Lore Update: By Isabel Beis

e t a d p U Lore by Isabel Beis

e t a d p U e r Lo written by Isabel Beis

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by Isabel Beis and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

Contents & Introduction This supplement is a free update and expansion to the Critter Compendium, also available on the DMs Guild. Since the release of the Critter Compendium, official D&D releases have seen the reintroduction of several monsters found within its pages. Since there are fundamental differences between the Critter Compendium’s and the official versions, this free expansion presents new or expanded lore for these creatures to make them unique, distinct, and capable of coexisting in the same setting as the official monsters. This supplement is separate from the CC to preserve the original document’s layout and the original lore for those DMs and players who prefer the CC lore or statistics over the official, and to keep the pdf document consistent with the Critter Compendium hardcover book.

Monster Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Allip Shred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Balhannoth Arcanovore . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Berbalang Necrophage. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Boneclaw Guardian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Cadaver Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Choker, Spined Strangler. . . . . . . . . . . 8 Demons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Eidolons, Living Idols . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Frost Salamander, Glacier Wyrm. . . 12

The CC Lore Update also presents a small selection of additional monsters, brought from previous editions into 5th Edition for the use of both owners of a copy of the Critter Compendium and everyone else. Most of these relate directly to monsters introduced in the CC and are best used together. Updated monsters from the origninal Critter Compendium did not receive new rules, each monster is still mechanically different from its official counterpart. Instead, the update aims to add alternative lore explanations for each creature, how it relates to its official version and what makes it distinct. The update also gives new names to these Critter Compendium monsters to differentiate them and reflect the new lore.

Gray Render, Render Mother. . . . . . 12 Howler, Quillhound. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Iron Cobra, Assasin Cobra. . . . . . . . 13 Larva Mage Transcendant. . . . . . . . . 14 Meazel, Filth Meazel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Nagpa, Red Nagpa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Nightshades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Shadar-Kai, Shadow-Fey. . . . . . . . . . 16 Skulk, Unseen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Skull Lord, Skullmaster. . . . . . . . . . . 17

Steel Predator, Khaluphage. . . . . . . . 17 Su Monster, Su-Prowler. . . . . . . . . . . 18 Vampiric Mist, Bloodseeker. . . . . . . 18 Yugoloths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 New Old Monsters Blade Weaver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Drakkoths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Gathra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Leechwalker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Tsochar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Critter Compendium The Critter Compendium delivers over 250 pages of monsters both from older editions and completely new to the game for a DM to unleash upon their players. But players too can find new options in this book, such as new creatures to summon, undead to create, beasts to use as familiars, beast companions or to wildshape into, and even some ideas for class options such as Draconic Bloodlines and Warlock pacts based on the monsters presented here. In addition to a fully illustrated bestiary featuring over 130 different monsters and 250 statblocks as well as lore to incorporate them into a campaign or setting, the Critter Compendium delivers appendices filled with beasts and low-challenge monsters, as well as lists of skeletons and zombies created from all manner of different archetypical bodies.

s

by Tobias Bei

Also included are earth, air, fire and water elementals of Small to Gargantuan size to supplement the four basic elementals and a small section of easy to apply monster templates that help you diversifying your monsters or even turn them into legendary creatures to field as boss monsters against your players.

Bestiary

Monster Updates

Allip Shred

A

Whereas true allips are creations of powerful curses tied to secret lore, allip shreds come about from much less mystical circumstances. Though similar in nature to their true relative, allip shreds are less powerful. They can be told apart from true allips by their appearance being even more tattered and torn, making them appear altogether smaller and giving them their name. An allip shred’s bubbling madness is unlike that of a true allip in that it is entirely incoherent. There is no deeper secret or meaning behind the shred’s whispers. Nonetheless, its magic compels listeners to try and make sense of its rambling, making them forget themselves and the danger around them. Critter Compendium page 7

B Balhannoth Arcanovore Less impressive than the common balhannoth in stature and sheer power, arcanovores are particularly dangerous for magic users. Arcanovores are the descendants of balhannoths taken to the Prime Material plane by drow slavers. As a result, they can be found inhabiting the underdark. Having evolved outside their original native Plane of Shadow, they lost much of their original power. To make up for this lack, arcanovores have taken to feeding on the magical energies inherent to spellcasters and even magical items. While all balhannoths possess innate magical abiilities, arcanovores evolved theirs specifically to prey on magical creatures, being able to detect sources of magic, see through illusions and suppress the magical abilities of a creature in their tentacles’ grasp. Arcanovores don’t possess the reality-warping powers of their kin. Instead, they ambush prey using natural camouflage adapted to their new home in the underdark. Arcanovores are most easily distinguished from common balhannoths by the number of tentacles sprouting from their form. While a common balhannoth possesses four prehensile main tentacles and a number of smaller tendrils, an arcanovore has five primary tentacles and no secondary extremities. Critter Compendium page 15

6

Berbalang Necrophage Becoming trapped on the Material Plane can irrevocably change a berbalang. This only happens as the result of a powerful curse that removes the creature’s magic or somehow severs a berbalang’s duplicate from its original form. Unable to return to its home in the Astral Plane or to garner secrets from the remains of the dead, the creature is driven mad and begins to feed on the remains of creatures it is unable to coax information out of. Although no longer able to speak to the dead as it used to, it is capable of extracting memories from the remains it devours. The berbalang necrophage is constantly in search for more dead flesh, particularly that of mortal humanoids, as no others seem to sustain it. Their highly specific diet causes many necrophages to haunt graveyards and terrorize remote humanoid settlements. They are known to force deals from the local population to be provided regularly with the remains of the dead in exchange for not killing the locals and taking their corpses by force. This sustenance also imbues the berbalang with new power, far beyond what its common kin are capable of: instead of projecting a single duplicate to transfer its consciousness into, the necrophage splits its own life essence into up to three duplicates, all of which share a consciousness with the original, which can also remain active. Berbalang necrophages show their madness in their expression and are often mutated to have smaller fangs but more pronounced claws as well as skin covered in strange boils. Critter Compendium page 20

