History Characters / DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartTwo

[[folder:Stone Flyer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stone_flyer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\

Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in the Underdark.

* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, and can pass through solid rock with the ease of a fish moving through water, without leaving a tunnel behind.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Stone flyers confer the above ability on anyone riding them, so the creatures are highly sought-after as mounts by Underdark races. This requires both a special saddle and special training, as well as a Diplomacy check to win the creature over.
* ItCanThink: They're no smarter than the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient and speak Terran.
* SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carved from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as well as fierce carnivores.

* StaircaseTumble: Shadow spiders get their name from their ability to use ''{{shadow walk|er}}'' at will, but they actually hunt by lurking in the shadows at the bottom of a staircase or slope, then when prey tries to traverse it, the spider sprays a layer of slick shadow-silk onto the surface, so that their meal tumbles down into the shadow spider's waiting foreclaws.

* EmotionBomb: They can use ''emotion'' at will, projecting the emotion associated with their mask (commonly fear, happiness, hate or sadness) to all who can see it. Anyone the mask attaches to is constantly subjected to that emotion, but as a consequence can NoSell any magical attempts to make them feel anything else.

* PuppeteerParasite: Their only attack is to try and attach themselves to a humanoid's unprotected face. A soul masks' victim has to save or be [[PushedInFrontOfTheAudience forced to act out a short scene from an opera or play]] for up to twelve rounds, after which they have a brief respite before the mask compels another performance... though on the upside, they're now considered proficient in Acting, and can perfectly play the part of any character in the mask's repertoire. The mask can be attacked to kill it, though each attack will also damage the host, or ''dispel magic'' can be used to render the soul mask inert for a round. Amusingly, their entry mentions that if two soul masks of opposite emotions encounter one another, their hosts "often become engrossed in a beautiful bit of contrapuntal dialogue."

[[folder:Spelleater]]
[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spelleater_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:325:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral

Saurian monsters with the intelligence of dragons and the power to absorb magic.

* BioweaponBeast: Spelleaters were created by dragons in ancient times to combat the rise of humanoid wizards, but turned out to be nearly as dangerous to their creators as they were to their intended prey. The dragons attempted to purge their creations, which is why the descendants of the spelleaters who survived continue to avoid true dragons.
* FeedItWithFire: Any time an attacker fails to overcome a spelleater's spell resistance, the monster converts the energy into a beneficial effect that lasts for a few rounds -- a bonus on attack and damage rolls, {{damage reduction}}, [[HealingFactor fast healing]], or a [[AntiMagic magic-dampening field]] that reduces nearby spellcasters' effective caster level.
* MageHuntingMonster: Spelleaters were bred to be this, and their burning, instinctive urge to target spellcasters can lead them to ignore more dangerous threats in favor of hounding a mage. Spelleaters are fully aware of this proclivity, which is part of the reason they try to make their lairs far from civilization.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can ''detect magic'' at will, allowing the spelleater to identify any mages and try and provoke them into casting a spell they can devour.
* WaddlingHead: They're more or less a Huge, quadrupedal example.

* ElectricJoybuzzer: Not explicit, but they do have a "Shock" melee attack that deals a good bit of lightning damage.

''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatureTypes Creature Types]] ([[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToJ I to J]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesK K]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesL L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sn]], '''So-Sy''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToV U to V]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesWToZ W to Z]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsBeholderkin Beholderkin]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons Demons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDevils Devils]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants Giants]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsMindFlayers Mind Flayers]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsYugoloths Yugoloths]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCrossoverCreatures Crossover Creatures]] \\

''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatureTypes Creature Types]] ([[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToJ I to J]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesK K]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesL L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sn]], '''So-Sy''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsBeholderkin Beholderkin]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons Demons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDevils Devils]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants Giants]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsMindFlayers Mind Flayers]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsYugoloths Yugoloths]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCrossoverCreatures Crossover Creatures]] \\

See also the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsBeholderkin Beholderkin]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons Demons]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDevils Devils]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants Giants]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsMindFlayers Mind Flayers]], [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]], and [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsYugoloths Yugoloths]] subpages for information about those respective creatures.

''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatures Creatures]]'': [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreatureTypes Creature Types]] ([[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToJ I to J]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesK K]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesL L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sn]], '''So-Sy''' | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesT T]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesUToZ U to Z]]) | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsBeholderkin Beholderkin]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons Demons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDevils Devils]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsDragons Dragons]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants Giants]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsMindFlayers Mind Flayers]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsUndead Undead]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsYugoloths Yugoloths]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCrossoverCreatures Crossover Creatures]] \\

[[folder:Spawn of Tiamat]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_tiamat_3e.jpg]]
->''Yes. I am blessed. I have borne Tiamat's child in Her stead. Holy be Her plans, and may those that use this godslayer come to fruition... swiftly.''
-->-- '''Kazeranthamus, blue dragon'''

Tiamat, Goddess of Evil Dragonkind, has struggled against her brother Bahamut in an eons-long conflict known as the Dragonfall War. In an effort to tip the balance decisively in her favor, Tiamat has exerted her influence on the eggs of chromatic dragons, causing them to hatch into a wide variety of dragonblooded creatures that have since bred true. Individually, each of these dragonspawn is a dangerous predator or soldier, but together they form a terrible army meant to conquer the world for the Chromatic Dragon Queen. Dragonspawn usually congregate in packs with their own kind, but willingly work with chromatic dragons, or even other evil creatures such as hobgoblins -- but those allies should remember that the spawn of Tiamat are ultimately loyal only to their creator.

[[folder:Spectral Lurker]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spectral_lurker_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Huge, tentacled predators who haunt dungeons, emerging from solid surfaces to ambush their prey.

* {{Intangibility}}: They're naturally incorporeal, and prone to lurking within solid objects until victims come within reach of their tentacles.
* MistakenIdentity: Spectral lurkers' tentacles and mouth give off a faint white glow, sometimes causing them to be mistaken for odd ghosts.
* TentacleRope: They can grab and constrict foes with their tentacles for additional damage.
* TeleFrag: Spectral lurkers have the power to "incorporealize" victims held by their tentacles, an effect that lasts until the monster lets go. They thus like to hunt by grabbing prey, yanking them into a material object, and then releasing their victim -- the re-corporealizing creature gets shunted out of the object, taking unavoidable, nonspecific damage in the process, a tactic the spectral lurker repeats until their victim is dead.
* TouchTheIntangible: A spectral lurker's teeth and tentacles are treated as having the ''ghost touch'' property, allowing them to affect corporeal and ethereal targets alike.

[[folder:Spelleater]]
[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spelleater_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:325:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral

Saurian monsters with the intelligence of dragons and the power to absorb magic.

* BioweaponBeast: Spelleaters were created by dragons in ancient times to combat the rise of humanoid wizards, but turned out to be nearly as dangerous to their creators as they were to their intended prey. The dragons attempted to purge their creations, which is why the descendants of the spelleaters who survived continue to avoid true dragons.
* FeedItWithFire: Any time an attacker fails to overcome a spelleater's spell resistance, the monster converts the energy into a beneficial effect that lasts for a few rounds -- a bonus on attack and damage rolls, {{damage reduction}}, [[HealingFactor fast healing]], or a [[AntiMagic magic-dampening field]] that reduces nearby spellcasters' effective caster level.
* MageHuntingMonster: Spelleaters were bred to be this, and their burning, instinctive urge to target spellcasters can lead them to ignore more dangerous threats in favor of hounding a mage. Spelleaters are fully aware of this proclivity, which is part of the reason they try to make their lairs far from civilization.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can ''detect magic'' at will, allowing the spelleater to identify any mages and try and provoke them into casting a spell they can devour.
* WaddlingHead: They're more or less a Huge, quadrupedal example.

[[folder:Spellgaunt]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spellgaunt_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Oversized arachnids that destroy magical items with their jaws, feeding on the arcane energy released.

* GiantSpider: They look like gold-furred spiders ten feet long, though spellgaunts have fanged mouths rather than mandibles.
* MagicEater: They consume the energy released when their disjunctive bites destroy a magic item. This can backfire horribly should a spellgaunt attempt to feed on a magical artfiact, which forces them to make a saving throw or [[PhlebotinumOverdose die instantly from the overwhelming energy.]] Spellgaunts can also be dumb about how they go after magical auras -- in one case, a monster detected a swarm of magical blades conjured by a spellcaster, ran headlong into them, and got sliced to pieces.
* MooksAteMyEquipment: Spellgaunts' "disjunctive bite" attacks go even further than a DispelMagic effect, which merely suppresses magical effects for a few rounds, by instead forcing magic items they chomp on to save or ''permanently'' lose their enchantment. Significantly, this has a 1-in-3 chance of applying even to magical artifacts, which normally require extreme measures to destroy.
* ProjectileWebbing: Spellgaunts can throw webs, but theirs are made of [[PureEnergy invisible force]] and thus can affect even ethereal creatures. These webs hang around for up to four hours, and can only be destroyed by spells like ''disintegrate'' or items like a ''rod of cancellation.''
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Spellgaunts can see magic auras in their direct line-of-sight, out to 120 feet.

[[folder:Spellscale]]
[[quoteright:271:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spellscale_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:271:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:''' Any

A vivacious race of humanoids easily identified by their fine, lustrous scales, and infamous for their mercurial temperament and whimsical nature.

* DraconicHumanoid: Downplayed. Spellscales are humanoids with draconic heritage, but in terms of appearance look more like elves with scaly skin and tiny claws -- possibly an adaptation of the original appearance of the half-dragon.
* DragonAncestry: They have the dragonblooded subtype, and more significantly, spellscales can undertake a daily "blood-quickening meditation" to attune themselves to a draconic deity, gaining different bonuses based on the deity in question. For example, to honor Astilabor the Hoardmistress, a spellscale might tabulate the net worth of their gear, gaining a bonus on Appraise checks and unlimited use of the Eschew Materials feat, while another day that spellscale might honor Bahamut by reflecting on the differences between metallic dragon breeds, gaining the ability to smite evil creatures with magic a few times that day.
* InLoveWithLove: Spellscales throw themselves wholeheartedly into romantic relationships of any kind -- falling helplessly in love with a total stranger, enjoying an illicit tryst, pining for someone unattainable, or suffering through a MayflyDecemberRomance or an unfaithful spouse -- before growing bored and finding love again. Other races describe spellscales as eternal adolescents, but it should be noted that they ''do'' care for their partners and their relationships, though melodramatic and often short-lived, are genuine.
* MageSpecies: Spellscales are all born to powerful sorcerers, however distantly, and in return have a very strong racial proclivity for the sorcerer's arts.
* RacialTransformation: There is a magical rite by which a spellscale can permanently transform a willing humanoid into another spellscale. Unfounded conspiracy theories hold that the transformation can also be forced.

[[folder:Spell Weaver]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spell_weaver_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Immortal Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E), 28 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Multi-armed beings from an alternate Material Plane, known for their adept spellcasting and for coveting magic items.

