![DnD Gnoll](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/DnD_Gnoll.png)
In the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
''
fantasy role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ...
, "monsters" are generally the antagonists which players must fight and defeat to progress in the game. Since the game's
first edition in 1974, a
bestiary
A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...
was included along other game manuals, first called ''Monsters & Treasure'' and now commonly called the ''
Monster Manual
The ''Monster Manual'' (''MM'' is the primary bestiary sourcebook for Monsters in Dungeons & Dragons, monsters in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'' fantasy role-playing game, first published in 1977 by TSR (company), TSR. The ''Monster Manual' ...
''. Described as an "essential" part of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', the game's monsters have become notable in their own right, influencing fields such as
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
and
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
, as well as
popular culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
.
The term ''monster'' in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' can refer to a variety of creatures, including traditional
monsters
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
such as
dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
, supernatural creatures such as ghosts, and mundane or fantastic animals—in short, "an enormous heterogeneous collection of natural and monstrous foes."
While many monsters are adapted from pre-existing myths and legends, others have been invented specifically for the game, sometimes having characteristics specifically suited to the mechanics of the game.
Origins
The sources of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' monsters are diverse, including
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...
, medieval
bestiaries
A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...
,
science-fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel univers ...
,
fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fan ...
, and
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
.
Mauricio Rangel Jiménez goes so far to say that a basic knowledge of mythology, religion and fantasy is required to keep pace with the game.
In game books, monsters are typically presented with illustrations, fictional elements, and
game statistics. Monsters are adapted to fit the needs of the game's writers and publishers, such as by describing combat abilities that may have been absent or only implied by an original source.
Original monsters have also been included in ''Dungeons & Dragons'', and these are among the game's most memorable. Monsters such as the
gelatinous cube
A gelatinous cube is a fictional monster from the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It is described as a ten-foot cube of transparent gelatinous ooze, which is able to absorb and digest organic matter.
Creative origins
Oozes ...
have been described as "uniquely weird,"
inspired by unusual sources or designed to suit the particular needs of a role-playing game. The rust monster and
owlbear
An owlbear (also owl bear) is a fictional creature originally created for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. An owlbear is depicted as a cross between a bear and an owl, which "hugs" like a bear and attacks with its beak. Inspi ...
, for instance, were based on toys purchased at a
discount store
A discount store or discounter offers a retail format in which products are sold at prices that are in principle lower than an actual or supposed "full retail price". Discounters rely on bulk purchasing and efficient distribution to keep down cost ...
.
The
mimic
MIMIC, known in capitalized form only, is a former simulation computer language developed 1964 by H. E. Petersen, F. J. Sansom and L. M. Warshawsky of Systems Engineering Group within the Air Force Materiel Command at the Wright-Patterson AFB in ...
disguises itself as a chest, thwarting players expecting to find treasure.
Because of their broad, inclusive background, ''D&D'' monsters have been called a
pastiche
A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...
of sources, freely combining qualities of classical works as well as modern or wholly original creations.
In some cases, these borrowings have resulted in legal battles, such as when names taken from the works of
J.R.R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlins ...
had to be changed due to
copyright
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...
disputes (such as the balor, originally named
Balrog
A Balrog () is a powerful demonic monster in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. One first appeared in print in his high-fantasy novel ''The Lord of the Rings'', where the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship of the Ring encounter a Bal ...
), and fictional elements were altered to further distance ''D&D'' from Tolkien's writings.
Influence and criticism
The monsters of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' have significantly influenced modern fantasy fiction, ranging from licensed fiction, such as the novels of
R. A. Salvatore
Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for ''The Legend of Drizzt'', a series of fantasy novels set in the Forgotten Realms and starring the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden. He has also written ''The ...
,
Margaret Weis
Margaret Edith Weis (; born March 16, 1948) is an American fantasy and science fiction author, of dozens of novels and short stories. At TSR, Inc., she teamed with Tracy Hickman to create the ''Dragonlance'' role-playing game (RPG) world. She is ...
, and
Tracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman (born November 26, 1955) is an American fantasy author. He wrote the ''Dragonlance'' novels with Margaret Weis. He also wrote role playing game material while working for TSR, Inc., TSR and has cowritten novels with his wife, ...
, to how monsters are portrayed in fantasy fiction generally. The scope of this influence has been compared to the works of
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philology, philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was ...
. Indeed, as Richard W. Forest notes, "it is not even clear where Tolkien pastiche leaves off and Dungeons & Dragons pastiche begins in modern genre fantasy."
In a 2005 interview, author
China Miéville
China Tom Miéville ( ; born 6 September 1972) is a British speculative fiction writer and literary critic. He often describes his work as ''weird fiction'' and is allied to the loosely associated movement of writers called '' New Weird''.
Mi ...
stated,
References and homages to ''Dungeons & Dragons'' monsters can be found in works such as ''
Adventure Time
''Adventure Time'' is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn (Jeremy Shada) and ...