Boneclaw Guardian Boneclaws are usually created in failed attempts by evil wizards to become a lich. While the souls of these monsters seek a new master to serve, their creation is too unpredictable to make a reliable attempt at purposefully producing a boneclaw as a servant. Necromancers are nothing if not creative however and have discovered ways of modifying the creation rituals, using the souls of exceptionally evil, though not magically potent beings. These souls can be bound into service by the modified ritual. The resulting creature is not as powerful as a true boneclaw, lacking the its ability to harness shadow magic, as well as its immortality. Nonetheless, boneclaw guardians are formidable killers and especially capable at keeping foes at a distance to protect their masters. Greater boneclaws are clad in swirling shadow while boneclaw guardians show none of that, setting them apart visibly. Instead, their masters often clothe their boneclaw guardians in dark rags that emulate a true boneclaw’s appearance to make them appear more dangerous at first glance. Critter Compendium page 28

7

C

Cadaver Collector, Impaler Golem Cadaver Collectors originally hail from the plains of Acheron, where they roam until summoned into service by a denizen of the Material. The secret to creating a true cadaver collector is lost to the mortal world, but this has not stopped necromancers and warlords from attemptiong to emulate the idea. The result of these experiments is known as an impaler golem. These false cadaver collectors are created using a combination of stone and metal in the construction and then binding an elemental spirit into the construct’s form, just as it is done in the creation of any other golem. Impaler golems may not be the exact same thing, but fulfill the task more than adequately. While they lack the supernatural ability to call forth the spirits of the corpses mounted on their shells, impaler golems have their own gruesome ways of attacking, by seizing living enemies and pinning them onto the many spikes adorning their form. As the construct moves about, the segments of armor on its back shift and contract, tearing further at the flesh of those unlucky enough to have been caught alive. An impaler golem has a primarily stone body that is magically animated and covered in spiked steel or iron plates, making it distinct from a cadaver collector’s fully metallic and visibly mechanical form. Critter Compendium page 32

Choker, Spined Strangler Spined stranglers are a subspecies of chokers set apart most notably by possessing a cartilaginous structure within their bodies that reinforces their head and torso in a manner similar to a skull and spine. This limits the creature’s mobility somewhat and prevents it from squeezing through small openings, but makes it notably more capable of enduring damage and gives it the ability to seize prey with its tentacles more efficiently. Additionally, these spined stranglers make up for their limited mobility further with natural camouflage, adapted either to stone ruins, which most of them inhabit, or forest terrain, which the less common variant known as grove chokers make their homes. Finally, their analogue skulls also house a more sophisticated nervous system, making the stranglers smarter than common chokers and capable of striking deals with other creatures that may find their abilities useful. Critter Compendium page 35

8

D Demons Armanite, Lancer Demon

Bulezau, Capramet

Lancers are a low form of demon, reminsicent of mortal centaurs. They wear steel harnesses and use long pikes as weapons. Despite the outward similarity, they are viewed as weaklings by armanites and are prevented from joining armanite herds. Nonetheless the sight of a charging lancer demon is enough to take its opponents aback with awe.

Capramets are pure manifestations of Baphomet’s primal bloodlust. These demons are similar to bulezau in their goatlike aspect, but are much larger and wield oversized pikes to enhance their deadly potential. Capramets charge into combat, howling with primal rage and attack in a flurry or tail slams, horns and swings from their massive polearms.

Critter Compendium page 47

Critter Compendium pages 41, 49

9

Molydeus, Molydule Not every demon fully makes the excruciating transition into a molydeus. If a demon is too weak to endure the process it might be outright annihilated. Luckier specimens make a partial ascension to become what is known as a molydule. A molydule has the same basic apparance as a molydeus, although it is smaller, and its power is significantly more limited. Nonetheless, these demons are still champions of slaughter that few can match and they revel battle and bloodshed like no others. Molydules can often be found serving their masters by seeking out demons that stray from the war effort to execute them. Critter Compendium pages 42, 55

Nabassu Fleshgorger Nabassu are shunned among demonkind for devouring souls and as such are exiled from demonic society. Some nabassu have a different craving however. This lesser form of nabassu craves humanoid flesh rather than souls, making them much more acceptable to other demons, however their craving often drives them into a self-imposed exile, seeking passages to the Material Plane, to find prey. When a demonic force invades the Material or any other plane that holds the promise of humanoid flesh, nabassu fleshgorgers in their fledgling form can be found accompanying these demonic hordes in great flocks. A fleshgorger that devours enough flesh is able to ascend to its mature form, a much more powerful version of itself, although not quite as potent as a soul-feeding nabassu, which gains much greater power thanks to its diet consisting of souls. Critter Compendium pages 42, 55, 56

10

Rutterkin, Goad Wretch Goad wretches are twisted sub-demon creatures that are formed from the souls of those judged unworthy to even become demons. Wielding snapping polearms which they use to seize any non-demon creature they see, these lowly fiends aimlessly wander across the Abyssal plains. Goad wretches are entirely distinct from rutterkin and a different type of demon altogether. Critter Compendium page 60

E

Eidolons, Living Idols Eidolons are spirits created as protetors for a deity’s holy places. They are more commonly recognized as the living statues that defend these places from raiders, however the satues are merely mediums the spirit uses as surrogate bodies. Living idols on the other hand are statues constructed as focal points of worship. They were infused with life, either inadvertently or purposefully by being prepared to become vessels of the will of their creators’ patron. Either way, living idols tend to deteriorate over time, and some begin to believe themselves gods.

