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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Another Creature Catalog query for Dragon? (Pt 2)
- Thread starter BOZ
- Start date
Aspect of BOZ
First Post
and the ni'iath? 
Aspect of BOZ
First Post
might as well go with shade's estimation then and make them MBs. 
OK, i'll try to wrap this one up tomorrow so we can send it out...
OK, i'll try to wrap this one up tomorrow so we can send it out...
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
It reads really well. And it's definitely a lot more interesting.Aspect of BOZ said:by george, i think we've got it!
let me know what you think... is it more interesting now? actually useable in a campaign where things need to make sense?
Excellent. Good luck.Aspect of BOZ said:might as well go with shade's estimation then and make them MBs.
OK, i'll try to wrap this one up tomorrow so we can send it out...
Aspect of BOZ
First Post
thanks!
OK, for the bionoids I’ll simply go like the warforged and call them Construct (Living Construct).
For the ni’iath I’m still torn on which way to go… but I think I’ll go with Magical Beast.
On the garmorm, I’ll go with my first instinct and call them Outsiders.
For the thrax, however, I think Shade convinced me to go Aberration, looking at them in the same vein as mind flayers (humanoid creatures with odd forms and alien mentalities).
Any objections to that, or anything else, let me know.
The only other thing left to worry about is CRs – especially those with question marks behind them. Did I overestimate, or underestimate? It’s not a big deal if I’m off by one or two, because if the monster is accepted we will probably reevaluate the estimated CR in the query anyway. but if I’m off by more than a little, we should fix that.
If there are no objections to the CRs, we can move on!
OK, for the bionoids I’ll simply go like the warforged and call them Construct (Living Construct).
For the ni’iath I’m still torn on which way to go… but I think I’ll go with Magical Beast.
On the garmorm, I’ll go with my first instinct and call them Outsiders.
For the thrax, however, I think Shade convinced me to go Aberration, looking at them in the same vein as mind flayers (humanoid creatures with odd forms and alien mentalities).
Any objections to that, or anything else, let me know.
The only other thing left to worry about is CRs – especially those with question marks behind them. Did I overestimate, or underestimate? It’s not a big deal if I’m off by one or two, because if the monster is accepted we will probably reevaluate the estimated CR in the query anyway.
but if I’m off by more than a little, we should fix that.If there are no objections to the CRs, we can move on!
Aspect of BOZ
First Post
fair enough - they do have 5HD after all, so i can definitely get behind that.
anything else?
anything else?
Aspect of BOZ
First Post
i submit to you, one final time: the query!
any issues at all, speak now or forever hold your peace. i'll be sending this one sometime tomorrow, more likely than not.
Bionoid
Construct (Living Construct) CR 10
These large NG insectoid humanoids were once elves that have been re-engineered for warfare. A bionoid has an iridescent exoskeleton with hard claw-like blades protruding from its forearms and head. It has an insect-like compound eye plus four independently-moving eyes. The glowing circular gem in its forehead, if removed, causes a bionoid to decompose immediately; if crushed, the bionoid is irrevocably destroyed. A bionoid can slash with its 2 arm-blades and slam with its spiked fists, and kick with its heel spurs, making all of these attacks in the same round due to agility as part of a leap attack; it can also constrict in its arms (Str 22). It can also wield a specialized halberd with blades on each end. It can open its chest plates once per combat to launch a fireball-like effect from a special membrane. Bionoids are deeply loners, though they work well with others and like to be productive.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC9 - Spelljammer Appendix II (1991)
Clockwork Swordsman
Construct, CR 5
The clockwork swordsman is an intelligent mechanical creation which usually serves as a bodyguard for the spellcaster who created it. A swordsman’s programming is much like that of a CG swashbuckler. Despite being a construct, a swordsman is sentient and charismatic, but with a very low Wisdom and don’t learn well from their mistakes. A clockwork swordsman is a near-perfect replica of a humanoid, with only slight clicks and whirs to betray its artificial nature.