'', and the game's monsters have inspired tributes that both celebrate and mock various creatures. A 2013
io9
''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
retrospective detailed memorable monsters,
and in 2018
SyFy Wire
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...
published a list of "The 9 Scariest, Most Unforgettable Monsters From Dungeons & Dragons", and in the same year
Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
published a list of the game's "10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked".
Other writers have highlighted the game's more odd or eccentric creations, such as in the article "Dungeons & Dragons: Celebrating 30 Years of Very Stupid Monsters",
Geek.com
Geek.com is a technology news weblog about hardware, mobile computing, technology, movies, TV, video games, comic books, and all manner of geek culture subjects. It was founded in 1996 and was run independently until 2007 when it was sold to N ...
's list of "The most underrated monsters of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons",
The Escapist's list of "The Dumbest Dungeons & Dragons Monsters Ever (And How To Use Them)", and
Cracked.com
Cracked.com is a website based on the humorous Cracked (magazine), ''Cracked'' magazine, which dates back to 1958. It was founded in 2005 by Jack O'Brien.Axon, SamuelStreamy Awards 2010: Here Are the Winners ''Mashable''. April 11, 2010.
In 2007, ...
's "15 Idiotic Dungeons and Dragons Monsters".
The monsters of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' have received
criticism from multiple sources. In addition to other game elements, the presence of magical or demonic monsters has provoked
moral panic
A moral panic is a widespread feeling of fear, often an irrational one, that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society. It is "the process of arousing social concern over an issue", usua ...
s among religious conservatives.
The game's emphasis on slaying monsters has also elicited negative commentary. As monsters have traditionally been defined by the amount of "
experience points
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experien ...
" they award when killed, the game has been said to promote a "sociopathic" violence where the
dungeon master "merely referees one imagined slaughter after another."
Nicholas J. Mizer, in contrast, suggested that experience through combat was an in-game variation on
Thorstein Veblen
Thorstein Bunde Veblen (July 30, 1857 – August 3, 1929) was a Norwegian-American economist and sociologist who, during his lifetime, emerged as a well-known critic of capitalism.
In his best-known book, ''The Theory of the Leisure Class'' ...
's
theory
A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be s ...
that application of human's "predatory spirit" to warfare could lead to high standing in society.
Some female monsters, such as the nymph and succubus, were seen by Philip J. Clements as an instance of the sexist tropes the game draws on which presented female sexuality as inherently dangerous.
Monster types
Many kinds of monsters can be classified into typologies based on their common characteristics, and various books and game guides have been produced focusing on specific kinds of monsters. For example, the publishers of the game have produced a ''
Bestiary of Dragons and Giants
''Bestiary of Dragons and Giants'' is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, published in 1987 by TSR, Inc., TSR.
Contents
''Bestiary of Dragons and Giants'' is a supplement to ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D)'' w ...
'', describing creatures of those distinct types with a mini-scenario for each type;
''
Night Howlers'', addressing the use of lycanthropes within the game;
and ''
Libris Mortis
''Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead'' is a book which is an official supplement for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons and Dragons'' role-playing game. The book covers the fictional undead within the ''D&D'' universe and comprises seven chapters, ...
'', covering the various kinds of the undead.
Gamer Keith Ammann, in his book, ''
The Monsters Know What They're Doing: Combat Tactics for Dungeon Masters'' examines thirteen such groupings, those being "humanoids", "monstrosities", "dragons", "giants", "undead", "aberrations", "fiends", "celestials", "fey", "elementals", "constructs", "oozes and plants", and "beasts". There is some flexibility within these groupings. For example, many kinds of creatures can become undead (once-living things that have died, and since been restored to a lifelike state through magic), or can be used to form magical constructs.
The 3rd edition of the game also used a broader type named "outsiders", encompassing any creature from the
Outer Planes
In the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'', an Outer Plane is one of a number of general types of plane (Dungeons & Dragons), planes of existence. They can also be referred to as ''godly planes'', ''spiritual planes'' or ''divine pl ...
, which according to P. J. Clements often "personify some form of mortal belief or moral idea", or
Inner Planes
The planes of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offic ...
.
Notable monsters
TSR 2009 – ''Monster Manual'' (1977)
This was the initial monster book for the
first edition
The bibliographical definition of an edition includes all copies of a book printed from substantially the same setting of type, including all minor typographical variants.
First edition
According to the definition of ''edition'' above, a b ...
of the ''Advanced
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
'' game, published in 1977.
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson.
In the 1960s, Gygax created an ...
wrote much of the work himself, having included and expanded most of the monsters from the previous ''D&D'' supplements. Also included are monsters originally printed in ''The Strategic Review'', as well as some originally found in early issues of ''
The Dragon'' (such as the anhkheg and
remorhaz
This is the list of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monsters, an important element of that role-playing game. This list only includes monsters from official ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd Edition supplements published by TSR, In ...
), and other early game materials. This book also expanded on the original monster format, such as including the stat lines on the same page as the monsters' descriptions and introducing more stats, expanding the length of most monster descriptions, and featuring illustrations for most of the monsters.
