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[[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)\\
[[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)\\
to:
[[folder:Stone Flyer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.Drake]]
[[quoteright:224:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stone_flyer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beastorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stone_drake_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:224:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''3 4 (3E)\\
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:224:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast
[[caption-width-right:224:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 1570 (click to see context) from:
Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in the Underdark.
to:
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DungeonBypass: AcidAttack: They don't have the "Earth Glide" ability, and can pass through solid rock a proper breath attack, but stone drakes deal acid damage with the ease of a fish moving through water, without leaving a tunnel behind.
their bites.
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Stone flyers confer the above ability on anyone riding them, so the creatures are highly sought-after as mounts by DayHurtsDarkAdjustedEyes: Like many Underdark races. This requires both a special saddle and special training, as well as a Diplomacy check to win the creature over.
species, they're dazzled by bright light.
* ItCanThink:They're no smarter than the average ogre, but Stone drakes have above human-average intellects, and can speak Draconic and Undercommon. But they live as predators, motivated by hunger and disdaining treasure.
* WallCrawl: They can not only climb as fast as they run, their "perfect climbing" ability lets stoneflyers are sapient drakes move across even the underside of ceilings without ever having to take a Climb check, 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.never lose their grip even if they take damage.
*
* ItCanThink:
* WallCrawl: They can not only climb as fast as they run, their "perfect climbing" ability lets stone
* SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carved from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as well as fierce carnivores.
Added DiffLines:
[[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]]
[[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]]
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Changed line(s) 854 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
to:
* 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 slope. 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.foreclaws.
* StupidityInducingAttack: Tangle terrors' webs drip with a strong psychotropic contact poison, which can leave victims too ''confused'' to offer much resistance as the spider finishes them off or wraps them up for later feeding.
* StupidityInducingAttack: Tangle terrors' webs drip with a strong psychotropic contact poison, which can leave victims too ''confused'' to offer much resistance as the spider finishes them off or wraps them up for later feeding.
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Added example(s), Added image
Added DiffLines:
[[folder:Spirit Tree]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_tree_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''Ghostwalk''\\
'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood
The living repositories of elven souls who become one with nature on the Material Plane rather than passing on to an afterlife.
----
* MagicPotion: Spirit trees can create potions from its own sap replicating the effects of up to 3rd-level spells, though the process takes several hours and deals temporary Constitution damage. They usually hide these potions for their allies to use as needed.
* MindHive: Their "plurality of minds" lets spirit trees who gain character levels do so without multiclassing penalties or restrictions.
* {{Treants}}: Spirit trees are similar to treants, and can for example [[GreenThumb animate other trees as nonsentient allies]], but have some important differences. Rather than being "natural" plant creatures, spirit trees form when an ordinary tree attracts elven souls (which in the ''Ghostwalk'' setting do not move on to the True Afterlife, but remain on the Material Plane), which congregate within it until the tree develops a collective consciousness and supernatural powers. Most spirit trees are thus much like elves, for better and for worse, inheriting "their joy, their belief in personal freedom, their arrogance, and their xenophobia." This also means that some spirit trees have attracted collections of evil elven souls, making them dangerous.
* TheTreesHaveFaces: They sometimes have one or more patches of bark that resemble elven faces.
* WhenTreesAttack: Spirit trees are slow but mobile, and can slam opponents with their branches or trample them under their roots.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_tree_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''Ghostwalk''\\
'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood
The living repositories of elven souls who become one with nature on the Material Plane rather than passing on to an afterlife.
----
* MagicPotion: Spirit trees can create potions from its own sap replicating the effects of up to 3rd-level spells, though the process takes several hours and deals temporary Constitution damage. They usually hide these potions for their allies to use as needed.
* MindHive: Their "plurality of minds" lets spirit trees who gain character levels do so without multiclassing penalties or restrictions.
* {{Treants}}: Spirit trees are similar to treants, and can for example [[GreenThumb animate other trees as nonsentient allies]], but have some important differences. Rather than being "natural" plant creatures, spirit trees form when an ordinary tree attracts elven souls (which in the ''Ghostwalk'' setting do not move on to the True Afterlife, but remain on the Material Plane), which congregate within it until the tree develops a collective consciousness and supernatural powers. Most spirit trees are thus much like elves, for better and for worse, inheriting "their joy, their belief in personal freedom, their arrogance, and their xenophobia." This also means that some spirit trees have attracted collections of evil elven souls, making them dangerous.
* TheTreesHaveFaces: They sometimes have one or more patches of bark that resemble elven faces.
* WhenTreesAttack: Spirit trees are slow but mobile, and can slam opponents with their branches or trample them under their roots.
[[/folder]]
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Added example(s), Added image
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
to:
* 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 a mask attaches to is constantly subjected to that emotion, but as a consequence can NoSell any magical attempts to make them feel anything else.
Changed line(s) 88 (click to see context) from:
* 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."
to:
* PuppeteerParasite: Their only attack is to try and attach themselves to a humanoid's unprotected face. A soul masks' mask's 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 performance. On the upside, they're now a mask's host is considered proficient in Acting, and can perfectly play the part of any character in the mask's repertoire. The repertoire, making soul masks of some interest to bards and other performers. An attached mask can be attacked to kill it, though each attack this 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."
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[[folder:Spectral Steed]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spectral_steed_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''Ghostwalk''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ghostly horses known for their incredible speed, making them prized mounts for incorporeal undead.
----
* {{Intangibility}}: They're incorporeal, and thus can only be ridden by other such creatures.
* LevelDrain: Their bite inflicts a negative level, and once per day, a spectral steed (and potentially its rider) can make a "soul charge" attack, running straight through a corporeal enemy to bestow multiple negative levels at once.
* RaisingTheSteaks: Spectral steeds are rare, since they're spawned when incorporeal undead like spectres uses their energy drain attack on a horse, though a high-level spellcaster with access to ''create undead'' can raise one as well. They're normally content to feed upon ectoplasm, ethereal matter, or darkness, and prefer to flee from danger, but other incorporeal undead can tame them as deadly war mounts.
* WeakenedByTheLight: In natural sunlight, a spectral steed cannot attack, and will flee to darkness as fast as possible.
* WingsDoNothing: Only some spectral steeds have skeletal wings, but all have an impressive 100-foot fly speed regardless.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spectral_steed_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''Ghostwalk''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ghostly horses known for their incredible speed, making them prized mounts for incorporeal undead.
----
* {{Intangibility}}: They're incorporeal, and thus can only be ridden by other such creatures.
* LevelDrain: Their bite inflicts a negative level, and once per day, a spectral steed (and potentially its rider) can make a "soul charge" attack, running straight through a corporeal enemy to bestow multiple negative levels at once.
* RaisingTheSteaks: Spectral steeds are rare, since they're spawned when incorporeal undead like spectres uses their energy drain attack on a horse, though a high-level spellcaster with access to ''create undead'' can raise one as well. They're normally content to feed upon ectoplasm, ethereal matter, or darkness, and prefer to flee from danger, but other incorporeal undead can tame them as deadly war mounts.
* WeakenedByTheLight: In natural sunlight, a spectral steed cannot attack, and will flee to darkness as fast as possible.
* WingsDoNothing: Only some spectral steeds have skeletal wings, but all have an impressive 100-foot fly speed regardless.
[[/folder]]
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Changed line(s) 562,569 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:325:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:325:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Saurian monsters with
Psionicists who have staved off death at the
Changed line(s) 571,575 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 ColorCodedForYourConvenience: A spectral savant's "burning" eyes indicate 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 roundsalignment -- a bonus on attack silver if good, jade if neutral, and damage rolls, {{damage reduction}}, [[HealingFactor fast healing]], or a [[AntiMagic magic-dampening field]] that reduces nearby spellcasters' effective caster level.
green if evil.
*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:{{Intangibility}}: They're more incorporeal undead.
* LevelDrain: Their incorporeal touch attacks, beyond dealing cold damage, inflict negative levels, [[LifeDrain healing the spectral savant in the process]].
* NonMaliciousMonster: Some spectral savants have no ill intentions, and rather than stealing power points will make arrangements from other psionicists who "donate" some power points in exchange for instruction.
* OurLichesAreDifferent: They're something like a psionic version of liches, since they underwent a ritual to become an undead caster. However, spectral savants are incorporeal, and lack anything like a phylactery that can restore them to unlife if they are destroyed -- the ''cognizance crystal'' they craft during the ritual is subsumed into their undead body. It's also noted that some spectral savants arise spontaneously if a psion suffers an egregious death, orless dies before accomplishing an important mission.
* PowerParasite: While becoming aHuge, quadrupedal example.spectral savant requires some degree of psionic talent, the process drains the psion's power point reserve and prevents them from recovering that power normally. Instead, they have to make a special touch attack to siphon power from other psionic beings or creatures.
* PsychicPowers: They retain all the psionic abilities they knew in life.
* 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
*
* 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:
* LevelDrain: Their incorporeal touch attacks, beyond dealing cold damage, inflict negative levels, [[LifeDrain healing the spectral savant in the process]].
* NonMaliciousMonster: Some spectral savants have no ill intentions, and rather than stealing power points will make arrangements from other psionicists who "donate" some power points in exchange for instruction.
* OurLichesAreDifferent: They're something like a psionic version of liches, since they underwent a ritual to become an undead caster. However, spectral savants are incorporeal, and lack anything like a phylactery that can restore them to unlife if they are destroyed -- the ''cognizance crystal'' they craft during the ritual is subsumed into their undead body. It's also noted that some spectral savants arise spontaneously if a psion suffers an egregious death, or
* PowerParasite: While becoming a
* PsychicPowers: They retain all the psionic abilities they knew in life.
Added DiffLines:
[[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]]
[[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]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added example(s), Added image
[[folder:Soul Mask]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soul_mask_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Theatrical masks given life by the amount of emotion they've been exposed to during performances, but now require a steady supply of that emotional energy to survive.
----
* 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.
* EmotionEater: As mentioned, soul masks crave emotional input, and will take hit point damage each day they fail to receive any.
* FloatingMask: Soul masks get around by flying.
* 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]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soul_mask_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Theatrical masks given life by the amount of emotion they've been exposed to during performances, but now require a steady supply of that emotional energy to survive.
----
* 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.
* EmotionEater: As mentioned, soul masks crave emotional input, and will take hit point damage each day they fail to receive any.
* FloatingMask: Soul masks get around by flying.
* 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]]
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* ElectricJoybuzzer: Not explicit, but they do have a "Shock" melee attack that deals a good bit of lightning damage.
to:
* ElectricJoybuzzer: Not explicit, but Implied; they do have a "Shock" melee attack that deals a good bit of lightning damage.
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* SuddenNameChange: These creatures debuted as "tralusks" in a July 2001 issue of ''Dragon'', and are still referred to as such in the file name for their creature art, but the print version of the 2004 ''Monster Manual III'' uses "stonesinger."
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''[[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]] \\
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''[[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 [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNToO N to O]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesPToQ P 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]] \\
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''[[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]] \\
to:
''[[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 [[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]] \\
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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.
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migrating from Undead page
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''[[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]] \\
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''[[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:Soul Shaker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soul_shaker_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Tangled masses of grasping undead limbs, born from necromantic experiments or the congregation of a number of crawling claws.
----
* AsteroidsMonster: When reduced to 0 hit points, a soul shaker explodes into multiple crawling claws. If at least two of them survive, about a week later they teleport to the site of the soul shaker's destruction and merge together, re-forming the monster.
* LifeDrain: They can drain vitality from a grappled victim, dealing necrotic damage and recovering an equal amount of hit points.
* MindControl: Beyond using telepathy to communicate, soul shakers can cast the ''geas'' spell once per day, usually on a weak-willed individual the undead then uses as a lure to draw in other victims.
* MindHive: Soul shakers possess fragments of memory from their component limbs' previous owners, which can influence their behavior.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: They're nothing ''but'' arms. However, rather than having multiple attacks, soul shakers can make only one "Crushing Grasp" action where it focuses its many hands on grabbing and grappling a single target.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soul_shaker_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Tangled masses of grasping undead limbs, born from necromantic experiments or the congregation of a number of crawling claws.
----
* AsteroidsMonster: When reduced to 0 hit points, a soul shaker explodes into multiple crawling claws. If at least two of them survive, about a week later they teleport to the site of the soul shaker's destruction and merge together, re-forming the monster.
* LifeDrain: They can drain vitality from a grappled victim, dealing necrotic damage and recovering an equal amount of hit points.
* MindControl: Beyond using telepathy to communicate, soul shakers can cast the ''geas'' spell once per day, usually on a weak-willed individual the undead then uses as a lure to draw in other victims.
* MindHive: Soul shakers possess fragments of memory from their component limbs' previous owners, which can influence their behavior.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: They're nothing ''but'' arms. However, rather than having multiple attacks, soul shakers can make only one "Crushing Grasp" action where it focuses its many hands on grabbing and grappling a single target.
[[/folder]]
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[folder:Spawn of Tiamat]]
Kyuss]]
[[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 conflictorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_kyuss_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Greyhawk}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E, 5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Sometimes known asthe Dragonfall War. In an effort to tip the balance decisively in her favor, Tiamat has exerted her influence on the eggs "sons of chromatic dragons, causing them to hatch into a wide variety of dragonblooded creatures that have since bred true. Individually, each of Kyuss," 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 zombies are created by followers of that the spawn of Tiamat Elder Evil. Their undead bodies are ultimately loyal only to their creator.infested with, and controlled by, a swarm of parasitic worms.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->''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
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Greyhawk}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E, 5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Sometimes known as
* DeceasedAndDiseased: Their 3rd Edition stats have their slam attacks transmit a disease known as Kyuss' Gift, which deals both Constitution and Wisdom damage as the victim's flesh and mind rot away.
* LogicalWeakness: In 3rd Edition, using a spell like ''remove curse'' or ''remove disease'' destroys the undead's parasitic worms, rendering it an ordinary zombie.
* TheVirus: Scores of little green worms crawl in and out of a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm penetrates a humanoid, it makes its way to the creature's brain, where it kills its host and animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss that breeds more worms.
* TheWormThatWalks: Downplayed. They are not fully made of worms, but as time goes on their bodies are covered by more and more worms until it's hard to make out the original corpse. Their creator is certainly this.
[[/folder]]
[[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.
----
* LogicalWeakness: In 3rd Edition, using a spell like ''remove curse'' or ''remove disease'' destroys the undead's parasitic worms, rendering it an ordinary zombie.
* TheVirus: Scores of little green worms crawl in and out of a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm penetrates a humanoid, it makes its way to the creature's brain, where it kills its host and animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss that breeds more worms.
* TheWormThatWalks: Downplayed. They are not fully made of worms, but as time goes on their bodies are covered by more and more worms until it's hard to make out the original corpse. Their creator is certainly this.
[[/folder]]
[[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.
----
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Huge, tentacled predators who haunt dungeons, emerging from solid surfaces
Though easily confused for ghosts, specters are wholly malevolent spirits bound to
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* {{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.
* 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.
to:
* BarredFromTheAfterlife: Specters are defined by being unable to pass onto the afterlife due to some dark influence, and if defeated experience the CessationOfExistence that comes from the destruction of the soul.
* EnemyToAllLivingThings: In 3rd Edition, specters generate an unnatural aura that causes animals to flee from them, or freeze up in terror if they're forced within 30 feet of the specter.
* GhostlyGoals: Unlike a ghost's UnfinishedBusiness keeping it from moving on, a specter's only goal is to kill any living creature which crosses its path, as they remind it of the life it can never have and killing them provides a temporary distraction from its miserable existence.
* {{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 oddIncorporeal undead, much like ghosts.
*TentacleRope: They can grab and constrict foes with LevelDrain: Specters' attacks traditionally give their tentacles for additional damage.
* TeleFrag: Spectral lurkers have the power to "incorporealize"victims held by negative levels like wights' do, while in 5th Edition they reduce the victim's maximum hit points until they recover with a long rest.
* {{Poltergeist}}: 5th Edition presents poltergeists as specter variants, the confused spirits of those with no sense of how they died, who express theirtentacles, an effect rage by telekinetically hurling objects about.
* WeakenedByTheLight: Sunlight pains specters, being a source of life thatlasts no specter can ever hope to douse. When day breaks, specters retreat into the darkness, until the monster lets go. They thus like to hunt by grabbing prey, yanking them night falls again. In 5th Edition this translates 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 asspecters having the ''ghost touch'' property, allowing them to affect corporeal and ethereal targets alike. disadvantage on attack rolls in natural sunlight, while in 3rd Edition they couldn't attack at all.
* EnemyToAllLivingThings: In 3rd Edition, specters generate an unnatural aura that causes animals to flee from them, or freeze up in terror if they're forced within 30 feet of the specter.
* GhostlyGoals: Unlike a ghost's UnfinishedBusiness keeping it from moving on, a specter's only goal is to kill any living creature which crosses its path, as they remind it of the life it can never have and killing them provides a temporary distraction from its miserable existence.
* {{Intangibility}}:
* MistakenIdentity: Spectral lurkers' tentacles and mouth give off a faint white glow, sometimes causing them to be mistaken for odd
*
* TeleFrag: Spectral lurkers have the power to "incorporealize"
* {{Poltergeist}}: 5th Edition presents poltergeists as specter variants, the confused spirits of those with no sense of how they died, who express their
* WeakenedByTheLight: Sunlight pains specters, being a source of life that
* TouchTheIntangible: A spectral lurker's teeth and tentacles are treated as
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:325:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Saurian monsters with the intelligence of dragons and the power
Huge, tentacled predators who haunt dungeons, emerging from solid surfaces to
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BioweaponBeast: Spelleaters were created by dragons in ancient times {{Intangibility}}: They're naturally incorporeal, and prone to combat the rise lurking within solid objects until victims come within reach of humanoid wizards, but turned out their tentacles.
* MistakenIdentity: Spectral lurkers' tentacles and mouth give off a faint white glow, sometimes causing them to benearly as dangerous to mistaken for odd ghosts.
* TentacleRope: They can grab and constrict foes with theircreators as they were tentacles for additional damage.
* TeleFrag: Spectral lurkers have the power to "incorporealize" victims held by theirintended 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 timetentacles, 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 ofuntil the reason they try to make their lairs far from civilization.
* SupernaturalSensitivity:monster lets go. They can ''detect magic'' at will, allowing the spelleater thus like to identify any mages and try and provoke hunt by grabbing prey, yanking them into casting a spell they can devour.
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.
*WaddlingHead: They're more or less a Huge, quadrupedal example.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.
* MistakenIdentity: Spectral lurkers' tentacles and mouth give off a faint white glow, sometimes causing them to be
* TentacleRope: They can grab and constrict foes with their
* TeleFrag: Spectral lurkers have the power to "incorporealize" victims held by their
* FeedItWithFire: Any time
* 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
* SupernaturalSensitivity:
*
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
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->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Oversized arachnids
Undead that
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* GiantSpider: TheBard: They look like gold-furred spiders ten feet long, though spellgaunts have fanged mouths rather than mandibles.
* MagicEater: They consume the energy released whenwere cursed after death for using their disjunctive bites destroy a magic item. This bardic powers to lure innocents to their deaths or urge others to commit violence.
* {{Glamour}}: They canbackfire horribly should a spellgaunt attempt freely alter their appearance to feed on a magical artfiact, disguise themselves as someone living and solid.
* HorrorHunger: Spectral lyrists have an inescapable craving for the elan and personality of the living, whichforces 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 satisfy by a spellcaster, ran headlong into them, and got sliced to pieces.
* MooksAteMyEquipment: Spellgaunts' "disjunctive bite"hitting living targets with their touch 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.
deal [[NonHealthDamage Charisma drain.]]
*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 {{Intangibility}}: Naturally incorporeal, like ''disintegrate'' or items like a ''rod other specters and spirits.
* MagicMusic: Spectral lyrists' signature ability is making use ofcancellation.''
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Spellgaunts can see magic auras in their direct line-of-sight, out to 120 feet.the bard class' ''fascinate'' and ''suggestion'' features.
* MagicEater: They consume the energy released when
* {{Glamour}}: They can
* HorrorHunger: Spectral lyrists have an inescapable craving for the elan and personality of the living, which
* MooksAteMyEquipment: Spellgaunts' "disjunctive bite"
*
* MagicMusic: Spectral lyrists' signature ability is making use of
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Spellgaunts can see magic auras in their direct line-of-sight, out to 120 feet.
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
A vivacious race of humanoids easily identified by their fine, lustrous scales, and infamous
Undead knights that often serve as bodyguards for
Changed line(s) 510,514 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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:CoolHorse: They have can summon a ''phantom steed'' at will.
* CrossMeltingAura: Spectral riders are surrounded by an evil aura that not only replicates thedragonblooded subtype, and more significantly, spellscales ''desecrate'' spell, it can undertake a daily "blood-quickening meditation" to attune themselves to a draconic deity, gaining different bonuses based on cause the deity in question. For example, holy symbols of good deities to honor Astilabor the Hoardmistress, a spellscale might tabulate the net worth of dissolve into acidic vapor, dealing damage to their gear, gaining bearers.
* FallenHero: Most spectral riders were evil knights or blackguards in life, but some are paladins who had their bodies ritualistically desecrated, then their spirits were lured back to their tainted corpses by abonus on Appraise checks and unlimited deceptive spellcaster, corrupting them into murderous undead.
* {{Glamour}}: They can use their "Shroud ofthe Eschew Materials feat, while another day that spellscale might honor Bahamut by reflecting on the differences between metallic dragon breeds, gaining the Living Days" ability to smite evil creatures with magic appear as they did in life, usually to trick victims into mistaking them for an ally.
* {{Intangibility}}: They have afew times "Ghost Shift" ability that day.
* InLoveWithLove: Spellscales throw themselves wholeheartedly into romantic relationshipslets them (and their steeds) temporarily become incorporeal until the end of any kind -- falling helplessly in love with a total stranger, enjoying an illicit tryst, pining for someone unattainable, or suffering their turn, allowing them to pass through a MayflyDecemberRomance terrain 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.
evade attacks.
*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 spellscaleUnholyNuke: Rather than "Smite Evil," spectral knights can permanently transform a willing humanoid into another spellscale. Unfounded conspiracy theories hold that the transformation can also be forced.make "Unholy Strike" attacks to deal bonus damage to good targets.
* DragonAncestry:
* CrossMeltingAura: Spectral riders are surrounded by an evil aura that not only replicates the
* FallenHero: Most spectral riders were evil knights or blackguards in life, but some are paladins who had their bodies ritualistically desecrated, then their spirits were lured back to their tainted corpses by a
* {{Glamour}}: They can use their "Shroud of
* {{Intangibility}}: They have a
* InLoveWithLove: Spellscales throw themselves wholeheartedly into romantic relationships
*
* RacialTransformation: There is a magical rite by which a spellscale
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:325:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Multi-armed beings from an alternate Material Plane, known for their adept spellcasting
Saurian monsters with the intelligence of dragons and
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ArtEvolution: Spell weavers' 2nd Edition art had them eschewing clothing, and mixed humanoid, reptilian and insectoid features. In 3rd Edition, 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 wear robes and have avian faces instead.
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.
*TheCaper: These creatures are normally solitary, but sometimes several FeedItWithFire: Any time an attacker fails to overcome a spelleater's spell weavers will organize resistance, the monster converts the energy 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 bizarrebeneficial effect that they don't explain anything about what's going on.
* {{Invisibility}}: Spell weavers can cast the spell at will,lasts for a few rounds -- a bonus on attack 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 40damage in rolls, {{damage reduction}}, [[HealingFactor fast healing]], or a 30-foot radius.]]
[[AntiMagic magic-dampening field]] that reduces nearby spellcasters' effective caster level.
*MultiArmedAndDangerous: But not in direct combat -- despite MageHuntingMonster: Spelleaters were bred to be this, and their six arms, spell weavers only have two slam attacks for pathetic damage in 3rd Edition. Instead, spell weavers burning, instinctive urge to target spellcasters 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 renderlead 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 ignore more dangerous threats in favor of hounding a mage. Spelleaters are fully aware of this proclivity, which is part of 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 mostreason they try to interact with other creatures is by leaving rambling make their lairs far from civilization.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can ''detect magic'' at will, allowing the spelleater to identify any mages andconfusing notes for humanoids to find.try and provoke them into casting a spell they can devour.
* WaddlingHead: They're more or less a Huge, quadrupedal example.
*
* 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
* {{Invisibility}}: Spell weavers can cast the spell at will,
* 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
*
* NoSell: Spell weavers' alien thought patterns render
* 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
* SupernaturalSensitivity: They can ''detect magic'' at will, allowing the spelleater to identify any mages and
* WaddlingHead: They're more or less a Huge, quadrupedal example.
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Winged, leonine beasts
Oversized arachnids that destroy magical items with their jaws, feeding on the
Changed line(s) 546,559 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Through early editions, sphinxes were infamous for this and 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 theirmating habits. Of 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 classic four varieties overwhelming energy.]] Spellgaunts can also be dumb about how they go after magical auras -- in one case, a monster detected a swarm 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 magical blades conjured by a spellcaster, ran headlong into it. 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. Theseare the webs hang around for up to four hours, and can only couplings that produce andro- and gynosphinxes, sometimes in the form be destroyed by spells like ''disintegrate'' or items like a ''rod 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 cancellation.''
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Spellgaunts can see magic auras in theirlairs. 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 impossibledirect line-of-sight, out 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.120 feet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spellscale]]
[[quoteright:271:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_androsphinx_2e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spellscale_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:271:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''9 (3E), 17 (5E)\\
1/2 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticGood (1E-3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)
Sphinxes with masculine faces, and the mightiestAny
A vivacious race of humanoids easily identified by theirkind's subspecies, serving as the guardians of all sphinxes.fine, lustrous scales, and infamous for their mercurial temperament and whimsical nature.
* MagicEater: They consume the energy released when their
* 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
* SupernaturalSensitivity: Spellgaunts can see magic auras in their
* 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
* 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.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spellscale]]
[[quoteright:271:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Sphinxes with masculine faces, and the mightiest
A vivacious race of humanoids easily identified by their
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* 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)\\
* 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)\\
to:
* BribeBackfire: 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 theleast 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 fortreasure of all sphinxes, 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 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 becausebe noted that they ''do'' care for their alignments clash partners 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,relationships, though melodramatic and often short-lived, 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.genuine.
*SaveTheVillain: They feel that they MageSpecies: Spellscales are all born to powerful sorcerers, however distantly, and in return have a duty to defend all of sphinx-kind from other creatures, and androsphinxes will even aid very strong racial proclivity for the hated hierachosphinxes if necessary. This sorcerer's arts.
* RacialTransformation: There is a magical rite by which a spellscale canlead to permanently transform a willing humanoid into another spellscale. Unfounded conspiracy theories hold that the androsphinx's downfall, as mentioned below.
!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.transformation can also be forced.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spell Weaver]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_criosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spell_weaver_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Immortal Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''7 (3E)\\10 (3E), 28 (4E)\\
* DragonAncestry: They have the
* 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
* CelibateHero: As mentioned, androsphinxes avoid gynosphinxes, both because
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Androsphinxes can be gruff or even ill-tempered,
* 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.
*
* RacialTransformation: There is a magical rite by which a spellscale can
!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spell Weaver]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Immortal Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 574 (click to see context) from:
Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who are primarily concerned with finding a mate.
to:
Changed line(s) 576,590 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: They're prone to grouping up during the hunt for a gynosphinx, 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 willfollow other criosphinxes even if their fellows have no idea where their quarry is.
organize into a raiding party to go after a specific magic item, usually after months of magical and mundane investigation and preparation.
*EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used as an alternative material component for InscrutableAliens: Spell weavers sometimes leave written notes behind after they commit a theft. On the ''shout'' spell.
* {{Greed}}: Ifrare occasion they're not on the trail of in a gynosphinx, criosphinxes are hoarding treasure, and are known to shake down passers-by for everything legible language, they're carrying.
so rambling and bizarre that they don't explain anything about what's going on.
*HornAttack: They {{Invisibility}}: Spell weavers can attack with their horns.
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have a habit of adding descriptive adjectivescast the spell at will, and frequently use it to their names, such as "Bold Necrotiki," "Great Rameses," or "Swift Ibericus."
steal a magic item before escaping via ''plane shift''.
*VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; 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 -- despitehaving 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 ofgrass-eating goats, criosphinxes have the sharp teeth feathers, and appetites of carnivores.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: When a mob of criosphinxes does find a gynosphinx, the result is a head-butting competitionthey can twist their long necks 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 look in any direction.
* {{Telepathy}}: Spell weavers don't speak, but can communicate telepathically withboulders, the winner will find that the female has escaped while the males were literally butting heads.
!!Gynosphinx
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]]
[[folder:Sphinx]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gynosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challengeorg/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:'''8 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
Varies by subspecies (3E, 5E), 16 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral (3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)
Female sphinxes who areVaries by subspecies, or Unaligned (4E)
Winged, leonine beasts with thewisest heads of their kind.various other creatures.
* TheCaper: These creatures are normally solitary, but sometimes several spell weavers will
*
* {{Greed}}: If
*
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have a habit of adding descriptive adjectives
*
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: But not in direct combat -- despite
* 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
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: When a mob of criosphinxes does find a gynosphinx, the result is a head-butting competition
* {{Telepathy}}: Spell weavers don't speak, but can communicate telepathically with
!!Gynosphinx
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sphinx]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:Gynosphinx (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Immortal Magical Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Female sphinxes who are
Winged, leonine beasts with the
Changed line(s) 592,603 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ArtEvolution: Early 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 followed is that they're smarter than all the classical model closely, being 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 withwomen's the heads (and bared breasts). But 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 theypicked 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.allow it.
*SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: They spend 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 theirlives avoiding criosphinxes (whom they detest as little better than animals) 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 andhieracosphinxes (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,described as resembling winged lions with genius-level intellects.
!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.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_hieracosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_androsphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E)\\
9 (3E), 17 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
Evil, animalistic, hawk-headed,ChaoticGood (1E-3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)
Sphinxes with masculine faces, andalways-male sphinxes who are constantly on the hunt for a gynosphinx, or failing that, something to kill.mightiest of their kind's subspecies, serving as the guardians of all sphinxes.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' since 1st Edition. They're immortal, magical and extremely intelligent beings who resemble winged lions with
* 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
* 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.
*
* TimeMaster: 5th edition sphinxes can control the flow of time within their
* UnreliableIllustrator: Androsphinxes and
* WomenAreWiser: They are the smartest of the sphinxes,
!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
!!Androsphinx
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Evil, animalistic, hawk-headed,
Sphinxes with masculine faces, and
Changed line(s) 605,618 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DistractedByTheSexy: Some BribeBackfire: They have the least use for treasure of all sphinxes, and should an evil warlords ride hieracosphinxes as an intelligent, bloodthirsty alternative or uncouth humanoid try to griffons, but clever illusionists can make offer them some in a bargain, the brutes go haring off after an illusory gynosphinx.
androsphinx is likely to take offense.
*TheFarmerAndTheViper: 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, andhieracosphinxes often come 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 toblows, fights three times a day. The first roar frightens its enemies, the stronger 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, androsphinxesusually win, but 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 theyalso tend have a duty to let defend all of sphinx-kind from other creatures, and androsphinxes will even aid the evil sphinx go instead of finishing him off. hated hierachosphinxes if necessary. 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.androsphinx's downfall, as mentioned below.
!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_astrosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_criosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
Twisted parodies of trueTrueNeutral
Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who aredangerously insane.primarily concerned with finding a mate.
*
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Androsphinxes can be gruff or even ill-tempered, and
* MightyRoar: An androsphinx can let out a magical roar up to
* RiddlingSphinx: Averted, androsphinxes
* SaveTheVillain: They feel that they
* 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.
!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''
Twisted parodies of true
Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who are
Changed line(s) 620,632 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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.TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: They're so dangerously unstable that even prone to grouping up during the hunt for a gynosphinx, but will follow other evil creatures will hunt down and kill astrosphinxes criosphinxes even if their fellows have no idea where their quarry is.
* EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used asthreats to all life, and it's considered unlucky to keep any body parts from an astrosphinx.
* RiddlingSphinx: Astrosphinxes like riddles,alternative material component for the problem is ''shout'' spell.
* {{Greed}}: If they'recompletely insane, so 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 theirquestions run along the lines of "What's the speed of down?" or "How loud is blue?" or "What do a kobold and the Spelljammer horns.
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes havein 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 habit of adding descriptive adjectives 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 names, such as "Bold Necrotiki," "Great Rameses," or "Swift Ibericus."
* VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; despite having the heads ofdumb animals, insects grass-eating goats, criosphinxes have the sharp teeth and even plants, and inevitably kill them for failing appetites of carnivores.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: When a mob of criosphinxes does find a gynosphinx, the result is a head-butting competition toanswer.
!!Canisphinx
[[quoteright:349:https://static.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_canisphinx_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gynosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E)\\
8 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralEvil
Jackal-headesTrueNeutral (3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)
Female sphinxeswho, despite who are the wisest of their intelligence, exist as ruthless desert predators.kind.
* 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.
* EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used as
* RiddlingSphinx: Astrosphinxes like riddles,
* {{Greed}}: If they're
* HornAttack: They can attack with their
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have
* VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; despite having the heads of
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: When a mob of criosphinxes does find a gynosphinx, the result is a head-butting competition to
!!Canisphinx
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
!!Gynosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Jackal-heades
Female sphinxes
Changed line(s) 634,641 (click to see context) from:
* 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)\\
* 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)\\
to:
* ScavengersAreScum: Canisphinxes 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 areamong 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 theweakest smartest of the 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
genius-level intellects.
!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_crocosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_hieracosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''12 5 (3E)\\
* RiddlingSphinx: Played the straightest of the sphinx subspecies. Gynosphinxes are
* 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
* SuperScream: They can roar three times per day,
* VictoryByEndurance: They're endurance hunters, chasing prey through the desert for hours on end until their victims drop from exhaustion.