Originally found in Red Steel Monstrous Compendium Online (1996)
Dabus
Outsider, CR 1
These tall, slender beings are riddles much like the illusionary rebuses which they use to communicate. These servants of the Lady of Pain function as the maintainers of the city of Sigil; their origins are unclear, and they may have been created by the Lady or the city itself. These floating creatures have no particular combat abilities, and fight with normal weapons when need be. The main purpose of the dabus' seems to be handling new construction in Sigil, but then most things in Sigil are more than what they appear to be.
Originally found in Planescape Campaign Setting (1994)
Demarax
Outsider (lawful), CR 2
This LN lizard-like creature has hundreds of tiny crystals embedded in its dark hide. The demarax roams slowly across the Outlands and lawful planes feeding on the spell crystals, which are the manifestation of summoning spells in the planes. Highly resistant to spells, demaraxes are usually non-hostile (although it might attack someone carrying a spell crystal), but can defend themselves by slamming with their tails, by shooting magic missiles from their three eyes, or by releasing a storm of spell crystals (each of which causes a random magical effect). Although pretty dumb, demaraxes live for thousands of years and can perfectly recall every conversation they've ever had, making them a potential source of information for planar adventurers.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Firelich
Undead (fire), CR 12
A firelich is created unintentionally when a spellcaster is preparing himself to become a lich. Some sort of mishap, usually an accident involving fire, causes the character to become a firelich instead of a true lich. A firelich resembles a huge comet of flame, with a skull-like face locked in a perpetual scream on the front of the fireball. A firelich spends its existence in excruciating pain, for which it can only find temporary relief by destroying other things. Fireliches look for large flammable objects, such as ships or wooden buildings, and dives into them at high speed. It screams constantly in pain, causing anything looking at it to make a Will save or become frightened. A firelich has turn resistance and spell resistance, but is unable to cast spells and make no attempt to communicate beyond screaming.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC9 - Spelljammer Appendix II (1991)
Garmorm
Outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar), CR 8
A vast floating worm native to the Astral Plane, the garmorm absorbs creatures into it with a song - creatures that fail to resist have their soul swallowed and join the choir of faces that cover its body. Garmorms are also accomplished spellcasters due to all the souls they've absorbed over the centuries, and have a powerful bite.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998)
Gautiere
Outsider (evil), CR 4
This race of gaunt, grey humanoids hovers on the edge of oblivion, imprisoned on their home plane. They are the remnants of the Tiere, an ancient race that once lived on the Outlands. In an act of revenge on a god who betrayed them, the tiere were consumed and became the cursed gautiere, forever trapped and subjected to the stinging winds of the layer of Minethys as they wander the plane of Carceri. They can slash with a clawed hand, or cause a victim's skin to turn to acid with a touch. They have immunity to acid and fire.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Great Elder Wyrm
Dragon, CR 21
These incredibly ancient, distant wingless relatives of dragonkind are headed towards extinction. They have an incredible wealth of knowledge, but rarely share it with other species. Their abilities include a poisonous cloud breath weapon that does lingering Constitution damage and may suffocate those caught within, regeneration, and all Extraordinary abilities common to true dragons. Each wyrm has a weak spot on its ancient hide, however, increasing the critical multiplier of slashing or piercing weapons that score a natural 20.
Originally found in Dragon #94, "Creature Catalog II" (1986) as “great wyrm”
Linqua
Outsider (evil), CR 3
Linqua are the servitors of Sung Chiang, the god of thieves who lives in the Teardrop Palace on the plane of Gehenna. Short squat humanoids tufted with green hair, they receive the blessings of their creator in clerical spells, the ability to gain a burst of Strength (rather like the Strength domain power) and sneak attack. Despite their divine origin, linquas often escape the service of their master. These rogue linquas often make for powerful clerics, as they become addicted to the divine energy imbued by serving a god.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Mapmaker
Outsider, CR 7
A mapmaker looks like an overgrown bipedal weasel covered in reptilian scales, with multifaceted eyes, a protruding sucker mouth, and a webbed hollow in its back. These outsiders hail from Pandemonium. They are accomplished mapmakers (although their maps may be made intentionally false) and revel in stealing the maps of others. Its powers include shimmering wings which can cause paralysis or mild insanity, some rogue-like abilities, improved grab and extended reach with the tail, and psionics.
