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Giant ants live in vast subterranean hives tunneled through soil and even stone. A hive can hold as many as 100 ants, in a worker-to-warrior ratio of 1:5.
Giant ants live in vast subterranean hives tunneled through soil and even stone. A hive can hold as many as 100 ants, in a worker-to-warrior ratio of 1:5. The poison of a warrior ant does 2d6 points of damage if a saving throw is failed, 1d4 points of damage if the saving throw succeeds.
Giant ants live in vast subterranean hives tunneled through soil and even stone. The queen of a giant ant colony is larger, tougher, and slower than the average giant ant.
These subterranean predators are the size of a full-grown human, and quite aggressive when defending their territory.
Banshees are horrid fey (or undead) creatures that live in swamps and other desolate places. Magic or silver weapons are required to hit Banshees, they have a magic resistance of 49%, and are immune to enchantments. Their shriek (once per day) necessitates a saving throw versus death or the hearer will die in 2d6 rounds.
They can travel over water and other terrain as if it were land, but crossing running water causes it to lose its magic resistance for 3d6 hours. They look like gaunt humans (male or female) with long, stringy hair and glowing yellow eyes. They often wear hooded cloaks. At the Referee’s discretion, such creatures might be undead rather than fearie-folk, and are considered Type 9 undead for turning purposes.
Basilisks are great lizards whose gaze turns to stone anyone meeting its eye (one way of resolving this: fighting without looking incurs a -4 penalty to hit). If the basilisk’s own gaze is reflected back at it, it has a 10% chance to force the basilisk into a saving throw against being turned to stone itself.
These bats suck blood for automatic damage of 1d6 after a successful bite. They are the size of a falcon.
These massive, man-sized cousins of the bat do not suck blood, but their bite is nonetheless deadly.
These creatures attack with claws as well as a bite. They are twice the size of a man, with a tremendous wingspan. Fearful peasants might even mistake them for small dragons when they fly by at night.
A giant fire beetle’s oily light-glands glow a reddish color, and continue to give off light for 1d6 days after they are removed (shedding light in a 10 ft radius).
Black puddings are amorphous globs with an acidic surface. They are subterranean predators and scavengers. Any weapon or armour contacting a black pudding will be eaten away by the acid as follows: weapon (1 hit by weapon), chain mail or lesser armour (1 hit by pudding), plate mail (2 hits by pudding). If a weapon or armour is magical, it can take an additional hit per +1 before being dissolved.
Blink dogs are pack hunters, intelligent and usually friendly to those who are not of evil intent. They can teleport short distances (without error) and attack in the same turn—in most cases (75%) a blink dog will be able to teleport behind an opponent and attack from the rear (with bonuses).
Boars continue to attack for two rounds after they are actually killed before they drop dead. These stats might also be used for your “blue tusken-hogs of the Ymar Plains” or whatever’s appropriate for your campaign.
These large, hairy, goblin-like humanoids are stealthier than their size would suggest, almost always getting the chance to surprise even alert opponents with a roll of 1–3 on a d6 (50%).
Half man, half horse, centaurs are fierce warriors and well-known creatures of mythology. The Referee may choose any “version” of the centaur from myth or folklore for his campaign: some are evil, some aloof, and some are soothsayers.
Giant lethal centipedes of the small size inflict a lethal bite with a +4 saving throw, but inflict no damage if the saving throw is successful.
The non-lethal variety has larger pincers but its poison is not lethal (though it is deadly). Failing a saving throw (at +4) against the poison of the non-lethal variety causes 1d4 rounds of crippling pain (the victim is helpless, as if asleep). Additionally, the limb (roll 1d4) is temporarily crippled (treat as a disease) for 2d4 days. A crippled leg reduces movement by 50%; a crippled shield arm cannot use weapon or shield; a crippled sword arm can only attack at -4. A second bite on a leg reduces movement to one quarter normal, and a third bite to the legs reduces movement to 1 ft per minute (prone, dragging oneself by the arms).
The man-sized giant centipede is a deadly predator with armoured segments, a deadly bite, and a lethal (though relatively weak) poison.
A twenty-foot long horror of chitin, multiple legs, and clashing pincers dripping with venom.
The chimera has three heads; one is the head of a goat, one the head of a lion, and one the head of a dragon. Great wings rise from its lion-like body. The dragon head can breathe fire (3 times per day) with a range of 50 ft, causing 3d8 damage to anyone caught within the fiery blast (saving throw for half damage).