Hallowed Idol Hallowed idols were created to receive a spark of their patron deity’s divinity and serve as an earthly avatar of their god. Age and continued worship eventually cause some of these idols to become corrupted. Critter Compendium page 92

Rogue Idol Rogue idols spring from statues that were constructed to the honor of evil entities and weren’t originally meant to become animate. Nonetheless, their patrons sometimes send a divine spark to animate the idol as a reward for the cult’s obedience and service. These idols, however, are malevolent entities, just as their patrons, and rule over their cults as coldhearted despots. Eventually becoming consumed by malevolence and greed, they tend to slaughter their own worshippers. Critter Compendium page 93

11

F

Frost Salamander, Glacier Wyrm

Glacier wyrms are creatures inhabiting the frozen reaches of the Material. They are distant relatives of the frost salamanders, elementals from the Frostfell. Glacier wyrms were created by binding the elementals’ essences into the bodies of native reptiles through powerful magic. The original purpose of this ritual has been lost to history. However the creatur’s remarkable intelligence makes them trainable at a young age, and as they become older, trained glacier wyrms remain loyal, while becoming much stronger. This makes them useful as permanent servants, whereas frost salamanders have to be summoned temporarily or bound with magic that forces them to serve, making the elementals resentful and dangerous if the binding ever fails. Since their creation, glacier wyrms have become a part of arctic and subarctic ecosystems, where they are often still sought out to be captured and trained. Critter Compendium page 100

G

Gray Render, Render Mother Since they tend to be rejected by their own progenitors, gray renders naturally seek out other creatures to bond with as surrogate parents. A particular subspecies of gray render differs in this behavior in that these renders bond to other creatures as the parental side. These render’s frequently go hunting to provide their often unwilling adoptee with fresh meat. Because of their more nurturing and less dependent behaviour, these gray renders are commonly known as render mothers. Render mothers are not as obedient as other gray renders. They act according to what their own perception of their charge’s best interest is, rather than serving its commands. Another notable difference between common gray renders and render mothers is their mode of killing. Common renders trip their prey and start crushing and ripping it apart while it is on the ground, while render mothers seize prey between ther jaws and then start ripping it apart with their teeth and claws. Critter Compendium page 108

12

Howler, Quillhound

H

Quillhounds are a lesser subspecies of howlers, easily told apart by their gaunt appearance and their strongly pronounced coat of quills. While much less resilient than their howler cousins, quillhounds have their own strengths, and their hunting strategies are adapted accordingly. The quillhounds’ howling does not take immediate effect like that of the greater howler, but it can erode a victim’s mind over days or even weeks of exposure, eventually becoming fatal. The fiendish hounds can sustain these tactics for weeks, just filling the night air with their howls without ever engaging their victims in a physical attack. A quillhound’s eponymous quills are another of its strengths. When it finally moves in to attack, the hound uses them to wound and hinder its prey. Quillhounds and howlers are often known to form packs together. The faster and more numerous quillhounds harrass their prey and goad it toward the greater howlers which then move in for the kill. Critter Compendium page 114

I

Iron Cobra, Assassin Cobra Gnomes are often at the forefront of magical invention. Their more successful designs are often copied and reappropriated for different purposes. Assassin cobras are one such copy. The stealthy and venomous metal snakes are predisposed for infiltration. This variant is imbued with enchantments that grant it the ability to sense its target over great distances and track it down reliably. While the alchemical concoctions used as an iron cobra’s venom can produce a variety of random effects, an assassin cobra is loaded with more reliable poison, made to weaken and quickly end the target. Critter Compendium page 121

13

L

Larva Mage Transcendant Star spawn larva mages can be as varied in abilities and personality as the individuals that go through the process of becoming such a creature. Those among them who fully learn to embrace their swarm form are known as transcendants. Transcendants usually come from a background of arcane study that gives them greater insight into the workings of swarm consciousness. They fully understand the worm-like creatures that constitute their body as both part of themselves and part of a collective of individual bodies, rather than simply an external extension to their will. This allows these larva mages to act more like a true swarm, rather than an individual in control of a swarm. In addition, transcendants can tap into the collective cognition of all the worms they are made of, networking them to function like elaborate brain cells and achieve higher intelligence as a whole. This process however also leads to a partial loss of identity. Nonetheless, transcendant larva mages are potent wielders of arcane magic. Critter Compendium page 126

Meazel, Filth Meazel

M

Filth meazels are dischevelled relatives of meazels. These creatures have dwelled in disease-ridden environments such as dark swamps, damp tunnels, or even sewers for a long time and have been permanently altered by the effects of the afflictions they acquired there. As beings stained by the Shadowfell, natural diseases have very different effects on meazels exposed to them for a long time. Most meazels eventually lose their minds, becoming barely more intelligent than beasts. Along with this loss, the meazel’s ability to manipulate shadows atrophies as well. Filth meazels are pathetic creatures even for meazels, but their withered, twisted and disease-ridden bodies are surprisingly athletic, as if enduring their infections only made them stronger. Because their home environments are usually flooded in some way, filth meazels are also excellent swimmers and make up for their inability to use shadow magic by ambushing victims through the murky waters of their miserable dwelling places. Critter Compendium page 136