The book features an alphabetical table of contents of all the monsters on pages 3–4, explanatory notes for the statistics lines on pages 5–6, descriptions of the monsters on pages 6–103, a treasure chart on page 105, and an index of major listings on pages 106–109.
TSR 2012 – ''Fiend Folio'' (1981)
The ''
Fiend Folio: Tome of Creatures Malevolent and Benign'' was the second monster book for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, published in 1981. While the ''Monster Manual'' consisted primarily of monsters previously published in ''D&D'' books edited by Gary Gygax, the ''Fiend Folio'' consisted mostly of monsters submitted to ''
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is a stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. A white dwarf is very dense: its mass is comparable to the Sun's, while its volume is comparable to the Earth's. A white dwarf's faint luminosity comes fro ...
s "Fiend Factory" column.
Don Turnbull, later Managing Director of TSR UK, was the editor for the "Fiend Factory" column, as well as the ''Fiend Folio'', which was billed as "the first major British contribution to the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game system." The monsters in this book are presented in the same format as those in the previous ''Monster Manual'' work, and most featured illustrations of the monsters. Also, there are full-page black and white illustrations of various monsters throughout the book.
The book contains a foreword on pages 3–4, an alphabetical table of contents on page 5, explanatory notes on pages 6–7, descriptions of the monsters on pages 8–97, a treasure chart on page 99, additional tables and charts for all the monsters in both the ''Monster Manual'' and ''Fiend Folio'' on pages 100–119, an index of major listings (including the contributor for each monster) on pages 120–124, with an epilogue on page 124.
TSR 2016 – ''Monster Manual II'' (1983)
''Monster Manual II'' was the third and final monster book for the first edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'', published in 1983, and has the largest page count of the three. As with the ''Monster Manual'', this book was written primarily by
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson.
In the 1960s, Gygax created an ...
. While this book contains a number of monsters that previously appeared in limited circulation (such as in ''Dragon'' or in adventure modules), unlike the ''Monster Manual'' and ''Fiend Folio'' a large amount of its contents was entirely new at publication. The monsters in this book are presented in the same format as the ''Monster Manual'' and ''Fiend Folio''. The book contains a preface on page 4, a section entitled "How To Use This Book" on pages 5–7, descriptions of the monsters on pages 8–132, random encounter tables on pages 133–155, and an index of all the monsters in the ''Monster Manual'', ''Fiend Folio'', and ''Monster Manual II'' on pages 156–160. Unlike the previous two books, this book does not contain an alphabetical listing of the monsters in the beginning of the book.
Fiends
''Fiend'' is a term used in the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
''
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
to refer to any malicious otherworldly creatures within the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' universe. These include various races of demons and
devils
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions.
Devil or Devils may also refer to:
* Satan
* Devil in Christianity
* Demon
* Folk devil
Art, entertainment, and media
Film and t ...
that are of an
evil
Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...
alignment
Alignment may refer to:
Archaeology
* Alignment (archaeology), a co-linear arrangement of features or structures with external landmarks
* Stone alignment, a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones
Biology
* Structu ...
and hail from the
Lower Planes. All fiends are extraplanar
outsiders
Outsider(s) may refer to:
Film
* Outsider (1997 film), ''Outsider'' (1997 film), a 1997 Slovene-language film
* Outsider (2012 film), ''Outsider'' (2012 film), a Malayalam-language Indian film
* Outsiders (1980 film), ''Outsiders'' (1980 film), a ...
.
Most common types
Demons
The most widespread race of fiends are the demons, a
chaotic evil race native to the
Abyss
Abyss may refer to:
* Abyss (religion), a bottomless pit, or a passage to the underworld
Film and television
* ''The Abyss'' (1910 film), a Danish silent film starring Asta Nielsen
* ''The Abyss'' (1988 film) (''L'Œuvre au noir''), a French- ...
; they are rapacious, cruel and arbitrary. The dominant race of demons is the tanar'ri . The Abyss and its population are both theoretically infinite in size. "True" tanar'ri such as the balors (originally called
Balrog
A Balrog () is a powerful demonic monster in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. One first appeared in print in his high-fantasy novel ''The Lord of the Rings'', where the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship of the Ring encounter a Bal ...
s) and the six-armed serpentine mariliths push other weaker tanar'ri around and organise them into makeshift armies for battle. Demon lords and demon princes such as Orcus,
Demogorgon
Demogorgon is a deity or demon
associated with the underworld. Although often ascribed to Greek mythology, the name probably arises from an unknown copyist's misreading of a commentary by a fourth-century scholar, Lactantius Placidus. The conc ...
,
Juiblex
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, "monsters" are generally the antagonists which players must fight and defeat to progress in the game. Since the game's first edition in 1974, a bestiary was included along other game man ...
,
Zuggtmoy, Graz'zt,
and countless others rule over the demons of their individual layers of the Abyss, in as much as the chaotic demons can be ruled over.
Devils
The
devils
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions.
Devil or Devils may also refer to:
* Satan
* Devil in Christianity
* Demon
* Folk devil
Art, entertainment, and media
Film and t ...