Originally found in Dragon #47, "Creatures From Elsewhere" (1981)
Moilian Heart
Undead, CR 2
This abomination appears to be a disembodied human heart trailing arteries and veins in a sinister tangle. These undead creations of the necromancer Drake of the Black Academy of Moil remain inanimate until a living creature approaches. Then they drain life force and begin beating, animating those that they kill as Moil zombies (bleakborn in Libris Mortis). Although a moilian heart has no physical attacks, it can project a wave of frost at nearby enemies. A moilian heart can regenerate any damage except for acid and fire, so long as it has fresh life force to restore itself.
Originally found in Return to the Tomb of Horrors (1998)
Mole Dragon
Dragon, CR 3
Wicked dragonets related to the pseudodragon, mole dragons have thick bodies and short tails. Its claws are huge and adapted to digging through earth and stone, and its hide is encrusted with gemstones. They have no breath weapon, but can summon earth elementals and cast spells as a cleric. They occasionally cooperate with derro and duergar and tend to be dour and sadistic.
Originally found in Dragon #272, "Diminutive Dragons" (2000)
Ni'iath
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 4
These are long, wormlike creatures with vicious mouths and four narrow eyes spaced equidistantly about their heads. Natives of Bytopia, ni'iaths have a peculiar immunity to gravity and no concept of "up" or "down". They have a barbed tail and a special reverse gravity fling they use to propel opponents into nearby objects. Ni'iaths resemble wolves in mentality, hunting in packs, often tiring prey out before closing to attack.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Piranha Bats
Animal (swarm), CR 3-4
These bats look like their typical cousins, except for an extended jaw full of razor-sharp teeth. They have the blindsense and wounding ability of typical bat swarms. They flee from magical light and fire and are particularly susceptible to sleep spells. Piranha bats can smell blood, and enter a frenzied state once they taste it, draining Constitution and consuming victims completely.
Originally found in Dragon #51, "Dragon's Bestiary" (1981)
Rohch
Aberrations, CR varies (wood 1-HD, killer 3-HD, swamp 4-HD, dark 8-HD)
The tiny rohch is the horrid result of magically crossbreeding wolves and giant beetles. Each has 4-8 legs, and two claws that extend from its back, and a carapace from which juts tufts of fur. They are voracious and attack anything in sight, using numbers to bring down larger prey. They have tremorsense and the sharp scent ability of a wolf. There are four types of rohch, each progressively more dangerous: wood rohch (the most common type, found in large packs), killer rohch (larger and more vicious than the wood rohch), swamp rohch (adapted to marshes and can hold their breath for a long time underwater), and the dark rohch (evil-aligned rohch, the largest and most horrid, can transmit disease by bite).
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC11 - Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991)
Stwinger
Fey, CR ½
WAIT – BEFORE YOU SKIP IT, KEEP READING…
Legend holds that the smallest and most innocuous of faeries are, in their own way, among the most powerful. It is told that these creatures, seemingly innocently swinging, hold secrets of the millennia. A playful group of stwingers will charm an adventuring party into helplessness, and swing from one long-haired person to a bearded person, back to another long-haired person, all the while singing a barely audible lullaby; this swinging deals nonlethal damage which can ultimately leave creatures unconscious. Some say that the tiny faeries then steal the victims’ hair, and that with each hair comes a memory, emotion, or secret, leaving a victim feebleminded until the hair grows back. It is said that their songs contain pieces of such memories stolen through the years, and many have sought out this sage-like knowledge, only to have their own memories stolen in the same fashion. The stwingers collect the stolen hairs to braid into ropes, weave into their homes, or make into their own form of magic scrolls.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC14 - Fiend Folio Appendix (1992)
Tirapheg
Aberration, CR 1
AND WHETHER YOU LIKED THAT ONE OR NOT…
The first tiraphegs were thought to be creations of an entity from the Far Realm, discarded on the Material Plane because they were simply too symmetrical for the Far Realm. These alien beings now wander realms incomprehensible to them, trying to grasp things they cannot understand. These bizarre creatures commonly appear in cemeteries looking for decaying flesh to eat, or in places where unusual occurrences have been recorded such as the Barrier Peaks. Their curiosity and confusion lead them to want to know more about these strange one-headed creatures, but a tirapheg is very shy and feels safer when alone. This tall, pseudo-humanoid creature never wears clothes and is completely hairless and mostly featureless. It has three heads, the two outside ones being featureless (though each one controls an appendage, providing Superior Multiattack as with ettins), and the middle having only three equidistantly-placed eyes. The creature’s mouth is in its chest. Its two double-jointed arms end in 6-inch long spikes, and it has a third arm protruding from its chest with which it can claw or strangle. It has three legs, two of which end in stumps, and the middle one has a footpad with three long toes.
