are humanoid except for Primus himself and his immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while their immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent of unusual sea animals.
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gears of Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of modrons to survey the Outer Planes of the Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful and important the modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they're often fairly difficult for mortals to communicate with -- modrons are utterly devoted to their assigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, and literally incapable of thinking in terms of good and evil. None of them are humanoid except for Primus himself and his immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while their immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent of unusual sea animals.
to:
* AirborneMook: Quadrones are the only winged variant of modrons, and often combine this AcidAttack: Like true ankhegs, mockery monarchs deal acid damage with their proficiency bite attacks, while mockery drones can spit a long line of acid every six hours.
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born withbows to serve as aerial ranged support for modron forces.
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gearsincoherent fragments of Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of modrons to survey the Outer Planes of the Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerfulmemories from their previous lives, and important the modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class aswell. As a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order thatresult, they're often fairly difficult for mortals prone to communicate with -- modrons are utterly devoted behavior like tilling the same patch of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In theirassigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, andliterally it spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable ofthinking in terms normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable ofgood reproducing normally, and evil. None of them are humanoid except for Primus himself and his immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of unusual sea animals.those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born with
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gears
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, and
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable of
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
Changed line(s) 775,782 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Mongrelfolk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mongrelfolk_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/3 (3E), 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral (2E, 3E), Any (5E)
Humanoids that bear the physical marks of generations of crossbreeding, such as mismatched limbs and uneven features.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mongrelfolk_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/3 (3E), 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral (2E, 3E), Any (5E)
Humanoids that bear the physical marks of generations of crossbreeding, such as mismatched limbs and uneven features.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Humanoids that bear
Clockwork creatures from the
Changed line(s) 784,791 (click to see context) from:
* ArtEvolution: How deformed they are varies by edition, with earlier art depicting "Mongrelmen" with occasional animal limbs and features that were part-reptile, part-mammal, before 3rd Edition toned them down into merely ugly goblin-like creatures, only for 5th Edition to swing the other way.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
to:
* ArtEvolution: How deformed they AirborneMook: Quadrones are varies by edition, with earlier art depicting "Mongrelmen" with occasional animal limbs and features that were part-reptile, part-mammal, before 3rd Edition toned them down into merely ugly goblin-like creatures, the only for 5th Edition to swing the other way.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil,winged variant of modrons, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along often combine this with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing proficiency with bows to serve as aerial ranged support for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
modron forces.
*{{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the overriding goal gears of their kind; they give members Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of their kind modrons to survey the title "The Survivor" Outer Planes of the way other races would term someone "The Great".
Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
*FantasticRacism: They're often driven out LawfulStupid: As personifications of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, Law without Good or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to every race, even if they don't quite belong to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any of order given them.
*TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful and important the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they'regenerally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a settingoften fairly difficult for mortals to communicate with dozens -- modrons are utterly devoted to their assigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, and literally incapable of thinking in terms of good and evil. None of them are humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended except for a particular race without difficulty, Primus himself and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples ofhis immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.unusual sea animals.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil,
*
*
*
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they're
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
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[[folder:Moon Dog]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Canine celestials from
Humanoids that bear the
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* ArtEvolution: How deformed they are varies by edition, with earlier art depicting "Mongrelmen" with occasional animal limbs and features that were part-reptile, part-mammal, before 3rd Edition toned them down into merely ugly goblin-like creatures, only for 5th Edition to swing the other way.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Moon Dog]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
----
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Moon Dog]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
----
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[[folder:Mindshredder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mindshredder_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mindshredder warrior, larva and zenthal (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (larva), 4 (warrior), 8 (zenthal) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Monsters that must drain mental energy from their prey to fuel their metamorphosis into stronger forms. Despite their names, they are not related to illithids.
----
* DeflectorShields: Mindshredder zenthals are surrounded by a faintly-glowing blue aura that provides similar benefits as the ''shield'' spell, improving their Armor Class and allowing them to NoSell ''{{magic missile|storm}}'' attacks.
* ItCanThink: By the time they reach zenthal stage, a mindshredder has above-average intelligence, is capable of speech, and knows how to direct their lesser kin, as well as use their ''[[StupidityInducingAttack confusion]]'' and ''[[MassHypnosis hypnotic pattern]]'' spell-like abilities to fullest effect.
* {{Metamorphosis}}: After draining a sufficient amount of Wisdom from their prey, mindshredders can build a chrysalis and emerge a month later in a more powerful form.
* OurCentaursAreDifferent: Zenthals are easily distinguished from the purely quadrupedal mindshredder warriors by their upright torsos, making them look something like aberrant centaurs.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: These creatures have a "thought sense," allowing them to detect the thoughts of other beings (with Intelligence 3 or greater), and even pinpoint their location if such a creature is invisible. The older the mindshredder, the longer the range of this ability, from 20 feet for larvae to 60 feet for zenthals.
* VampiricDraining: Mindshredders' natural weapon attacks, or simple melee touch attacks, deal [[NonHealthDamage Wisdom damage]] to victims based on the mindshredder's age category, healing the monster in the process.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: Mindshredder zenthals are clever enough to set this up, by establishing a secondary outpost or two some distance from the main mindshredder colony, and ensuring that all mindshredder attacks are routed through that outpost. Should their enemies track the attacks to the "source," the outpost's defenders will fight to the death to sell the idea that it's the only mindshredder nest in the area, and it takes a very learned scholar of aberrant creatures to realize that a mindshredder outpost is only a satellite of a larger colony.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mindshredder_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mindshredder warrior, larva and zenthal (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (larva), 4 (warrior), 8 (zenthal) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Monsters that must drain mental energy from their prey to fuel their metamorphosis into stronger forms. Despite their names, they are not related to illithids.
----
* DeflectorShields: Mindshredder zenthals are surrounded by a faintly-glowing blue aura that provides similar benefits as the ''shield'' spell, improving their Armor Class and allowing them to NoSell ''{{magic missile|storm}}'' attacks.
* ItCanThink: By the time they reach zenthal stage, a mindshredder has above-average intelligence, is capable of speech, and knows how to direct their lesser kin, as well as use their ''[[StupidityInducingAttack confusion]]'' and ''[[MassHypnosis hypnotic pattern]]'' spell-like abilities to fullest effect.
* {{Metamorphosis}}: After draining a sufficient amount of Wisdom from their prey, mindshredders can build a chrysalis and emerge a month later in a more powerful form.
* OurCentaursAreDifferent: Zenthals are easily distinguished from the purely quadrupedal mindshredder warriors by their upright torsos, making them look something like aberrant centaurs.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: These creatures have a "thought sense," allowing them to detect the thoughts of other beings (with Intelligence 3 or greater), and even pinpoint their location if such a creature is invisible. The older the mindshredder, the longer the range of this ability, from 20 feet for larvae to 60 feet for zenthals.
* VampiricDraining: Mindshredders' natural weapon attacks, or simple melee touch attacks, deal [[NonHealthDamage Wisdom damage]] to victims based on the mindshredder's age category, healing the monster in the process.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: Mindshredder zenthals are clever enough to set this up, by establishing a secondary outpost or two some distance from the main mindshredder colony, and ensuring that all mindshredder attacks are routed through that outpost. Should their enemies track the attacks to the "source," the outpost's defenders will fight to the death to sell the idea that it's the only mindshredder nest in the area, and it takes a very learned scholar of aberrant creatures to realize that a mindshredder outpost is only a satellite of a larger colony.
[[/folder]]
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* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as a guardian, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are to intruders.
to:
* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as a guardian, guardians, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are to intruders.
Changed line(s) 103 (click to see context) from:
* SinisterStingrays: it is a flying monster that bears a strong resemblance to a manta ray and has an 85% chance to attack other creatures. Its long tail has a stinger that can do significant damage each time it hits and does quadruple damage each time it hits an opponent in successive rounds of combat.
to:
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mantari_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
----
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays:it is a Mantari are flying monster monsters that bears bear a strong resemblance to a manta ray rays (leading to speculation about their relation to cloakers and has an 85% chance to attack other creatures. Its long tail has a stinger that can do significant damage each time it hits trappers), and does quadruple damage each time it hits an opponent are aggressive enough to go after adventurers. Most mantari are only about four feet across, but there are rumors of "greater" mantari in successive rounds the depths of combat.the Underdark with 10-foot wingspans.
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying rays that inhabit caves and dungeons, usually feeding on vermin, but they're likely to attack larger creatures.
----
* AttackAnimal: Young mantari can be trained by those looking for a guard animal or pest controller.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their mouths are used only for eating, so mantari attack by hovering over foes, jabbing with their tails while keeping the rest of their bodies out of reach.
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: Mantari have an innate, magical flight ability, so their "wings" are mainly used to maneuver.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: When lying on the dungeon or cave floor, a mantari might be mistaken for a puddle of brackish water.
* PoisonousPerson: Their tails carry a poison that [[NonHealthDamage damages the victim's Strength and Dexterity]], while mantari themselves are mildly poisonous -- anyone who consumes their flesh has to save or be incapacitated with nausea.
* SinisterStingrays:
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[[folder:Malasynep]]
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/malasnyep.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
25-foot-long arctic cetaceans, brilliant but murderous, who use their cryokinesis to attack anything that enters their territories.
----
* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as a guardian, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are to intruders.
* DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are orca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that have a primal need to attack and kill other creatures.
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are wide enough to swallow even Large prey whole.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/malasnyep.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
25-foot-long arctic cetaceans, brilliant but murderous, who use their cryokinesis to attack anything that enters their territories.
----
* AttackAnimal: Sometimes stronger arctic creatures are able to enslave or bargain with malasyneps and use them as a guardian, but the monsters' extreme territoriality means they can be just as dangerous to the beings they're supposedly protecting as they are to intruders.
* DeviousDolphins: Malasyneps are orca-sized, dolphin-like monsters that have a primal need to attack and kill other creatures.
* AnIcePerson: Their PsychicPowers allow them to use the cold-damage variants of ''energy emanation'' at will, and ''energy flash'' once per day.
* SapientCetaceans: Malasyneps have genius-level intellects, and speak Aquan.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can sense heat out to 60 feet, and can concentrate to pinpoint the exact location and strength of the heat auras over a few rounds.
* SwallowedWhole: Their jaws are wide enough to swallow even Large prey whole.
[[/folder]]
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* TookALevelInDumbass: As stated above, the vampiric transformation scours away all rational thought from the illithid's mind, leaving behind nothing but a feral predator.
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[[folder:Mantari]]
* SinisterStingrays: it is a flying monster that bears a strong resemblance to a manta ray and has an 85% chance to attack other creatures. Its long tail has a stinger that can do significant damage each time it hits and does quadruple damage each time it hits an opponent in successive rounds of combat.
[[/folder]]
* SinisterStingrays: it is a flying monster that bears a strong resemblance to a manta ray and has an 85% chance to attack other creatures. Its long tail has a stinger that can do significant damage each time it hits and does quadruple damage each time it hits an opponent in successive rounds of combat.
[[/folder]]
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Changed line(s) 531 (click to see context) from:
Servitors of the illithid god-brain Ilsensine, these horrors can be found guarding his demense in the Caverns of Thought beneath the Outlands, or traveling the planes, accumulating knowledge for their master.
to:
Servitors of the illithid god-brain Ilsensine, these horrors can be found guarding his its demense in the Caverns of Thought beneath the Outlands, or traveling the planes, accumulating knowledge for their master.
Changed line(s) 591 (click to see context) from:
* CombatTentacles: Mind worms can create "probe worms," tentacles composed of crackling red energy they extend not from their bodies, but any pool of fluid or reflective surface the mind worm can see. These tentacles have a 15 foot reach, deal [[NonHealthDamage Constitution drain]] with their attacks, and on a critical hit subject a victim to the mind worm's "Far Swallow" ability. What's frightening is that the mind worm can use its psionic scrying ability to potentially make these tentacles form remotely, even across planar boundaries. Fortunately, these probe worms can be targeted and destroyed, forcing the mind worm to regenerate them over a week.
to:
* CombatTentacles: Mind worms can create up to four "probe worms," tentacles composed of crackling red energy they extend not from their bodies, but any pool of fluid or reflective surface the mind worm can see. These tentacles have a 15 foot 15-foot reach, deal [[NonHealthDamage Constitution drain]] with their attacks, and on a critical hit subject a victim to the mind worm's "Far Swallow" ability. What's frightening is that the mind worm can use its psionic scrying ability to potentially make these tentacles form remotely, even across planar boundaries. Fortunately, these probe worms can be targeted and destroyed, forcing the mind worm to regenerate them over a week.
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* ShockAndAwe: When roused to anger, mortai can throw lightning bolts at will, and will crackle and glow like a thunderhead in a storm.
to:
* ShockAndAwe: When roused to anger, mortai can throw lightning bolts at will, while crackling and will crackle and glow glowing like a thunderhead in a storm.
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[[folder:Mu Spore]]
[[quoteright:305:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mu_spore_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:305:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 21 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
60-foot-tall ambulatory fungi that wander in dark places, attacking and consuming everything they encounter.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can "cough" out a cloud of spores in a huge cone, which burrow into other creatures, dealing heavy nonspecified damage.
* CombatTentacles: Mu spores have tendrils they can use to attack and grab opponents.
* FungusHumongous: They look something like walking toadstools the size of redwood trees.
* StickySituation: Beyond its combat tentacles, a mu spore is also covered with sticky tendrils dangling over its body, which can yank weapons out of attackers' hands, or restrain those that attack the monster with their natural weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Their "heads" are mostly a wide, toothy maw they can use to swallow opponents they grab with their tentacles or hit with their bite attack.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:305:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mu_spore_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:305:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 21 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
60-foot-tall ambulatory fungi that wander in dark places, attacking and consuming everything they encounter.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can "cough" out a cloud of spores in a huge cone, which burrow into other creatures, dealing heavy nonspecified damage.
* CombatTentacles: Mu spores have tendrils they can use to attack and grab opponents.
* FungusHumongous: They look something like walking toadstools the size of redwood trees.
* StickySituation: Beyond its combat tentacles, a mu spore is also covered with sticky tendrils dangling over its body, which can yank weapons out of attackers' hands, or restrain those that attack the monster with their natural weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Their "heads" are mostly a wide, toothy maw they can use to swallow opponents they grab with their tentacles or hit with their bite attack.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Moonrat]]
[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moonrat_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:330:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Always Evil
Normal-looking rodents whose intelligence and strength are enhanced by moonlight, allowing them to set into motion sinister plots.
----
* TheChessmaster: When their intelligence is maximized by a full moon, moonrats are capable of schemes so subtle and intricate that by the time other creatures realize what's happening, it's too late to stop it.
* {{Lunacy}}: Moonrats' base Strength and Intelligence are a paltry 2, but in moonlight they are enhanced, by +1 point in the light of a crescent moon, to +8 during a full moon, with additional negative modifiers for fog or cloud cover. Moonlight gives these creatures the ability to converse with each other, remember events of months past, operate complex devices, and formulate plans that will require multiple full moons to complete.
* SwarmOfRats: Moonrats don't just attack ''en masse'', hitting harder than ordinary rats, [[ItCanThink they can also be as intelligent as an average human.]]
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moonrat_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:330:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Always Evil
Normal-looking rodents whose intelligence and strength are enhanced by moonlight, allowing them to set into motion sinister plots.
----
* TheChessmaster: When their intelligence is maximized by a full moon, moonrats are capable of schemes so subtle and intricate that by the time other creatures realize what's happening, it's too late to stop it.
* {{Lunacy}}: Moonrats' base Strength and Intelligence are a paltry 2, but in moonlight they are enhanced, by +1 point in the light of a crescent moon, to +8 during a full moon, with additional negative modifiers for fog or cloud cover. Moonlight gives these creatures the ability to converse with each other, remember events of months past, operate complex devices, and formulate plans that will require multiple full moons to complete.
* SwarmOfRats: Moonrats don't just attack ''en masse'', hitting harder than ordinary rats, [[ItCanThink they can also be as intelligent as an average human.]]
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Mooncalf]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored
Nocturnal horrors that are normally content to
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* CombatTentacles: A mooncalf has six short tentacles that it uses for close combat and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
to:
* ArtifactOfAttraction: Each moonbeast is bound to a specific pearl-like gem called a moonstone, which are sometimes worked into expensive jewelry or magic items. Anyone who takes ownership of a moonstone for several weeks has to succeed at a Will save or become obessed with it, unwilling to relinquish it for any reason.
* ArtifactOfDeath: Unfortunately for the moonstone's owner, at some point the moonbeast bound to it will awaken and begin steadily tracking the item down to try and kill the owner. Weirdly enough, moonbeasts quickly lose interest in their moonstones after recovering them, and more often than not abandon the things as they return to their lairs, thus allowing others to take possession of the gems and begin the cycle anew.
* CombatTentacles:A mooncalf has six short They are in fact mostly tentacles, drag themselves forward by them, and can make ten tentacle rake attacks each round, potentially [[TentacleRope grappling and constricting]] foes they hit.
* EldritchAbomination: Moonbeasts are squishy, slimy cylinders of flesh 20 to 30 feet high, with rings of barbed tentaclesthat it uses for close combat encircling either end of their trunks, and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examinationset of dead mooncalves reveals that [[EyeOnAStalk eyestalks]] on each end of their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, as well. Despite their size, they're capable of distilling squeezing through a five-foot square, and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything they leave a trail of glistening slime behind them. Nobody knows where moonbeasts come from, only that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that existobviously have no part in the void between worlds.
natural world.
*WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords InvisibleMonsters: They can tap into cast ''improved invisibility'' at will, and thus it's easier to detect a moonbeast by its horrid smell and the noises it makes while attacking.
* ShockAndAwe: Among theirmoongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.offensive magic, moonbeasts can cast ''lightning bolt'' at will and ''{{chain lightning}}'' once per day.
* ArtifactOfDeath: Unfortunately for the moonstone's owner, at some point the moonbeast bound to it will awaken and begin steadily tracking the item down to try and kill the owner. Weirdly enough, moonbeasts quickly lose interest in their moonstones after recovering them, and more often than not abandon the things as they return to their lairs, thus allowing others to take possession of the gems and begin the cycle anew.
* CombatTentacles:
* EldritchAbomination: Moonbeasts are squishy, slimy cylinders of flesh 20 to 30 feet high, with rings of barbed tentacles
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist
*
* ShockAndAwe: Among their
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[[folder:Mooncalf]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
----
* CombatTentacles: A mooncalf has six short tentacles that it uses for close combat and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
----
* CombatTentacles: A mooncalf has six short tentacles that it uses for close combat and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Myconid]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:287:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among
[[caption-width-right:287:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood or NeutralGood
Immense, cloud-like beings who drift through the
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* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
to:
* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course ofAttackItsWeakPoint: While their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow cloudy forms are quite difficult to eleven harm, mortai do have glowing radiant cores that are vulnerable to physical damage (from sufficiently enchanted weapons). "'Course, finding a sphere 10 feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that liveacross in a cloud encompassing a couple of cubic miles wouldn't be an easy feat, especially if the mortai were throwing lightning at the bashers trying to find the needle in the Underdark.
haystack."
*MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure {{Cumulonemesis}}: A rare Good example. In their days into three parts: eight hours "natural" forms, mortai resemble nothing other than miles-wide clouds.
* GeniusLoci: One theory about the mortai is that they're manifestations ofwork, eight hours of rest, the Beastland's planar life force.
* KarmicTrickster: Mortai are usually content to drift andeight hours of observe, but if they spy a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused creature below that seems to be taking itself too seriously, mortai might prank them by repeatedly knocking their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves andhat off with outsiders.strategic gusts of wind, or send a PersonalRaincloud to follow them around.
* MindHive: Another theory about mortai's origins is that they're congregations of lesser wind spirits, one seemingly supported by accounts that those conversing with mortai have heard laughter and voices within the creature's cloudy form.
* NoSell: Physical attacks just don't do anything to a mortai's cloudy body.
* {{Seers}}: They can cast ''legend lore'', and if approached respectfully might share their wisdom or information with mortals. Though mortai are also known to conceal their advice in riddles or half-answers, if they think [[FigureItOutYourself the supplicant would be better served discovering the answer themself.]]