* ArtEvolution: Spell weavers' 2nd Edition art had them eschewing clothing, and mixed humanoid, reptilian and insectoid features. In 3rd Edition, they wear robes and have avian faces instead.
* TheCaper: These creatures are normally solitary, but sometimes several spell weavers will organize into a raiding party to go after a specific magic item, usually after months of magical and mundane investigation and preparation.
* InscrutableAliens: Spell weavers sometimes leave written notes behind after they commit a theft. On the rare occasion they're in a legible language, they're so rambling and bizarre that they don't explain anything about what's going on.
* {{Invisibility}}: Spell weavers can cast the spell at will, and frequently use it to steal a magic item before escaping via ''plane shift''.
* ManaPotion: Each spell weaver carries a six-inch-wide chromatic disc that constantly shifts color through the visible spectrum, which can "recharge" up to six spell levels per day. These discs are indestructible, unless a non-spell weaver should attempt to use them, in which case they [[UnusableEnemyEquipment detonate for up to 40 damage in a 30-foot radius.]]
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: But not in direct combat -- despite their six arms, spell weavers only have two slam attacks for pathetic damage in 3rd Edition. Instead, spell weavers can use their arms to cast multiple spells at once, so long as the spells' total levels don't exceed their number of arms. So they could cast one 6th-level spell per turn, a 4th-level and a 2nd-level spell, three 2nd-level spells, and so forth.
* NoSell: Spell weavers' alien thought patterns render them immune to any mind-affecting spells or abilities. Similarly, anyone attempting to make mental contact with them [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead has to save or go temporarily insane,]] suffering the effects of a ''confusion'' spell for up to six days.
* OminousOwl: Their heads are decidedly owl-like, if devoid of feathers, and they can twist their long necks to look in any direction.
* {{Telepathy}}: Spell weavers don't speak, but can communicate telepathically with one another to a range of a thousand miles. The most they try to interact with other creatures is by leaving rambling and confusing notes for humanoids to find.

[[folder:Sphinx]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gynosphinx_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Gynosphinx (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Immortal Magical Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies by subspecies (3E, 5E), 16 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Varies by subspecies, or Unaligned (4E)

Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other creatures.

* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Through early editions, sphinxes were infamous for this and their mating habits. Of the classic four varieties of sphinx, the only females are gynosphinxes, who want to breed with androsphinxes, but the males have no interest in sex and need to be bribed or coerced into it. These are the only couplings that produce andro- and gynosphinxes, sometimes in the form of fraternal twins. The ram-headed criosphinxes lust after gynosphinxes, but the latter find them repulsive, resulting in the criosphinxes trying to either bribe the females, or entrap them in their lairs. If a criosphinx does mate with a gynosphinx, the result is another male criosphinx. And then there are the evil, brutish, falcon-headed hieracosphinxes, who simply hunt down and rape gynosphinxes, producing more male hieracosphinxes. The good news for gynosphinxes is that they're smarter than all the males of their odd species, which helps them avoid the ones they dislike and track down androsphinxes. The bad news for gynosphinxes is that they're also ''slower'' than all the males of their species, and hieracosphinxes and criosphinxes aren't known for giving up once they catch sight of a female.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' since 1st Edition. They're immortal, magical and extremely intelligent beings who resemble winged lions with the heads of various other creatures, and a fondness for riddles. The four varieties discussed above are the most commonly-occurring across the game's editions, but there are others.
* PsychicBlockDefense: In 5th edition, it is impossible to read a sphinx's mind. They are immune to any magical effect that would read their thoughts or sense their emotions, and divination spells only affect them if they allow it.
* RiddlingSphinx: Sphinxes have a reputation as riddlers, though how accurate this is depends on the subspecies, as detailed below.
* TimeMaster: 5th edition sphinxes can control the flow of time within their lairs. They can inflict RapidAging on their enemies or make them younger, can shunt the entire lair ten years into the past or future, or force everyone to reroll their initiative.
* UnreliableIllustrator: Androsphinxes and gynosphinxes are described as resembling winged lions with the heads of humanoids, but their 3rd Edition artwork gives said heads strong feline features, and by 5th Edition sphinxes are invariably depicted with fully leonine heads.

!!Androsphinx
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_androsphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (3E), 17 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood (1E-3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)

Sphinxes with masculine faces, and the mightiest of their kind's subspecies, serving as the guardians of all sphinxes.

* BribeBackfire: They have the least use for treasure of all sphinxes, and should an evil or uncouth humanoid try to offer them some in a bargain, the androsphinx is likely to take offense.
* CelibateHero: As mentioned, androsphinxes avoid gynosphinxes, both because their alignments clash and especially because androsphinxes are jealous of gynosphinxes' superior intellects. "However, most androsphinxes eventually succumb to the advances of a gynosphinx at least once in their lives."
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Androsphinxes can be gruff or even ill-tempered, and are generally solitary and shy, but they have noble hearts. "They appreciate small courtesies, but seldom admit it, and praise makes them feel uncomfortable."
* MightyRoar: An androsphinx can let out a magical roar up to three times a day. The first roar frightens its enemies, the second roar deafens and paralyzes them, and the third roar knocks them flat on their asses with a blast of sonic damage strong enough to crack stone.
* RiddlingSphinx: Averted, androsphinxes traditionally dislike riddles, both because they're antisocial, and because they're jealous of the gynosphinxes' superior intellect. Androsphinxes in 5th Edition are more concerned with testing supplicants' courage than playing word games.
* SaveTheVillain: They feel that they have a duty to defend all of sphinx-kind from other creatures, and androsphinxes will even aid the hated hierachosphinxes if necessary. This can lead to the androsphinx's downfall, as mentioned below.

!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_criosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\

Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who are primarily concerned with finding a mate.

* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: They're prone to grouping up during the hunt for a gynosphinx, but will follow other criosphinxes even if their fellows have no idea where their quarry is.
* EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used as an alternative material component for the ''shout'' spell.
* {{Greed}}: If they're not on the trail of a gynosphinx, criosphinxes are hoarding treasure, and are known to shake down passers-by for everything they're carrying.
* HornAttack: They can attack with their horns.
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have a habit of adding descriptive adjectives to their names, such as "Bold Necrotiki," "Great Rameses," or "Swift Ibericus."
* VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; despite having the heads of grass-eating goats, criosphinxes have the sharp teeth and appetites of carnivores.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: When a mob of criosphinxes does find a gynosphinx, the result is a head-butting competition to determine who gets to claim the "prize." In the likely event that the criosphinxes forget to take measures like blocking the gynosphinx's lair entrance with boulders, the winner will find that the female has escaped while the males were literally butting heads.

!!Gynosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gynosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)

Female sphinxes who are the wisest of their kind.

* ArtEvolution: Early gynosphinxes followed the classical model closely, being winged lions with women's heads (and bared breasts). But they picked up stronger leonine features in 3rd Edition, until in 5th Edition they have fully lion heads.
* RiddlingSphinx: Played the straightest of the sphinx subspecies. Gynosphinxes are fascinated by riddles and games of wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in this manner.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: They spend their lives avoiding criosphinxes (whom they detest as little better than animals) and hieracosphinxes (whom they fear as abominable rapists), while hunting for an androsphinx. As such, gynosphinxes are willing to pay handsomely in treasure or magical services for leads on androsphinxes' locations.
* WomenAreWiser: They are the smartest of the sphinxes, with genius-level intellects.

!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_hieracosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

Evil, animalistic, hawk-headed, and always-male sphinxes who are constantly on the hunt for a gynosphinx, or failing that, something to kill.

* DistractedByTheSexy: Some evil warlords ride hieracosphinxes as an intelligent, bloodthirsty alternative to griffons, but clever illusionists can make the brutes go haring off after an illusory gynosphinx.
* TheFarmerAndTheViper: Androsphinxes and hieracosphinxes often come to blows, fights the stronger androsphinxes usually win, but they also tend to let the evil sphinx go instead of finishing him off. This can lead hierarcosphinxes to use treachery or the advantage of numbers to kill the androsphinx, and then take up residence in his lair, waiting for a gynosphinx to come along in search of a mate.
* FeatheredFiend: Hieracosphinxes have the heads of falcons, and are evil at heart. There's some speculation that an evil deity created hieracosphinxes simply to cause grief for the nobler subspeces of sphinxes.
* FragileSpeedster: They're the smallest and weakest of the main sphinx subspecies, but also the fastest and most agile flyers.

!Other Sphinxes

!!Astrosphinx
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_astrosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

Twisted parodies of true sphinxes who are dangerously insane.

* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Astrosphinxes can survive in Wildspace without air.
* ChainLightning: They can fire such as EyeBeams, the catch is that it takes a round for the attack to charge up (during which the pinpricks of light in their eye sockets change color from violet to gold), and the astrosphinx is blind for the following round as the attack recharges (during which their eyes are red, returning to violet when recharged). As such, astrosphinxes usually hit foes with their ''sleep'' breath to leave them helpless while their lightning attack charges up.
* ForcedSleep: Their BreathWeapon is a cone of ''sleep'' gas.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: They arguably aren't sphinxes at all, since they have draconic scales, bat-like wings, humanoid hands, and seemingly a SkullForAHead. They're so dangerously unstable that even other evil creatures will hunt down and kill astrosphinxes as threats to all life, and it's considered unlucky to keep any body parts from an astrosphinx.
* RiddlingSphinx: Astrosphinxes like riddles, the problem is they're completely insane, so their questions run along the lines of "What's the speed of down?" or "How loud is blue?" or "What do a kobold and the Spelljammer have in common besides triangles?" Anything that can't answer "correctly" is destroyed, but there is a 1% chance that an astrosphinx will perceive a similarly nonsensical answer to be the correct response to its "riddle," [[DefeatEqualsExplosion causing the monster to explode in a massive burst of electricity.]] These sphinxes are so crazy that they'll ask their riddles of dumb animals, insects and even plants, and inevitably kill them for failing to answer.

!!Canisphinx
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_canisphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Jackal-heades sphinxes who, despite their intelligence, exist as ruthless desert predators.

* ScavengersAreScum: Canisphinxes are among the weakest sphinxes, have the heads of desert scavengers, and specifically target prey too weak to fight back, and will flee from fierce opposition.
* SuperScream: They can roar three times per day, with cumulative effects on victims during a prolonged encounter. First, their roar acts as a SupernaturalFearInducer, then as TheParalyzer that also deafens victims, and finally a third roar deals [[NonHealthDamage Strength damage]]. Multiple canisphinxes' roars have the same cumulative effect as one sphinx roaring repeatedly.
* VictoryByEndurance: They're endurance hunters, chasing prey through the desert for hours on end until their victims drop from exhaustion.

!!Crocosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_crocosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\

Brutish sphinxes with the heads of crocodiles, who ambush prey from the water.

* LogicalWeakness: Their feathered wings need to dry off for a minute before a crocosphinx can use them to fly. Most of these sphinxes see little need to, however.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're nightmarish mash-ups of crocodile, lion and bird, and hunt similarly to mundane crocs (with which they are fully capable of interbreeding), drifting through the water with just their eyes and nostrils showing until they draw close enough to suddenly lunge at prey.
* SinisterSuffocation: Crocosphinxes prefer to grab prey in their jaws, then drag them into the water to drown them.

!!Dracosphinx
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_dracosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

Sphinxes with the features of red dragons, making them intelligent, mighty and very dangerous.

* BreathWeapon: They can blast foes with a cone of fire, unsurprisingly.
* DragonHoard: Dracosphinxes inherit a dragon's greed, and accumulate hoards of coins and jewels, though they also have a strange compulsion to, should someone describe an item in said hoard in minute detail, surrender that item without a fight.
* HybridMonster: They're believed to descend from a red dragon and androsphinx, but have gone on to become a self-sustaining species, with male and female sexes, unlike "normal" sphinxes.
* MasterOfIllusion: Dracosphinxes are gifted illusions, with the spells of a 9th-level wizard, though they cast such illusion magic as if 12th level.
* MonstrousCannibalism: Female dracosphinxes have to lay their eggs in individual nests, since otherwise their young are likely to eat each other.
* RiddlingSphinx: They'll engage other creatures in games of riddles, but only as a ruse -- as soon as the other creature lets its guard down, the dracosphinx will attack.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Dracosphinxes live by the philosophy "only the strongest and cleverest survive and the weak and cowardly get what they deserve." As such, during meetings with humanoids, signs of weakness like fear or poor leadership will provoke a dracosphinx attack, but a show of strength -- such as successfully repelling that attack -- will make the dracosphinx much more helpful. Dracosphinxes also respect cunning, and have been known to let weak but clever captives go in exchange for a service such as acquiring a magical item, and a prisoner can delay being devoured by a dracosphinx by keeping its interest with rare knowledge (translating to daily Intelligence checks).