Originally found in Fiend Folio (1981)
Thrax
Aberration, CR 7
This NE psionic desert-dwellers exist by draining the water from its victims. This intelligent humanoid has ruddy skin, dark hair, pointed ears, and gaunt, angular yet muscular features. A thrax can psionically assume the form of a shadow, to take a victim by surprise, and decay a creature’s armor to get at the flesh beneath. It grapples its victim, using the suckers on its fingers to drain fluids. Anyone who survives this attack may be cursed to become a thrax himself.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC12 - Dark Sun Appendix (1992)
Utukku
Outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar), CR 9
These vicious, territorial, predatory fiends are native to the great ash deserts of Carceri. They prey on other fiends and take no part in fiendish conflicts such as the Blood War. An utukku looks like a 12-foot-tall lion-headed humanoid, with long quills rather than a mane. Its body is covered in brick-red scales. In addition to its potent spell-like abilities, an utukku can supernaturally sow discord among its foes, and it is immune to all divination effects.
Originally found in Dragon #89, "Creature Catalog" (1984)
Wastrel
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 1
These cunning raven-like birds scavenge the most inhospitable reaches of the outer planes, like originating from the Gray Waste of Hades. It looks like a perfectly normal bird. A flock of wastrels attacks a party of travelers, hoping to taste their blood; a successful attack established a link between a wastrel and its victim, and the bird flies away to hide within 300 feet. This link allows a wastrel to cause 1 point of ability damage to each ability score per day, causing death when any reaches 0. The link severs if the victim moves more than a mile away and the ability damage doesn’t heal while the link is active.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Wraithworm
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 5
This Large, magical snake is most common on Carceri and Arborea, and hunts in deserts and wastelands. This powerful serpent has coal-black scales with a diamond pattern of dark purple bands running down its back; bright green, glowing eyes; and sharp, bony spikes along its spine. These slow-moving snakes strike with blinding speed, and their bite deals 1d2 negative levels per hit, also poisoning the victim with an icy-cold venom. A wraithworm can assume an incorporeal wraithform to move around easier. The snake also has a paralyzing gaze. It has resistance to both cold and negative energy.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Zwergeist
Outsider, CR 6
These spirits of CN gnome petitioners from Limbo and Ysgard come to the Material Plane to spread chaos and pull jokes and tricks. The name “zwergeist” and their behaviors often lead them to be confused with poltergeists. They possess powerful illusion-related spell-like abilities, immunity to cold and mind-affecting effects, and resistance to fire, electricity, and spells, and damage reduction. They appear as shadowy gnomes in dark cloaks, usually wielding spears, short swords, slings, or clubs.
Originally found in Dragon #55, "Dragon's Bestiary" (1981) as “poltergeist”
any issues at all, speak now or forever hold your peace. i'll be sending this one sometime tomorrow, more likely than not.
Bionoid
Construct (Living Construct) CR 10
These large NG insectoid humanoids were once elves that have been re-engineered for warfare. A bionoid has an iridescent exoskeleton with hard claw-like blades protruding from its forearms and head. It has an insect-like compound eye plus four independently-moving eyes. The glowing circular gem in its forehead, if removed, causes a bionoid to decompose immediately; if crushed, the bionoid is irrevocably destroyed. A bionoid can slash with its 2 arm-blades and slam with its spiked fists, and kick with its heel spurs, making all of these attacks in the same round due to agility as part of a leap attack; it can also constrict in its arms (Str 22). It can also wield a specialized halberd with blades on each end. It can open its chest plates once per combat to launch a fireball-like effect from a special membrane. Bionoids are deeply loners, though they work well with others and like to be productive.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC9 - Spelljammer Appendix II (1991)
Clockwork Swordsman
Construct, CR 5
The clockwork swordsman is an intelligent mechanical creation which usually serves as a bodyguard for the spellcaster who created it. A swordsman’s programming is much like that of a CG swashbuckler. Despite being a construct, a swordsman is sentient and charismatic, but with a very low Wisdom and don’t learn well from their mistakes. A clockwork swordsman is a near-perfect replica of a humanoid, with only slight clicks and whirs to betray its artificial nature.