* ShockAndAwe: When roused to anger, mortai can throw lightning bolts at will, and will crackle and glow like a thunderhead in a storm.
* SkyFace: Mortai can assume this form when interacting with lesser creatures, so that "great faces of wisdom and beauty" appear in their clouds.
* WeatherManipulation: They know magic like ''control weather'', ''gust of wind'', ''ice storm'', ''wind wall'', and so on.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live
*
* GeniusLoci: One theory about the mortai is that they're manifestations of
* KarmicTrickster: Mortai are usually content to drift and
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and
* MindHive: Another theory about mortai's origins is that they're congregations of lesser wind spirits, one seemingly supported by accounts that those conversing with mortai have heard laughter and voices within the creature's cloudy form.
* NoSell: Physical attacks just don't do anything to a mortai's cloudy body.
* {{Seers}}: They can cast ''legend lore'', and if approached respectfully might share their wisdom or information with mortals. Though mortai are also known to conceal their advice in riddles or half-answers, if they think [[FigureItOutYourself the supplicant would be better served discovering the answer themself.]]
* ShockAndAwe: When roused to anger, mortai can throw lightning bolts at will, and will crackle and glow like a thunderhead in a storm.
* SkyFace: Mortai can assume this form when interacting with lesser creatures, so that "great faces of wisdom and beauty" appear in their clouds.
* WeatherManipulation: They know magic like ''control weather'', ''gust of wind'', ''ice storm'', ''wind wall'', and so on.
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[[folder:Myconid]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
----
* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
----
* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
[[/folder]]
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!!Voidmind Creature
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_voidmind_grimlock_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A voidmind grimlock (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' As base creature (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' +1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil while enslaved
Illithid servitors who have had most of their brains consumed and replaced with psionically-charged goo, leaving them intelligent minions able to infiltrate their home settlements, while their mind flayer masters spy through their eyes.
----
* AcidAttack: Once per day, a voidmind creature can spray a cone of slime from their skulls, which deals acid damage, stuns victims, and causes them to take penalties to Will saves.
* CombatTentacles: They can extend a slimy tentacle from their skulls, which attacks of its own accord without interfering in the voidmind creature's actions
* GlamourFailure: Voidmind creatures can often pass for normal members of their races, but close exception will reveal the four wax plugs in its skull that occasionally leak greenish fluid, the sign of the creation process. Thus, voidmind creatures are prone to wearing hats, helmets or other head coverings.
* NoOntologicalInertia: The good news is that killing the three mind flayers who created the voidmind creature frees it from their control, the bad news is that this doesn't undo the physical changes made to the creature, which require magic like ''wish'' or ''miracle''.
* NoSell: They're immune to ability damage or drain, as well as any mind-affecting spells or abilities (since their minds are already enslaved, thank you very much).
* PsychicLink: A voidmind creature is bound to the three illithids who created it, and each of them can perceive the world through its senses, take control of their puppet as per ''dominate monster'', and most dangerously, utilize their psionic powers through the voidmind creature.
* WhoEvenNeedsABrain: Voidmind creatures only have a tiny bit of their brains intact, the part necessary to preserve the motor functions of their bodies. The psionic goo that fills their skulls not only takes up the function of the missing gray matter, it leaves the creature smarter than it was originally.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_voidmind_grimlock_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A voidmind grimlock (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' As base creature (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' +1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil while enslaved
Illithid servitors who have had most of their brains consumed and replaced with psionically-charged goo, leaving them intelligent minions able to infiltrate their home settlements, while their mind flayer masters spy through their eyes.
----
* AcidAttack: Once per day, a voidmind creature can spray a cone of slime from their skulls, which deals acid damage, stuns victims, and causes them to take penalties to Will saves.
* CombatTentacles: They can extend a slimy tentacle from their skulls, which attacks of its own accord without interfering in the voidmind creature's actions
* GlamourFailure: Voidmind creatures can often pass for normal members of their races, but close exception will reveal the four wax plugs in its skull that occasionally leak greenish fluid, the sign of the creation process. Thus, voidmind creatures are prone to wearing hats, helmets or other head coverings.
* NoOntologicalInertia: The good news is that killing the three mind flayers who created the voidmind creature frees it from their control, the bad news is that this doesn't undo the physical changes made to the creature, which require magic like ''wish'' or ''miracle''.
* NoSell: They're immune to ability damage or drain, as well as any mind-affecting spells or abilities (since their minds are already enslaved, thank you very much).
* PsychicLink: A voidmind creature is bound to the three illithids who created it, and each of them can perceive the world through its senses, take control of their puppet as per ''dominate monster'', and most dangerously, utilize their psionic powers through the voidmind creature.
* WhoEvenNeedsABrain: Voidmind creatures only have a tiny bit of their brains intact, the part necessary to preserve the motor functions of their bodies. The psionic goo that fills their skulls not only takes up the function of the missing gray matter, it leaves the creature smarter than it was originally.
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[[caption-width-right:247:3e]]
!!Eater of Knowledge
[[quoteright:301:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_eater_of_knowledge_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:301:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Servitors of the illithid god-brain Ilsensine, these horrors can be found guarding his demense in the Caverns of Thought beneath the Outlands, or traveling the planes, accumulating knowledge for their master.
----
* BrainFood: Eaters of knowledge don't have a neat "extract brain" attack, instead they can grapple victims and, in an agonizing process, tunnel nerve tendrils into the victim's skull, dealing both physical as well as [[NonHealthDamage Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity damage]] each round. After one to four rounds of boring, the nerve tendrils are in position and begin extracting chunks of gray matter, leading to death in at most three rounds with NoSavingThrow.
* EatBrainForMemories: The whole purpose behind their existence. Not only does this increase Ilsensine's knowledge, it also gives the eaters of knowledge access to the abilities of their victims, allowing them to potentially cast spells as a priest or wizard, sneak and backstab foes like a thief, or any combination of the above.
* MyBrainIsBig: Exaggerated to BodyHorror levels. Eaters of knowledge are bloated, reeking things with leathery hides stretched over their distended skulls, trailing ganglia and leaking brain matter.
* PsychicPowers: They know abilities from the telepathy, psychoportation and psychokinesis disciplines, such as ''disintegrate'', ''dimension door'' and ''invisibility''.
* WasOnceAMan: One theory on eaters of knowledge's creation is that Ilsensine removes the burnt-out brains of some of its servants and replaces them with a piece of its own gray matter.
[[quoteright:301:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_eater_of_knowledge_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:301:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Servitors of the illithid god-brain Ilsensine, these horrors can be found guarding his demense in the Caverns of Thought beneath the Outlands, or traveling the planes, accumulating knowledge for their master.
----
* BrainFood: Eaters of knowledge don't have a neat "extract brain" attack, instead they can grapple victims and, in an agonizing process, tunnel nerve tendrils into the victim's skull, dealing both physical as well as [[NonHealthDamage Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity damage]] each round. After one to four rounds of boring, the nerve tendrils are in position and begin extracting chunks of gray matter, leading to death in at most three rounds with NoSavingThrow.
* EatBrainForMemories: The whole purpose behind their existence. Not only does this increase Ilsensine's knowledge, it also gives the eaters of knowledge access to the abilities of their victims, allowing them to potentially cast spells as a priest or wizard, sneak and backstab foes like a thief, or any combination of the above.
* MyBrainIsBig: Exaggerated to BodyHorror levels. Eaters of knowledge are bloated, reeking things with leathery hides stretched over their distended skulls, trailing ganglia and leaking brain matter.
* PsychicPowers: They know abilities from the telepathy, psychoportation and psychokinesis disciplines, such as ''disintegrate'', ''dimension door'' and ''invisibility''.
* WasOnceAMan: One theory on eaters of knowledge's creation is that Ilsensine removes the burnt-out brains of some of its servants and replaces them with a piece of its own gray matter.
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These four-foot-long squirming, tentacled, sluglike creatures were mind flayer tadpoles who survived the fall of their civilization and were forced to evolve into a form capable of existing outside a host.
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These four-foot-long four-foot-long, squirming, tentacled, sluglike creatures were mind flayer tadpoles who survived the fall of their civilization and were forced to evolve into a form capable of existing outside a host.
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* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
to:
* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.more.
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* SoleSurvivor: Neothelids never arise intentionally, instead they're the result of some enemy wiping out a mind flayer community, leaving only the pool of mind flayer tadpoles at its heart. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. Desperation will force this survivor onto land where it hunts what it can, but should it ever devour an intelligent being, eating its brain triggers ceremorphosis, except without a host body to fuse with. The result is a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, as brilliant as a mind flayer but concerned only with hunting and consuming prey.
to:
* SoleSurvivor: Neothelids never arise intentionally, instead they're the result of some enemy wiping out a mind flayer community, leaving only the pool of mind flayer tadpoles at its heart. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. Desperation will force this survivor onto land where it hunts what it can, but should it ever devour an intelligent being, eating its brain triggers ceremorphosis, except without a host body to fuse with. The result is with -- the new neothelid becomes self-aware and its psionic powers awaken, but it remains a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, as brilliant as a mind flayer but savage, concerned only with hunting and consuming prey.more brains.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_nerve_swimmer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
Creatures derived from immature illithid tadpoles, used to torture, interrogate or puppet other creatures. Whether the mind flayers created them is unknown, as they can be found serving various evil beings, or their own ambitions.
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* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
to:
* ColdBloodedTorture: While inhabiting a host creature, a nerve swimmer swarm can, three times per day, inflict wracking pain, forcing the host to save or take [[NonHealthDamage Strength, Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* HiveMind: They're a swarm of bug-sized creatures that share a single consciousness, even as individuals die and are replaced.
* LivingLieDetector: A nerve swimmer swarm can use ''discern lies'' while inside another creature, three times per day.
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, andcontrol once per day can force them to do obey the bidding of their masters.
swarm's commands similar to a ''dominate monster'' spell, except since the nerve swimmers are directly controlling the victim's body it isn't considered a mind-affecting ability. They can also use a "Nerve Strike" ability to block the victim's nerve impulses, replicating a ''hold monster'' effect that again isn't considered a mind-affecting ability.
* HiveMind: They're a swarm of bug-sized creatures that share a single consciousness, even as individuals die and are replaced.
* LivingLieDetector: A nerve swimmer swarm can use ''discern lies'' while inside another creature, three times per day.
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and
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* PsychicPowers: These creature are also latent psions, with powers ranging from ''[[HolographicDisguise blur]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility blink]]'' to ''[[EmotionBomb crushing despair]]'', depending on species.
to:
* PsychicPowers: These creature are also latent psions, with powers ranging from ''[[HolographicDisguise blur]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility ''[[{{Intangibility}} blink]]'' to ''[[EmotionBomb crushing despair]]'', depending on species.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mind_worm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
Dripping, 60-foot-long, worm-like monsters that the illithids use to assassinate specific foes.
* CombatTentacles: Mind worms can create "probe worms," tentacles composed of crackling red energy they extend not from their bodies, but any pool of fluid or reflective surface the mind worm can see. These tentacles have a 15 foot reach, deal [[NonHealthDamage Constitution drain]] with their attacks, and on a critical hit subject a victim to the mind worm's "Far Swallow" ability. What's frightening is that the mind worm can use its psionic scrying ability to potentially make these tentacles form remotely, even across planar boundaries. Fortunately, these probe worms can be targeted and destroyed, forcing the mind worm to regenerate them over a week.
* GeoEffects: When immersed in water, mind worms are totally aware of their surroundings, and so cannot be flanked or subject to critical hits.
* PsychicPowers: They share the illithids' signature ''mind blast'', on top of some other abilities.
* {{Seers}}: Mind worms can use ''greater scrying'' at will, which combined with their probe worms lets them replicate the infamous "scry and die" strategy against the illithids' enemies.
* GeoEffects: When immersed in water, mind worms are totally aware of their surroundings, and so cannot be flanked or subject to critical hits.
* PsychicPowers: They share the illithids' signature ''mind blast'', on top of some other abilities.
* {{Seers}}: Mind worms can use ''greater scrying'' at will, which combined with their probe worms lets them replicate the infamous "scry and die" strategy against the illithids' enemies.
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* SwallowedWhole: While mind worms have a bite attack, their "Far Swallow" ability triggers when their probe worms score a CriticalHit, at which point their target is instantly teleported into the mind worm's gizzard and subjected to crushing and acid damage.
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Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
to:
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* SoleSurvivor: Neothelids never arise intentionally, instead they're the result of some enemy wiping out a mind flayer community, leaving only the pool of mind flayer tadpoles at its heart. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. Desperation will force this survivor onto land where it hunts what it can, but should it ever devour an intelligent being, eating its brain triggers ceremorphosis, except without a host body to fuse with. The result is a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, as brilliant as a mind flayer but concerned only with hunting and consuming prey.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_illithocyte_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
These four-foot-long squirming, tentacled, sluglike creatures were mind flayer tadpoles who survived the fall of their civilization and were forced to evolve into a form capable of existing outside a host.
* HiveMind: Illithocytes share a communal consciousness, and any within 100 feet of one other are in constant psychic contact.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They have a "lifesense" ability that lets them pinpoint living creatures within 30 feet.
* TheSwarm: They're usually encountered in groups of three to 30 creatures.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They have a "lifesense" ability that lets them pinpoint living creatures within 30 feet.
* TheSwarm: They're usually encountered in groups of three to 30 creatures.
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'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
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'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (ustilagor), 7 (3E), (intellect devourer) (3E); 2 (5E)\\
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* AlienLunch: Their mindless larval forms, known as ustilagors, are raised as moist and delicious delicacies by the mind flayers.
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* BodyHorror: The dragon is mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and elder brain slime running out of its mouth.
to:
* BodyHorror: The dragon is mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and elder brain slime running out of its mouth. The artwork further shows that the elder brain has burrowed under the skin of the dragon's back and replaced the dragon's tongue with an ovipositor.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_illithidae_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A kigrid, embrac and saltor (3e)]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A kigrid, embrac and saltor (3e)]]
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* PsychicPowers: These creature are also latent psions, with powers ranging from ''[[HolographicDisguise blur]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility blink]]'' to ''[[EmotionBomb crushing despair]]'', depending on species.
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->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7\\
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''7\\7 (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
!!Kigrid
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Squat, feline predators that stalk prey in the tunnels of the Underdark.
----
* ItCanThink: Kigrids aren't just cunning enough to drive prey towards dead-end tunnels or cliffs, they can also understand most spoken languages and respond in Undercommon.
* PoisonousPerson: Their bite attacks deliver a [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity-damaging]] poison.
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Squat, feline predators that stalk prey in the tunnels of the Underdark.
----
* ItCanThink: Kigrids aren't just cunning enough to drive prey towards dead-end tunnels or cliffs, they can also understand most spoken languages and respond in Undercommon.
* PoisonousPerson: Their bite attacks deliver a [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity-damaging]] poison.
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->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3\\
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''3\\3 (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Added DiffLines:
* ItCanThink: They're intelligent enough to made crude tools to make their lives easier, and can speak Undercommon. This means parties who treat them well can trade metal tools for information about the region, though they would be wise to negotiate with the saltors from a position of strength.
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Changed line(s) 308 (click to see context) from:
* CoupDeGrace: In some rules, illithids can make an "extract brain" attack against a helpless or grappled foe, which for the vast majority of creatures is a OneHitKill. Combined with their ''Mind Blast'''s ability to stun targets for several rounds at a time, this makes mind flayers extremely dangerous even when they aren't using the rest of their psychic repertoire.
to:
* CoupDeGrace: In some rules, illithids can make an "extract brain" attack against a helpless or grappled foe, which for the vast majority of creatures is a OneHitKill. Combined with their ''Mind Blast'''s ''mind blast'''s ability to stun targets for several rounds at a time, this makes mind flayers extremely dangerous even when they aren't using the rest of their psychic repertoire.
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* PsychicPowers: Illithids have many psionic powers, the most infamous of which is their ''Mind Blast'', a cone-shaped psychic assault that stuns intelligent creatures long enough for the illithid to eat their brains.
to:
* PsychicPowers: Illithids have many psionic powers, the most infamous of which is their ''Mind Blast'', ''mind blast'', a cone-shaped psychic assault that stuns intelligent creatures long enough for the illithid to eat their brains.
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* NoSell: They're immune to acid attacks and other mind flayers' ''Mind Blast''.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shaped mind blast that serves as its equivalent of a BreathWeapon.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shaped mind blast that serves as its equivalent of a BreathWeapon.
to:
* NoSell: They're immune to acid attacks and other mind flayers' ''Mind Blast''.
''mind blast''.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shapedmind blast ''mind blast'' that serves as its equivalent of a BreathWeapon.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shaped
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!!Uchuulon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_uchuulon_3e.jpg]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_uchuulon_3e.jpg]]
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 423,426 (click to see context) from:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Also known as "slime chuuls," these creatures are technically failed ceremorphs since the illithid tadpole doesn't survive the implantation attempt, but the process reduces the chuul to a creature the illithids find a more tractable slave.
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Also known as "slime chuuls," these creatures are technically failed ceremorphs since the illithid tadpole doesn't survive the implantation attempt, but the process reduces the chuul to a creature the illithids find a more tractable slave.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''LawfulEvil
Also known as "slime chuuls,"NeutralEvil
Ceremorphosized lizardfolk, these creatures aretechnically failed ceremorphs since the illithid tadpole doesn't survive the implantation attempt, but the process reduces the chuul prized servants and bodyguards for their mind flayer masters, being loyal, sturdy, and intelligent enough to a creature the illithids find a more tractable slave.use their combat abilities to their fullest potential.
'''Alignment:'''
Also known as "slime chuuls,"
Ceremorphosized lizardfolk, these creatures are
Changed line(s) 428,433 (click to see context) from:
* ClippedWingAngel: The failed ceremorphosis makes uchuulons more sluggish than chuuls, and renders their carapace translucent.
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
to:
* ClippedWingAngel: The failed ceremorphosis makes uchuulons more sluggish than chuuls, and renders AcidAttack: Some tzakandi are capable of firing a glob of acid from their carapace translucent.
tentacles once per day.
*CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze ArtEvolution: Their 2nd Edition art depicts them as lizardfolk with a pair of tentacles extending out of the back of their skulls and down their necks, while 3rd Edition gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exudeconventional illithid head upon a paralytic secretion lizardfolk body. Though with the note that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take no two tzakandi look exactly alike, neither interpretation of them captive, or for is inaccurate.
* BloodKnight: While intelligent, tzakandi are also constantly on edge, looking forward to their next fight.
* {{Imprinting}}: Newly "born" tzakandi attach themselves to theuchuulon first illithid they see, obeying their orders without question.
* LizardFolk: They look like base lizardfolk tofeed.
!!Urophion
varying degrees, though their eyes are more intelligent.
* PsychicPowers: Some tzakandi have access to psionics from the disciplines of psychokinesis and psychometabolism, while others can make a ''mind blast'' once per day.
!!Uchuulon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_uchuulon_3e.jpg]]
*
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude
* BloodKnight: While intelligent, tzakandi are also constantly on edge, looking forward to their next fight.
* {{Imprinting}}: Newly "born" tzakandi attach themselves to the
* LizardFolk: They look like base lizardfolk to
!!Urophion
* PsychicPowers: Some tzakandi have access to psionics from the disciplines of psychokinesis and psychometabolism, while others can make a ''mind blast'' once per day.
!!Uchuulon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
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'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E)\\
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 6 (3E)\\
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A surprisingly viable roper ceremorph, these creatures are relegated to perimeter defense duty by their home colony.
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* ClippedWingAngel: The failed ceremorphosis makes uchuulons more sluggish than chuuls, and renders their carapace translucent.
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A surprisingly viable roper ceremorph, these creatures are relegated to perimeter defense duty by their home colony.
----
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A surprisingly viable roper ceremorph, these creatures are relegated to perimeter defense duty by their home colony.