!!Crocosphinx
!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 644 (click to see context) from:
Brutish sphinxes with the heads of crocodiles, who ambush prey from the water.
to:
Changed line(s) 646,655 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* LogicalWeakness: Their feathered wings need DistractedByTheSexy: Some evil warlords ride hieracosphinxes as an intelligent, bloodthirsty alternative to dry 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 aminute before a crocosphinx can use them gynosphinx to fly. Most come along in search of these sphinxes see little need to, however.
a mate.
*NeverSmileAtACrocodile: 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'renightmarish mash-ups of crocodile, lion the smallest and bird, weakest of the main sphinx subspecies, but also the fastest 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.most agile flyers.
!Other Sphinxes
!!Astrosphinx
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_dracosphinx_2e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_astrosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:'''[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Sphinxes with the features Twisted parodies of red dragons, making them intelligent, mighty and very dangerous.true sphinxes who are dangerously insane.
* 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
*
* FragileSpeedster: They're
* SinisterSuffocation: Crocosphinxes prefer to grab prey in their jaws, then drag them into the water to drown them.
!!Dracosphinx
[[quoteright:300:https://static.
!Other Sphinxes
!!Astrosphinx
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Alignment:'''
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Changed line(s) 657,671 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BreathWeapon: BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Astrosphinxes can survive in Wildspace without air.
* ChainLightning: They canblast 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 offire, unsurprisingly.
''sleep'' gas.
*DragonHoard: Dracosphinxes inherit a dragon's greed, and accumulate hoards of coins and jewels, though OurSphinxesAreDifferent: They arguably aren't sphinxes at all, since they also have draconic scales, bat-like wings, humanoid hands, and seemingly a strange compulsion to, should someone describe an item in said hoard in minute detail, surrender that item without a fight.
* HybridMonster:SkullForAHead. They're believed so dangerously unstable that even other evil creatures will hunt down and kill astrosphinxes as threats to descend all life, and it's considered unlucky to keep any body parts 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.
an astrosphinx.
* RiddlingSphinx:They'll engage other creatures in games of Astrosphinxes like riddles, but only as a ruse -- as soon as the other creature lets its guard down, problem is they're completely insane, so their questions run along the dracosphinx will attack.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Dracosphinxes live bylines of "What's the philosophy "only the strongest and cleverest survive speed of down?" or "How loud is blue?" or "What do a kobold and the weak and cowardly get what they deserve." As such, during meetings with humanoids, signs of weakness like fear or poor leadership Spelljammer have in common besides triangles?" Anything that can't answer "correctly" is destroyed, but there is a 1% chance that an astrosphinx will provoke perceive a dracosphinx attack, but similarly nonsensical answer to be the correct response to its "riddle," [[DefeatEqualsExplosion causing the monster to explode in a show massive burst of strength -- such as successfully repelling electricity.]] These sphinxes are so crazy that attack -- will make the dracosphinx much more helpful. Dracosphinxes also respect cunning, they'll ask their riddles of dumb animals, insects and have been known to let weak but clever captives go in exchange even plants, and inevitably kill them 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 failing to daily Intelligence checks).
!!Loquasphinx
[[quoteright:295:https://static.answer.
!!Canisphinx
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_loquasphinx_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_canisphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''8 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Rare, human-headedNeutralEvil
Jackal-heades sphinxeswho wield the power of Truespeech.who, despite their intelligence, exist as ruthless desert predators.
* ChainLightning: They can
* ForcedSleep: Their BreathWeapon is a cone of
*
* HybridMonster:
* 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:
* TheSocialDarwinist: Dracosphinxes live by
!!Loquasphinx
[[quoteright:295:https://static.
!!Canisphinx
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Rare, human-headed
Jackal-heades sphinxes
Changed line(s) 673,683 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* KnowledgeBroker: These sphinxes ScavengersAreScum: Canisphinxes are generally solitary, but among the weakest sphinxes, have the heads of desert scavengers, and specifically target prey too weak to fight back, and will venture flee from fierce opposition.
* SuperScream: They can roar three times per day, with cumulative effects on victims during a prolonged encounter. First, theirlairs in search of rare knowledge from books or scholars, roar acts as a SupernaturalFearInducer, then as TheParalyzer that also deafens victims, and conflict with loquasphinxes can be averted by offering interesting information. finally a third roar deals [[NonHealthDamage Strength damage]]. Multiple canisphinxes' roars have the same cumulative effect as one sphinx roaring repeatedly.
* VictoryByEndurance: They'rewilling to trade what they know endurance hunters, chasing prey through the desert 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.hours on end until their victims drop from exhaustion.
!!Crocosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_luposphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
->'''Alignment:'''org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_crocosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Forest-dwelling, wolf-headed, evil sphinxes.Brutish sphinxes with the heads of crocodiles, who ambush prey from the water.
* SuperScream: They can roar three times per day, with cumulative effects on victims during a prolonged encounter. First, their
* VictoryByEndurance: They're
* 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.
!!Crocosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
->'''Alignment:'''
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 12 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* SavageWolves: They have lupine heads and are man-eating evildoers.
* SuperScream: TheyLogicalWeakness: Their feathered wings need to dry off for a minute before a crocosphinx can howl in combat, deafening opponents and forcing the weakest of use them to [[SupernaturalFearInducer save against fear]].
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Luposphinxes prefer the fleshfly. Most of elves these sphinxes see little need to, however.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're nightmarish mash-ups of crocodile, lion andhalflings over other humanoids.
* VillainTeamUp: They can sometimes be found leading small bands ofbird, and hunt similarly evil humanoids, like gnolls or xvarts.
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Mild-mannered sphinxesto mundane crocs (with which they are fully capable of interbreeding), drifting through the water with inquisitive, reptilian faces.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.
* SuperScream: They
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Luposphinxes prefer the flesh
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're nightmarish mash-ups of crocodile, lion and
* VillainTeamUp: They can sometimes be found leading small bands of
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Mild-mannered sphinxes
* 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.
Changed line(s) 696,700 (click to see context) from:
* 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
* 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
to:
* AchillesHeel: Downplayed; 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 theydon't take extra damage from cold effects, but saurosphinxes intensely dislike the cold, and will flee from anyone wielding freezing magic or enchanted weapons.
also have a strange compulsion to, should someone describe an item in said hoard in minute detail, surrender that item without a fight.
*SapientEatSapient: HybridMonster: They're the victim of this; saurosphinxes believed to descend from a red dragon and androsphinx, but have human-level intellects gone on to become a self-sustaining species, with male and female sexes, unlike "normal" sphinxes.
* MasterOfIllusion: Dracosphinxes arecivilized beings, 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 moreinterested helpful. Dracosphinxes also respect cunning, and have been known to let weak but clever captives go in conversing 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 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 saferare knowledge (translating to flee.
!!Threskisphinxdaily Intelligence checks).
!!Loquasphinx
[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_loquasphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
* DragonHoard: Dracosphinxes inherit a dragon's greed, and accumulate hoards of coins and jewels, though they
*
* MasterOfIllusion: Dracosphinxes are
* 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
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes avoid combat whenever possible, fighting from the air and using HitAndRunTactics on ranged combatants until it's safe
!!Threskisphinx
!!Loquasphinx
[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_loquasphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
Changed line(s) 702,704 (click to see context) from:
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Sagacious sphinxes with the heads of ibises.
Sagacious sphinxes with the heads of ibises.
to:
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
SagaciousTrueNeutral
Rare, human-headed sphinxeswith who wield the heads power of ibises.Truespeech.
Sagacious
Rare, human-headed sphinxes
Changed line(s) 706,718 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Threskisphinxes have a soft spot for mundane ibises, and will often protect flocks with their spells.
* ThePowerOfCreation:KnowledgeBroker: These sphinxes tend to make a few wondrous magic items over are generally solitary, but will venture from their lifetimes, mainly as academic exercises.
* WhiteMage: Threskisphinxes' magical repertoire runs along the lineslairs in search of ''cure wounds'', ''neutralize poison'' rare knowledge from books or scholars, and ''remove disease'', conflict with loquasphinxes can be averted by offering interesting information. They're willing to trade what they know for a side large enough bribe, and prefer offers of ''summon nature's ally''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spider]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.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_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.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_luposphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Forest-dwelling, wolf-headed, evil sphinxes.
* ThePowerOfCreation:
* WhiteMage: Threskisphinxes' magical repertoire runs along the lines
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spider]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
* 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.
[[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.
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Forest-dwelling, wolf-headed, evil sphinxes.
Changed line(s) 720,737 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword spiders SavageWolves: They have legs that end lupine heads and are man-eating evildoers.
* SuperScream: They can howl insharp, chitinous blades that resemble metallic weapons.
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allowscombat, deafening opponents and forcing the spider to slurp up their liquified brains and nerves.
* GiantSpider: Giant versionsweakest 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 heardthem talk among themselves to [[SupernaturalFearInducer save against fear]].
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Luposphinxes prefer the flesh of elves andreacted accordingly."
halflings over other humanoids.
*MooksAteMyEquipment: Ruin spiders are Large creatures spawned by the magic VillainTeamUp: They can sometimes be found leading small bands 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 staircaseevil humanoids, like gnolls 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)\\
'''Challengexvarts.
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''15 (5E)\\
5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralEvil
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.TrueNeutral
Mild-mannered sphinxes with inquisitive, reptilian faces.
* SuperScream: They can howl in
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows
* GiantSpider: Giant versions
* 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
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Luposphinxes prefer the flesh of elves and
*
* 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
* 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
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
Mild-mannered sphinxes with inquisitive, reptilian faces.
Changed line(s) 739,752 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: When an ''AD&D'' asteroid spider detects something caught 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 inits webs, it tries to skewer them conversing with enough of its legs to transfer its impaled prey to 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 themouth 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,air and any such ship's ''spelljammer helm'' is disabled while using HitAndRunTactics on ranged combatants until it's entangled.
* ProjectileWebbing: 5E asteroids spiders can fling lengths of webbingsafe 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)\\
'''Challengeflee.
!!Threskisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''2 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''Unaligned
Wolf-sized, bloated red spiders that use their webs to drainNeutralGood
Sagacious sphinxes with theblood heads of their prey.ibises.
* SapientEatSapient: They're the victim of this; saurosphinxes have human-level intellects and are civilized beings, more interested in
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes avoid combat whenever possible, fighting from the
* NoWarpingZone: 5th Edition asteroid spiders spin webs large enough to ensnare passing spaceships,
* ProjectileWebbing: 5E asteroids spiders can fling lengths of webbing
* 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
!!Threskisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Wolf-sized, bloated red spiders that use their webs to drain
Sagacious sphinxes with the
Changed line(s) 754,765 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* LifeDrain: A bloodsilk spider can make its webbing drill into entrapped victims, siphoning out blood to damage the target FriendToAllLivingThings: Threskisphinxes have a soft spot for mundane ibises, 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 throwoften protect flocks with their sticky blood-red webbing similarly spells.
* ThePowerOfCreation: These sphinxes tend tonets, in order to entangle victims that evade what they string up as traps.
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted;make a few wondrous magic items over their dripping, bloody nets are immune to fire damage, unlike conventional spider webbing.
!!Harpoon Spider
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_harpoon_spider_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spider.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''Aberration (3E)\\
Vermin (3E), Natural Beast (4E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''4, 9 (dread harpoon spider) (3E)\\
Varies\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
Arachnoid aberrations around 8 feet long,Unaligned
Eight-legged arachnids, usually either web-spinners whoreel in wait for prey with organic harpoons, then impale victims upon their spiny carapaces for later consumption. "Dread" harpoon to come to them, or active pursuit hunters. While mundane spiders can reach 18 feet are barely more than annoyances in length.worlds with ''neutralize poison'' spells, there is a worrying number of oversized arachnids to threaten adventurers, including some with magical powers of their own.
* ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, bloodsilk spiders can throw
* ThePowerOfCreation: These sphinxes tend to
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted;
!!Harpoon Spider
* 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.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Arachnoid aberrations around 8 feet long,
Eight-legged arachnids, usually either web-spinners who
Changed line(s) 767,780 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The spines covering harpoon BladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword spiders will damage foes have legs that attack them end in melee, but 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 theirprimary purpose is 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 tosecure prey. Harpoon 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 canimpale a helpless victim upon their spiny bodies, dealing damage and letting the monster carry climb difficult surfaces, including upside down 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 humorceilings, as if 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.
!!Infernowere flat.
!!Asteroid Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_asteroid_spider_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''8 (3E)\\
15 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.NeutralEvil
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows the spider to slurp up their
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spiders are an old and recurring enemy type, and can range from the size of a dog to
* 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
* 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
* 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
!!Asteroid Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
Changed line(s) 782,792 (click to see context) from:
* 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)\\
* 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)\\
to:
* 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 ofImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: When an inferno ''AD&D'' asteroid 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 attacksdetects something caught in its webs, it tries to skewer them with non-reach melee weapons.]]
!!Phaseenough 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_phase_spider_5e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bloodsilk_spider_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:33]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast(3E), Fey Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
(3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E), 8 (4E), 3 (5E)\\2 (3E)\\
* 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
* WreathedInFlames: Their flaming, superheated bodies [[TheSpiny damage any creature that grapples or attacks
!!Phase
* 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.
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast
'''Challenge Rating:'''
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Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
to:
Changed line(s) 797,802 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
* {{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]]
to:
* 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 phaseLifeDrain: A bloodsilk spider can use HitAndRunTactics against make its unsuspecting victims largely without fear 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 reprisal.this, bolstering itself by feeding on weaker prey before going after something tougher.
*ItCanThink: Phase 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 arefar more intelligent than any normal spider. The average phase immune to fire damage, unlike conventional spider is at least as smart as the average ogre or hill giant.
!!Tentaclewebbing.
!!Harpoon Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tentacle_spider_3e.jpg]] org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_harpoon_spider_3e.png]]
* {{Intangibility}}: Thanks to its ability to shift between the Ethereal and Material Planes, a phase
*
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted; their dripping, bloody nets are
!!Tentacle
!!Harpoon Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 804,806 (click to see context) from:
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
to:
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 809 (click to see context) from:
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to spiders.
to:
Changed line(s) 811,818 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
* 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]]
to:
* CombatTentacles: Instead of fangs, the tentacle spider has four slimy, pink tentacles, whose venom renders ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The spines covering harpoon spiders will damage foes clumsy and helpless.
* ItCanThink: They've got a "rudimentary intelligence," not enough to letthat attack them speak, in melee, but enough their primary purpose is to have an alignment.
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:Tentacle Harpoon spiders are not actually true spiders at all, but the initial moniker given by explorers has stuck.
possessing ten legs, human-like eyes, and hundreds of razor-sharp spines covering their bodies.
*ProjectileWebbing: Tentacle spiders 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 canthrow a writhing web, which holds launch its targets fast and prevents movement. More disturbingly, exposure fangs up to the air causes the web 20 feet, then use leathery tendrils to coil and twist like tentacles, which helps drag any prey it entrap prey.
* SpiderSwarm: Unlike natural spiders, tentacle spiders are pack hunters, and may even form colonies high in the trees.
!!Tombcatches straight to its maw.
!!Inferno Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tomb_spider_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
* ItCanThink: They've got a "rudimentary intelligence," not enough to let
* NonIndicativeName:
*
* {{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
* SpiderSwarm: Unlike natural spiders, tentacle spiders are pack hunters, and may even form colonies high in the trees.
!!Tomb
!!Inferno Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 820,824 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Shadow Beast (4E)\\
Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''2 (broodswarm), 4 (web mummy), 6 (tomb spider) (3E); 11 (4E)\\
8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralEvil
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy,TrueNeutral
Spider-shaped elementals of magma andwhich seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy,
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and
Changed line(s) 826,843 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 onDeathByChildbirth: At the surface.
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys a web mummy, the young spiders within it feed upon the decaying internal organsend 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, tombmating ritual, two inferno spiders can throw charge one another, collide and explode, giving birth to hundreds of young.
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered in transparent plating revealing theirwebbing like nets.
molten cores, and randomly break out in flames that dance along their legs and abdomen.
*ReviveKillsZombie: PlayingWithFire: Their tomb-tainted souls render tomb spiders vulnerable to positive energy [[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 negative energy heal them, as if they were undead. Their poisonous bites cause their victims them brittle and easier to be the same for a minute.
break.
*SpiderSwarm: If a tomb mummy is destroyed, a tomb PoisonousPerson: The bite of an inferno spider broodswarm boils out of the corpse, ready to attack.
* StickySituation: Weaponsdelivers a caustic venom that strike at burns a web mummy are in danger of getting stuck, while creatures using natural weapons run the risk of being grappled by it.
victim from within, dealing additional fire damage.
*TurnsRed: Should the tomb spider WreathedInFlames: Their flaming, superheated bodies [[TheSpiny damage any creature 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.grapples or attacks them with non-reach melee weapons.]]
!!Phase Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spider_eater_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_phase_spider_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast(3E)\\
(3E), Fey Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5(3E)\\
(3E), 8 (4E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Giant flying insects that mostly feed on other oversized arthropods.Unaligned
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
* 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
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys a web mummy, the young spiders within it feed upon the decaying internal organs
* ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, tomb
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered in transparent plating revealing their
*
*
* StickySituation: Weapons
*
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spider Eater]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.
!!Phase Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5
'''Alignment:'''
Giant flying insects that mostly feed on other oversized arthropods.
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
Changed line(s) 845,857 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ChestBurster: Spider eaters reproduce by paralyzing Large-sized or larger creatures and laying eggs in their bodies, which after six weeks hatch into young ArtEvolution: Phase spiders have actually gotten ''more'' spidery over the editions, as they originally had humanoid faces that proceed made them easy to eat their way out of their host.
* FoodChainOfEvil: As the name implies, theseconfuse 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 eat giant spiders.
normal apart from their size and coloration.
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Provided sufficient training, {{Intangibility}}: Thanks to its ability to shift between the Ethereal and Material Planes, a phase spider eaters can serve as exotic flying mounts.
* NoSell: They're under a constant ''freedomuse HitAndRunTactics against its unsuspecting victims largely without fear of movement'' effect, which allows them to ignore the webs of their favored prey.
reprisal.
*TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed and helpless for six to thirteen ''weeks'', ItCanThink: Phase spiders are far more intelligent than enough time for a any normal spider. The average phase spider eater's young to hatch from a host.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spider-Horse]]
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_spider_horse_2e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Magical blends of equines and arachnids, allowing themorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tentacle_spider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance toeasily traverse difficult terrain.spiders.
* FoodChainOfEvil: As the name implies, these
*
* NoSell: They're under a constant ''freedom
*
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spider-Horse]]
!!Tentacle Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Magical blends of equines and arachnids, allowing them
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to
Changed line(s) 859,866 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
* 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]]
to:
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Spider-horses are typically created by wizards who live in mountains, since they can tuck in their CombatTentacles: Instead of fangs, the tentacle 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 orhas four slimy, pink tentacles, whose venom dog, spider-horses are all sterile, though the wizards who create 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 areworking on overcoming this defect.
not actually spiders at all, but the initial moniker given by explorers has stuck.
* ProjectileWebbing:Spider-horses Tentacle spiders can shoot strands of webbing at enemies, then reel throw a writhing web, which holds its targets fast and prevents movement. More disturbingly, exposure to the entangled foe in with its front arachnid legs. Outside of combat, spider-horses can weave tent-like shelters for themselves air causes the web to coil and their riders.
twist like tentacles, which helps it entrap prey.
*SleepsWithBothEyesOpen: Or eight eyes open, in this case. Spider-horses SpiderSwarm: Unlike natural spiders, tentacle spiders are incapable of closing their compound eyes, pack hunters, and may even when sleeping, allowing them to instantly awaken to danger.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spiker]]
form colonies high in the trees.
!!Tomb Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tomb_spider_3e.jpg]]
* 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
* ItCanThink: They've got a "rudimentary intelligence," not enough to let them speak, but enough to have an alignment.
* NonIndicativeName: Tentacle spiders are
* ProjectileWebbing:
*
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spiker]]
!!Tomb Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 868,873 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
Magical Beast (3E), Shadow Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''1/2 (3E)\\
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
2 (broodswarm), 4 (web mummy), 6 (tomb spider) (3E); 11 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''LawfulEvil or LawfulNeutral
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the bladelings who similarly live on the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron.NeutralEvil
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy, and which seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the bladelings who similarly live on the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron.
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy, and which seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.
Changed line(s) 875,880 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AlienBlood: 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 thebladelings', spikers' is black and oily.
* BloodKnight: Fittinglysame 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 creaturesof Acheron, spikers love fighting and think using natural weapons run the best way to test one's skill and courage is through no-holds-barred combat.
risk of being grappled by it.
*ChromeChampion: Subverted; despite TurnsRed: Should 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 minoritytomb spider that usually ends up leaving Acheron.made it be slain, a tomb mummy flies into a rage, gaining a bonus on attack rolls.
* 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
* BloodKnight: Fittingly
* 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
*
* 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
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:241:https://static.
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:241:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Dragon
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Relatives of the silk wyrm, these 30-foot-long
Giant flying
Changed line(s) 893,898 (click to see context) from:
* {{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.
* 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.
to:
* {{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 saveChestBurster: Spider eaters reproduce by paralyzing Large-sized or have a spine detach larger creatures and get lodged laying eggs in their body, inflicting a cumulative penalty to attacks, saves and checks until the spines are removed, bodies, 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 overafter six weeks in 2nd Edition, but regenerate in a matter of rounds in 3rd Edition.
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combinehatch into young that proceed to eat their ''[[ChameleonCamouflage chameleon power]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility}} ectoplasmic form]]'' abilities to become 90% undetectable.
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhingingway out of their jaw 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 toswallow prey, but only do this after carrying ignore the webs of their favored prey.
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed and helplessvictim to their lair, since spinewyrms are grounded for several hours as they digest their meal.six to thirteen ''weeks'', more than enough time for a spider eater's young to hatch from a host.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In 3rd Edition, those who take damage from the creature's spine attacks have to save
* 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
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhinging
* 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
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed and helpless
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''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
->'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Magical blends of equines and arachnids, allowing them to
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In HorseOfADifferentColor: Spider-horses are typically created by wizards who live in mountains, since they can tuck in their base forms, they appear as centipedes six inches spider legs to four feet long, with vaguely human heads featuring bald pates, bushy mustaches, and nine eyes encircling gallop over flat areas like normal horses, or use their skulls.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can coughspider legs and lines of webbing to go up a poisonous black cloud, and down sheer cliffs. However, it takes special riding proficiency and customized saddles to stay on the size of which varies upon the power of the creature. The effects of the poison range from inducing [[TheParalyzer paralysis]] or [[ForcedSleep unconsciousness]], mount during these manuevers.
* MixAndMatchCritters: They're another magical crossbreed, adding spider legs and web-spinning todealing [[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 intoa riding horse (which makes any ordinary horses around them skittish and nervous). Unlike other venomous animals; least spirit centipedes 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 canalso take shoot strands of webbing at enemies, then reel the shape entangled foe in with its front arachnid legs. Outside of a toad, lesser specimens combat, spider-horses can additionally shift into a snake, weave tent-like shelters for themselves and greater spirit centipedes can additionally become scorpions or spiders.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.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can cough
* MixAndMatchCritters: They're another magical crossbreed, adding spider legs and web-spinning to
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes can transform into
* ProjectileWebbing: Spider-horses can
* 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.
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[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]
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to:
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Changed line(s) 919,920 (click to see context) from:
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
to:
'''Classification:'''
Changed line(s) 922,925 (click to see context) from:
'''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.
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
The descendents of humans and the spirits of the forests, mountains or water, giving them a deep connection to the natural world.
to:
'''Playable:''' 1E, 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralGood
The descendents of humans and the spiritsLawfulEvil or LawfulNeutral
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of theforests, mountains or water, giving them a deep connection to bladelings who similarly live on the natural world.Infernal Battlefield of Acheron.
'''Alignment:'''
The descendents of humans and the spirits
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the
Changed line(s) 927,932 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: 2nd Edition describes spirit folk as fitting human ideals of beauty but having unusual skin tones, pale yellow or gold AlienBlood: Like the bladelings', spikers' is black and oily.
* BloodKnight: Fittingly forbamboo spirit folk, dark green-brown or gray for sea spirit folk, creatures of Acheron, spikers love fighting and so forth.
* ApparentlyHumanMerfolk: Riverthink the best way to test one's skill and sea spirit folk have natural swim speeds and can breathe underwater, but lack fins or any other piscine features.
courage is through no-holds-barred combat.
*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 ChromeChampion: Subverted; despite 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 costmetallic hue of being susceptible to magic like ''invisibility to spirits''.
* PlaceOfPower: Intheir 2nd Edition rules, bamboo flesh, spikers aren't actually metallic in nature, and river spirit folk have a connection to a specific natural feature -- a particular bamboo grove 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 orsection of river -- that allows them to heal themselves by returning to it, but combat-oriented words," so they'll [[{{Synchronization}} suffer and potentially die]] if this natural feature is despoiled go by things like "Dirk Gutrender," "Spike Demonbane" or destroyed.
"Thrust Bloodletter."
*SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk can speak NecessaryDrawback: The metal spines covering spikers' bodies lets them deal extra damage with fish, birds, unarmed attacks or any animal, depending on whether they're river, mountain 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 orbamboo spirit folk.Lawful Evil, making Good spikers a misfit minority that usually ends up leaving Acheron.
* BloodKnight: Fittingly for
* ApparentlyHumanMerfolk: River
*
* 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
* PlaceOfPower: In
* DarkAgeOfSupernames: Spiker first and second names, regardless of gender, "tend toward visceral or
*
* SpikesOfVillainy: Spikers are naturally spiny, love waging war, and tend towards Lawful Neutral or
Changed line(s) 935,943 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:241:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Simian beings with bat-like wings, who whimsically fly for the joy of it, but are bound to serve powers
Relatives of the
Changed line(s) 945,949 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BlowYouAway: They {{Flight}}: These wingless serpents 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.
fly thanks to "a special organ unique to the wyrms of Athas."
*ElementalShapeshifting: ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In 3rd Edition, spirits of those who take damage from the air can transform into a damaging whirlwind for up creature's spine attacks have to 10 rounds, once per day.
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.
*HappyPlace: OurDragonsAreDifferent: Their ''AD&D'' 3rd Edition entry explains that in describes spinewyrms as "the small space between the drawing closest thing Athas has to a traditional ''D&D'' dragon," and releasing of gives them an immunity to paralysis or ''sleep'' effects, [[StrongerWithAge age categories]], a single breath," spirits of the air rage [[SupernaturalFearInducer frightful presence]], and plot against the powers that control them, [[AdaptationalIntelligence boosted Intelligence]], though they still lack a true dragon's BreathWeapon and imagine a truly free existence 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, whichthey build cities, court and marry, and wage glorious wars, to the point that they feel like those lives are grow back over six weeks in 2nd Edition, but regenerate in a matter of rounds in 3rd Edition.
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine theirtrue existence ''[[ChameleonCamouflage chameleon power]]'' and ''[[{{Intangibility}} ectoplasmic form]]'' abilities to become 90% undetectable.
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhinging theirtime 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 enoughjaw to wield heavy maces in combat.
* ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren't bound to any specific power,swallow prey, but any entity related only do this after carrying a helpless victim to the winds can demand their service.lair, since spinewyrms are grounded for several hours as they digest their meal.
*
*
* SpikeShooter: They can launch volleys of spines from their bodies at foes, which
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine their
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhinging their
* PrehensileTail: Their tails are strong and dexterous enough
* ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren't bound to any specific power,
Changed line(s) 952,957 (click to see context) from:
[[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)\\
[[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)\\
to:
[[folder:Spirit of the Land]]
Centipede]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_of_the_land_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Earth manifestation (3e)]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_centipede_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:'''''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:'''Fey Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''23 1/2 (least), 1 (lesser), 2 (greater) (3E)\\
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:Earth manifestation (3e)]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 960 (click to see context) from:
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
to:
Changed line(s) 962,967 (click to see context) from:
* 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''.
* 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''.
to:
* ElementalPowers: They 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 canuse powerful magic like ''chain lightning'', ''incendiary cloud'', ''earthquake'', and ''create water'' at will, cough up a poisonous black cloud, the size of which is usually sufficient varies upon the power of the creature. The effects of the poison range from inducing [[TheParalyzer paralysis]] or [[ForcedSleep unconsciousness]], to deal with threats to their domains. When it wishes, a dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constitution or Dexterity damage]], or simply obscuring vision, based on what form the spirit of centipede is in when it releases the land cloud.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes canphysically manifest in transform into other venomous animals; least spirit centipedes can also take the shape of a Huge [[ElementalEmbodiment elemental]] composed of one particular element, gaining the ability to control this element.
* FightingAShadow: The destruction oftoad, lesser specimens can additionally shift into a snake, and greater 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 landcentipedes 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''.additionally become scorpions or spiders.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes can
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of
* 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
* {{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''.
Changed line(s) 970,971 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]
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to:
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Changed line(s) 973,977 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.
to:
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 1E, 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern
The descendents of
Changed line(s) 979,988 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BioweaponBeast: Spirraxes were created by 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 theinhabitants 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 ofan ancient demiplane that fell victim being susceptible to a magical catastrophe, dooming magic like ''invisibility to spirits''.
* PlaceOfPower: In theircivilization to decay. Out of desperation, the demiplane's inhabitants sent the spirraxes to other planes to consume living matter, convert it to energy, 2nd Edition rules, bamboo and transfer river spirit folk have a connection to a specific natural feature -- a particular bamboo grove or section of river -- that energy back allows them to their home demiplane in an attempt heal themselves by returning to halt its destruction.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, a spirrax tears open a planar rift that lasts for a few rounds, sucking its bodyit, but they'll [[{{Synchronization}} suffer 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 mindsetdie]] if this natural feature is little better, and entertains no other thoughts than a drive to collect biomatter in a precise and orderly pattern.
despoiled or destroyed.
*EmotionBomb: They're surrounded by an indifference aura that SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk 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 lacedspeak with over 150 pounds of adamantine, which can be repurposed should the monster be defeated fish, birds, 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 showany 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.animal, depending on whether they're river, mountain or bamboo spirit folk.
* 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
* 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
* PlaceOfPower: In their
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, a spirrax tears open a planar rift that lasts for a few rounds, sucking its body
* EldritchAbomination: Spirraxes are sickening masses of tentacles and putrescent alien organs, arranged around a single bulging eye. Their mindset
*
* 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
* 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
* 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.
Changed line(s) 991,998 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Fey
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Murderous fey that dwell within cities, lurking around wooden shacks, lumber piles and decommissioned ships to snipe at targets
Simian beings with
Changed line(s) 1000,1006 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BackStab: BlowYouAway: 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 byuse magic like ''true resurrection'' or ''miracle''. A bunch ''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 ofsmall, thorny shrubs in an empty lot or lumberyard is the air can transform into a clue damaging whirlwind for up to 10 rounds, once per day.
* HappyPlace: Their ''AD&D'' entry explains thata splinterwaif is behind some local disappearances.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are coveredin patches "the small space between the drawing and releasing of thorns, 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 have wooden spines for "hair," build cities, court and even marry, and wage glorious wars, to the point that they feel like those lives are their tongues 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 arestudded with wooden barbs strong and splinters.
dexterous enough to wield heavy maces in combat.
*SpikeShooter: They ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren't bound to any specific power, but any entity related to the winds can spit a splinter of wood as a ranged attack, and can apply sneak attack damage if the target is close enough.demand their service.
* 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
* ElementalShapeshifting: In 3rd Edition, spirits of
* HappyPlace: Their ''AD&D'' entry explains that
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are covered
* PrehensileTail: Their tails are
*
Changed line(s) 1009,1013 (click to see context) from:
[[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)\\
[[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)\\
to:
[[quoteright:282:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Plant
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Fey (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 1016 (click to see context) from:
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and dangerous, one-eyed gazes.
to:
Changed line(s) 1018,1021 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* EyeBeams: In ''AD&D'', the eye of a sporebat ElementalPowers: They can fire a ray of damaging poison, while in 3rd Edition it use powerful magic like ''chain lightning'', ''incendiary cloud'', ''earthquake'', and ''create water'' at will, which is instead an ''enervation'' effect, inflicting [[LevelDrain negative levels]].
* ItCanThink: Sporebats display clear intelligence inusually sufficient to deal with threats to their hunting tactics, have some way domains. When it wishes, a spirit of communicating with the land can physically manifest in the shape of a Huge [[ElementalEmbodiment elemental]] composed of one another, and grow enraged if particular element, gaining the ability to control this element.
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of aclutchmate is killed. However, they lead strictly predatory existences, whatever language they have [[StarfishLanguage cannot be understood by other creatures]], and any attempt spirit of the land's elemental manifestation at mental contact with most renders the fey dormant for a sporebat yields [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead "a series day.
* GeniusLoci: They embody either a specific, bounded landform - a valley, a desert, a lake - or one aspect ofstrange and disturbing images, none comprehensible."]]
* {{Planimal}}:such terrain, in which case multiple spirits of the land can coexist in the same region. They're flying, carnivorous fungi who reproduce by pairing up and shedding spores over a fresh kill, yielding a clutch aware of up to six young sporebats within a day. This incidentally means everything that carnivores have no taste for sporebat flesh, but herbivores will happily munch on them, happens in their domain, and while some humanoid societies consider sporebat a delicacy.
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able to fly in total silenceusually dormant, will awaken and blend into shadows for concealment. Even infravision is useless against them, since punish anyone that would ravage the land under their body temperature is protection.
* {{Intangibility}}[=/=]InvisibleMonsters: In its natural form, a spirit of thesame as 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 theirsurroundings.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''.