Originally found in Red Steel Monstrous Compendium Online (1996)
Dabus
Outsider, CR 1
These tall, slender beings are riddles much like the illusionary rebuses which they use to communicate. These servants of the Lady of Pain function as the maintainers of the city of Sigil; their origins are unclear, and they may have been created by the Lady or the city itself. These floating creatures have no particular combat abilities, and fight with normal weapons when need be. The main purpose of the dabus' seems to be handling new construction in Sigil, but then most things in Sigil are more than what they appear to be.
Originally found in Planescape Campaign Setting (1994)
Demarax
Outsider (lawful), CR 2
This LN lizard-like creature has hundreds of tiny crystals embedded in its dark hide. The demarax roams slowly across the Outlands and lawful planes feeding on the spell crystals, which are the manifestation of summoning spells in the planes. Highly resistant to spells, demaraxes are usually non-hostile (although it might attack someone carrying a spell crystal), but can defend themselves by slamming with their tails, by shooting magic missiles from their three eyes, or by releasing a storm of spell crystals (each of which causes a random magical effect). Although pretty dumb, demaraxes live for thousands of years and can perfectly recall every conversation they've ever had, making them a potential source of information for planar adventurers.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Firelich
Undead (fire), CR 12
A firelich is created unintentionally when a spellcaster is preparing himself to become a lich. Some sort of mishap, usually an accident involving fire, causes the character to become a firelich instead of a true lich. A firelich resembles a huge comet of flame, with a skull-like face locked in a perpetual scream on the front of the fireball. A firelich spends its existence in excruciating pain, for which it can only find temporary relief by destroying other things. Fireliches look for large flammable objects, such as ships or wooden buildings, and dives into them at high speed. It screams constantly in pain, causing anything looking at it to make a Will save or become frightened. A firelich has turn resistance and spell resistance, but is unable to cast spells and make no attempt to communicate beyond screaming.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC9 - Spelljammer Appendix II (1991)
Garmorm
Outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar), CR 8
A vast floating worm native to the Astral Plane, the garmorm absorbs creatures into it with a song - creatures that fail to resist have their soul swallowed and join the choir of faces that cover its body. Garmorms are also accomplished spellcasters due to all the souls they've absorbed over the centuries, and have a powerful bite.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998)
Gautiere
Outsider (evil), CR 4
This race of gaunt, grey humanoids hovers on the edge of oblivion, imprisoned on their home plane. They are the remnants of the Tiere, an ancient race that once lived on the Outlands. In an act of revenge on a god who betrayed them, the tiere were consumed and became the cursed gautiere, forever trapped and subjected to the stinging winds of the layer of Minethys as they wander the plane of Carceri. They can slash with a clawed hand, or cause a victim's skin to turn to acid with a touch. They have immunity to acid and fire.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Great Elder Wyrm
Dragon, CR 21
These incredibly ancient, distant wingless relatives of dragonkind are headed towards extinction. They have an incredible wealth of knowledge, but rarely share it with other species. Their abilities include a poisonous cloud breath weapon that does lingering Constitution damage and may suffocate those caught within, regeneration, and all Extraordinary abilities common to true dragons. Each wyrm has a weak spot on its ancient hide, however, increasing the critical multiplier of slashing or piercing weapons that score a natural 20.