, of which the ruling type are called baatezu , are
lawful evil
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of player characters, non-player characters, and creatures.
Most versions of the game feature a system in which ...
natives of the
Nine Hells of Baator; they subjugate the weak and rule tyrannically over their domains. Pit fiends are the most powerful baatezu, though even the strongest pit fiends are surpassed by the
Lords of the Nine
A devil (also known as a baatezu) is a fictional character in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game, a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in Alignment (Dungeons & Drag ...
, or Archdevils, whose ranks include
Baalzebul,
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles in t ...
, and
Asmodeus
Asmodeus (; grc, Ἀσμοδαῖος, ''Asmodaios'') or Ashmedai (; he, אַשְמְדּאָי, ''ʾAšmədʾāy''; see below for other variations), is a ''prince of demons'' and hell."Asmodeus" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chica ...
. Unlike the demons, the devils arranged themselves through a strict hierarchy. Like the demons, the devils are scheming backstabbers; while a demon only keeps its words when it is convenient for it, a devil keeps its word all too well; though being used to exploiting repressive bureaucratic machinations to the fullest, always knows all ways around the letter of a contract to begin with. The tanar'ri and the baatezu hold an eternal enmity for one another and wage the
Blood War
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, "monsters" are generally the antagonists which players must fight and defeat to progress in the game. Since the game's Dungeons & Dragons (1974), first edition in 1974, a bestiary was inc ...
against one another.
Yugoloths
The yugoloths (called
daemon
Daimon or Daemon (Ancient Greek: , "god", "godlike", "power", "fate") originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding spirit such as the daimons of ancient Greek religion and mythology and of later Hellenistic religion and philosophy.
The word ...
s in 1st edition ''D&D'') are
neutral evil
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethics, ethical and morality, moral perspective of player characters, non-player characters, and creatures.
Most versions of the game feature ...
natives of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the
Gray Wastes of Hades; they are neutral to the affairs of the other fiendish races, interfering only when they see a situation that may be profitable or a potential for the advancement of their own schemes. The yugoloths are manipulative, secretive, and mercenary by nature, often acting as soldiers for deities in their own private wars, or even at times aiding both sides of the Blood War. In 4th Edition, the yugoloths are considered to be demons, and their previously standard naming convention of "loth" is replaced by "demon" (Ex. the Mezzoloth is the 4e Mezzodemon). In fifth edition, yugoloths are listed as neutral evil fiends under their original names.
Other fiends
Demodands
The demodands are race of evil fiends that live on the plane of
Carceri (Tarterus in 1st edition ''D&D''). Demodands were introduced in the 1st edition supplement ''
Monster Manual II
''Monster Manual II'' is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover ...
'', renamed as ''gehreleths'' in the 2nd edition ''
Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix'', and reintroduced as demodands in the 3rd edition sourcebook ''
Fiend Folio
''Fiend Folio'' is the name of three separate products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). All three are collections of monsters.
The bulk of the material in the first edition ca ...
''. In 1st edition ''D&D'', the three types of demodands from weakest to strongest were tarry, slime, and shaggy. In 2nd and 3rd editions, the three types are farastu, kelubar, and shator.
Hordlings
The ''hordlings'' are fiends that form the hordes of the
Gray Waste of Hades
In the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'', an Outer Plane is one of a number of general types of planes of existence. They can also be referred to as ''godly planes'', ''spiritual planes'' or ''divine planes''. The Outer Planes are ...
. They first appeared in the 1st edition supplement ''
Monster Manual II
''Monster Manual II'' is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover ...
''. Hordlings wander the Gray Waste preying upon everything they come across, even other hordlings. Hordlings vary greatly in appearance. It is said that hordlings evolved from larvae whose hatred was so unique, their souls became individual. The hordlings can be summoned using an artifact known as the ''Bringer of Doom'', which was created around the time of the
Invoked Devastation of
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson ...
. Hordlings are the most common inhabitants of the Gray Waste. They also occasionally roam the other Lower Planes as well.
Kython
The kythons (not to be confused with kytons, which are chain devils
Baatezu
A devil (also known as a baatezu) is a fictional character in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game, a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate f ...
) are distinct from the other fiends in that they did not originate on any of the lower planes. When a group of fiends (the Galchutt, from Monte Cook's ''Chaositech'' and ''Ptolus'') were trapped on the
Material Plane
The planes of the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offi ...
, they tried creating more of their own kind through magical means. The results were eyeless reptilian creatures with insectoid traits and neutral evil traits. As the kythons matured, they took on varied forms. None of them were loyal to the fiends that created them. Because kythons originated on the Material Plane instead of the
Abyss
Abyss may refer to:
* Abyss (religion), a bottomless pit, or a passage to the underworld
Film and television
* ''The Abyss'' (1910 film), a Danish silent film starring Asta Nielsen
* ''The Abyss'' (1988 film) (''L'Œuvre au noir''), a French- ...