* ItCanThink: Sporebats display clear intelligence in
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of a
* GeniusLoci: They embody either a specific, bounded landform - a valley, a desert, a lake - or one aspect of
* {{Planimal}}:
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able to fly in total silence
* {{Intangibility}}[=/=]InvisibleMonsters: In its natural form, a spirit of the
* MouthOfSauron: Their ''AD&D'' write-up mentions that spirits of the land prefer to work through a druid living in their
* 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''.
Changed line(s) 1024,1031 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:270:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:270:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3
'''Alignment:'''
Ugly, malicious gnome-kin
The spirit of a spiteful person who
Changed line(s) 1033,1037 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BackStab: 3rd Edition spriggans InvisibleMonsters: A spiritus anime is naturally [[{{Intangibility}} incorporeal]] and invisible, making it difficult to identify, much less damage.
* PossessingADeadBody: Their signature ability is being able to enter a corpse and animate it as a zombie with up to 14 hit dice, which they candeal sneak do as often as they want - a spiritus anime frequently jumps from one corpse to another as its "rides" are destroyed in combat. The catch is that when a possessed zombie is destroyed, any "overkill" damage from the attack is applied to the spiritus, though the undead's incorporeal nature means this isn't a problem if its "ride" was destroyed by a non-magical weapon.
* SoulJar: The one exception to a spiritus anime's corpse animation ability is its original body, which it also can't move more than 100 feet away from - a spiritus will usually animate a zombie to carry its original body around if it wants to relocate to more fruitful hunting grounds, or hide its body out of reach of enemies. So long as a spiritus anime's original body is intact, it will regenerate within a few days of being destroyed, but any attack made against its body will deal damagelike rogues.
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganizeddirectly 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'rethe 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, spiritus, and if a lone spriggan will try spiritus is reduced to pass themselves off 0 hit points, and then its body takes so much 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 reeksingle point 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, atdamage, the expense of their Armor Class and attack bonus.spiritus is instantly, permanently destroyed, while its original body crumbles to dust.
* PossessingADeadBody: Their signature ability is being able to enter a corpse and animate it as a zombie with up to 14 hit dice, which they can
* SoulJar: The one exception to a spiritus anime's corpse animation ability is its original body, which it also can't move more than 100 feet away from - a spiritus will usually animate a zombie to carry its original body around if it wants to relocate to more fruitful hunting grounds, or hide its body out of reach of enemies. So long as a spiritus anime's original body is intact, it will regenerate within a few days of being destroyed, but any attack made against its body will deal damage
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganized
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settings or editions they're
* ThePigPen: They are disgustingly filthy creatures who never bathe or clean their equipment, and thus reek
* 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
Changed line(s) 1040,1047 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and groves.
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.
Changed line(s) 1049,1054 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* TheEmpath: Sprites can put their hands upon another creature and sense their emotional state BioweaponBeast: Spirraxes were created by the beating inhabitants of an ancient demiplane that fell victim to a magical catastrophe, dooming their heart, 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[[DetectEvil discern 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 thecreature's alignment]] monster be defeated or [[MySensorsIndicateYouWantToTapThat know if they're driven off.
* PowerOfTheVoid: They can make "void blast" attacks, dealing horrendous NonElemental damage inlove.a 120-foot line or 30-foot radius, leaving behind [[ReducedToDust a fine powder]] and [[EmptyPilesOfClothing discarded equipment.]]
*GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenders of the forest TheSpeechless: Spirraxes are quite intelligent, but never speak, and sworn enemies don't show any hint of evil fey and goblinoids, sprites are noted to lack warmth or compassion, and are much more serious about communicating with others of their duties than kind should multiple spirraxes work to consume the flighty pixies.
same area.
*OurFairiesAreDifferent: "Sprite" traditionally has encapsulated an entire subgroup SubsystemDamage: If a spirrax is reduced to a quarter of little winged fey folk, including "standard" sprites, pixies, nixies, sea sprites, grigs, 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 atomies. They all have insect features, usually just dragonfly or moth wings, but negating its DamageReduction and ability to fly. If 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 poisonspirrax takes damage again after that puts targets point, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm it'll try to]] ''[[KnowWhenToFoldEm plane shift]]'' [[KnowWhenToFoldEm back to sleep.
its home demiplane to recover and rebuild its shell.]]
*{{Invisibility}}: TentacleRope: They can turn invisible at will.
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees, or even in willing treants.grab foes they strike with their tentacles, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constiution drain]] as the spirrax consumes their life force.
* 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
* 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
* PowerOfTheVoid: They can make "void blast" attacks, dealing horrendous NonElemental damage in
*
*
* ForcedSleep: Their arrows deal little damage, but are coated in a poison
*
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees, or even in willing treants.
Changed line(s) 1057,1058 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]
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to:
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Changed line(s) 1060,1061 (click to see context) from:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration Fey (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''7 2 (standard), 6 (knave) (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 1064 (click to see context) from:
Ravening blobs of eyes, teeth and scales from both chromatic and metallic dragons.
to:
Changed line(s) 1066,1071 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BlobMonster: They're amorphous masses of scales, ExtraEyes BackStab: They can deal sneak attack damage like a rogue, and TooManyMouths, leading the "knaves" that lead them are particularly good at it.
* ChameleonCamouflage: They can change their skin coloration tospeculation 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'rerelated 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, andthe 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 threewarped remnants of a spewer's mouths at dryad who somehow survived her oak being cut down and converted into a city structure. However, the same time) is randomized, either creatures show no attachment to a cone or line specific part of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage.
* SuperSenses: Their keen sense of smellthe environment, and echolocation give them the benefit of blindsight out might end up transported to 60 feet.
entirely new cities after stowing away on a ship.
*SupernaturalFearInducer: Three times per day they can let loose a MightyRoar that GreenThumb: These fey can cause those within 60 feet a thorny branch to become panicked sprout from any nomagical wooden structure around them, which the splinterwaif can command to attack or shaken.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.
* ChameleonCamouflage: They can change their skin coloration to
* 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
* 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
* 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
* SuperSenses: Their keen sense of smell
*
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1074,1079 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:300:https://static.
[[quoteright:282:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Alignment:'''
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Changed line(s) 1081,1086 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AttackAnimal: If raised from infancy, squealers EyeBeams: In ''AD&D'', the eye of a sporebat can be trained as guard animals capable fire a ray of learning several commands, and known for being loyal to their masters.
damaging poison, while in 3rd Edition it is instead an ''enervation'' effect, inflicting [[LevelDrain negative levels]].
* ItCanThink:Squealers aren't brilliant, but Sporebats display clear intelligence in their Intelligence score can be higher than an ogre's, and they're smart enough to knock prey unconscious and tie it up hunting tactics, have some way of communicating with vines one another, and grow enraged if a clutchmate is killed. However, 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 branchlead strictly predatory existences, whatever language they have [[StarfishLanguage cannot be understood by their third arm, grab a victim with their other two arms, creatures]], and then simultaneously squeeze, bite, and claw the victim any attempt at mental contact with their feet.
a sporebat yields [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead "a series of strange and disturbing images, none comprehensible."]]
*MisterSeahorse: A mundane example; male squealers have pouches, which females place newly-delivered squealer infants into. Several months later, the {{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 squealers emerge from their father's pouch to loiter in the highest tree branches, until they're fully grown in about sporebats within 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 aday. This incidentally means that carnivores have no taste for sporebat flesh, but herbivores will happily munch on them, while some humanoid baby societies consider sporebat a delicacy.
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able toscreams of terror.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.
* ItCanThink:
* KillerBearHug: Squealers are known to hang from a branch
*
* 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
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able to
Changed line(s) 1089,1098 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.
[[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
[[caption-width-right:270:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E), Fey Humanoid
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Sometimes known as "sandscale lizardfolk," these reptilian humanoids are nomadic desert-dwellers
Ugly, malicious gnome-kin who
Changed line(s) 1100,1105 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ArtEvolution: In 2nd and 4th Edition, ssurrans are somewhat sturdier, sand-colored lizardfolk, but 5th BackStab: 3rd Edition redesigns them with elongated, snakelike bodies, thin limbs, and almost avian, beaked faces.
spriggans can deal sneak attack damage like rogues.
*DesertBandits: 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 theirhome setting, some ssurran tribes survive by raiding equipment, and thus reek of earth, sweat and rancid flesh.
* SizeShifter: Among otherhumanoid settlements, looting spell-like abilities, spriggans can replicate an ''enlarge'' effect at will, growing from Small to Large size and eating gaining a corresponding boost to Strength and Constitution, at the corpses expense 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 earntheir 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,Armor Class 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.attack bonus.
*
* 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
* SizeShifter: Among other
* 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
* PsychicPowers: Oddly enough averted in most editions, despite the ssurrans' debut in the psionics-heavy ''Dark Sun'' setting,
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1108,1116 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial
->'''Classification:''' Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within the husk of a dead god drifting on the Astral Plane,
Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and
Changed line(s) 1118,1124 (click to see context) from:
* 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}}.
* 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}}.
to:
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: A star lancer resembles a shark with four wings TheEmpath: Sprites can put their hands upon another creature 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.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.]]
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Githyanki employ star lancers as mounts, especially for stealth actions in which dragons GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenders of the forest and sworn enemies of evil fey and goblinoids, sprites are noted to lack warmth or astral skiffs would attract too compassion, and are much attention.
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}}: Theyand their riders can turn ''invisible'' three times per day.
invisible at will.
*{{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations of the most ardent followers of a nameless dead god whose corpse lies floating TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high 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 conversingtrees, or even in Celestial or via {{telepathy}}.willing treants.
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a star lancer rams with its horn, which [[DashAttack deals extra damage during a charge.
*
* 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
*
* 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
Changed line(s) 1127,1133 (click to see context) from:
[[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]].
->'''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]].
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''
The servitors
Ravening blobs of
For the creatures 5th Edition dubs "star spawn," see the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF "foulspawn" folder]].
Changed line(s) 1135,1144 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* FightingAShadow: Each star spawn is the avatar BlobMonster: They're amorphous masses of a star, sent scales, ExtraEyes and TooManyMouths, leading to wreak havoc. Some stars only 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 havea 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 allowedsome arcane astrologers 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 warlock Thulzar to chart past star spawn incursions two generally despise each other.
* ItCanThink: Despite their freakish appearance, andfind 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 apattern 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 canpredict 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.cause those within 60 feet to become panicked or shaken.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squealer]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squealer_2e.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.[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Ogre-sized, three-armed, porcine predators adept at moving through their forest habitats.
* DragonAncestry: They have
* 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
* ItCanThink: Despite their freakish appearance, and
* RandomEffectSpell: The shape and effect of their BreathWeapon (which can come from three of a
* 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
!!Herald of Hadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squealer]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''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.
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Ogre-sized, three-armed, porcine predators adept at moving through their forest habitats.
Changed line(s) 1146,1157 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AntiRegeneration: Their "Breath of a Dying Star" attack prevents victims AttackAnimal: If raised from recovering hit points 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 untilthey 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 nearbycreature spends is ready to kill and eat it.
* KillerBearHug: Squealers are known to hang from ahealing surge, branch by their third arm, grab a herald of Hadar 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 canreact by moving closer to also imitate a range of other sounds, from the creature, make an immediate attack against it, recharge an encounter power, or gain an attack roll bonus.
!!Mawwails of Acamar
a humanoid baby to screams of terror.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Ssurran]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maw_of_acamar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challengeorg/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:'''15 (4E)
Avatars of the corpse-star Acamar, which devours other stars that draw too close, just4 (4E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral or LawfulEvil (2E), Any (5E)
Sometimes known asits maws consume everything in "sandscale lizardfolk," these reptilian humanoids are nomadic desert-dwellers who do whatever it takes to survive their path as they wander the world.harsh homeland.
* 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
* 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
* KillerBearHug: Squealers are known to hang from a
* 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
!!Maw
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Ssurran]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge
[[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:'''
Avatars of the corpse-star Acamar, which devours other stars that draw too close, just
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral or LawfulEvil (2E), Any (5E)
Sometimes known as
Changed line(s) 1159,1169 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CelestialBody: They look like 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 humanoidstarscapes clad in tattered robes.
* DamageOverTime: Many of their attacks deal ongoing damage (making maws of Acamar deadly in numbers),settlements, looting and their "Destroyer eating the corpses of Life" ability means that adjacent enemies don't end such effects on a successful save, those they only reduce kill, stripping the ongoing damage.
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Mawsvillage of Acamar basically are walking, fantastic black holes, surrounded by a howling vortex of wind that pulls nearby creatures towards them, valuables, and rending victims with their devouring touch.
then moving on.
*YouShallNotEvadeMe: They can pull victims closer with their "Corpse Star's Grip" ability, LizardFolk: They've been described as "lizard men of the desert," and are surrounded considered lizardfolk for all intents and purposes.
* MadeASlave: On Athas, many young ssurrans are captured byan aura 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 thatmakes moving away from them cost extra movement.
!!Scionssurran "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 ofGibbeth
[[quoteright:350:https://static.halfling flesh.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Stahnk]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_scion_of_gibbeth_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_anhkolox_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonlance}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''17 (4E)
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.8 or 10 (anhkolox) (3E); 9 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Huge undead beasts known for trapping prey in their barbed rib cages.
* DesertBandits: In their home setting, some ssurran tribes survive by raiding other humanoid
* DamageOverTime: Many of their attacks deal ongoing damage (making maws of Acamar deadly in numbers),
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws
*
* MadeASlave: On Athas, many young ssurrans are captured by
* 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
!!Scion
* 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
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Stahnk]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonlance}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Undead (3E, 5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Huge undead beasts known for trapping prey in their barbed rib cages.
Changed line(s) 1171,1183 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ApocalypseCult: Unlike other star spawn, scions AdaptationNameChange: While in most editions, an anhkolox is an advanced form of Gibbeth stahnk or gholor, 5th Edition uses the name for what is clearly a stahnk but lacks any of past anhkoloxes' signature abilities.
* CagedInsideAMonster: These undead's signature attack is using their rib cages like hunting traps to ensnare victims -- and since those ribs arewilling barbed and jagged, their victim usually takes constant damage each round while the stahnk continues moving and fighting.
* EliteZombie: Some of these undead beasts are known as anhkoloxes, and have enchanted bones that glow green and are hot enough totolerate certain mortals drawn to damage anything that touches them, mainly prophets, lunatics as well as a BreathWeapon of [[ColdFlames cold]] [[TechnicolorFire green flames]]. In 3rd Edition this condition is even contagious, 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"any corporeal undead affected by these special attacks deal psychic damage.
* EmotionBomb: Scions of Gibbeth are surrounded bymay turn into 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).
anhkolox itself.
*SetAMookToKillAMook: When reduced to 0 KnockBack: 5th Edition "anhkoloxes" can shove around Large or smaller targets they hit points, this star spawn inflicts the "Revelation of Gibbeth" upon nearby creatures, forcing those who succumb to attack with their allies until they snap out of it.
* SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a scroll about hostile stars, has littleclaws, up to say about Gibbeth, only that "Better not to write or think overlong on this greenish point in 20 feet.
* RaisingTheSteaks: These vicious undead creatures are created from thesky."
!!Spawnbones of Ulban
[[quoteright:350:https://static.beasts, assuming a roughly [[BearsAreBadNews ursine shape]], though in 2nd and 3rd Edition their heads at least are horned and dragon-like.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Star Lancer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_ulban_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_star_lancer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''26 (4E)
Heralded by blue comets,2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within thespawn husk of Ulban foment rebellion a dead god drifting on the Astral Plane, and infighting wherever they crawl.are used as mounts by the githyanki.
* CagedInsideAMonster: These undead's signature attack is using their rib cages like hunting traps to ensnare victims -- and since those ribs are
* EliteZombie: Some of these undead beasts are known as anhkoloxes, and have enchanted bones that glow green and are hot enough to
* 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"
* EmotionBomb: Scions of Gibbeth are surrounded by
*
* SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a scroll about hostile stars, has little
* RaisingTheSteaks: These vicious undead creatures are created from the
!!Spawn
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Star Lancer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Heralded by blue comets,
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within the
Changed line(s) 1185,1197 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ColdFlames: They can hurl "[[TechnicolorFire Bluefire]]" at foes that is considered both cold FlyingSeafoodSpecial: A star lancer resembles a shark with four wings and fire damage.
a long serpentine tail.
*ImmuneToMindControl: Anything that attempts to ''dominate'' HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a spawn of Ulban [[AttackReflector falls under star lancer rams with its control instead.horn, which [[DashAttack deals extra damage during a charge.]]
*MindControl: Their "Ripple of Betrayal" burst attack 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''dominate'' foes.
turn ''invisible'' three times per day.
*PowerNullifier: {{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]]
[[folder:Star Spawn]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Theblue-white light servitors of Ulban interferes with seers' attempts malevolent stars, descended to provide guidance or the world of mortals to spread madness and destruction.
For the creatures 5th Edition dubs "star spawn," see thefuture.
* 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.[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF "foulspawn" folder]].
*
*
* {{Invisibility}}: They and their riders can
*
* 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]]
[[folder:Star Spawn]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
The
For the creatures 5th Edition dubs "star spawn," see the
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1199,1209 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AttackReflector: Any attempt FightingAShadow: Each star spawn is the avatar of a star, sent to blind an emissary wreak havoc. Some stars only have a single avatar, others are served by entire swarms of Caiphon with an effect instead blinds its attacker.
horrors.
*BitchInSheepsClothing: SentientStars: The star Caiphon sits near spawn are sent by baleful stars of the horizon, acting as night sky, who gaze upon the world with a year-round guide star, mixture of hatred, anger and seems to grow brighter during disasters. This hunger.
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn canlead only reach the desperate to plead to the star for assistance, and world 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 gettingtheir followers killed.
* WindsOfDestinyChange: An emissary of Caiphonhost star is surrounded by an aura 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 imposes penalties on enemies' saving throws, can predict future attacks, "but he, his tower, and can hit all his works simply vanished one starless night, leaving behind only a target with an "Invocation smooth, glass-coated crater.
!!Herald ofCalamity" that causes them to automatically fail their saves for a turn.
!!Serpent of Nihal
Hadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''29 15 (4E)
The reddish Nihal is known as Avatars of the Serpent Star for its writhing path through dying red star Hadar, which was infamously once the heavens, brightest star in the night sky, until it flared and is served by snake-like creatures that similarly slither through reality in search faded during the fall of prey.Bael Turath.
*
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn can
* {{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
* WindsOfDestinyChange: An emissary of Caiphon
!!Herald of
!!Serpent of Nihal
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 1211,1222 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DimensionalTraveler: Serpents AntiRegeneration: Their "Breath of Nihal wind in and out of a Dying Star" attack prevents victims from recovering hit points until they save to shake off the cosmos, and 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 canblink out make additional "Hungry Claw" attacks each round a combat encounter continues.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: A herald ofexistence if 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 againstthem misses, it, recharge an encounter power, 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" psychicgain an attack deals extra damage if a serpent roll bonus.
!!Maw ofNihal 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.Acamar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_allabar_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Animate (4E)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maw_of_acamar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''30 15 (4E)
Unlike other celestial bodies, Allabar has no fixed path or location in the heavens, but moves as it wills. Whenever the Opener Avatars of the Way draws near a baleful star, corpse-star Acamar, which devours other stars that star's spawn manifest on a world below.draw too close, just as its maws consume everything in their path as they wander the world.
* 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
* RedEyesTakeWarning: A herald of
* 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
* 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
!!Maw of
* 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.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:4e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Animate (4E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 1224,1242 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 CelestialBody: They look like itself.
* CombatTentacles: Allabar's surface seems to be coveredhumanoid starscapes clad 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.
tattered robes.
* DamageOverTime:Its "Unravel Essence" is a nasty example, dealing Many of their attacks deal ongoing damage after one failed saving throw, then after a second failed save, said damage increases while the victim is both weakened (making maws of Acamar deadly in numbers), and insubstantial, dealing and receiving halved damage. With three failed saves, a victim [[HPTo1 drops to 0 hit points]], potentially putting it in danger their "Destroyer 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. ThisLife" ability means that any heroes who adjacent enemies don't end up fighting Allabar such effects on a successful save, they only reduce the ongoing damage.
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws of Acamar basically arelikely battling walking, fantastic black holes, surrounded by a Gargantuan avatar, or the living planet has reduced its size somehow.
howling vortex of wind that pulls nearby creatures towards them, and rending victims with their devouring touch.
*GravityMaster: As a hostile planet, Allabar YouShallNotEvadeMe: They can pull in opponents using its gravity well.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a trickster entityvictims closer with their "Corpse Star's Grip" ability, and are surrounded by an aura that incites other stars to war, or in other accounts, the greatest makes moving away from them cost extra movement.
!!Scion ofsuch 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.Gibbeth
[[quoteright:350: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)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_scion_of_gibbeth_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''19 (lesser), 21 (greater) (5E)
Shapeshifting agents17 (4E)
Creations ofhostile and alien dimensions, who infiltrate mortal societies to set the stage for an apocalypse.cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.
* CombatTentacles: Allabar's surface seems to be covered
* 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:
* 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
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws of Acamar basically are
*
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a trickster entity
!!Scion of
* TurnsRed: When bloodied, Allabar retaliates by sprouting more tentacles to attack in a flurry.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Star Spawn Emissary]]
[[quoteright:194:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Shapeshifting agents
Creations of
Changed line(s) 1244,1260 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* EldritchAbomination: In 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"lesser" form, 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 spawnemissary 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."
tolerate mortal groupies).
*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 isSetAMookToKillAMook: When 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 points, this star spawn inflicts the meat and voices "Revelation 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 actionGibbeth" upon nearby creatures, forcing those who succumb 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 immediatelyattack their allies until they snap out of it.
* SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', atarget with a lashing maw.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starfly]]
[[quoteright:297:https://static.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_starfly_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.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.
* 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
* 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
*
* 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
* TooManyMouths: The "greater" emissary is depicted with multiple maws, and can take a legendary action
* 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
* SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starfly]]
[[quoteright:297:https://static.
!!Spawn of Ulban
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 26 (4E)
Heralded by blue comets, the spawn of Ulban foment rebellion and infighting wherever they crawl.
Changed line(s) 1262,1275 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* FantasticFruitsAndVegetables: Starflies are fruit ColdFlames: They can hurl "[[TechnicolorFire Bluefire]]" at foes 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 is considered by spelljammers to be an omen of good luck both cold and fire damage.
* ImmuneToMindControl: Anything thatends hunger 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, andsymbolizes 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 saplingforces that digests victim to attack an ally.
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble thecomet'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.tentacles of starfish or cephalopods.
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starlight_apparition_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challengeorg/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:'''5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or28 (4E)
The avatars of theAstral Sea, seeking purple star Caiphon take humanoid guise and infiltrate a society, posing as a benefactor while steering those who trust them to help someone accomplish a daunting task.ruin.
* ImmuneToMindControl: Anything that
* 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
* 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
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble the
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starlight Apparition]]
[[quoteright:215:https://static.
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:249:An Emissary of Caiphon with a Serpent of Nihal (4e)]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or
The avatars of the
Changed line(s) 1277,1290 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* LightEmUp: With 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 atouch or a gesture, a starlight apparition year-round guide star, and seems to grow brighter during disasters. This 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 inlead the mortal world until some UnfinishedBusiness is done, they died in Wildspace or on the Astral Plane, then moved on desperate to plead to the afterlife. But with 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 thehelp illusion.
* TreacherousAdvisor: An emissary of Caiphon makes suggestions that sound reasonable -- perhaps the lord of agod or powerful celestial, they managed to project town gripped by a glowing copy of plague has a cure he isn't sharing -- that end up getting their spirit across the planes in order 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 tohelp someone. Once automatically fail 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 lightsaves 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)\\
'''Challengea turn.
!!Serpent of Nihal
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep29 (4E)
The reddish Nihal is known as the Serpent Star for its writhing path throughmost of the day heavens, and night, but can be seen flying at twilight.is served by snake-like creatures that similarly slither through reality in search of prey.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: The star Caiphon sits near the horizon, acting as a
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't a soul trapped in
* {{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
* TreacherousAdvisor: An emissary of Caiphon makes suggestions that sound reasonable -- perhaps the lord of a
* 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
* PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, and dim light
[[/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
!!Serpent of Nihal
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep
The reddish Nihal is known as the Serpent Star for its writhing path through
Changed line(s) 1292,1297 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* {{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.
to:
* 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:When sleeping, a starsnake builds up electrical energy Any attacker that damages anyone 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 whotouches them end up fighting Allabar are likely battling a Gargantuan avatar, or tries 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 attackwith 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, suggestionsin 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 ata whopping 26.flurry.
* 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:
* 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
* 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
* {{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
* 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
Changed line(s) 1300,1307 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:194:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), Evil (4E), LawfulEvil
Changed line(s) 1309,1317 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AdaptationalVillainy: EldritchAbomination: 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 its "lesser" form, a star spawn emissary is "a roughly bipedal mas of agitated organs, self-cannibalizing alien orifices, 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 regardlessappendages suggestive 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 withforms it has previously devoured." They're even worse in their bites.
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, steel predators are outsiders native to the Infernal Battlefield"greater" form, which "sheds all pretense of Acheron, prowling its warzones for fresh metal morsels. In 5th Edition, 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'reartificial killers created by seriously threatened, or when their opponents have lost all hope.
* MindRape: A "lesser" emissary can make arogue 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"psychic lash" legendary action, dealing heavy sonic/thunder damage as well as extra psychic damage to brittle or crystalline items (in 3rd Edition), or may [[TheParalyzer stun victims 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 fora minute]] (in 5th Edition).
* SuperSenses: They enjoy blindsight out to 30 feet, which is especially significant forgood, the deaf 3E steel predators.
* SupernaturalSensitivity: 3rd Edition steel predatorsemissary can sense 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 thepresence 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 anymetallic magic item from up Small or Medium creature, and are perfectly willing to 120 appear as a harmless animal to serve their purposes.
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary can take a legendary action to teleport 30 feetaway.and immediately attack a target with a lashing maw.
* 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
* 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
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, steel predators are outsiders native to the Infernal Battlefield
* 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
* MindRape: A "lesser" emissary can make a
* SuperScream: One feature that has remained constant is the steel predator's devastating roar, which deals
* 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
* SuperSenses: They enjoy blindsight out to 30 feet, which is especially significant for
* SupernaturalSensitivity: 3rd Edition steel predators
* TooManyMouths: The "greater" emissary is depicted with multiple maws, and can take a legendary action to warp the
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: A "lesser" emissary can freely take the form of any
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary can take a legendary action to teleport 30 feet
Changed line(s) 1320,1327 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 (3E)\\
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:'''
Intelligent raptors from the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, notable for their adamantine feathers and 30-foot wingspan.
Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.
Changed line(s) 1329,1335 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 coneFantasticFruitsAndVegetables: Starflies are fruit that deals a massive amount of slashing damage.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor and his followers have tamed a great many steelwingsfly through space on butterfly wings, which trap sunlight to convert into sugary food 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.seed within it. They still live as predators, hunting both Acheron's petitioners taste delicious, and visitors 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 theplane.
* RazorWings: Their razor-sharp wingsnearest 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 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]]even rumors that deals a moderate amount of damage it's possible to adjacent creatures, and provides the steelwings with concealment.mount a ''spelljammer helm'' on a fully-grown mother-tree to fly it through space as a mobile BabyPlanet.
* 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
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor and his followers have tamed a great many steelwings
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech and a little smarter than ogres.
* 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
* RazorWings: Their razor-sharp wings
* TheSpiny: Steelwings are perpetually surrounded by a [[PerpetualMolt cloud of feathers]]
Changed line(s) 1338,1346 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:215:https://static.tvtropes.
[[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
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures that feed on larger animals' blood.
Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or the Astral Sea, seeking to help someone accomplish a daunting task.
Changed line(s) 1348,1366 (click to see context) from:
* 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."
* 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."
to:
* AmbushingEnemy: Desert stirges are flightless, LightEmUp: With a touch or a gesture, a starlight apparition can cause an eruption of radiant energy that damages and hunt by burying themselves potentially [[BlindedByTheLight blinds]] foes.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't a soul trapped in thedesert sand mortal world until some UnfinishedBusiness is done, they died in Wildspace or on the Astral Plane, then moved on to ambush creatures passing by. Jungle stirges are also poor flyers, and instead rely on hiding 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 thick canopies and falling prey passing beneath them.
* ArtEvolution: Depictions of stirges are somewhat inconstant.order to help someone. Once their objective is achieved, a starlight apparition fades away. They gained a second pair of wings between 2nd and 3rd Edition, and in addition some depictions give them greater proportions of birdlike do, however, share ghostly traits or depict their probosces such as rigid beaks or hooked noses.
* FantasticFaunaCounterpart: In most regards, they act as a fantastical counterpart to mosquitoes{{intangibility}} and vampire bats.
being able to [[DemonicPossession possess]] mortals.
*MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, 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."dim light for an additional 20 feet.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't a soul trapped in the
* ArtEvolution: Depictions of stirges are somewhat inconstant.
* FantasticFaunaCounterpart: In most regards, they act as a fantastical counterpart to 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."
Changed line(s) 1369,1376 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct (5E)\\
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
With a bit
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep through most of
Changed line(s) 1378,1381 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Stone cursed are predictably good 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 disguising themselves as ordinary statues.
* LivingStatue: The stone cursed are spawned through a foul alchemical ritual performedthe caster, dealing damage based on a petrified humanoid. A dim echo the spell-level of the victim's spirit is awakened, animating blocked effect.
* {{Familiar}}: High-level spellcasters with thestatue 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 andturning it into a useful guardian.
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.
*OrganDrops: A side effect TrulySingleParent: Starsnakes are hermaphrodites who can reproduce without others 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 kind, and extract a memory from the stone cursed's mortal life. Whether the attempt is successful or not, it can in fact detest each other's company.
* WiseSerpent: Starsnakes are not onlybe made once.
* TakenForGranite: Not only was the stone cursed a victim of such an attack,smart enough to speak Sylvan and learn other languages, their claws drip with a transformative sludge that can in turn petrify Intelligence and Wisdom scores are an impressive 16, while their enemies. Charisma comes in at a whopping 26.
* LivingStatue: The stone cursed are spawned through a foul alchemical ritual performed
* {{Familiar}}: High-level spellcasters with the
* TheParalyzer: Their bites carry a Dexterity-damaging poison that can leave victims paralyzed.
* ThePrankster: They're usually content to hunt rodents and
*
* WiseSerpent: Starsnakes are not only
* TakenForGranite: Not only was the stone cursed a victim of such an attack,
Changed line(s) 1384,1392 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey
Metallic feline hunters that would be formidable in
Changed line(s) 1394,1397 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, 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 canpass through solid rock 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, theease Outer Plane of Acheron, is littered with endless weapons-strewn battlefields and broken heaps of war machines, giving them a fish moving through water, without leaving a tunnel behind.
rich supply of food.
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Stone flyers confer 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 theabove ability on anyone riding them, so 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 creatures are highly sought-after as mounts by Underdark races. This requires both a special saddle and special training, planes.
* SuperScream: One feature that has remained constant is the steel predator's devastating roar, which deals heavy sonic/thunder damage as well asa Diplomacy check extra damage to win 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 thecreature over.
deaf 3E steel predators.
*ItCanThink: They're no smarter than SupernaturalSensitivity: 3rd Edition steel predators can sense the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient and speak Terran.
* SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carvedpresence of any metallic magic item from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as well as fierce carnivores. up to 120 feet away.
* DeadlyLunge: Like other "big cat"-type creatures, 3rd Edition steel predators can
* 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
*
* {{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, steel predators are outsiders native to the
* SuperScream: One feature that has remained constant is the steel predator's devastating roar, which deals heavy sonic/thunder damage as well as
* SuperSenses: They enjoy blindsight out to 30 feet, which is especially significant for the
*
* SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carved
Changed line(s) 1400,1408 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Half-elemental humanoids blessed with
Intelligent raptors from the
Changed line(s) 1410,1415 (click to see context) from:
* 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.]]
* 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.]]
to:
* ChallengeSeeker: Stonechildren relish challenges CraftedFromAnimals: Steelwing feathers can be used to make masterwork ''keen'' adamantine arrows or crossbow bolts. Each feather is worth 50 gp, and opportunities 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 toprove enact vengeance.
* FeatherFlechettes: Steelwings' "razorfeathers" can be fired as a ranged attack, veering toward their(considerable) strength, and tend targets to go off on adventures at least once or twice over negate their lifetimes.
* HappilyAdopted: Stonechildren are rarely raised among otherscover, 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 theirkind, riders from their feathers.
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech andtypically 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 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 atendency to leave their homes to go adventuring, and in old age try and find their way to the Elemental Plane 1-in-5 chance of Earth to live among others of their kind.
landing a CriticalHit.
*NoSell: They're immune to acid or poisons.
* SiliconBasedLife: They look like powerful humanoids carved from stone, soTheSpiny: Steelwings are more this trope than {{Rock Monster}}s (especially since they're classified as Outsiders, not Elementals, despite having an ElementalEmbodiment for perpetually surrounded by 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[[PerpetualMolt cloud of adversity.
* SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectilesfeathers]] that deal better damage when hurled or slung, [[HolyHandGrenade and deal additional deals a moderate amount of damage to undead.]]adjacent creatures, and provides the steelwings with concealment.