----
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Generally speaking, only Medium-sized, mammalian humanoids produce "true" illithids through ceremorphosis, but the mind flayers are willing to experiment by implanting their tadpoles in other creatures. In most cases these efforts are unsuccessful, but in others, the result is a new creature that blends its original and illithid heritages to varying degrees, and typically inherits the mind flayers' brain-based diet and some degree of their psychic ability.
to:
Generally speaking, only Medium-sized, mammalian humanoids produce "true" illithids through ceremorphosis, but the mind flayers are willing to experiment by implanting their tadpoles in other creatures. In most cases these efforts are unsuccessful, but in others, the result is a new creature that blends its original and illithid heritages to varying degrees, and typically inherits the mind flayers' brain-based diet and some degree portion of their psychic ability.
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* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The main reason for brainstealer dragons' rarity is because the elder brains can't control them, and some of their great wyrms have taken control of mind flayer colonies.
to:
* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The main reason for brainstealer dragons' rarity is because that the elder brains can't control them, and some of their great wyrms have taken control of over mind flayer colonies.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gnome_ceremorph_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
In the rare cases a ceremorphosis attempt on a gnome doesn't fail outright, the result can be a Small illithid that, even more unusually, retains much of its past life's personality.
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* GadgeteerGenius: A gnome ceremorph retains fragmented memories of its previous life, including a penchant for invention.
to:
* DeathOfPersonality: As mentioned, averted. Gnome ceremorphs retain at least partial memories of their previous lives, and maintain most of their original personality. They still need to eat brains, and gain an illithid's desire to control and experiment, but are otherwise free to follow their original character alignment.
* GadgeteerGenius:A They retain their gnomish inclination towards tinkering, hence why the sample gnome ceremorph retains fragmented memories of its previous life, including has a penchant for invention.
fantastic laser pistol.
* {{Telepathy}}: While gnome ceremorphs are natural telepaths, they prefer to vocalize out loud, though their tentacles give them a "gooey" accent.
* GadgeteerGenius:
* {{Telepathy}}: While gnome ceremorphs are natural telepaths, they prefer to vocalize out loud, though their tentacles give them a "gooey" accent.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gnome_squidling_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
Other attempts to implant an illithid tadpole within a gnome result in these "squidlings," deformed and mentally-stunted creatures with limited psychic power, but a true illithid's hunger for brains.
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* PowerFloats: A gnome squidling keeps its body aloft with levitation and uses its tentacles like legs.
to:
* PowerFloats: A gnome squidling keeps its body aloft with BizarreAlienLocomotion: Gnome squidlings "walk" on two of their oversized face-tentacles, while using their psionics to ''levitate'' the rest of their bodies.
* ClippedWingAngel: They're dumber than either of their parent species, having the intellectual and emotional capacity of toddlers, and their psychic powers are limited to levitation anduses its tentacles like legs.
a weak "mind tickle" attack. As such, most gnome squidlings are killed off by their illithid creators as failed experiments.
* {{Telepathy}}: Gnome squidlings are telepathic, but limitedly so -- at best they can communicate a single word at a time, accompanied by a burst of emotion.
* ClippedWingAngel: They're dumber than either of their parent species, having the intellectual and emotional capacity of toddlers, and their psychic powers are limited to levitation and
* {{Telepathy}}: Gnome squidlings are telepathic, but limitedly so -- at best they can communicate a single word at a time, accompanied by a burst of emotion.
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Mindwitnesses are the result of a beholder being brought safely to the brine pool of the elder brain and converted through ceremorphosis. They're actually fairly docile, and if the mind flayers are removed from the equation they will just drift around looking for new masters.
to:
Mindwitnesses are the result of a beholder being brought safely to the brine pool of the elder brain and converted through ceremorphosis. They're actually fairly docile, and if the mind flayers are removed from the equation they will just drift around looking for new masters.
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* HappinessInSlavery: They're actually fairly docile, and if the mind flayers are removed from the equation they will just drift around looking for new masters.
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* BizarreAlienReproduction: Illithid reproduction is two-part; first, an adult illithid vomits up or lays (it depends on the sourcebook) a mass of gelatinous eggs in the elder brain's pool, which hatch into tadpole-like illithid larvae. Assuming they aren't eaten by others in the pond or the elder brain itself before maturing, they are then inserted into the ear of a helpless humanoid, whereupon they consume its brain and physically merge with its spinal column to become an adult illithid. Should the larva go for too long without implanting, which usually only happens if a mind flayer colony is destroyed and the larvae left to fend for themselves, it will grow into a massive, wormlike and largely mindless monster called a neothelid.
to:
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Illithid reproduction is two-part; first, an adult illithid vomits up or lays (it depends on the sourcebook) a mass of gelatinous eggs in the elder brain's pool, which hatch into tadpole-like illithid larvae. Assuming they aren't eaten by others in the pond or the elder brain itself before maturing, they the tadpoles are then inserted into the ear of a helpless humanoid, whereupon they consume its brain and physically merge with its spinal column to become an adult illithid. Should the larva go for too long without implanting, which usually only happens if a mind flayer colony is destroyed and the larvae left to fend for themselves, it will grow into a massive, wormlike and largely mindless monster called a neothelid.
Changed line(s) 311 (click to see context) from:
* HatesBeingAlone: Illithids' absolute desire to dominate is so ingrained into them that without minds to control they feel incomplete, and will put all other plans on hold to acquire more thralls lest they GoMadFromTheIsolation.
to:
* HatesBeingAlone: Illithids' absolute desire to dominate is so ingrained into them that without minds to control they feel incomplete, and will put all other plans on hold to acquire more thralls lest they GoMadFromTheIsolation. Mind flayers are also used to having the background psychic presence of their colony's elder brain, and so on missions outside its influence, they might bring along a "brainmate," a crystal globe containing a walnut-sized bud from the elder brain, which is nominally sentient and can respond to the mind flayer's telepathic questions... as well as perfectly record everything its bearer experiences, information the elder brain can acquire by simply re-absorbing the brainmate.
Changed line(s) 313 (click to see context) from:
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a mind flayer manages to extract an enemy's last or only brain, it dies instantly.
to:
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if If a mind flayer manages to extract an enemy's last or only brain, it the creature dies instantly.instantly, unless it has multiple heads or is undead.
* WeakenedByTheLight: Downplayed; illithids don't take damage or suffer any penalties from being in natural light, but they find the experience as repellent as a normal human would being immersed in blood. Some of the more ambitious elder brains thus scheme toward the goal of [[StarKilling extinguishing the sun.]]
Changed line(s) 359,363 (click to see context) from:
!!Elder Brain Dragon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_elder_brain_dragon_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 22 (5E)\\
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_elder_brain_dragon_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 22 (5E)\\
to:
Generally speaking, only Medium-sized, mammalian humanoids produce "true" illithids through ceremorphosis, but the mind flayers are willing to experiment by implanting their tadpoles in other creatures. In most cases these efforts are unsuccessful, but in others, the result is a new creature that blends its original and illithid heritages to varying degrees, and typically inherits the mind flayers' brain-based diet and some degree of their psychic ability.
!!Brainstealer Dragon
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 366 (click to see context) from:
A live dragon that has been captured by a mind flayer colony and infested by the local elder brain.
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* BodyHorror: The dragon is mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and elder brain slime running out of its mouth.
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite: When a mind flayer colony manages to capture a dragon, the elder brain latches onto the dragon's back and digs its tentacles into the dragon's brain, creating an elder brain dragon.
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon to grow its own roving colony.
!Ceremorphs
Creatures created by inserting illithid tadpoles in creatures other than medium-sized humanoids.
!!Brainstealer Dragon
[[quoteright:274:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainstealer_dragon.jpg]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies with age category (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Dragons created when a tadpole infects a dragon, which thankfully is a rare occurance.
----
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite: When a mind flayer colony manages to capture a dragon, the elder brain latches onto the dragon's back and digs its tentacles into the dragon's brain, creating an elder brain dragon.
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon to grow its own roving colony.
!Ceremorphs
Creatures created by inserting illithid tadpoles in creatures other than medium-sized humanoids.
!!Brainstealer Dragon
[[quoteright:274:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainstealer_dragon.jpg]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies with age category (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Dragons created when a tadpole infects a dragon, which thankfully is a rare occurance.
----
* TheChessmaster: Brainstealer dragons combine draconic hubris with illithid manipulativeness, and thus "view life as a game that they intend to win."
Changed line(s) 388 (click to see context) from:
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a brainstealer dragon manages to extract an enemy's only brain, it dies instantly.
to:
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a brainstealer dragon manages NoSell: They're immune to extract an enemy's only brain, it dies instantly.acid attacks and other mind flayers' ''Mind Blast''.
Changed line(s) 390 (click to see context) from:
to:
* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The main reason for brainstealer dragons' rarity is because the elder brains can't control them, and some of their great wyrms have taken control of mind flayer colonies.
Changed line(s) 494,502 (click to see context) from:
!!Illithocyte
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_intellect_devourer_5e.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_intellect_devourer_5e.png]]
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 504,508 (click to see context) from:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters created as guards by the illithids.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters created as guards by the illithids.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
(5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''7 (3E), 2 22 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters created as guardsLawfulEvil
A live dragon that has been captured by a mind flayer colony and parasitized by theillithids.local elder brain.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Brain-like monsters created as guards
A live dragon that has been captured by a mind flayer colony and parasitized by the
Changed line(s) 510,513 (click to see context) from:
* BrainMonster: An intellect devourer basically a brain running around on four little legs. Its modus operandi is to crack a victim's skull open, remove the brain and take its place.
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
to:
* BrainMonster: An intellect devourer basically a brain running around on four little legs. Its modus operandi BodyHorror: The dragon is to crack a victim's skull open, remove the mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and take elder brain slime running out of its place.
mouth.
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite:Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums When a mind flayer colony manages to capture a dragon, the elder brain latches onto the dragon's back and pupating their bodies digs its tentacles into the dragon's brain, creating an elder brain dragon.
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon toeither exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Wormgrow its own roving colony.
!!Illithocyte
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite:
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon to
!!Mind Worm
!!Illithocyte
Changed line(s) 515,516 (click to see context) from:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''LawfulEvilTrueNeutral
'''Alignment:'''
Changed line(s) 518,521 (click to see context) from:
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Living creatures struck by a mind worm's probe must succeed on a Will save or be shaken.
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.png]]
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.png]]
to:
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Living creatures struck by ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a mind worm's probe must succeed on a Will save or be shaken.
!!Neothelid
single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_intellect_devourer_5e.png]]
!!Neothelid
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 523,527 (click to see context) from:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E), 13 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E), 13 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
5E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''15 7 (3E), 13 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creaturesChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters createdwhen an illithid community is destroyed and as guards by the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.illithids.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures
Brain-like monsters created
Changed line(s) 529,534 (click to see context) from:
* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids to be abhorrent abominations and a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leaving the brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmer
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids to be abhorrent abominations and a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leaving the brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmer
to:
* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume BrainMonster: An intellect devourer basically a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelidsbrain running around on four little legs. Its modus operandi is to be abhorrent abominations and crack a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leavingvictim's skull open, remove the brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmerand take its place.
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leaving
!!Nerve Swimmer
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
Changed line(s) 536 (click to see context) from:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 17 (3E)\\
Changed line(s) 539,548 (click to see context) from:
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
to:
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.SupernaturalFearInducer: Living creatures struck by a mind worm's probe must succeed on a Will save or be shaken.
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''Undead Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''18 15 (3E), 10 13 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magicChaoticEvil
Neothelids areexiled as deviants, extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and for them no eternal communion with an the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a way to escape single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the permanency of death, wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic
Neothelids are
Changed line(s) 550,560 (click to see context) from:
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
to:
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
*AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids to be abhorrent abominations and a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon theirbasic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're thefellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer equivalent heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle ofliches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions,slime but leaving the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmer
->'''Classification:'''Undead (3E, 5E)\\
Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\10 (3E)\\
*
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their
* NonHumanUndead: They're the
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions,
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
!!Nerve Swimmer
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Deleted line(s) 562,563 (click to see context) :
Illithids who became vampires through an unknown process, which also destroyed their minds.
Added DiffLines:
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
----
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Illithids who became vampires through an unknown process, which also destroyed their minds.
----
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
----
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Illithids who became vampires through an unknown process, which also destroyed their minds.
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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%%
%% Not every folder needs an image for every edition in the game.
%% Unless a creature was given a significant redesign between editions, one image is plenty.
%%
%% We're not a D&D wiki, and it's not the end of the world if we don't have a folder for every creature to appear in a D&D supplement.
%% Before creating new folders, ask yourself if there's enough material to make the folder interesting to read.
%%
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[[WMG:[[center: [- ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' '''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragons Main Characters Index]]'''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClasses Character Classes by Edition]]:'' 1st to 3rd ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFirstToThirdEditionCoreClasses Core]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesOtherPreThirdEditionClasses Pre-3rd]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesOtherThirdEditionClasses 3rd Other]]) | 3rd & 3.5 ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesThirdEditionPrestigeClasses Prestige Classes]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesThreePointFiveEditionNPCClasses NPC Classes]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFourthEditionClasses 4th]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFifthEditionClasses 5th]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesA A]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesB B]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesC C]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesD D]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesE E]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF F]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesG G]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesH H]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | '''M''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesS S]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends Fiends]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures Setting-Specific Creatures]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]'': Non-human Pantheons ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDemihumanDeities Demihuman Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiantDeities Giant Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGoblinoidDeities Goblinoid Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsScalykindDeities Scalykind Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUnderdarkDeities Underdark Deities]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsElderEvils Elder Evils]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces Playable Races]]''\\
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) ]] -]]]
This page covers general ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' monsters such as can be found in the ''Monster Manual'' or in setting-agnostic books such as ''Volo's Guide to Monsters'' or ''Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes''. The creatures on this page can be found in any world of the ''D&D'' multiverse and can be encountered in just about any campaign.
For the game's iconic dragons, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons''. For demons and devils, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends''. For the various undead creatures, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead''. For creatures found only in specific settings, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures''.
[[foldercontrol]]
!!M
[[folder:Magen]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_magen_demos_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Demos magen (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (hypnos), 2 (demos), 3 (galvan) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Human-shaped constructs crafted by mages to be intelligent and perfectly obedient servants. Their name derives from ''gens magica'', or "magical people."
----
* AlienBlood: Past magens were alien for ''not'' bleeding or bruising in response to damage, though their current lore has the constructs "bleed" quicksilver.
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: In 2nd and 4th Edition magens have had gray-white flesh, but their 5th Edition incarnation has green skin. They can also be painted or decorated different colors.
* ArtificialHuman: They're a magical take on the trope, and apart from their skin color and hairless bodies, they look and feel like living things, to the extent that some can pass for human. Traditionally they're created in a weeks-long process involving an electrum mold, a gelatin-like mixture of ingredients, and a specific sequence of spells, while in 5th Edition this is streamlined, requiring only the ''create magen'' spell, a life-sized human doll, a vial of quicksilver, and a crystal rod.
* CharmPerson: Hypnos magens have the ability to ''charm'' other creatures, then make a telepathic ''suggestion''.
* CriticalFailure: The magen creation process in ''AD&D'' involves rolling a d20, naturally. Beyond the mixture simply failing to animate, other possible outcomes are the mold exploding to damage everything in a 10-foot radius, the final animating ''lightning bolt'' instead rebounding to hit the caster, or everything ''appearing'' to go right, only for a fiend to possess the newly-made magen and begin plotting to kill the mage.
* EnergyAbsorption: 4th Edition magens can absorb the energy from incoming spells, once per encounter. Demos magens gain a healing surge, caldron magens grow a temporary extra arm to attack with, galvan magens recharge their electricity attacks, and hypnos magens can counter-attack with a [[MindRape blast of psionic energy.]]
* TheGenericGuy: Demos magens are the most basic of their kind, possessing no innate powers compared to other varieties. This makes them the cheapest to produce, and suitable to be equipped as bodyguards.
* {{Golem}}: Magens are basically a cheaper substitute to conventional stone, iron, clay, etc. golems. On the one hand, they're a lot smaller and weaker than proper golems, and lack the latter's magic immunity/resistance, but magens are a lot less disruptive in the house or out in public, don't have a risk of going berserk in combat, and are intelligent enough to converse with their creators and not need carefully-worded instructions, even being capable of making simple decisions, given the right criteria with which to judge a situation.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Traditionally, the final step of the magen creation process involves zapping the mold with a ''lightning bolt''.
* TheNeedless: As constructs, they don't need to eat, drink or sleep.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: When destroyed, a magen's body is consumed in an acrid, multicolored burst of flame.
* RubberMan: The caldron magen variant can stretch its limbs up to 20 feet, and is particularly adept at grappling and restraining foes, at which point its skin [[AcidAttack secretes a dangerous acid.]]
* ShockAndAwe: Galvan magens can store static electricity, which they discharge as lightning bolts. Incidentally, they have a habit of attracting small metallic objects and making nearby beings' hair stand up.
* SignatureScent: Caldron magens have a sour, acidic scent, demos magens have a subtle metallic tang, and galvan magens smell of ozone.
* TheStoic: Magens are incapable of feeling emotion (but see below), though some may be taught to emulate it to aid in social interactions.
* UndyingLoyalty: Magens lack free will, and are totally obedient to their creators. Should their master die, magens tend to go into a berserk rampage until destroyed.
* WeaponizedTeleportation: What little is known about the rare scalos magens is that they can teleport other creatures with a touch, and are said to guard the ''Text of the Magenmaker'' that holds the secrets of creating every type of magen.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mageripper]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mageripper_swarm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Tiny, swarming pests that feed off of the magical power of living beings.
----
* BioweaponBeast: While their origins aren't especially clear, they're believed to have been created artificially to serve as living weapons against arcane spellcasters [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin (hence their name)]].
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Magerippers reproduce by budding off young from their backs after gorging themselves on magic.
* MagicEater: While magerippers can survive on a carnivorous diet, they much prefer to consume living creatures' magic, which is also essential to their reproduction. Mechanically-speaking, anyone they swarm over is subject to a ''{{dispel magic}}'' effect against a random ongoing spell effect every round, while spellcasters also [[ManaDrain lose one of the highest-level spell slots or prepared spells]]; in either case, the magerippers gain some temporary hit points from feeding. Fortunately, magerippers can't feed in this manner upon magic items, but will still crowd around them in frustrated confusion until a better food source presents itself.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: On top of having blindsense out to 30 feet, magerippers can also detect magical auras without that radius, and sense whether creatures have spellcasting ability.
* TheSwarm: Individual magerippers aren't especially formidable on their own, being bizarre foot-long creatures that weigh at most five pounds. Unfortunately, they're only ever encountered in swarms of up to three hundred creatures that are able to overwhelm their prey through sheer numbers and attrition. In fact, should a mageripper become separated from a swarm, it will quickly become sluggish and unresponsive before expiring.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Magmin]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_magmin_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Elemental beings from the Plane of Fire that resemble little gremlins made of magma.
----
* ActionBomb: Magmins explode when they die.
* LivingLava: They look like stumpy humanoids shaped from a black shell of lava.
* ObliviouslyEvil: Magmins aren't dedicated to evil like some elementals, but they love to watch things burn, and don't understand that other creatures find fire painful and deadly.
* PlayingWithFire: Their mere touch is hot enough to set people and flammable objects on fire.
* {{Pyromaniac}}: Magmins have a propensity for fire and havoc, viewing flammable objects as kindling. Only their summoners' control keeps them from setting everything ablaze.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Manticore]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_manticore.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_manticore_3e.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Man-eating monsters that bring human cunning to their predations.
----
* AttackAnimal: They're willing to ally themselves with other creatures, serving as aerial support, hunting companions, or guards for locations or individuals.
* FoodChainOfEvil: By working as a pack, manticores can bring down rival aerial creatures like griffons, chimeras or wyverns, but they fear and avoid dragons.
* IShallTauntYou: They shout insults when attacking, or offer to kill their victims quickly should they beg for mercy.
* OurManticoresAreSpinier: Most editions have given manticores a fairly straightforward appearance with a lion body, batlike wings, a human head with three rows of shark-like teeth, and a tail tipped with a cluster of spines that they can launch like arrows, but the 3.5 ''Monster Manual'' depicts them with low-slung, leopard spotted bodies and heads resembling twisted, monstrous monkeys more than anything else. Regardless of appearance, they're evil, aggressive beings with a taste for human flesh.
