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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8773908" data-attributes="member: 6915329">OK, forgive me but I’m once again combining two monsters. See, Ed Greenwood created two different magical felines for this article, each with a single magical power. The first was the lybbarde, a large, panther-like cat that could whack people with its magical whip-like tail and cause them to be slowed. The second was the thylacine, a large, panther-like cat that could cover themselves in an illusory disguise of a human (well, 20% of them could) but, despite the name, wasn’t a marsupial. Both are intelligent, long-lived, mostly solitary cats with camouflaged coats, basically the same number of Hit Dice (5 HD versus 4+4 HD), and immunity to mental control and influence. Their only real differences were incredibly minor: one was basically immune to fear; the other couldn’t have its mind read.I have no idea why he made them into two different creatures instead of a single one, beyond needing just one more monster for the article. Or maybe he used them in two different adventures. Dunno. But I’m combining them. Enter the lybbarde, a magical panther.I’m going to take a moment to engage in a brief rant here: for a long time, in the section on the magazine’s production staff, Dragon would include a list of contributing interior artists. In issue #127, they suddenly stopped and only the cover artist was credited, and the interior art often didn’t even have a signature. I’ve been able to guess at some of the artists—like, I’m about 90% sure the fang dragon was drawn by Jim Holloway—but it really annoys me that that I don’t know for sure who the artist was. The artist for this article seems to named Barrett, but beyond that, I can’t tell.[ATTACH=full]261725[/ATTACH]Art by BarrettLybbardThe Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #138Created by Ed GreenwoodLybbardes are great cat-like creatures, easily seven feet long and with equally-long prehensile tails. Their coats are smudgy, smoky-gray and brown that lets them blend into their environment, and their tails end in a light tan puff. Their eyes glow green and they have two man teeth in their jaws. They primarily dwell in rocky, forested areas. Although they are solitary hunters, they frequently live in pairs, usually consisting of siblings. Lybbardes don’t make lairs; they sleep in trees, on rocky ledges, or any other safe place within their territory, although they will stash potentially interesting treasure somewhere, in case they need it later.Fearless Hunters. Lybbardes are a predator feared for both their great cunning, courage, and unwavering devotion to the hunt. They are utterly methodical in the way they attack, never giving in to emotion or recklessness. They avoid large groups of dangerous prey, focusing on the weaker and smaller—they will eat humanoids, but prefer to only attack those that are not well-armed and armored. Once a lybbarde starts to hunt, it doesn’t stop until the prey is slain, and if driven off, it will return, over and over again. Lybbardes hunt cleverly, sometimes using treasure as bait, and will even strike deals with other creatures in order to best hunt or chase off dangerous prey.Arcanophobes. Lybbardes hate magic and magic-users, but do not fear them. Rather, they recognize the danger that magic represents. They try to destroy any magic items they can and will deliberately attack spellcasters. Even minor, useful magic items, such as potions of healing, are destroyed, lest the wrong hands get ahold of it. For although they recognize that magic is not (usually) inherently evil, they know that it is too easily used against them or to greater harm.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Renowned for their fearlessness, lybbardes are cat-like creatures with fur that allows them to blend in with their environment.DC 15. Lybbardes are long-lived and intelligent, having their own language. They have magical abilities—they can appear as humanoids and a strike by their tail inflicts magical slowness on a target.Lybbarde EncountersTerrain: badlands, forests, grasslands, hills, mountainsCR 2-3 1 lybbarde; 1 lybbarde and 1-2 young (use panther stats)Treasure: 150 sp, bronze gauntlet that is studded with polished aventurine (50 gp), pewter cup with dragon-shaped stem (25 gp), gilt-covered map case with local map (25 gp)Signs1. The carcass of a dead wizard cached in a tree.2. With a DC 17 Perception check: feline pawprints.3. A human running in the distance, then vanishing.4. Snapped wands and shredded spell scrolls.Behavior1-2. Hunting.3. Stalking the party’s weakest member.4. Sleeping in the sun.5. Devouring a deer.6. Working out an alliance with another creature to take down a greater foe.Lybbarde Large monstrosityChallenge 2 (450 XP)AC 12HP 42 (5d10+15; bloodied 21)Speed 50 ft.STR 16 (+3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3)INT 8 (-1) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 10 (+0)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC +2Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4 (+1d4)Condition Immunities charmed, confused, fatigue, frightened, slowed, strifeSenses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 14Languages LybbardeCamouflage. The lybbarde has advantage on Stealth checks made in wooded or rocky terrain.Illusory Visage (Recharge After Short or Long Rest). The lybbarde places an illusion on itself that makes it resemble a Medium humanoid for 1 minute. The illusory disguise does not hold up to physical inspection.Inscrutable. The lybbarde is immune to divination and to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts. Insight checks made to determine the lybbarde’s intentions are made with disadvantage.Long Jump. The lybbarde can long jump up to 30 feet.Keen Hearing Smell. The lybbarde has advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.Smell Magic. The lybbarde can detect the presence of magic items within 30 feet.ActionsBite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) piercing damage.Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) slashing damage. If the lybbarde moves at least 20 feet straight towards the target before the attack, the target makes a DC 13 Strength saving throw, falling prone on a failure.Tail. The lybbarde strikes a creature within 5 feet of it with its tail. That creature must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be slowed until the end of its next turn.Bonus ActionsOpportune Bite. The lybbarde makes a bite attack against a prone or slowed creature.CombatLybbardes attack from hiding, using its Tail on a creature, then biting when that creature is slowed. It will then back up at least twenty feet and charge, in order to knock the creature over on its next turn. It will target obvious magic-users first.</blockquote>

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