* CrusadingWidower: These creatures mate for life, and if one is slain its mate will track down the killers to
* FeatherFlechettes: Steelwings' "razorfeathers" can be fired as a ranged attack, veering toward their
* HappilyAdopted: Stonechildren are rarely raised among others
* 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
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech and
* RazorWings: Their razor-sharp wings are not only effective in combat, they have a
*
* SiliconBasedLife: They look like powerful humanoids carved from stone, so
* TheStoic: They tend to "keep their feelings hidden behind a slow practicality," and are stalwart in the face
* SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectiles
Changed line(s) 1418,1425 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[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:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E); 1, 7
'''Alignment:'''
Strange
Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures
Changed line(s) 1427,1435 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 AmbushingEnemy: Desert stirges are often mistaken for the wind blowing over hollows flightless, and hunt by burying themselves 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 thesedesert sand to ambush creatures can subsist upon "natural" fossils, 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, theyget more nutrition out act as a fantastical counterpart to mosquitoes and vampire bats.
* MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance and proportions change between editions, stirges usually resemble mixes ofeating 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 creaturesthey'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 themwith stirge features, born from arcane experiments or 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 withstirge drinking the earth subtype rather than elemental creatures.
blood of a well-fed vampire.
----
*StarfishLanguage: These creatures are quite intelligent, but speak their own language rather than any known tongue.
* SuperScream:EnemySummoner: Once every few rounds, per day, a stonesinger stirgoi can shriek, potentially dealing heavy sonic summon a swarm of stirges that follow its commands.
* LifeDrain: Their proboscis attack deals extra necrotic damageto and stunning a single target within 60 feet. Unusually, this is treated as a touch that heals the stirgoi by the same amount. Those slain by the attack in 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 themonster makes a Perform check rather than a conventional attack roll.
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], andlife from any creature whose Dexterity hits 0 instantly fossilizes. who balk at their grotesque gentility."
* DishingOutDirt: They can use spells like ''meld into stone'', ''stone shape'' and ''wall of stone'', but only while singing.
* EatDirtCheap: While these
* 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
* MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance and proportions change between editions, stirges usually resemble mixes of
* 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
* 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
* 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
----
*
* SuperScream:
* LifeDrain: Their proboscis attack deals extra necrotic damage
* 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
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], and
Changed line(s) 1438,1445 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Gargantuan crustaceans bred for war.
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.
Changed line(s) 1447,1450 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BioweaponBeast: Like behirs 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 androcs, storm crabs were created by the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants giants']] deities for turning it into a useful guardian.
* OrganDrops: A side effect of theirancient war against creation ritual is the dragons, hence why 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, theirillustration 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 crabclaws drip with a poison stinger transformative sludge 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 failin turn petrify their saves up to 30 feet away.enemies.
* 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
* OrganDrops: A side effect of their
* TakenForGranite: Not only was the stone cursed a victim of such an attack, their
* 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
* MakingASplash: Their BreathWeapon is a water jet that can deal strong bludgeoning damage and KnockBack those who fail
Changed line(s) 1453,1460 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Reclusive, serpentine dragons who lair
Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in
Changed line(s) 1462,1466 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 happyDungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, and turn dark gray when it's angry.
* ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakescan turn into a cloud pass through solid rock with the ease of living gas 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 andback at will.
* LivingMoodRing: A storm drake's scales change in color based on its emotional state, gainingspecial training, as well as a pearlescent sheen when Diplomacy check to win the creature is calm, shimmering gold when it's happy over.
* ItCanThink: They're no smarter than the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient andturning a dark, leaden gray when it's angry.
speak Terran.
*WeatherManipulation: Storm drakes' innate magic mostly focuses on controlling weather phenomena, allowing them SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to create fog and clouds, manipulate wind, create blizzards and sleet storms, or call down lightning.be carved from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as well as fierce carnivores.
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happy
* ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakes
* 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
* LivingMoodRing: A storm drake's scales change in color based on its emotional state, gaining
* ItCanThink: They're no smarter than the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient and
*
Changed line(s) 1469,1476 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:230:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Intelligent but malevolent monkeys
Half-elemental humanoids blessed with
Changed line(s) 1478,1483 (click to see context) from:
* 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."
* 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."
to:
* 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, ChallengeSeeker: Stonechildren relish challenges and some sages believe su-monsters opportunities 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 threatenprove their young (considerable) strength, and tend to go off on adventures at least once or twice over their mates, the su-monsters will fly into a rage and benefit from a ''haste'' effect.
lifetimes.
*ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters HappilyAdopted: Stonechildren are a species rarely raised among others 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 withtheir tails kind, and then swing down 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 attack.
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.
*PsychicPowers: Su-monsters 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 naturallypsionic, hairless, and know powers such as ''psionic crush'' 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''mind thrust''.
are stalwart in the face of adversity.
*SlasherSmile: It's noted SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectiles that su-monsters often grin, "but this is usually a sharp-toothed threat rather than a gesture of friendliness."deal better damage when hurled or slung, [[HolyHandGrenade and deal additional damage to undead.]]
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt as a family group. And should anything threaten
*
* 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
*
* 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
* TheStoic: They tend to "keep their feelings hidden behind a slow practicality," and
*
Changed line(s) 1486,1495 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7
'''Alignment:'''
Fiends specializing in seduction and sexual temptation, able to assume whatever form and gender they believe appeals to
Strange creatures of living stone, named for their
See Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons for tropes related to the 3.5e depiction of incubi as a separate creature.
Changed line(s) 1497,1516 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CharmPerson: Succubi 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 incubi eaten.
* DishingOutDirt: They cancharm other use spells like ''meld into stone'', ''stone shape'' and ''wall of stone'', but only while singing.
* EatDirtCheap: While these creaturesat 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. Thencan subsist upon "natural" fossils, 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 formget more nutrition out 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 separateeating creatures until 5th Edition clarified that these fiendish seducers can change sex as easily as they change shape.
they've petrified themselves.
*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:LargeHam: They're evil outsiders who use sex prone to making grandiose moves in combat, and seduction using Power Attack more than is strictly necessary, just 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 inheritmake their mothers' supernatural beauty, charm attacks more impressive (and painful).
* MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Stonesingers also appreciate other creatures' singing, andshapeshifting abilities, 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 andoften crystal claw-tips, but are classified as aberrations with the earth subtype rather than elemental creatures.
* StarfishLanguage: These creatures are quite intelligent, but speak theirevil temperament.
----
own language rather than any known tongue.
*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 succubiSuperScream: Once every few rounds, a stonesinger can inflict negative levels, alu-fiends can heal themselves for half the shriek, potentially dealing heavy sonic damage they inflict with to and stunning a melee attack.
* WingedHumanoid: In their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though their ''shapechange'' ability can help disguisesingle target within 60 feet. Unusually, this is treated as a touch attack in which the latter.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.
* DishingOutDirt: They can
* EatDirtCheap: While these creatures
* 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
* {{Humanshifting}}: Succubi and incubi can take the form
* {{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
*
* 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:
!!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
* MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Stonesingers also appreciate other creatures' singing, and
* SiliconBasedLife: Stonesingers look something like 12-foot-long scorpions with scales comprised of plates of stone and
* StarfishLanguage: These creatures are quite intelligent, but speak their
----
*
* LifeDrain: While full succubi
* WingedHumanoid: In their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though their ''shapechange'' ability can help disguise
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], and any creature whose Dexterity hits 0 instantly fossilizes.
Changed line(s) 1519,1527 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial
->'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Tiny, buglike creatures found across the Outer Planes, where they prosper and wane as their home plane fares.
Gargantuan crustaceans bred for war.
Changed line(s) 1529,1532 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject a venom whose effect varies depending on BioweaponBeast: Like behirs and rocs, storm crabs were created by the Outer Plane the sunfly is on. Sunflies on the Upper Planes can cause [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsGiants giants']] deities for their victim to glow, which can foil invisibility effects, while on a Neutral plane ancient war against the dragons, hence why 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.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"Divine Wrath Swarm" folder elsewhere on this index.
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?
*TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, MakingASplash: Their BreathWeapon is a water jet that can deal strong bludgeoning damage and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of KnockBack those who fail their poison.saves up to 30 feet away.
* 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.
* 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
*
Changed line(s) 1535,1536 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
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Changed line(s) 1539,1542 (click to see context) from:
'''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.
'''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.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 14 17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticNeutral
Eight-legged, wingedTrueNeutral
Reclusive, serpentine dragonswith great power over light who lair in fog-shrouded mountain peaks, storm drakes chiefly wish to be left alone to enjoy the vastness of weather and radiance, sunwyrms spend their lives soaring above deserts and savannahs in an endless search for fresh prey.the sky.
'''Alignment:'''
Eight-legged, winged
Reclusive, serpentine dragons
Changed line(s) 1544,1549 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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:BlowYouAway: 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: Theirstorm drake's breath weapon is a line gust of burning yellow energy that deals untyped damage, with the catch that as with ''brilliant energy'' weapons, tornado-strong winds.
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it'scompletely harmless to nonliving matter, including constructs or 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 theundead.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.
* 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:
* 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
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's
* 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
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1552,1560 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
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[[caption-width-right:230:2e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Headless figures whose porous bodies produce a strange droning
Intelligent but malevolent monkeys with
Changed line(s) 1562,1566 (click to see context) from:
* 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.]]
* 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.]]
to:
* 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 droneBioweaponBeast: Legend has is that echoes through dungeons 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 heard up to magical humanoid-ape hybrids.
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt as aquarter-mile away. While it's harmless to most creatures, undead find it strangely calming, family group. And should anything threaten their young or their mates, the su-monsters will fly into a rage and may enter benefit from a state of torpor identical to a ''hold undead'' spell, refusing to move for up to ten rounds.''haste'' effect.
*{{Retcon}}: The susurrus ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters are a species of 2nd Edition is actually a ''bamboo'' monster related to evil and aggressive monkeys.
* PrehensileTail: One of theshambling mound, and su-monsters' favorite ambush methods is to sit atop a branch overlooking a path, then when prey passes below, grip the dronesong it produces can put both living and undead creatures into a ForcedSleep for several hours.
* TheSpiny: Anyone striking a susurrus in meleebranch with a non-reach weapon will take damage from the glass barbs covering its body.
* TorsoWithAView: Susurri have several holes intheir bodies, which don't impede them in any way, but instead produce their signature dronesong. This 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 isalso why [[StarfishLanguage other creatures have no luck reproducing the susurri language.]]usually a sharp-toothed threat rather than a gesture of friendliness."
* BrownNote: The "dronesong" produced by air moving through the hollows of a susurrus' body generates a soothing drone
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt as a
*
* PrehensileTail: One of the
* TheSpiny: Anyone striking a susurrus in melee
* TorsoWithAView: Susurri have several holes in
* 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
Changed line(s) 1569,1576 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (1E-3E), Evil
Intelligent insectoids of the Underdark, known for
Fiends specializing in seduction and sexual temptation, able to assume whatever form and gender they believe appeals to their
See Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsFiendsDemons for
Changed line(s) 1578,1588 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: "Crownwings" are elite swordwings, selected when members 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 ahive travel to 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 Buzzing Vaults to wage frenzied battle -- surviving crownwings are 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 consideredto have defended their status, while lesser swordwings metamorphosize into new crownwings.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Swordwings reproduce asexually,demons, but 4th edition reclassified them as devils, until 5th Edition declared they were fiendish free agents found across the Lower Planes. Succubi and get the urge to do so once in their lives. After receiving pheromones 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 fromtheir hive's queen in exchange for a proper offering, male incubi to female succubi as they please, though most of them prefer one form or the swordwing hunts down 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 andkills a humanoid, then implants an egg seduction to damn mortal souls. Sometimes this results in the corpse's abdomen. 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
Thebody is hung on the outside offspring of the swordwing's home while the egg hatches succubi 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 humans, who inherit their hosts.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Swordwings getmothers' supernatural beauty, charm and shapeshifting abilities, and often 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.
evil temperament.
----
*CollectorOfTheStrange: ChildOfTwoWorlds: They have an obsessive need tend 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 be hateful beings, "even 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, untiltanar'ri standards," as they're given 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 theopportunity to become damage they inflict with a crownwing at the Buzzing Vaults.
** Shapers are a higher rank of drone, valued formelee attack.
* WingedHumanoid: In their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though their ''shapechange'' abilityto construct can help disguise 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.latter.
* 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
* {{Retcon}}: Succubi have consistently been fiends, but which type varies by edition. Through 3rd Edition they were considered
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Swordwings reproduce asexually,
* SexShifter: They can change from
* 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
!!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
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Swordwings get
----
*
* 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
* LifeDrain: While full succubi can inflict negative levels, alu-fiends can heal themselves for half the
** Shapers are a higher rank of drone, valued for
* WingedHumanoid: In their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though their ''shapechange'' ability
** 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.
Changed line(s) 1591,1598 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
These beautiful winged women are air elemental-kin, rumored to be a crossbreed between nymphs
Tiny, buglike creatures found across the Outer Planes, where they prosper and
Changed line(s) 1600,1607 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AlchemicElementals: 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 thesylphs representing air, obviously.
"Divine Wrath Swarm" folder elsewhere on this index.
*CuriosityIsACrapshoot: Their response to strangers is to turn invisible TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and observe from hiding, but even if they detect a potential threat, sylphs' curiosity can lead them to linger in are only slightly more dangerous situations just to watch what happens.
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a sylph can summon a Large elementalin swarms, which intensifies the effects of any variety.
* {{Invisibility}}: They can use ''improved invisibility'' at will.
* OneGenderRace: Sylphs are all-female and, according totheir ''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.poison.
* 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
*
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a sylph can summon a Large elemental
* {{Invisibility}}: They can use ''improved invisibility'' at will.
* OneGenderRace: Sylphs are all-female and, according to
* {{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.
Changed line(s) 1610,1618 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
A naturally psionic race whose members are literally
Eight-legged, winged dragons with great power over light and radiance, sunwyrms spend their lives soaring above deserts and savannahs in
Changed line(s) 1620,1626 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CombatClairvoyance: 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"oracle" mind can give synads breath weapon is 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 Planeline of Shadow to escape their homeworld, which most synads prefer to forget, claiming burning yellow energy that "monstrosities of deals untyped damage, with 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"catch that controls as with ''brilliant energy'' weapons, it's completely harmless to nonliving matter, including constructs or 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.undead.
* 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
* DimensionalTraveler: The synads used the Plane
* 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"
* 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.
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[[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]]
[[folder:Sword Wraith]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sword_wraith_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Undead (3E-5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' As base creature +2 (3E); 3 (warrior), 8 (commander)(5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (1E-3E & 5E), ChaoticEvil (4E)
These soldiers have risen from their graves to continue their search for battle, and retain all the martial skill they possessed in life.
----
* BerserkButton: Sword wraiths fly into a rage if their valour is questioned. Conversely, ''praising'' their valor is an easy way to appease a sword wraith, leading to some villages holding annual festivals to honor and placate nearby sword wraiths.
* TheBerserker: 5th Edition sword wraiths can make special attacks with their "Martial Fury" ability, but doing so lets opponents make attacks against them with advantage, representing how the sword wraith is neglecting their defense.
* EnemySummoner: Sword wraith commanders can summon basic sword wraith warriors once per day, as a response to taking damage.
* GlorySeeker: Some sword wraiths sought glory in battle in life, and rose from the dead after being slain in an ambush, by a magical barrage, or some other unceremonious end.
* NonHealthDamage: 3rd Edition sword wraiths deal a point of Strength damage with every blow.
[[/folder]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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.
[[/folder]]
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''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to 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]] \\
to:
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL [[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]] \\
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[[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]]
[[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]]
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* 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 items, and a prisoner can delay being devoured by a dracosphinx by keeping its interest with rare knowledge (translating to daily Intelligence checks).
to:
* 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 items, item, and a prisoner can delay being devoured by a dracosphinx by keeping its interest with rare knowledge (translating to daily Intelligence checks).
Added DiffLines:
* 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.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Androsphinxes can be gruff or even ill-tempered, and are generally solitary and shy, but have noble hearts. "They appreciate small courtesies, but seldom admit it, and praise makes them feel uncomfortable."
to:
* 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."
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Evil, animalistic, and always-male sphinxes who are constantly on the hunt for a gynosphinx or, failing that, something to kill.
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Evil, animalistic, hawk-headed, and always-male sphinxes who are constantly on the hunt for a gynosphinx or, gynosphinx, or failing that, something to kill.
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* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: They're unusual for having two genders, rather than needing to seek out an androsphinx or gynosphinx to mate with.
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* 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.
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[[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]]
[[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]]
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Added image
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_canisphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_crocosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_dracosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
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* 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.
to:
* 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.item without a fight.
[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_loquasphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:295:3e]]
[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_luposphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
[[caption-width-right:315:1e]]
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* VillainTeamUp: They can sometimes be found leading small bands of similarly evil humanoids, like gnolls or xvarts.
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* 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."
Added DiffLines:
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Threskisphinxes have a soft spot for mundane ibises, and will often protect flocks with their spells.
Added DiffLines:
* WhiteMage: Threskisphinxes' magical repertoire runs along the lines of ''cure wounds'', ''neutralize poison'' and ''remove disease'', with a side of ''summon nature's ally''.
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Rare, human-headed sphinxes who wield the power of Truespeech.
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* LanguageOfMagic:
to:
* LanguageOfMagic:
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 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.
* LanguageOfMagic: Loquasphinxes are 10th-level truenamers, and know utterances such as ''spell rebirth'', ''agitate metal'' and ''shockwave''.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: They're unusual for having 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.
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.
----
* 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.
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* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes avoid combat whenever possible, fighting from the air and making HitAndRunAttacks on ranged combatants until it's safe to flee.
to:
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes avoid combat whenever possible, fighting from the air and making HitAndRunAttacks using HitAndRunTactics on ranged combatants until it's safe to flee.
Sagacious sphinxes with the heads of ibises.
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* ThePowerOfCreation: These sphinxes tend to make a few wondrous magic items over their lifetimes, mainly as academic exercises.
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None
* 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.
Changed line(s) 656,657 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
to:
* 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.
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 items, and a prisoner can delay being devoured by a dracosphinx by keeping its interest with rare knowledge (translating to daily Intelligence checks).
Mild-mannered sphinxes with inquisitive, reptilian faces.
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** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %
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* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Saurosphinxes
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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.
* 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.
Brutish sphinxes with the heads of crocodiles, who ambush prey from the water.
Changed line(s) 638,640 (click to see context) from:
* LogicalWeakness:
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile:
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile:
to:
* LogicalWeakness:
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:
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.
*
* SinisterSuffocation: Crocosphinxes prefer to grab prey in their jaws, then drag them into the water to drown them.
Sphinxes with the features of red dragons, making them intelligent, mighty and very dangerous.
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* RiddlingSphinx: They'll engage other creatures in games of riddles, but only as a feint -- as soon as the other creature lets its guard down, the dracosphinx will attack.
But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
to:
* 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 afeint ruse -- as soon as the other creature lets its guard down, the dracosphinx will attack.
But dracosphinxes can be warded off * 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 sufficient dracosphinx attack, but a show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge strength -- such as successfully repelling that it is in attack -- will make the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
dracosphinx much more helpful.
* 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
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Added example(s), Added image
Changed line(s) 541,544 (click to see context) from:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (hieracosphinx), 7 (criosphinx), 8 (gynosphinx), 9 (androsphinx) (3E); 16 (4E); 11 (gynosphinx), 17 (androsphinx) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood (androsphinx), TrueNeutral (criosphinx, gynosphinx) (3E), ChaoticEvil (hieracosphinx); LawfulNeutral (androsphinx, gynosphinx) (5E)
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other creatures and rather peculiar reproductive behavior.
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood (androsphinx), TrueNeutral (criosphinx, gynosphinx) (3E), ChaoticEvil (hieracosphinx); LawfulNeutral (androsphinx, gynosphinx) (5E)
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other creatures and rather peculiar reproductive behavior.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (hieracosphinx), 7 (criosphinx), 8 (gynosphinx), 9 (androsphinx) (3E); Varies by subspecies (3E, 5E), 16 (4E); 11 (gynosphinx), 17 (androsphinx) (5E)\\
(4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticGood (androsphinx), TrueNeutral (criosphinx, gynosphinx) (3E), ChaoticEvil (hieracosphinx); LawfulNeutral (androsphinx, gynosphinx) (5E)
Varies by subspecies, or Unaligned (4E)
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various othercreatures and rather peculiar reproductive behavior.creatures.
'''Alignment:'''
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other
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* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Up until 5th Edition, sphinxes were infamous for this and their mating habits. Of the classic four varieties, the only female sphinxes 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, to the point that gynosphinxes will pay adventurers handsomely for leads on an androsphinx. 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, resulting in a vicious competition among other criosphinxes over their "prize" (who often escapes out a back passage in the ensuing chaos). 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.
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' for most of its history. 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:
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universe
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' for most of its history. 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:
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universe
to:
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Up until 5th Edition, Through early editions, sphinxes were infamous for this and their mating habits. Of the classic four varieties, varieties of sphinx, the only female sphinxes 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, to the point that gynosphinxes will pay adventurers handsomely for leads on an androsphinx.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, resulting in a vicious competition among other criosphinxes over their "prize" (who often escapes out a back passage in the ensuing chaos).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.
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' for most of its history.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:
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universeothers.
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universe
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* RiddlingSphinx: Gynosphinxes in particular are fascinated by riddles and games of wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in this manner. 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. And other subspecies, specifically the astro- and dracosphinxes, end up subverting the classic game of riddles, as described above.
to:
* RiddlingSphinx: Gynosphinxes in particular are fascinated by riddles and games of wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in Sphinxes have a reputation as riddlers, though how accurate this manner. Androsphinxes traditionally dislike riddles, both because they're antisocial, and because they're jealous of is depends on the gynosphinxes' superior intellect; androsphinxes in 5th Edition are more concerned with testing supplicants' courage than playing word games. And other subspecies, specifically the astro- and dracosphinxes, end up subverting the classic game of riddles, as described above.detailed below.
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[[/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.
[[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.
to:
[[folder:Spider]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
!!Androsphinx
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Vermin (3E), Natural Beast (4E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
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
Sphinxes with
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* 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."
* 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.
* 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."
* 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.
to:
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword spiders BribeBackfire: They 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 allowsthe spider least use for treasure of all sphinxes, and should an evil or uncouth humanoid try to slurp up offer them some in a bargain, the androsphinx is likely to take offense.
* CelibateHero: As mentioned, androsphinxes avoid gynosphinxes, both because theirliquified brains alignments clash and nerves.
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spidersespecially because androsphinxes are an old and recurring enemy type, and can range from the size jealous of a dog gynosphinxes' superior intellects. "However, most androsphinxes eventually succumb to the size advances 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 adaptgynosphinx at least once in their tactics to their opposition. "Many adventurers are not prepared for a monstrous spider which has heard them talk among themselves and reacted accordingly.lives."
*StaircaseTumble: Shadow spiders get JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Androsphinxes can be gruff or even ill-tempered, and are generally solitary and shy, but 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 theirname 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 fromtheir ability to use ''{{shadow walk|er}}'' at will, but they actually hunt by lurking in other creatures, and androsphinxes will even aid the shadows at hated hierachosphinxes if necessary. This can lead to 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, suchandrosphinx's downfall, 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
mentioned below.
!!Criosphinx
[[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)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_criosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''15 (5E)\\
7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralEvil
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.TrueNeutral
Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who are primarily concerned with finding a mate.
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows
* CelibateHero: As mentioned, androsphinxes avoid gynosphinxes, both because their
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spiders
* ItCanThink: Whisper spiders, native to [[Literature/{{Dragonlance}} Krynn]], are Huge web-flingers who are smart enough to understand (but not speak) Common, and adapt
*
* 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
* 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
* UndergroundMonkey: Numerous variant spider types have appeared, such
* WallCrawl: Most spiders can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, as if they were flat.
!!Asteroid Spider
!!Criosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
Ram-headed, always-male sphinxes of middling intelligence, who are primarily concerned with finding a mate.
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: When an ''AD&D'' asteroid spider detects something caught in its webs, it tries TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: They're prone to skewer them with enough of its legs to transfer its impaled prey to grouping up during 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, namedhunt for a gynosphinx, but will follow other criosphinxes even if their habit of stringing fellows have no idea where their webs across asteroid belts. In 5th Edition, quarry is.
* EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used as an alternative material component for the ''shout'' spell.
* {{Greed}}: If they'reinstead Gargantuan monsters that 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 candisguise themselves attack with their horns.
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have a habit of adding descriptive adjectives to their names, such asasteroids, and "Bold Necrotiki," "Great Rameses," or "Swift Ibericus."
* VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; despitebeing mute [[ItCanThink are highly intelligent]].
!!Bloodsilk Spider
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_bloodsilk_spider_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:33]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_gynosphinx_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''2 (3E)\\
8 (3E), 11 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''Unaligned
Wolf-sized, bloated red spiders that use their webs to drainTrueNeutral (3E), LawfulNeutral (5E)
Female sphinxes who are theblood wisest of their prey.kind.
* 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
* EyeOfNewt: A criosphinx horn can be used as an alternative material component for the ''shout'' spell.
* {{Greed}}: If they're
* HornAttack: They can
* TheMagnificent: Criosphinxes have a habit of adding descriptive adjectives to their names, such as
* VegetarianCarnivore: Inverted; despite
!!Bloodsilk Spider
* 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.
[[caption-width-right:350:33]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Wolf-sized, bloated red spiders that use their webs to drain
Female sphinxes who are the
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* 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)\\
* 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)\\
to:
* LifeDrain: A bloodsilk spider can make its webbing drill into entrapped victims, siphoning out blood to damage ArtEvolution: Early gynosphinxes followed the target 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 andgive the spider some temporary hit points. The spiders will take advantage games of this, bolstering itself by feeding on weaker prey before going after something tougher.wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in this manner.
*ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, bloodsilk spiders can throw SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: They spend their sticky blood-red webbing similarly to nets, in order to entangle victims that evade what lives avoiding criosphinxes (whom they string up detest as traps.
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted; their dripping, bloody netslittle better than animals) and hieracosphinxes (whom they fear as abominable rapists), while hunting for an androsphinx. As such, gynosphinxes are immune willing to fire damage, unlike conventional spider webbing.
!!Harpoon Spider
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_harpoon_spider_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_hieracosphinx_1e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:350:1e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''4, 9 (dread harpoon spider) 5 (3E)\\
* RiddlingSphinx: Played the straightest of the sphinx subspecies. Gynosphinxes are fascinated by riddles and
*
* YouHaveToBurnTheWeb: Averted; their dripping, bloody nets
!!Harpoon Spider
* WomenAreWiser: They are the smartest of the sphinxes, with genius-level intellects.
!!Hieracosphinx
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
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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.
to:
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The spines covering harpoon spiders will damage foes 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 thatattack them in melee, but their primary purpose is an evil deity created hieracosphinxes simply to secure prey. Harpoon spiders can impale a helpless victim upon their spiny bodies, dealing damage and letting cause grief for 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 hundredsnobler subspeces of razor-sharp spines covering their bodies.
sphinxes.
*PoisonousPerson: Their bites carry a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], potentially paralyzing victims who succumb to it.
* {{Sadist}}:FragileSpeedster: They're fully sentient, capable of speech in Common the smallest and Undercommon, weakest of the main sphinx subspecies, but also the fastest 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.most agile flyers.
!Other Sphinxes
!!Astrosphinx
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_astrosphinx_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Spider-shaped elementalsChaoticEvil
Twisted parodies ofmagma and flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.true sphinxes who are dangerously insane.
* 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
* NonIndicativeName: Harpoon spiders are not true spiders at all, possessing ten legs, human-like eyes, and hundreds
*
* {{Sadist}}:
* 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.
!Other Sphinxes
!!Astrosphinx
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Alignment:'''
Spider-shaped elementals
Twisted parodies of
Changed line(s) 636,649 (click to see context) from:
* 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)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
* 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)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
to:
* DeathByChildbirth: At BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Astrosphinxes can survive in Wildspace without air.
* ChainLightning: They can fire such as EyeBeams, theend of their mating ritual, two inferno spiders catch is that it takes a round for the attack to charge one another, collide and explode, giving birth to hundreds up (during which the pinpricks of young.
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are coveredlight in transparent plating revealing their molten cores, eye sockets change color from violet to gold), and randomly break out in flames 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 thatdance 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 theirlegs riddles of dumb animals, insects 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' flameseven plants, and makes inevitably kill them brittle and easier for failing 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)\\
'''Challengeanswer.
!!Canisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5(3E), 8 (4E), 3 (5E)\\
(3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''Unaligned
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.NeutralEvil
* ChainLightning: They can fire such as EyeBeams, the
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
!!Canisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5
'''Alignment:'''
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will.
Changed line(s) 651,660 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
* {{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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
to:
* ArtEvolution: Phase spiders have actually gotten ''more'' spidery over VictoryByEndurance: They're endurance hunters, chasing prey through the editions, as they originally had humanoid faces that made them easy to confuse desert 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 hours on end until 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 unsuspectingvictims 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challengedrop from exhaustion.
!!Crocosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''2 12 (3E)\\
* {{Intangibility}}: Thanks to its ability to shift between the Ethereal and Material Planes, a phase spider can use HitAndRunTactics against its unsuspecting
* 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge
!!Crocosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Deleted line(s) 663 (click to see context) :
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to spiders.
Changed line(s) 665,678 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.
* 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.
to:
* CombatTentacles: Instead of fangs, the tentacle spider has four slimy, pink tentacles, whose venom renders foes clumsy and helpless.
LogicalWeakness:
*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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.NeverSmileAtACrocodile:
!!Dracosphinx
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
*
* 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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.
!!Dracosphinx
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Changed line(s) 680,694 (click to see context) from:
* 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)\\
* 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)\\
to:
* AnimateDead: Any human-shaped corpse wrapped in BreathWeapon: They can blast foes with a tomb spider's webbing becomes animated as a web mummy, which shambles along cone of fire, unsurprisingly.
* HybridMonster: They're believed toserve as its creator's minion even as descend from a brood of tiny tomb spiders grow within it.
* GraveRobbing: As per their name, tomb spiders seek out cryptsred dragon and burial grounds to provide corpses for their young. Only after they androsphinx, but have a good number of web mummies gone on their side do tomb spiders begin hunting on the surface.
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroysto become a web mummy, the young spiders within it feed upon the decaying internal organs of their host, then hunt self-sustaining species, with male and eat each female sexes, unlike "normal" sphinxes.
* RiddlingSphinx: They'll engage otheruntil 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, whilecreatures using natural weapons run in games of riddles, but only as a feint -- as soon as the risk of being grappled by it.
* TurnsRed: Shouldother creature lets its guard down, the tomb spider dracosphinx will attack.
But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge thatmade 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)\\
'''Challengeis in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
!!Loquasphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 8 (3E)\\
* HybridMonster: They're believed to
* GraveRobbing: As per their name, tomb spiders seek out crypts
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys
* RiddlingSphinx: They'll engage other
* 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
* TurnsRed: Should
But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that
[[/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
!!Loquasphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Deleted line(s) 697 (click to see context) :
Giant flying insects that mostly feed on other oversized arthropods.
Changed line(s) 699,703 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ChestBurster: Spider eaters reproduce by paralyzing Large-sized or larger creatures LanguageOfMagic:
!!Luposphinx
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, andlaying eggs in their bodies, which after six weeks hatch into young that proceed to eat their way out of their host.
* FoodChainOfEvil: Asaren't 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 ignoresmartest sphinxes, but are the webs of their favored prey.
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzedmost civilized, and helpless for six to thirteen ''weeks'', avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than enough time for a spider eater's young to hatch from a host.educated food." %
!!Threskisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
----
!!Luposphinx
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
!!Saurosphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
----
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and
* FoodChainOfEvil: As
* 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
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed
!!Threskisphinx
->'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
----
Changed line(s) 706,714 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Spiker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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.
to:
[[folder:Spider]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the bladelings
Eight-legged arachnids, usually either web-spinners who
Changed line(s) 716,732 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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.
* 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]]
[[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.
to:
* 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 theBladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword spiders have legs that end in sharp, chitinous blades that resemble metallic hue of weapons.
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows the spider to slurp up theirflesh, spikers aren't actually metallic in nature, liquified brains and thus resist acid damage nerves.
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spiders are an old anddon't suffer ill effects recurring enemy type, and can range from rusting attacks.
the size of a dog to the size of a house.
*DarkAgeOfSupernames: Spiker first ItCanThink: Whisper spiders, native to [[Literature/{{Dragonlance}} Krynn]], are Huge web-flingers who are smart enough to understand (but not speak) Common, 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.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."
*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 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, increasing while any weapon that strikes these spiders similarly deteriorates.
* StaircaseTumble: Shadow spiders get theirgear's armor check penalty and decreasing its maximum Dexterity bonus.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Spikers are naturally spiny, love waging war, and tend towards Lawful Neutralname 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 Lawful Evil, making Good spikers slope, then when prey tries to traverse it, the spider sprays a misfit minority layer of slick shadow-silk onto the surface, so that usually ends up leaving Acheron.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spinewyrm]]
[[quoteright:241:https://static.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_spinewyrm_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:241:2e]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_asteroid_spider_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:'''''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:'''Dragon (3E)\\
Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''2-22 (3E)\\
15 (5E)\\
'''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.NeutralEvil
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
* 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
* BrainFood: The aptly-named brain spider uses PsychicPowers to subdue prey, then injects a venom that allows the spider to slurp up their
* GiantSpider: Giant versions of common spiders are an old and
*
*
* StaircaseTumble: Shadow spiders get their
* SpikesOfVillainy: Spikers are naturally spiny, love waging war, and tend towards Lawful Neutral
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spinewyrm]]
[[quoteright:241:https://static.
* 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.
[[caption-width-right:241:2e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
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.
Ten-legged arachnoids that live in Wildspace, lurking in asteroid belts to ambush passing prey.