(or another lower plane), they are also called earth-bound demons. Kythons are only interested in eating and breeding. They have spread rapidly across the
Material Plane
The planes of the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offi ...
. The current hierarchy of kythons, from the weakest to the strongest is: broodlings, juveniles, adults, impalers, slaymasters, and slaughterkings. Eventually, with more time, kythons will grow into newer and more powerful forms. Kythons closely resemble
xenomorphs. They were originally created for
Monte Cook
Monte Cook is an American professional tabletop role-playing game designer and writer, best known for his work on ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
Role-playing industry career
Early years
Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, worki ...
's Ptolus campaign, based on some gaming miniatures he had bought, and were added by him to the ''Book of Vile Darkness'' absent the context of the Galchutt, who did not appear until later on in ''Chaositech''.
Cook originally planned on perhaps renaming them so their name was not quite so similar to kytons, or chain devils, as well as other episodes of Cook's Ptolus campaign to see how they were originally used.
Night hags
Night hags are fiends from the Gray Wastes of Hades that traffic in the souls of mortals in 3rd edition sources. In 5th edition they come from the
Feywild
The planes of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offic ...
and are exiled to the
Gray Wastes of Hades.
Rakshasas
Rakshasas
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma wh ...
are fiends (often tiger-headed) that may have originated on
Acheron
The Acheron (; grc, Ἀχέρων ''Acheron'' or Ἀχερούσιος ''Acherousios''; ell, Αχέροντας ''Acherontas'') is a river located in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. It is long, and its drainage area is . Its source is ...
according to 3rd edition sources. In 5th edition they originated in the
Nine Hells.
Slaad
In the 4th edition game, Slaadi are chaotic evil and originate out of the Elemental Chaos. This is markedly different from the portrayal of Slaadi in all prior editions of the game, when they were chaotic neutral natives of Limbo and thus not fiends.
Half-fiends and fiendish creatures
The
cambions (whose name comes from a different kind of mythological, demonic creature) are simply half-fiends;
hybrids of fiends and non-fiendish creatures, often humans or other humanoids. Cambions are typically created through fiends raping mortals or seducing them after
shape-shift
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
ing, although some of the most depraved beings actually participate willingly. Those cambions that actually survive birth typically look like grotesque, hellish variants of their mortal progenitors, having wings, claws, fangs and often many other features that reveal their fiendish origins. Cambions are usually outcast, being feared and hated in mortal societies for their fiendish origins and being derided by pure-blooded fiends for their impure heritage. A variant of cambion called durzagon is described in ''
Monster Manual II
''Monster Manual II'' is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover ...
'' and is the hybrid of a devil and an unsuspecting
duergar
The Simonside Dwarfs, also known as Brownmen, Bogles and Duergar, are in English folklore a race of dwarfs, particularly associated with the Simonside Hills of Northumberland, in northern England. Their leader was said to be known as ''Heslop'' ...
. The fiendish creatures are simply fiendish versions of other species in Dungeons & Dragons. They typically look like fearsome travesties of beings from the
Material Plane
The planes of the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offi ...
. Most fiendish species are divided into a number of variants, usually in a
hierarchy
A hierarchy (from Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important ...
of increasing power and cunning.
Other fiends not associated with a specific group
*Abominations – (Chichimec, phane, infernal, dream larva, phaethon, xixecal, hecatoncheires) – the unwanted offspring of deities.
*Abyssal drake – the result of an ancient breeding program that combines the nastiest elements of demons, wyverns, and red dragons. From the Abyss plane.
*Achaierai – Massive evil, clever, and predatory flightless birds with a distinct taste for torture. Of the Acheron plane.
*Avari – Man-sized, batlike fiends that are the chief rivals of yugoloths for territory. They are neither as powerful or as numerous as the fiends and have lost much over time. Long ago, avari dwelt in a large central community, but their many wars shattered their unity, forcing them to live in isolated clans in desolate areas of the planes. They dwell there in dank caverns filled with bats, and inhabit similar environs when found on the Material Plane. Of the Gehenna plane.
*Ba'atun – Vicious, white-winged primate-like creatures that find death and destruction as their constant companions. Their origin is surrounded in mystery – perhaps they were demons made from snow, perhaps they are exiles from a frozen realm, or perhaps they have always been here, lurking. Their home plane is unknown.
*
Barghest
In Northern English folklore, the Barghest or Barguest is a mythical monstrous black dog with large teeth and claws, This in turn cites:
*Wirt Sikes, ''British Goblins'' (1880)
*''Notes and Queries'', first series, ii. 51.
*Joseph Ritson, ''Fai ...
– Lupine fiend that resembles a goblin-wolf hybrid with terrible jaws and sharp claws, feeds on blood and souls to grow stronger. Of the Gehenna plane.
[
*Broodfiend – Almost headless, grotesque mix of worm, lizard, bat, and ape, created by avolakias to serve Kyuss.]