14

Nagpa, Red Nagpa

N

The ancient nagpas have long brought about the ruin of entire civilizations and pried arcane secrets from the rubble. Among these secrets they found was a way to afflict other creatures with a curse similar to their own. When a nagpa finds allies in other evil wizards, it often lures them into undergoing a ritual with the promise of magical power. This ritual infuses the subject with shadow energy and a mote of the ritual performer’s power and will. The process warps the subject into a red-skinned image of the performer. Accordingly, the servant unwillingly attains the appearance of a red-skinned nagpa, and the resulting creature is known simply as a red nagpa. While their arcane prowess may not be as expansive as that of their nagpa masters, red nagpas possess unique innate magical abilities and resistances, including functional immortality. However, they are constantly driven by an insatiable craving for earthly indulgences, that resulted from a profound emptiness left behind by the shadow magic suffusing them. Red nagpas are slave to their masters’ wills and often act as remote lieutenants, spreading their masters’ schemes and influence further while trying to balance their service with their own indelible cravings. Critter Compendium page 145

Nightshades Nightshades are undead creations formed by powerful necromancy from the dark energy of the Negative Energy plane. Their massive, dark forms are reminiscent of that of Nightwalkers, as they are made from the same fundamental material, however the nightshades’ creation gives them a different nature. Nightshades were originally created to bolster the dark hordes of their necromantic masters. Radiating a shadow of negative energy, they can protect other undead from radiant energy and are able to use their innate necromancy to give unlife to shadows around them.

Nightwalker, Nightstrider Nightstriders are just one of the many shapes that nightshades can take upon creation. They resemble Nightwalkers the most closely and this earns them their reminsicent name. However, whereas nightstriders are purposefully created by necromancy, just like any other nightshade, nightwalkers are released from the negative energy plane whenever a creature steps into its boundaries from the outside. Critter Compendium page 148

15

S

Shadar-Kai, Shadow-Fey Long ago, a cabal of fey warriors set out to war against the Shadowfell. Their campaign lead deep into the dreary realm and eventually caught the attention of the Raven Queen. The aggressors were soon faced with the full force of the goddess’s wrath and found themselves surrounded by her servants, fighting a losing battle. Their fey commander, too cowardly to face a warrior’s death, struck a bargain with the mistress of the shadow realm and offered up the service of his warriors to her in exchange for being spared. The Raven Queen accepted in return for binding the fey’s souls and those of their descendants to her realm. The shadowbound fey warriors felt betrayed by their commanders and were consumed by bitterness. To this day, shadow-fey begrudgingly serve the Raven Queen and wear iron bands that protect their souls from being consumed by shadow completely, at the cost of inflicting constant pain upon their wearers. Critter Compendium page 178

Shadow-Fey NPCs

Shadow-Fey rely on stealth and agility in combat. More powerful shadow-fey might use the Assassin or Spy NPC statblocks from the Monster Manual or the Illusionist or Swashbuckler from Volo’s Guide to Monsters. They will typically replace their primary melee weapon with a chain blade. See the Monsters as Characters section on page 220 in the Critter Compendium for shadow-fey/ shadar-kai racial features and chain blade statistics.

Skulk, Unseen The unseen are sometimes mistakenly called skulks, but the two are distinct creatures. Skulks are what remains of a humanoid who got lost wandering the Shadow Plane, whereas the Unseen are magically altered descendants of the opressed undercaste of an ancient human empire. The unseen take pride in their innate ability to avoid all manner of detection, be it magical, direct sensory perception, or even following traces of their presence. They typically exist at the fringes of human society, unless they manage to hide their nature and can pass as regular human citizens. Most unseen use their remarkable abilities to serve as hired assassins and thieves. Critter Compendium page 184

16

Skull Lord, Skullmaster In their endless scheming against one another and the world at large, the skull lords have need for many servants. Most of their minions are skeletons or zombies, mindless creatures fit only for basic tasks. More intelligent undead may serve as lieutenants and agents, but when a skull lord seeks something outside of its realm, a matter it cannot attend to itself, it will not trust any other than itself, not even its other two skulls. To solve this problem, skull lords create skullmasters. Created from the fused remains of three of the skull lord’s servants, a skullmaster mirrors the appearance of its creator. Each of the skull lord’s heads imposes its will on one of the skullmaster’s skulls. This way each skull lord head can ensure their agent serves their common interest and does not betry one head in favor of the others. Each of the skullmaster’s heads has a different inherent power and unlike their creators, these heads cooperate toward the common goal of serving the skull lord. As a skullmaster deteriorates from damage it takes in combat however, the three contesting wills controlling it strain its physique and the weakest one may lose its grip on the skullmaster and the head under its control shatters. While the will of that skull lord head is still present, it loses its sway over the skullmaster until the skullmaster is healed, at which point its shattered skulls reform.

Skull Lord and Skullmaster Lairs Both skull lords and skullmasters build their lairs in the same way. When encountered in its lair, the skull lord found in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes can use the skull lord lair actions presented in the Critter Compendium. In that case, the skull lord’s Challenge rating becomes 16 (15,000 XP). Critter Compendium page 185

Steel Predator, Khaluphage Home to the cubes of Acheron are metallic beasts tied closely to elemental earth, known as khaluphages. These creatures are best known for their diet, which consists solely of metal. They are often thought to be the inspiration that lead to the creation of the modron construct known as the steel predator, which otherwise would also be an apt description for a khaluphage, although the similarities are more likely to be coincidental. While they are incapable of hearing, khaluphages possess extremely sharp senses attuned specifically to finding metals, and can even sense nearby enchanted metal objects, a special delicacy to their palate. Critter Compendium page 192

17

Su Monster, Su-Prowler These slightly larger and more baboon-like, but less intelligent relatives of su-monsters are adapted prey on their smaller kin. While su-monsters possess psionic abilities that they use to attack their own prey, the psionic abilities of su-prowlers are entirely passive and allow them to sense the presence of psionically active creatures. Su-prowlers seize prey with their tails and then attack with the claws on all four limbs, as well as their sharp teeth. Su-prowlers instinctively hunt psionically active creatures. They do not make any distinction between their usual prey and other creatures. While they are resistant to psychic assaults, this can still lead to su-prowlers assaulting psionic creatures that far outmatch them in combat. Sometimes su-prowlers are hunted and captured to be trained as a sort of hunting hound, to aid in hunting psionic threats, such as mind flayers and other aberrations. Critter Compendium page 195