Changed line(s) 734,743 (click to see context) from:
* {{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]]
[[folder:Spirit Centipede]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_centipede_3e.png]]
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirit Centipede]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_centipede_3e.png]]
to:
*
* ProjectileWebbing: 5E asteroids spiders can fling lengths of webbing to
* ThatsNoMoon: When it wraps its legs tightly around its body
*
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine
* SwallowedWhole: They eat by unhinging
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spirit Centipede]]
!!Bloodsilk Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[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]]
Changed line(s) 745,750 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
'''Classification:''' Outsider
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Spirits appearing as human-headed centipedes, sent by the Celestial Bureaucracy to punish the unjust.
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.
Changed line(s) 752,758 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]
to:
* BeastWithAHumanFace: In ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The spines covering harpoon spiders will damage foes that attack them in melee, but their base forms, they appear as centipedes six inches primary purpose is to four feet long, with vaguely human heads featuring bald pates, bushy mustaches, and nine eyes encircling secure prey. Harpoon spiders can impale a helpless victim upon their skulls.
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:Spirit centipedes can cough up Their bites carry 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 that deals [[NonHealthDamage Constitution or Dexterity damage]], or simply obscuring vision, based 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" onwhat form the spirit centipede is in when it releases the cloud.
their spines.
*VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes YouWillNotEvadeMe: A harpoon spider 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]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
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_spirit_folk_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
* 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:
* {{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
*
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
!!Inferno Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 760,766 (click to see context) from:
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (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.
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (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.
to:
'''Classification:''' Humanoid
'''Challenge Rating:'''
The descendents
Spider-shaped elementals of
Changed line(s) 768,784 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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.
* 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]]
[[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.
to:
* 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 ofDeathByChildbirth: At 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 costend of being susceptible to magic like ''invisibility to spirits''.
* PlaceOfPower: Intheir 2nd Edition rules, bamboo mating ritual, two inferno spiders charge one another, collide and river spirit folk have a connection explode, giving birth to a specific natural feature -- a particular bamboo grove or section hundreds of river -- young.
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered in transparent plating revealing their molten cores, and randomly break out in flames thatallows 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 themto heal themselves by returning to it, but they'll [[{{Synchronization}} suffer brittle and potentially die]] if this natural feature is despoiled 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 ordestroyed.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk can speakattacks them with fish, birds, or any animal, depending on whether they're river, mountain or bamboo spirit folk.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spirit of the Air]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.non-reach melee weapons.]]
!!Phase Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_of_the_air_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:'''org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_phase_spider_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast(3E)\\
(3E), Fey Beast (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''11 (3E)\\
5 (3E), 8 (4E), 3 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Simian beings with bat-like wings, who whimsically fly for the joy of it, but are bound to serve powersUnaligned
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of thewind and sky.Ethereal Plane at will.
* 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
* 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
* PlaceOfPower: In
* LivingLava: Inferno spiders' bodies are covered in transparent plating revealing their molten cores, and randomly break out in flames that
* 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
* 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
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk can speak
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spirit of the Air]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
!!Phase Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:'''
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Simian beings with bat-like wings, who whimsically fly for the joy of it, but are bound to serve powers
Large arachnids which can slip in and out of the
Changed line(s) 786,801 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
* 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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
to:
* 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 ofArtEvolution: Phase spiders have actually gotten ''more'' spidery over the air can transform into a damaging whirlwind for up to 10 rounds, once per day.
* HappyPlace: Their ''AD&D'' entry explainseditions, as they originally had humanoid faces that in "the small space 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 thedrawing Ethereal and releasing of Material Planes, a single breath," spirits of the air rage and plot phase spider can use HitAndRunTactics 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 its unsuspecting victims largely without fear of reprisal.
* ItCanThink: Phase spiders aretheir true existence and their time far more intelligent than any normal spider. The average phase spider is at least as servants is a dream. "Each life is as rich and detailed smart 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]]
[[folder:Spirit of the Land]]
average ogre or hill giant.
!!Tentacle Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_of_the_land_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tentacle_spider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Earth manifestation (3e)]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:'''''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:'''Fey Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''23 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.ChaoticEvil
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to spiders.
* ElementalShapeshifting: In 3rd Edition, spirits of
* HappyPlace: Their ''AD&D'' entry explains
* {{Intangibility}}: Thanks to its ability to shift between the
* ItCanThink: Phase spiders are
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirit of the Land]]
!!Tentacle Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
Human-sized, tentacled, web-spinning creatures with some resemblance to spiders.
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* 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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]
to:
* 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 CombatTentacles: Instead of fangs, 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 mosttentacle 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 thefey dormant for initial moniker given by explorers has stuck.
* ProjectileWebbing: Tentacle spiders can throw aday.
* GeniusLoci: They embody either a specific, bounded landform - a valley, a desert, a lake - or one aspect of such terrain, inwrithing web, which case multiple spirits of holds its targets fast and prevents movement. More disturbingly, exposure to the land can coexist in air causes the same region. They're aware of everything that happens in their domain, web to coil and while usually dormant, will awaken and punish anyone that would ravage the land under their protection.
twist like tentacles, which helps it entrap prey.
*{{Intangibility}}[=/=]InvisibleMonsters: In its SpiderSwarm: Unlike natural form, a spirit of spiders, tentacle spiders are pack hunters, and may even form colonies high in 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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
trees.
!!Tomb Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_tomb_spider_3e.jpg]]
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of a spirit of the land's elemental manifestation at most
* 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
* ProjectileWebbing: Tentacle spiders can throw a
* GeniusLoci: They embody either a specific, bounded landform - a valley, a desert, a lake - or one aspect of such terrain, in
*
* 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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
!!Tomb Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
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->'''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.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 18 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
Magical Beast (3E), Shadow Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''18 (3E)\\
2 (broodswarm), 4 (web mummy), 6 (tomb spider) (3E); 11 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''LawfulEvil
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.NeutralEvil
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy, and which seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in an ever-widening spiral pattern of destruction.
Withered, horse-sized spiders suffused with negative energy, and which seek out humanoid corpses to infest with their young.
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BioweaponBeast: Spirraxes were created by the inhabitants 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 an ancient demiplane that fell victim to a magical catastrophe, dooming tiny tomb spiders grow within it.
* GraveRobbing: As per theircivilization name, tomb spiders seek out crypts and burial grounds to decay. Out provide corpses for their young. Only after they have a good number of desperation, web mummies on their side do tomb spiders begin hunting on the demiplane's inhabitants sent surface.
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys a web mummy, thespirraxes to young spiders within it feed upon the decaying internal organs of their host, then hunt and eat each other planes 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 toconsume living matter, convert it to energy, and transfer that positive energy back to and makes negative energy heal them, as if they were undead. Their poisonous bites cause their home demiplane in an attempt victims to halt its destruction.
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, a spirrax tears open a planar rift that lastsbe the same for a few rounds, sucking its body and potentially others within 150 feet minute.
* SpiderSwarm: If a tomb mummy is destroyed, a tomb spider broodswarm boils out of the corpse, ready toa random other plane.
attack.
*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 auraStickySituation: Weapons that can cause other strike at a web mummy are in danger of getting stuck, while 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 shouldusing natural weapons run 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 hintrisk of communicating with others of their kind should multiple spirraxes work to consume being grappled by it.
* TurnsRed: Should thesame 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 aftertomb spider 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.made it be slain, a tomb mummy flies into a rage, gaining a bonus on attack rolls.
* GraveRobbing: As per their
* MonstrousCannibalism: If nothing destroys a web mummy, the
* ProjectileWebbing: Like other monstrous spiders, tomb spiders can throw their webbing like nets.
* ReviveKillsZombie: Their tomb-tainted souls render tomb spiders vulnerable to
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, a spirrax tears open a planar rift that lasts
* SpiderSwarm: If a tomb mummy is destroyed, a tomb spider broodswarm boils out of the corpse, ready to
*
* EmotionBomb: They're surrounded by an indifference aura
* 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
* 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
* TurnsRed: Should the
* 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
* TentacleRope: They can grab foes they strike with their tentacles, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constiution drain]] as the spirrax consumes their life force.
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Murderous fey
Giant flying insects that
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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, theChestBurster: Spider eaters reproduce by paralyzing Large-sized or larger creatures show no attachment to a specific part of the environment, and might end up transported to entirely new cities laying eggs in their bodies, which after stowing away on a ship.
six weeks hatch into young that proceed to eat their way out of their host.
*GreenThumb: These fey FoodChainOfEvil: As the name implies, these things mostly eat giant spiders.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Provided sufficient training, spider eaters cancause serve as exotic flying mounts.
* NoSell: They're under athorny branch to sprout from any nomagical wooden structure around them, constant ''freedom of movement'' effect, which allows them to ignore 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 webs 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 eventheir tongues are studded with wooden barbs favored prey.
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed andsplinters.
* SpikeShooter: They can spithelpless for six to thirteen ''weeks'', more than enough time for a splinter of wood as spider eater's young to hatch from a ranged attack, and can apply sneak attack damage if the target is close enough.host.
* 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
*
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Provided sufficient training, spider eaters can
* NoSell: They're under a
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are covered in patches of thorns, they have wooden spines for "hair," and even
* TheParalyzer: Their stings inject a poison that can leave a victim paralyzed and
* SpikeShooter: They can spit
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[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and dangerous, one-eyed gazes.
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and dangerous, one-eyed gazes.
to:
[[quoteright:282:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and dangerous, one-eyed gazes.
Humanoids covered in metallic spines, making them relatives of the bladelings who similarly live on the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron.
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* EyeBeams: In ''AD&D'', AlienBlood: Like the eye bladelings', spikers' is black and oily.
* BloodKnight: Fittingly for creatures ofa sporebat can fire a ray 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 ofdamaging poison, while in 3rd Edition it is instead an ''enervation'' effect, inflicting [[LevelDrain negative levels]].
* ItCanThink: Sporebats display clear intelligence intheir 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 sporebatflesh, 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, butherbivores will happily munch on them, while some humanoid societies consider sporebat a delicacy.
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, ableit interferes with spikers' attempts to fly in total silence and blend into shadows for concealment. Even infravision is useless against them, since wear armor, increasing their body temperature is the same as their surroundings. 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.
* BloodKnight: Fittingly for creatures of
* ChromeChampion: Subverted; despite the metallic hue of
* ItCanThink: Sporebats display clear intelligence in
* {{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
* 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
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able
* 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.
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[[folder:Spriggan]]
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->'''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.
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[[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.
to:
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->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/DarkSun''\\
'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Ugly, malicious gnome-kin who rob and terrorize other creatures, aided by
Relatives of the silk wyrm, these 30-foot-long flying serpents can be seen during daytime but usually start their
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BackStab: {{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 Editionspriggans can deal sneak attack damage like rogues.
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganizedentry describes spinewyrms as "the closest thing Athas has to exist as anything other than roving packs of brigands, who cause trouble in a traditional ''D&D'' dragon," and gives them an area until they're driven out.
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settingsimmunity to paralysis 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, ''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 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 cleantheir equipment, and thus reek of earth, sweat and rancid flesh.
lairs.]]
*SizeShifter: Among other spell-like abilities, spriggans SpikeShooter: They can replicate an ''enlarge'' effect at will, growing launch volleys of spines from Small to Large size and gaining a corresponding boost to Strength and Constitution, at the expense of their Armor Class 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]]'' andattack bonus.''[[{{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.
* 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
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganized
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settings
* ThePigPen: They are disgustingly filthy creatures who never bathe or clean
*
* StealthExpert: 2nd Edition spinewyrms combine their ''[[ChameleonCamouflage chameleon power]]'' and
* 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.
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[[folder:Sprite]]
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
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->'''Classification:''' Fey (5E)\\
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and groves.
Spirits appearing as human-headed centipedes, sent by the Celestial Bureaucracy to punish the unjust.
Changed line(s) 890,895 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* TheEmpath: Sprites can put BeastWithAHumanFace: In their hands upon another creature base forms, they appear as centipedes six inches to four feet long, with vaguely human heads featuring bald pates, bushy mustaches, and sense nine eyes encircling their emotional state by skulls.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can cough up a poisonous black cloud, thebeating size of their heart, or even [[DetectEvil discern which varies upon the creature's alignment]] or [[MySensorsIndicateYouWantToTapThat know if they're in love.]]
* GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenderspower of the forest and sworn enemies creature. The effects 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 apoison that puts targets range from inducing [[TheParalyzer paralysis]] or [[ForcedSleep unconsciousness]], to sleep.
dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constitution or Dexterity damage]], or simply obscuring vision, based on what form the spirit centipede is in when it releases the cloud.
*{{Invisibility}}: They VoluntaryShapeshifting: Spirit centipedes can turn invisible at will.
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees,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 even in willing treants.spiders.
* PoisonousPerson: Spirit centipedes can cough up a poisonous black cloud, the
* GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenders
* 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
*
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees,
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[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
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->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ravening blobs of eyes, teeth and scales from both chromatic and metallic dragons.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ravening blobs of eyes, teeth and scales from both chromatic and metallic dragons.
to:
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 1E, 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Ravening blobs
The descendents of
Changed line(s) 907,912 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BlobMonster: They're amorphous masses AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: 2nd Edition describes spirit folk as fitting human ideals of scales, ExtraEyes beauty but having unusual skin tones, pale yellow or gold for bamboo spirit folk, dark green-brown or gray for sea spirit folk, and TooManyMouths, leading to speculation that 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'rerelated to gibbering beasts. In practical terms, squamous spewers' fluid anatomy means also beings of the sprit world.
* NoSell: As theycan't be flanked and aren't subject to {{Critical Hit}}s.
* DragonAncestry: Theyhave 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.
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''.
*ItCanThink: Despite PlaceOfPower: In their freakish appearance, 2nd Edition rules, bamboo and in contrast river spirit folk have a connection to gibbering mouthers, 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'refully 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 coneriver, mountain 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.bamboo spirit folk.
* 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
* NoSell: As they
* DragonAncestry: They
*
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Once per day, spirit folk can speak with fish, birds, or any animal, depending on whether they're
* 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
* 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.
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[[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.
[[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.
to:
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->'''Alignment:'''
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 11 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Changed line(s) 922,927 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AttackAnimal: If raised from infancy, squealers BlowYouAway: They can be trained as guard animals capable of learning several commands, use magic like ''control winds'' and known ''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 forbeing loyal 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 theirmasters.
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?"
*ItCanThink: Squealers PrehensileTail: Their tails are strong and dexterous enough to wield heavy maces in combat.
* ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren'tbrilliant, bound to any specific power, but any entity related to the winds can demand 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.service.
* ElementalShapeshifting: In 3rd Edition, spirits of the air can transform into a damaging whirlwind for
* 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
*
* ServantRace: Spirits of the air live free and aren't
* 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.
Changed line(s) 930,933 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Ssurran]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:4e]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_ssurran_4e.png[[/labelnote]]]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:Earth manifestation (3e)]]
Changed line(s) 935,939 (click to see context) from:
'''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.
'''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.
to:
'''Classification:''' Natural Humanoid (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
Fey (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''4 (4E), 1/2 (5E)\\
23 (3E)\\
'''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.TrueNeutral
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Sometimes known as "sandscale lizardfolk," these reptilian humanoids are nomadic desert-dwellers who do whatever it takes to survive their harsh homeland.
A mighty nature spirit that defends a specific geographic region from despoilers.
Changed line(s) 941,946 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ArtEvolution: In 2nd ElementalPowers: They can use powerful magic like ''chain lightning'', ''incendiary cloud'', ''earthquake'', 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''create water'' at will, which is usually have shamans casting divine magic instead.
* ToServeMan: Ssurrans are dedicated carnivores who are perfectly happysufficient to eat those they slay deal with threats to their domains. When it wishes, a spirit of the land can physically manifest in battle, or feast on captives. 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: Theyparticularly enjoy 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 taste land can coexist in the same region. They're aware of halfling flesh.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''.
* 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
* ToServeMan: Ssurrans are dedicated carnivores who are perfectly happy
* FightingAShadow: The destruction of a spirit of the land's elemental manifestation at most renders the fey dormant for a day.
* GeniusLoci: They
* {{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''.
Changed line(s) 949,957 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Also known as ''vah'k'rel''
Gargantuan, floating, tentacled terrors that methodically consume living matter in
Changed line(s) 959,965 (click to see context) from:
* 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}}.
* 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}}.
to:
* FlyingSeafoodSpecial: A star lancer resembles BioweaponBeast: Spirraxes were created by the inhabitants of an ancient demiplane that fell victim to a shark 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 withfour wings and a long serpentine tail.
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a star lancer rams with its horn,over 150 pounds of adamantine, which [[DashAttack deals extra can be repurposed should the monster be defeated or driven off.
* PowerOfTheVoid: They can make "void blast" attacks, dealing horrendous NonElemental damageduring in a charge.120-foot line or 30-foot radius, leaving behind [[ReducedToDust a fine powder]] and [[EmptyPilesOfClothing discarded equipment.]]
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Githyanki employ star lancers as mounts, especially for stealth actions in which dragons or astral skiffs would attract too much attention.
* {{Invisibility}}: TheyTheSpeechless: Spirraxes are quite intelligent, but never speak, and don't show any hint of communicating with others of their riders can turn ''invisible'' three times per day.
* {{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations ofkind should multiple spirraxes work to consume the most ardent followers same area.
* SubsystemDamage: If a spirrax is reduced to a quarter ofa nameless dead god whose corpse lies floating in the Astral Sea.
* RespawnPoint: When a star lancer dies,its soul instantly returns hit points, its shell collapses, exposing its putrid form to the hollow heart world (and sickening those who get within 10 feet of it), but also reducing its god. There, a fully grown star lancer rises magically from Armor Class by half, and negating its DamageReduction and ability to fly. If the cavern floor spirrax takes damage again after that point, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm it'll try to]] ''[[KnowWhenToFoldEm plane shift]]'' [[KnowWhenToFoldEm back to its home demiplane to recover and becomes the soul's new host.
rebuild its shell.]]
*SapientSteed: Star lancers are about as smart TentacleRope: They can grab foes they strike with their tentacles, dealing [[NonHealthDamage Constiution drain]] as the average human, and capable of conversing in Celestial or via {{telepathy}}.spirrax consumes their life force.
* 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
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a star lancer rams with its horn,
* PowerOfTheVoid: They can make "void blast" attacks, dealing horrendous NonElemental damage
*
* {{Invisibility}}: They
* {{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations of
* SubsystemDamage: If a spirrax is reduced to a quarter of
* RespawnPoint: When a star lancer dies,
*
Changed line(s) 968,974 (click to see context) from:
[[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]].
->'''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]].
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_splinterwaif_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (standard), 6 (knave) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''
The servitors of malevolent stars, descended to the world of mortals to spread madness
Murderous fey that dwell within cities, lurking around wooden shacks, lumber piles and
For the creatures 5th Edition dubs "star spawn," see the [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesF "foulspawn" folder]].
Changed line(s) 976,985 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* FightingAShadow: Each star spawn is BackStab: They can deal sneak attack damage like a rogue, and the avatar "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 astar, sent dryad who somehow survived her oak being cut down and converted into a city structure. However, the creatures show no attachment 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 starsspecific part of the night sky, who gaze upon 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 theworld with splinterwaif can command to attack or grab opponents. They can also [[DisposingOfABody convert a mixture dead humanoid's body into a thorny brush]] over the course of hatred, anger and hunger.
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawna minute -- such plants don't radiate magic, but a body so converted can only reach the world when their host star be restored to life by magic like ''true resurrection'' or ''miracle''. A bunch of small, thorny shrubs in an empty lot or lumberyard 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 clue that can predict future attacks, "but he, his tower, and all his works simply vanished one starless night, leaving a splinterwaif is behind only a smooth, glass-coated crater.
!!Heraldsome local disappearances.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are covered in patches ofHadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.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]]
[[folder:Sporebat]]
[[quoteright:282:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sporebat_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:282:2e]]
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''15 (4E)
Avatars of the dying red star Hadar, which was infamously once the brightest star in the night sky, until it flared10 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans andfaded during the fall of Bael Turath.dangerous, one-eyed gazes.
* 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
* SentientStars: The star spawn are sent by baleful stars
* GreenThumb: These fey can cause a thorny branch to sprout from any nomagical wooden structure around them, which the
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn
!!Herald
* SpikesOfVillainy: Splinterwaifs' bark-like bodies are covered in patches of
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
* 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]]
[[folder:Sporebat]]
[[quoteright:282:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Classification:''' Plant (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Avatars of the dying red star Hadar, which was infamously once the brightest star in the night sky, until it flared
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Flying fungoid predators with eight-foot wingspans and
Changed line(s) 987,998 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AntiRegeneration: Their "Breath EyeBeams: In ''AD&D'', the eye of a Dying Star" attack prevents victims from recovering hit points until 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, theysave 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 anlead 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 tosustain it.
* IncreasinglyLethalEnemy: They can make additional "Hungry Claw" attacks each roundsix young sporebats within a combat encounter continues.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: A herald of Hadar looks like a crazed human, save for its eyes, whichday. This incidentally means that carnivores have Hadar's dim red glow 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 tothem.
* TurnsRed: Whenever a nearby creature spends a healing surge, a herald of Hadar can react by moving closer to the creature, make an immediate attackfly in total silence and blend into shadows for concealment. Even infravision is useless against it, recharge an encounter power, or gain an attack roll bonus.
!!Maw of Acamar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.them, since their body temperature is the same as their surroundings.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spriggan]]
[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maw_of_acamar_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spriggan_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:270:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''15 3 (3E), 8 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (2E), Any Chaotic (3E), Evil (4E)
Avatars of the corpse-star Acamar, which devours Ugly, malicious gnome-kin who rob and terrorize other stars that draw too close, just as its maws consume everything in creatures, aided by their path as they wander the world.ability to change size at will.
* 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
* HungryMenace: A herald of Hadar feeds upon living creatures' LifeEnergy, which it channels back to its flickering ember of a creator in an
* {{Planimal}}: They're flying, carnivorous fungi who reproduce by pairing up and shedding spores over a fresh kill, yielding a clutch of up to
* IncreasinglyLethalEnemy: They can make additional "Hungry Claw" attacks each round
* RedEyesTakeWarning: A herald of Hadar looks like a crazed human, save for its eyes, which
* StealthExpert: Sporebats are extraordinarily (but not supernaturally) stealthy, able to
* 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
!!Maw of Acamar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spriggan]]
[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Classification:''' Fey (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (2E), Any Chaotic (3E), Evil (4E)
Changed line(s) 1000,1010 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CelestialBody: They look like humanoid starscapes clad in tattered robes.
* DamageOverTime: Many of their attacksBackStab: 3rd Edition spriggans can deal ongoing sneak attack damage (making maws like rogues.
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganized to exist as anything other than roving packs ofAcamar deadly brigands, who cause trouble in numbers), and their "Destroyer of Life" ability means that adjacent enemies don't end such effects on a successful save, they only reduce an area until they're driven out.
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settings or editions they're theongoing damage.
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Mawsdescendents of Acamar basically 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 arewalking, fantastic black holes, surrounded by a howling vortex of wind that pulls nearby disgustingly filthy creatures towards them, and rending victims with who never bathe or clean their devouring touch.
equipment, and thus reek of earth, sweat and rancid flesh.
*YouShallNotEvadeMe: They SizeShifter: Among other spell-like abilities, spriggans can pull victims closer with 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 "Corpse Star's Grip" ability, Armor Class and are surrounded by an aura that makes moving away from them cost extra movement.
!!Scion of Gibbeth
attack bonus.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sprite]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_scion_of_gibbeth_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sprite_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''17 (4E)
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and groves.
* DamageOverTime: Many of their attacks
* BarbarianTribe: Fortunately for everyone else, spriggans are too disorganized to exist as anything other than roving packs of
* OurGnomesAreWeirder: In some settings or editions they're the
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws
* ThePigPen: They are
*
!!Scion of Gibbeth
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sprite]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Classification:''' Fey (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Tiny winged fey who militantly defend their sylvan glades and groves.
Changed line(s) 1012,1024 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ApocalypseCult: Unlike other star spawn, scions of Gibbeth are willing to tolerate certain mortals drawn to them, mainly prophets, lunatics and cultists.
* AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder: NobodyTheEmpath: Sprites can agree what a scion of Gibbeth looks like -- "Some see a green-skinned, horned giant, while others report a red, spiderlike put their hands upon another creature with a child's face and sense their emotional state by the beating of their heart, 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.even [[DetectEvil discern the creature's alignment]] or [[MySensorsIndicateYouWantToTapThat know if they're in love.]]
*DeadlyGaze: Their "Mind-Splintering Gaze" GoodIsNotNice: Though good defenders of the forest and "Gibbeth's Baleful Glare" attacks deal psychic damage.
* EmotionBomb: Scionssworn enemies of Gibbeth evil fey and goblinoids, sprites 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 reducednoted to 0 hit points, this star spawn inflicts the "Revelation of Gibbeth" upon nearby creatures, forcing those who succumb to attack lack warmth or compassion, and are much more serious about their allies until they snap out of it.
duties than the flighty pixies.
*SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a scroll about hostile stars, 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 say about Gibbeth, only 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"Better not puts targets to write sleep.
* {{Invisibility}}: They can turn invisible at will.
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees, orthink overlong on this greenish point even in the sky."
!!Spawn of Ulban
willing treants.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_ulban_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''26 (4E)
Heralded by blue comets, the spawn7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ravening blobs ofUlban foment rebellion eyes, teeth and infighting wherever they crawl.scales from both chromatic and metallic dragons.
* AppearanceIsInTheEyeOfTheBeholder: Nobody
*
* EmotionBomb: Scions
* SetAMookToKillAMook: When reduced
*
* ForcedSleep: Their arrows deal little damage, but are coated in a poison that
* {{Invisibility}}: They can turn invisible at will.
* TreetopTown: Sprites build little villages high in trees, or
!!Spawn of Ulban
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Challenge
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Heralded by blue comets, the spawn
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Ravening blobs of
Changed line(s) 1026,1038 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* ColdFlames: 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 canhurl "[[TechnicolorFire Bluefire]]" come from three of a spewer's mouths at foes that the same time) is considered both cold and randomized, either a cone or line of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage.
*ImmuneToMindControl: Anything that attempts to ''dominate'' a spawn of Ulban [[AttackReflector falls under its control instead.]]
* MindControl:SuperSenses: Their "Ripple keen sense of Betrayal" burst attack smell and echolocation give them the benefit of blindsight out to 60 feet.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Three times per day they 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 tolet loose a victim, and forces MightyRoar that victim can cause those within 60 feet to attack an ally.
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble the tentacles of starfishbecome panicked or cephalopods.
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.shaken.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squealer]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_emissary_of_caiphon_and_serpent_of_nihal_4e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squealer_2e.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.[[caption-width-right:300:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Ogre-sized, three-armed, porcine predators adept at moving through their forest habitats.
* 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
*
* MindControl:
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Three times per day they can
* 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
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble the tentacles of starfish
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Squealer]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''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.
->'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Ogre-sized, three-armed, porcine predators adept at moving through their forest habitats.
Changed line(s) 1040,1050 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AttackReflector: Any attempt to blind an emissary AttackAnimal: If raised from infancy, squealers can be trained as guard animals capable of Caiphon with an effect instead blinds its attacker.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: The star Caiphon sits near the horizon, acting as a year-round guide star,learning several commands, and seems to grow brighter during disasters. This can lead the desperate to plead to the star known for assistance, and when such prayers grow strong enough, an emissary of Caiphon is sent being loyal 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 gettingtheir followers killed.
masters.
*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 ItCanThink: Squealers aren't brilliant, but their saves 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 aturn.
!!Serpentbranch 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 ofNihal
->'''Challengeother sounds, from the wails of a humanoid baby to screams of terror.
[[/folder]]
[[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:'''29 (4E)
The reddish Nihal is4 (4E), 1/2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral or LawfulEvil (2E), Any (5E)
Sometimes known asthe 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."sandscale lizardfolk," these reptilian humanoids are nomadic desert-dwellers who do whatever it takes to survive their harsh homeland.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: The star Caiphon sits near the horizon, acting as a year-round guide star,
* {{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
*
* KillerBearHug: Squealers are known to hang from a
!!Serpent
* 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
->'''Challenge
[[/folder]]
[[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:'''
The reddish Nihal is
'''Alignment:''' LawfulNeutral or LawfulEvil (2E), Any (5E)
Sometimes known as
Changed line(s) 1052,1073 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DimensionalTraveler: Serpents of Nihal wind in ArtEvolution: In 2nd and out of the cosmos, and can blink out of existence if an attack against 4th Edition, ssurrans are somewhat sturdier, sand-colored lizardfolk, but 5th Edition redesigns 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 celestialwith elongated, snakelike bodies, Allabar has no fixed path or location in thin limbs, and almost avian, beaked faces.
* DesertBandits: In their home setting, some ssurran tribes survive by raiding other humanoid settlements, looting and eating theheavens, but moves as it wills. Whenever corpses of those they kill, stripping the Opener village 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' workvaluables, 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.then moving on.
*CombatTentacles: Allabar's surface seems to be covered in them, and it lashes foes with its tentacles in combat. Worse, its "Wrath LizardFolk: They've been described as "lizard men 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 bodiesdesert," 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 weakenedare considered lizardfolk for all intents and insubstantial, dealing and receiving halved damage. With three failed saves, a victim [[HPTo1 drops purposes.
* MadeASlave: On Athas, many young ssurrans are captured by slavers to0 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 heroesbe raised as gladiators. Those "civilized" ssurrans who end up fighting Allabar are likely battling earn their freedom can often make a Gargantuan avatar, or the good living planet has reduced its size somehow.
as bodyguards, mercenaries, or desert trackers.
*GravityMaster: As a hostile planet, Allabar can pull PsychicPowers: Oddly enough averted in opponents using its gravity well.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a trickster entitymost editions, despite the ssurrans' debut in the psionics-heavy ''Dark Sun'' setting, and it's only in 5E that incites other stars 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 towar, eat those they slay in battle, or in other accounts, feast on captives. They particularly enjoy the greatest taste 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.halfling flesh.
* 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
* DesertBandits: In their home setting, some ssurran tribes survive by raiding other humanoid settlements, looting and eating the
----
* 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
*
* CoupDeGrace: Should any nearby enemies drop to 0 hit point, Allabar quickly absorbs them into its fleshy bulk, devouring the bodies
* 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
* MadeASlave: On Athas, many young ssurrans are captured by slavers to
* 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
*
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a trickster entity
* ToServeMan: Ssurrans are dedicated carnivores who are perfectly happy to
* TurnsRed: When bloodied, Allabar retaliates by sprouting more tentacles to attack in a flurry.
Changed line(s) 1076,1083 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[folder:Star Spawn Emissary]]
[[quoteright:194:https://static.Lancer]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_star_spawn_emissary_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_star_lancer_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:'''''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:'''Aberration Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''19 (lesser), 21 (greater) (5E)
Shapeshifting agents2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within the husk ofhostile a dead god drifting on the Astral Plane, and alien dimensions, who infiltrate mortal societies to set are used as mounts by the stage for an apocalypse.githyanki.
[[quoteright:194:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Shapeshifting agents
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Also known as ''vah'k'rel'' in Gith, these creatures reside within the husk of
Changed line(s) 1085,1092 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* EldritchAbomination: In its "lesser" form, FlyingSeafoodSpecial: A star lancer resembles a shark with four wings and a long serpentine tail.
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a starspawn emissary is "a roughly bipedal mas of agitated organs, self-cannibalizing alien orifices, 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 andappendages suggestive of forms it has previously devoured." They're even worse in their "greater" form, which "sheds all pretense riders can turn ''invisible'' three times per day.
* {{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations ofbeing part the most ardent followers of a plane's reality and openly mocks it."
nameless dead god whose corpse lies floating in the Astral Sea.
*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 thatRespawnPoint: When 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 damagelancer dies, its soul instantly returns to the hollow heart of its god. There, 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 afully grown 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 lancer rises magically from the meat cavern floor and voices of every form becomes the emissary has ever mimicked."]] If it isn't slain in its "greater" form soul's new host.
* SapientSteed: Star lancers are about as smart as the average human, andkilled 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 landscapecapable of gnashing teeth and maws, difficult terrain that damages anything moving across it.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: A "lesser" emissary can freely take the form of any Smallconversing in Celestial 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.via {{telepathy}}.
* HornAttack: Rather than biting foes, a star
* 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
* {{Reincarnation}}: Star lancers are reincarnations of
*
* HopeCrusher: It's mentioned that
* MindRape: A "lesser" emissary can make a "psychic lash" legendary action, dealing heavy psychic damage
* OneWingedAngel: If a
* SapientSteed: Star lancers are about as smart as the average human, and
* TooManyMouths: The "greater" emissary is depicted with multiple maws, and can take a legendary action to warp the ground around them into a landscape
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: A "lesser" emissary can freely take the form of any Small
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary can take a legendary action to teleport 30 feet and immediately attack a target with a lashing maw.
Changed line(s) 1095,1101 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starfly_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
->'''Classification:''' Aberrant Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''
Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.
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]].
Changed line(s) 1103,1116 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 fruitFightingAShadow: Each star spawn is the mobile stage avatar of a much larger plant form. Should star, sent to wreak havoc. Some stars only have a starfly encounter 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 acomet, it lands mixture of hatred, anger and takes root, growing into hunger.
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn can only reach the world when their host star is in asapling 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 digests the comet's water can predict future attacks, "but he, his tower, and minerals, then develops reflective leaves it uses to focus sunlight on the comet, and eventually grows all his works simply vanished one starless night, leaving behind only 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.smooth, glass-coated crater.
!!Herald of Hadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_starlight_apparition_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_herald_of_hadar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or15 (4E)
Avatars of theAstral Sea, seeking to help someone accomplish a daunting task.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.
* 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
* SentientStars: The star spawn are sent by baleful stars of the night sky, who gaze upon the world with a
* WhenThePlanetsAlign: Star spawn can only reach the world when their host star is in a
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starlight Apparition]]
[[quoteright:215:https://static.