* SpikeShooter: Manticores can snap their tails like whips to send the spikes there flying like arrows, and tend to open fights with such a volley before diving into melee.
* ToServeMan: Manticores enjoy humanoid flesh, but particularly relish humans above all other prey.
-->'''[[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Marthok Uldarr]]:''' Manticores love the taste of human flesh. That's why, on trips through the mountains, I always travel with human bodyguards.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Maug]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maug_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Hulking creatures of living stone from the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, who hire themselves out as mercenaries to give meaning to their existence.
----
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Downplayed; maugs have no reason to wage war on each other, but sometimes their mercenary work puts two groups of maugs on opposite sides of a war. This results in horrendous casualties as the maugs lead their troops to clash repeatedly until one or both sides is ground down to nearly nothing. Then the maugs are liable to group up and go off to find a new war to fight in as if nothing happened.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They can make a "Pulverize" action three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Meazel]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_meazel_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Humanoid (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
----
* BackStab: 3rd Edition meazels can deal extra Sneak Attack damage to flanked or surprised foes.
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Medusa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusa_d&d.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
----
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Male medusas, when they appear, tend to be very physically and magically distinct from their sisters.
** In 2nd Edition, they're known as maedars, and resemble entirely hairless human men. They're immune to petrification, paralysis and medusa venom, can walk through stone, and can undo petrification with a touch.
** In 4th Edition, they look the same as in 2nd but poison with their gaze instead of their previous powers. This is also the first time that male medusas make it into a core book.
* GorgeousGorgon: Besides the snakes and odd skin colors, many medusae are quite beautiful by humanoid standards. This is very much averted in second and third edition, where medusae look at best like hideous old crones and at worst like inhuman monsters with skin covered in thick scales, glowing red eyes, and gaunt faces with flatted, almost non-existent noses.
* AKindOfOne: Medusas are an entire species of beings based off of what was a singular being in Greek myth.
* InterspeciesRomance: Depending on the edition, medusas are either strictly female or female ones outnumber the males by a wide margin. In either case, they tend to rely on mating with human and elven men to reproduce.
* {{Medusa}}: Medusas have always been a species, but they have undergone some changes between editions.
** In 2nd edition, medusas resemble elven maidens with serpents for hair and the ability to petrify with their gaze, even affecting creatures on the Ethereal or Astral Planes (into which they can see). Approximately 10% are "greater medusae", who have super-toxic blood and [[SnakePeople a giant snake's body in lieu of humanoid legs]]. There are also male medusas, called maedar, who appear as [[BizarreSexualDimorphism bald muscular elven men]]. Maedar are ridiculously rare; whereas female medusae produce two to six medusa daughters by [[InterspeciesRomance mating with human men]], the result of a medusa/maedar coupling is two to six offspring, with 25% being male and the remaining 75% being female. Only ''1%'' of the males are maedar; the rest of them, and ''all'' of the females, are pure human.
** In editions 3 and 3.5, medusas are AlwaysFemale, with a humanoid body but scaly skin, glowing red eyes, and gaunt faces with flatted, almost non-existent noses. A petrifying gaze attack as well as poison bites from the hair snakes come with the package. Medusas can procreate with any humanoid species, with the offspring normally being medusae themselves. Petrification is permanent by default, but advanced magic can reverse it. In ''Savage Species'', several intelligent monsters including medusae are made into playable races. If you wanted to play a medusa under the standard rules you have to start at level 10 or higher, but with ''Savage Species'' you can start as a level 1 immature medusa who has not yet developed her full potential. The same expansions also introduces a feat that allows medusas to enable and disable their gaze attack at will or to focus it at specific opponents, allowing others to see their faces without being turned to stone unless the medusa wants to do so. Sadly, like most monsters in the book, medusas are CoolButInefficient due to losing so many class levels to normal player character races and because their two main powers (petrification and poison) are things that are extremely dangerous to normal PC races but something that [[UselessUsefulSpell many monsters are immune or highly resistant to]].
** In fourth edition, medusae are a species in the usual sense, with both males and females. The females are classic medusas, pretty much the same as in the previous edition except that they can now un-petrify their victims by applying a drop of their own blood. The males are bald and poison with their gaze rather than petrify. Both sexes resemble the scaly humanoid from 3rd edition, though with less haggish features.
** In the fifth addition, medusae look like humans with snakes for hair, have males with identical powers and are cursed to turn into medusae on an individual basis.
** In ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'', medusae have a unique culture largely based around avoiding looking someone in the eyes -- they're not immune to the petrifying gaze of other medusae, so it's kind of the only choice. They were created by the [[EldritchAbomination daelkyr]], but broke free when the [[SealedEvilInACan creatures were sealed away]]. Oh, and there are explicitly males as well--where do you think all the baby medusae come from?
** In ''TabletopGame/ScarredLands'', medusae were created by the titan Mormo. In this setting, pretty much everything was created by the Titans, including the gods. Two centuries ago, the gods rose up against them in what came to be known as the Titanswar or the Divine War. The medusae were initially an important force at the titans' side, but they switched side to serve the Gods, particularly the neutral evil goddess Belsameth.
* MundaneUtility: Male medusas, known as maedars, can reverse petrification with a touch. Medusa/maedar pairs use this to keep food fresh -- the medusa petrifies victims, they smash the statue, and the maedar turns chunks back to flesh when the pair wants to eat.
* SnakePeople: In some edition, some variants of medusas possess snakelike trunks instead of legs.
* TakenForGranite: A medusa's gaze will petrify anyone who looks into her eyes. Whether this is something they can control, and whether other medusas are or aren't immune to it, varies between settings and editions.
* VainSorceress: 5th edition medusas are formerly mortal individuals, male or female, who bargained with dark powers to gain eternal youth, beauty, and immortality. They got what they wanted, but the transformation into a medusa was the price each of them had to pay.
* WasOnceAMan: In 5th edition, every medusa was once a normal person. Their monstrous appearance and petrifying gaze are the result of a curse brought on by their vanity.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Meenlock]]
[[quoteright:285:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meenlock_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:285:2e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E), Aberrant Humanoid (4E), Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (1E-3E), ChaoticEvil (4E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Small, vaguely bug-like horrors that stalk and torment a chosen victim before abducting them back to their lair and converting their captive into one of them.
----
* MindRape: Meenlocks hunt by selecting a target, then spending days stalking them while telepathically tormenting them, instilling paranoia through the feeling of being watched and followed, and filling them with the horrible certainty that monsters are going to come for them in the night. This mental assault deals Wisdom damage (in 3rd Edition) or psychic damage (in 5th Edition), potentially rendering the meenlocks' victim helpless.
* TheMorlocks: Another degenerate race of formerly-civilized humanoids that lurks underground.
* TheParalyzer: Their claw attacks can paralyze opponents, allowing the meenlocks to haul them back to their lairs.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Meenlocks give other creatures the creeps and project a supernatural aura that instills terror.
* {{Telepathy}}: They can use this to communicate, but mostly to be unpleasant to their prey.
* {{Teleportation}}: 3rd Edition meenlocks can use a ''dimension door'' effect every two rounds, while in 5th Edition it's a [[ShadowWalker shadow teleport]] instead.
* {{Tulpa}}: In 5th Edition, meenlocks are created as manifestations of the fear of other beings. When a sapient creature experiences deep fear or dread in the Feywild or an area highly influenced by it, one or more meenlocks spontaneously come into being.
* WasOnceAMan: In most editions, meenlocks procreate by haunting humanoids, driving them mad, and eventually kidnapping them to transform them into new meenlocks. Once a creature has been converted in this way, only a ''wish'' or ''miracle'' can bring them back.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mephit]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mephits_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:Magma and ice mephits (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Elemental (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Imp-like creatures native to the Inner Planes. They come in an array of subspecies based on their elemental affinity, which affects their appearances, abilities and personalities, but one trait they all have in common is that they're incredibly annoying.
----
* BreathWeapon: All mephits can breathe a short cone of their corresponding element type, either dealing minor damage or hampering foes by restraining them with a coating of mud, blinding them with dust in their eyes, etc.
* {{Conlang}}: In ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' lore, there's actually an established form of code language involving sending mephits, where the type(s) of mephit sent and the number of them sent conveys different responses or information. For obvious reasons, you only send mephits to rivals, enemies and other people you just don't like. For example, an ice mephit indicates that the recipient is now officially forbidden from entering the home of the sender, with the number of ice mephits sent roughly indicating just how harshly they will be punished if they try.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: 5th Edition mephits explode when killed, creating a similar effect as their breath weapon.
* EnemySummoner: Some imps have a chance of summoning a few more of their kind, in case one of the things wasn't annoying enough.
* OurImpsAreDifferent: Mephits are small, devilish elementals with long noses, batlike wings, grating personalities and very low placement on the planar pecking order and food chain.
* {{Retcon}}: Mephits traditionally could represent one of the classical four elements or mixtures of multiple elements, resulting in a full ten subtypes just in the standard 3rd Edition ''Monster Manual''. 5th Edition pares their numbers down to six: dust, ice, magma, mud, smoke and steam mephits, born from where two or more elemental energy types interweave, which also explains why they are weaker than "pure" elementals.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mercane]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mercane_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Sometimes known as arcanes, these tall, blue humanoids are merchants who travel the Great Wheel, selling magical items and other exotic goods to anyone who can meet their prices.
----
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Big, bald and blue humanoids.
* ArmsDealer: Mercanes have been known to sell potent magic weapons to both sides of a war, uncaring that the result kills off all their potential customers and desolates a region.
* CreepyLongFingers: Beyond their height and skin tone, another key mercane feature is that their fingers are long enough to have an extra joint on them.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Varies from the source material, with their early entries explaining that mercanes will never deal with fiends, genies and the neogi, while later information states that they'll hire appropriate bodyguards for a trade mission into the Abyss.
* IntrepidMerchant: It doesn't get more intrepid than forming a caravan to travel the Lower Planes.
* KnowWhenToFoldThem: Mercanes can cast ''Leomund's secret chest'' once per day, which they'll use to pull out a magic wand in an emergency... or just bribe a threat to go away.
* ProudMerchantRace: Every mercane encountered has been a merchant.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: If a battle turns against them, mercanes are known to use ''dimension door'' or ''invisibility'' to ditch their bodyguards and make a run for it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Merfolk]]
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
----
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit the standard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an exotic tint to their hair and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Merrow]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merrow_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Giant (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish aquatic monsters that exist only to plunder and murder.
----
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: 5th Edition merrow are inherently evil due to generations of demon worship and living in the Abyss, which has corrupted them in body and soul. Earlier merrow were little better, but without the excuse of being tainted by demons.
* {{Retcon}}: Merrow were an aquatic subspecies of ogre for the first three editions of the game, described as green-skinned humanoids with webbed hands and feet, who lived in lakes and rivers. 5E reimagines them as the corrupted, monstrous descendants of demon-worshipping merfolk, making them saltwater creatures with fish-like lower bodies (and thus carrying a strong resemblance to the male naga of ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'')
* WasOnceAMan: In their current lore, merrow are descended from merfolk who found an idol of Demogorgon at the bottom of the sea, became afflicted with madness, migrated to Demogorgon's layer of the Abyss, and were slowly transformed by Abyssal energies after generations.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: If a merrow nails someone with its harpoon, the unfortunate victim will be pulled up to 20 feet closer to the merrow unless they succeed on a Strength save.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Metallic Sentinel]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_metallic_sentinels_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A metallic peacekeeper (left) and warbler (right) (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (warbler), 4 (peacekeeper) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Elegant constructs built by metallic dragons to act as peacekeepers in communities their creator has grown attached to.
----
* EmotionBomb: A metallic sentinel can release a gas that calms those who breathe it in, incapacitating them.
* GuardianEntity: They're created to be stand-ins for the dragon who built them, to watch over favored mortal settlements.
* NoSell: Besides sharing most constructs' condition immunities, metallic sentinels are immune to fire and any attempt to alter their form.
* SpyBot[=/=]SurveillanceDrone: A less-advertised feature of metallic sentinels is that they're in constant telepathic communication with their creator dragon, who can even see through the sentinels' senses.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mimic]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mimic_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E); 2 (standard), 8 (hoard mimic) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Shapeshifting monsters that ambush prey by taking the form of innocuous or enticing objects, such as doors or treasure chests, until their victims come within range of their pseudopods.
----
* ChestMonster: The archetypal example of the stealthy monster that pretends to be loot and attacks players that come to investigate.
* DragonHoard: Hoard mimics are a Huge variant capable of taking the shape of a pile of glittering treasure. They have a symbiotic relationship with dragons, as the dragon gets a new trap for their lair, while the mimic gets a steady supply of food in the form of would-be treasure thieves.
* ItCanThink: While most mimics are simple predators, some develop enough intelligence to learn Common or Undercommon, and can be willing to barter useful information or safe passage in exchange for food.
* LivingStructureMonster:
** The rare greater mimics are large enough to cover the inside of entire rooms, or take the form of small structures, and have enough control over their shapeshifting to fill their interior spaces with furnishings and props to entice victims to walk right into their gullets, at which point the "room" seems to implode around the hapless dupes. A few of these greater mimics even pick up illusion magic to create facsimiles of living creatures to add to the deception, though perceptive adventurers may notice that [[GlamourFailure these creatures' words are coming out of the walls around them.]]
** "House hunter" mimics are surface-dwelling variants with shells that resemble humanoid structures -- outhouses, cottages, inns or temples, depending on the mimic's age and size. They use bioluminescence to imitate flickering lights and make muffled sounds of conversation and other domestic noise to lure prey in, then grab them with their tongues and pseudopods. They're pack hunters smart enough to wait until an entire group of travelers is within their reach before attacking, but if defeated, these mimics' "shells" can easily be converted into actual dwellings.
** In other rare cases, enough intelligent mimics gather together to form a mimic colony, working together to form complex objects and structures, to the point that it might appear than an entire village has sprung up overnight.
* OrganDrops: Mimic ichor can be used to help craft potions of ''polymorph self'', their glue sacs can be harvested by alchemists, their other internal organs can be used to make perfume, and some cultures consider a mimic's innards a tasty delicacy.
* StickySituation: Mimics can coat themselves with an adhesive to help them grapple and entrap prey, and in some editions the glue can trap the weapons of attackers. Said adhesive is absorbed by mimics' bodies when they assume their natural form, and can be dissolved by alcohol.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Their natural forms are amorphous and speckled gray like granite, but they can alter their body's texture and coloration to perfectly mimic wood, stone or metal, and shift their dimensions to fill a doorway or take the form of furniture.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mind Flayer]]
!True Illithids
!!Illithid
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mind_flayer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E), 14 (4E), 7 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E, 5E), Evil (4E)
Humanoid creatures with tentacled faces, psionic powers, and a rather unique dietary requirement. They dwell in alien colonies within the Underdark, but regularly raid the surface world for captives, or send their agents to manipulate other civilizations.
----
* AntiMagicalFaction: Mind Flayers despise arcane magic, and deviant arcanists are shunned. The reason for this is twofold; Firstly, Illithids already have innate psionics, and consider arcane magic, which requires long periods of study and practice, to be inferior. Secondly, elder brains discourage arcane magic because it works independently of the psionic network, and empowers individual illithids to strike out on their own.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Illithid reproduction is two-part; first, an adult illithid vomits up or lays (it depends on the sourcebook) a mass of gelatinous eggs in the elder brain's pool, which hatch into tadpole-like illithid larvae. Assuming they aren't eaten by others in the pond or the elder brain itself before maturing, they are then inserted into the ear of a helpless humanoid, whereupon they consume its brain and physically merge with its spinal column to become an adult illithid. Should the larva go for too long without implanting, which usually only happens if a mind flayer colony is destroyed and the larvae left to fend for themselves, it will grow into a massive, wormlike and largely mindless monster called a neothelid.
* BrainFood: An illithid needs to eat at least one humanoid brain per month, and ideally prefers one per week. ''Lords of Madness'' explains this as being due to ceremorphosis leaving illithids without a true brain integrated into the body -- instead, the skull is occupied by the original parasitic larva, which controls and is firmly rooted into the body but does not actually perform the metabolic functions of the organ it replaced. Thus, illithids cannot produce a number of important hormones, regulatory chemicals and psychic signals, and make do by consuming those of other beings.
* TheChessmaster: Illithids work to undermine the civilizations of the surface world, not because the mind flayers view them as a threat, but as a sort of political experiment. Every empire that collapses due to the illithids' machinations is providing them with data they can use to avoid making the same mistakes when they (re)establish their own empire.
* CoupDeGrace: In some rules, illithids can make an "extract brain" attack against a helpless or grappled foe, which for the vast majority of creatures is a OneHitKill. Combined with their ''Mind Blast'''s ability to stun targets for several rounds at a time, this makes mind flayers extremely dangerous even when they aren't using the rest of their psychic repertoire.
* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: Humanoid shape; skin colored in shades of dark green, blue, or purple; and four tentacles emerging from their face, with a lamprey-like mouth in between them.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In a very twisted sense, but perhaps the only humanizing trait illithids have is their connection to their thralls, which is far more intimate than it would seem, as if their thrall dies their master will suffer in return, and having thralls around keeps them from [[GoMadFromTheIsolation going insane from loneliness]]. Each illithid also has a personal thrall whom they favor; going out of their way to not eat their brains in moments of hunger or anger, giving them toys and trinkets to entertain themselves with when not working, and even taking on pronounceable names for their benefit.
* HatesBeingAlone: Illithids' absolute desire to dominate is so ingrained into them that without minds to control they feel incomplete, and will put all other plans on hold to acquire more thralls lest they GoMadFromTheIsolation.
* HeelFaceTurn: In ''exceptionally'' rare cases, individual illithids have been known to overcome their inherent desires and become morally neutral, and in extreme case even ''good,'' questioning the need to dominate others and consume brains. These individuals who think differently would quickly be rooted out and killed by other illithids if discovered, and as such most need to live in isolation from their kind.
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a mind flayer manages to extract an enemy's last or only brain, it dies instantly.
* OutsideContextProblem: As per their ''Lords of Madness'' background, the illithids originate from the far future, when their empire of dead and dying suns was facing catastrophe at the hands of an unknown aggressor. Using a psionic ritual, the mind flayers cast themselves back through the aeons to a relatively short period of time before the ''D&D'' "present" time. This is why aboleths, who can remember things from ''before'' the dawn of time, are [[HorrifyingTheHorror creeped out by the illithids]], which as far as they can tell just came out of nowhere.
* PeopleFarms: Downplayed. Illithids can and do keep and breed humanoid slaves in order to have ready access to brains to consume, but there are a number of issues that make this scheme impractical. Firstly, illithids thrive best on humanoid brains, and humanoids breed and mature slowly, requiring disproportionately large farms to compensate -- some illithids minimize this issue by farming quick-breeding and quick-growing species like goblins, orcs and grimlocks, but these still require a decade or more to grow to reproductive age and aren't actually as nutritious as slower-growing humans, dwarves or elves. Secondly, the "flavor" and nutrition of a brain are directly related to the complexity of its mind's experiences and emotions, which psychic thralldom strongly inhibits. Thus, while illithids keep some slaves as future food and even breed them, they chiefly rely on raiding independent settlements for food.
* PickyPeopleEater: Besides just eating brains, illithids are extremely discriminating about their food. Firstly, they prefer complex minds, packed with knowledge and experiences and as intelligent and emotionally rich as can be achieved -- typical peasants may just make do, experienced leaders and adventurers are relished, a sage or wizard is a rare treat. Secondly, they also have strong opinions about which species they most enjoy eating. Troglodytes are repulsive, and only eaten to avoid starvation. Goblinoids, orcs and ogres are acceptable, with surface-dwelling ones being preferred to their subterranean cousins, but are never a first choice. Humans, elves, drow, duergar and dwarves, being generally more intelligent and emotionally developed, are favored staples of the illithid diet. Grimlocks are a treat due to their lack of sight giving their brains a unique flavor. The long-lived, elusive and highly emotive fey are rare delicacies.