Resembles a bat-winged rooster with a long, serpentine tail. Its bite turns enemies to stone unless a successful saving throw is made.
Demons are creatures of the lower planes of existence, but they are occasionally encountered in places where they have been enslaved to serve as guardians by powerful Magic-users or evil priests. The more intelligent varieties might also be interrupted while carrying out plots of their own. There is no meaningful game distinction between demons and devils; all are creatures of the lower planes.
The Baalroch’s name means, roughly, the Bull of Baal: the Baal-aurochs (the aurochs was a bull that stood twelve feet tall at the shoulder, and Baal is an ancient and evil pagan deity). These powerful demons somewhat resemble vast minotaurs with great, spreading bat-wings; they burn with the fires of hell and are wreathed in flame. The spells of casters below 6th level do not affect them, and against higher-level spell casters they are yet 75% immune to all spells. In combat, a baalroch uses whip and sword; the whip can be used to reach great distances—on a successful hit the victim is pulled close to the baalroch and burned by the fires of the demon’s body (3d6 hit points). Baalrochs are sometimes referred to in ancient texts as Balor or Baalor, which may be the name of a single demon rather than a term for all of them. A baalroch could be forced or tricked into the service of a powerful wizard, but the risk would be immense.
Lemures are vaguely humanoid, but their flesh is mud-like, shifting and soft upon their horrible bodies. They are lower forms of demons—the fleshly manifestations of damned souls. These demons can only be permanently destroyed by sprinkling their disgusting bodies with holy water.
Djinn are one of the genies of folklore, creatures of the air (and possibly of the elemental planes). They can carry 700 lbs of weight, and have a number of magical powers. A djinni can create food and water, as well as wooden and cloth objects. They can also create objects of metal (including coins), but all such magically created metals disappear in time. Djinn can call up illusions, and although these are quite excellent they disappear when touched. Djinni can give themselves a gaseous form (cannot attack or be attacked, can enter any area that is not airtight), and can become invisible at will. Finally, a djinni can turn itself into a whirlwind, sweeping away any creature with one or fewer hit dice (the diameter of the whirlwind is 10 ft. More powerful types of djinn might be capable of granting limited wishes or even true wishes.
A doppelganger can change its form to resemble the physical appearance (including clothing and gear) of any person. These creatures are immune to sleep and charm, and are considered magic resistant for purposes such as breaking through wizard locks and similar spells. They have a very good saving throw (5) against magic of all kinds.
The size of a dragon is roughly 5 ft of body length per age category, up to the adult size of 20 ft. Dragons have double normal treasure (i.e., with a gold piece value of four times the dragon's XP value).
Do not roll hit points for dragons as normal. Instead, determine the age category of the dragon, and that will tell you both the dragon’s hit points per die and how many points of damage per hit die the dragon’s breath inflicts:
Note that dragons, while they are dangerous opponents, are not by any means invincible. In a medieval-type fantasy world, dragons are a common problem rather than a godlike creature of legend—so the statistics for dragons reflect a deadly but not mythical foe. The Referee is, of course, free to create stats for a more “mythical” conception of dragons. Since dice aren’t rolled for dragon hit points, it is possible for a truly mythical dragon to have more “numbers” per die than it’s actually possible to roll on a hit die.
Breath Weapons: All dragons have a breath weapon of some kind, which can be used three times in a day. The Referee chooses when a dragon will use the breath weapon, or may roll a 60% chance in any given round. Damage inflicted by a dragon’s breath weapon is indicated under the age category. Breath weapons come in three different types:
The dimensions of a dragon’s breath differ according to the dragon’s type.
If a dragon is beaten down by subdual damage (see rules for combat), the dragon will surrender and serve its masters, even to the point of allowing itself to be sold. However, subdued dragons are only loyal while they are impressed by and frightened of their masters— signs of weakness may cause the dragon to escape or even attack its master.
Standard-colored dragons generally have a challenge level of its (hit points/4) +2.
Black dragons spit a deadly, corrosive acid rather than breathing fire. The acid covers everything in a line 5 ft wide and 60 ft long. Black dragons have a 45% chance of being able to talk; talking black dragons have a 5% chance of being able to cast 1d4 first level Magic-user spells.
Blue dragons spit a blast of electric lightning in a line 5 ft wide and 100 ft long, affecting everything in its path. A saving throw indicates half damage. Blue dragons have a 65% chance of being able to talk; talking blue dragons have a 15% chance of being able to cast 1d4 first level Magic-user spells and 1d3 second level Magic-user spells.