!!Herald of Hadar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' NeutralGood
Luminous, ghostly beings found in Wildspace or
Avatars of the
Changed line(s) 1118,1131 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* LightEmUp: With a touch or a gesture, a starlight apparition can cause an eruption AntiRegeneration: Their "Breath of radiant energy that damages and potentially [[BlindedByTheLight blinds]] foes.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren'ta soul trapped in the mortal world Dying Star" attack prevents victims from recovering hit points until some UnfinishedBusiness is done, they died in Wildspace or on save to shake off the Astral Plane, then moved on effect.
* HungryMenace: A herald of Hadar feeds upon living creatures' LifeEnergy, which it channels back tothe afterlife. But with the help its flickering ember of a god or powerful celestial, they managed creator in an attempt 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. sustain it.
* IncreasinglyLethalEnemy: Theydo, 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 ancan make additional 20 feet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starsnake]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static."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_starsnake_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_maw_of_acamar_4e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep through most15 (4E)
Avatars of theday and night, but can be seen flying at twilight.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.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: They're not classified as undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't
* HungryMenace: A herald of Hadar feeds upon living creatures' LifeEnergy, which it channels back to
* IncreasinglyLethalEnemy: They
* PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, and dim light for an
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Starsnake]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
* 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.
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep through most
Avatars of the
Changed line(s) 1133,1148 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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.
* {{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]]
[[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.
to:
* CounterAttack: When sleeping, a starsnake builds up electrical energy that damages anyone who touches them or tries to attack with a metal weapon. CelestialBody: 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, suggestionslook like humanoid starscapes clad in intelligent beings.
tattered robes.
*TrulySingleParent: Starsnakes are hermaphrodites who can reproduce without others DamageOverTime: Many of their kind, attacks deal ongoing damage (making maws of Acamar deadly in numbers), and in fact detest each other's company.
* WiseSerpent: Starsnakes are not only smart enough to speak Sylvan and learn other languages,their Intelligence "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, andWisdom scores are an impressive 16, while rending victims with their Charisma comes in at a whopping 26.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Steel Predator]]
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/steel_predator_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challengeorg/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_scion_of_gibbeth_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''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.17 (4E)
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.
* {{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
*
* WiseSerpent: Starsnakes are not only smart enough to speak Sylvan and learn other languages,
* UnrealisticBlackHole: Maws of Acamar basically are walking, fantastic black holes, surrounded by a howling vortex of wind that pulls nearby creatures towards them, and
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Steel Predator]]
* 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.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Immortal Animate (4E), Construct (5E)\\
'''Challenge
[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), Evil (4E), LawfulEvil (5E)
Metallic feline hunters that would be formidable in battle even without their sonic roars.
Creations of the cursed green star Gibbeth, which is prophesized to plunge the world into insanity during the end times.
Changed line(s) 1150,1168 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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.
* 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]]
[[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.
to:
* 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: LikeApocalypseCult: Unlike other "big cat"-type 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,3rd Edition steel predators can make a pounce and rake forcing those who succumb to 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 withtheir bites.
allies until they snap out of it.
*{{Retcon}}: In 3rd Edition, steel predators are outsiders native SpeakOfTheDevil: The ''Revelations of Melech'', a scroll about hostile stars, has little 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 featuresay about Gibbeth, only that has remained constant is "Better not to write or think overlong on this greenish point in 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 presencesky."
!!Spawn ofany metallic magic item from up to 120 feet away.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Steelwing]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.Ulban
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_steelwing_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_ulban_4e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge[[caption-width-right:350:4e]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''14 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Intelligent raptors from26 (4E)
Heralded by blue comets, theInfernal Battlefield spawn of Acheron, notable for their adamantine feathers Ulban foment rebellion and 30-foot wingspan.infighting wherever they crawl.
* DeadlyLunge: Like
* 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,
* 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
*
* SuperScream: One feature
* 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
!!Spawn of
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Steelwing]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Intelligent raptors from
Heralded by blue comets, the
Changed line(s) 1170,1187 (click to see context) from:
* 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]]
[[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.
* 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]]
[[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.
to:
* CraftedFromAnimals: Steelwing feathers ColdFlames: They 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 conehurl "[[TechnicolorFire Bluefire]]" at foes that deals a massive amount of slashing is considered both cold and fire damage.
*HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor and his followers have tamed a great many steelwings for an aerie in his Scourgehold, though the birds require exotic saddles ImmuneToMindControl: Anything that attempts to protect their riders from their feathers.
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable''dominate'' a spawn of speech and a little smarter than ogres. They still live as predators, hunting both Acheron's petitioners and visitors to the plane.
Ulban [[AttackReflector falls under its control instead.]]
*RazorWings: MindControl: Their razor-sharp wings are not only effective in combat, they have a 1-in-5 chance "Ripple of landing a CriticalHit.
Betrayal" burst attack can ''dominate'' foes.
*TheSpiny: Steelwings are perpetually surrounded by a [[PerpetualMolt cloud PowerNullifier: The blue-white light of feathers]] that Ulban interferes with seers' attempts to provide guidance or see the future.
* SetAMookToKillAMook: Their "Touch of Strife" dealsa moderate amount of psychic damage to adjacent creatures, a victim, and provides forces that victim to attack an ally.
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble thesteelwings with concealment.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Stirge]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tentacles of starfish or cephalopods.
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249: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)\\
'''Challengeorg/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:'''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.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.
* 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
*
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable
*
*
* SetAMookToKillAMook: Their "Touch of Strife" deals
* TentacledTerror: Though their upper torsos are humanoid, their lower bodies resemble the
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Stirge]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
!!Emissary of Caiphon
[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.
[[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
[[caption-width-right:249:An Emissary of Caiphon with a Serpent of Nihal (4e)]]
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures that feed on larger animals' blood.
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.
Changed line(s) 1189,1203 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AmbushingEnemy: Desert stirges are flightless, 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, andhunt 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 byburying Need" ability to render itself and every ally ''except'' a particular one invisible to a specific enemy.
* LieToTheBeholder: They can disguise themselvesin as a Medium or Small humanoid, though a high Insight check will pierce 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.
illusion.
*ArtEvolution: Depictions TreacherousAdvisor: An emissary of stirges are somewhat inconstant. They gained a second pair Caiphon makes suggestions that sound reasonable -- perhaps the lord of wings between 2nd and 3rd Edition, and in addition some depictions give them greater proportions of birdlike traits or depict a town gripped by a plague has a cure he isn't sharing -- that end up getting their probosces as rigid beaks or hooked noses.
followers killed.
*FantasticFaunaCounterpart: In most regards, they act as a fantastical counterpart to mosquitoes WindsOfDestinyChange: An emissary of Caiphon is surrounded by an aura that imposes penalties on enemies' saving throws, and vampire bats.
* MixAndMatchCritters: Whilecan hit a target with an "Invocation of Calamity" that causes them to automatically fail their specific appearance and proportions change between editions, stirges usually resemble mixes saves for a turn.
!!Serpent ofvultures, 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\\
'''ChallengeNihal
->'''Challenge Rating:'''4 (5E)
Human-sized29 (4E)
The reddish Nihal is known as the Serpent Star for its writhing path through the heavens, and is served by snake-like creatureswith stirge features, born from arcane experiments or a stirge drinking the blood that similarly slither through reality in search of a well-fed vampire.prey.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: The star Caiphon sits near the horizon, acting as a year-round guide star, and
* {{Invisibility}}: An odd variant; an emissary of Caiphon can use its "Blinded by
* LieToTheBeholder: They can disguise themselves
*
*
* MixAndMatchCritters: While
!!Serpent of
* 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
->'''Challenge Rating:'''
Human-sized
The reddish Nihal is known as the Serpent Star for its writhing path through the heavens, and is served by snake-like creatures
Changed line(s) 1205,1207 (click to see context) from:
* 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."
* 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."
to:
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a stirgoi DimensionalTraveler: Serpents of Nihal wind in and out of the cosmos, and can summon a swarm blink out of stirges that follow 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 itscommands.
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.
*LifeDrain: SituationalDamageAttack: Their proboscis "Mindbite" psychic attack deals extra necrotic 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, thatheals star's spawn manifest on a world below.
----
* CreateYourOwnVillain: At thestirgoi dawn of creation, Allabar was made by the same amount. Those slain 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 theattack 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 reducedto EmptyPilesOfClothing and its size somehow.
* GravityMaster: As ahusk of a corpse, which might reanimate hostile planet, Allabar can pull in opponents using its gravity well.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as aboneless undead horror.
* VampireVannabe: Some stirgoi embrace their monstrous formstrickster entity that incites other stars to war, or in other accounts, the greatest of such hostile stars 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."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.
* 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
*
* 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
----
* CreateYourOwnVillain: At the
* 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
* 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
* GravityMaster: As a
* GreaterScopeVillain: Allabar is sometimes characterized as a
* VampireVannabe: Some stirgoi embrace their monstrous forms
* TurnsRed: When bloodied, Allabar retaliates by sprouting more tentacles to attack in a flurry.
Changed line(s) 1210,1217 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.
[[quoteright:194:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
->'''Classification:''' Construct
[[caption-width-right:194:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
With a bit
Shapeshifting agents of
Changed line(s) 1219,1222 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Stone cursed are predictably good 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 atdisguising themselves as ordinary statues.
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.
*LivingStatue: TooManyMouths: The stone cursed are spawned through "greater" emissary is depicted with multiple maws, and can take a foul alchemical ritual performed on a petrified humanoid. A dim echo of legendary action to warp the victim's spirit is awakened, animating the statue and turning it ground around them into a useful guardian.
* OrganDrops: A side effectlandscape 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 theircreation ritual is the formation of an obsidian skull-shaped stone within the stone cursed. If extracted from a slain stone cursed, a skilled arcanist purposes.
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary canuse the skull take a legendary action to try teleport 30 feet and extract immediately attack 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 driptarget with a transformative sludge that can in turn petrify their enemies. lashing maw.
* 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
*
* OrganDrops: A side effect
* 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
* WeaponizedTeleportation: A "lesser" emissary can
* TakenForGranite: Not only was the stone cursed a victim of such an attack, their claws drip
Changed line(s) 1225,1233 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:349:https://static.
[[quoteright:297:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:297:2e]]
->'''Origin:'''
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 3 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''
Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in the Underdark.
Two-foot-long, mobile plants that fly through Wildspace.
Changed line(s) 1235,1238 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, and can pass FantasticFruitsAndVegetables: Starflies are fruit that fly through solid rock with space on butterfly wings, which trap sunlight to convert into sugary food for the ease 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 afish moving 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 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 wellspace 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.mobile BabyPlanet.
* 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
* 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
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1241,1246 (click to see context) from:
[[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\\
[[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\\
to:
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[[quoteright:215:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
[[caption-width-right:215:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
Changed line(s) 1249 (click to see context) from:
Half-elemental humanoids blessed with the great strength and fortitude of the earth as well as a keen intellect.
to:
Changed line(s) 1251,1256 (click to see context) from:
* 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.]]
* 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.]]
to:
* ChallengeSeeker: Stonechildren relish challenges LightEmUp: With a touch or a gesture, a starlight apparition can cause an eruption of radiant energy that damages and opportunities to prove their (considerable) strength, and tend to go off on adventures at least once or twice over their lifetimes.
potentially [[BlindedByTheLight blinds]] foes.
*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:OurGhostsAreDifferent: 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'renot classified as Outsiders, not Elementals, despite having an ElementalEmbodiment undead, for one thing. Starlight apparitions aren't 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 stalwartsoul trapped in the face 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 adversity.
* SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectiles that deal better damage when hurleda god or slung, [[HolyHandGrenade 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 deal being able to [[DemonicPossession possess]] mortals.
* PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, and dim light for an additionaldamage to undead.]]20 feet.
*
* NoSell:
* SiliconBasedLife: They look like powerful humanoids carved from stone, so are more this trope than {{Rock Monster}}s (especially since they're
* TheStoic: They tend to "keep their feelings hidden behind a slow practicality," and are stalwart
* SufferTheSlings: Stonechildren can cast ''magic stone'' three times per day, turning ordinary pebbles into magical projectiles that deal better damage when hurled
* PhosphorEssence: They glow enough to shed bright light out to 20 feet, and dim light for an additional
Changed line(s) 1259,1266 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Aberration
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Strange creatures
Ten-foot-long, intelligent winged serpents who sleep through most of
Changed line(s) 1268,1276 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CaptiveAudience: Stonesingers have been known CounterAttack: When sleeping, a starsnake builds up electrical energy that damages anyone who touches them or tries to raid towns simply to kidnap 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 victimsthey 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.
paralyzed.
*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:ThePrankster: They're prone usually content to making grandiose moves in combat, hunt rodents and using Power Attack more than is strictly necessary, just only retaliate against those who attack them, but starsnakes are also known to make be pranksters who use their attacks more ''{{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(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 speak16, while 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 attackCharisma comes in which the monster makes at 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.whopping 26.
* {{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
*
* EatDirtCheap: While these creatures can subsist upon "natural" fossils, they get more nutrition out of eating creatures they've petrified themselves.
* LargeHam:
* 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
* 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
* 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
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], and any creature whose Dexterity hits 0 instantly fossilizes.
Changed line(s) 1279,1286 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Reclusive, serpentine dragons who lair
Metallic feline hunters that would be formidable in
Changed line(s) 1288,1292 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* BlowYouAway: 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: Astorm drake's breath weapon 5th Edition steel predator is a gust merciless machine with one purpose: kill its target regardless of tornado-strong winds.
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happydistance and turn dark gray when it's angry.
obstacles.
*ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakes 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 canturn 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 whensense the creature is calm, shimmering gold when it's happy and turning a dark, leaden gray when it's angry.
* WeatherManipulation: Storm drakes' innatepresence of any metallic magic mostly focuses on controlling weather phenomena, allowing them item from up to create fog and clouds, manipulate wind, create blizzards and sleet storms, or call down lightning.120 feet away.
* DeadlyLunge: Like other "big cat"-type creatures, 3rd Edition steel predators can make a pounce and rake attack on a charge.
* KillerRobot: A
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happy
*
* 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
* LivingMoodRing: A storm drake's scales change in color based on its emotional state, gaining a pearlescent sheen when
* WeatherManipulation: Storm drakes' innate
Changed line(s) 1295,1302 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:230:https://static.
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Intelligent
Changed line(s) 1304,1309 (click to see context) from:
* 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."
* 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."
to:
* BioweaponBeast: Legend has CraftedFromAnimals: Steelwing feathers can be used to make masterwork ''keen'' adamantine arrows or crossbow bolts. Each feather is that 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 thefirst su-monsters were created by some evil spellcaster who wanted guardians killers to defend his forest against psionic enemies, and some sages believe su-monsters to enact vengeance.
* FeatherFlechettes: Steelwings' "razorfeathers" can bemagical humanoid-ape hybrids.
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they huntfired as a family group. And should anything threaten ranged attack, veering toward their young or targets to negate their mates, cover, or the su-monsters will fly into steelwing can spend a rage full-round action firing a FlechetteStorm in a 60-foot cone that deals a massive amount of slashing damage.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor andbenefit from his followers have tamed a ''haste'' effect.
* ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters are a species of evil and aggressive monkeys.
* PrehensileTail: One ofgreat many steelwings for an aerie in his Scourgehold, though the su-monsters' favorite ambush methods is birds require exotic saddles to sit atop a branch overlooking a path, then when prey passes below, grip the branch with protect their tails riders from their feathers.
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech andthen swing down a little smarter than ogres. They still live as predators, hunting both Acheron's petitioners and visitors to attack.
the plane.
*PsychicPowers: Su-monsters RazorWings: Their razor-sharp wings are naturally psionic, and know powers such as ''psionic crush'' and ''mind thrust''.
not only effective in combat, they have a 1-in-5 chance of landing a CriticalHit.
*SlasherSmile: It's noted TheSpiny: Steelwings are perpetually surrounded by a [[PerpetualMolt cloud of feathers]] that su-monsters often grin, "but this is usually deals a sharp-toothed threat rather than a gesture moderate amount of friendliness."damage to adjacent creatures, and provides the steelwings with concealment.
* CrusadingWidower: These creatures mate for life, and if one is slain its mate will track down the
* FeatherFlechettes: Steelwings' "razorfeathers" can be
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt
* HorseOfADifferentColor: Hextor and
* ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters are a species of evil and aggressive monkeys.
* PrehensileTail: One of
* ItCanThink: Steelwings are capable of speech and
*
*
Changed line(s) 1312,1313 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Succubus/Incubus]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_succubi_incubi_5e.png]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_succubi_incubi_5e.png]]
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
Changed line(s) 1315,1321 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:4e]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_stirge_4e.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Classification:'''Outsider Magical Beast (3E), Fiend Natural Beast (4E), Beast (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E); 1, 7(3E), 9 (4E), 4 (dire strige), 12 (swarm) (4E) ; 1/8 (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.Unaligned
Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures that feed on larger animals' blood.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (3E); 1, 7
'''Alignment:'''
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.
Bat-winged, needle-mouthed creatures that feed on larger animals' blood.
Changed line(s) 1323,1338 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* CharmPerson: Succubi AmbushingEnemy: Desert stirges are flightless, and incubi can charm other hunt by burying themselves in the desert sand to ambush creatures at will, but normally do so only passing by. Jungle stirges are also poor flyers, and instead rely on hiding in emergencies, such as confrontations with adventurers. Evil acts committed under mind-control don't properly corrupt the victim's soul, after all.
thick canopies and falling prey passing beneath them.
*TheCorrupter: These fiends first take ethereal form to visit 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 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 probosces as rigid beaks or seduce them, encouraging further depravity and evil acts. Once their victim has fully embraced evil, the fiend kills them and claims their soul.
hooked noses.
*{{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."FantasticFaunaCounterpart: 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 Editionregards, they were considered demons, but 4th edition reclassified them act as devils, until 5th Edition declared they were fiendish free agents found across the Lower Planes. Succubi a fantastical counterpart to mosquitoes and incubi were also considered separate creatures until 5th Edition clarified that these fiendish seducers can vampire bats.
* MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance and proportions changesex as easily as 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 theychange shape.
usually attack in large swarms.
*SexShifter: They can change from male incubi to female succubi as they please, though most VampiricDraining: Stirges feed on the blood of living creatures, attaching and draining 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.slowly.
!!Stirgoi
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_alu_fiend_2e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:248:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil,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 orrarely ChaoticNeutral or TrueNeutral
The offspringa stirge drinking the blood of succubi and humans, who inherit their mothers' supernatural beauty, charm and shapeshifting abilities, and often their evil temperament.a well-fed vampire.
*
*
* {{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."
* {{Retcon}}: Succubi have consistently been fiends, but which type varies by edition. Through 3rd Edition
* MixAndMatchCritters: While their specific appearance and proportions change
* TheSwarm: Individual stirges are fairly weak and pose little threat to all but the weakest humanoids, so they
*
* 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.
!!Stirgoi
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
[[caption-width-right:248:2e]]
->'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil,
[[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
The offspring
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* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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."
EnemySummoner: Once per day, a stirgoi can summon a swarm of stirges that follow its commands.
* LifeDrain:While full succubi can inflict negative levels, alu-fiends can heal themselves for half the Their proboscis attack deals extra necrotic damage they inflict with that heals the stirgoi by the same amount. Those slain by the attack are reduced to EmptyPilesOfClothing and a melee attack.
husk of a corpse, which might reanimate as a boneless undead horror.
*WingedHumanoid: In VampireVannabe: Some stirgoi embrace their natural forms, alu-fiends look like attractive winged women, though 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 ''shapechange'' ability can help disguise the latter.grotesque gentility."
* LifeDrain:
*
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[[folder:Sunfly]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunfly_5e.png]]
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to:
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Changed line(s) 1348,1353 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
'''Classification:''' Celestial
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Tiny, buglike creatures found across
With a bit of basilisk blood and the
Changed line(s) 1355,1357 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.
* LoveItOrHateIt: In-universe, planar inhabitants tend to regard sunflies "as loathsome pests or adorable pets," with little middle ground.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.
to:
* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Stone cursed are predictably good at disguising themselves as ordinary statues.
* LivingStatue: The stone cursed are spawned through avenom whose 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 effectvaries 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.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effectsof their poison.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.
* LivingStatue: The stone cursed are spawned through a
* OrganDrops: A side effect
* LoveItOrHateIt: In-universe, planar inhabitants tend to regard sunflies "as loathsome pests or adorable pets," with little middle ground.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1360,1367 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''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.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''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.
to:
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[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:''' Dragon
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''\\
'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Eight-legged, winged dragons with great power over light and radiance, sunwyrms spend their lives soaring above deserts and savannahs
Winged wolves of living stone, whose packs hunt prey in
Changed line(s) 1369,1374 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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,DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability, 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 glowingpass through solid rock with steady golden light. 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'realso rapacious predators with little interest in anything beyond hoarding treasure no smarter than the average ogre, but stone flyers are sapient and sating their hunger.
speak Terran.
*NonElemental: Their breath weapon is a line of burning yellow energy that deals untyped damage, with the catch that SiliconBasedLife: Stone flyers look to be carved from mottled granite, but are magical beasts rather than elementals, as with ''brilliant energy'' weapons, it's completely harmless to nonliving matter, including constructs or the undead.well as fierce carnivores.
* 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,
* LightIsNotGood: Sunwyrms are beautiful, golden dragons constantly glowing
* 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
*
Changed line(s) 1377,1378 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Susurrus]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_susurrus_3e.jpg]]
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to:
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[[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.
->'''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.
to:
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
Headless figures whose porous bodies produce a strange droning
Half-elemental humanoids blessed with
Changed line(s) 1387,1391 (click to see context) from:
* 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.]]
* 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.]]
to:
* 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,ChallengeSeeker: Stonechildren relish challenges and may enter a state of torpor identical opportunities 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 inprove their bodies, which (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'timpede them in any way, but instead produce face the sort of stigma half-orcs or tieflings have to deal with. But they still have a tendency to leave their signature dronesong. This is also why [[StarfishLanguage other creatures have no luck reproducing homes to go adventuring, and in old age try and find their way to the susurri language.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.]]
* 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,
* {{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
* 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
* 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.]]
Changed line(s) 1394,1401 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Intelligent insectoids
Strange creatures of
Changed line(s) 1403,1413 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 CaptiveAudience: Stonesingers have defended their status, while lesser swordwings metamorphosize into new crownwings.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Swordwings reproduce asexually, and get the urgebeen known 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, raid towns simply to kidnap victims they 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 [[SandNecktie bury up to their hosts.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Swordwings get their name fromnecks]], forcing them to listen to the fact monster's music, "haunting, booming songs that one of their arms ends are often mistaken for the wind blowing over hollows in a chitinous blade as hard as adamantine. Legend has it that those blades get sharper should someone rob a swordwing's hoard.
the desolate bandlands." Afterward, the audience is typically petrified and eaten.
*CollectorOfTheStrange: DishingOutDirt: They have an obsessive need to hoard objects, whether worthless trinkets, books the swordwing can't read, weapons or armor, gems can use spells like ''meld into stone'', ''stone shape'' 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), ''wall of stone'', but woe to anyone who trespasses in or steals from a swordwing's collection. only while singing.
* EatDirtCheap: Whilesometimes swordwings will trade with one another or other races to these creatures can subsist upon "natural" fossils, they get desired items for their collections, more nutrition out of eating creatures they've petrified themselves.
* LargeHam: They're prone to making grandiose moves inother cases the competition is vicious combat, 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 armbladesusing Power Attack more than is strictly necessary, just 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.
attacks more impressive (and painful).
*HiveCasteSystem: Like most insect-folk, swordwings live in hive cities MusicSoothesTheSavageBeast: Stonesingers also appreciate other creatures' singing, and it's possible to impress them with distinct biological castes.
** Mature swordwings (also called drones)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 andimmature swordwings (cutters) serve crystal claw-tips, but are classified as aberrations with the higher ranks, until they're given the opportunity to become a crownwing at the Buzzing Vaults.
** Shapersearth subtype rather than elemental creatures.
* StarfishLanguage: These creatures area 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 havequite intelligent, but speak their own complicated internal hierarchy 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 whichstatus is derived from the value of monster makes a crownwing's collection, Perform check rather than a conventional attack roll.
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], andthe 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 adjudicatesany 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.creature whose Dexterity hits 0 instantly fossilizes.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Swordwings reproduce asexually, and get the urge
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Swordwings get their name from
*
* EatDirtCheap: While
* LargeHam: They're prone to making grandiose moves in
* CraftedFromAnimals: Other Underdark races sometimes harvest swordwing chitin and armblades
*
** Mature swordwings (also called drones)
* SiliconBasedLife: Stonesingers look something like 12-foot-long scorpions with scales comprised of plates of stone and
** Shapers
* StarfishLanguage: These creatures are
** 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
* 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
* TakenForGranite: A stonesinger's bite attack carries a poison that deals [[NonHealthDamage Dexterity damage]], and
** 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
* 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.
Changed line(s) 1416,1417 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Sylph]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sylph_3e.jpg]]
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to:
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Changed line(s) 1419,1423 (click to see context) from:
->'''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.
'''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.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E), Fey Humanoid (4E)\\
Dragon (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''5 (3E), 3 (4E)\\
17 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''NeutralGood (2E), TrueNeutral (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These beautiful winged women are air elemental-kin, rumoredTrueNeutral
Reclusive, serpentine dragons who lair in fog-shrouded mountain peaks, storm drakes chiefly wish to bea crossbreed between nymphs left alone to enjoy the vastness of weather 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.sky.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
These beautiful winged women are air elemental-kin, rumored
Reclusive, serpentine dragons who lair in fog-shrouded mountain peaks, storm drakes chiefly wish to be
Changed line(s) 1425,1432 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* AlchemicElementals: They're the sylphs representing air, obviously.
* CuriosityIsACrapshoot: Their response to strangersBlowYouAway: A storm drake's breath weapon is to a gust of tornado-strong winds.
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happy and turninvisible dark gray when it's angry.
* ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakes can turn into a cloud of living gas andobserve 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''back 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 LivingMoodRing: A storm drake's scales change in an egg three months later, which hatches into an infant sylph in another six months.
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.
*{{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 giveWeatherManipulation: Storm drakes' innate magic mostly focuses on controlling weather phenomena, allowing them 10 hit points despite being CR 5.
* WingedHumanoid: Their 2nd Edition write-up states that sylphs can naturally levitate,to create fog and their wings simply provide thrust.clouds, manipulate wind, create blizzards and sleet storms, or call down lightning.
* CuriosityIsACrapshoot: Their response to strangers
* ColourCodedEmotions: A storm drake's scales shimmer gold when it's happy and turn
* ElementalShapeshifting: Storm drakes can turn into a cloud of living gas and
* EnemySummoner: Once per day, a sylph can summon a Large elemental of any variety.
* {{Invisibility}}: They can use ''improved invisibility''
*
*
* SquishyWizard: Sylphs are natural sorcerers, but are ''very'' squishy in direct combat -- their 3rd Edition stats only give
* WingedHumanoid: Their 2nd Edition write-up states that sylphs can naturally levitate,
Changed line(s) 1435,1443 (click to see context) from:
[[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.
[[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.
to:
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[[caption-width-right:300:3e]]
[[caption-width-right:230:2e]]
->'''Classification:'''
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Playable:''' 3E\\
'''Alignment:'''
A naturally
Intelligent but malevolent monkeys with psionic
Changed line(s) 1445,1451 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* 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.
to:
* 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 usedBioweaponBeast: Legend has is that the Plane 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 ofShadow to escape what makes su-monsters dangerous is that they hunt as a family group. And should anything threaten their homeworld, which most synads prefer to forget, claiming that "monstrosities of the mind roam there unhindered."
* GhostMemory: Their "collective" mind lets synads tap intoyoung or 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 themmates, the Aberration type.su-monsters will fly into a rage and benefit from a ''haste'' effect.
*MageSpecies: Synads ManiacMonkeys: Su-monsters are latent psionicists, giving them a starting pool species of power points they can use evil and aggressive monkeys.
* PrehensileTail: One of the su-monsters' favorite ambush methods is tofuel sit atop a branch overlooking a path, then when prey passes below, grip the branch with their racial abilities, though they need tails and then swing down to advance in psionic character classes to learn proper PsychicPowers.
attack.
*MindHive: Each synad has three fully independent minds fused into a functional whole, an "overmind" PsychicPowers: Su-monsters are naturally psionic, and know powers such as ''psionic crush'' and ''mind thrust''.
* SlasherSmile: It's noted thatcontrols 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 su-monsters often grin, "but this 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 usually a power point to "multitask" once per day, having sharp-toothed threat rather than 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 allgesture of their power points for the day, two ghostly heads appear around their physical head, representing their multiple minds.friendliness."
* DimensionalTraveler: The synads used
* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether: Part of
* GhostMemory: Their "collective" mind lets synads tap into
* HumanoidAbomination: They look like tall, hairless humans, but their unique minds give them
*
* PrehensileTail: One of the su-monsters' favorite ambush methods is to
*
* SlasherSmile: It's noted that
* MultipleHeadCase: In sunlight, synads can pass for tall, slim humans, but in dim lighting, and if a synad has exhausted all
Added DiffLines:
[[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]]
[[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.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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.
[[/folder]]
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!!Blackspawn Raider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.jpg]]
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to:
!!Blackspawn Raider
Corruptor
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_corrupter_3e.jpg]]
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->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''ChallengerHumanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''4 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competitionChaotic Evil
Stunted but powerful humanoids usually found alone in dismal swamps, guarding secret locations forkills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.Tiamat.
'''Challenger
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition
Stunted but powerful humanoids usually found alone in dismal swamps, guarding secret locations for
Added DiffLines:
* AcidAttack: They can splash all those near their pool of putrid water, dealing acid damage and potentially blinding victims for a few rounds.
* FriendlyFireproof: Unlike other spawn of Tiamat, blackspawn corruptors can turn this ability off at will. They frequently use this fact to bully any dragonspawn allies.
* PoisonousPerson: Their bite carries a Strength-damaging poison, while their noxious presence is enough to [[WalkingWasteland befoul non-magical liquid in a 30-foot radius]], so that anything that consumes it has to save or take permanent Strength drain.
* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Corruptors can target other creatures with a "Watery Death Urge," giving them a compulsion to leap into the dragonspawn's acidic, poisonous pool.
* WickedWitch: They're hybrids of black dragons and green hags, giving them disturbingly crone-like facial features. Their black dragon fathers abandon them upon birth, and their hag mothers similarly dump them in some swamp. This can bring corruptors into conflict with other hags, who don't appreciate the dragonspawn spoiling perfectly good swamp water.
!!Blackspawn Raider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
----
* FriendlyFireproof: Unlike other spawn of Tiamat, blackspawn corruptors can turn this ability off at will. They frequently use this fact to bully any dragonspawn allies.
* PoisonousPerson: Their bite carries a Strength-damaging poison, while their noxious presence is enough to [[WalkingWasteland befoul non-magical liquid in a 30-foot radius]], so that anything that consumes it has to save or take permanent Strength drain.
* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Corruptors can target other creatures with a "Watery Death Urge," giving them a compulsion to leap into the dragonspawn's acidic, poisonous pool.
* WickedWitch: They're hybrids of black dragons and green hags, giving them disturbingly crone-like facial features. Their black dragon fathers abandon them upon birth, and their hag mothers similarly dump them in some swamp. This can bring corruptors into conflict with other hags, who don't appreciate the dragonspawn spoiling perfectly good swamp water.
!!Blackspawn Raider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
----
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!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.jpg]]
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to:
!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
Stoneglider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stoneglider_3e.jpg]]
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->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
to:
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''6 3 (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''
Changed line(s) 262 (click to see context) from:
These draconic quadrupeds serve ably as war mounts, crashing into the enemy like rhinos and electrifying foes caught between them.
to:
* BigCreepyCrawlies: Bluespawn stonegliders look something like human-sized, draconic termites.
* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability of xorn and similar earth creatures, allowing stonegliders to move through earth and rock as easily as a fish swims through water. Stonegliders use this ability to ambush intruders or retreat from a losing fight.
* HitboxDissonance: So long as they move more than 5 feet each round, bluespawn earthgliders gain a ''blur'' effect that can cause attacks to miss them.
* PsychicLink: While each earthglider is an autonomous entity, they share a group awareness that lets them more easily flank enemies together, and grants them a bonus on attack rolls so long as two or more of them are fighting the same foe. This means that lone earthgliders usually retreat to find more of their kind.
* ShockAndAwe: Their bite attacks are electrified, and may stun victims.
!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These draconic quadrupeds serve ably as war mounts, crashing into the enemy like rhinos and electrifying foes caught between them.
----
* DungeonBypass: They have the "Earth Glide" ability of xorn and similar earth creatures, allowing stonegliders to move through earth and rock as easily as a fish swims through water. Stonegliders use this ability to ambush intruders or retreat from a losing fight.
* HitboxDissonance: So long as they move more than 5 feet each round, bluespawn earthgliders gain a ''blur'' effect that can cause attacks to miss them.
* PsychicLink: While each earthglider is an autonomous entity, they share a group awareness that lets them more easily flank enemies together, and grants them a bonus on attack rolls so long as two or more of them are fighting the same foe. This means that lone earthgliders usually retreat to find more of their kind.
* ShockAndAwe: Their bite attacks are electrified, and may stun victims.
!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These draconic quadrupeds serve ably as war mounts, crashing into the enemy like rhinos and electrifying foes caught between them.
----
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Large, saurian dragonspawn who combine voracious hunger and unnatural fecundity.
to:
Large, saurian dragonspawn who combine voracious hunger and with unnatural fecundity.