!!Loquasphinx
[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_loquasphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Rare, human-headed sphinxes who wield the power of Truespeech.

* KnowledgeBroker: These sphinxes are generally solitary, but will venture from their lairs in search of rare knowledge from books or scholars, and conflict with loquasphinxes can be averted by offering interesting information. They're willing to trade what they know for a large enough bribe, and prefer offers of information over mere gold or baubles.
* LanguageOfMagic: Loquasphinxes are 10th-level truenamers, and know utterances such as ''spell rebirth'', ''agitate metal'' and ''shockwave''.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: They're unusual for having humanoid heads but also two genders, rather than needing to seek out an androsphinx or gynosphinx to mate with.
* RiddlingSphinx: Subverted; these sphinxes like to subject opponents to a "Truespeech interrogation," a barrage of riddles in Truespeech intended to leave them ''confused''. Those who have ranks in Truespeak, however, can respond in kind with an opposed check, negating the effect.

!!Luposphinx
[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_luposphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

Forest-dwelling, wolf-headed, evil sphinxes.

* SavageWolves: They have lupine heads and are man-eating evildoers.
* SuperScream: They can howl in combat, deafening opponents and forcing the weakest of them to [[SupernaturalFearInducer save against fear]].
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Luposphinxes prefer the flesh of elves and halflings over other humanoids.
* VillainTeamUp: They can sometimes be found leading small bands of similarly evil humanoids, like gnolls or xvarts.

!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Mild-mannered sphinxes with inquisitive, reptilian faces.

* AchillesHeel: Downplayed; they don't take extra damage from cold effects, but saurosphinxes intensely dislike the cold, and will flee from anyone wielding freezing magic or enchanted weapons.
* SapientEatSapient: They're the victim of this; saurosphinxes have human-level intellects and are civilized beings, more interested in conversing with or learning from others than fighting. Unfortunately for them, "Other, more aggressive sphinxes often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food."
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes avoid combat whenever possible, fighting from the air and using HitAndRunTactics on ranged combatants until it's safe to flee.

!!Threskisphinx

'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood

Sagacious sphinxes with the heads of ibises.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Threskisphinxes have a soft spot for mundane ibises, and will often protect flocks with their spells.
* ThePowerOfCreation: These sphinxes tend to make a few wondrous magic items over their lifetimes, mainly as academic exercises.
* WhiteMage: Threskisphinxes' magical repertoire runs along the lines of ''cure wounds'', ''neutralize poison'' and ''remove disease'', with a side of ''summon nature's ally''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spider]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spider.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Vermin (3E), Natural Beast (4E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' Varies\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Eight-legged arachnids, usually either web-spinners who wait for prey to come to them, or active pursuit hunters. While mundane spiders are barely more than annoyances in worlds with ''neutralize poison'' spells, there is a worrying number of oversized arachnids to threaten adventurers, including some with magical powers of their own.

* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword spiders have legs that end in sharp, chitinous blades that resemble metallic weapons.
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows the spider to slurp up their liquified brains and nerves.
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spiders are an old and recurring enemy type, and can range from the size of a dog to the size of a house.
* ItCanThink: Whisper spiders, native to [[Literature/{{Dragonlance}} Krynn]], are Huge web-flingers who are smart enough to understand (but not speak) Common, and adapt their tactics to their opposition. "Many adventurers are not prepared for a monstrous spider which has heard them talk among themselves and reacted accordingly."
* MooksAteMyEquipment: Ruin spiders are Large creatures spawned by the magic of the ''Deck of Many Things'' (and indeed they sport the card backs' pattern on their carapace). Their acidic bites corrode their victims' armor, while any weapon that strikes these spiders similarly deteriorates.
* StaircaseTumble: Shadow spiders get their name from their ability to use ''{{shadow walk|er}}'' at will, but they actually hunt by lurking in the shadows at the bottom of a staircase or slope, then when prey tries to traverse it, the spider sprays a layer of slick shadow-silk onto the surface, so that their meal tumbles down into the shadow spider's waiting foreclaws.
* UndergroundMonkey: Numerous variant spider types have appeared, such as woolly snow spiders found in frozen lands.
* WallCrawl: Most spiders can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, as if they were flat.

!!Asteroid Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_asteroid_spider_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.

* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: When an ''AD&D'' asteroid spider detects something caught in its webs, it tries to skewer them with enough of its legs to transfer its impaled prey to the mouth on its underside, which can deliver a [[TheParalyzer paralytic poison]] allowing the spider to eat its meal at its leisure.
* NoWarpingZone: 5th Edition asteroid spiders spin webs large enough to ensnare passing spaceships, and any such ship's ''spelljammer helm'' is disabled while it's entangled.
* ProjectileWebbing: 5E asteroids spiders can fling lengths of webbing to entangle and then reel in prey, and can entangle up to six creatures at a time in this manner.
* ThatsNoMoon: When it wraps its legs tightly around its body and closes its eyes, a 5E asteroid spider resembles nothing more than a mundane asteroid.
* {{Retcon}}: In 2nd Edition, asteroid spiders are five-foot-wide creatures with black bodies that blend in with the void of space, named for their habit of stringing their webs across asteroid belts. In 5th Edition, they're instead Gargantuan monsters that can disguise themselves as asteroids, and despite being mute [[ItCanThink are highly intelligent]].

!!Bloodsilk Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bloodsilk_spider_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:33]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Wolf-sized, bloated red spiders that use their webs to drain the blood of their prey.

* LifeDrain: A bloodsilk spider can make its webbing drill into entrapped victims, siphoning out blood to damage the target and give the spider some temporary hit points. The spiders will take advantage of this, bolstering itself by feeding on weaker prey before going after something tougher.
* ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, bloodsilk spiders can throw their sticky blood-red webbing similarly to nets, in order to entangle victims that evade what they string up as traps.
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted; their dripping, bloody nets are immune to fire damage, unlike conventional spider webbing.

!!Harpoon Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_harpoon_spider_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4, 9 (dread harpoon spider) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

Arachnoid aberrations around 8 feet long, who reel in prey with organic harpoons, then impale victims upon their spiny carapaces for later consumption. "Dread" harpoon spiders can reach 18 feet in length.

* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The spines covering harpoon spiders will damage foes that attack them in melee, but their primary purpose is to secure prey. Harpoon spiders can impale a helpless victim upon their spiny bodies, dealing damage and letting the monster carry on normally without having to maintain a grapple.
* NonIndicativeName: Harpoon spiders are not true spiders at all, possessing ten legs, human-like eyes, and hundreds of razor-sharp spines covering their bodies.
* PoisonousPerson: Their bites carry a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], potentially paralyzing victims who succumb to it.
* {{Sadist}}: They're fully sentient, capable of speech in Common and Undercommon, and have a morbid sense of humor as they play with victims "ripening" on their spines.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: A harpoon spider can launch its fangs up to 20 feet, then use leathery tendrils to drag any prey it catches straight to its maw.

!!Inferno Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.

* DeathByChildbirth: At the end of their mating ritual, two inferno spiders charge one another, collide and explode, giving birth to hundreds of young.
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered in transparent plating revealing their molten cores, and randomly break out in flames that dance along their legs and abdomen.
* PlayingWithFire: Their [[ProjectileWebbing thrown web]] attacks are naturally on fire, dealing damage each round a creature is entangled in them. Fortunately, a moderate amount of cold damage extinguishes their webs' flames and makes them brittle and easier to break.
* PoisonousPerson: The bite of an inferno spider delivers a caustic venom that burns a victim from within, dealing additional fire damage.
* WreathedInFlames: Their flaming, superheated bodies [[TheSpiny damage any creature that grapples or attacks them with non-reach melee weapons.]]

!!Phase Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_phase_spider_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Fey Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 8 (4E), 3 (5E)\\

Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.

* ArtEvolution: Phase spiders have actually gotten ''more'' spidery over the editions, as they originally had humanoid faces that made them easy to confuse for neogi or driders. 3rd Edition scaled things back by simply giving them a pair of large eyes to set them apart from other giant spiders, while their 5th Edition art has them looking mostly normal apart from their size and coloration.
* {{Intangibility}}: Thanks to its ability to shift between the Ethereal and Material Planes, a phase spider can use HitAndRunTactics against its unsuspecting victims largely without fear of reprisal.
* ItCanThink: Phase spiders are far more intelligent than any normal spider. The average phase spider is at least as smart as the average ogre or hill giant.

!!Tentacle Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tentacle_spider_3e.jpg]]

->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\

Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to spiders.

* CombatTentacles: Instead of fangs, the tentacle spider has four slimy, pink tentacles, whose venom renders foes clumsy and helpless.
* ItCanThink: They've got a "rudimentary intelligence," not enough to let them speak, but enough to have an alignment.
* NonIndicativeName: Tentacle spiders are not actually spiders at all, but the initial moniker given by explorers has stuck.
* ProjectileWebbing: Tentacle spiders can throw a writhing web, which holds its targets fast and prevents movement. More disturbingly, exposure to the air causes the web to coil and twist like tentacles, which helps it entrap prey.
* SpiderSwarm: Unlike natural spiders, tentacle spiders are pack hunters, and may even form colonies high in the trees.

!!Tomb Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tomb_spider_3e.jpg]]

->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Shadow Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (broodswarm), 4 (web mummy), 6 (tomb spider) (3E); 11 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy, and which seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.

* AnimateDead: Any human-shaped corpse wrapped in a tomb spider's webbing becomes animated as a web mummy, which shambles along to serve as its creator's minion even as a brood of tiny tomb spiders grow within it.
* GraveRobbing: As per their name, tomb spiders seek out crypts and burial grounds to provide corpses for their young. Only after they have a good number of web mummies on their side do tomb spiders begin hunting on the surface.
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys a web mummy, the young spiders within it feed upon the decaying internal organs of their host, then hunt and eat each other until the single survivor emerges as a fully-grown tomb spider several weeks later.
* ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, tomb spiders can throw their webbing like nets.
* ReviveKillsZombie: Their tomb-tainted souls render tomb spiders vulnerable to positive energy and makes negative energy heal them, as if they were undead. Their poisonous bites cause their victims to be the same for a minute.
* SpiderSwarm: If a tomb mummy is destroyed, a tomb spider broodswarm boils out of the corpse, ready to attack.
* StickySituation: Weapons that strike at a web mummy are in danger of getting stuck, while creatures using natural weapons run the risk of being grappled by it.
* TurnsRed: Should the tomb spider that made it be slain, a tomb mummy flies into a rage, gaining a bonus on attack rolls.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spider Eater]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spider_eater_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Giant flying insects that mostly feed on other oversized arthropods.