V

Vampiric Mist, Bloodseeker Bloodseekers are magically created creatures that appear as clouds of mist animated by a predatory consciousness that instincitvely seeks living blood. Bloodseekers extract blood from living creatures through their touch, and a recently sated bloodseeker reeks of fresh blood. Bloodseekers are thought to have been created to serve many purposes that require fresh blood, be it feeding a vampire or for use in magical rituals. This blood can be drained from the bloodseeker given the right magic. Bloodseekers do not willingly relinquish blood they have consumed, as it sustains them. This makes the process of harvesting them dangerous, and usually not worthwhile. The secret to whatever sway their creators may have held over the first bloodseekers is lost to history. Bloodseekers are easily confused for vampiric mists, due to obvious simlarities, although unlike vampirirc mists, they are living creatures. Bloodseekers can be recognized by their instinctive tendency to form a monstrous face on their hazy form. Critter Compendium page 204

18

Y

Yugoloths Dergholoth, Kantharoloth Kantharoloths vaguely resemble a blend between an oversized dhergoloth and a scarab beetle. They serve as tunnelers that create subterranean paths for fiendish assault forces. Their five claws are adapted to carving through earth and rock just as much as to tear into enemies. The yugoloths are encased in thick chitinous exoskeleton armor that is hardened to withstand earth collapsing from above as they burrow. It also helps them weather the initial assault that they face when emerging from underneath enemy lines, allowing the forces following in the kantharoloths’ tunnels to mount a counter attack. Critter Compendium page 216

Hydroloth, Trygoloth Trygoloths are large but lowly yugoloths. They often serve hydroloths, piscoloths and sometimes even merrenoloths as troops. Their aquatic speed is unmatched and their stature is imposing enough to intimidate, although the other yugoloths of styx are more powerful due to magical abilities. Merrenoloths in particular tend to bring a retinue of trygoloths if their contract is likely to involve combat. These trygoloths accopany the merrenoloth’s vessel in a manner similar to dolphins swimming alongside human ships and are not usually tolerated on deck. Critter Compendium pages 216, 217

Yagnoloth, Brakholoth Their unevenly sized arms mark brakholoths as relatives of yagnoloths, although a much more reptilian appearance distinguishes them just as easily. They also share a preference for positions of power. Brakholoths are somewhat more prone to using brute force and carry with them enormous and vicious looking harpoons that they use to attack and capture enemies. Brakholoths often serve yagnoloths as lieutenants and strongly prefer to enter into contracts which allow them to wield authority. They enjoy such positions so much that they often continue to serve in such positions beyond their contracts’ expiry. Critter Compendium page 219

19

New Monsters Blade Weaver

Medium monstrosity, neutral Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. STR 9 (–1)

DEX 18 (+4)

CON 14 (+2)

INT 16 (+3)

WIS 17 (+3)

CHA 18 (+4)

Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Damage Immunities Psychic Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages telepathy 1,000 miles (spell weavers and blade weavers only) Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Magic Resistance. The blade weaver has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

See Invisibility. A blade weaver can see invisible creatures as if under the permanent effect of a see invisibility spell. Innate Spellcasting. A blade weaver’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: at will: detect magic, invisibility 1/day: plane shift

Telepathic Seclusion. The blade weaver is all but immune to telepathy. Attempts to communicate with it or to to read its mind using telepathy (such as with a detect thoughts spell or similar magic) automatically fail. Any creature making such an attempt must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d10) psychic damage from the mental feedback and be stunned for 1 round. Blade and spell weavers can communicate with each other using their telepathy ability, but telepathy spells they cast still fail automatically and the casting weaver must save against the feedback. Reactive. The blade weaver gets three additional reactions on each of its turns, which can only be used to make opportunity attacks or use its Parry ability.

Actions Multiattack. The blade weaver makes three melee attacks. Blade Weaving. The blade weaver makes four attacks with its shortswords. Attack rolls it makes against creatures that have been hit by its shortswords at least once this turn have advantage.

Shortswords. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Reactions Parry. The blade weaver adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the blade weaver must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

20

Blade Weaver More martially minded among the creatures known commonly as spell weavers (Critter Compendium p. 190) are called blade weavers. They wield four shortswords which they wield artfully, attacking in an unavoidable flurry of blades. Blade Weavers are more interested in magic armaments, than other magic items. As a result, blade weavers and spell weavers are more inclined to work together in pairs of one each, than with their own kind, as they do not compete over spoils. Weaver Kindred. Blade weavers are considered spell weavers, for the purpose of spell weaver telepathy and chromatic disk use.

Chromatic Disk

Blade Weavers carry the same chromatic disks as spell weavers. They draw on the energy stored in the disk to imbue their blades with force energy rather than to cast spells. When the blade weaver hits with a shortsword attack, it can use a bonus action to expend up to 3 charges from its chromatic disk, and add force damage to the hit, equal to 4 (1d8) per charge expended.

Drakkoths On their raids, drakkoths (Critter Compendium p. 88) use a variety of tactics. While the bulk of a drakkoth tribe’s warriors have fairly basic combat training, wielding their pikes and natural armaments, some among them are more specialized.

Drakkoth Ambusher Ambushers excel at stealth. Adept at exploiting the concealment provided by their native environment, they can stay out of sight with ease despite their large size. A drakkoth ambush is swift and deadly. The ambusher launches from its hiding spot, its blade held low to cut through any enemy it passes that does not have the awareness to evade the drakkoth’s assault. A coordinated attack of drakkoth ambushers can cut down an entire company before the defenders can even react.