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* FriendlyFireproof: Averted; unlike other spawn of Tiamat, redspawn birthers' don't convey "Tiamat's Blessing" on their allies. This allows them to activate their "Fire Shield" aura to harm their handlers if they're feeling ornery.
to:
* FriendlyFireproof: Averted; unlike other spawn of Tiamat, redspawn birthers' birthers don't convey "Tiamat's Blessing" on their allies. This allows them to activate their "Fire Shield" aura to harm their handlers if they're feeling ornery.
Changed line(s) 364 (click to see context) from:
* MookMaker: An "offscreen" case, in that their entry doesn't have rules defining hte process, but redspawn birthers serve this role in Tiamat's armies. They're directed to consume dragonblooded creatures, or even rogue evil dragons, and somehow the furnace heat within a redspawn birther allows it to "fuse and meld" its prey inside of it, allowing the creature to give birth to new dragonspawn, an amalgam of all the things it's eaten recently.
to:
* MookMaker: An "offscreen" case, in that their entry doesn't have rules defining hte describing the process, but redspawn birthers serve this role in Tiamat's armies. They're directed to consume dragonblooded creatures, or even rogue evil dragons, and somehow the furnace heat within a redspawn birther birthers allows it them to "fuse and meld" its their prey inside of it, them, allowing the creature creatures to give birth to new dragonspawn, an amalgam amalgams of all the things it's the birthers have eaten recently.
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''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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]] \\
to:
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], 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]] \\
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!!Redspawn Firebelcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.jpg]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.jpg]]
to:
!!Redspawn Firebelcher
Birther
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_birther_3e.jpg]]
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->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E)\\
(3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
11 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve otherChaoticEvil
Large, saurian dragonspawnas mounts, or as living artillery pieces.who combine voracious hunger and unnatural fecundity.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
These lumbering creatures can serve other
Large, saurian dragonspawn
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* DumbMuscle: Redspawn firebelchers are rock stupid, with an Intelligence score of 1, dumber than some mundane animals. But they're just smart enough to be trained to work with other dragonspawn, after eating only a few of their kin.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can "belch" fire up to 60 feet away, dealing heavy damage to targets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.jpg]]
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can "belch" fire up to 60 feet away, dealing heavy damage to targets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.jpg]]
to:
* DumbMuscle: Redspawn firebelchers are rock stupid, with BigEater: They have an Intelligence score "insatiable need to devour other creatures," and when left unsupervised will eat anything from humans to rodents. The cult of 1, dumber than some mundane animals. But Tiamat can try to regulate respawn birther's diets towards a specific result, and while the creatures will usually cooperate so long as they're just smart enough given a steady supply of live victims, sometimes their greed leads to be trained to work with them being caged.
* FriendlyFireproof: Averted; unlike other spawn of Tiamat, redspawn birthers' don't convey "Tiamat's Blessing" on their allies. This allows them to activate their "Fire Shield" aura to harm their handlers if they're feeling ornery.
* HybridMonster: Implied; the cult of Tiamat studied deepspawn's ability to replicate creatures they eat and somehow bred this ability into respawn birthers. Though it's noted that unlike with deepspawn, a redspawn birther has no control over its progeny.
* MookMaker: An "offscreen" case, in that their entry doesn't have rules defining hte process, but redspawn birthers serve this role in Tiamat's armies. They're directed to consume dragonblooded creatures, or even rogue evil dragons, and somehow the furnace heat within a redspawn birther allows it to "fuse and meld" its prey inside of it, allowing the creature to give birth to new dragonspawn,after eating only a few an amalgam of their kin.
all the things it's eaten recently.
*NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared TheSpiny: Redspawn birthers generate such intense heat that other creatures who come within 10 feet of them have to crocodiles save or suffer from heat exhaustion, while those who actually strike one in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can "belch"melee will take fire up to 60 feet away, dealing heavy damage. Incidentally, this means that unlike most creatures with the fire subtype, redspawn birthers don't take extra damage from cold attacks.
* SwallowedWhole: Unsurprisingly, they can try totargets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
swallow smaller creatures they catch in their jaws.
!!Redspawn Firebelcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.jpg]]
* FriendlyFireproof: Averted; unlike other spawn of Tiamat, redspawn birthers' don't convey "Tiamat's Blessing" on their allies. This allows them to activate their "Fire Shield" aura to harm their handlers if they're feeling ornery.
* HybridMonster: Implied; the cult of Tiamat studied deepspawn's ability to replicate creatures they eat and somehow bred this ability into respawn birthers. Though it's noted that unlike with deepspawn, a redspawn birther has no control over its progeny.
* MookMaker: An "offscreen" case, in that their entry doesn't have rules defining hte process, but redspawn birthers serve this role in Tiamat's armies. They're directed to consume dragonblooded creatures, or even rogue evil dragons, and somehow the furnace heat within a redspawn birther allows it to "fuse and meld" its prey inside of it, allowing the creature to give birth to new dragonspawn,
*
* SuperSpit: They can "belch"
* SwallowedWhole: Unsurprisingly, they can try to
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
!!Redspawn Firebelcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
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->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''1 (3E)\\
6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:'''ChaoticEvil
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
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* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a 30-foot cone of ice every few rounds for a bit of cold damage.
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
to:
* BreathWeapon: DumbMuscle: Redspawn firebelchers are rock stupid, with an Intelligence score of 1, dumber than some mundane animals. But they're just smart enough to be trained to work with other dragonspawn, after eating only a few of their kin.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They canbreathe a 30-foot cone of ice every few rounds for a bit of cold damage.
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of"belch" fire up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
60 feet away, dealing heavy damage to targets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!WhitespawnHunter
Hordeling
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.jpg]]
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
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'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 1 (3E)\\
Changed line(s) 385 (click to see context) from:
Brutish but crafty, these draconic humanoids are adept stalkers.
to:
Added DiffLines:
* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a 30-foot cone of ice every few rounds for a bit of cold damage.
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish but crafty, these draconic humanoids are adept stalkers.
----
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish but crafty, these draconic humanoids are adept stalkers.
----
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* {{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.
to:
* {{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.
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunfly_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
Tiny, buglike creatures found across the Outer Planes, where they prosper and wane as their home plane fares.
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* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject a venom whose effect varies depending on the Outer Plane the sunfly is on.
to:
* 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.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.
* LoveItOrHateIt: In-universe, planar inhabitants tend to regard sunflies "as loathsome pests or adorable pets," with little middle ground.
* TheSwarm: Sunflies are hardly built for combat, and are only slightly more dangerous in swarms, which intensifies the effects of their poison.
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''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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]] \\
to:
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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]] \\
[[caption-width-right:350:5e]]
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'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (swarm) (5E)\\
to:
'''Challenge Rating:''' 0 (individual), 6 (swarm) (5E)\\
Tiny aberrant fish that dwell in deep ocean trenches, where they sometimes fall under malign influences.
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* EmotionBomb: Creatures swimming near a sorrowfish school are put in a dismal mood.
to:
* EmotionBomb: Creatures swimming near If a sorrowfish school suffers damage, it emanates a "virulent sorrow" that can cause adjacent creatures to become despondant, making them sluggish in their next round of combat.
* MeaningfulName: One theory is that sorrowfish are named for the flavor of their flesh, "which is distasteful enough to put the creatures that eat them in a dismal mood."
* TheSwarm: An individual sorrowfish is barely a threat, but a school of them is much more dangerous. Those caught in the school's space are subjected to both a swarm of bites as well as a psionic attack that both damages and stuns victims.
* TheSymbiote: Sorrowfish often hide from predators among the tentacles of a death embrace, which can petrify creatures.
* MeaningfulName: One theory is that sorrowfish are named for the flavor of their flesh, "which is distasteful enough to put the creatures that eat them in a dismal mood."
* TheSwarm: An individual sorrowfish is barely a threat, but a school of them is much more dangerous. Those caught in the school's space are subjected to both a swarm of bites as well as a psionic attack that both damages and stuns victims.
* TheSymbiote: Sorrowfish often hide from predators among the tentacles of a death embrace, which can petrify creatures.
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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 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.
to:
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 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.
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* 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."
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!!Inferno Spider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_inferno_spider_3e.jpg]]
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.
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->'''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.
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eight feet across and weighing as much as 600 pounds.
to:
->'''Classification:''' Elemental Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:'''8 4, 9 (dread harpoon spider) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:'''TrueNeutral
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eightChaoticEvil
Arachnoid aberrations around 8 feetacross and weighing as much as 600 pounds.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.
'''Challenge Rating:'''
'''Alignment:'''
Spider-shaped elementals of magma and flame, standing eight
Arachnoid aberrations around 8 feet
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* 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.
----
* 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.
----
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* A creature's listed '''Alignment''' is typical for the race as a whole, not an absolute for every individual in it -- even supposed embodiments of Good and Evil can change their alignment. Also, if there are two alignments listed, and one is for 4th Edition, assume that the other alignment holds true for all other game editions. Finally, the "Always Neutral" alignment listed in previous editions for nonsapient creatures has been equated with the "Unaligned" alignment of recent editions.
to:
* A creature's listed '''Alignment''' is typical for the race as a whole, not an absolute for every individual in it -- even supposed embodiments of Good and Evil can change their alignment. Also, if there are two alignments listed, and one is for 4th Edition, Edition (in which Good encompasses Neutral Good and Chaotic Good, Unaligned encompasses the morally neutral alignments, and Evil encompasses Neutral Evil and Lawful Evil from other game editions), assume that the other alignment holds true for all other game editions. Finally, the "Always Neutral" alignment listed in previous the first three editions for nonsapient creatures has been equated with the "Unaligned" alignment of recent editions.5th Edition.
[[folder:Sorrowfish]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sorrowfish.png]]
->'''Origin:''' ''WebVideo/CriticalRole''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
----
* EmotionBomb: Creatures swimming near a sorrowfish school are put in a dismal mood.
[[/folder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sorrowfish.png]]
->'''Origin:''' ''WebVideo/CriticalRole''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
----
* EmotionBomb: Creatures swimming near a sorrowfish school are put in a dismal mood.
[[/folder]]
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* ImAHumanitarian: They feed upon humanoid flesh.
* ToServeMan: They feed upon humanoid flesh.
* EyeScream: Tiny space hamsters can make a [[VideoGame/BaldursGate "Go for the Eyes"]] attack, potentially blinding an opponent for a round.
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* GoForTheEye: Tiny space hamsters can make a [[VideoGame/BaldursGate "Go for the Eyes"]] attack, potentially blinding an opponent for a round.
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'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E), Evil (4E)
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'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E), Evil (4E)
LawfulEvil
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'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), Unaligned (4E)
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'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral (3E), Unaligned (4E)
TrueNeutral
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''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[CharactersDungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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]] \\
to:
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[CharactersDungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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]] \\
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%%%%%%%%
%%
%% Not every folder needs an image for every edition in the game.
%% Unless a creature was given a significant redesign between editions, one image is plenty.
%%
%% We're not a D&D wiki, and it's not the end of the world if we don't have a folder for every creature to appear in a D&D supplement.
%% Before creating new folders, ask yourself if there's enough material to make the folder interesting to read.
%%
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[[WMG:[[center: [- ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' '''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragons Main Characters Index]]'''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClasses Character Classes by Edition]]''\\
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[CharactersDungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces Playable Races]]''\\
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} | Characters/{{Planescape}} | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} | Characters/{{Spelljammer}} ]] -]]]
Monsters from the myriad worlds of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''.
[[folder:Notes on the Entries]]
* A creature's '''Origin''' denotes the specific campaign setting it debuted in, if any. This is not to say that setting is the only place that creature can be found -- ''D&D'' has a long history of repackaging creatures from sub-settings for general use, and ultimately the DM decides what appears in a game.
* A creature's listed '''Challenge Rating''' may be for "baseline" examples of the monster, rather than listing every advanced variant presented in ''Monster Manual''s. Also remember that 3rd and 5th Edition use a 1-20 scale for "standard" Challenge Ratings, while 4th Edition uses 1-30.
* Not all '''Playable''' creatures are created equal, especially in 3rd Edition, in which MonsterAdventurers can have significant Level Adjustments for the sake of party balance.
* A creature's listed '''Alignment''' is typical for the race as a whole, not an absolute for every individual in it -- even supposed embodiments of Good and Evil can change their alignment. Also, if there are two alignments listed, and one is for 4th Edition, assume that the other alignment holds true for all other game editions. Finally, the "Always Neutral" alignment listed in previous editions for nonsapient creatures has been equated with the "Unaligned" alignment of recent editions.
[[/folder]]
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.
[[foldercontrol]]
!!So-Sy
[[folder:Soarwhale]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soarwhale_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Creatures resembling colossal baleen whales that drift through the skies rather than the ocean. They're docile enough to be domesticated and used for transporting passengers and cargo.
----
* LivingGasbag: They're basically organic blimps 40 feet wide and 80 feet long, and can be outfitted with gondolas or howdahs to carry over 130,000 pounds.
* TheParalyzer: When threatened, a soarwhale can empty its air bladders as a defense mechanism. This causes the soarwhale to plummet a hundred feet before stabilizing, but leaves a cloud of gas in its prior position that can paralyze anything around it, which is very much a ''bad'' thing to have happen a mile above the ground.
* SpaceWhale: Of the "Air Whale" variant. Sages agree that the odds of such a thing occuring naturally are slim to none, but if some mage had a hand in soarwhales' creation, there are no records of it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sorrowsworn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_the_angry_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Angry (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Shadow Humanoid (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 25 (4E); 1/4 (the Wretched), 7 (the Lost), 9 (the Lonely), 11 (the Hungry), 13 (the Angry) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned (4E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Creatures native to the Shadowfell, formed of congealed negative emotions felt by people who travel there.
----
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Each sorrowsworn personifies a different aspect of despair or distress.
* ExtremeOmnivore: These Hungry consume all life and energy they encounter, eating flesh and drinking screams.
* MultipleHeadCase: Each of the Angry has two heads, which constantly bicker with one another until they find something else to vent their wrath on.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: The Lost try to embrace any creatures they can reach, attempting to find solace in the contact. Aside from the horror of being embraced by such a thing, the victim experiences a flood of fear and panic.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Sorrowsworn are ''dangerous'' monsters, each being a powerful mid-game boss or late-game EliteMook. But they are also so utterly miserable that you have to feel sorry for them.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: The Lonely launch their harpoon-like arms to drag their victims close.
* ZergRush: The Wretched are individually very weak, but gather in large packs to scour the Shadowfell for prey. When they find a creature, they surge forward to sink their fangs into their victims.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Souleater]]
[[quoteright:289:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_souleater_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:289:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Large, mist-shrouded fiends from the Gray Waste of Hades, feared for consuming the very essence of their victims.
----
* AchillesHeel: Their connection to negative energy makes them vulnerable to TurnUndead attempts, which can daze a souleater.
* LevelDrain: Souleaters emanate an aura of negative energy, which other creatures can feel as if a cold wind is swirling towards the monster. This automatically inflicts a negative level on all creatures within 30 feet, and also interferes with incarnum-using classes attempting to shape and bind soulmelds or allocate essentia.
* MonsterMouth: Their main features (and most dangerous weapons) are huge maws filled with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily.
* SoulEating: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Unsurprisingly]], these fiends consume the souls of any creature that dies within their negative energy aura, gaining hit points as well as a long-lasting bonus on attack rolls and saving throws for every soul consumed. Anyone who becomes a souleater's prey cannot be revived until the fiend is destroyed, and even then it takes magic like ''true resurrection'', ''wish'' or ''miracle'' to bring them back.
* {{Telepathy}}: They are TheSpeechless, but can telepathically communicate with anyone who has a language.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Soulspark]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soulspark_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (least) to 7 (greater) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral, LawfulNeutral, NeutralGood, or NeutralEvil
Sentient embodiments of incarnum, which can form spontaneously or at the behest of a meldshaper.
----
* DivertingPower: Soulsparks have an essentia reserve, which they can invest into a HealingFactor, or bonuses to attacks or defense, as needed on a round-by-round basis.
* {{Familiar}}: They can be created to serve as such by a meldshaper, growing more powerful based on which chakra they're bound to.
* NonElemental: They attack with "soul blast"s that deal undefined damage.
* OurSoulsAreDifferent: Soulsparks are made of incarnum, the magical essence of souls in the multiverse, though not any singular soul in particular, and fortunately a soulspark's destruction doesn't have any negative effect on the souls involved.
* WillOTheWisp: They're a spin on the trope, being free-floating balls of light that can be as dim as a candle or as bright as a sunrod, though they're considered native outsiders rather than aberrations, as 3rd Edition will-o-wisps were classified. Soulsparks tend to act according to their alignments, so evil ones will look for opportunities to harm other creatures when they least suspect it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Space Clown]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_space_clowns_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Fiend (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Fiend-tainted clowns who prowl Wildspace in garish starships, or set up carnival tents on worlds to lure in victims.
----
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, space clowns pop like balloons, splashing adjacent creatures with acid.
* ElectricJoybuzzer: Not explicit, but they do have a "Shock" melee attack that deals a good bit of lightning damage.
* HelplessWithLaughter: Their colorful ray guns deal psychic damage, and can also cause victims to be incapacitated with laughter as they find everything they see or hear to be hilariously funny.
* ImAHumanitarian: They feed upon humanoid flesh.
* LieToTheBeholder: Three times per day they can take on a phantasmal form, cloaking themselves in an illusion to appear to be something like a child or floating balloon, though one that won't hold up to close physical inspection.
* MonsterClown: [[RecycledInSpace In SPACE!]] Once mortal worshippers of a god of revelry, they were transformed into fiends after becoming addicted to the elixir "Thrill Joy," distilled from demon ichor and the nectar of the bozo flower. An encounter with the dohwar led to the space clowns acquiring ''spelljammer helms'' and spreading across the multiverse, bringing the "love and fear of clowns" with them.
* ShoutOut: You could call them [[Film/KillerKlownsFromOuterSpace killer clowns from Wildspace.]]
* WithCatlikeTread: Subverted; their squeaky shoes can be heard up to 30 feet away, and interfere with any attempts at stealth, except this squeaking is silenced when a space clown dons an illusory disguise.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Space Hamster]]
[[quoteright:235:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_giant_space_hamster_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:235:Giant space hamster (5e)]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Beast (giant), Monstrosity (miniature) (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned (giant), NeutralGood (miniature)
Bear-sized rodents introduced to Wildspace by gnomes, to serve as pack animals, livestock and even power sources. Wizards have also used magic to miniaturize giant space hamsters, which are sometimes introduced to Material Plane worlds and come to be known as "hamsters."
----
* AlienAnimals: 5th Edition asserts that when a giant space hamster is magically miniaturized, the resulting creature becomes smarter and telepathic. Sure enough, space hamsters have a slightly higher Intelligence than ogres and are sapient enough to have an alignment, but they usually keep their telepathic abilities hidden from other creatures.
* ExplosiveBreeder: Giant space hamsters grow to maturity in two years, can have several litters per year, and remain fertile for half their 18-year lifespan. Fortunately, they're easy prey for carnivores, which can keep a wild population in check.
* FantasticLivestock: Gnomes find giant space hamster meat, or "spaham," quite tasty. So do githyanki.
* GoForTheEye: Tiny space hamsters can make a [[VideoGame/BaldursGate "Go for the Eyes"]] attack, potentially blinding an opponent for a round.
* HamsterWheelPower: Gnomish spelljammer ships sometimes use giant space hamster wheels as a power source.
* OxymoronicBeing: The miniature giant space hamster.
* UndergroundMonkey: Taken to the point of self-parody. The 2E ''Monstrous Compendium -- Spelljammer Appendix I'' explains that the "worst aspect of the giant space hamster (aside from its ludicrous existence)" is how easily new variants of it can be created by gnomish breeders. Mentioned but not statted are the woolly, mottled, ochre, Oriental, Occidental, chartreuse, spotted, not-quite-so-spotted, only-a-little-spotted, plaid, cave-dwelling, three-toed, lesser, greater, greater lesser, lesser greater, albino and flightless giant space hamster subspecies. And then there are the ''really'' weird ones: subterranean, sabre-toothed, rather wild, [[{{Invisibility}} invisible]], sylvan/jungle, armor-plated, [[PoisonousPerson yellow musk]], ethereal (a misnomer: only their flesh is, giving them the disturbing appearance of a giant skeletal hamster), carnivorous flying, [[MultipleHeadCase two-headed]] [[HealingFactor Lernaen]] [[GassHole bombardier]], [[BreathWeapon fire-breathing]] [[{{Intangibility}} phase]] [[VoluntaryShapeshifting doppelganger]], great horned, and [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti abominable]] giant space hamsters, and of course the [[PaperTiger huge but harmless]] ''Tyrannohamsterus rex''. There are also legends of a "giant space hamster of ill omen," also known as Woolly Rupert, said to be colossal, intelligent, a powerful spellcaster, and prone to squashing any gnomes he comes across beneath his fearsome paws.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spawn of Juiblex]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_jubilex_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (lesser), 10 (greater), 14 (elder) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Revolting masses of infernal slime spawned from the Demon Lord of Ooze.
----
* CombatTentacles: A spawn of Juiblex can cover foes with a thick coat of slime and subsequently animate it, causing the slime to sprout tentacles and attack nearby creatures.
* ExtraEyes: About the only features these fetid oozes have are lots of red eyes dotting their surface, glaring hatefully and hungrily at any creatures around them.
* GiantWallOfWateryDoom: Elder spawns of Juiblex are Gargantuan slime monsters, so they're capable of doing this on their own. Stories speak of them blotting out the sun like a tidal wave before crashing over a town, leaving only ruins and bones behind.
* GoneHorriblyWrong: These monsters were created when Zuggtmoy, Demon Queen of Fungi, attempted to banish her rival demon lord to another plane. Instead she succeeded in sending part of Juiblex's essence to the Elemental Plane of Water, where it polluted the elemental matter around it until the natives evicted the source of corruption. This inadvertantly created a "Demiplane of Filth" inhabited by the rogue shard of Juiblex's essence, while scattering the spawn of Juiblex across the Material Plane at the same time.
* MuckMonster: A spawn of Juiblex is a nauseating mass of toxic sludge, capable of flowing over even difficult terrain faster than a man can run. Anything engulfed by it takes damage and may be sickened, or even suffer [[NonHealthDamage Constitution damage]] from the larger specimens.
* NonElemental: The damage dealt by this demonic sludge's corrupting touch is undefined, so there are few defenses against it.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Spawn of Juiblex are so horrific in appearance that other creatures have to save or be forced to retreat from the monsters.
* TrulySingleParent: Once it has consumed enough food, a spawn of any size splits off a new lesser spawn.
[[/folder]]
[[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 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.
----
* BeastOfBattle: All of the non-humanoid spawn of Tiamat can serve effectively as war-beasts or mounts.
* DraconicHumanoid: Some spawn of Tiamat are bipedal, and classified as Monstrous Humanoids in 3rd Edition.
* DragonKnight: Their (dragonblood) subtype qualifies them for various feats and {{Prestige Class}}es with this theme, meaning that an above-average spawn can easily pick up additional powers like wings or attacks which channel the element of their parent's BreathWeapon.
* ElementalPowers: All spawn of Tiamat are immune to the energy type associated with their "parent" dragon breed, and many have attacks that deal the same energy damage as well.
* FriendlyFireproof: Conferred by the "Tiamat's Blessing" ability certain dragonspawn share. For example, bluespawn stormlizards will grant any other spawn within 5 feet (this includes their riders) immunity to electricity, even if they have a non-blue dragon heritage.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: All dragonspawn have an obvious draconic heritage, but they fall short of being classified as true Dragons, and instead have the (dragonblood) subtype. This means that they are classified as either Magical Beasts or Monstrous Humanoids, but certain spells and magic items affect them as if they were true Dragons.
!!Blackspawn Raider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a line of acid.
* GlorySeeker: Blackspawn raiders constantly compete for the glory of killing the biggest and most dangerous targets.
* {{Matriarchy}}: Their leaders are "spawnmothers" who have at least five living adult children. Since blackspawn raiders are Chaotic Evil, this leads to vicious politics where spawnmothers try to get each others' children killed in dangerous assignments, or steal eggs from fertile mothers to increase their own standing.
* {{Ninja}}: Their best ambushers train to become "exterminators," taking ranks in the ninja class.
* ReligiousBruiser: They're vicious killers, but blackspawn raiders take their role as "the Children of Tiamat" seriously, and when they slay and ritualistically devour metallic dragons, they consider it an act of worship.
!!Blackspawn Stalker
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_stalker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Horrible combinations of dragon and spider, and expert hunters and trappers.
----
* BreedingCult: Blackspawn stalkers believe that the best way to serve Tiamat is by breeding her the ultimate servant. As such, they try to reproduce as much as possible, forming mated pairs and distributing their eggs among a half-dozen nests each year.
* GiantSpider: They're Large-sized, spider-like creatures with a 10-foot legspan and weigh 5,000 pounds.
* ProjectileWebbing: They can throw webs like nets to entangle creatures.
* SuperSpit: Rather than an official breath weapon, blackspawn stalkers can spit globs of acid at a single target up to 60 feet away.
!!Bluespawn Ambusher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_ambusher_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These pack hunters bury themselves underground before bursting out to attack prey with their claws, horns and electricity bursts.
----
* DigAttack: Bluespawn ambushers can burrow through earth and stone as fast as they can walk, and will either lie in wait beneath the surface until prey approaches, or burrow towards prey before erupting to the attack.
* HornAttack: They can make gore attacks with their facial horns, unlike proper blue dragons with which they share a skull structure.
* ShockAndAwe: They can periodically blast anything within 10 feet with electrcity, and in protracted combats usually duck back underground while this ability recharges.
!!Bluespawn Burrower
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_burrower_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Other dragonspawn use these creatures to erect earthworks or glass monuments to their queen, but they're just as capable in combat thanks to their massive claws and electrified tails.
----
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their tails are not just spiked like the heads of maces, they also constantly crackle with electricity for additional damage.
* ElementalBarrier: Bluespawn burrowers carry a potent electrical charge that lashes out at anything that grapples or makes a melee attack aginst them, and enemies wearing metal armor take a penalty on the resulting saving throw.
* ShockAndAwe: They can make a conical "lightning sweep" attack three times per day.
!!Bluespawn Godslayer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_godslayer_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Natural Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E), 22 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E), Evil (4E)
Giant draconic humanoids that excel at killing dragons and extraplanar creatures.
----
* CraftedFromAnimals: Their huge, heavy shields are crafted from dragon skulls.
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Between their arrogance and [[HunterOfHisOwnKind talent at killing fellow dragonblooded creatures]], other spawn of Tiamat, and even dragons who aren't wholly devoted to Tiamat, tend to hate and fear godslayers.
* HunterOfMonsters: Godslayers get damage bonuses when fighting dragons or outsiders.
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: They make liberal use of their Awesome Blow feat to send enemies flying, while keeping close enough to hit them again when their victim tries to get off the ground.
* ShockAndAwe: Their enormous swords don't have enchantments on them to deal lightning damage, all the electricity crackling around them is coming from their wielders.
* SterilityPlague: Unlike most spawn of Tiamat, bluespawn godslayers are sterile and can only be born to blue dragon parents who have earned Tiamat's favor, or are lairing near an enemy the Dragon Queen wants dead. This just makes bluespawn godslayers consider themselves Tiamat's favorites.
!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These draconic quadrupeds serve ably as war mounts, crashing into the enemy like rhinos and electrifying foes caught between them.
----
* AngstySurvivingTwin: Any bluespawn stormlizard that survives the loss of its sibling will fly into a berserk rage until it too is slain. Even simple separation can be dangerous, with the stormlizard refusing to eat until its sibling returns.
* CombinationAttack: Bluespawn stormlizards don't just generate electricity, it arcs between them and others of their kind. As a swift action they can cause a line of electricity to fire from their horn to another stormlizard within 100 feet, dealing damage to anything in a line between the two spawn.
* HereditaryTwinhood: All bluespawn stormlizards are born same-sex twins hatched from the same eggs. They spend their lives together, take another pair of twins as mates, and use the same lair for egg laying. Once the resulting sets of twins are born, the pairs break up, taking the twins of the same sex with them to raise them.
* HornAttack: They can make devastating gore attacks with their horn on a charge.
* ShockAndAwe: Aside from arcing electricity between their horns, bluespawn stormlizards can fire a 100-foot line of electricity every few rounds.
!!Greenspawn Leaper
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_leaper_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
These agile creatures are swift climbers, allowing them to serve as arboreal predators or mounts for smaller spawn of Tiamat.
----
* CombatPragmatist: Greenspawn leapers compete by challenging each other to races through the forest canopy, with the loser being the first to slip up and fall or balk at attempting a jump or risky climb. They're cunning enough creatures to deliberately fall behind in an attempt to bait an opponent into being the first to reach what they know is a dangerously weak tree branch.
* CompeteForTheMaidensHand: During their triannual mating season, male greenspawn leapers invade a female's territory, racing against each other for the right to breed with her. This means that the lucky winner faces a long trip home once the female tires of him, and they may cross several rival males' territory only to find that their home stretch of forest has been claimed by a neighbor.
* PoisonousPerson: Once per day, a greenspawn leaper can release a cloud of poison that affects everything within 5 feet of them. The poison is absorbed through the skin, at which point it converts to acid and damages victims.
* WallCrawl: They have an impressive climb speed, which is usually employed to scramble through the forest canopy of their preferred territory, but can be applied elsewhere if the leapers join an army of other spawn of Tiamat.
!!Greenspawn Razorfiend
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_razorfiend.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These voracious predators use their modified wings as weapons, and are equally dangerous in forests and swamps.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can spray a cone of acid every few rounds (since 3rd Edition's green dragons dealt acid damage with their breath weapons rather than poison damage).
* DragonHoard: Unlike most spawn of Tiamat, greenspawn razorfiends have inherited a proper draconic instinct for hoarding treature, and will collect coins and other shiny valuables in their lairs.
* InASingleBound: Greenspawn razorfiends can't quite fly with their wings, but they can use them to assist with jumping, resulting in a whopping +22 bonus on such skill checks.
* RazorWings: Their claw-tipped wings hit as hard as greatswords and have the Augmented Critical trait, so they're more likely to deal a CriticalHit.
!!Greenspawn Sneak
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_sneak_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These small draconic humanoids serve the armies of Tiamat as scouts and skulkers.
----
* BackStab: They can deal Sneak Attack damage like Rogues against flanked or flat-footed foes.
* InHarmonyWithNature: Greenspawn sneaks are an interesting variant. Their outposts, positioned in woods or marshland bordering what they consider to be enemy territory, have a surprisingly small impact on the local ecosystem, since the sneaks have slow metabolisms and don't need to hunt much, and supplement their diets with wild plants they tend. But this isn't out of any love or respect for nature so much as a desire to evade detection by their victims.
* StealthExpert: Greenspawn sneaks have respectable bonuses on Hide and Move Silently checks, and are wholly dedicated to their roles as the reconnaissance arm of Tiamat's forces.
!!Greenspawn Zealot
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_zealot_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Draconic humanoids who serve as the religious leaders of Tiamat's forces, and support other dragonspawn on the field of battle.
----
* LifeDrain: Their "Touch of Tiamat" ability deals damage to enemies they touch and simultaneously heals a dragon or dragonblooded creature (potentially the greenspawn zealot making the attack), up to a certain number of points of damage per day.
* ThePoliticalOfficer: Greenspawn zealots are essentially commissars, ensuring that other spawn of Tiamat are properly decidated to the Dragon Queen's cause. While this earns them the resentment of the more chaotic dragonspawn, few dare oppose Tiamat's faithful. This trait may make the greenspawn zealots the most dangerous spawn of Tiamat, as while they aren't the most powerful of her children, they are often the motivational force that marshalls their fellow dragonspawn into effective armies.
* WarriorMonk: They live in monasteries and temples dedicated to Tiamat, where they train in warcraft and commune with their goddess.
!!Redspawn Arcaniss
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_arcaniss_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
These draconic sorcerers provide magical support to Tiamat's armies, with a predictable affinity for destructive fire magic.
----
* BornAsAnAdult: While most spawn of Tiamat age rapidly, redspawn arcanisses are hatched fully-grown and adult-sized, with an instinctive grasp of their spells. After a week of instruction on the lay of the land and their place in the world, they're ready to go off and form a new warband.
* FeedItWithFire: They're not just immune to fire effects, they're healed by them. This includes their own fire spells, so redspawn arcanisses will happilly drop a ''fireball'' on themselves to recover health and damage foes in the same stirke.
* MageSpecies: All Redspawn Arcaniss are natural sorcerers.
* PlayingWithFire: Redspawn arcanisses cast fire spells at a boosted level. That said, they're not so obsessed with fire [[PoorPredictableRock that they use it exclusively]], so they also know spells like ''Melf's acid arrow'' or ''magic missile'' to bring against fire-resistant targets.
* ReligiousBruiser: They consider themselves "the Burning Ones of Tiamat," her favored children who will purge the world of nondragons and rule over what remains, and study a holy text called the ''Scrolls of Fire'' that was purportedly written by Tiamat herself.
!!Redspawn Berserker
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_berserker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Ogre-sized draconic humanoids that fight as brutal shock infantry.
----
* TheBerserker: Subverted; despite their name, redspawn berserkers never go out of control during combat, and their entry notes that while they are innately chaotic creatures, they're unfailingly obedient to Tiamat or her representatives.
* CounterAttack: Redspawn berserkers prioritize attacking opponents who injured them with a melee strike in the previous round of combat, and gain a damage bonus against such foes.
* CraftedFromAnimals: They're depicted with dragon-skull shields and boney morningstars, suggesting they've converted their conquests into wargear.
!!Redspawn Firebelcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
----
* DumbMuscle: Redspawn firebelchers are rock stupid, with an Intelligence score of 1, dumber than some mundane animals. But they're just smart enough to be trained to work with other dragonspawn, after eating only a few of their kin.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can "belch" fire up to 60 feet away, dealing heavy damage to targets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a 30-foot cone of ice every few rounds for a bit of cold damage.