Gold dragons are the noble wyrms of legend. They can breathe either a cloud of poisonous gas, 50 ft in diameter (successful saving throw indicates half damage) or they can breathe fire in a cone-shape 90 feet long and roughly 30 ft wide at the base. Gold dragons have a 100% chance of being able to talk and gold dragons have a 25% chance of being able to cast 1d4 first level Magic-user spells, 1d3 second level Magic-user spells, 1d2 third level Magic-user spells, and 1 fourth level Magic-user spell.
Green dragons breathe a cloud of poisonous gas, 50 ft in diameter. A successful saving throw indicates half damage. Green dragons have a 55% chance of being able to talk; talking green dragons have a 10% chance of being able to cast 1d4 first level Magic-user spells and 1d2 second level Magic-user spells.
Red dragons are the fire-breathing wyrms of legend. They breathe fire in a cone-shape 90 feet long and roughly 30 ft wide at the base. Red dragons have a 75% chance of being able to talk; talking red dragons have a 20% chance of being able to cast 1d4 first level Magic-user spells, 1d3 second level Magic-user spells, and 1d2 third level Magic-user spells.
White dragons are usually found in cold regions, where they can camouflage themselves in ice and snow, lying in wait for prey. They breathe a cone of intensely cold air and frost, with a length of 70 ft and a base of 30 ft. White dragons are not able to talk or cast spells.
Dryads are beautiful female tree spirits, and do not venture far from their home trees. They can cast (as a native magical power) a strong charm that operates as aCharm Person spell with a -2 saving throw. Those who are charmed seldom return, or might be kept for a hundred years and a day within the dryad’s tree.
Statistics above are for the common Dwarf with no particular unusual characteristics. A dwarf-at-arms would usually have a full 8 hit points, reflecting skill and general toughness. Stronger Dwarves (sergeants-at-arms, for example) might have more hit dice or unusual bonuses to hit, even magical abilities if dwarves are magical in your fantasy universe (Norse myths are a good example of this). Do not bother to treat more powerful NPC dwarves as Fighting-men or character types; just assign the right number of hit dice and abilities (if any) and keep moving along with the fantasy.
Efreet are a type of genie, associated with fire (unlike the djinn, who have powers over the air). Efreet can carry up to a thousand pounds of weight, and under the right circumstances they can be forced to serve as a slave (until they figure out how to free themselves). An efreeti can castWall of Fire (per the spell). They appear as giant humans with cruel features, their skin flickering with flames.
Elementals are living manifestations of the basic forms of matter; earth, air, fire, and water. They are usually summoned from their native planes of existence to do the bidding of a powerful wizard. These beings can also be “chained” within objects or structures to give the objects magical properties. Elementals are barely intelligent at all, but they are as powerful as the forces of nature that they actually are.
Air elementals can turn into a whirlwind of air with a diameter of 30 ft, hurling any creature of 1 HD or less for great distances (and almost certainly killing them). These elemental whirlwinds are approximately 100 ft in height.
Earth elementals are hulking man-shapes of rock and earth. They batter opponents with their great fists, although damage is reduced by 1d6 if the opponent is not standing upon earth or rock. Earth elementals can tear apart stone structures, able to rip down even a castle wall in a matter of 1d4+4 rounds (minutes).
Fire elementals are formless masses of flame, perhaps with a vaguely human shape. Their attacks cause flammable materials (including wood) to ignite if the material fails a saving throw (as determined by the Referee).
Water elementals cannot move more than 60 ft from a large body of water, and their damage is reduced by 1d6 if the opponent is not standing in water (or swimming,etc). These powerful beings can overturn small boats, and can overturn a ship if given 1d4+4 rounds to work at it. On water, they can attack ships, battering them to pieces within 1 hour if not prevented or distracted.
The example above is for a typical Elf; trained warriors would likely have the maximum 9 hit points. Obviously, Elves encountered in the course of a party’s adventuring will have a variety of powers and different attributes. The Referee will assign such powers as he sees fit, in accordance with the way he envisions elves. They might be the woodland dwellers of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, or the high Elves of the Lord of the Rings, or might be the fearie folk of Irish legend. In any case, as with Dwarves, don’t bother trying to fit your “advanced” Elves into the constraints of character classes—just make up their attributes to fit what you need. Non-player characters aren’t subject to the rules that govern building a player character; the NPCs are your tools for good fantasy, not an exercise in applying formulas.