Originally found in Dragon #94, "Creature Catalog II" (1986) as “great wyrm”
Linqua
Outsider (evil), CR 3
Linqua are the servitors of Sung Chiang, the god of thieves who lives in the Teardrop Palace on the plane of Gehenna. Short squat humanoids tufted with green hair, they receive the blessings of their creator in clerical spells, the ability to gain a burst of Strength (rather like the Strength domain power) and sneak attack. Despite their divine origin, linquas often escape the service of their master. These rogue linquas often make for powerful clerics, as they become addicted to the divine energy imbued by serving a god.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Mapmaker
Outsider, CR 7
A mapmaker looks like an overgrown bipedal weasel covered in reptilian scales, with multifaceted eyes, a protruding sucker mouth, and a webbed hollow in its back. These outsiders hail from Pandemonium. They are accomplished mapmakers (although their maps may be made intentionally false) and revel in stealing the maps of others. Its powers include shimmering wings which can cause paralysis or mild insanity, some rogue-like abilities, improved grab and extended reach with the tail, and psionics.
Originally found in Dragon #47, "Creatures From Elsewhere" (1981)
Moilian Heart
Undead, CR 2
This abomination appears to be a disembodied human heart trailing arteries and veins in a sinister tangle. These undead creations of the necromancer Drake of the Black Academy of Moil remain inanimate until a living creature approaches. Then they drain life force and begin beating, animating those that they kill as Moil zombies (bleakborn in Libris Mortis). Although a moilian heart has no physical attacks, it can project a wave of frost at nearby enemies. A moilian heart can regenerate any damage except for acid and fire, so long as it has fresh life force to restore itself.
Originally found in Return to the Tomb of Horrors (1998)
Mole Dragon
Dragon, CR 3
Wicked dragonets related to the pseudodragon, mole dragons have thick bodies and short tails. Its claws are huge and adapted to digging through earth and stone, and its hide is encrusted with gemstones. They have no breath weapon, but can summon earth elementals and cast spells as a cleric. They occasionally cooperate with derro and duergar and tend to be dour and sadistic.
Originally found in Dragon #272, "Diminutive Dragons" (2000)
Ni'iath
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 4
These are long, wormlike creatures with vicious mouths and four narrow eyes spaced equidistantly about their heads. Natives of Bytopia, ni'iaths have a peculiar immunity to gravity and no concept of "up" or "down". They have a barbed tail and a special reverse gravity fling they use to propel opponents into nearby objects. Ni'iaths resemble wolves in mentality, hunting in packs, often tiring prey out before closing to attack.
Originally found in Planes of Conflict (1995)
Piranha Bats
Animal (swarm), CR 3-4
These bats look like their typical cousins, except for an extended jaw full of razor-sharp teeth. They have the blindsense and wounding ability of typical bat swarms. They flee from magical light and fire and are particularly susceptible to sleep spells. Piranha bats can smell blood, and enter a frenzied state once they taste it, draining Constitution and consuming victims completely.
Originally found in Dragon #51, "Dragon's Bestiary" (1981)
Rohch
Aberrations, CR varies (wood 1-HD, killer 3-HD, swamp 4-HD, dark 8-HD)
The tiny rohch is the horrid result of magically crossbreeding wolves and giant beetles. Each has 4-8 legs, and two claws that extend from its back, and a carapace from which juts tufts of fur. They are voracious and attack anything in sight, using numbers to bring down larger prey. They have tremorsense and the sharp scent ability of a wolf. There are four types of rohch, each progressively more dangerous: wood rohch (the most common type, found in large packs), killer rohch (larger and more vicious than the wood rohch), swamp rohch (adapted to marshes and can hold their breath for a long time underwater), and the dark rohch (evil-aligned rohch, the largest and most horrid, can transmit disease by bite).