*Diakk (carcene and varath) – Evil flightless birds of the Carceri plane.[
*Diurge – Gray-skinned, red-eyed denizens of a nightmare realm known as Darkrealm, a nightmarishly twisted version of a Material Plane world. Diurges live to serve the evil lords of Darkrealm, but are occasionally ordered to travel to the Material Plane to spread chaos. These beings are extremely sadistic, hating everything that lives, and willing to manipulate anyone in the process of achieving their goals. They are horrible conquerors, subjugating other life forms ruthlessly, and causing pain wherever they go. Their lack of individual greed enables them to better work together towards this common goal.
*Dune stalker – Fiends summoned to Material Plane to kill targets or carry out other quests. Of the Gray Waste of Hades plane.]
*Ebon aspect – An abomination to not only all that is true and just in the world, but also to the traditional faith of the worshipers of Erythnul, Hextor, and Venca. Appear in the lands haunted by the Ebon Triad
The ''Age of Worms'' Adventure Path (or simply ''Age of Worms'') is the second Adventure Path for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, published over twelve installments from July 2005 through June 2006 in ''Dungeon'' magazine. A campai ...
.
*Hassitor – Extinct exemplar race of Acheron plane.
*Hellchain weaver – Eight-legged mass of chains made entirely of cruel hooks, barbed chains, and jagged iron. Of the Nine Hells of Baator plane.
*Maelephant – Elephant-headed fiends originally created by powerful baatezu lords to serve as guardians, many run free since their lords were deposed.
*Mapmaker – Humanoid lizardkin with weaselish features. Of the Pandemonium plane.
*Marrashi – Disease spreader that resembles a winged gnoll.[
*]Nightmare
A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...
(includes cauchemar and lesser) – Proud equine creatures with hearts as black and evil as the dark abysses from which they come. Of the Gray Waste plane.[
*Nimicri – A unique vast creature that mimics a town that can duplicate creatures if a single drop of their blood touches it. Of the Gehenna plane.]
*Shadowlands oni
*Sugo – Flattish brown disks with suckered tentacles. Of the Acheron plane.[
*Tener – Spindly, bipedal arachnoid; greed incarnate. Of the Pandemonium plane.
*Utukku – Lion-headed scaled fiends that kill all outsiders who pass through their territory, including others of their kind. Their lairs in the great ash deserts of Carceri always include impressive defenses, as each utukku must defend itself from all competitors. Utukku want no part of the intrigues of other fiends, and prey on any demons and devils they meet.
*Vaath – A creature of pure sadism that delights in both physical and emotional pain. Of the Carceri plane.]
*Vaporighu – Petty, sadistic, and voracious blobs of hideous, bloated, waddling hairy flesh. Of the Gehenna plane.[
*Viltch – Resembles a dirty gray, three-legged mandrill; destroys beauty and order. Of the Pandemonium plane.
*Vorr – A hateful canine of the Abyss.][
*Wirchler – A disembodied mouth with two arms. Of the Gehenna plane.][
*]Yeth hound
The black dog is a supernatural, spectral, or demonic entity originating from English folklore that has also been seen throughout Europe and the Americas. It is usually unnaturally large with glowing red or yellow eyes, is often connected with ...
– Fearsome flying hounds with frightening bays. Of the Gray Waste.[
*Yochlol - Arachnid handmaiden of the goddess Lolth in the forgotten realms legendarium. Sometimes appears as melted wax or a tentacled misshapen monster.
]
Hecatoncheires
The hecatoncheires in the game is based on the creature with the same name from Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...
.[ Like their counterparts, D&D's hecatoncheires were presented as giants with one-hundred arms and fifty heads in early editions. They also had the ablity to throw a whole "barrage of boulders" at their enemies.] In later editions their description was changed to "abominations that are formed from the fusion of one-hundred beings."[ In another version they were reduced in power, appearing as "a mere four-armed giant".][
They were considered among the deadliest monsters of ''D&D'' by several reviewers.][ Marley King from '']ScreenRant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scree ...
'' recommended the hecatoncheires for Dungeons Masters to pit against high-level parties as a monster that is not "too cliché". He commented - aside from the monsters many attacks, and high perception - it got was given "incredible martial prowess" in the game, hearkening back to the importance of skill in battle in the culture it was taken from. Nicholas Montegriffo from ''The Gamer'' called them "worthy foes for epic heroes" and found the down-scaling of offensively useable arms sad.[
]
Controversy and related changes between editions
The inclusion of demons and devils proved controversial among critics of ''Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
''. TSR eliminated most references to occult
The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
symbols, demons, and devils from the second edition of the game. When the creatures were reintroduced in the ''Monstrous Compendium
The ''Monstrous Compendium'' is a series of accessories for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game released from 1989 to 1998. The title was then used for a series of 5th Edition ''Dungeons & Dragons'' supplements released ...
'' supplement ''MC8: The Outer Planes'', the terms "baatezu", "tanar'ri", "yugoloth", and "gehreleth" were introduced and were used exclusively in place of the terms "devil", "demon", "daemon", and "demodand", respectively.