Drakkoth Rager Leading the charge of a drakkoth raid are fearsome warriors known as ragers. They normally wield large axes which they swing ferociously in long, deadly arcs. A drakkoth rager heedlessly plunges into the fray where it thrives on the pain inflicted by its opponents. It only becomes more dangerous, as its wounds fuel its fury and immunize it to further pain. Ambusher. The drakkoth has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Drakkoth Ambusher Large dragon, neutral evil

Foliage Stalker. The Drakkoth has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in an area of dense vegetation, such as forests or swamps.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33) Speed 50 ft. STR 18 (+4)

DEX 14 (+2)

CON 16 (+3)

INT 13 (+1)

Actions WIS 14 (+2)

CHA 13 (+1)

Skills Athletics +6, Stealth +5 Condition Immunities paralyzed Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Draconic Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Deadly Advantage (1/Turn). If the drakkoth has advantage on an attack roll, the target takes an extra 14 (4d6) damage from the attack. Immunity to Sleep. The drakkoth automatically passes all saving throws against spells that would put it to sleep.

Multiattack. The drakkoth makes three melee attacks: one with its bite, one with its tail, and one with its glaive.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage.

Firespit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. Sudden Charge. The drakkoth moves up to its speed in a straight line and makes a single attack with its glaive against each Large or smaller creature of its choice that is surprised and within the drakkoth’s reach at any point of this move.

21

Drakkoth Sniper Drakkoth snipers lace their arrows with the volatile secretion that allows them to spit bolts of flame. This is one of two chemicals that normally ignite when a drakkoth releases them from its maws and they mix in the air. The chemical applied to an arrow slowly smolders and eats away at the material. Drakkoths do not lace their melee weapons with it to avoid rapid degradation of their weapons. Arrows however are more expendable and their archers make liberal use of the technique. If the substance enters a target’s blood stream, it violently burns the victim from the inside acting much faster in conjunction with the water in a victim’s body.

Large dragon, neutral evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64) Speed 60 ft. DEX 12 (+1)

CON 19 (+4)

INT 11 (+0)

WIS 14 (+2)

CHA 13 (+1)

Multiattack. The drakkoth makes four melee attacks: one with its bite, one with its tail, and two with its greataxe. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage.

Cleaving Blows. If the drakkoth hits with a greataxe attack, it can make a single additional greataxe attack against a different target as a bonus action. Immunity to Sleep. The drakkoth automatically passes all saving throws against spells that would put it to sleep.

Drakkoth Sniper

Firespit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) fire damage.

INT 13 (+1)

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. WIS 16 (+3)

CHA 11 (+0)

Skills Athletics +6, Perception +6 Condition Immunities paralyzed Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages Draconic Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Immunity to Sleep. The drakkoth automatically passes all saving throws against spells that would put it to sleep.

Rapid Shot. When the drakkoth makes an attack with its longbow, it can use a bonus action to make an additional longbow attack. This attack only deals the piercing damage and does not add the poison effect.

22

Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) slashing damage.

Multiattack. The drakkoth makes three melee attacks: one with its bite, one with its tail, and one with its pike. Alternatively, the drakkoth can make two attacks with its longbow.

Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 85 (12d10 + 48) Speed 50 ft. CON 18 (+4)

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Actions

Large dragon, neutral evil

DEX 16 (+3)

Bloodied Fury. If the drakkoth has half of its maximum hit points or less left, it has resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, its melee attacks each deal an additional 3 damage, and its fire spit deals an additional 7 (2d6) damage.

Actions

Skills Athletics +8 Condition Immunities paralyzed Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Draconic Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

STR 16 (+3)

Drakkoth snipers are trained to apply their fire venom to each piece of ammunition as part of the attack they make with it. An untrained drakkoth must interact with an object to apply its poison to a weapon or piece of ammunition. Applying the venom otherwise (such as from using bottled samples) functions the same way as applying any poison to a weapon or piece of ammunition. Each dose of fire venom that is attached to an object that is not made of glass for more than 1 round deals 1d6 fire damage to that object at the start of each round for three rounds before becoming inert.

Reckless. At the start of its turn, the drakkoth can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.

Drakkoth Rager

STR 20 (+5)

Drakkoth Fire Venom

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned, a creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed saving throw, or ending the effect on itself on a successful one.

Firespit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) fire damage.

Gathra The lower planes are full of danger. The plains of Avernus are home to great muscled beasts, that look like ordinary herd animals at first glance, but are in fact voracious predators that prey on slower creatures unfortunate enough to be found out in the open terrain. Horrid Predators. Gathras look like a fiendish mixture of boar and buffalo with enormous horns and tusks. Astride muscular, stubby legs, these powerful creatures run down prey impaling it on their great horns and tusks and trampling it under their massive hooves. If the gathras is not fast enough to chase down its prey, it unleashes its bellow, which magically causes victims to go down and cower in fear. This allows the gathras to quickly close the distance and mercilessly trample their target. Fiendish Warmounts. Gathras are prized combat mounts among fiends and other evil creatures. Although they require constant discipline to be kept in line, their devastating charges make them more than worth the hassle. Demons are best known for rounding these beasts up to use in battle.