* ChestBurster: Spider eaters reproduce by paralyzing Large-sized or larger creatures and laying eggs in their bodies, which after six weeks hatch into young that proceed to eat their way out of their host.
* FoodChainOfEvil: As the name implies, these things mostly eat giant spiders.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Provided sufficient training, spider eaters can serve as exotic flying mounts.
* NoSell: They're under a constant ''freedom of movement'' effect, which allows them to ignore the webs of their favored prey.
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed and helpless for six to thirteen ''weeks'', more than enough time for a spider eater's young to hatch from a host.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spider-Horse]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spider_horse_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Magical blends of equines and arachnids, allowing them to easily traverse difficult terrain.

* HorseOfADifferentColor: Spider-horses are typically created by wizards who live in mountains, since they can tuck in their spider legs to gallop over flat areas like normal horses, or use their spider legs and lines of webbing to go up and down sheer cliffs. However, it takes special riding proficiency and customized saddles to stay on the mount during these manuevers.
* MixAndMatchCritters: They're another magical crossbreed, adding spider legs and web-spinning to a riding horse (which makes any ordinary horses around them skittish and nervous). Unlike other hybrids like the armadillephant, dragonfly turtle, duckbunny, moat cat or venom dog, spider-horses are all sterile, though the wizards who create them are working on overcoming this defect.
* ProjectileWebbing: Spider-horses can shoot strands of webbing at enemies, then reel the entangled foe in with its front arachnid legs. Outside of combat, spider-horses can weave tent-like shelters for themselves and their riders.
* SleepsWithBothEyesOpen: Or eight eyes open, in this case. Spider-horses are incapable of closing their compound eyes, even when sleeping, allowing them to instantly awaken to danger.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spiker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.jpg]]

->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil or LawfulNeutral

Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the bladelings who similarly live on the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron.

* AlienBlood: Like the bladelings', spikers' is black and oily.
* BloodKnight: Fittingly for creatures of Acheron, spikers love fighting and think the best way to test one's skill and courage is through no-holds-barred combat.
* ChromeChampion: Subverted; despite the metallic hue of their flesh, spikers aren't actually metallic in nature, and thus resist acid damage and don't suffer ill effects from rusting attacks.
* DarkAgeOfSupernames: Spiker first and second names, regardless of gender, "tend toward visceral or combat-oriented words," so they'll go by things like "Dirk Gutrender," "Spike Demonbane" or "Thrust Bloodletter."
* NecessaryDrawback: The metal spines covering spikers' bodies lets them deal extra damage with unarmed attacks or grapples, and helps them resist damage from bludgeoning weapons, but it interferes with spikers' attempts to wear armor, increasing their gear's armor check penalty and decreasing its maximum Dexterity bonus.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Spikers are naturally spiny, love waging war, and tend towards Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil, making Good spikers a misfit minority that usually ends up leaving Acheron.

[[folder:Spinewyrm]]
[[quoteright:241:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spinewyrm_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:241:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2-22 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (2E), NeutralEvil (3E)

Relatives of the silk wyrm, these 30-foot-long flying serpents can be seen during daytime but usually start their hunts at dusk, constricting prey against their spined chitinous shells before swallowing them whole.

* {{Flight}}: These wingless serpents can fly thanks to "a special organ unique to the wyrms of Athas."
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In 3rd Edition, those who take damage from the creature's spine attacks have to save or have a spine detach and get lodged in their body, inflicting a cumulative penalty to attacks, saves and checks until the spines are removed, which will deal additional damage without a high Heal check.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Their 3rd Edition entry describes spinewyrms as "the closest thing Athas has to a traditional ''D&D'' dragon," and gives them an immunity to paralysis or ''sleep'' effects, [[StrongerWithAge age categories]], a [[SupernaturalFearInducer frightful presence]], and [[AdaptationalIntelligence boosted Intelligence]], though they still lack a true dragon's BreathWeapon and body plan. 2nd Edition doesn't make any attempt to link them to dragons, but does note spinewyrms' tendency to [[DragonHoard hoard shiny objects in their lairs.]]
* SpikeShooter: They can launch volleys of spines from their bodies at foes, which grow back over six weeks in 2nd Edition, but regenerate in a matter of rounds in 3rd Edition.
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine their ''[[ChameleonCamouflage chameleon power]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility}} ectoplasmic form]]'' abilities to become 90% undetectable.
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhinging their jaw to swallow prey, but only do this after carrying a helpless victim to their lair, since spinewyrms are grounded for several hours as they digest their meal.

[[folder:Spirit Centipede]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_centipede_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (least), 1 (lesser), 2 (greater) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Spirits appearing as human-headed centipedes, sent by the Celestial Bureaucracy to punish the unjust.

* BeastWithAHumanFace: In their base forms, they appear as centipedes six inches to four feet long, with vaguely human heads featuring bald pates, bushy mustaches, and nine eyes encircling their skulls.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can cough up a poisonous black cloud, the size of which varies upon the power of the creature. The effects of the poison range from inducing [[TheParalyzer paralysis]] or [[ForcedSleep unconsciousness]], to dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constitution or Dexterity damage]], or simply obscuring vision, based on what form the spirit centipede is in when it releases the cloud.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes can transform into other venomous animals; least spirit centipedes can also take the shape of a toad, lesser specimens can additionally shift into a snake, and greater spirit centipedes can additionally become scorpions or spiders.

[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]

->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\

'''Playable:''' 1E, 3E\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood

The descendents of humans and the spirits of the forests, mountains or water, giving them a deep connection to the natural world.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: 2nd Edition describes spirit folk as fitting human ideals of beauty but having unusual skin tones, pale yellow or gold for bamboo spirit folk, dark green-brown or gray for sea spirit folk, and so forth.
* ApparentlyHumanMerfolk: River and sea spirit folk have natural swim speeds and can breathe underwater, but lack fins or any other piscine features.
* ChildOfTwoWorlds: Spirit folk often live in human settlements, and have fully-human relatives, but are never quite at home there since they're also beings of the sprit world.
* NoSell: As they have the spirit subtype in the [[TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings Rokugon setting]], spirit folk are immune to spells like ''hold person'' or ''charm person'', at the cost of being susceptible to magic like ''invisibility to spirits''.
* PlaceOfPower: In their 2nd Edition rules, bamboo and river spirit folk have a connection to a specific natural feature -- a particular bamboo grove or section of river -- that allows them to heal themselves by returning to it, but they'll [[{{Synchronization}} suffer and potentially die]] if this natural feature is despoiled or destroyed.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk can speak with fish, birds, or any animal, depending on whether they're river, mountain or bamboo spirit folk.

[[folder:Spirit of the Air]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_of_the_air_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 11 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Simian beings with bat-like wings, who whimsically fly for the joy of it, but are bound to serve powers of the wind and sky.

* BlowYouAway: They can use magic like ''control winds'' and ''call lightning'' at will, as well as more potent spells like ''control weather'' and ''whirlwind'' once per day.
* ElementalShapeshifting: In 3rd Edition, spirits of the air can transform into a damaging whirlwind for up to 10 rounds, once per day.
* HappyPlace: Their ''AD&D'' entry explains that in "the small space between the drawing and releasing of a single breath," spirits of the air rage and plot against the powers that control them, and imagine a truly free existence in which they build cities, court and marry, and wage glorious wars, to the point that they feel like those lives are their true existence and their time as servants is a dream. "Each life is as rich and detailed as the other, so who can say which is the lie?"
* PrehensileTail: Their tails are strong and dexterous enough to wield heavy maces in combat.
* ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren't bound to any specific power, but any entity related to the winds can demand their service.

[[folder:Spirit of the Land]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_of_the_land_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Earth manifestation (3e)]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Fey (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 23 (3E)\\

A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.

* ElementalPowers: They can use powerful magic like ''chain lightning'', ''incendiary cloud'', ''earthquake'', and ''create water'' at will, which is usually sufficient to deal with threats to their domains. When it wishes, a spirit of the land can physically manifest in the shape of a Huge [[ElementalEmbodiment elemental]] composed of one particular element, gaining the ability to control this element.
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of a spirit of the land's elemental manifestation at most renders the fey dormant for a day.
* GeniusLoci: They embody either a specific, bounded landform - a valley, a desert, a lake - or one aspect of such terrain, in which case multiple spirits of the land can coexist in the same region. They're aware of everything that happens in their domain, and while usually dormant, will awaken and punish anyone that would ravage the land under their protection.
* {{Intangibility}}[=/=]InvisibleMonsters: In its natural form, a spirit of the land is an invisible, shapeless mist.
* MouthOfSauron: Their ''AD&D'' write-up mentions that spirits of the land prefer to work through a druid living in their region.
* WeatherManipulation: Much of their spell-like abilities pertain to changing the weather -- ''control water'', ''control winds'', ''sleet storm'', ''fog cloud'', and of course ''control weather''.

[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]

->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil

Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.

* BioweaponBeast: Spirraxes were created by the inhabitants of an ancient demiplane that fell victim to a magical catastrophe, dooming their civilization to decay. Out of desperation, the demiplane's inhabitants sent the spirraxes to other planes to consume living matter, convert it to energy, and transfer that energy back to their home demiplane in an attempt to halt its destruction.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, a spirrax tears open a planar rift that lasts for a few rounds, sucking its body and potentially others within 150 feet to a random other plane.
* EldritchAbomination: Spirraxes are sickening masses of tentacles and putrescent alien organs, arranged around a single bulging eye. Their mindset is little better, and entertains no other thoughts than a drive to collect biomatter in a precise and orderly pattern.
* EmotionBomb: They're surrounded by an indifference aura that can cause other creatures within 180 feet to become affected by ''calm emotions'', unable to fight or even run.
* HordeOfAlienLocusts: Spirraxes exist only to consume anything living, leaving behind barren earth, stone and metal marred by strange spiral patterns.
* OrganDrops: Their shells are laced with over 150 pounds of adamantine, which can be repurposed should the monster be defeated or driven off.
* PowerOfTheVoid: They can make "void blast" attacks, dealing horrendous NonElemental damage in a 120-foot line or 30-foot radius, leaving behind [[ReducedToDust a fine powder]] and [[EmptyPilesOfClothing discarded equipment.]]
* TheSpeechless: Spirraxes are quite intelligent, but never speak, and don't show any hint of communicating with others of their kind should multiple spirraxes work to consume the same area.
* SubsystemDamage: If a spirrax is reduced to a quarter of its hit points, its shell collapses, exposing its putrid form to the world (and sickening those who get within 10 feet of it), but also reducing its Armor Class by half, and negating its DamageReduction and ability to fly. If the spirrax takes damage again after that point, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm it'll try to]] ''[[KnowWhenToFoldEm plane shift]]'' [[KnowWhenToFoldEm back to its home demiplane to recover and rebuild its shell.]]
* TentacleRope: They can grab foes they strike with their tentacles, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constiution drain]] as the spirrax consumes their life force.

[[folder:Splinterwaif]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_splinterwaif_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (standard), 6 (knave) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Murderous fey that dwell within cities, lurking around wooden shacks, lumber piles and decommissioned ships to snipe at targets with deadly splinters.

* BackStab: They can deal sneak attack damage like a rogue, and the "knaves" that lead them are particularly good at it.
* ChameleonCamouflage: They can change their skin coloration to blend in with their surroundings.
* ChildEater: Splinterwaifs relish the taste of children they kill and convert into shrubs for consumption. They never eat adults converted in this way, the fey find them dry and unpalatable.
* GaiasVengeance: One theory about splinterwaifs is that they're the warped remnants of a dryad who somehow survived her oak being cut down and converted into a city structure. However, the creatures show no attachment to a specific part of the environment, and might end up transported to entirely new cities after stowing away on a ship.
* GreenThumb: These fey can cause a thorny branch to sprout from any nomagical wooden structure around them, which the splinterwaif can command to attack or grab opponents. They can also [[DisposingOfABody convert a dead humanoid's body into a thorny brush]] over the course of a minute -- such plants don't radiate magic, but a body so converted can only be restored to life by magic like ''true resurrection'' or ''miracle''. A bunch of small, thorny shrubs in an empty lot or lumberyard is a clue that a splinterwaif is behind some local disappearances.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are covered in patches of thorns, they have wooden spines for "hair," and even their tongues are studded with wooden barbs and splinters.
* SpikeShooter: They can spit a splinter of wood as a ranged attack, and can apply sneak attack damage if the target is close enough.