Following a more relaxed attitude towards the hobby, Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
reinserted many of these excised references in the third edition of the game. They kept intact the terms they had been replaced with, using both when applicable to appeal both to older players and those who played in subsequent editions of the game. While the 1st edition of ''AD&D'' used the term "Daemon", all subsequent editions beginning with 2nd edition have used the term "yugoloth" for the same creatures.
Reception
Fiends were considered among the "standard repertoire of 'Monsters'" in the game by Fabian Perlini-Pfister.[Fabian Perlini-Pfister uses the word "demon" instead of fiend, but uses "Asmodeus and succubi" as examples.]
Blood War
The Blood War concept was introduced as part of the new background for the outer planes in 1991's ''Monstrous Compendium Volume Outer Planes Appendix''. The conflict is depicted as a bitter war of annihilation between the baatezu race and the tanar'ri; an absolute, all encompassing, and virtually eternal struggle. Trenton Webb of ''Arcane'' magazine wrote, "the fate of all the planes hangs on its outcome". The Blood War was thoroughly detailed in various books throughout the Planescape
''Planescape'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, designed by Zeb Cook, and published in 1994. It crosses numerous planes of existence, encompassing an entire cosmology called the Great Wheel, as dev ...
setting, particularly the 1996 boxed set '' Hellbound: The Blood War''.[ The 4th edition of D&D's '']Manual of the Planes
The ''Manual of the Planes'' (abbreviated MoP) is a manual for the ''Dungeons and Dragons'' role-playing game. This text addresses the planar cosmology of the game universe.
The original book (for use with ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st Ed ...
'' updated the Blood War into a smoldering cold war that was formerly an all-out war.
The Blood War has been given various causes across different game books. '' Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss'' attributes it to an offshoot of the primordial battles between law and chaos, continued out of violent and sadistic stubbornness. '' Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells'' depicts Asmodeus
Asmodeus (; grc, Ἀσμοδαῖος, ''Asmodaios'') or Ashmedai (; he, אַשְמְדּאָי, ''ʾAšmədʾāy''; see below for other variations), is a ''prince of demons'' and hell."Asmodeus" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chica ...
as a formerly angelic being tasked with fighting an eternal war against the demons. When he and his followers take on demonic traits to better combat their foes, these angels, now deemed devils, are either exiled to or granted (depending on perspective) their own plane, where they fight the Blood War without disturbing the primordial lords of order. This is depicted as possibly being self-serving historical revisionism.[ Laws, Robin D., and Robert J. Schwalb. '' Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).] The ''Guide to Hell
''Guide to Hell'' is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, published in 1999.
Contents
''Guide to Hell'' offers players new spells, magic items, character class kits, and a new race, ...
'' instead portrays the Blood War as a distraction by Asmodeus to hide his true goal of usurping divine power and reshaping the multiverse.[Pramas, Chris. ''Guide to Hell'' (TSR, 1999)] Later official materials claim Asmodeus possesses a piece of the pure elemental chaos Tharizdun
In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game, Tharizdun () is the god of Eternal Darkness, Decay, Entropy, Malign Knowledge, Insanity, and Cold. He originated in the ''World of Greyhawk'' campaign setting but has since also appeared in ...
used to create the Abyss. The demons are drawn to this and seek to reclaim it.
Tarrasque
The tarrasque is a gigantic lizard-like creature which exists only to eat, kill, and destroy, "the most dreaded monster native to the Prime Material plane
The planes of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offic ...
". The tarrasque was introduced in 1983 in the ''Monster Manual II
''Monster Manual II'' is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''
''Monster Manual II'' was a 160-page hardcover ...
'', in the first edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''. It is very loosely based upon the French legend of the tarasque
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary dragon-like mythological hybrid from Provence, in southern France, tamed in stories about Saint Martha, such as the one told in Jacobus de Voragine's ''Golden Legend'' (13th century).
The tarasque was descr ...
.
It is very large, 50 feet (15 meters) tall and 70 feet (21 meters) long, and has a ''Tyrannosaurus rex
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...
''–like form, although it is much more broad and muscular, with a differently shaped head, and with larger and more developed front arms. It has brown skin, with scabs and warts and bits of encrusted dung all over it which are grey in color. Protecting its back and tail is a thick, glossy caramel-colored shell or carapace. It has spikes coming from its chin, the sides of the mouth, the underside of its neck, the elbows of its front arms, and its shell. The creature also has two horns projecting forwards from the top of its head.
The tarrasque's skin is very hard and thick, and provides excellent armor. It is immune or resistant to most offensive magic, and regenerates damage quickly.
The second edition of the game included rules for extracting treasure from the creature's carcass. In the ''Spelljammer
''Spelljammer'' is a campaign setting originally published for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (2nd edition) role-playing game, which features a fantastic (as opposed to scientific) outer space environment. Subsequent editions have included ' ...
'' series, the accessory ''Practical Planetology
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that considers words and thought as tools and instruments for prediction, problem solving, and action (philosophy), action, and rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, ...
