Aspect of BOZ
First Post
that's the problem. 
DRAGON Magazine monster index!
Garnfellow
Explorer
Based on some very sharp sleuthing over at Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23110), it appears that the Barghest from issue 26 should actually be attributed to Tom Moldvay, not Gygax.
There is a note at the end of that issue's Dragon's Bestiary column stating that monsters appearing in the Bestiary were Official, AD&D monsters. (This was an important distinction at the time.)
But I don't think that imprimatur lasted beyond that one issue, 26: no subsequent monsters from the Bestiary were included in the 1e MMII, and I'm pretty sure later installments had an explicit disclaimer that monsters in the bestiary were unofficial. I wonder if there was some sort of miscommunication between EGG and the Dragon, or if Gary just changed his mind.
There is a note at the end of that issue's Dragon's Bestiary column stating that monsters appearing in the Bestiary were Official, AD&D monsters. (This was an important distinction at the time.)
But I don't think that imprimatur lasted beyond that one issue, 26: no subsequent monsters from the Bestiary were included in the 1e MMII, and I'm pretty sure later installments had an explicit disclaimer that monsters in the bestiary were unofficial. I wonder if there was some sort of miscommunication between EGG and the Dragon, or if Gary just changed his mind.
Garnfellow
Explorer
BOZ said:
Actually, they're pretty close -- definitely related. At some point I'd like to set the texts side by side to see what was changed.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
A comparison between the barghest entries in Dragon #26 and the Monster Manual II (1st Edition) reveals only minor editing changes.
Strikethrough indicates words removed from the Dragon #26 text.
Boldface indicates words added in the Monster Manual II version.
BARGHEST
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2 (1)
ARMOR CLASS: 2 to -4
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 6+6 to 12+12
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 + no. of HD as h.p.
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%/HD (ignore plusses)
INTELLIGENCE: High to genius
ALIGNMENT: Evil (lawful)
SIZE: M to L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:
Hit Dice Level Experience Point Value
6 + 6 VII 1,275 + 10/h.p.
7 + 7 VII 2,000 + 12/h.p.
8 + 8 VIII 3,450 + 14/h.p.
9 + 9 VIII 3,600 + 14/h.p.
10 + 10 IX 6,100 + 16/h.p.
11 + 11 IX 6,250 + 16/h.p.
12 + 12 IX 7,300 + 18/h.p.
Of the various monstersmembers of the deodands inhabiting the rifts of the Planes of Gehenna, the barghest is certainly the most common and one of the most fearsome worst. These beings tend to live in isolation even from one another, each having its own stronghold and force of servitors and ruling a smoking rift despotically. At times, however, a barghest will spawn, and its litter of six will be sent to the Prime Material Plane to feed and grow. Those which survive will eventually return to Gehenna, but while they are yet young they must needs feed upon the lives of men. Barghest whelps will be found singlyalone or in pairs on the Prime Material Plane, generally living near isolated communities of humans or with bands of goblins.
Barghests are able to assume the forms ofa large war or wild dogs at will. (thus tThey are at times known as devil-dogs, a misnomer. Their natural shape is very much the same as that of a large goblin, and when barghests dwell amongst goblins, they will retain their normal form. While goblins recognize and worship barghests, other races find them to be virtually indistinguishable from these goblins humanoids. Their goblin hosts fear and serve barghests these monsters when they dwell in a goblin community, going to great lengths to bring them human sacrifices to the barghests. The barghests, in turn, slay the powerful enemies of the goblins and generally enrich the treasure possessed by their hosts.
When barghest whelps first come to the Prime Material Plane they are relatively weak, having but 6 (1d8) + 6 hit dice. For each energy level of human lifetheywhelps slay and devour, they gain 1 hit point; 8 such levels effectively giving them another hit die and additional hit point per die. (Zero level humans gain them barghest only one-half an energy level, so they are less desirable prey than are exceptional persons.) Likewise, as hit dice are gained, the barghest also becomes more powerful. Its armor class increasesing by one place with each additional hit die, and its strength growsing from an initial 18/00 to 24; eventually become equal to that of a storm giant — and damage increasesing accordingly as does also. In like manner, so too does the magic resistance and intelligence of these monsters increase by the unholy vampirism attendant upon the slaughter of humanity. When a barghest eventually attains full growth and power, it is able to shift itself to the Planes of Gehenna, where it will search out its own reeking valley rift.
What treasure barghests gather into their own strongholds upon the Planes of Gehenna is not known, although it is rumored to be great. Whilst dwellinghere on the Prime Material Plane, however, they possess none personally.