Gathra

Large fiend, lawful evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 147 (14d10 + 70) Speed 40 ft. STR 22 (+6)

DEX 9 (–1)

CON 21 (+5)

INT 4 (–3)

WIS 17 (+3)

CHA 14 (+2)

Skills Perception +6 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages — Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Overwhelming Charge. If the skeleton moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 11 (2d10) damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the skeleton can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

Bellow (Recharge 5—6). The gathra unleashes a terrifying bellow. Creatures in a 30 foot radius that can hear it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened. While frightened, a creature must drop prone and cannot move or stand up as it cowers in fear. At the end of each of its turns, a frightened creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Even when not mounted, a herd of gathras makes for a dangerous force on a battlefield, as it is unleased to wreak havoc upon the opposing force. Such gathras herds are usually released ahead of the army to cause as much damage as possible before the enemy can gain a hold of the situation and cut the beasts down. Occasionally, a herd of gathras may cross over into the Material Plane when coming across an area where the veil between the planes is thin. In these cases, the creatures seek out open plains to claim as their hunting grounds. Their presence quickly displaces native predators and wreaks havoc upon the prey animal population. Even great beasts that normally do not have to fear predators, such as elephants or large dinosaurs are viable prey for the ferocious gathras herd. Local populations must find ways to deal with the creatures as they not only devastate the ecology, but once prey becomes scarce in the open plains, the gathras turn their attention toward settlements and both their livestock and populations.

23

Leechwalker

Medium swarm of Tiny aberrations, chaotic evil Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft. STR 17 (+3)

DEX 10 (+0)

CON 16 (+3)

INT 2 (–4)

WIS 11 (+0)

CHA 5 (–3)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities psychic Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, restrained Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 Languages understands Deep Speech but can’t speak Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Blood Drink. As a bonus action, the leechwalker deals 9 (2d8) necrotic damage to each creature it has been grappling since the start of its turn. The grappled creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it takes. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. Creatures that have no blood are immune to damage from the leechwalker’s blood drink ability.

Swarm Form. The Leechwalker can squeeze through any opening large enough for a Tiny leech. The leechwalker can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Additionally, a creature that touches the leechwalker takes 7 (2d6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage (this includes creatures grappled by the leechwalker). Amphibious. The Leechwalker can breathe air and water.

Actions Multiattack. The leechwalker makes two attacks with its leech tentacles.

Leech Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). The leechwalker has two tentacles, each of which can grapple one target. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and the leechwalker can’t use this tentacle against another target.

Leechwalker What appears like a hunched, rotund humanoid standing six feet tall and covered in an impenetrable layer of leeches, is in fact not a single creature, but a mass of leech-like aberrations, similar to a larva mage in its physical composition. Leechwalkers lack larva mages’ ability to fully discorporate and assume swarm form. The leeches instincitvely cling together to form a single body whenever they can, although they can still let loose and deform their shape momentarily to escape binds and squeeze through small openings. Creature of Kyuss. Leechwalkers are one of the many horrific creations of the Lord of Worms. They willingly obey the commands of higher servants of Kyuss, although their lack of intelligence allows them only to fulfill the simplest of tasks. Mindless Feeder. When not following direct orders, a leechwalker will attack any living creature it does not recognize as a fellow servant of its Lord and try to consume the victim’s blood. Unable to assess its foes, a leechwalker will attack even significantly more powerful enemies and fight to the death.

Tsochar Tsochari are horrific invaders from a distant, cold world beyond the stars, that steal the bodies of humanoid creatures to blend with their societies. Tsochari crave arcane power and for this pupose seek out and take over spellcaster bodies, in order to use their magic. Burrowing Parasites. Tsochari have a gruesome method of infesting other creature’s body. When it spots a potential host, a tsochar either stalks it to find an opportune moment, when the creature is sleeping or at least alone. The tsochar then constricts the victim with its unusually strong body, injecting a paralyzing poison. Once the victim is sufficiently helpless, the tsochar begins burrowing into its flesh, nestling its tendrils among the victim’s insides.

24

The tsochar either uses the host as a vessel, telepathically coercing it into serving the tsochar and threatening to punish any disobedience by inflicting excruciating pain through the host’s nervous system, or it completely destroys the host’s nervous system and kills it, in order to take control of the hosts still animate body. A tsochar infesting a creature slowly feeds on the host’s body. If it intends on using the host for an extended time, the tsochar takes steps to ensure the host obtains remedies to counteract the degradation that the tsochar’s feeding causes. The Creeping Invasion. According to legend, cultists opened the first gates to the tochari world and brought the first of these creatures into the human world. Tsochari use any magic they

can obtain to attempt to open connections to their world and allow more of their kind into the human world or take captives and useful servants with them back to their homeworld. Ultimately, the tsochari invaders are after arcane lore, and dedicate their schemes to the service of the Far Realm deity Mak Thuum Ngatha.

Once on its turn, the tsochar can inflict pain on its host without using an action, dealing 3 (1d6), 10 (3d6), or 21 (6d6) psychic damage and the host must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or be poisoned for 1 minute. The host can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success. The tsochar chooses how much damage it deals with this action. A tsochar inhabiting a humanoid’s body feeds on the creature’s blood and tissue. The host must make a DC 13 Constitution save every 24 hours, taking 4 (1d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The host’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the host becomes the target of a lesser restoration spell or magic that can cure a reduced hit point maximum the tsochar leaves the host and the host finishes a long rest. If the host’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 this way, it dies.

Tsochar

Small aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 32 (5d6 + 15) Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. STR 14 (+2)

DEX 18 (+4)

CON 16 (+3)

INT 15 (+2)

WIS 14 (+2)

CHA 13 (+1)

Saving Throws Constitution +5, Wisdom +4, Charisma +3 Skills Arcana +6, Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth +6 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine Condition Immunities paralyzed Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Tsochari, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 2 (450 XP) Magic Resistance. The tsochar has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Wear Flesh. A tsochar can bore its way into an unconcsious or paralyzed living creature’s body. The victim must be Small or larger, and the process requires 1 minute. Constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead are immune to this ability. A tsochar can abandon a body it has inhabited or replaced using 5 feet of movement and an action that deals 10 (3d6) necrotic damage to the host. A tsochar can be forced to abandon the body by a dispel evil and good spell (using the spell’s Dismissal option; but the spell attack targets the host while the tsochar must make the Charisma save or be forced to abandon the host as described above) or a heal or wish spell (which automatically succeeds and causes no damage to the host). When the tsochar uses its Wear Flesh ability, it can choose to Inhabit or Replace the host, as described below: Inhabit. The tsochar nestles its tendrils in between the victim’s muscles and organs, and leaves it alive and aware. The tsochar can not move and take no actions, bonus actions, or reactions other than abandoning the host body as described above while inhabiting a host. But it can communicate telepathcially and perceive through the host’s senses. When the host takes damage (other than damage the tsochar inflicts on it), it takes only half as much damage, and the tsochar takes the other half.