* PsychicPowers: Illithids have many psionic powers, the most infamous of which is their ''Mind Blast'', a cone-shaped psychic assault that stuns intelligent creatures long enough for the illithid to eat their brains.
* {{Retcon}}: Illithid lore underwent a number of changes during the 2nd-3rd Edition transition.
** In 2nd Edition, illithids reproduce asexually instead of requiring an elder brain to produce larvae. In addition, instead of converting an implanted victim into a new illithid, the larva feeds on the dead body it's planted into while maturing before bursting out as newborn illithid.
** Before and during 2nd Edition, illithids are atheist, as they believe themselves the only beings deserving of worship. Starting with 3rd, they worship Ilsensine.
** Pre-3rd Edition illithids are much more omnivorous than their later incarnations, and can subsist on a wide variety of foods. The eating of brains is primarily a symbolic gesture of dominance over other beings -- illithids believe the mind to be all-important and superior to the physical body, and so enjoy humiliating defeated opponents by devouring the most important part of their bodies.
* TheUnpronounceable: Illithids identify themselves to other illithids through strains of thoughts and images too complex to be spoken or expressed by other races, so any spoken names are actually rough translations that use descriptive words to get the general idea across. Occasionally an illithid will adopt a pronounceable name themselves, be it for the benifit of their thralls or to terrifiy enemies.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes:
** Purple worms are one of the only creatures that the mind flayers outright fear universally.
** Illithids also have trouble with the undead, since they have no minds to dominate, can evade psionic detection, and aren't inconvenienced by having their brains bitten out of their skulls.
!!Ulitharid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ulitharid.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Very rarely, an implanted tadpole transforms an individual into an ulitharid, a larger and more potent mind flayer that boasts six tentacles. In 5th Edition, they're revealed to be nascent elder brains.
----
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The ulitharids' power over common illithids is rooted in two factors -- their great rarity, and their much greater physical strength and psychic powers.
* LargeAndInCharge: Ulitharids tower over common illithids, typically standing between seven and eight feet in height.
* {{Metamorphosis}}: In 5th Edition, after an ulitharid establishes a new illithid colony, it ritually opens its own skull to expose its brain. Its illithid servants then plant its brain in its body, which rapidly dissolves into a pool of ichor to sustain the ulitharid's development into an embryonic elder brain.
* MonsterLord: Ulitharids are large, strong and psychically powerful illithids who arise to be natural leaders over their lesser kin.
* MookLieutenant: Ulitharids are typically seconds-in-command in their cities, obeying the elder brain but commanding the smaller and weaker illithids.
* StaffOfAuthority: An ulitharid's status and authority are symbolized by the twisted black staff which it carries at all time.
!!Elder Brain
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/elder_brain.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 25 (3E), 14 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
The undisputed rulers of illithid colonies, the elder brains use their prodigious intellects to guide their subjects, and their formidable psychic powers to defend against any threats, whether external or internal.
----
* BigBrotherIsWatching: An elder brain provides constant psychic surveillance of a mind flayer colony. In addition to making it very difficult for enemies to infiltrate it, this allows the elder brain to detect any dissent among its illithid subordinates.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Elder brains are the final stage of the mind flayer life cycle. Once an ulitharid reaches the end of its life, it removes its brain, which grows into an elder brain.
* BrainMonster: Illithid elder brains float in large brine pools in illithid cities. Each is made up of the combined brain matter of old illithids that sacrificed themselves to join it.
* {{Golem}}: Elder brains can "bud" a roughly-humanoid lump of gray matter simply called a brain golem, which they use as a last line of defense or to accomplish physical tasks that they don't trust to their illithid subjects. As such, mind flayers view the silent brain golems with some degree of awe as they go about their inscrutable work.
* MindHive: Illithids have no fear of death, as a dead mind flayer's brain can be removed from its body and placed into the elder brain's pool to be absorbed by the greater brain, thus allowing the mind flayer to join the mental gestalt of past illithids. But see below...
* ScamReligion: While an elder brain does absorb information from illithid brains it absorbs, and feeds off their psionic energy, no part of the original mind flayers' consciousness survives the elder brain's consumption. The elder brains are careful to keep the truth about this secret, to better manipulate and ensure the loyalty of the mind flayers.
* StrongerWithAge: Elder brains are immortal unless killed, and never enfeeble or grow senile -- they simply become wiser and stronger, their psychic power slowly but steadily increasing.
!!Elder Brain Dragon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_elder_brain_dragon_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 22 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A live dragon that has been captured by a mind flayer colony and infested by the local elder brain.
----
* BodyHorror: The dragon is mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and elder brain slime running out of its mouth.
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite: When a mind flayer colony manages to capture a dragon, the elder brain latches onto the dragon's back and digs its tentacles into the dragon's brain, creating an elder brain dragon.
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon to grow its own roving colony.
!Ceremorphs
Creatures created by inserting illithid tadpoles in creatures other than medium-sized humanoids.
!!Brainstealer Dragon
[[quoteright:274:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainstealer_dragon.jpg]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies with age category (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Dragons created when a tadpole infects a dragon, which thankfully is a rare occurance.
----
* BrainFood: If a brainstealer dragon can hold an enemy with its tentacles for five consecutive rounds, it extracts and eats the victim's brain.
* CombatTentacles: Instead of a head, the brainstealer dragon has four tentacles which it uses to grab enemies and extract their brains.
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a brainstealer dragon manages to extract an enemy's only brain, it dies instantly.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shaped mind blast that serves as its equivalent of a BreathWeapon.
!!Gnome Ceremorph
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
----
* GadgeteerGenius: A gnome ceremorph retains fragmented memories of its previous life, including a penchant for invention.
!!Gnome Squidling
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* PowerFloats: A gnome squidling keeps its body aloft with levitation and uses its tentacles like legs.
!!Mindwitness
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mindwitness.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mindwitnesses are the result of a beholder being brought safely to the brine pool of the elder brain and converted through ceremorphosis. They're actually fairly docile, and if the mind flayers are removed from the equation they will just drift around looking for new masters.
----
* ClippedWingAngel: You'd think a ceremorphosed beholder would be absolutely ''terrifying'', but they are actually docile beasts of burden, and the illithid transformation robs the beholder of its most dangerous eye rays and AntiMagic cone. Justified, since an immensely powerful, intelligent and insane RealityWarper is the ''last'' thing a mind flayer colony would want running around.
* {{Oculothorax}}: A mindwitnesses resembles a fleshy, tentacled orb dominated by a single central eye.
* PsychicLink: A mindwitness is basically a psychic relay, and they have the ability to transmit any psionic message they receive to a number of other entitites within the mindwitness' sight.
!!Uchuulon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_uchuulon_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Also known as "slime chuuls," these creatures are technically failed ceremorphs since the illithid tadpole doesn't survive the implantation attempt, but the process reduces the chuul to a creature the illithids find a more tractable slave.
----
* ClippedWingAngel: The failed ceremorphosis makes uchuulons more sluggish than chuuls, and renders their carapace translucent.
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A surprisingly viable roper ceremorph, these creatures are relegated to perimeter defense duty by their home colony.
----
* AndIMustScream: Urophions are thoroughly miserable creatures, with the intelligence of a mind flayer trapped in a nearly-immobile roper body, and are described as living lives of "desperate loneliness and frustration."
* PetTheDog: About the only thing a urophion can look forward to after a life of FantasticRacism and lonely servitude is the "honor" of joining the elder brain's pool upon death.
* PsychicPowers: They possess a base illithid's ''Mind Blast'' ability, and can use ''detect thoughts'' and ''suggestion'' at will.
* ThatsNoMoon: Like a standard roper, urophions are hard to distinguish from a normal stalagmite, but their improved tentacles and psychic powers make them even more dangerous when the ruse is up.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: Urophions have the same tentacles and drag attack as a base roper, but can combine it with an "Extract Brain" attack once they reel prey in.
!Illithidae
Illithidae are an order of animal-minded aberrations related to illithids in the same manner in which common mammals are related to humans. They originate from the same alien future as the mind flayers and congregate around their cities, although the nature of their modern relationship remains unclear. Illithidae reproduce by depositing larvae within their bodies of slain victims, which incubate there until ready to metamorphose into adults.
----
* FantasticFaunaCounterpart: Illithidae often resemble, and occupy ecological niches largely equivalent to, more familiar animals. Cessirids look and act like much like wolves, kigrids fill niches equivalent to those of aggressive omnivores and scavengers such as boars, hyenas and bears, and saltors are similar to baboons. Embracs are the only exception, as the closest analogy to their niche would be an animal that acts like a carnivorous plant.
!!Cessirid
->'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral, sometimes LawfulEvil
Wolflike pack hunters with four stinging tentacles around their mouths.
----
* AnimalJingoism: Cessirids and kaoulgrim, the hounds of the githyanki, despise each other and will always attempt to fight to the death when they meet.
* SavageWolves: Cessirids are essentially monstrous alien wolves, and are characterized as wily, treacherous and dangerous pack predators who, while capable of communication, typically only view other intelligent creatures as food and have distinct tendency towards the evil end of the alignment scale.
!!Embrac
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil (2E), TrueNeutral (3E)
Hulking predators resembling bloated sacks mounted on eight armored legs, adorned with a saw-edged beaks, and topped with eight tentacles bristling with hooks. Embracs are ambush predators that prefer to attack their prey from hiding.
----
* ArtEvolution: The 2nd Edition embrac is a bearlike creature with a beak, slanted eyes, and four tentacles growing from around its mouth. The 3rd Edition version is a giant sac of flesh with segmented, arthropod-like legs, no visible eyes, and tentacles growing in a ring all around its upper body.
* CombatTentacles: An embrac's main weapons are its muscular, hook-lined tentacles.
* HealingFactor: If an embrac's tentacles are severed, they grow back within a couple weeks.
!!Saltor
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (2E), NeutralEvil (3E)
Baboonlike in shape and behavior, saltors are intelligent but very primitive and live as scavengers and opportunistic predators. Saltors are fairly close kin of illithids, and like them reproduce by planting their larvae in the skulls of prey to convert them into new members of their species.
----
* MakeMeWannaShout: A saltor's main offensive tool is a loud screech capable of inflicting sonic damage.
!Other Related Creatures
!!Cranium Rat
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_cranium_rats_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (small pack), 5 (medium pack), 11 (large pack) (3E); 0 (individual), 5 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil (4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Rats imbued with psionic powers by the mind flayers. Individually they are no smarter than a normal rat, but swarms of cranium rats pool their powers to gain enhanced intelligence and dangerous abilities.
----
* AnimalEspionage: Illithids use cranium rats as spies, disseminating them in humanoid settlements and counting on the fact that humans don't generally pay much attention to rats to allow them to get anywhere and listen in to secret conversations.
* HiveMind: While an individual cranium rat is only as smart as a mundane rat, if enough cranium rats come together, they merge their minds into a single one with the accumulated memories of all constituents.
* PsychicPowers: Cranium rats are implanted with psychic powers by their mind flayer creators.
* SwarmOfRats: Cranium rats are at their most dangerous when in large swarms, as they can combine their intellects and coordinate very effectively with one another.
!!Illithocyte
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_intellect_devourer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters created as guards by the illithids.
----
* BrainMonster: An intellect devourer basically a brain running around on four little legs. Its modus operandi is to crack a victim's skull open, remove the brain and take its place.
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
----
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Living creatures struck by a mind worm's probe must succeed on a Will save or be shaken.
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E), 13 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
----
* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids to be abhorrent abominations and a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leaving the brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmer
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
----
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
----
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Illithids who became vampires through an unknown process, which also destroyed their minds.
----
* FeralVampires: Vampiric illithids are mindless, predatory animals with no trace of their old genius -- whatever process gave them their unlife also destroyed their rationality and capacity for higher thought.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Pale grey, undead illithids who need to consume both blood and brain matter to survive. It's not known how they become vampires and they cannot produce spawn of their own, and the process of transformation leaves them feral beasts.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minotaur]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_minotaur_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Hulking, bull-headed humanoids with a tendency towards savagery but a good head for mazes. See [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces the Playable Races subpage]] for more information about them.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mockery Bug]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mockery_drone_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mockery drone (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (mockery drone), 14 (mockery monarch) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Neutral Evil
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster with a silvery carapace and dangerous intelligence, which quickly leaves the nest to strike out on its own. These mockery monarchs are able to spawn copies of humanoids they consume, and send those mockery drones to lure more victims to their lairs.
----
* AcidAttack: Like true ankhegs, mockery monarchs deal acid damage with their bite attacks, while mockery drones can spit a long line of acid every six hours.
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born with incoherent fragments of memories from their previous lives, and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so well. As a result, they're prone to behavior like tilling the same patch of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, and it spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable of normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Modron]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_modrons_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Pentadrone and monodrone (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/8 (monodrone), 1/4 (doudrone), 1/2 (tridrone), 1 (quadrone), 2 (pentadrone) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Clockwork creatures from the plane of Mechanus, modrons are living personifications of law and order. They follow a rigid hierarchical society where every modron interacts only with others of its own rank and with its immediate inferiors or superiors: anything further away is beyond their comprehension.
----
* AirborneMook: Quadrones are the only winged variant of modrons, and often combine this with their proficiency with bows to serve as aerial ranged support for modron forces.
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gears of Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of modrons to survey the Outer Planes of the Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful and important the modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they're often fairly difficult for mortals to communicate with -- modrons are utterly devoted to their assigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, and literally incapable of thinking in terms of good and evil. None of them are humanoid except for Primus himself and his immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while their immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent of unusual sea animals.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mongrelfolk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mongrelfolk_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/3 (3E), 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral (2E, 3E), Any (5E)
Humanoids that bear the physical marks of generations of crossbreeding, such as mismatched limbs and uneven features.
----
* ArtEvolution: How deformed they are varies by edition, with earlier art depicting "Mongrelmen" with occasional animal limbs and features that were part-reptile, part-mammal, before 3rd Edition toned them down into merely ugly goblin-like creatures, only for 5th Edition to swing the other way.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Moon Dog]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
----
* ArtEvolution: Their ''AD&D'' art is closer to a hybrid wolf-human, with hairless human hands on their forelegs and uncanny faces that are both canine and humanoid. 3rd Edition makes them much more wolf-looking, other than their hand-like front paws.
* AsianLionDogs: They lean much more heavily on the "dog" part of the trope, but otherwise follow it, being noble, heavenly creatures that can ruin evil's day.
* AstralProjection: They can use the spell at will, but only affecting themselves.
* CastingAShadow: Moon dogs can move shadows around themselves, creating a pattern that acts as a ''[[MassHypnosis hypnotic pattern]]'' to all neraby evil creatures, while granting good creatures a ''protection from evil'' and ''remove fear'' effect.
* DispelMagic: Moon dogs' barks act as a ''dispel evil'' effect, while their whines automatically dispel illusions within 50 feet.
* FeatherFingers: Their front paws are very hand-like, and have a limited capacity for fine manipulation.
* FourLegsGoodTwoLegsBetter: Moon dogs can stand up on their hind legs to use their front paws to grasp things, but move at half speed while doing so.
* GoodCounterpart: They're considered such to yeth hounds, being canids with human features and supernatural powers, only dedicated to good.
* {{Intangibility}}: They can use ''etheral jaunt'' at will.
* IntimateHealing: By licking a wound, moon dogs can ''cure light wounds'', ''remove disease'' and/or ''slow poison'', each once per day per person.
* MakeMeWannaShout: Their howling simultaneously causes the ''fear'' effect of their baying, deals a bit of damage to evil creatures each round the moon hound continues, and targets any nearby fiends with a ''dismissal'' spell.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Moon dogs can use a variant of ''speak with animals'' to converse with dogs, wolves and other mundane canines.
* SuperSenses: Moon dogs have low-light vision, darkvision, can [[TheNoseKnows track creatures by scent,]] are constantly under both ''arcane'' and ''blessed sight'', and can ''[[SeeTheInvisible see invisibility]]'' at will.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: A moon dog's baying acts as a ''fear'' spell that only affects evil creatures.
* {{Telepathy}}: Like many outsiders, they're telepathic out to 50 feet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mooncalf]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
----
* CombatTentacles: A mooncalf has six short tentacles that it uses for close combat and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Morkoth]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_morkoth_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cruel and devious sea monsters who use hypnosis to lure victims into their maze-like lairs to be devoured.
----
* ArtEvolution: Morkoths began in 1st Edition roughly humanoid generic sea creatures, with four tentacles arranged like legs and arms, a central torso, and a squid-like head with a prominent beak. 2nd Edition redesigned them fairly drastically to resemble gracile, weedy fishlike creatures with toothy jaws, four slender arthropod legs, and bodies ending in octopus-like tentacles on which the creature moved. 3rd modified the second design to be much bulkier and more intimidating, generally making all parts of it larger and more imposing and presenting the morkoth as a more active and dangerous hunter. 5th Edition revisits the original look, but again makes it much more frightening and imposing than the original, with multiple tentacles, a serrated beak and a "shell" made of trophies from past kills. All this to say, even in-universe sources can't agree on what the monsters look like, just that they're some combination of fish, crab and squid.
* AttackReflector: If a morkoth successfully saves against a spell, or if a spell attack misses it, the monster can cause the magic to rebound against its attacker.
* CollectorOfTheStrange: With their current lore, morkoths obessively hoard everything from treasure to obscure lore to prisoners, and since their lairs can travel from plane to plane, their collections can be eclectic indeed.
-->'''Volo:''' Collectors of everything odd, unusual and valuable - hopefully not including you.
* {{Greed}}: 5th Edition morkoths are motivated by both a yearning for conflict and a greedy desire for anything they don't possess. As such, they won't willingly part with anything from their hoards, and those in their lairs have a chance of discovering that one of their possessions has spontaneously vanished to appear in the morkoth's hoard.
* MixAndMatchCritters: Morkoths resembls fish with cephalopod tentacles and arthropod-like legs.
* PocketDimension: While each morkoth's domain appears as a tropical island - if an unnerving dreamlike place shrouded in perpetual twilight - the entire area is essentially its own demiplane, able to travel to other planes and locations at random or in a sequence. Rarely, a morkoth gains the ability to control the movements of its island.
* PsychicPowers: Morkoths are natural hypnotists, and shape the tunnels of their lairs to amplify their powers in order to lure and befuddle prey.
* {{Retcon}}: 5th Edition greatly expanded their backstory, turning morkoths from mere sea monsters to the byproduct of a dead god inhabiting roving extraplanar islands. Originally ambivalent about treasure and prone to eating any captives, morkoths became greedy hoarders who considered prisoners part of their possessions.
* TookALevelInBadass: Past morkoths had purely physical attacks, with their only supernatural abilities being their spell reflection and hypnotic tunnels. But in 5th Edition, morkoths are full-fledged spellcasters equivalent to an 11th-level mage.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Myconid]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
----
* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
[[/folder]]
----
%%
%% Not every folder needs an image for every edition in the game.
%% Unless a creature was given a significant redesign between editions, one image is plenty.
%%
%% We're not a D&D wiki, and it's not the end of the world if we don't have a folder for every creature to appear in a D&D supplement.
%% Before creating new folders, ask yourself if there's enough material to make the folder interesting to read.
%%
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[[WMG:[[center: [- ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' '''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragons Main Characters Index]]'''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClasses Character Classes by Edition]]:'' 1st to 3rd ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFirstToThirdEditionCoreClasses Core]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesOtherPreThirdEditionClasses Pre-3rd]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesOtherThirdEditionClasses 3rd Other]]) | 3rd & 3.5 ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesThirdEditionPrestigeClasses Prestige Classes]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesThreePointFiveEditionNPCClasses NPC Classes]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFourthEditionClasses 4th]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClassesFifthEditionClasses 5th]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesA A]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesB B]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesC C]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesD D]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesE E]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF F]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesG G]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesH H]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | '''M''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesS S]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends Fiends]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures Setting-Specific Creatures]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]'': Non-human Pantheons ([[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDemihumanDeities Demihuman Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiantDeities Giant Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGoblinoidDeities Goblinoid Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsScalykindDeities Scalykind Deities]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUnderdarkDeities Underdark Deities]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsElderEvils Elder Evils]]\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces Playable Races]]''\\
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms ([[Characters/ForgottenRealmsGods Gods]] | ''Characters/TheLegendOfDrizzt'') | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} ([[Characters/GreyhawkDeities Deities]]) | Characters/{{Planescape}} ([[Characters/PlanescapeFactions Factions]] | [[Characters/PlanescapeRaces Races]]) | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} ([[Characters/RavenloftDarklords Darklords]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheCarnival The Carnival]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheKargataneOfVallaki The Kargatane of Vallaki]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheFraternityOfShadows Fraternity of Shadows]] | [[Characters/RavenloftTheGreatFamilies Great Families of the Core]] | [[Characters/RavenloftGods Faiths]]) ]] -]]]
This page covers general ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' monsters such as can be found in the ''Monster Manual'' or in setting-agnostic books such as ''Volo's Guide to Monsters'' or ''Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes''. The creatures on this page can be found in any world of the ''D&D'' multiverse and can be encountered in just about any campaign.