Gargoyles are winged beings resembling the craven monstrosities that bedeck the walls of cathedrals and many subterranean dungeons. They are terribly vicious predators.
Gelatinous cubes are semi-transparent cubes that slosh through subterranean passages, engulfing debris and carrion to digest. Their entire substance is acidic: if the cube hits successfully, the victim must make a saving throw or become paralyzed (6 turns) for the cube to devour. Most gelatinous cubes contain various metallic treasures or gems that they have engulfed but not yet digested.
Ghouls are pack-hunting undead, corpse eaters. They are immune, like most undead, to charms and sleep spells. The most dangerous feature of these horrid, cunning creatures, is their paralyzing touch: any hit from a ghoul requires a saving throw or the victim becomes paralyzed for 3d6 turns.
Giants are a staple of fantasy gaming, huge and dangerous creatures that often have a taste for human flesh. Most are not particularly intelligent.
Cloud giants are cunning beasts, often living in cloud-castles in the sky (hence their name). They throw rocks for 6d6 hit points of damage. Cloud giants are famous for their ability to smell out food, enemies, and Englishmen.
Fire giants are usually found near volcanic mountains, in great castles of basalt or even iron. They throw boulders for 5d6 hit points.
Frost giants dwell in cold regions, where they build (or conquer) castles in remote places of ice and snow. They throw boulders or great chunks of ice for 4d6 points of damage.
Hill giants are the least of the giant races; most are brutish cave-dwellers who dress in pelts and uncured hides. They throw rocks for 2d8 points of damage.
Stone giants dwell in caves, isolated in the mountain fastnesses. They throw rocks for 3d6 points of damage, and can be quite crafty in setting up ambushes in their native mountains. Travelers who wander into the territory of stone giants seldom return.
Storm giants are the largest of giants, the most intelligent, the most magical, and the most likely to talk with humans rather than simply devour them. Storm giants can live in underwater sea-castles as well as on the heights of mountains. They throw boulders for 7d6 points of damage, and have the power toControl Weather (as per the spell).
Gnolls are tall humanoids with hyena-like heads. They may be found both above ground and in subterranean caverns. They form into loosely organized clans, often ranging far from home in order to steal and kill with rapacious ferocity.
Goblins are small creatures (4 ft tall or so) that inhabit dark woods, underground caverns, and (possibly) the otherworldly realms of the fey. They attack at -1 in the full sunlight.
Golems are man-shaped creatures built to serve their masters, usually powerful wizards or high priests. They are often used as guardians. Golems cannot be hit with non-magical weapons, and are immune to the sorts of spells used to create them (iron golems being immune to fire, for instance). You can find the details in the specific monster descriptions.
A creation stitched together from human limbs and other parts, like a Frankenstein monster. Damage inflicted by lightning heals the golem (per the movie), and it is slowed by fire and cold spells. No other type of spell than lightning, fire, or cold affects a flesh golem. Only +1 or better magic weapons can harm a flesh golem.
Iron golems are huge moving statues of iron. They can breathe a 10 ft radius cloud of poison gas as well as attacking with great power. Weapons of +2 or less do not affect them. These hulking statues are slowed by lightning spells, but fire-based spells actually restore hit points to them. No other type of spell affects them.
Stone golems are massive stone statues animated by very powerful magics (much more than just animate object, in other words). They are slowed by fire spells, and damaged/healed by rock to mud spells and the reverse. Spells that affect rock (and fire spells) are the only magic that affects them. They can only be hit by +2 or better weapons.
Gorgons are bull-like creatures with dragon-like scales. Their breath turns people to stone (60 ft range, saving throw applies).
Grey ooze is almost identical to wet rock, but is a slimy, formless substance that devours prey and carrion with its acidic secretions, lashing forward to strike enemies. Grey ooze is immune to spells, heat, and cold damage. Metal (but not stone or wood) must make a saving throw vs. acid when exposed to grey ooze (even if the contact is as brief as the strike of a sword) or be rotted through. When the grey ooze hits a character in metal armour, the armour must make an item saving throw. Only cutting and piercing damages a grey ooze—it is impervious to blunt or crushing attacks.
Green slime isn’t technically a monster, just an extremely dangerous hazard in underground tombs and other such places. Any metal or organic substance it touches begins to turn to green slime (saving throw). It can be killed with fire or extreme cold, and the transformation process can be arrested by the use of a cure disease spell.