Replace. The tsochar bores out the victim’s nervous system, killing the victim. It then animates the body, acting as a replacement nervous system for the dead host. The tsochar and the victim’s body are treated as one creature that has the victim’s statistics, except that it keeps the tsochar’s proficiencies in addition to the host’s, and the tsochar’s Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores. The tsochar can remain in the victim’s form for up to a year, and it leaves the victim’s corpse behind when it chooses to abandon the body. Once it abandons the form, it cannot reanimate the body again. A tsochar that has replaced a humanoid slowly devours its shell from the inside out. The tsochar’s replaced form must make a DC 13 Constitution save every month, taking 4 (1d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The form’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the host becomes the target of a lesser restoration spell or magic that can cure a reduced hit point maximum. If the form’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 this way, it dies. If the tsochar’s replaced form dies, the tsochar leaves the body, alive and without retaining any damage dealt to the replaced form. Take Spells. A tsochar that replaces a creature with the Spellcasting, Innate Spellcasting, or Pact Magic feature (see above) retains any spells known or prepared by the dead character, and can cast them as if it had prepared the spells itself. It retains the available spell slots and unspent uses of innate spells of the dead spellcaster. The tsochar cannot regain spell slots or innate spellcasting uses it expends from the dead character’s ability by resting.

Actions Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is also grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the tsochar can automatically hit the target with its constrict. A poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn, becoming stunned on a failed save. If the creature is already stunned, it becomes paralyzed instead. If the creature is paralyzed by the poison, the poison lasts for the next 8 hours and the creature cannot make further savign throws against it. On a successful save, the effect ends.

25

Additional Credits All creature statistics and lore are adapted or originally written by Isabel Beis. Monster Illustrations are either provided by Wizards of the Coast for DM’s Guild creators or created by Isabel Beis. Layout and Cover Illustration by Isabel Beis To contact me, visit:

www.facebook.com/IsabelBeisArt/ threeshades.artstation.com/

Chapter Title Illustrations by felroki commissions available at: felrokidraws.tumblr.com

26

Brakholoth

More quality DM’s Guild content you may like: Raiders & Dinosaurs Raiders & Dinosaurs is a supplement for both player’s and DMs, featuring new races and subraces, subclasses based around adventures in the untamed prehistoric wilderness dominated by dinosaurs. Short hints help placing some existing races and classes in such a world and giving them motivations to explore this savage wilderness. The bestiary supplies a vast list of new dinosaurs, marine reptiles, pterosaurs and dinosaur-themed monsters to use in such a setting. Raiders & Dinosaurs features subraces for dwarves, elves, halflings, and even humans, as well as the all new saurus-folk race which comes with four subraces of its own. Subclasses for barbarians, bards, clerics and rogues that fit right into the primeval wilderness. A bestiary and appendix that add 67 new creature statblocks of prehistoric animals and monsters, 44 of which are real dinosaurs, pterosaurs and marine reptiles. Many of these can be used as familiars or beast companions for beast master rangers.

The Spectrum of Magic ...consists of 5 colors, each representing a different philosophy that shapes the effect of its spells. This book presents an alternative alignment system to the classic Good vs Evil and Law vs Chaos paradigm that may govern magic infused worlds outside of the normal D&D multiverse. Instead of aligning themselves along these two axes, beings are aligned to one or more of the five colors of magic: Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White. Furthermore, Spectrum of Magic details how the Guilds of Ravnica fit into this new alignment paradigm. A set of magic guidelines provides players with ways to theme their spellcasting characters after their chosen colors, and an optional system allows them to limit their spell selection to specific colors in exchange for additional bonuses the more their spell selection is narrrowed down. A creature section lays out the many existing races and monsters in D&D and where they fit on the color spectrum. It also offers 8 new monsters with their own statblocks, each representing a different color or combination of colors.

What you will find in the Critter Compendium

The Critter Compendium delivers over 250 pages of monsters both from older editions and completely new to the game for a DM to unleash upon their players. But players too can find new options in this book, such as new creatures to summon, undead to create, beasts to use as familiars, beast companions or to wildshape into, and even some ideas for class options such as Draconic Bloodlines and Warlock pacts based on the monsters presented here. Features of this book include the following: A fully illustrated bestiary featuring 135 entries and 257 individual statblocks, as well as lore to help understand each creature and provide inspiration on how to include it in an adventure. An appendix of 38 beasts and miscellaneous, low Challenge monsters. A section featuring skeletons and zombies that can represent a wide variety of undead creatures from humanoids of various sizes to monsters and dragons and allows both DMs and players options to create such undead from creatures not covered by the Monster Manual entries. This list also ties directly into the abilities of some monsters featured in the bestiary. An appendix of air, earth, fire, and water elementals ranging from Small to Gargantuan size to use as monsters or to summon with spells like conjure minor elementals or higher slot levels of conjure elemental. A list of easy to apply monster templates that can transform a creature’s nature without requiring significant recalculations of its statblock and can be applied on the fly. This includes a template that allows you to turn any creature into a legendary encounter and thereby a suitable boss monster.