Barghests are able to perform the following spell-like magic, one operation per round, at will: shapechange to canine/goblin-like form, change self, levitation, misdirection, projected image. Once per day the following spell like powers can be employed: charm (person or monster), dimension door, emotion.
When in its canine form, a barghest is able to move at double its normal movement rate (30” maximum), pass without trace, and can become 75% likely to be unnoticed when motionless, so that it can surprise opponents 50% of the time (3 in 6).
These creatures are hit only by +1 or better magic weapons. Barghests are not particularly vulnerable to any attack form, but, if in their canine shape theydo take the risk of failing to save versus a magical fire attack such as a fireball, flame strike, or meteor swarm. Fire does absolutely no damage to barghests, but if they fail to save against such an attack while in canine form they are hurled back to their own plane. Weaker barghests returning thus are most likely to be slain or enslaved by their more powerful fellows. Even if they are not so treated, they cannot return to the Prime Material Plane without some form of outside assistance.
Description: As already noted, the barghest in its whelp stages appears much the same as a goblin of large size, although as they grow larger and stronger, there is a darkening of skin from yellow towards a bluish red. Its adult, eventually terminating in a deep blue skin color is bluein adult form. The eyes of the barghest are glowing orange when excited, but otherwise they are indistinguishable from those of a goblin. The canine forms can be those of any typical large dogs, and in thesethis forms it is almost (95%) impossible to tell from a normal dogs, except that other dogs will fear and hate themit, attacking at every opportunity.
Boldface indicates words added in the Monster Manual II version.
BARGHEST
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2 (1)
ARMOR CLASS: 2 to -4
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 6+6 to 12+12
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 + no. of HD as h.p.
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%/HD (ignore plusses)
INTELLIGENCE: High to genius
ALIGNMENT: Evil (lawful)
SIZE: M to L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:
Hit Dice Level Experience Point Value
6 + 6 VII 1,275 + 10/h.p.
7 + 7 VII 2,000 + 12/h.p.
8 + 8 VIII 3,450 + 14/h.p.
9 + 9 VIII 3,600 + 14/h.p.
10 + 10 IX 6,100 + 16/h.p.
11 + 11 IX 6,250 + 16/h.p.
12 + 12 IX 7,300 + 18/h.p.
Of the various monsters
Barghests are able to assume the forms of
When barghest whelps first come to the Prime Material Plane they are relatively weak, having but 6 (1d8) + 6 hit dice. For each energy level of human life
What treasure barghests gather into their own strongholds upon the Planes of Gehenna is not known, although it is rumored to be great. Whilst dwelling
Barghests are able to perform the following spell-like magic, one operation per round, at will: shapechange to canine/goblin-like form, change self, levitation, misdirection, projected image. Once per day the following spell like powers can be employed: charm (person or monster), dimension door, emotion.
When in its canine form, a barghest is able to move at double its normal movement rate (30” maximum), pass without trace, and can become 75% likely to be unnoticed when motionless, so that it can surprise opponents 50% of the time (3 in 6).
These creatures are hit only by +1 or better magic weapons. Barghests are not particularly vulnerable to any attack form, but, if in their canine shape they
Garnfellow
Explorer
Very nice research!
I find quite interesting the casual reference to deodands as inhabitants of Gehenna.
"Deodand" is a direct Jack Vance Dying Earth reference; the "demodands" from the 1e Monster Manual are clearly related.
At the time of Dragon 26, I don't believe Gyagax had ever written anything about deodands or demodands as being extraplanar fiends similar to demons and devil.
So did Moldvay come up with a whole new class of fiends based on Vance, completely independent of Gygax?
Did Gary review the original Barghest manuscript and add the line about deodands, as this was an idea that was percolating in his head and would eventually see light in the MMII?
Or did Gary read Moldvay's Barghest entry and then became inspired to add demodands to the game?
I find quite interesting the casual reference to deodands as inhabitants of Gehenna.
"Deodand" is a direct Jack Vance Dying Earth reference; the "demodands" from the 1e Monster Manual are clearly related.
At the time of Dragon 26, I don't believe Gyagax had ever written anything about deodands or demodands as being extraplanar fiends similar to demons and devil.
So did Moldvay come up with a whole new class of fiends based on Vance, completely independent of Gygax?
Did Gary review the original Barghest manuscript and add the line about deodands, as this was an idea that was percolating in his head and would eventually see light in the MMII?
Or did Gary read Moldvay's Barghest entry and then became inspired to add demodands to the game?
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