For the game's iconic dragons, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons''. For demons and devils, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiends''. For the various undead creatures, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead''. For creatures found only in specific settings, see ''Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsSettingSpecificCreatures''.
[[foldercontrol]]
!!M
[[folder:Magen]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_magen_demos_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Demos magen (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (hypnos), 2 (demos), 3 (galvan) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Human-shaped constructs crafted by mages to be intelligent and perfectly obedient servants. Their name derives from ''gens magica'', or "magical people."
----
* AlienBlood: Past magens were alien for ''not'' bleeding or bruising in response to damage, though their current lore has the constructs "bleed" quicksilver.
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: In 2nd and 4th Edition magens have had gray-white flesh, but their 5th Edition incarnation has green skin. They can also be painted or decorated different colors.
* ArtificialHuman: They're a magical take on the trope, and apart from their skin color and hairless bodies, they look and feel like living things, to the extent that some can pass for human. Traditionally they're created in a weeks-long process involving an electrum mold, a gelatin-like mixture of ingredients, and a specific sequence of spells, while in 5th Edition this is streamlined, requiring only the ''create magen'' spell, a life-sized human doll, a vial of quicksilver, and a crystal rod.
* CharmPerson: Hypnos magens have the ability to ''charm'' other creatures, then make a telepathic ''suggestion''.
* CriticalFailure: The magen creation process in ''AD&D'' involves rolling a d20, naturally. Beyond the mixture simply failing to animate, other possible outcomes are the mold exploding to damage everything in a 10-foot radius, the final animating ''lightning bolt'' instead rebounding to hit the caster, or everything ''appearing'' to go right, only for a fiend to possess the newly-made magen and begin plotting to kill the mage.
* EnergyAbsorption: 4th Edition magens can absorb the energy from incoming spells, once per encounter. Demos magens gain a healing surge, caldron magens grow a temporary extra arm to attack with, galvan magens recharge their electricity attacks, and hypnos magens can counter-attack with a [[MindRape blast of psionic energy.]]
* TheGenericGuy: Demos magens are the most basic of their kind, possessing no innate powers compared to other varieties. This makes them the cheapest to produce, and suitable to be equipped as bodyguards.
* {{Golem}}: Magens are basically a cheaper substitute to conventional stone, iron, clay, etc. golems. On the one hand, they're a lot smaller and weaker than proper golems, and lack the latter's magic immunity/resistance, but magens are a lot less disruptive in the house or out in public, don't have a risk of going berserk in combat, and are intelligent enough to converse with their creators and not need carefully-worded instructions, even being capable of making simple decisions, given the right criteria with which to judge a situation.
* LightningCanDoAnything: Traditionally, the final step of the magen creation process involves zapping the mold with a ''lightning bolt''.
* TheNeedless: As constructs, they don't need to eat, drink or sleep.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: When destroyed, a magen's body is consumed in an acrid, multicolored burst of flame.
* RubberMan: The caldron magen variant can stretch its limbs up to 20 feet, and is particularly adept at grappling and restraining foes, at which point its skin [[AcidAttack secretes a dangerous acid.]]
* ShockAndAwe: Galvan magens can store static electricity, which they discharge as lightning bolts. Incidentally, they have a habit of attracting small metallic objects and making nearby beings' hair stand up.
* SignatureScent: Caldron magens have a sour, acidic scent, demos magens have a subtle metallic tang, and galvan magens smell of ozone.
* TheStoic: Magens are incapable of feeling emotion (but see below), though some may be taught to emulate it to aid in social interactions.
* UndyingLoyalty: Magens lack free will, and are totally obedient to their creators. Should their master die, magens tend to go into a berserk rampage until destroyed.
* WeaponizedTeleportation: What little is known about the rare scalos magens is that they can teleport other creatures with a touch, and are said to guard the ''Text of the Magenmaker'' that holds the secrets of creating every type of magen.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mageripper]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mageripper_swarm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Tiny, swarming pests that feed off of the magical power of living beings.
----
* BioweaponBeast: While their origins aren't especially clear, they're believed to have been created artificially to serve as living weapons against arcane spellcasters [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin (hence their name)]].
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Magerippers reproduce by budding off young from their backs after gorging themselves on magic.
* MagicEater: While magerippers can survive on a carnivorous diet, they much prefer to consume living creatures' magic, which is also essential to their reproduction. Mechanically-speaking, anyone they swarm over is subject to a ''{{dispel magic}}'' effect against a random ongoing spell effect every round, while spellcasters also [[ManaDrain lose one of the highest-level spell slots or prepared spells]]; in either case, the magerippers gain some temporary hit points from feeding. Fortunately, magerippers can't feed in this manner upon magic items, but will still crowd around them in frustrated confusion until a better food source presents itself.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: On top of having blindsense out to 30 feet, magerippers can also detect magical auras without that radius, and sense whether creatures have spellcasting ability.
* TheSwarm: Individual magerippers aren't especially formidable on their own, being bizarre foot-long creatures that weigh at most five pounds. Unfortunately, they're only ever encountered in swarms of up to three hundred creatures that are able to overwhelm their prey through sheer numbers and attrition. In fact, should a mageripper become separated from a swarm, it will quickly become sluggish and unresponsive before expiring.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Magmin]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_magmin_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Elemental beings from the Plane of Fire that resemble little gremlins made of magma.
----
* ActionBomb: Magmins explode when they die.
* LivingLava: They look like stumpy humanoids shaped from a black shell of lava.
* ObliviouslyEvil: Magmins aren't dedicated to evil like some elementals, but they love to watch things burn, and don't understand that other creatures find fire painful and deadly.
* PlayingWithFire: Their mere touch is hot enough to set people and flammable objects on fire.
* {{Pyromaniac}}: Magmins have a propensity for fire and havoc, viewing flammable objects as kindling. Only their summoners' control keeps them from setting everything ablaze.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Manticore]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_manticore.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_manticore_3e.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Man-eating monsters that bring human cunning to their predations.
----
* AttackAnimal: They're willing to ally themselves with other creatures, serving as aerial support, hunting companions, or guards for locations or individuals.
* FoodChainOfEvil: By working as a pack, manticores can bring down rival aerial creatures like griffons, chimeras or wyverns, but they fear and avoid dragons.
* IShallTauntYou: They shout insults when attacking, or offer to kill their victims quickly should they beg for mercy.
* OurManticoresAreSpinier: Most editions have given manticores a fairly straightforward appearance with a lion body, batlike wings, a human head with three rows of shark-like teeth, and a tail tipped with a cluster of spines that they can launch like arrows, but the 3.5 ''Monster Manual'' depicts them with low-slung, leopard spotted bodies and heads resembling twisted, monstrous monkeys more than anything else. Regardless of appearance, they're evil, aggressive beings with a taste for human flesh.
* SpikeShooter: Manticores can snap their tails like whips to send the spikes there flying like arrows, and tend to open fights with such a volley before diving into melee.
* ToServeMan: Manticores enjoy humanoid flesh, but particularly relish humans above all other prey.
-->'''[[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Marthok Uldarr]]:''' Manticores love the taste of human flesh. That's why, on trips through the mountains, I always travel with human bodyguards.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Maug]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maug_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Hulking creatures of living stone from the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, who hire themselves out as mercenaries to give meaning to their existence.
----
* ApeShallNeverKillApe: Downplayed; maugs have no reason to wage war on each other, but sometimes their mercenary work puts two groups of maugs on opposite sides of a war. This results in horrendous casualties as the maugs lead their troops to clash repeatedly until one or both sides is ground down to nearly nothing. Then the maugs are liable to group up and go off to find a new war to fight in as if nothing happened.
* ArmorPiercingAttack: They can make a "Pulverize" action three times per day, touching an object and negating its Hardness value so the maug can more easily destroy it.
* {{Cyborg}}: There's a whole range of maug grafts they use to improve and augment themselves, such as fists that lock closed around weapons to prevent disarming, vibrating plates of shale that confer tremorsense, or stone rollers to replace their lower torsos and allow the maug to [[SquashedFlat crush enemies like a steamroller.]]
* DoubleWeapon: Maugs commonly wield Huge double-bladed swords.
* HealingFactor: Unusually for constructs, maugs slowly recover hit points while resting, and heal faster if someone helps repair them.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: As best sages can tell, the maugs were created by some ancient civilization as shock troops for a terrible war, then afterward were dumped on Thuldanin, the second layer of Acheron and the junkyard for the multiverse's wars. Since maugs are creatures of stone themselves, they were immune to Thuldanin's petrification effect, and they eventually figured out how to make more of themselves, taking on jobs as hired soldiers to get the money needed for the process.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Maugs serve any master willing to pay the price, and never care about right or wrong.
* RockMonster: Maugs' bodies are cut from the stone of Acheron.
* UndyingLoyalty: In battle, maugs are unflinchingly loyal to their employer, making them perfect mercenaries.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Meazel]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_meazel_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Humanoid (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Degenerate humanoids that lurk in dismal places while stalking prey.
----
* BackStab: 3rd Edition meazels can deal extra Sneak Attack damage to flanked or surprised foes.
* {{Curse}}: The 5th Edition meazels curse any creature they take through a shadow teleport, which allows undead and other Shadowfell creatures to sense the cursed victim from a distance of 300 feet.
* PoisonousPerson: Swamp-dwelling meazels carry an unslightly skin disease that doesn't affect them, but can infect those they hit with claw attacks, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity and Constitution damage.]]
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, meazels are diseased, swamp-dwelling creatures that stalk and murder other humanoids with their stealth skills. In 5th Edition, meazels are debased creatures of the Shadowfell that murder other humanoids with their shadow magic.
* ShadowWalker: Stepping into a shadow allows a 5th Edition meazel to magically move to another one.
* SuperReflexes: 3rd Edition meazels share a rogue's Evasion ability, allowing them to fully avoid attacks with a Reflex saving throw.
* WasOnceAMan: As per their current lore, meazels are all that remain of people who fled into the Shadowfell to escape their mortal existence and ended up transformed by the darkness.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Medusa]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_medusa_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:[=3e=]]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusa_d&d.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 6 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Snake-haired women who can turn living beings to stone with their gaze.
----
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Male medusas, when they appear, tend to be very physically and magically distinct from their sisters.
** In 2nd Edition, they're known as maedars, and resemble entirely hairless human men. They're immune to petrification, paralysis and medusa venom, can walk through stone, and can undo petrification with a touch.
** In 4th Edition, they look the same as in 2nd but poison with their gaze instead of their previous powers. This is also the first time that male medusas make it into a core book.
* GorgeousGorgon: Besides the snakes and odd skin colors, many medusae are quite beautiful by humanoid standards. This is very much averted in second and third edition, where medusae look at best like hideous old crones and at worst like inhuman monsters with skin covered in thick scales, glowing red eyes, and gaunt faces with flatted, almost non-existent noses.
* AKindOfOne: Medusas are an entire species of beings based off of what was a singular being in Greek myth.
* InterspeciesRomance: Depending on the edition, medusas are either strictly female or female ones outnumber the males by a wide margin. In either case, they tend to rely on mating with human and elven men to reproduce.
* {{Medusa}}: Medusas have always been a species, but they have undergone some changes between editions.
** In 2nd edition, medusas resemble elven maidens with serpents for hair and the ability to petrify with their gaze, even affecting creatures on the Ethereal or Astral Planes (into which they can see). Approximately 10% are "greater medusae", who have super-toxic blood and [[SnakePeople a giant snake's body in lieu of humanoid legs]]. There are also male medusas, called maedar, who appear as [[BizarreSexualDimorphism bald muscular elven men]]. Maedar are ridiculously rare; whereas female medusae produce two to six medusa daughters by [[InterspeciesRomance mating with human men]], the result of a medusa/maedar coupling is two to six offspring, with 25% being male and the remaining 75% being female. Only ''1%'' of the males are maedar; the rest of them, and ''all'' of the females, are pure human.
** In editions 3 and 3.5, medusas are AlwaysFemale, with a humanoid body but scaly skin, glowing red eyes, and gaunt faces with flatted, almost non-existent noses. A petrifying gaze attack as well as poison bites from the hair snakes come with the package. Medusas can procreate with any humanoid species, with the offspring normally being medusae themselves. Petrification is permanent by default, but advanced magic can reverse it. In ''Savage Species'', several intelligent monsters including medusae are made into playable races. If you wanted to play a medusa under the standard rules you have to start at level 10 or higher, but with ''Savage Species'' you can start as a level 1 immature medusa who has not yet developed her full potential. The same expansions also introduces a feat that allows medusas to enable and disable their gaze attack at will or to focus it at specific opponents, allowing others to see their faces without being turned to stone unless the medusa wants to do so. Sadly, like most monsters in the book, medusas are CoolButInefficient due to losing so many class levels to normal player character races and because their two main powers (petrification and poison) are things that are extremely dangerous to normal PC races but something that [[UselessUsefulSpell many monsters are immune or highly resistant to]].
** In fourth edition, medusae are a species in the usual sense, with both males and females. The females are classic medusas, pretty much the same as in the previous edition except that they can now un-petrify their victims by applying a drop of their own blood. The males are bald and poison with their gaze rather than petrify. Both sexes resemble the scaly humanoid from 3rd edition, though with less haggish features.
** In the fifth addition, medusae look like humans with snakes for hair, have males with identical powers and are cursed to turn into medusae on an individual basis.
** In ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'', medusae have a unique culture largely based around avoiding looking someone in the eyes -- they're not immune to the petrifying gaze of other medusae, so it's kind of the only choice. They were created by the [[EldritchAbomination daelkyr]], but broke free when the [[SealedEvilInACan creatures were sealed away]]. Oh, and there are explicitly males as well--where do you think all the baby medusae come from?
** In ''TabletopGame/ScarredLands'', medusae were created by the titan Mormo. In this setting, pretty much everything was created by the Titans, including the gods. Two centuries ago, the gods rose up against them in what came to be known as the Titanswar or the Divine War. The medusae were initially an important force at the titans' side, but they switched side to serve the Gods, particularly the neutral evil goddess Belsameth.
* MundaneUtility: Male medusas, known as maedars, can reverse petrification with a touch. Medusa/maedar pairs use this to keep food fresh -- the medusa petrifies victims, they smash the statue, and the maedar turns chunks back to flesh when the pair wants to eat.
* SnakePeople: In some edition, some variants of medusas possess snakelike trunks instead of legs.
* TakenForGranite: A medusa's gaze will petrify anyone who looks into her eyes. Whether this is something they can control, and whether other medusas are or aren't immune to it, varies between settings and editions.
* VainSorceress: 5th edition medusas are formerly mortal individuals, male or female, who bargained with dark powers to gain eternal youth, beauty, and immortality. They got what they wanted, but the transformation into a medusa was the price each of them had to pay.
* WasOnceAMan: In 5th edition, every medusa was once a normal person. Their monstrous appearance and petrifying gaze are the result of a curse brought on by their vanity.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Meenlock]]
[[quoteright:285:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meenlock_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:285:2e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E), Aberrant Humanoid (4E), Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (1E-3E), ChaoticEvil (4E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Small, vaguely bug-like horrors that stalk and torment a chosen victim before abducting them back to their lair and converting their captive into one of them.
----
* MindRape: Meenlocks hunt by selecting a target, then spending days stalking them while telepathically tormenting them, instilling paranoia through the feeling of being watched and followed, and filling them with the horrible certainty that monsters are going to come for them in the night. This mental assault deals Wisdom damage (in 3rd Edition) or psychic damage (in 5th Edition), potentially rendering the meenlocks' victim helpless.
* TheMorlocks: Another degenerate race of formerly-civilized humanoids that lurks underground.
* TheParalyzer: Their claw attacks can paralyze opponents, allowing the meenlocks to haul them back to their lairs.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Meenlocks give other creatures the creeps and project a supernatural aura that instills terror.
* {{Telepathy}}: They can use this to communicate, but mostly to be unpleasant to their prey.
* {{Teleportation}}: 3rd Edition meenlocks can use a ''dimension door'' effect every two rounds, while in 5th Edition it's a [[ShadowWalker shadow teleport]] instead.
* {{Tulpa}}: In 5th Edition, meenlocks are created as manifestations of the fear of other beings. When a sapient creature experiences deep fear or dread in the Feywild or an area highly influenced by it, one or more meenlocks spontaneously come into being.
* WasOnceAMan: In most editions, meenlocks procreate by haunting humanoids, driving them mad, and eventually kidnapping them to transform them into new meenlocks. Once a creature has been converted in this way, only a ''wish'' or ''miracle'' can bring them back.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mephit]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mephits_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:Magma and ice mephits (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Elemental (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Imp-like creatures native to the Inner Planes. They come in an array of subspecies based on their elemental affinity, which affects their appearances, abilities and personalities, but one trait they all have in common is that they're incredibly annoying.
----
* BreathWeapon: All mephits can breathe a short cone of their corresponding element type, either dealing minor damage or hampering foes by restraining them with a coating of mud, blinding them with dust in their eyes, etc.
* {{Conlang}}: In ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' lore, there's actually an established form of code language involving sending mephits, where the type(s) of mephit sent and the number of them sent conveys different responses or information. For obvious reasons, you only send mephits to rivals, enemies and other people you just don't like. For example, an ice mephit indicates that the recipient is now officially forbidden from entering the home of the sender, with the number of ice mephits sent roughly indicating just how harshly they will be punished if they try.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: 5th Edition mephits explode when killed, creating a similar effect as their breath weapon.
* EnemySummoner: Some imps have a chance of summoning a few more of their kind, in case one of the things wasn't annoying enough.
* OurImpsAreDifferent: Mephits are small, devilish elementals with long noses, batlike wings, grating personalities and very low placement on the planar pecking order and food chain.
* {{Retcon}}: Mephits traditionally could represent one of the classical four elements or mixtures of multiple elements, resulting in a full ten subtypes just in the standard 3rd Edition ''Monster Manual''. 5th Edition pares their numbers down to six: dust, ice, magma, mud, smoke and steam mephits, born from where two or more elemental energy types interweave, which also explains why they are weaker than "pure" elementals.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mercane]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mercane_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Sometimes known as arcanes, these tall, blue humanoids are merchants who travel the Great Wheel, selling magical items and other exotic goods to anyone who can meet their prices.
----
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Big, bald and blue humanoids.
* ArmsDealer: Mercanes have been known to sell potent magic weapons to both sides of a war, uncaring that the result kills off all their potential customers and desolates a region.
* CreepyLongFingers: Beyond their height and skin tone, another key mercane feature is that their fingers are long enough to have an extra joint on them.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Varies from the source material, with their early entries explaining that mercanes will never deal with fiends, genies and the neogi, while later information states that they'll hire appropriate bodyguards for a trade mission into the Abyss.
* IntrepidMerchant: It doesn't get more intrepid than forming a caravan to travel the Lower Planes.
* KnowWhenToFoldThem: Mercanes can cast ''Leomund's secret chest'' once per day, which they'll use to pull out a magic wand in an emergency... or just bribe a threat to go away.
* ProudMerchantRace: Every mercane encountered has been a merchant.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: If a battle turns against them, mercanes are known to use ''dimension door'' or ''invisibility'' to ditch their bodyguards and make a run for it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Merfolk]]
[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merfolk_5e_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:306:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E), 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
Aquatic humanoids with fish-like lower bodies, and who generally avoid interactions with surface-dwellers.