Griffons have the body of a lion, with the wings, head, and fore-talons of an eagle. These creatures can be tamed and ridden as mounts. They usually nest in high mountain aeries, where they lay their eggs and hunt their prey. Because the fledglings can be tamed, young griffons and griffon eggs command a very high price in the marketplaces of the great cities, or to barons and wizards.
Harpies have the upper body of a human female and the lower body and wings of a vulture. Their song is a charm that draws its victims to the harpy (saving throw applies), and the harpy’s touch casts the equivalent of a charm person spell (again, saving throw applies).
Hell hounds are fire-breathing dogs of the underworlds or lower planes. In addition to biting, they can breathe fire each round, inflicting 2 hp damage per hit die (10 ft range, saving throw for half damage).
The hippogriff is similar to a griffon, having the head, foreclaws, and wings of an eagle, but instead of the body of a lion, it has the body of a horse. The poem Orlando Furioso (written in 1516) suggests that the hippogriff is the offspring of a griffon and a horse—but they are apparently an independent breed, for folkloric tradition holds that griffons frequently attack hippogriffs. Hippogriffs are not as hard to train as griffons—again, from Orlando Furioso: “Drawn by enchantment from his distant lair, The wizard thought but how to tame the foal; And, in a month, instructed him to bear Saddle and bit, and gallop to the goal; And execute on earth or in mid air, All shifts of manege, course and caracole…”
Hobgoblins are simply large goblins, possibly a separate breed living apart from their smaller cousins, or perhaps not, as the Referee decides. As a matter of the campaign’s flavoring, the Referee might choose to make hobgoblins the “fey” goblins of Irish legend, while regular goblins are the more Tolkien-style underground-dwellers.
Horses are AC 7 [12], with riding horses having 2 HD and warhorses having 3 HD. Horses have a movement speed of 18.
Humans are such a versatile race that any number of “monsters” and NPCs can be made from them. Berserker warriors, tribesmen, cavemen, princesses, evil high priests, captains of the guard, foot-soldiers, and tavern-keepers are all different human “monsters.” Don’t try to build your non-player characters according to the rules for player characters. Just make up their stats and abilities as you see fit.
Bandits are roving groups of thieves, sometimes organized into small armies led by more powerful bandit chiefs and captains with higher hit dice.
Berserkers are normal humans, but they fight with astounding ferocity. A bonus of +2 is added to their attack rolls. They do not wear armour heavier than leather armour.
Human sergeants are normally found in command of 1d6+5 human soldiers. These are the leaders of city guard units and other small military groups.
Human soldiers serve as city guardsmen, mercenaries, and men-at-arms. They are generally armed with leather armour and a mace, sword, or spear.
Hydrae are great lizard-like or snake-like creatures with multiple heads. Each head has one hit die of its own, and when the head is killed, that head dies. The body has as many hit dice as the total of the heads, so it is a matter of good strategy for adventurers to focus either on killing heads (when all the heads are dead the body dies) or killing the creature by attacking the body (in which case the heads die, too). Hydrae that breathe fire or regenerate their heads are also known to exist.
Invisible stalkers are generally only found as a result of the spell “Invisible Stalker.” They are invisible flying beings created to follow a single command made by the caster.
Kobolds are subterranean, vaguely goblin-like humanoids. They have a -1 penalty when fighting above ground. Many use slings or short bows, and they fight with short swords or spiked clubs in melee combat.
Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry). A liche has the same spell-casting powers as the original Magic-user (the same level as the liche’s hit dice). A liche’s touch causes paralysis with no saving throw, and the very sight of one of these dread creatures causes paralysis in any being of 4 HD or below. Liches are highly malign and intelligent.
Male lions are noticeably larger than their female counterparts, and easily identified by their manes. They are usually solitary beasts, found leading a pride only in their prime. The lioness, while smaller and having an AC of 7 [12], is an indisputably skillful hunter—far faster and agile than the male lion. Lionesses often coordinate with others in their pride to bring down prey.
Lizardmen are reptilian humanoids, usually living in tribal villages in the depths of fetid swamps. Some can hold their breath for long durations (an hour or more), while other can actually breathe underwater.
Lycanthropes are were-creatures, particularly those in whom the disease permits assumption of a hybrid form of the human and animal. They can be hit by normal weapons, but silver weapons might inflict additional damage. If any character is brought below 50% hit points by a lycanthrope, the character will become a lycanthrope himself.
Werebears are often found in temperate forests.
Wereboars are often found in the remote wilderness.