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC11 - Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991)
Stwinger
Fey, CR ½
WAIT – BEFORE YOU SKIP IT, KEEP READING…
Legend holds that the smallest and most innocuous of faeries are, in their own way, among the most powerful. It is told that these creatures, seemingly innocently swinging, hold secrets of the millennia. A playful group of stwingers will charm an adventuring party into helplessness, and swing from one long-haired person to a bearded person, back to another long-haired person, all the while singing a barely audible lullaby; this swinging deals nonlethal damage which can ultimately leave creatures unconscious. Some say that the tiny faeries then steal the victims’ hair, and that with each hair comes a memory, emotion, or secret, leaving a victim feebleminded until the hair grows back. It is said that their songs contain pieces of such memories stolen through the years, and many have sought out this sage-like knowledge, only to have their own memories stolen in the same fashion. The stwingers collect the stolen hairs to braid into ropes, weave into their homes, or make into their own form of magic scrolls.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC14 - Fiend Folio Appendix (1992)
Tirapheg
Aberration, CR 1
AND WHETHER YOU LIKED THAT ONE OR NOT…
The first tiraphegs were thought to be creations of an entity from the Far Realm, discarded on the Material Plane because they were simply too symmetrical for the Far Realm. These alien beings now wander realms incomprehensible to them, trying to grasp things they cannot understand. These bizarre creatures commonly appear in cemeteries looking for decaying flesh to eat, or in places where unusual occurrences have been recorded such as the Barrier Peaks. Their curiosity and confusion lead them to want to know more about these strange one-headed creatures, but a tirapheg is very shy and feels safer when alone. This tall, pseudo-humanoid creature never wears clothes and is completely hairless and mostly featureless. It has three heads, the two outside ones being featureless (though each one controls an appendage, providing Superior Multiattack as with ettins), and the middle having only three equidistantly-placed eyes. The creature’s mouth is in its chest. Its two double-jointed arms end in 6-inch long spikes, and it has a third arm protruding from its chest with which it can claw or strangle. It has three legs, two of which end in stumps, and the middle one has a footpad with three long toes.
Originally found in Fiend Folio (1981)
Thrax
Aberration, CR 7
This NE psionic desert-dwellers exist by draining the water from its victims. This intelligent humanoid has ruddy skin, dark hair, pointed ears, and gaunt, angular yet muscular features. A thrax can psionically assume the form of a shadow, to take a victim by surprise, and decay a creature’s armor to get at the flesh beneath. It grapples its victim, using the suckers on its fingers to drain fluids. Anyone who survives this attack may be cursed to become a thrax himself.
Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC12 - Dark Sun Appendix (1992)
Utukku
Outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar), CR 9
These vicious, territorial, predatory fiends are native to the great ash deserts of Carceri. They prey on other fiends and take no part in fiendish conflicts such as the Blood War. An utukku looks like a 12-foot-tall lion-headed humanoid, with long quills rather than a mane. Its body is covered in brick-red scales. In addition to its potent spell-like abilities, an utukku can supernaturally sow discord among its foes, and it is immune to all divination effects.
Originally found in Dragon #89, "Creature Catalog" (1984)
Wastrel
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 1
These cunning raven-like birds scavenge the most inhospitable reaches of the outer planes, like originating from the Gray Waste of Hades. It looks like a perfectly normal bird. A flock of wastrels attacks a party of travelers, hoping to taste their blood; a successful attack established a link between a wastrel and its victim, and the bird flies away to hide within 300 feet. This link allows a wastrel to cause 1 point of ability damage to each ability score per day, causing death when any reaches 0. The link severs if the victim moves more than a mile away and the ability damage doesn’t heal while the link is active.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Wraithworm
Magical Beast (extraplanar), CR 5
This Large, magical snake is most common on Carceri and Arborea, and hunts in deserts and wastelands. This powerful serpent has coal-black scales with a diamond pattern of dark purple bands running down its back; bright green, glowing eyes; and sharp, bony spikes along its spine. These slow-moving snakes strike with blinding speed, and their bite deals 1d2 negative levels per hit, also poisoning the victim with an icy-cold venom. A wraithworm can assume an incorporeal wraithform to move around easier. The snake also has a paralyzing gaze. It has resistance to both cold and negative energy.
Originally found in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995)
Zwergeist
Outsider, CR 6
These spirits of CN gnome petitioners from Limbo and Ysgard come to the Material Plane to spread chaos and pull jokes and tricks. The name “zwergeist” and their behaviors often lead them to be confused with poltergeists. They possess powerful illusion-related spell-like abilities, immunity to cold and mind-affecting effects, and resistance to fire, electricity, and spells, and damage reduction. They appear as shadowy gnomes in dark cloaks, usually wielding spears, short swords, slings, or clubs.
Originally found in Dragon #55, "Dragon's Bestiary" (1981) as “poltergeist”
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