----
* ArtEvolution: The earliest "mermen" fit the standard "normal human top, fish bottom" model, but 3rd Edition gave them an exotic tint to their hair and flesh, before 5th Edition made them an AmazingTechnicolorPopulation with finned limbs and hair.
* HiddenElfVillage: The merfolk generally reject any offers of friendship or trade from outsiders, and it takes an extraordinary threat to make their bands of hunter-gatherers unite with each other under a single leader.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: They're part-human, part-fish, though the degree of integration between the two halves varies by edition. Stories abound of merfolk rescuing shipwrecked sailors, but they're also known to prank surface-dwellers, and their idea of mischief can be cruel. Though amphibious, merfolk's land speed is appalling, and they cannot innately transform into a bipedal form.
* WasOnceAMan: Their early lore posits that merfolk were once human, but were transformed by an unknown power into their current state.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Merrow]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_merrow_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Giant (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish aquatic monsters that exist only to plunder and murder.
----
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: 5th Edition merrow are inherently evil due to generations of demon worship and living in the Abyss, which has corrupted them in body and soul. Earlier merrow were little better, but without the excuse of being tainted by demons.
* {{Retcon}}: Merrow were an aquatic subspecies of ogre for the first three editions of the game, described as green-skinned humanoids with webbed hands and feet, who lived in lakes and rivers. 5E reimagines them as the corrupted, monstrous descendants of demon-worshipping merfolk, making them saltwater creatures with fish-like lower bodies (and thus carrying a strong resemblance to the male naga of ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'')
* WasOnceAMan: In their current lore, merrow are descended from merfolk who found an idol of Demogorgon at the bottom of the sea, became afflicted with madness, migrated to Demogorgon's layer of the Abyss, and were slowly transformed by Abyssal energies after generations.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: If a merrow nails someone with its harpoon, the unfortunate victim will be pulled up to 20 feet closer to the merrow unless they succeed on a Strength save.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Metallic Sentinel]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_metallic_sentinels_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A metallic peacekeeper (left) and warbler (right) (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (warbler), 4 (peacekeeper) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Elegant constructs built by metallic dragons to act as peacekeepers in communities their creator has grown attached to.
----
* EmotionBomb: A metallic sentinel can release a gas that calms those who breathe it in, incapacitating them.
* GuardianEntity: They're created to be stand-ins for the dragon who built them, to watch over favored mortal settlements.
* NoSell: Besides sharing most constructs' condition immunities, metallic sentinels are immune to fire and any attempt to alter their form.
* SpyBot[=/=]SurveillanceDrone: A less-advertised feature of metallic sentinels is that they're in constant telepathic communication with their creator dragon, who can even see through the sentinels' senses.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mimic]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mimic_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E); 2 (standard), 8 (hoard mimic) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Shapeshifting monsters that ambush prey by taking the form of innocuous or enticing objects, such as doors or treasure chests, until their victims come within range of their pseudopods.
----
* ChestMonster: The archetypal example of the stealthy monster that pretends to be loot and attacks players that come to investigate.
* DragonHoard: Hoard mimics are a Huge variant capable of taking the shape of a pile of glittering treasure. They have a symbiotic relationship with dragons, as the dragon gets a new trap for their lair, while the mimic gets a steady supply of food in the form of would-be treasure thieves.
* ItCanThink: While most mimics are simple predators, some develop enough intelligence to learn Common or Undercommon, and can be willing to barter useful information or safe passage in exchange for food.
* LivingStructureMonster:
** The rare greater mimics are large enough to cover the inside of entire rooms, or take the form of small structures, and have enough control over their shapeshifting to fill their interior spaces with furnishings and props to entice victims to walk right into their gullets, at which point the "room" seems to implode around the hapless dupes. A few of these greater mimics even pick up illusion magic to create facsimiles of living creatures to add to the deception, though perceptive adventurers may notice that [[GlamourFailure these creatures' words are coming out of the walls around them.]]
** "House hunter" mimics are surface-dwelling variants with shells that resemble humanoid structures -- outhouses, cottages, inns or temples, depending on the mimic's age and size. They use bioluminescence to imitate flickering lights and make muffled sounds of conversation and other domestic noise to lure prey in, then grab them with their tongues and pseudopods. They're pack hunters smart enough to wait until an entire group of travelers is within their reach before attacking, but if defeated, these mimics' "shells" can easily be converted into actual dwellings.
** In other rare cases, enough intelligent mimics gather together to form a mimic colony, working together to form complex objects and structures, to the point that it might appear than an entire village has sprung up overnight.
* OrganDrops: Mimic ichor can be used to help craft potions of ''polymorph self'', their glue sacs can be harvested by alchemists, their other internal organs can be used to make perfume, and some cultures consider a mimic's innards a tasty delicacy.
* StickySituation: Mimics can coat themselves with an adhesive to help them grapple and entrap prey, and in some editions the glue can trap the weapons of attackers. Said adhesive is absorbed by mimics' bodies when they assume their natural form, and can be dissolved by alcohol.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Their natural forms are amorphous and speckled gray like granite, but they can alter their body's texture and coloration to perfectly mimic wood, stone or metal, and shift their dimensions to fill a doorway or take the form of furniture.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mind Flayer]]
!True Illithids
!!Illithid
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mind_flayer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E), 14 (4E), 7 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E, 5E), Evil (4E)
Humanoid creatures with tentacled faces, psionic powers, and a rather unique dietary requirement. They dwell in alien colonies within the Underdark, but regularly raid the surface world for captives, or send their agents to manipulate other civilizations.
----
* AntiMagicalFaction: Mind Flayers despise arcane magic, and deviant arcanists are shunned. The reason for this is twofold; Firstly, Illithids already have innate psionics, and consider arcane magic, which requires long periods of study and practice, to be inferior. Secondly, elder brains discourage arcane magic because it works independently of the psionic network, and empowers individual illithids to strike out on their own.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Illithid reproduction is two-part; first, an adult illithid vomits up or lays (it depends on the sourcebook) a mass of gelatinous eggs in the elder brain's pool, which hatch into tadpole-like illithid larvae. Assuming they aren't eaten by others in the pond or the elder brain itself before maturing, they are then inserted into the ear of a helpless humanoid, whereupon they consume its brain and physically merge with its spinal column to become an adult illithid. Should the larva go for too long without implanting, which usually only happens if a mind flayer colony is destroyed and the larvae left to fend for themselves, it will grow into a massive, wormlike and largely mindless monster called a neothelid.
* BrainFood: An illithid needs to eat at least one humanoid brain per month, and ideally prefers one per week. ''Lords of Madness'' explains this as being due to ceremorphosis leaving illithids without a true brain integrated into the body -- instead, the skull is occupied by the original parasitic larva, which controls and is firmly rooted into the body but does not actually perform the metabolic functions of the organ it replaced. Thus, illithids cannot produce a number of important hormones, regulatory chemicals and psychic signals, and make do by consuming those of other beings.
* TheChessmaster: Illithids work to undermine the civilizations of the surface world, not because the mind flayers view them as a threat, but as a sort of political experiment. Every empire that collapses due to the illithids' machinations is providing them with data they can use to avoid making the same mistakes when they (re)establish their own empire.
* CoupDeGrace: In some rules, illithids can make an "extract brain" attack against a helpless or grappled foe, which for the vast majority of creatures is a OneHitKill. Combined with their ''Mind Blast'''s ability to stun targets for several rounds at a time, this makes mind flayers extremely dangerous even when they aren't using the rest of their psychic repertoire.
* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: Humanoid shape; skin colored in shades of dark green, blue, or purple; and four tentacles emerging from their face, with a lamprey-like mouth in between them.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In a very twisted sense, but perhaps the only humanizing trait illithids have is their connection to their thralls, which is far more intimate than it would seem, as if their thrall dies their master will suffer in return, and having thralls around keeps them from [[GoMadFromTheIsolation going insane from loneliness]]. Each illithid also has a personal thrall whom they favor; going out of their way to not eat their brains in moments of hunger or anger, giving them toys and trinkets to entertain themselves with when not working, and even taking on pronounceable names for their benefit.
* HatesBeingAlone: Illithids' absolute desire to dominate is so ingrained into them that without minds to control they feel incomplete, and will put all other plans on hold to acquire more thralls lest they GoMadFromTheIsolation.
* HeelFaceTurn: In ''exceptionally'' rare cases, individual illithids have been known to overcome their inherent desires and become morally neutral, and in extreme case even ''good,'' questioning the need to dominate others and consume brains. These individuals who think differently would quickly be rooted out and killed by other illithids if discovered, and as such most need to live in isolation from their kind.
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a mind flayer manages to extract an enemy's last or only brain, it dies instantly.
* OutsideContextProblem: As per their ''Lords of Madness'' background, the illithids originate from the far future, when their empire of dead and dying suns was facing catastrophe at the hands of an unknown aggressor. Using a psionic ritual, the mind flayers cast themselves back through the aeons to a relatively short period of time before the ''D&D'' "present" time. This is why aboleths, who can remember things from ''before'' the dawn of time, are [[HorrifyingTheHorror creeped out by the illithids]], which as far as they can tell just came out of nowhere.
* PeopleFarms: Downplayed. Illithids can and do keep and breed humanoid slaves in order to have ready access to brains to consume, but there are a number of issues that make this scheme impractical. Firstly, illithids thrive best on humanoid brains, and humanoids breed and mature slowly, requiring disproportionately large farms to compensate -- some illithids minimize this issue by farming quick-breeding and quick-growing species like goblins, orcs and grimlocks, but these still require a decade or more to grow to reproductive age and aren't actually as nutritious as slower-growing humans, dwarves or elves. Secondly, the "flavor" and nutrition of a brain are directly related to the complexity of its mind's experiences and emotions, which psychic thralldom strongly inhibits. Thus, while illithids keep some slaves as future food and even breed them, they chiefly rely on raiding independent settlements for food.
* PickyPeopleEater: Besides just eating brains, illithids are extremely discriminating about their food. Firstly, they prefer complex minds, packed with knowledge and experiences and as intelligent and emotionally rich as can be achieved -- typical peasants may just make do, experienced leaders and adventurers are relished, a sage or wizard is a rare treat. Secondly, they also have strong opinions about which species they most enjoy eating. Troglodytes are repulsive, and only eaten to avoid starvation. Goblinoids, orcs and ogres are acceptable, with surface-dwelling ones being preferred to their subterranean cousins, but are never a first choice. Humans, elves, drow, duergar and dwarves, being generally more intelligent and emotionally developed, are favored staples of the illithid diet. Grimlocks are a treat due to their lack of sight giving their brains a unique flavor. The long-lived, elusive and highly emotive fey are rare delicacies.
* PsychicPowers: Illithids have many psionic powers, the most infamous of which is their ''Mind Blast'', a cone-shaped psychic assault that stuns intelligent creatures long enough for the illithid to eat their brains.
* {{Retcon}}: Illithid lore underwent a number of changes during the 2nd-3rd Edition transition.
** In 2nd Edition, illithids reproduce asexually instead of requiring an elder brain to produce larvae. In addition, instead of converting an implanted victim into a new illithid, the larva feeds on the dead body it's planted into while maturing before bursting out as newborn illithid.
** Before and during 2nd Edition, illithids are atheist, as they believe themselves the only beings deserving of worship. Starting with 3rd, they worship Ilsensine.
** Pre-3rd Edition illithids are much more omnivorous than their later incarnations, and can subsist on a wide variety of foods. The eating of brains is primarily a symbolic gesture of dominance over other beings -- illithids believe the mind to be all-important and superior to the physical body, and so enjoy humiliating defeated opponents by devouring the most important part of their bodies.
* TheUnpronounceable: Illithids identify themselves to other illithids through strains of thoughts and images too complex to be spoken or expressed by other races, so any spoken names are actually rough translations that use descriptive words to get the general idea across. Occasionally an illithid will adopt a pronounceable name themselves, be it for the benifit of their thralls or to terrifiy enemies.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes:
** Purple worms are one of the only creatures that the mind flayers outright fear universally.
** Illithids also have trouble with the undead, since they have no minds to dominate, can evade psionic detection, and aren't inconvenienced by having their brains bitten out of their skulls.
!!Ulitharid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ulitharid.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Very rarely, an implanted tadpole transforms an individual into an ulitharid, a larger and more potent mind flayer that boasts six tentacles. In 5th Edition, they're revealed to be nascent elder brains.
----
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The ulitharids' power over common illithids is rooted in two factors -- their great rarity, and their much greater physical strength and psychic powers.
* LargeAndInCharge: Ulitharids tower over common illithids, typically standing between seven and eight feet in height.
* {{Metamorphosis}}: In 5th Edition, after an ulitharid establishes a new illithid colony, it ritually opens its own skull to expose its brain. Its illithid servants then plant its brain in its body, which rapidly dissolves into a pool of ichor to sustain the ulitharid's development into an embryonic elder brain.
* MonsterLord: Ulitharids are large, strong and psychically powerful illithids who arise to be natural leaders over their lesser kin.
* MookLieutenant: Ulitharids are typically seconds-in-command in their cities, obeying the elder brain but commanding the smaller and weaker illithids.
* StaffOfAuthority: An ulitharid's status and authority are symbolized by the twisted black staff which it carries at all time.
!!Elder Brain
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/elder_brain.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 25 (3E), 14 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
The undisputed rulers of illithid colonies, the elder brains use their prodigious intellects to guide their subjects, and their formidable psychic powers to defend against any threats, whether external or internal.
----
* BigBrotherIsWatching: An elder brain provides constant psychic surveillance of a mind flayer colony. In addition to making it very difficult for enemies to infiltrate it, this allows the elder brain to detect any dissent among its illithid subordinates.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Elder brains are the final stage of the mind flayer life cycle. Once an ulitharid reaches the end of its life, it removes its brain, which grows into an elder brain.
* BrainMonster: Illithid elder brains float in large brine pools in illithid cities. Each is made up of the combined brain matter of old illithids that sacrificed themselves to join it.
* {{Golem}}: Elder brains can "bud" a roughly-humanoid lump of gray matter simply called a brain golem, which they use as a last line of defense or to accomplish physical tasks that they don't trust to their illithid subjects. As such, mind flayers view the silent brain golems with some degree of awe as they go about their inscrutable work.
* MindHive: Illithids have no fear of death, as a dead mind flayer's brain can be removed from its body and placed into the elder brain's pool to be absorbed by the greater brain, thus allowing the mind flayer to join the mental gestalt of past illithids. But see below...
* ScamReligion: While an elder brain does absorb information from illithid brains it absorbs, and feeds off their psionic energy, no part of the original mind flayers' consciousness survives the elder brain's consumption. The elder brains are careful to keep the truth about this secret, to better manipulate and ensure the loyalty of the mind flayers.
* StrongerWithAge: Elder brains are immortal unless killed, and never enfeeble or grow senile -- they simply become wiser and stronger, their psychic power slowly but steadily increasing.
!!Elder Brain Dragon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_elder_brain_dragon_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 22 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A live dragon that has been captured by a mind flayer colony and infested by the local elder brain.
----
* BodyHorror: The dragon is mutated horrifically beyond its nature, with tentacles digging into its brain and elder brain slime running out of its mouth.
* BreathWeapon: It breathes out ''illithid tadpoles''.
* DispelMagic: A variant. Elder brain dragons can use a legendary action to shatter an enemy spellcaster's concentration, instantly ending any spell the caster was concentrating on.
* NoSavingThrow: There is no way to prevent an elder brain dragon from breaking your concentration once it has gotten hold of you. If you can't stay out of its reach, then say goodbye to whatever spells you were maintaining and brace yourself for the imminent psychic damage.
* PuppeteerParasite: When a mind flayer colony manages to capture a dragon, the elder brain latches onto the dragon's back and digs its tentacles into the dragon's brain, creating an elder brain dragon.
* WeaponizedOffspring: The elder brain dragon can release a stream of briny liquid roiling with illithid tadpoles, which can swiftly transform foes into mind flayers, allowing the elder brain dragon to grow its own roving colony.
!Ceremorphs
Creatures created by inserting illithid tadpoles in creatures other than medium-sized humanoids.
!!Brainstealer Dragon
[[quoteright:274:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainstealer_dragon.jpg]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies with age category (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Dragons created when a tadpole infects a dragon, which thankfully is a rare occurance.
----
* BrainFood: If a brainstealer dragon can hold an enemy with its tentacles for five consecutive rounds, it extracts and eats the victim's brain.
* CombatTentacles: Instead of a head, the brainstealer dragon has four tentacles which it uses to grab enemies and extract their brains.
* OneHitKill: In 3rd Edition, if a brainstealer dragon manages to extract an enemy's only brain, it dies instantly.
* PsychicPowers: Brainstealer dragons possess various psionic powers, including a cone-shaped mind blast that serves as its equivalent of a BreathWeapon.
!!Gnome Ceremorph
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Any
----
* GadgeteerGenius: A gnome ceremorph retains fragmented memories of its previous life, including a penchant for invention.
!!Gnome Squidling
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* PowerFloats: A gnome squidling keeps its body aloft with levitation and uses its tentacles like legs.
!!Mindwitness
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mindwitness.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mindwitnesses are the result of a beholder being brought safely to the brine pool of the elder brain and converted through ceremorphosis. They're actually fairly docile, and if the mind flayers are removed from the equation they will just drift around looking for new masters.
----
* ClippedWingAngel: You'd think a ceremorphosed beholder would be absolutely ''terrifying'', but they are actually docile beasts of burden, and the illithid transformation robs the beholder of its most dangerous eye rays and AntiMagic cone. Justified, since an immensely powerful, intelligent and insane RealityWarper is the ''last'' thing a mind flayer colony would want running around.
* {{Oculothorax}}: A mindwitnesses resembles a fleshy, tentacled orb dominated by a single central eye.
* PsychicLink: A mindwitness is basically a psychic relay, and they have the ability to transmit any psionic message they receive to a number of other entitites within the mindwitness' sight.
!!Uchuulon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_uchuulon_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Also known as "slime chuuls," these creatures are technically failed ceremorphs since the illithid tadpole doesn't survive the implantation attempt, but the process reduces the chuul to a creature the illithids find a more tractable slave.
----
* ClippedWingAngel: The failed ceremorphosis makes uchuulons more sluggish than chuuls, and renders their carapace translucent.
* CoveredInGunge: The thick slime that uchuulons ooze gives them additional physical protection, and has even odds of negating a CriticalHit.
* TheParalyzer: An uchuulon's tentacles exude a paralytic secretion that renders prey helpless, allowing the illithids to easily take them captive, or for the uchuulon to feed.
!!Urophion
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_urophion_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
A surprisingly viable roper ceremorph, these creatures are relegated to perimeter defense duty by their home colony.
----
* AndIMustScream: Urophions are thoroughly miserable creatures, with the intelligence of a mind flayer trapped in a nearly-immobile roper body, and are described as living lives of "desperate loneliness and frustration."
* PetTheDog: About the only thing a urophion can look forward to after a life of FantasticRacism and lonely servitude is the "honor" of joining the elder brain's pool upon death.
* PsychicPowers: They possess a base illithid's ''Mind Blast'' ability, and can use ''detect thoughts'' and ''suggestion'' at will.
* ThatsNoMoon: Like a standard roper, urophions are hard to distinguish from a normal stalagmite, but their improved tentacles and psychic powers make them even more dangerous when the ruse is up.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: Urophions have the same tentacles and drag attack as a base roper, but can combine it with an "Extract Brain" attack once they reel prey in.
!Illithidae
Illithidae are an order of animal-minded aberrations related to illithids in the same manner in which common mammals are related to humans. They originate from the same alien future as the mind flayers and congregate around their cities, although the nature of their modern relationship remains unclear. Illithidae reproduce by depositing larvae within their bodies of slain victims, which incubate there until ready to metamorphose into adults.
----
* FantasticFaunaCounterpart: Illithidae often resemble, and occupy ecological niches largely equivalent to, more familiar animals. Cessirids look and act like much like wolves, kigrids fill niches equivalent to those of aggressive omnivores and scavengers such as boars, hyenas and bears, and saltors are similar to baboons. Embracs are the only exception, as the closest analogy to their niche would be an animal that acts like a carnivorous plant.