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish but crafty, these draconic humanoids are adept stalkers.
----
* TheBerserker: They derive status from strength and displays of aggression, so any who can fly into a battle rage become the tribe's leaders.
* ChainPain: Their berserkers carry spiked chains into battle.
* MadeASlave: Whitespawn hunters aren't smart, but can see the value of slave labor, whether captive humanoids or the smaller, weaker whitespawn hordelings. Such slaves tend not to last long, and are unceremoniously eaten once they succumb to their poor conditions.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Whitespawn hunter society, such as it is, is all about the strong persevering over the weak. Their eggs are abandoned with the expectation that the hatchlings will fight and devour their weaker siblings, their coming-of-age ritual involves two hunters bringing down prey but only one returning to the tribe with it, and they'll even turn on white dragons in desperate times. As a result, they view other whitespawn hunter tribes as rivals to be driven off, enslaved or eaten.
!!Whitespawn Iceskidder
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_iceskidder_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
These draconic creatures are uniquely adapted for rapid movement across ice.
----
* BreathWeapon: They cna breate a 30-foot cone of ice that deals damage and can partially freeze victims in place, with effects similar to that of a ''tanglefoot bag''.
* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: Their clawed feet are apparently organic ice skates, allowing whitespawn iceskidders to ignore all terrain penalties related to snow or icy ground, and succeed on Balance checks caused by ice or cold magic.
* WingsDoNothing: They're depicted with wings, but have no flight speed or wing attacks.
[[/folder]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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 (3E), Unaligned (4E)
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]]
[[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:''' 5 (hieracosphinx), 7 (criosphinx), 8 (gynosphinx), 9 (androsphinx) (3E); 16 (4E); 11 (gynosphinx), 17 (androsphinx) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood (androsphinx), TrueNeutral (criosphinx, gynosphinx) (3E), ChaoticEvil (hieracosphinx); LawfulNeutral (androsphinx, gynosphinx) (5E)
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other creatures and rather peculiar reproductive behavior.
----
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Up until 5th Edition, sphinxes were infamous for this and their mating habits. Of the classic four varieties, the only female sphinxes 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, to the point that gynosphinxes will pay adventurers handsomely for leads on an androsphinx. 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, resulting in a vicious competition among other criosphinxes over their "prize" (who often escapes out a back passage in the ensuing chaos). 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.
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' for most of its history. 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:
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universe
* 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: Gynosphinxes in particular are fascinated by riddles and games of wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in this manner. 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. And other subspecies, specifically the astro- and dracosphinxes, end up subverting the classic game of riddles, as described above.
* 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.
[[/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.
* 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.
!!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)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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:Spiker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (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]]
[[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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
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.
* 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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Sunfly]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 0 (individual), 1 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood
----
* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject a venom whose effect varies depending on the Outer Plane the sunfly is on.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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.
[[/folder]]
----
%%
%% Not every folder needs an image for every edition in the game.
%% Unless a creature was given a significant redesign between editions, one image is plenty.
%%
%% We're not a D&D wiki, and it's not the end of the world if we don't have a folder for every creature to appear in a D&D supplement.
%% Before creating new folders, ask yourself if there's enough material to make the folder interesting to read.
%%
%%%%%%%%
[[WMG:[[center: [- ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' '''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragons Main Characters Index]]'''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsClasses Character Classes by Edition]]''\\
''[[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/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesIToL I to L]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesM M]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesNtoQ N to Q]] | [[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesR R]] | [[CharactersDungeonsAndDragonsCreaturesSPartOne Sa-Sl]], '''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/DungeonsAndDragonsDeities Deities]]''\\
''[[Characters/DungeonsAndDragonsRaces Playable Races]]''\\
''Campaign Settings:'' Characters/{{Dragonlance}} | Characters/{{Eberron}} | Characters/ForgottenRealms | Characters/{{Greyhawk}} | Characters/{{Planescape}} | Characters/{{Ravenloft}} | Characters/{{Spelljammer}} ]] -]]]
Monsters from the myriad worlds of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''.
[[folder:Notes on the Entries]]
* A creature's '''Origin''' denotes the specific campaign setting it debuted in, if any. This is not to say that setting is the only place that creature can be found -- ''D&D'' has a long history of repackaging creatures from sub-settings for general use, and ultimately the DM decides what appears in a game.
* A creature's listed '''Challenge Rating''' may be for "baseline" examples of the monster, rather than listing every advanced variant presented in ''Monster Manual''s. Also remember that 3rd and 5th Edition use a 1-20 scale for "standard" Challenge Ratings, while 4th Edition uses 1-30.
* Not all '''Playable''' creatures are created equal, especially in 3rd Edition, in which MonsterAdventurers can have significant Level Adjustments for the sake of party balance.
* A creature's listed '''Alignment''' is typical for the race as a whole, not an absolute for every individual in it -- even supposed embodiments of Good and Evil can change their alignment. Also, if there are two alignments listed, and one is for 4th Edition, assume that the other alignment holds true for all other game editions. Finally, the "Always Neutral" alignment listed in previous editions for nonsapient creatures has been equated with the "Unaligned" alignment of recent editions.
[[/folder]]
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.
[[foldercontrol]]
!!So-Sy
[[folder:Soarwhale]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soarwhale_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 15 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
Creatures resembling colossal baleen whales that drift through the skies rather than the ocean. They're docile enough to be domesticated and used for transporting passengers and cargo.
----
* LivingGasbag: They're basically organic blimps 40 feet wide and 80 feet long, and can be outfitted with gondolas or howdahs to carry over 130,000 pounds.
* TheParalyzer: When threatened, a soarwhale can empty its air bladders as a defense mechanism. This causes the soarwhale to plummet a hundred feet before stabilizing, but leaves a cloud of gas in its prior position that can paralyze anything around it, which is very much a ''bad'' thing to have happen a mile above the ground.
* SpaceWhale: Of the "Air Whale" variant. Sages agree that the odds of such a thing occuring naturally are slim to none, but if some mage had a hand in soarwhales' creation, there are no records of it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sorrowsworn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_the_angry_5e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Angry (5e)]]
->'''Classification:''' Shadow Humanoid (4E), Monstrosity (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 25 (4E); 1/4 (the Wretched), 7 (the Lost), 9 (the Lonely), 11 (the Hungry), 13 (the Angry) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned (4E), NeutralEvil (5E)
Creatures native to the Shadowfell, formed of congealed negative emotions felt by people who travel there.
----
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Each sorrowsworn personifies a different aspect of despair or distress.
* ExtremeOmnivore: These Hungry consume all life and energy they encounter, eating flesh and drinking screams.
* MultipleHeadCase: Each of the Angry has two heads, which constantly bicker with one another until they find something else to vent their wrath on.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: The Lost try to embrace any creatures they can reach, attempting to find solace in the contact. Aside from the horror of being embraced by such a thing, the victim experiences a flood of fear and panic.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Sorrowsworn are ''dangerous'' monsters, each being a powerful mid-game boss or late-game EliteMook. But they are also so utterly miserable that you have to feel sorry for them.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: The Lonely launch their harpoon-like arms to drag their victims close.
* ZergRush: The Wretched are individually very weak, but gather in large packs to scour the Shadowfell for prey. When they find a creature, they surge forward to sink their fangs into their victims.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Souleater]]
[[quoteright:289:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_souleater_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:289:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
Large, mist-shrouded fiends from the Gray Waste of Hades, feared for consuming the very essence of their victims.
----
* AchillesHeel: Their connection to negative energy makes them vulnerable to TurnUndead attempts, which can daze a souleater.
* LevelDrain: Souleaters emanate an aura of negative energy, which other creatures can feel as if a cold wind is swirling towards the monster. This automatically inflicts a negative level on all creatures within 30 feet, and also interferes with incarnum-using classes attempting to shape and bind soulmelds or allocate essentia.
* MonsterMouth: Their main features (and most dangerous weapons) are huge maws filled with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily.
* SoulEating: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Unsurprisingly]], these fiends consume the souls of any creature that dies within their negative energy aura, gaining hit points as well as a long-lasting bonus on attack rolls and saving throws for every soul consumed. Anyone who becomes a souleater's prey cannot be revived until the fiend is destroyed, and even then it takes magic like ''true resurrection'', ''wish'' or ''miracle'' to bring them back.
* {{Telepathy}}: They are TheSpeechless, but can telepathically communicate with anyone who has a language.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Soulspark]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_soulspark_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Outsider (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (least) to 7 (greater) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticNeutral, LawfulNeutral, NeutralGood, or NeutralEvil
Sentient embodiments of incarnum, which can form spontaneously or at the behest of a meldshaper.
----
* DivertingPower: Soulsparks have an essentia reserve, which they can invest into a HealingFactor, or bonuses to attacks or defense, as needed on a round-by-round basis.
* {{Familiar}}: They can be created to serve as such by a meldshaper, growing more powerful based on which chakra they're bound to.
* NonElemental: They attack with "soul blast"s that deal undefined damage.
* OurSoulsAreDifferent: Soulsparks are made of incarnum, the magical essence of souls in the multiverse, though not any singular soul in particular, and fortunately a soulspark's destruction doesn't have any negative effect on the souls involved.
* WillOTheWisp: They're a spin on the trope, being free-floating balls of light that can be as dim as a candle or as bright as a sunrod, though they're considered native outsiders rather than aberrations, as 3rd Edition will-o-wisps were classified. Soulsparks tend to act according to their alignments, so evil ones will look for opportunities to harm other creatures when they least suspect it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Space Clown]]
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_space_clowns_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:5e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Fiend (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Fiend-tainted clowns who prowl Wildspace in garish starships, or set up carnival tents on worlds to lure in victims.
----
* DefeatEqualsExplosion: When slain, space clowns pop like balloons, splashing adjacent creatures with acid.
* ElectricJoybuzzer: Not explicit, but they do have a "Shock" melee attack that deals a good bit of lightning damage.
* HelplessWithLaughter: Their colorful ray guns deal psychic damage, and can also cause victims to be incapacitated with laughter as they find everything they see or hear to be hilariously funny.
* ImAHumanitarian: They feed upon humanoid flesh.
* LieToTheBeholder: Three times per day they can take on a phantasmal form, cloaking themselves in an illusion to appear to be something like a child or floating balloon, though one that won't hold up to close physical inspection.
* MonsterClown: [[RecycledInSpace In SPACE!]] Once mortal worshippers of a god of revelry, they were transformed into fiends after becoming addicted to the elixir "Thrill Joy," distilled from demon ichor and the nectar of the bozo flower. An encounter with the dohwar led to the space clowns acquiring ''spelljammer helms'' and spreading across the multiverse, bringing the "love and fear of clowns" with them.
* ShoutOut: You could call them [[Film/KillerKlownsFromOuterSpace killer clowns from Wildspace.]]
* WithCatlikeTread: Subverted; their squeaky shoes can be heard up to 30 feet away, and interfere with any attempts at stealth, except this squeaking is silenced when a space clown dons an illusory disguise.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Space Hamster]]
[[quoteright:235:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_giant_space_hamster_5e.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:235:Giant space hamster (5e)]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Beast (giant), Monstrosity (miniature) (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/4 (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned (giant), NeutralGood (miniature)
Bear-sized rodents introduced to Wildspace by gnomes, to serve as pack animals, livestock and even power sources. Wizards have also used magic to miniaturize giant space hamsters, which are sometimes introduced to Material Plane worlds and come to be known as "hamsters."
----
* AlienAnimals: 5th Edition asserts that when a giant space hamster is magically miniaturized, the resulting creature becomes smarter and telepathic. Sure enough, space hamsters have a slightly higher Intelligence than ogres and are sapient enough to have an alignment, but they usually keep their telepathic abilities hidden from other creatures.
* ExplosiveBreeder: Giant space hamsters grow to maturity in two years, can have several litters per year, and remain fertile for half their 18-year lifespan. Fortunately, they're easy prey for carnivores, which can keep a wild population in check.
* FantasticLivestock: Gnomes find giant space hamster meat, or "spaham," quite tasty. So do githyanki.
* GoForTheEye: Tiny space hamsters can make a [[VideoGame/BaldursGate "Go for the Eyes"]] attack, potentially blinding an opponent for a round.
* HamsterWheelPower: Gnomish spelljammer ships sometimes use giant space hamster wheels as a power source.
* OxymoronicBeing: The miniature giant space hamster.
* UndergroundMonkey: Taken to the point of self-parody. The 2E ''Monstrous Compendium -- Spelljammer Appendix I'' explains that the "worst aspect of the giant space hamster (aside from its ludicrous existence)" is how easily new variants of it can be created by gnomish breeders. Mentioned but not statted are the woolly, mottled, ochre, Oriental, Occidental, chartreuse, spotted, not-quite-so-spotted, only-a-little-spotted, plaid, cave-dwelling, three-toed, lesser, greater, greater lesser, lesser greater, albino and flightless giant space hamster subspecies. And then there are the ''really'' weird ones: subterranean, sabre-toothed, rather wild, [[{{Invisibility}} invisible]], sylvan/jungle, armor-plated, [[PoisonousPerson yellow musk]], ethereal (a misnomer: only their flesh is, giving them the disturbing appearance of a giant skeletal hamster), carnivorous flying, [[MultipleHeadCase two-headed]] [[HealingFactor Lernaen]] [[GassHole bombardier]], [[BreathWeapon fire-breathing]] [[{{Intangibility}} phase]] [[VoluntaryShapeshifting doppelganger]], great horned, and [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti abominable]] giant space hamsters, and of course the [[PaperTiger huge but harmless]] ''Tyrannohamsterus rex''. There are also legends of a "giant space hamster of ill omen," also known as Woolly Rupert, said to be colossal, intelligent, a powerful spellcaster, and prone to squashing any gnomes he comes across beneath his fearsome paws.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Spawn of Juiblex]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spawn_of_jubilex_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Elemental (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (lesser), 10 (greater), 14 (elder) (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Revolting masses of infernal slime spawned from the Demon Lord of Ooze.
----
* CombatTentacles: A spawn of Juiblex can cover foes with a thick coat of slime and subsequently animate it, causing the slime to sprout tentacles and attack nearby creatures.
* ExtraEyes: About the only features these fetid oozes have are lots of red eyes dotting their surface, glaring hatefully and hungrily at any creatures around them.
* GiantWallOfWateryDoom: Elder spawns of Juiblex are Gargantuan slime monsters, so they're capable of doing this on their own. Stories speak of them blotting out the sun like a tidal wave before crashing over a town, leaving only ruins and bones behind.
* GoneHorriblyWrong: These monsters were created when Zuggtmoy, Demon Queen of Fungi, attempted to banish her rival demon lord to another plane. Instead she succeeded in sending part of Juiblex's essence to the Elemental Plane of Water, where it polluted the elemental matter around it until the natives evicted the source of corruption. This inadvertantly created a "Demiplane of Filth" inhabited by the rogue shard of Juiblex's essence, while scattering the spawn of Juiblex across the Material Plane at the same time.
* MuckMonster: A spawn of Juiblex is a nauseating mass of toxic sludge, capable of flowing over even difficult terrain faster than a man can run. Anything engulfed by it takes damage and may be sickened, or even suffer [[NonHealthDamage Constitution damage]] from the larger specimens.
* NonElemental: The damage dealt by this demonic sludge's corrupting touch is undefined, so there are few defenses against it.
* SupernaturalFearInducer: Spawn of Juiblex are so horrific in appearance that other creatures have to save or be forced to retreat from the monsters.
* TrulySingleParent: Once it has consumed enough food, a spawn of any size splits off a new lesser spawn.
[[/folder]]
[[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 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.
----
* BeastOfBattle: All of the non-humanoid spawn of Tiamat can serve effectively as war-beasts or mounts.
* DraconicHumanoid: Some spawn of Tiamat are bipedal, and classified as Monstrous Humanoids in 3rd Edition.
* DragonKnight: Their (dragonblood) subtype qualifies them for various feats and {{Prestige Class}}es with this theme, meaning that an above-average spawn can easily pick up additional powers like wings or attacks which channel the element of their parent's BreathWeapon.
* ElementalPowers: All spawn of Tiamat are immune to the energy type associated with their "parent" dragon breed, and many have attacks that deal the same energy damage as well.
* FriendlyFireproof: Conferred by the "Tiamat's Blessing" ability certain dragonspawn share. For example, bluespawn stormlizards will grant any other spawn within 5 feet (this includes their riders) immunity to electricity, even if they have a non-blue dragon heritage.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: All dragonspawn have an obvious draconic heritage, but they fall short of being classified as true Dragons, and instead have the (dragonblood) subtype. This means that they are classified as either Magical Beasts or Monstrous Humanoids, but certain spells and magic items affect them as if they were true Dragons.
!!Blackspawn Raider
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_raider_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenger Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Cunning and vicious hunters that only put aside their competition for kills when faced with the prospect of slaying a metallic dragon.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a line of acid.
* GlorySeeker: Blackspawn raiders constantly compete for the glory of killing the biggest and most dangerous targets.
* {{Matriarchy}}: Their leaders are "spawnmothers" who have at least five living adult children. Since blackspawn raiders are Chaotic Evil, this leads to vicious politics where spawnmothers try to get each others' children killed in dangerous assignments, or steal eggs from fertile mothers to increase their own standing.
* {{Ninja}}: Their best ambushers train to become "exterminators," taking ranks in the ninja class.
* ReligiousBruiser: They're vicious killers, but blackspawn raiders take their role as "the Children of Tiamat" seriously, and when they slay and ritualistically devour metallic dragons, they consider it an act of worship.
!!Blackspawn Stalker
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_blackspawn_stalker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Horrible combinations of dragon and spider, and expert hunters and trappers.
----
* BreedingCult: Blackspawn stalkers believe that the best way to serve Tiamat is by breeding her the ultimate servant. As such, they try to reproduce as much as possible, forming mated pairs and distributing their eggs among a half-dozen nests each year.
* GiantSpider: They're Large-sized, spider-like creatures with a 10-foot legspan and weigh 5,000 pounds.
* ProjectileWebbing: They can throw webs like nets to entangle creatures.
* SuperSpit: Rather than an official breath weapon, blackspawn stalkers can spit globs of acid at a single target up to 60 feet away.
!!Bluespawn Ambusher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_ambusher_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These pack hunters bury themselves underground before bursting out to attack prey with their claws, horns and electricity bursts.
----
* DigAttack: Bluespawn ambushers can burrow through earth and stone as fast as they can walk, and will either lie in wait beneath the surface until prey approaches, or burrow towards prey before erupting to the attack.
* HornAttack: They can make gore attacks with their facial horns, unlike proper blue dragons with which they share a skull structure.
* ShockAndAwe: They can periodically blast anything within 10 feet with electrcity, and in protracted combats usually duck back underground while this ability recharges.
!!Bluespawn Burrower
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_burrower_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 9 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Other dragonspawn use these creatures to erect earthworks or glass monuments to their queen, but they're just as capable in combat thanks to their massive claws and electrified tails.
----
* BewareMyStingerTail: Their tails are not just spiked like the heads of maces, they also constantly crackle with electricity for additional damage.
* ElementalBarrier: Bluespawn burrowers carry a potent electrical charge that lashes out at anything that grapples or makes a melee attack aginst them, and enemies wearing metal armor take a penalty on the resulting saving throw.
* ShockAndAwe: They can make a conical "lightning sweep" attack three times per day.
!!Bluespawn Godslayer
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_godslayer_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid (3E), Natural Humanoid (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 10 (3E), 22 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil (3E), Evil (4E)
Giant draconic humanoids that excel at killing dragons and extraplanar creatures.
----
* CraftedFromAnimals: Their huge, heavy shields are crafted from dragon skulls.
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Between their arrogance and [[HunterOfHisOwnKind talent at killing fellow dragonblooded creatures]], other spawn of Tiamat, and even dragons who aren't wholly devoted to Tiamat, tend to hate and fear godslayers.
* HunterOfMonsters: Godslayers get damage bonuses when fighting dragons or outsiders.
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: They make liberal use of their Awesome Blow feat to send enemies flying, while keeping close enough to hit them again when their victim tries to get off the ground.
* ShockAndAwe: Their enormous swords don't have enchantments on them to deal lightning damage, all the electricity crackling around them is coming from their wielders.
* SterilityPlague: Unlike most spawn of Tiamat, bluespawn godslayers are sterile and can only be born to blue dragon parents who have earned Tiamat's favor, or are lairing near an enemy the Dragon Queen wants dead. This just makes bluespawn godslayers consider themselves Tiamat's favorites.
!!Bluespawn Stormlizard
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_bluespawn_stormlizard_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These draconic quadrupeds serve ably as war mounts, crashing into the enemy like rhinos and electrifying foes caught between them.
----
* AngstySurvivingTwin: Any bluespawn stormlizard that survives the loss of its sibling will fly into a berserk rage until it too is slain. Even simple separation can be dangerous, with the stormlizard refusing to eat until its sibling returns.
* CombinationAttack: Bluespawn stormlizards don't just generate electricity, it arcs between them and others of their kind. As a swift action they can cause a line of electricity to fire from their horn to another stormlizard within 100 feet, dealing damage to anything in a line between the two spawn.
* HereditaryTwinhood: All bluespawn stormlizards are born same-sex twins hatched from the same eggs. They spend their lives together, take another pair of twins as mates, and use the same lair for egg laying. Once the resulting sets of twins are born, the pairs break up, taking the twins of the same sex with them to raise them.
* HornAttack: They can make devastating gore attacks with their horn on a charge.
* ShockAndAwe: Aside from arcing electricity between their horns, bluespawn stormlizards can fire a 100-foot line of electricity every few rounds.
!!Greenspawn Leaper
[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_leaper_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
These agile creatures are swift climbers, allowing them to serve as arboreal predators or mounts for smaller spawn of Tiamat.
----
* CombatPragmatist: Greenspawn leapers compete by challenging each other to races through the forest canopy, with the loser being the first to slip up and fall or balk at attempting a jump or risky climb. They're cunning enough creatures to deliberately fall behind in an attempt to bait an opponent into being the first to reach what they know is a dangerously weak tree branch.
* CompeteForTheMaidensHand: During their triannual mating season, male greenspawn leapers invade a female's territory, racing against each other for the right to breed with her. This means that the lucky winner faces a long trip home once the female tires of him, and they may cross several rival males' territory only to find that their home stretch of forest has been claimed by a neighbor.
* PoisonousPerson: Once per day, a greenspawn leaper can release a cloud of poison that affects everything within 5 feet of them. The poison is absorbed through the skin, at which point it converts to acid and damages victims.
* WallCrawl: They have an impressive climb speed, which is usually employed to scramble through the forest canopy of their preferred territory, but can be applied elsewhere if the leapers join an army of other spawn of Tiamat.
!!Greenspawn Razorfiend
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_razorfiend.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These voracious predators use their modified wings as weapons, and are equally dangerous in forests and swamps.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can spray a cone of acid every few rounds (since 3rd Edition's green dragons dealt acid damage with their breath weapons rather than poison damage).
* DragonHoard: Unlike most spawn of Tiamat, greenspawn razorfiends have inherited a proper draconic instinct for hoarding treature, and will collect coins and other shiny valuables in their lairs.
* InASingleBound: Greenspawn razorfiends can't quite fly with their wings, but they can use them to assist with jumping, resulting in a whopping +22 bonus on such skill checks.
* RazorWings: Their claw-tipped wings hit as hard as greatswords and have the Augmented Critical trait, so they're more likely to deal a CriticalHit.
!!Greenspawn Sneak
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_sneak_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
These small draconic humanoids serve the armies of Tiamat as scouts and skulkers.
----
* BackStab: They can deal Sneak Attack damage like Rogues against flanked or flat-footed foes.
* InHarmonyWithNature: Greenspawn sneaks are an interesting variant. Their outposts, positioned in woods or marshland bordering what they consider to be enemy territory, have a surprisingly small impact on the local ecosystem, since the sneaks have slow metabolisms and don't need to hunt much, and supplement their diets with wild plants they tend. But this isn't out of any love or respect for nature so much as a desire to evade detection by their victims.
* StealthExpert: Greenspawn sneaks have respectable bonuses on Hide and Move Silently checks, and are wholly dedicated to their roles as the reconnaissance arm of Tiamat's forces.
!!Greenspawn Zealot
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_greenspawn_zealot_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 5 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' LawfulEvil
Draconic humanoids who serve as the religious leaders of Tiamat's forces, and support other dragonspawn on the field of battle.
----
* LifeDrain: Their "Touch of Tiamat" ability deals damage to enemies they touch and simultaneously heals a dragon or dragonblooded creature (potentially the greenspawn zealot making the attack), up to a certain number of points of damage per day.
* ThePoliticalOfficer: Greenspawn zealots are essentially commissars, ensuring that other spawn of Tiamat are properly decidated to the Dragon Queen's cause. While this earns them the resentment of the more chaotic dragonspawn, few dare oppose Tiamat's faithful. This trait may make the greenspawn zealots the most dangerous spawn of Tiamat, as while they aren't the most powerful of her children, they are often the motivational force that marshalls their fellow dragonspawn into effective armies.
* WarriorMonk: They live in monasteries and temples dedicated to Tiamat, where they train in warcraft and commune with their goddess.
!!Redspawn Arcaniss
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_arcaniss_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classifiaction:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
These draconic sorcerers provide magical support to Tiamat's armies, with a predictable affinity for destructive fire magic.
----
* BornAsAnAdult: While most spawn of Tiamat age rapidly, redspawn arcanisses are hatched fully-grown and adult-sized, with an instinctive grasp of their spells. After a week of instruction on the lay of the land and their place in the world, they're ready to go off and form a new warband.
* FeedItWithFire: They're not just immune to fire effects, they're healed by them. This includes their own fire spells, so redspawn arcanisses will happilly drop a ''fireball'' on themselves to recover health and damage foes in the same stirke.
* MageSpecies: All Redspawn Arcaniss are natural sorcerers.
* PlayingWithFire: Redspawn arcanisses cast fire spells at a boosted level. That said, they're not so obsessed with fire [[PoorPredictableRock that they use it exclusively]], so they also know spells like ''Melf's acid arrow'' or ''magic missile'' to bring against fire-resistant targets.
* ReligiousBruiser: They consider themselves "the Burning Ones of Tiamat," her favored children who will purge the world of nondragons and rule over what remains, and study a holy text called the ''Scrolls of Fire'' that was purportedly written by Tiamat herself.
!!Redspawn Berserker
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_berserker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 8 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Ogre-sized draconic humanoids that fight as brutal shock infantry.
----
* TheBerserker: Subverted; despite their name, redspawn berserkers never go out of control during combat, and their entry notes that while they are innately chaotic creatures, they're unfailingly obedient to Tiamat or her representatives.
* CounterAttack: Redspawn berserkers prioritize attacking opponents who injured them with a melee strike in the previous round of combat, and gain a damage bonus against such foes.
* CraftedFromAnimals: They're depicted with dragon-skull shields and boney morningstars, suggesting they've converted their conquests into wargear.
!!Redspawn Firebelcher
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_redspawn_firebelcher_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast (3E), Natural Beast (4E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E), 12 (4E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil (3E), Unaligned (4E)
These lumbering creatures can serve other dragonspawn as mounts, or as living artillery pieces.
----
* DumbMuscle: Redspawn firebelchers are rock stupid, with an Intelligence score of 1, dumber than some mundane animals. But they're just smart enough to be trained to work with other dragonspawn, after eating only a few of their kin.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: They're compared to crocodiles in general appearance and behavior, only they lounge around lava pools rather than in water.
* SuperSpit: They can "belch" fire up to 60 feet away, dealing heavy damage to targets directly hit by the attack, and lesser damage to those adjacent to that target.
!!Whitespawn Hordeling
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hordelings_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
The weakest dragonspawn, these small draconic humanoids are nomadic predators barely more intelligent than animals.
----
* BreathWeapon: They can breathe a 30-foot cone of ice every few rounds for a bit of cold damage.
* TheHorde: Their only "organization," until other spawn of Tiamat rope them into a proper army, is as wandering bands of up to 150 hordelings.
* ZergRush: Their sole strategy in combat.
!!Whitespawn Hunter
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_hunter_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Monstrous Humanoid\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 4 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
Brutish but crafty, these draconic humanoids are adept stalkers.
----
* TheBerserker: They derive status from strength and displays of aggression, so any who can fly into a battle rage become the tribe's leaders.
* ChainPain: Their berserkers carry spiked chains into battle.
* MadeASlave: Whitespawn hunters aren't smart, but can see the value of slave labor, whether captive humanoids or the smaller, weaker whitespawn hordelings. Such slaves tend not to last long, and are unceremoniously eaten once they succumb to their poor conditions.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Whitespawn hunter society, such as it is, is all about the strong persevering over the weak. Their eggs are abandoned with the expectation that the hatchlings will fight and devour their weaker siblings, their coming-of-age ritual involves two hunters bringing down prey but only one returning to the tribe with it, and they'll even turn on white dragons in desperate times. As a result, they view other whitespawn hunter tribes as rivals to be driven off, enslaved or eaten.
!!Whitespawn Iceskidder
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_whitespawn_iceskidder_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Magical Beast\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 6 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
These draconic creatures are uniquely adapted for rapid movement across ice.
----
* BreathWeapon: They cna breate a 30-foot cone of ice that deals damage and can partially freeze victims in place, with effects similar to that of a ''tanglefoot bag''.
* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: Their clawed feet are apparently organic ice skates, allowing whitespawn iceskidders to ignore all terrain penalties related to snow or icy ground, and succeed on Balance checks caused by ice or cold magic.
* WingsDoNothing: They're depicted with wings, but have no flight speed or wing attacks.
[[/folder]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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 (3E), Unaligned (4E)
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]]
[[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:''' 5 (hieracosphinx), 7 (criosphinx), 8 (gynosphinx), 9 (androsphinx) (3E); 16 (4E); 11 (gynosphinx), 17 (androsphinx) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood (androsphinx), TrueNeutral (criosphinx, gynosphinx) (3E), ChaoticEvil (hieracosphinx); LawfulNeutral (androsphinx, gynosphinx) (5E)
Winged, leonine beasts with the heads of various other creatures and rather peculiar reproductive behavior.
----
* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Up until 5th Edition, sphinxes were infamous for this and their mating habits. Of the classic four varieties, the only female sphinxes 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, to the point that gynosphinxes will pay adventurers handsomely for leads on an androsphinx. 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, resulting in a vicious competition among other criosphinxes over their "prize" (who often escapes out a back passage in the ensuing chaos). 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.
* 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.
* HornAttack: The ram-headed criosphinxes can attack with their horns.
* 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.
* OurSphinxesAreDifferent: Sphinxes have been present in ''D&D'' for most of its history. 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:
** Astrosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) from the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' setting have skull-like goat heads, and more to the point are completely insane, asking "riddles" such as "what's the speed of down?" or "how loud is blue?" Anything who can't answer is slain in a blast of ChainLightning, and the sphinxes are crazy enough to demand answers from wild animals and plants, resulting in some astrosphinxes completely depopulating planets. 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.]] %%in-universe
** Canisphinxes (NeutralEvil) are jackal-headed predators that chase prey across the desert for hours, until their quarry collapses from exhaustion. %%in-universe
** Crocosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads of crocodiles, and they frequently ambush prey from beneath the water, before dragging them in to drown them. %%in-universe
** Dracosphinxes (ChaoticEvil) have the heads and forelegs of red dragons, as well as a mane of multicolored feathers. They possess a fiery BreathWeapon, and while they'll engage in games of riddles with other creatures, these are ruses to get them to lower their guard so the dracosphinx can launch a sudden attack. But dracosphinxes can be warded off with a sufficient show of strength, and the monsters have a strange compulsion to give up an object in their possession, should the item be minutely described by someone certain in the knowledge that it is in the dracosphinx's hoard. %%in-universe
** Loquasphinxes (TrueNeutral) have human faces, and are unique in coming in both sexes. Their interest is in [[LanguageOfMagic truename magic]], and they can use their mastery of Truespeech to bombard opponents with riddles that leave them reeling in confusion. %%in-universe
** Saurosphinxes (TrueNeutral) have lizard-like faces, and aren't the smartest sphinxes, but are the most civilized, and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, the evil varieties of sphinx "often see saurosphinxes as little more than educated food." %%in-universe
** Threskisphinxes (NeutralGood) have the heads of ibises and are fairly reclusive, occasionally creating magical items as academic exercises. %%in-universe
* 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: Gynosphinxes in particular are fascinated by riddles and games of wit, and enjoy testing themselves against others in this manner. 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. And other subspecies, specifically the astro- and dracosphinxes, end up subverting the classic game of riddles, as described above.
* 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.
[[/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.
* 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.
!!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)\\
'''Alignment:''' Unaligned
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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 2 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticEvil
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]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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:Spiker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spiker_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Spirit Folk]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirit_folk_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/KaraTur''\\
'''Classification:''' Humanoid (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 1/2 (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]]
[[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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
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]]
[[folder:Spirrax]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_spirrax_3e.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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)\\
'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
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.
* 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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Squamous Spewer]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_squamous_spewer_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Aberration (3E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 7 (3E)\\
'''Alignment:''' NeutralEvil
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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[folder:Sunfly]]
->'''Origin:''' ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}''\\
'''Classification:''' Celestial (5E)\\
'''Challenge Rating:''' 0 (individual), 1 (swarm) (5E)\\
'''Alignment:''' ChaoticGood
----
* BewareMyStingerTail: Sunflies have stingers that inject a venom whose effect varies depending on the Outer Plane the sunfly is on.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sunwyrm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_sunwyrm_3e.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:3e]]
->'''Classification:''' Dragon (3E)\\
'''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]]
[[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]]
[[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]]
[[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.
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* 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]]
[[folder:Synad]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d&d_synad_3e.jpg]]
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->'''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.
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* 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.
[[/folder]]
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