Wererats are often found in cities, lurking in shadowy alleyways. Wererats can control rats, and are extremely stealthy (surprising opponents on 1–4 on a d6).
Weretigers are often found in tropical cities and ancient jungle ruins.
Werewolves are the traditional Lycanthropes seen in horror movies. hey are oten only afected by silver or magical weapons, oten are humanoid except for during a full moon, and so on.
A horrid monster with bat wings, the face of a feral human, the body of a lion, and a tail tipped with 24 iron spikes. The manticore can hurl up to 6 of the iron spikes from its tail per round, at a maximum range of 180 ft.
Medusae are horrid creatures with a female face but hair of writhing snakes; they have no legs, but the body of a serpent. The gaze of a medusa turns anyone looking upon it into stone. In addition to the medusa’s relatively weak melee-weapon attack, the snake-hair makes one attack per round, causing no damage but lethally poisonous with a successful hit (saving throw applies).
Mermen have the torso of a man and the lower body of a fish.
The minotaur is a man-eating predator, with the head of a bull and the body of a massive human, covered in shaggy hair. Most are not particularly intelligent.
Mummies cannot be hit by normal weapons, and even magical weapons inflict only half damage against them. Their touch also inflicts a rotting disease which prevents magical healing and causes wounds to heal at one-tenth of the normal rate. A cure disease spell can increase healing rate to half normal, but a remove curse spell is required to completely lift the mummy’s curse.
Nixies are weak water fey creatures. One in ten of them has the power to cast a powerful Charm Person (-2 on saving throw) that causes the victim to walk into the water and join the nixies as their slave (1 year). Casting Dispel Magic against the curse has only a 75% chance of success, and once the victim is actually in the water the chance drops to 25%. Nixies are ordinarily friendly, but they are capricious.
Ochre jellies are amorphous oozes that damage opponents with their acidic surface. They dissolve any adventurers they kill, making a raise dead spell impossible.
Ogres are normally quite stupid, but more intelligent versions might be encountered here and there.
The ogre mage is an ogre with magic powers, based on Japanese legend. An ogre mage can fly, turn Invisible (per the spell), create a 10 ft radius circle of magical darkness, change into human form, cast Sleep and Charm Person once per day, and cast a Cone of Frost with a range of 60 ft to a base of 30 ft, causing 8d6 damage to any caught within (saving throw applies). Western folklore also contains many examples of shape-shifting, magical ogres (the most famous example being the one in Puss-in-Boots), so there might be many different interpretations of magical ogres whether or not they are called “ogre mage.”
Orcs are stupid, brutish humanoids that gather in tribes of hundreds. Most are subterranean dwellers, and fight with a penalty of -1 in sunlight. Occasionally, war-bands or even entire tribes of orcs issue forth from their caverns to raid and pillage by night. Orcish leaders are great brutes with additional hit dice, and magic-using shamans may also be found in the larger tribes. Orcish tribes hate each other, and will fight savagely unless restrained by a powerful and feared commander, such as an evil high priest or a sorcerer.
Owlbears have the body of a bear, but the beak of an owl (with some feathers on the head and places on the body as well). On an attack roll of 18+ (natural roll), the owlbear grabs its victim and hugs it for an additional 2d8 points of damage.
Pegasi are winged horses. Some might have bat wings, some might be evil—at Referee's discretion.
Purple worms are massive annelids that grow 40 ft and more in length, and sometimes exceed ten feet in width. They are subterranean, chewing tunnels in rock (or through sand, in deserts, where they are a tan color). These beasts swallow their prey whole on a roll 4 higher than the needed number, or if the worm rolls double the number required to hit. They can swallow anything the size of a horse or smaller. In addition to the worm’s dreaded bite, it has a poison stinger on its tail, the length of a sword and just as deadly even from the piercing wound it inflicts. The poison injected by the stinger is lethal if the victim fails a saving throw. What prey the purple worms once hunted (or perhaps still do, in deep places) with such natural weapons must have been terrifying indeed. Aquatic versions of the purple worm might also exist …
Giant rats are often found in dungeons, and are about the size of a cat, or perhaps a lynx. The bite of some (1 in 20) giant rats causes disease. A saving throw is allowed (versus poison). The effects of the disease are decided by the Referee.
Giant rats (monstrously huge) are often found in dungeons, and are vicious predators the size of a wolf. The bite of some (1 in 20) giant rats causes disease. A saving throw is allowed (versus poison). The effects of the disease are decided by the Referee.