[[folder:Sporebat]]
[[quoteright:282:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sporebat_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:282:2e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\

Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and dangerous, one-eyed gazes.

* EyeBeams: In ''AD&D'', the eye of a sporebat can fire a ray of damaging poison, while in 3rd Edition it is instead an ''enervation'' effect, inflicting [[LevelDrain negative levels]].
* ItCanThink: Sporebats display clear intelligence in their hunting tactics, have some way of communicating with one another, and grow enraged if a clutchmate is killed. However, they lead strictly predatory existences, whatever language they have [[StarfishLanguage cannot be understood by other creatures]], and any attempt at mental contact with a sporebat yields [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead "a series of strange and disturbing images, none comprehensible."]]
* {{Planimal}}: They're flying, carnivorous fungi who reproduce by pairing up and shedding spores over a fresh kill, yielding a clutch of up to six young sporebats within a day. This incidentally means that carnivores have no taste for sporebat flesh, but herbivores will happily munch on them, while some humanoid societies consider sporebat a delicacy.
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able to fly in total silence and blend into shadows for concealment. Even infravision is useless against them, since their body temperature is the same as their surroundings.

[[folder:Spriggan]]
[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spriggan_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:270:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E), 8 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (2E), Any Chaotic (3E), Evil (4E)

Ugly, malicious gnome-kin who rob and terrorize other creatures, aided by their ability to change size at will.

* BackStab: 3rd Edition spriggans can deal sneak attack damage like rogues.
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganized to exist as anything other than roving packs of brigands, who cause trouble in an area until they're driven out.
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settings or editions they're the descendents of ordinary gnomes warped by magic, either by the [[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms Netherese]] or fomorians. Despite (or because of) this relationship, spriggans hate gnomes above all others, though in extreme circumstances, a lone spriggan will try to pass themselves off as a more civilized gnome to gain entry into a settlement.
* ThePigPen: They are disgustingly filthy creatures who never bathe or clean their equipment, and thus reek of earth, sweat and rancid flesh.
* SizeShifter: Among other spell-like abilities, spriggans can replicate an ''enlarge'' effect at will, growing from Small to Large size and gaining a corresponding boost to Strength and Constitution, at the expense of their Armor Class and attack bonus.

[[folder:Sprite]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sprite_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood

Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and groves.

* TheEmpath: Sprites can put their hands upon another creature and sense their emotional state by the beating of their heart, or even [[DetectEvil discern the creature's alignment]] or [[MySensorsIndicateYouWantToTapThat know if they're in love.]]
* GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenders of the forest and sworn enemies of evil fey and goblinoids, sprites are noted to lack warmth or compassion, and are much more serious about their duties than the flighty pixies.
* OurFairiesAreDifferent: "Sprite" traditionally has encapsulated an entire subgroup of little winged fey folk, including "standard" sprites, pixies, nixies, sea sprites, grigs, and atomies. They all have insect features, usually just dragonfly or moth wings, but the grigs look to be half-cricket. They're generally inoffensive, if prone to mischief, but dislike other creatures intruding on their homes.
* ForcedSleep: Their arrows deal little damage, but are coated in a poison that puts targets to sleep.
* {{Invisibility}}: They can turn invisible at will.
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees, or even in willing treants.

[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]

->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\

Ravening blobs of eyes, teeth and scales from both chromatic and metallic dragons.

* BlobMonster: They're amorphous masses of scales, ExtraEyes and TooManyMouths, leading to speculation that they're related to gibbering beasts. In practical terms, squamous spewers' fluid anatomy means they can't be flanked and aren't subject to {{Critical Hit}}s.
* DragonAncestry: They have some draconic qualities, such as superior vision and an immunity to paralysis and magical sleep effects, but squamous spewers display no loyalty to true dragons, and the two generally despise each other.
* ItCanThink: Despite their freakish appearance, and in contrast to gibbering mouthers, they're fully intelligent and capable of speaking Draconic.
* RandomEffectSpell: The shape and effect of their BreathWeapon (which can come from three of a spewer's mouths at the same time) is randomized, either a cone or line of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage.
* SuperSenses: Their keen sense of smell and echolocation give them the benefit of blindsight out to 60 feet.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Three times per day they can let loose a MightyRoar that can cause those within 60 feet to become panicked or shaken.

[[folder:Squealer]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squealer_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Ogre-sized, three-armed, porcine predators adept at moving through their forest habitats.

* AttackAnimal: If raised from infancy, squealers can be trained as guard animals capable of learning several commands, and known for being loyal to their masters.
* ItCanThink: Squealers aren't brilliant, but their Intelligence score can be higher than an ogre's, and they're smart enough to knock prey unconscious and tie it up with vines if they aren't hungry enough to eat it right away. Squealers are even known to feed captive prey for days until the creature is ready to kill and eat it.
* KillerBearHug: Squealers are known to hang from a branch by their third arm, grab a victim with their other two arms, and then simultaneously squeeze, bite, and claw the victim with their feet.
* MisterSeahorse: A mundane example; male squealers have pouches, which females place newly-delivered squealer infants into. Several months later, the young squealers emerge from their father's pouch to loiter in the highest tree branches, until they're fully grown in about a year.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Perhaps their signature trait is having a third arm extending from their backs, slightly longer than the other two, which a squealer uses to attack, grab prey, and climb.
* VoiceChangeling: While squealers get their name from their shrill cries, they can also imitate a range of other sounds, from the wails of a humanoid baby to screams of terror.

[[folder:Ssurran]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_ssurran_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:4e]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_ssurran_4e.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Natural Humanoid (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (4E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral or LawfulEvil (2E), Any (5E)

Sometimes known as "sandscale lizardfolk," these reptilian humanoids are nomadic desert-dwellers who do whatever it takes to survive their harsh homeland.

* ArtEvolution: In 2nd and 4th Edition, ssurrans are somewhat sturdier, sand-colored lizardfolk, but 5th Edition redesigns them with elongated, snakelike bodies, thin limbs, and almost avian, beaked faces.
* DesertBandits: In their home setting, some ssurran tribes survive by raiding other humanoid settlements, looting and eating the corpses of those they kill, stripping the village of valuables, and then moving on.
* LizardFolk: They've been described as "lizard men of the desert," and are considered lizardfolk for all intents and purposes.
* MadeASlave: On Athas, many young ssurrans are captured by slavers to be raised as gladiators. Those "civilized" ssurrans who earn their freedom can often make a good living as bodyguards, mercenaries, or desert trackers.
* PsychicPowers: Oddly enough averted in most editions, despite the ssurrans' debut in the psionics-heavy ''Dark Sun'' setting, and it's only in 5E that ssurran "defilers" are given some psionic abilities. Athasian ssurrans usually have shamans casting divine magic instead.
* ToServeMan: Ssurrans are dedicated carnivores who are perfectly happy to eat those they slay in battle, or feast on captives. They particularly enjoy the taste of halfling flesh.

[[folder:Star Lancer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_star_lancer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within the husk of a dead god drifting on the Astral Plane, and are used as mounts by the githyanki.

* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: A star lancer resembles a shark with four wings and a long serpentine tail.
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a star lancer rams with its horn, which [[DashAttack deals extra damage during a charge.]]
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Githyanki employ star lancers as mounts, especially for stealth actions in which dragons or astral skiffs would attract too much attention.
* {{Invisibility}}: They and their riders can turn ''invisible'' three times per day.
* {{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations of the most ardent followers of a nameless dead god whose corpse lies floating in the Astral Sea.
* RespawnPoint: When a star lancer dies, its soul instantly returns to the hollow heart of its god. There, a fully grown star lancer rises magically from the cavern floor and becomes the soul's new host.
* SapientSteed: Star lancers are about as smart as the average human, and capable of conversing in Celestial or via {{telepathy}}.

[[folder:Star Spawn]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil

The servitors of malevolent stars, descended to the world of mortals to spread madness and destruction.

For the creatures 5th Edition dubs "star spawn," see the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF "foulspawn" folder]].

* FightingAShadow: Each star spawn is the avatar of a star, sent to wreak havoc. Some stars only have a single avatar, others are served by entire swarms of horrors.
* SentientStars: The star spawn are sent by baleful stars of the night sky, who gaze upon the world with a mixture of hatred, anger and hunger.
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn can only reach the world when their host star is in a certain position, and its light shines down at just the right angle. This has allowed some arcane astrologers such as the warlock Thulzar to chart past star spawn incursions and find a pattern that can predict future attacks, "but he, his tower, and all his works simply vanished one starless night, leaving behind only a smooth, glass-coated crater.

!!Herald of Hadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (4E)

Avatars of the dying red star Hadar, which was infamously once the brightest star in the night sky, until it flared and faded during the fall of Bael Turath.

* AntiRegeneration: Their "Breath of a Dying Star" attack prevents victims from recovering hit points until they save to shake off the effect.
* HungryMenace: A herald of Hadar feeds upon living creatures' LifeEnergy, which it channels back to its flickering ember of a creator in an attempt to sustain it.
* IncreasinglyLethalEnemy: They can make additional "Hungry Claw" attacks each round a combat encounter continues.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: A herald of Hadar looks like a crazed human, save for its eyes, which have Hadar's dim red glow to them.
* TurnsRed: Whenever a nearby creature spends a healing surge, a herald of Hadar can react by moving closer to the creature, make an immediate attack against it, recharge an encounter power, or gain an attack roll bonus.

!!Maw of Acamar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maw_of_acamar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (4E)

Avatars of the corpse-star Acamar, which devours other stars that draw too close, just as its maws consume everything in their path as they wander the world.

* CelestialBody: They look like humanoid starscapes clad in tattered robes.
* DamageOverTime: Many of their attacks deal ongoing damage (making maws of Acamar deadly in numbers), and their "Destroyer of Life" ability means that adjacent enemies don't end such effects on a successful save, they only reduce the ongoing damage.
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws of Acamar basically are walking, fantastic black holes, surrounded by a howling vortex of wind that pulls nearby creatures towards them, and rending victims with their devouring touch.
* YouShallNotEvadeMe: They can pull victims closer with their "Corpse Star's Grip" ability, and are surrounded by an aura that makes moving away from them cost extra movement.

!!Scion of Gibbeth
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_scion_of_gibbeth_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (4E)

Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.

* ApocalypseCult: Unlike other star spawn, scions of Gibbeth are willing to tolerate certain mortals drawn to them, mainly prophets, lunatics and cultists.
* AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder: Nobody can agree what a scion of Gibbeth looks like -- "Some see a green-skinned, horned giant, while others report a red, spiderlike creature with a child's face or a serpentine monstrosity with dozens of gibbering mouths along its body." Instead, it's theorized that each scion of Gibbeth has a shard of that eldritch star-being at its core, which forces observers to [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm visualize something horrible but explicable to avoid going insane.]]
* DeadlyGaze: Their "Mind-Splintering Gaze" and "Gibbeth's Baleful Glare" attacks deal psychic damage.
* EmotionBomb: Scions of Gibbeth are surrounded by an "Aura of Revulsion" that prevents foes from attacking unless the scion is the closest available target (which is probably why these star spawn tolerate mortal groupies).
* SetAMookToKillAMook: When reduced to 0 hit points, this star spawn inflicts the "Revelation of Gibbeth" upon nearby creatures, forcing those who succumb to attack their allies until they snap out of it.
* SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a scroll about hostile stars, has little to say about Gibbeth, only that "Better not to write or think overlong on this greenish point in the sky."