'' suggests the tarrasques originate from the planet Falx. Several hundred tarrasques live there, where they feed upon the native Imbul, a lizard-like creature. In the 4th edition of the game, the tarrasque is listed as an "abomination" and classed as a "Gargantuan elemental magical beast"—a living engine of death and destruction created by a primordial race for use as a weapon against the gods.
The tarrasque has been called "a creature that embodies wanton destruction" and "singularly deadly" and been compared to a ''kaiju
is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...
''. It was ranked No. 2 on the list of the ten best high-level monsters in ''Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies''.[ Rob Bricken from ]io9
''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
named the tarrasque as the 10th most memorable D&D monster. ''Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' compiled a list of the game's "10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked" in 2018, calling this one of the strongest, saying "There are a lot of giant monsters that roam the various ''Dungeons & Dragons'' worlds, but none is more feared than the Tarrasque. This creature is an engine of destruction and it can crush entire cities in a single rampage."[ ''Backstab'' reviewer Michaël Croitoriu highlights the tarrasque among the monsters rated upwards from 2nd to 3rd edition, and wishes good luck to the adventurers having the temerity to attack it.]
See also
*Bestiary
A bestiary (from ''bestiarum vocabulum'') is a compendium of beasts. Originating in the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks. The natural history a ...
*Dungeons & Dragons controversies
The role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''), which receives significant attention in the media and in popular culture, has been the subject of numerous controversies. The game sometimes received negative coverage, especially in the ear ...
*List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters
This is the list of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monsters, an important element of that role-playing game. This list only includes monsters from official ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd Edition supplements published by TSR, ...
*List of species in fantasy fiction
There are a number of lists of fictional species:
Extraterrestrial
*List of fictional extraterrestrials (by media type)
*Lists of fictional alien species: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* Jacobs, James, Erik Mona
Erik Mona (born April 1974) is an American game designer who lives in Seattle, Washington.
Career
Mona was the Managing Editor of issues 1 and 2 of the '' Oerth Journal'', an online publication devoted to the ''World of Greyhawk'' campaign setti ...
, and Ed Stark
Ed Stark is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.
Career
Ed Stark began his career at West End Games, where he wrote for the ''TORG'' and ''Star Wars'' lines. He was the main developer behind the MasterBook system and ...
. '' Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss'' (Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
, 2006).
*Larme, John. ''Dangerous Games? Censorship and "Child Protection"'
(2000).
* Colin McComb, McComb, Colin. '' Faces of Evil: The Fiends'' (TSR, 1997).
* Colin McComb, McComb, Colin, Dale Donovan
Dale A. Donovan is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.
Career
Dale Donovan began working in the hobby-gaming industry in 1989. A past editor of Dragon magazine, Donovan worked for TSR, Inc., Wizards of the Coast, and ...
, and Monte Cook
Monte Cook is an American professional tabletop role-playing game designer and writer, best known for his work on ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
Role-playing industry career
Early years
Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, worki ...
. ''Planes of Conflict
''Planes of Conflict'' is an accessory for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995.
Contents
''Planes of Conflict'' contains six maps and five manuals for use with the Planescape set ...
'' (TSR, 1995).
* Colin McComb, McComb, Colin, Dori Jean Hein, and Wolfgang Baur
Wolfgang Baur (born 1968) is an American game designer, best known for his work with '' Dragon'' magazine. He designs role-playing games and is known for his work at Wizards of the Coast. Baur is also the founder of Open Design LLC, later known ...
. ''Planes of Law
Plane(s) most often refers to:
* Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft
* Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface
Plane or planes may also refer to:
Biology
* Plane (tree) or ''Platanus'', wetland native plant
* ''Planes' ...
'' (TSR, 1995).
*
* Wyatt, James, and Rob Heinsoo
Rob or ROB may refer to:
Places
* Rob, Velike Lašče, a settlement in Slovenia
* Roberts International Airport (IATA code ROB), in Monrovia, Liberia
People
* Rob (given name), a given name or nickname, e.g., for Robert(o), Robin/Robyn
* Rob ( ...
. ''Monstrous Compendium
The ''Monstrous Compendium'' is a series of accessories for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game released from 1989 to 1998. The title was then used for a series of 5th Edition ''Dungeons & Dragons'' supplements released ...
: Monsters of Faerûn'' (Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
, 2001).
* Wyatt, James, Ari Marmell
Ari Marmell is an American novelist and freelance role-playing game writer.
Novels
His first novel, ''Gehenna: The Final Night'', was published in 2004 by White Wolf Publishing. ''Agents of Artifice,'' a media tie-in novel set in the Magic: The ...
, and C.A. Suleiman C.A. Suleiman is a writer, game designer, and musician who has worked primarily in dark fantasy and horror for role-playing games and fiction. Through the course of his career, he has been a guest of honor or attending professional at over 140 conve ...
. ''Heroes of Horror
''Heroes of Horror'' is a hardcover supplement to the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons and Dragons'' role-playing game.
Contents
It is intended for use by Dungeon Masters who want to incorporate elements of horror into their game. It contains id ...
'' (Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
, 2005).
*
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Monsters in ''Dungeons & Dragons''
Dungeons and Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). ...