Rocs are the mythological great birds of legend, large enough to prey upon elephants. They can be trained as fledglings to serve as steeds, so roc eggs or fledglings would be a prize indeed, worth great sums of gold. Rocs might grow as large as 18 HD, with commensurately increased statistics.
Salamanders are intelligent creatures of the elemental planes of fire. They have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake, and give off tremendous, intense heat. The very touch of a salamander deals 1d6 hit points of fire damage, and they wrap their tails around foes to cause an additional 2d8 points of crushing damage per round (as the victim also writhes in the deadly heat of the serpentine coils). The salamander’s human torso is AC 5 [14], and the armoured serpent-tail is AC 3 [16]. Salamanders cannot be enslaved in the same manner djinn and efreet might be.
The size and nature of sea serpents is a matter for the Referee to determine. The sea serpent depicted here would be about middle size, about sixty feet in length, with smaller ones being half that size (with adjusted statistics, of course), and large ones being about 50% larger than the one described here. A sea serpent would undoubtedly be capable of swallowing a human whole, probably on a natural attack roll of no more than 14. A character swallowed whole would be digested within, perhaps, three hours.
Shadows may or may not be undead creatures: they are immune to Sleep and Charm, but the Referee may decide whether they are undead creatures subject to turning or whether they are some horrible “other” thing, a manifestation perhaps, or a creature from another dimension (or gaps in the dimensions). Shadows are dark and resemble shadows, though they may be darker. They are not corporeal, and can only be harmed with magical weapons or by spells. Their chill touch drains one point of strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a Strength of 0, he becomes a shadow. Strength points return after 90 minutes (9 turns).
Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
These tremendously large masses of slimy, rubbery flesh are completely immune to blunt weapons. In addition to their powerful bite, giant slugs can spit their acidic saliva (one target at a time). The base range for spitting is 60 ft, and within this range the slug’s spittle will be 50% likely to hit (no to-hit roll required). For every additional 10ft of range, the chance to hit decreases by 10%. On its first spitting attack, the slug only has a 10% chance to hit within 60ft, and no chance of hitting beyond that range. Some giant slugs might have more or less virulent acidity (thus changing the damage inflicted).
Spectres are wraith-like undead creatures without corporeal bodies. When a spectre hits an opponent, either with hand or weapon, the touch drains two levels from the victim. Only magical weapons can damage a spectre. In some cases, these terrifying creatures may be mounted upon living beasts, if the beasts have been trained to tolerate proximity to the undead. Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a specter becomes a spectre himself, a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Giant spiders are aggressive hunters.
Giant spiders are aggressive hunters. Man-sized giant spiders surprise on a roll of 1–5 on a d6, being able to hide well in shadows.
Giant spiders are aggressive hunters. Only the greater giant spiders are web builders. Webs spun by giant spiders require a saving throw to avoid becoming stuck. Those who make a saving throw can fight in and move (5 ft per round) through the webs.
Giant spiders are aggressive hunters. Phase spiders can shift out of phase with their surroundings (can be attacked only be ethereal creatures), only to come back into phase later for an attack.
Resembling small, feathered, winged anteaters, stirges have a proboscis which they jab into their prey to drain blood. After a stirge’s first hit, it drains blood automatically at a rate of 1d4 per round.
Giant ticks drain blood at a rate of 4 hit points per round after a successful hit. Their bite causes disease, which will kill the victim in 2d4 days (Cure Disease spells will remove the infection). A giant tick can be forced off a victim by fire as well as by killing the beast.
Titans are mythological creatures, almost as powerful as gods. A titan has 2 spells of each spell level from first level Magic-user spells to 7th level Magic-user spells, and 2 Cleric spells of each spell level from first to 7th. The Referee might choose to substitute other magical abilities for spells—these creatures vary considerably in powers and personalities from one to the next.
One possible spell list for a titan might include the following Magic-user and Cleric spells . . .
Magic-user: Charm Person (1), Sleep (1), Invisibility (1), Mirror Image (1), Fireball (3), Fly (3), Polymorph Other (4), Confusion (4), Conjure Elemental (5), Feeblemind (5), Anti-magic Shell (6), Stone to Flesh (6), Limited Wish (7), Power Word Stun (7).
Cleric: Light (1), Protection From Evil (1), Hold Person (2), Speak with Animals (2), Cure Disease (3), Dispel Magic (3), Cure Serious Wounds (4), Neutralize Poison (4), Finger of Death (5), Quest (5), Blade Barrier (6), Word of Recall (6), Earthquake (7), Resurrection (Raise Dead Fully) (7).