!!Spawn of Ulban
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_ulban_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 26 (4E)

Heralded by blue comets, the spawn of Ulban foment rebellion and infighting wherever they crawl.

* ColdFlames: They can hurl "[[TechnicolorFire Bluefire]]" at foes that is considered both cold and fire damage.
* ImmuneToMindControl: Anything that attempts to ''dominate'' a spawn of Ulban [[AttackReflector falls under its control instead.]]
* MindControl: Their "Ripple of Betrayal" burst attack can ''dominate'' foes.
* PowerNullifier: The blue-white light of Ulban interferes with seers' attempts to provide guidance or see the future.
* SetAMookToKillAMook: Their "Touch of Strife" deals psychic damage to a victim, and forces that victim to attack an ally.
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble the tentacles of starfish or cephalopods.

!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_emissary_of_caiphon_and_serpent_of_nihal_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:249:An Emissary of Caiphon with a Serpent of Nihal (4e)]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 28 (4E)

The avatars of the purple star Caiphon take humanoid guise and infiltrate a society, posing as a benefactor while steering those who trust them to ruin.

* AttackReflector: Any attempt to blind an emissary of Caiphon with an effect instead blinds its attacker.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: The star Caiphon sits near the horizon, acting as a year-round guide star, and seems to grow brighter during disasters. This can lead the desperate to plead to the star for assistance, and when such prayers grow strong enough, an emissary of Caiphon is sent to make things worse.
* {{Invisibility}}: An odd variant; an emissary of Caiphon can use its "Blinded by Need" ability to render itself and every ally ''except'' a particular one invisible to a specific enemy.
* LieToTheBeholder: They can disguise themselves as a Medium or Small humanoid, though a high Insight check will pierce the illusion.
* TreacherousAdvisor: An emissary of Caiphon makes suggestions that sound reasonable -- perhaps the lord of a town gripped by a plague has a cure he isn't sharing -- that end up getting their followers killed.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: An emissary of Caiphon is surrounded by an aura that imposes penalties on enemies' saving throws, and can hit a target with an "Invocation of Calamity" that causes them to automatically fail their saves for a turn.

!!Serpent of Nihal
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 29 (4E)

The reddish Nihal is known as the Serpent Star for its writhing path through the heavens, and is served by snake-like creatures that similarly slither through reality in search of prey.

* DimensionalTraveler: Serpents of Nihal wind in and out of the cosmos, and can blink out of existence if an attack against them misses, or at the start of a combat, only to suddenly reappear next to a choice victim. A serpent isn't shifting to or from the Ethereal Plane during this, instead it's simply "removed from play" until it's time to come back.
* GoneHorriblyWrong: The ancient jungle realm of Az-Kiral was originally devoted to Zehir the Great Serpent, but turned to Nihal for greater power. When its people opened a portal to the star itself, the serpents of Nihal burst forth, consuming everything in Az-Kiral until its cities were empty tombs, then spreading into the surrounding jungles.
* SituationalDamageAttack: Their "Mindbite" psychic attack deals extra damage if a serpent of Nihal has nearby allies, and in such circumstances will prevent a victim from using action or power points.
* SnakesAreSinister: They're serpentine creatures composed of starstuff, which swallow any prey they find to feed Nihal's hunger.

!!Allabar, the Opener of the Way
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_allabar_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Animate (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 30 (4E)

Unlike other celestial bodies, Allabar has no fixed path or location in the heavens, but moves as it wills. Whenever the Opener of the Way draws near a baleful star, that star's spawn manifest on a world below.

* CreateYourOwnVillain: At the dawn of creation, Allabar was made by the primordials, in imitation of the planets of the Material Plane. The gods noticed the primordials' work and experimented on it, granting the world a spark of life, but grew afraid of its new power, and cast it into the Far Realm. This unsurprisingly warped Allabar in body and mind, so when it eventually returned to reality, it was dedicated to destroying the world of mortals, or perhaps perverting it into something like itself.
* CombatTentacles: Allabar's surface seems to be covered in them, and it lashes foes with its tentacles in combat. Worse, its "Wrath of the Forsaken World" attack causes enemies to sprout tentacles as well, which attack the victim's allies.
* CoupDeGrace: Should any nearby enemies drop to 0 hit point, Allabar quickly absorbs them into its fleshy bulk, devouring the bodies and preventing revival.
* CounterAttack: Any attacker that damages Allabar has to save to avoid being dazed by the resulting psychic feedback.
* DamageOverTime: Its "Unravel Essence" is a nasty example, dealing ongoing damage after one failed saving throw, then after a second failed save, said damage increases while the victim is both weakened and insubstantial, dealing and receiving halved damage. With three failed saves, a victim [[HPTo1 drops to 0 hit points]], potentially putting it in danger of being absorbed by Allabar.
* GeniusLoci: It's a malevolent RoguePlanet moving through the cosmos, half-insane but still brilliant, enacting an eons-long plan to bring ruin to the world of mortals. This means that any heroes who end up fighting Allabar are likely battling a Gargantuan avatar, or the living planet has reduced its size somehow.
* GravityMaster: As a hostile planet, Allabar can pull in opponents using its gravity well.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a trickster entity that incites other stars to war, or in other accounts, the greatest of such hostile stars and the creator of various star spawn. Whatever the case, it is frequently the motive force behind a star spawn incursion.
* TurnsRed: When bloodied, Allabar retaliates by sprouting more tentacles to attack in a flurry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Star Spawn Emissary]]
[[quoteright:194:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_star_spawn_emissary_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 19 (lesser), 21 (greater) (5E)

Shapeshifting agents of hostile and alien dimensions, who infiltrate mortal societies to set the stage for an apocalypse.

* EldritchAbomination: In its "lesser" form, a star spawn emissary is "a roughly bipedal mas of agitated organs, self-cannibalizing alien orifices, and appendages suggestive of forms it has previously devoured." They're even worse in their "greater" form, which "sheds all pretense of being part of a plane's reality and openly mocks it."
* EnemySummoner: As a byproduct of a "greater" emissary's "unearthly bile" AcidAttack, gibbering mouthers spawn around affected creatures that fail their saving throws.
* HopeCrusher: It's mentioned that a star spawn emissary only reveal their true forms when they're seriously threatened, or when their opponents have lost all hope.
* MindRape: A "lesser" emissary can make a "psychic lash" legendary action, dealing heavy psychic damage to a target and stunning them, while a "greater" emissary can unleash a "mind cloud" psychic attack against everything in 30 feet that damages them and ends any ongoing spell effects.
* OneWingedAngel: If a star spawn emissary is reduced to 0 hit points in its "lesser" form, [[SequentialBoss it immediately assumes its "greater" form at full hit points]], becoming a 25-foot-tall "pillar of violent flesh [[ShapeshifterMashup amalgamating the meat and voices of every form the emissary has ever mimicked."]] If it isn't slain in its "greater" form and killed for good, the emissary can assume its "lesser" form after a long rest.
* TooManyMouths: The "greater" emissary is depicted with multiple maws, and can take a legendary action to warp the ground around them into a landscape of gnashing teeth and maws, difficult terrain that damages anything moving across it.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: A "lesser" emissary can freely take the form of any Small or Medium creature, and are perfectly willing to appear as a harmless animal to serve their purposes.
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary can take a legendary action to teleport 30 feet and immediately attack a target with a lashing maw.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Starfly]]
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starfly_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.

* FantasticFruitsAndVegetables: Starflies are fruit that fly through space on butterfly wings, which trap sunlight to convert into sugary food for the seed within it. They taste delicious, and are considered by spelljammers to be an omen of good luck that ends hunger and symbolizes wealth and happiness.
* OrganicTechnology: This humble flying fruit has been cultivated by starfaring elves into gadabout space suits, or enlarged into living ships for the elven armada.
* {{Terraform}}: The winged starfly fruit is the mobile stage of a much larger plant form. Should a starfly encounter a comet, it lands and takes root, growing into a sapling that digests the comet's water and minerals, then develops reflective leaves it uses to focus sunlight on the comet, and eventually grows a waterspout to propel the comet closer to the nearest sun. By the time the comet has melted, the new mother-tree has grown big enough to generate its own gravity plane, which attracts space debris so the tree's planetoid grows larger, while an air envelope allows plants and animals to join the burgeoning ecosystem. There are even rumors that it's possible to mount a ''spelljammer helm'' on a fully-grown mother-tree to fly it through space as a mobile BabyPlanet.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Starlight Apparition]]
[[quoteright:215:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starlight_apparition_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood

Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or the Astral Sea, seeking to help someone accomplish a daunting task.

* LightEmUp: With a touch or a gesture, a starlight apparition can cause an eruption of radiant energy that damages and potentially [[BlindedByTheLight blinds]] foes.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't a soul trapped in the mortal world until some UnfinishedBusiness is done, they died in Wildspace or on the Astral Plane, then moved on to the afterlife. But with the help of a god or powerful celestial, they managed to project a glowing copy of their spirit across the planes in order to help someone. Once their objective is achieved, a starlight apparition fades away. They do, however, share ghostly traits such as {{intangibility}} and being able to [[DemonicPossession possess]] mortals.
* PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Starsnake]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starsnake_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral

Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep through most of the day and night, but can be seen flying at twilight.

* CounterAttack: When sleeping, a starsnake builds up electrical energy that damages anyone who touches them or tries to attack with a metal weapon. They also generate a "Dream Shield" that converts any incoming magic into a lightning bolt fired right back at the caster, dealing damage based on the spell-level of the blocked effect.
* {{Familiar}}: High-level spellcasters with the Improved Familiar feat can acquire a starsnake as a familiar.
* TheParalyzer: Their bites carry a Dexterity-damaging poison that can leave victims paralyzed.
* ThePrankster: They're usually content to hunt rodents and only retaliate against those who attack them, but starsnakes are also known to be pranksters who use their ''{{charm person}}'' and ''suggestion'' spell-like abilities to implant ludicrous, but harmless, suggestions in intelligent beings.
* TrulySingleParent: Starsnakes are hermaphrodites who can reproduce without others of their kind, and in fact detest each other's company.
* WiseSerpent: Starsnakes are not only smart enough to speak Sylvan and learn other languages, their Intelligence and Wisdom scores are an impressive 16, while their Charisma comes in at a whopping 26.

[[folder:Steel Predator]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/steel_predator_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 13 (3E), 20 (4E), 16 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), Evil (4E), LawfulEvil (5E)

Metallic feline hunters that would be formidable in battle even without their sonic roars.