!!Cessirid
->'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral, sometimes LawfulEvil
Wolflike pack hunters with four stinging tentacles around their mouths.
----
* AnimalJingoism: Cessirids and kaoulgrim, the hounds of the githyanki, despise each other and will always attempt to fight to the death when they meet.
* SavageWolves: Cessirids are essentially monstrous alien wolves, and are characterized as wily, treacherous and dangerous pack predators who, while capable of communication, typically only view other intelligent creatures as food and have distinct tendency towards the evil end of the alignment scale.
!!Embrac
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil (2E), TrueNeutral (3E)
Hulking predators resembling bloated sacks mounted on eight armored legs, adorned with a saw-edged beaks, and topped with eight tentacles bristling with hooks. Embracs are ambush predators that prefer to attack their prey from hiding.
----
* ArtEvolution: The 2nd Edition embrac is a bearlike creature with a beak, slanted eyes, and four tentacles growing from around its mouth. The 3rd Edition version is a giant sac of flesh with segmented, arthropod-like legs, no visible eyes, and tentacles growing in a ring all around its upper body.
* CombatTentacles: An embrac's main weapons are its muscular, hook-lined tentacles.
* HealingFactor: If an embrac's tentacles are severed, they grow back within a couple weeks.
!!Saltor
->'''Classification:''' Aberration\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (2E), NeutralEvil (3E)
Baboonlike in shape and behavior, saltors are intelligent but very primitive and live as scavengers and opportunistic predators. Saltors are fairly close kin of illithids, and like them reproduce by planting their larvae in the skulls of prey to convert them into new members of their species.
----
* MakeMeWannaShout: A saltor's main offensive tool is a loud screech capable of inflicting sonic damage.
!Other Related Creatures
!!Cranium Rat
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_cranium_rats_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (small pack), 5 (medium pack), 11 (large pack) (3E); 0 (individual), 5 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil (4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Rats imbued with psionic powers by the mind flayers. Individually they are no smarter than a normal rat, but swarms of cranium rats pool their powers to gain enhanced intelligence and dangerous abilities.
----
* AnimalEspionage: Illithids use cranium rats as spies, disseminating them in humanoid settlements and counting on the fact that humans don't generally pay much attention to rats to allow them to get anywhere and listen in to secret conversations.
* HiveMind: While an individual cranium rat is only as smart as a mundane rat, if enough cranium rats come together, they merge their minds into a single one with the accumulated memories of all constituents.
* PsychicPowers: Cranium rats are implanted with psychic powers by their mind flayer creators.
* SwarmOfRats: Cranium rats are at their most dangerous when in large swarms, as they can combine their intellects and coordinate very effectively with one another.
!!Illithocyte
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
* ZergRush: Illithocytes spend most of their time in large family masses, and are adept at fighting side-by-side in close quarters and coordinating their attacks against a single target.
!!Intellect Devourer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_intellect_devourer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E, 4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Brain-like monsters created as guards by the illithids.
----
* BrainMonster: An intellect devourer basically a brain running around on four little legs. Its modus operandi is to crack a victim's skull open, remove the brain and take its place.
* PuppeteerParasite: Intellect devourers operate by killing victims, crawling inside their craniums and pupating their bodies to either exploit their size and strength or to impersonate them.
!!Mind Worm
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
----
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Living creatures struck by a mind worm's probe must succeed on a Will save or be shaken.
!!Neothelid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_neothelid_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E), 13 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Neothelids are extremely rare, dangerous creatures created when an illithid community is destroyed and the mind flayer life cycle goes horribly wrong. The untended illithid tadpoles, free of the elder brain's predations, eventually turn on each other for lack of food until only a single tadpole remains. This survivor, having absorbed its siblings' psychic potential, eventually crawls out into the wider world to find more brains to feed upon, slowly maturing into a colossal, tentacled, worm-like monster, brilliant but bestial. Illithids don't like acknowledging them.
----
* BrainFood: Neothelids first develop intelligence when they consume a thinking being's brain, and afterwards constantly hunger for brains.
* HorrifyingTheHorror: Illithids consider neothelids to be abhorrent abominations and a taboo subject.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Not only did each neothelid survive by feeding upon their fellow tadpoles, but they are oblivious of their mind flayer heritage and will happily feast upon illithid brains.
* SuperSpit: Neothelids can spray tissue-dissolving enzymes from their tentacle ducts that reduce prey to a puddle of slime but leaving the brain intact.
!!Nerve Swimmer
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
----
* PuppeteerParasite: Nerve swimmers burrow into the flesh and nerves of their victims, and control them to do the bidding of their masters.
!Undead Illithids
!!Alhoon
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alhoon_5e_5.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E), Aberrant Humanoid Undead (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E), 10 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
----
* AndIMustScream: When an alhoon's body is destroyed, its mind gets sucked into its ''periapt of mind trapping''. It remains there, trapped alongside the souls of its previous victims, aware of its surroundings but powerless to do anything beyond telepathically ranting and raving at anyone who picks up the periapt.
* AnIcePerson: In 5th edition, their basic attack is a touch spell that inflicts cold damage.
* NonHumanUndead: They're the mind flayer equivalent of liches.
* NoSell: In 5E, an alhoon cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons.
* {{Retcon}}: In older editions, the term "illithilich" is just a synonym for an alhoon. 5th edition draws a distinction between the two: an alhoon is a lesser form of lich with weaker spellcasting abilities and no ability to regenerate its body or suck out people's brains, whereas an illithilich has all the powers and abilities of a normal lich in addition to those of a mind flayer.
* SoulJar: Much like how a regular lich uses a phylactery to house its soul, an alhoon uses a ''periapt of mind trapping'' to store its mind if its body is destroyed.
!!Vampire Illithid
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vampiric_illithid.png]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E), 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Illithids who became vampires through an unknown process, which also destroyed their minds.
----
* FeralVampires: Vampiric illithids are mindless, predatory animals with no trace of their old genius -- whatever process gave them their unlife also destroyed their rationality and capacity for higher thought.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Pale grey, undead illithids who need to consume both blood and brain matter to survive. It's not known how they become vampires and they cannot produce spawn of their own, and the process of transformation leaves them feral beasts.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minotaur]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_minotaur_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Hulking, bull-headed humanoids with a tendency towards savagery but a good head for mazes. See [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces the Playable Races subpage]] for more information about them.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mockery Bug]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mockery_drone_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Mockery drone (3e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (mockery drone), 14 (mockery monarch) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Neutral Evil
Rarely, an ankheg egg produces an insectoid monster with a silvery carapace and dangerous intelligence, which quickly leaves the nest to strike out on its own. These mockery monarchs are able to spawn copies of humanoids they consume, and send those mockery drones to lure more victims to their lairs.
----
* AcidAttack: Like true ankhegs, mockery monarchs deal acid damage with their bite attacks, while mockery drones can spit a long line of acid every six hours.
* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: Mockery drones are born with incoherent fragments of memories from their previous lives, and have just enough intelligence to try to mimic normal behavior, but not enough to do so well. As a result, they're prone to behavior like tilling the same patch of earth over and over, carrying empty buckets to and from the town well, or chopping a piece of firewood to splinters.
* AttackReflector: Mockery monarchs' silvery carapaces can reflect hostile magic as per ''spell turning''.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their true forms, mockery drones look like 5-foot-long, spined centipedes that retain the faces of the people they were imitating.
* ChestBurster: Mockery drones are spawned looking identical to the people they replaced, but when pressed into combat, [[YourHeadAsplode their heads explode]] as their centipede-like true forms burst out of their humanoid shells to the attack. Once a drone sheds its false identity, there's no going back, and it spends the rest of its confused existence as a human-faced monster.
* EatBrainForMemories: Mockery monarchs learn the languages of the creatures they eat, but are incapable of normal or telepathic speech.
* ReplicantSnatching: Mockery monarchs are incapable of reproducing normally, and are instead instinctively driven to spawn as many mockery drones as possible. They can be dangerously clever when employing their minions to lure in fresh victims, like having their drones attack livestock in a way that suggests normal ankhegs are behind it, or leaving signs that a missing child entered their lair. But in most cases, their drones can bring in victims simply by wandering around and acting oddly until someone takes an interest - especially family of those replaced by the drones - then leading them to their monarch.
* TheSpiny: The spines covering a mockery drone deal piercing damage to opponents that grapple or attack them with non-reach melee weapons.
* SwallowedWhole: Anything bitten and grappled by a mockery monarch is in danger of being swallowed whole, taking regular acid and bludgeoning damage until their hit points reach zero, at which point the monarch can spawn a fresh mockery drone that looks like the victim.
* WelcomeToCorneria: Mockery drones only remember a few words from their previous lives, and will repeat phrases like "Midnight and all's well!" or "Here's your change!" as they struggle to act normally. [[MadnessMantra They keep this up even when they burst out of their human shells and attack.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Modron]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_modrons_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Pentadrone and monodrone (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/8 (monodrone), 1/4 (doudrone), 1/2 (tridrone), 1 (quadrone), 2 (pentadrone) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Clockwork creatures from the plane of Mechanus, modrons are living personifications of law and order. They follow a rigid hierarchical society where every modron interacts only with others of its own rank and with its immediate inferiors or superiors: anything further away is beyond their comprehension.
----
* AirborneMook: Quadrones are the only winged variant of modrons, and often combine this with their proficiency with bows to serve as aerial ranged support for modron forces.
* EternalRecurrence: Every 289 years, when the gears of Mechanus complete seventeen cycles, Primus sends thousands of modrons to survey the Outer Planes of the Great Wheel. Given the extreme dangers involved, only a few survive to return to Mechanus.
* LawfulStupid: As personifications of Law without Good or Evil, modrons are essentially magic computers with zero individuality, imagination, or ability to comprehend anything except basic logic or disobey any order given them.
* LivingPolyhedron: The more powerful and important the modron, the more sides they have. So monodrones are spheres, duodrones cubes, tridones tetrahedrons, and so on until the upper ranks look increasingly humanoid.
* MookLieutenant: Duodrones are assigned with supervising and directing groups of monodrones, the simplest modron type. In war, duodrones typically act as sergeants or corporals and lead squads of precisely twelve monodrones into battle.
* NotSoStoic: In ''Planescape'', the lore states that Orcus slew Primus, the one and prime, and caused the greatest upheaval the modrons had ever faced. In 3e, Primus can be summoned by the Binder class as a vestige. ''He weeps''.
* FantasticCasteSystem: Modrons live in a complex and perfectly ordered hierarchy, where each caste performs a specific task, possess precisely the level of complexity needed for its purpose, and is only able to communicate with the castes immediately above and below it.
* StarfishRobots: Modrons are fantastical robotic constructs who are so utterly devoted to the concept of cosmic Order that they're often fairly difficult for mortals to communicate with -- modrons are utterly devoted to their assigned tasks, almost entirely unimaginative, and literally incapable of thinking in terms of good and evil. None of them are humanoid except for Primus himself and his immediate underlings; common modrons resemble living geometric solids, while their immediate superiors have shapes reminiscent of unusual sea animals.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mongrelfolk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mongrelfolk_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classificaction:''' Humanoid (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/3 (3E), 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral (2E, 3E), Any (5E)
Humanoids that bear the physical marks of generations of crossbreeding, such as mismatched limbs and uneven features.
----
* ArtEvolution: How deformed they are varies by edition, with earlier art depicting "Mongrelmen" with occasional animal limbs and features that were part-reptile, part-mammal, before 3rd Edition toned them down into merely ugly goblin-like creatures, only for 5th Edition to swing the other way.
* DarkIsNotEvil: No matter how ugly they look, mongrelfolk aren't evil, and at worst will resort to petty thievery to survive. Generally they try to get along with their neighbors, no matter how abusive, either by passing for a friendly race or just staying out of sight.
* {{Determinator}}: Mongrelfolk will do ''anything'' to survive. Survival is the overriding goal of their kind; they give members of their kind the title "The Survivor" the way other races would term someone "The Great".
* FantasticRacism: They're often driven out of even good and lawful communities, while evil societies will enslave mongrelfolk, or even hunt them for sport. Mongrelfolk themselves avoid this, and consider themselves kin to every race, even if they don't quite belong to any of them.
* TheGrotesque: Mongrelfolk tend to display the worst features of their various ancestors, such as oversized ears, sloped foreheads, flat noses, crooked and rotten teeth, etc. Despite this, they're generally inoffensive creatures.
* HeinzHybrid: They're the inevitable conclusion of a setting with dozens of humanoid races capable of interbreeding. On the upside, this means a mongrelfolk can use a magic item intended for a particular race without difficulty, and in some editions they inherit perks like an elf's immunity to magical ''sleep'' effects, or a diminished version of a dwarf's resistance to poison.
* PassFail: 3rd Edition's ''Races of Destiny'' sourcebook introduced an interesting spin on mongrelfolk, namely that the hideous mismatched examples of their kind are rare individuals that are used as a ''distraction'' by the rest of the mongrelfolk, and honored for their sacrifice. Ordinary mongrelfolk instead blend the features of their various parent races more subtly, to the extent that observers tend to interpret them as people close to, but not quite, their own race. So a dwarf might see a mongrelfolk as an unusually broad-shouldered elf, an elf might see a tall and slender dwarf, a human would see a strangely attractive orc, and so forth.
* VoiceChangeling: Mongrelfolk can mimic any voice or sound they've heard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Moon Dog]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_moon_dog_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Canine celestials from the Blessed Fields of Elysium, who travel the Upper Planes and Material Plane to confront evil.
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* ArtEvolution: Their ''AD&D'' art is closer to a hybrid wolf-human, with hairless human hands on their forelegs and uncanny faces that are both canine and humanoid. 3rd Edition makes them much more wolf-looking, other than their hand-like front paws.
* AsianLionDogs: They lean much more heavily on the "dog" part of the trope, but otherwise follow it, being noble, heavenly creatures that can ruin evil's day.
* AstralProjection: They can use the spell at will, but only affecting themselves.
* CastingAShadow: Moon dogs can move shadows around themselves, creating a pattern that acts as a ''[[MassHypnosis hypnotic pattern]]'' to all neraby evil creatures, while granting good creatures a ''protection from evil'' and ''remove fear'' effect.
* DispelMagic: Moon dogs' barks act as a ''dispel evil'' effect, while their whines automatically dispel illusions within 50 feet.
* FeatherFingers: Their front paws are very hand-like, and have a limited capacity for fine manipulation.
* FourLegsGoodTwoLegsBetter: Moon dogs can stand up on their hind legs to use their front paws to grasp things, but move at half speed while doing so.
* GoodCounterpart: They're considered such to yeth hounds, being canids with human features and supernatural powers, only dedicated to good.
* {{Intangibility}}: They can use ''etheral jaunt'' at will.
* IntimateHealing: By licking a wound, moon dogs can ''cure light wounds'', ''remove disease'' and/or ''slow poison'', each once per day per person.
* MakeMeWannaShout: Their howling simultaneously causes the ''fear'' effect of their baying, deals a bit of damage to evil creatures each round the moon hound continues, and targets any nearby fiends with a ''dismissal'' spell.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Moon dogs can use a variant of ''speak with animals'' to converse with dogs, wolves and other mundane canines.
* SuperSenses: Moon dogs have low-light vision, darkvision, can [[TheNoseKnows track creatures by scent,]] are constantly under both ''arcane'' and ''blessed sight'', and can ''[[SeeTheInvisible see invisibility]]'' at will.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: A moon dog's baying acts as a ''fear'' spell that only affects evil creatures.
* {{Telepathy}}: Like many outsiders, they're telepathic out to 50 feet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mooncalf]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_mooncalf_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Aberrant Magical Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Winged, tentacled monsters sometimes encountered on mountains and hilltops, and rumored to fly down to earth from the dark side of the moon.
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* CombatTentacles: A mooncalf has six short tentacles that it uses for close combat and two long tentacles that it uses to attack at a distance.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Examination of dead mooncalves reveals that their bodies are essentially alchemical laboratories, capable of distilling and dissolving nearly any substance. In effect, mooncalves can digest nearly anything that they eat.
* NonIndicativeName: "Mooncalf" certainly doesn't bring to mind the image of a winged, tentacled monstrosity that can eat literally anything.
* StarfishAliens: Mooncalves are giant flying cephalopod-like creatures, spawned by alien gods that exist in the void between worlds.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: Moonlords can tap into their moongod heritage, creating an aura centred around them that brings bad luck to other creatures.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Morkoth]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_morkoth_5e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cruel and devious sea monsters who use hypnosis to lure victims into their maze-like lairs to be devoured.
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* ArtEvolution: Morkoths began in 1st Edition roughly humanoid generic sea creatures, with four tentacles arranged like legs and arms, a central torso, and a squid-like head with a prominent beak. 2nd Edition redesigned them fairly drastically to resemble gracile, weedy fishlike creatures with toothy jaws, four slender arthropod legs, and bodies ending in octopus-like tentacles on which the creature moved. 3rd modified the second design to be much bulkier and more intimidating, generally making all parts of it larger and more imposing and presenting the morkoth as a more active and dangerous hunter. 5th Edition revisits the original look, but again makes it much more frightening and imposing than the original, with multiple tentacles, a serrated beak and a "shell" made of trophies from past kills. All this to say, even in-universe sources can't agree on what the monsters look like, just that they're some combination of fish, crab and squid.
* AttackReflector: If a morkoth successfully saves against a spell, or if a spell attack misses it, the monster can cause the magic to rebound against its attacker.
* CollectorOfTheStrange: With their current lore, morkoths obessively hoard everything from treasure to obscure lore to prisoners, and since their lairs can travel from plane to plane, their collections can be eclectic indeed.
-->'''Volo:''' Collectors of everything odd, unusual and valuable - hopefully not including you.
* {{Greed}}: 5th Edition morkoths are motivated by both a yearning for conflict and a greedy desire for anything they don't possess. As such, they won't willingly part with anything from their hoards, and those in their lairs have a chance of discovering that one of their possessions has spontaneously vanished to appear in the morkoth's hoard.
* MixAndMatchCritters: Morkoths resembls fish with cephalopod tentacles and arthropod-like legs.
* PocketDimension: While each morkoth's domain appears as a tropical island - if an unnerving dreamlike place shrouded in perpetual twilight - the entire area is essentially its own demiplane, able to travel to other planes and locations at random or in a sequence. Rarely, a morkoth gains the ability to control the movements of its island.
* PsychicPowers: Morkoths are natural hypnotists, and shape the tunnels of their lairs to amplify their powers in order to lure and befuddle prey.
* {{Retcon}}: 5th Edition greatly expanded their backstory, turning morkoths from mere sea monsters to the byproduct of a dead god inhabiting roving extraplanar islands. Originally ambivalent about treasure and prone to eating any captives, morkoths became greedy hoarders who considered prisoners part of their possessions.
* TookALevelInBadass: Past morkoths had purely physical attacks, with their only supernatural abilities being their spell reflection and hypnotic tunnels. But in 5th Edition, morkoths are full-fledged spellcasters equivalent to an 11th-level mage.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Myconid]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_myconids_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (junior worker), 1 (average worker), 2 (elder worker), 4 (guard), 6 (circle leader), 7 (sovereign) (3E); 0 (scout), 1/2 (adult), 2 (sovereign) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral
Also known as "fungus ones," these intelligent, mobile mushroom folk are distrustful of outsiders, but generally shy and nonviolent, making them a rarity among the Underdark's inhabitants.
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* AnimateDead: One type of myconid spore infests corpses, causing them to rise as mindless servants. They do whatever work there aren't enough myconids to carry out.
* LargeAndInCharge: Myconids grow over the course of their lives, but the sovereign is always the tallest myconid (eleven feet). If it dies, another myconid will grow to eleven feet tall and take over.
* MushroomMan: Myconids are intelligent, ambulatory fungi that live in the Underdark.
* MushroomSamba: Pun aside, myconids structure their days into three parts: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of a mind-melding hallucinatory state caused by their spores.
* {{Telepathy}}: One type of spore myconids can emit allows for telepathic communication, both between themselves and with outsiders.
[[/folder]]
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