Treants are tree-like protectors and “shepherds” of forest trees. Depending upon their size, they have different hit dice and damage; treants of 7 to 8 hit dice inflict 2d6 points of damage with each strike of their branch-like hands, treants of 9–10 hit dice inflict 3d6 points, and treants of 11–12 hit dice inflict 4d6 points. All treants can “wake” trees within 60 ft, allowing them to walk at a rate of 3, and possibly to attack (no more than two trees at a time can be awake at the behest of a single treant).
Trolls are as tall as ogres, and just as strong. Unlike ogres, however, they attack with claws and teeth instead of weapons. Trolls regenerate, which is to say that any damage inflicted upon them heals within minutes (3 hit points per round). The only way to utterly kill a troll is to submerse it in acid or burn it. Trolls can even re-grow lopped-off heads and limbs.
Unicorns are generally shy and benevolent creatures, who will only allow a chaste maiden to approach them. They can teleport once per day to a distance of 360 ft, with a rider. The unicorn’s horn has healing properties according to legend (the details of this, if any, are left to the Referee). There is considerable room to create variant sorts of unicorns: evil ones, flying ones, etc.
Vampires are some of the most powerful of undead creatures. They can only be hit with magic weapons, and when “killed” in this way they turn into a gaseous form, returning to their coffins.
They regenerate at a rate of 3 hit points per round, can turn into a gaseous form or into a giant bat at will, and can summon a horde of bats or 3d6 wolves out from the night. Looking into a vampire’s eyes necessitates a saving throw at -2, or the character is charmed (per a Charm Person spell). Most terrifyingly, a vampire’s bite drains two levels from the victim.
Fortunately, vampires have some weaknesses. They can be killed (these are the only known methods) by immersing them in running water, exposing them to sunlight, or driving a wooden stake through the heart. They retreat from the smell of garlic, the sight of a mirror, or the sight of “good” holy symbols. Any human killed by a vampire becomes a vampire under the control of its creator. This description will be recognized easily as the “Dracula” type of vampire. Many other possibilities for vampires exist in folklore: Chinese vampires, for instance, and blood-drinkers more feral than intelligent. Plus, other cultural templates with different attributes could be created—how about an ancient Egyptian mummified vampire, or an Aztec vampire?
Wights live in tombs, graveyards, and burial mounds (barrows). They are undead, and thus not affected by sleep or charm spells. Wights are immune to all non-magical weapons, with the exception of silver weapons. Any human killed or completely drained of levels by a wight becomes a wight.
Will o’ the wisps are phantom-like shapes of eerie light, creatures that live in dangerous places and try to lure travelers into quicksand, off the edges of cliffs, etc. They usually inhabit swamps or high moors. They can brighten or dim their own luminescence, and change their shapes as well, to appear as a group of lights, a wisp of light, or in the glowing wraithlike shape of a human (often female). They will generally depart if the attempt to lead victims into danger fails, but if they are attacked they can defend themselves with violent shocks of lightning-like power. These creatures are intelligent, and can be forced to reveal the location of their treasure hoards.
Wolves are pack hunters, and may be found in large numbers. Male wolves weigh from 80 to 100 pounds.
Worgs are large, intelligent, and evil wolves. They may have supernatural origins.
Wraiths are powerful wights, immune to all non-magical weapons other than silver ones (which inflict only half damage). Arrows are particularly ineffective against them, for even magical and silver arrows inflict only one hit point of damage per hit. Wraiths can be found riding well-trained battle steeds or more unusual mounts that will tolerate their presence.
A wyvern is the two-legged form of dragon, and these creatures are smaller and less intelligent than true four-legged dragons, not to mention that they do not have a breath weapon. Wyverns have a poisonous sting at the end of their tails, but they are not coordinated enough to attack with both bite and sting in a single round. In any given round, the wyvern is 60% likely to use its tail, which can lash out to the creature’s front even farther than its head can reach.
Yellow mold is a subterranean fungus; it neither moves nor attacks. However, if it is poked or struck, it may (50% chance) release a cloud of poisonous spores, roughly 10 ft in diameter. Failing a saving throw against the spores means that the character dies a rather horrible death. Touching yellow mold causes 1d6 points of acid damage. These growths can be destroyed with fire.
Zombies are mindless creatures, the walking dead. These are merely animated corpses, not carriers of any sort of undead contagion as ghouls are. If their Undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease they should be worth considerably more experience. However, the standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.