* AdaptationalVillainy: In 3rd Edition, steel predators were simply animalistic beings that killed only to feed themselves, but 5th Edition cast them as assassins that occasionally go rogue and begin to kill indiscriminately.
* DeadlyLunge: Like other "big cat"-type creatures, 3rd Edition steel predators can make a pounce and rake attack on a charge.
* KillerRobot: A 5th Edition steel predator is a merciless machine with one purpose: kill its target regardless of distance and obstacles.
* MetalMuncher: In 3E, steel predators feed on metal, and especially prize metallic magical items. Their natural home, the Outer Plane of Acheron, is littered with endless weapons-strewn battlefields and broken heaps of war machines, giving them a rich supply of food.
* MooksAteMyEquipment: Acheron-native steel predators are adept at sundering enemies' weapons, shields or other held items with their bites.
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, steel predators are outsiders native to the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, prowling its warzones for fresh metal morsels. In 5th Edition, they're artificial killers created by a rogue modron to hunt down and slay targets across the planes.
* SuperScream: One feature that has remained constant is the steel predator's devastating roar, which deals heavy sonic/thunder damage as well as extra damage to brittle or crystalline items (in 3rd Edition), or may [[TheParalyzer stun victims for a minute]] (in 5th Edition).
* SuperSenses: They enjoy blindsight out to 30 feet, which is especially significant for the deaf 3E steel predators.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: 3rd Edition steel predators can sense the presence of any metallic magic item from up to 120 feet away.

[[folder:Steelwing]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_steelwing_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Intelligent raptors from the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, notable for their adamantine feathers and 30-foot wingspan.

* CraftedFromAnimals: Steelwing feathers can be used to make masterwork ''keen'' adamantine arrows or crossbow bolts. Each feather is worth 50 gp, and a single adult steelwing can produce 350 of them.
* CrusadingWidower: These creatures mate for life, and if one is slain its mate will track down the killers to enact vengeance.
* FeatherFlechettes: Steelwings' "razorfeathers" can be fired as a ranged attack, veering toward their targets to negate their cover, or the steelwing can spend a full-round action firing a FlechetteStorm in a 60-foot cone that deals a massive amount of slashing damage.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor and his followers have tamed a great many steelwings for an aerie in his Scourgehold, though the birds require exotic saddles to protect their riders from their feathers.
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech and a little smarter than ogres. They still live as predators, hunting both Acheron's petitioners and visitors to the plane.
* RazorWings: Their razor-sharp wings are not only effective in combat, they have a 1-in-5 chance of landing a CriticalHit.
* TheSpiny: Steelwings are perpetually surrounded by a [[PerpetualMolt cloud of feathers]] that deals a moderate amount of damage to adjacent creatures, and provides the steelwings with concealment.

[[folder:Stirge]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stirge_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:4e]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stirge_4e.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E); 1, 7 (dire strige), 12 (swarm) (4E) ; 1/8 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures that feed on larger animals' blood.

* AmbushingEnemy: Desert stirges are flightless, and hunt by burying themselves in the desert sand to ambush creatures passing by. Jungle stirges are also poor flyers, and instead rely on hiding in thick canopies and falling prey passing beneath them.
* ArtEvolution: Depictions of stirges are somewhat inconstant. They gained a second pair of wings between 2nd and 3rd Edition, and in addition some depictions give them greater proportions of birdlike traits or depict their probosces as rigid beaks or hooked noses.
* FantasticFaunaCounterpart: In most regards, they act as a fantastical counterpart to mosquitoes and vampire bats.
* MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance and proportions change between editions, stirges usually resemble mixes of vultures, bats and mosquitoes.
* TheSwarm: Individual stirges are fairly weak and pose little threat to all but the weakest humanoids, so they usually attack in large swarms.
* VampiricDraining: Stirges feed on the blood of living creatures, attaching and draining them slowly.

!!Stirgoi
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stirgoi_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Monstrosity\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (5E)

Human-sized creatures with stirge features, born from arcane experiments or a stirge drinking the blood of a well-fed vampire.
----
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a stirgoi can summon a swarm of stirges that follow its commands.
* LifeDrain: Their proboscis attack deals extra necrotic damage that heals the stirgoi by the same amount. Those slain by the attack are reduced to EmptyPilesOfClothing and a husk of a corpse, which might reanimate as a boneless undead horror.
* VampireVannabe: Some stirgoi embrace their monstrous forms and diets, and start mimicking vampires. "These would-be bloodsucker aristocrats create stirge courts amid scabrous husk-decorated villas and drain the life from any who balk at their grotesque gentility."

[[folder:Stone Cursed]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stone_cursed_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil

With a bit of basilisk blood and the ashes of a cockatrice feather, a petrified humanoid can be animated as a stony servitor, murderous but obedient to its creators.

* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Stone cursed are predictably good at disguising themselves as ordinary statues.
* LivingStatue: The stone cursed are spawned through a foul alchemical ritual performed on a petrified humanoid. A dim echo of the victim's spirit is awakened, animating the statue and turning it into a useful guardian.
* OrganDrops: A side effect of their creation ritual is the formation of an obsidian skull-shaped stone within the stone cursed. If extracted from a slain stone cursed, a skilled arcanist can use the skull to try and extract a memory from the stone cursed's mortal life. Whether the attempt is successful or not, it can only be made once.
* TakenForGranite: Not only was the stone cursed a victim of such an attack, their claws drip with a transformative sludge that can in turn petrify their enemies.

[[folder:Stone Flyer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stone_flyer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in the Underdark.

* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, and can pass through solid rock with the ease of a fish moving through water, without leaving a tunnel behind.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Stone flyers confer the above ability on anyone riding them, so the creatures are highly sought-after as mounts by Underdark races. This requires both a special saddle and special training, as well as a Diplomacy check to win the creature over.
* ItCanThink: They're no smarter than the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient and speak Terran.
* SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carved from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as well as fierce carnivores.

[[folder:Stonechild]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stonechild_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood

Half-elemental humanoids blessed with the great strength and fortitude of the earth as well as a keen intellect.

* ChallengeSeeker: Stonechildren relish challenges and opportunities to prove their (considerable) strength, and tend to go off on adventures at least once or twice over their lifetimes.
* HappilyAdopted: Stonechildren are rarely raised among others of their kind, and typically grow up in dwarf or human communities. Since the dwarven mindset and reverence for the earth meshes well with stonechildren's values, and both dwarves and humans greatly admire the stonechildren's strength and silence, stonechildren don't face the sort of stigma half-orcs or tieflings have to deal with. But they still have a tendency to leave their homes to go adventuring, and in old age try and find their way to the Elemental Plane of Earth to live among others of their kind.
* NoSell: They're immune to acid or poisons.
* SiliconBasedLife: They look like powerful humanoids carved from stone, so are more this trope than {{Rock Monster}}s (especially since they're classified as Outsiders, not Elementals, despite having an ElementalEmbodiment for a parent). Stonechildren are naturally hairless, and their eyes are gray or black, or a gemlike hue like green or a muted blue.
* TheStoic: They tend to "keep their feelings hidden behind a slow practicality," and are stalwart in the face of adversity.
* SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectiles that deal better damage when hurled or slung, [[HolyHandGrenade and deal additional damage to undead.]]

[[folder:Stonesinger]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stonesinger_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil

Strange creatures of living stone, named for their haunting songs.

* CaptiveAudience: Stonesingers have been known to raid towns simply to kidnap victims they then [[SandNecktie bury up to their necks]], forcing them to listen to the monster's music, "haunting, booming songs that are often mistaken for the wind blowing over hollows in the desolate bandlands." Afterward, the audience is typically petrified and eaten.
* DishingOutDirt: They can use spells like ''meld into stone'', ''stone shape'' and ''wall of stone'', but only while singing.
* EatDirtCheap: While these creatures can subsist upon "natural" fossils, they get more nutrition out of eating creatures they've petrified themselves.
* LargeHam: They're prone to making grandiose moves in combat, and using Power Attack more than is strictly necessary, just to make their attacks more impressive (and painful).
* MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Stonesingers also appreciate other creatures' singing, and it's possible to impress them with a high enough Perform check, potentially placating an angry monster.
* SiliconBasedLife: Stonesingers look something like 12-foot-long scorpions with scales comprised of plates of stone and crystal claw-tips, but are classified as aberrations with the earth subtype rather than elemental creatures.
* StarfishLanguage: These creatures are quite intelligent, but speak their own language rather than any known tongue.
* SuperScream: Once every few rounds, a stonesinger can shriek, potentially dealing heavy sonic damage to and stunning a single target within 60 feet. Unusually, this is treated as a touch attack in which the monster makes a Perform check rather than a conventional attack roll.
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], and any creature whose Dexterity hits 0 instantly fossilizes.

[[folder:Storm Crab]]
[[quoteright:188:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_storm_crab_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:188:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned

Gargantuan crustaceans bred for war.

* BioweaponBeast: Like behirs and rocs, storm crabs were created by the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants giants']] deities for their ancient war against the dragons, hence why their illustration depicts one attacking a dragon turtle. They're thus associated with storm giants, and can be found serving them or patrolling ancient giant ruins.
* GiantEnemyCrab: They're colossal and crabby, though the fact that they have four clawed arms as well as stingers carrying a [[TheParalyzer paralytic poison]] mean they aren't quite true crabs.
-->'''Bigby:''' Given all the weird things that swim in the deep ocean, who am I to complain about a colossal crab with a poison stinger that can knock you away with a high-speed jet of water?
* MakingASplash: Their BreathWeapon is a water jet that can deal strong bludgeoning damage and KnockBack those who fail their saves up to 30 feet away.

[[folder:Storm Drake]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/storm_drake_d&d.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Reclusive, serpentine dragons who lair in fog-shrouded mountain peaks, storm drakes chiefly wish to be left alone to enjoy the vastness of weather and the sky.

* BlowYouAway: A storm drake's breath weapon is a gust of tornado-strong winds.
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happy and turn dark gray when it's angry.
* ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakes can turn into a cloud of living gas and back at will.
* LivingMoodRing: A storm drake's scales change in color based on its emotional state, gaining a pearlescent sheen when the creature is calm, shimmering gold when it's happy and turning a dark, leaden gray when it's angry.
* WeatherManipulation: Storm drakes' innate magic mostly focuses on controlling weather phenomena, allowing them to create fog and clouds, manipulate wind, create blizzards and sleet storms, or call down lightning.

[[folder:Su-monster]]
[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_su_monster_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:230:2e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (4E), 1 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil, Unaligned (4E)

Intelligent but malevolent monkeys with psionic powers.

* BioweaponBeast: Legend has is that the first su-monsters were created by some evil spellcaster who wanted guardians to defend his forest against psionic enemies, and some sages believe su-monsters to be magical humanoid-ape hybrids.
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt as a family group. And should anything threaten their young or their mates, the su-monsters will fly into a rage and benefit from a ''haste'' effect.
* ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters are a species of evil and aggressive monkeys.
* PrehensileTail: One of the su-monsters' favorite ambush methods is to sit atop a branch overlooking a path, then when prey passes below, grip the branch with their tails and then swing down to attack.
* PsychicPowers: Su-monsters are naturally psionic, and know powers such as ''psionic crush'' and ''mind thrust''.
* SlasherSmile: It's noted that su-monsters often grin, "but this is usually a sharp-toothed threat rather than a gesture of friendliness."

[[folder:Succubus/Incubus]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_succubi_incubi_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Fiend (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E), 9 (4E), 4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (1E-3E), Evil (4E), NeutralEvil (5E)

Fiends specializing in seduction and sexual temptation, able to assume whatever form and gender they believe appeals to their victims.

See Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons for tropes related to the 3.5e depiction of incubi as a separate creature.

* CharmPerson: Succubi and incubi can charm other creatures at will, but normally do so only in emergencies, such as confrontations with adventurers. Evil acts committed under mind-control don't properly corrupt the victim's soul, after all.
* TheCorrupter: These fiends first take ethereal form to visit their sleeping targets and whisper in their ears, encouraging them to give in to their darkest desires and filling their mind with debauchery. Then they will assume a physical form that appeals to their target to befriend or seduce them, encouraging further depravity and evil acts. Once their victim has fully embraced evil, the fiend kills them and claims their soul.
* {{Humanshifting}}: Succubi and incubi can take the form of any Small or Medium humanoid to aid in their seductions.
* {{Intangibility}}: Succubi and incubi can shift to or from the Ethereal Plane with an action.
* KissOfDeath: A literal example; a succubus or incubus can [[VampiricDraining drain the life force]] of a charmed or willing recipient with a mere kiss, or other "act of passion." In most editions this resulted in LevelDrain, while 5th Edition makes the effect some heavy psychic damage that can't be recovered until the victim has a long rest.
* {{Retcon}}: Succubi have consistently been fiends, but which type varies by edition. Through 3rd Edition they were considered demons, but 4th edition reclassified them as devils, until 5th Edition declared they were fiendish free agents found across the Lower Planes. Succubi and incubi were also considered separate creatures until 5th Edition clarified that these fiendish seducers can change sex as easily as they change shape.
* SexShifter: They can change from male incubi to female succubi as they please, though most of them prefer one form or the other.
* SpiderSense: Their 2nd Edition rules state that succubi can never be surprised in combat; alu-fiends' entry explains that this is an "innate intuition" that warns of danger, but said half-fiends' equivalent is only 75% as effective.
* SuccubiAndIncubi: They're evil outsiders who use sex and seduction to damn mortal souls. Sometimes this results in the birth of a cambion.

!!Alu-Fiend
[[quoteright:248:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_alu_fiend_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:248:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil, or rarely ChaoticNeutral or TrueNeutral

The offspring of succubi and humans, who inherit their mothers' supernatural beauty, charm and shapeshifting abilities, and often their evil temperament.
----
* ChildOfTwoWorlds: They tend to be hateful beings, "even for tanar'ri standards," as they're neither fully human nor demon, leaving them outcasts. Full tanar'ri consider alu-fiends "lowly and without purpose."
* LifeDrain: While full succubi can inflict negative levels, alu-fiends can heal themselves for half the damage they inflict with a melee attack.
* WingedHumanoid: In their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though their ''shapechange'' ability can help disguise the latter.

[[folder:Sunfly]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunfly_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 0 (individual), 1 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood

Tiny, buglike creatures found across the Outer Planes, where they prosper and wane as their home plane fares.

* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject a venom whose effect varies depending on the Outer Plane the sunfly is on. Sunflies on the Upper Planes can cause their victim to glow, which can foil invisibility effects, while on a Neutral plane their poison can impede concentration on spells, and on the Lower Planes sunfly poison can slow victims.
* LoveItOrHateIt: In-universe, planar inhabitants tend to regard sunflies "as loathsome pests or adorable pets," with little middle ground.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted; 3rd Edition also had "sunflies," but these were swarms of dragonfly-like creatures from the Upper Planes that could dazzle enemies with light, and were sometimes sent by gods to punish mortals. They're thus in the "Divine Wrath Swarm" folder elsewhere on this index.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.

[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]

'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral

Eight-legged, winged dragons with great power over light and radiance, sunwyrms spend their lives soaring above deserts and savannahs in an endless search for fresh prey.

* BlindedByTheLight: Anything that looks at a sunwyrm has to save or be blinded for several rounds.
* ElementalShapeshifter: Sunwyrms can transform into PureEnergy, either converting their claws or teeth into ''brilliant energy'' weapons that ignore armor, or turning their entire body into glowing energy, [[{{Intangibility}} becoming incorporeal.]]
* GlowingEyes: A sunwyrm's eyes seep with seemingly liquid light.
* LightEmUp: Sunwyrms constantly radiate golden light from their eyes, wing membranes and tail bulbs, and can transform their claws and fangs into structures of searing radiance, breathe out laser-like light beams, and constantly emit blinding light.
* LightIsNotGood: Sunwyrms are beautiful, golden dragons constantly glowing with steady golden light. They're also rapacious predators with little interest in anything beyond hoarding treasure and sating their hunger.
* NonElemental: Their breath weapon is a line of burning yellow energy that deals untyped damage, with the catch that as with ''brilliant energy'' weapons, it's completely harmless to nonliving matter, including constructs or the undead.

[[folder:Susurrus]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_susurrus_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:2e]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sussurus_2e.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral

Headless figures whose porous bodies produce a strange droning with a curious effect on the undead.

* BerserkButton: Aside from attacking undead on sight, susurri attack anyone carrying a torch or wielding flames, as the smoke taints the air the creatures survive on. Otherwise, the creatures keep to themselves unless aggravated.
* BrownNote: The "dronesong" produced by air moving through the hollows of a susurrus' body generates a soothing drone that echoes through dungeons to be heard up to a quarter-mile away. While it's harmless to most creatures, undead find it strangely calming, and may enter a state of torpor identical to a ''hold undead'' spell, refusing to move for up to ten rounds.
* {{Retcon}}: The susurrus of 2nd Edition is actually a ''bamboo'' monster related to the shambling mound, and the dronesong it produces can put both living and undead creatures into a ForcedSleep for several hours.
* TheSpiny: Anyone striking a susurrus in melee with a non-reach weapon will take damage from the glass barbs covering its body.
* TorsoWithAView: Susurri have several holes in their bodies, which don't impede them in any way, but instead produce their signature dronesong. This is also why [[StarfishLanguage other creatures have no luck reproducing the susurri language.]]

[[folder:Swordwing]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_swordwing_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 23 (slasher) to 30 (queen) (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Evil (4E)

Intelligent insectoids of the Underdark, known for their armblades and habit of collecting items for their nests.

* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: "Crownwings" are elite swordwings, selected when members of a hive travel to the Buzzing Vaults to wage frenzied battle -- surviving crownwings are considered to have defended their status, while lesser swordwings metamorphosize into new crownwings.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Swordwings reproduce asexually, and get the urge to do so once in their lives. After receiving pheromones from their hive's queen in exchange for a proper offering, the swordwing hunts down and kills a humanoid, then implants an egg in the corpse's abdomen. The body is hung on the outside of the swordwing's home while the egg hatches and the resulting grub devours its host from the inside, converting the humanoid corpse into an aberrant insectoid over a year-long metamorphosis. New swordwings immediately begin collecting items, and are suspected to prefer objects that were significant to their hosts.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Swordwings get their name from the fact that one of their arms ends in a chitinous blade as hard as adamantine. Legend has it that those blades get sharper should someone rob a swordwing's hoard.
* CollectorOfTheStrange: They have an obsessive need to hoard objects, whether worthless trinkets, books the swordwing can't read, weapons or armor, gems and jewelry, or bloody body parts from their victims. The most successful swordwings in a hive will build themed collections, and crownwings will construct proper galleries to display their treasures (or what they consider treasure), but woe to anyone who trespasses in or steals from a swordwing's collection. While sometimes swordwings will trade with one another or other races to get desired items for their collections, in other cases the competition is vicious and violent -- or a swordwing will agree to a deal, then immediately kill their trading partner to get their payment back.
* CraftedFromAnimals: Other Underdark races sometimes harvest swordwing chitin and armblades to make into magic items, though any living swordwing who encounters someone using their kind's remains in this manner will fly into a murderous rage.
* HiveCasteSystem: Like most insect-folk, swordwings live in hive cities with distinct biological castes.
** Mature swordwings (also called drones) and immature swordwings (cutters) serve the higher ranks, until they're given the opportunity to become a crownwing at the Buzzing Vaults.
** Shapers are a higher rank of drone, valued for their ability to construct the species' nesting spires.
** Crownwings are a hive's upper class, given tasks by the queen and drones to command to fulfil them (failure results in death, while success is no guarantee of advancement). They have their own complicated internal hierarchy in which status is derived from the value of a crownwing's collection, and the only way to advance is by killing one's superior and then demonstrating the merits of one's collection -- a weeks-long process in which other crownwings scrutinize and debate the worthiness of a hoard, complete with sabotage by political rivals and bribery by ambitious swordwings.
** At the top of the hierarchy is a hive's queen, who generates the pheromones necessary for swordwing reproduction, leads the hive's worship of the Far Realm entity Dhogostho-Attu, and violently adjudicates any disputes lesser swordwings are unable to work out themselves. Any crownwing powerful enough to defeat their hive's queen becomes the new ruler.
* TruceZone: The Market Grottos are a stretch of caverns not far from the King's Highway in the Underdark, where swordwings from different hives meet to swap items for their collections. Uniquely, they do this without killing anyone but those who violate the "no violence" rule of the area, so brave (and well-armed) merchants from other races sometimes travel to the Market Grottos to do business.

[[folder:Sylph]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sylph_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E), 3 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood (2E), TrueNeutral (3E), Unaligned (4E)

These beautiful winged women are air elemental-kin, rumored to be a crossbreed between nymphs and air spirits. They have a liking for the scenery of the Material Plane, and make their homes on mountaintops, but can be found almost anywhere due to their love of travel.

* AlchemicElementals: They're the sylphs representing air, obviously.
* CuriosityIsACrapshoot: Their response to strangers is to turn invisible and observe from hiding, but even if they detect a potential threat, sylphs' curiosity can lead them to linger in dangerous situations just to watch what happens.
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a sylph can summon a Large elemental of any variety.
* {{Invisibility}}: They can use ''improved invisibility'' at will.
* OneGenderRace: Sylphs are all-female and, according to their ''AD&D'' write-up, [[MarsNeedsWomen reproduce with male humanoids]], most commonly elves but sometimes humans or halflings. This results in an egg three months later, which hatches into an infant sylph in another six months.
* {{Retcon}}: Their size varies by edition, starting Medium-sized, getting downgraded to Small in 3rd Edition, then becoming Medium again for 4th.
* SquishyWizard: Sylphs are natural sorcerers, but are ''very'' squishy in direct combat -- their 3rd Edition stats only give them 10 hit points despite being CR 5.
* WingedHumanoid: Their 2nd Edition write-up states that sylphs can naturally levitate, and their wings simply provide thrust.

[[folder:Synad]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_synad_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:''' Any

A naturally psionic race whose members are literally in three minds about everything.

* CombatClairvoyance: Their "oracle" mind can give synads a precognitive edge in combat, translating to a once-per-day bonus on an initiative check, attack roll or saving throw.
* DimensionalTraveler: The synads used the Plane of Shadow to escape their homeworld, which most synads prefer to forget, claiming that "monstrosities of the mind roam there unhindered."
* GhostMemory: Their "collective" mind lets synads tap into their racial memory, letting them spend a power point to gain a bonus on Knowledge or Psicraft checks.
* HumanoidAbomination: They look like tall, hairless humans, but their unique minds give them the Aberration type.
* MageSpecies: Synads are latent psionicists, giving them a starting pool of power points they can use to fuel their racial abilities, though they need to advance in psionic character classes to learn proper PsychicPowers.
* MindHive: Each synad has three fully independent minds fused into a functional whole, an "overmind" that controls the synad's actions while their subminds, the "collective" and the "oracle," offer insight as needed, or even take over. This ensures that a synad is never truly alone, and always enjoys multiple viewpoints and cooperative planning during decision-making. Their threefold mind lets synads more easily resist mental effects, and they can spend a power point to "multitask" once per day, having a submind perform a purely mental action as a free action.
* MultipleHeadCase: In sunlight, synads can pass for tall, slim humans, but in dim lighting, and if a synad has exhausted all of their power points for the day, two ghostly heads appear around their physical head, representing their multiple minds.