Bestiary (Dominaria Supplement)

A Creator's note on the Bestiary

A DM's aid to Creature Types Split over a million books (WIP)

This section is going to be my, and hopefully eventually other peoples' guide to where the actual heck to find the crazy variety of some creature types. Included are short descriptions and tooltips.

Demon

Abyssal Maw (CR2, MM2): Shock troops in the Demonic armies that charge ahead of other forces. This creature is mostly teeth and appetite. Summon Monster II

Abyssal Skulker (CR2, MM2): Scouts for the Demonic armies that attack en mass. They look like rate with spines and vertical mouths. Summon Monster II

Nashrou (CR2, MM4): Possible Qlippoth remnants, these predators stalk the Abyss and are best herded or followed as they rampage. Their strength is in number of attacks and speed. They are abberations made of legs and mantis-like arms. Summon Monster III

Carnage Demon (CR4, MM5): Straight-foreword to a fault, these things exist to wreak havoc. Styled as a skinless, musclebound orc. Summon Monster IV

Gadacro (CR4, MM5): Flying carrion demons that follow a larger host. They use Flyby Attack and Blind to harass opponents. Summon Monster IV

Abyssal Skulker (CR5, MM2): A hybrid creature created by the latent lust that follows large enough groups of Demons. BArely controllable, they use size and poison toi get the job done. Example creature is a giant rat thing. Summon Monster IV

Javoc (CR5, MM2): XXXX Summon Monster IV

Arrow Demon (CR7, MM3): The mundane focal point of some Demon armies or a very effective ranged DPS. These Demons were created as ranged weapons and are great at it. Four-armed, emaciated grey humanoids. Summon Monster VII

Solamith (CR8, MM5): A manifestation of depraved gluttony and burning hunger. A tank/bruiser that can damage itself to do AoE and does AoE when damaged. Styled as a coprpulent traditional demon. Summon Monster VIII

Whisper Demon (CR9, MM4): Incorporeal corrupters who force prey (on the prime or elsewhere) to harm themselves. These creatures use madness auras to force others to harm themselves and then create spawn.

Adaru (CR10, MM5): A dangerous and cunning battlefield commander in the Demonic armies. Highly mobile (speed, climb, swim, tumble) buff commander styled as a centipede. Summon Monster IX

Draudnu (CR10, MM5): Created as Demonic hunter-killers. Highly mobile (speed, climb, jump, tumble) crowd control (madness, immobilize, etc.) styled as a Chaos Spawn from 40k. Summon Monster IV

Kastighur (CR11, MM5): Demonic hunters and prison wardens. Their unsettling bulk and speed gives them powerful fear auras and buffs when attacking feared creatures. They are distressingly large, obese, and strong.

Sorrowsworn Demon (CR17, MM3): A dangerous Demon of loss and despair. These often lone Demons use spells and auras to potentially solo a party. It is a very Jack Skellington looking creature with vestigial wings.

Deathdrinker (CR18, MM4): Only Demons in the barest sense, these are not tanar'ri. They are mostly independant warlords as powerful as some demon princes collecting souls for themselves. They lead undead and demons and are vicious melee combatants with dangerous auras and teleport. They appear as large, musclebound red demons.

Devil

Gulthir (CR6, MM5): Devils who have failed their masters and are reduced to shambling enforcers. A debuff/control creature that uses Ray of Enfeeblement and Swallow to do buff itself or get control of enemies. Styled as a tall skeleton. Summon Monster VI

Stiched Devil (CR9, MM5): Devil monstrosities created by the whim of the most sadistic fiends of their kind. A disruption creature who rushes/teleports into combat and uses auras/spells/flurry of claws to get the job done. Styles as a Frankenstein devil ghoul.

Remmanon (CR15, MM5): A powerful Devil who sows discord and distrust among mortal alliances using cunning words and magical suggestion. The Remmanon goes into combat surrounded by minions and uses powerful auras and summoning. Styles as a terrifying floating man with horns.

Creature Types Changed

Dragons (Specific)

The Dragons that follow are known Dragons who are awake as of the year 82 of the Fourth Age. This Age has been momentous thusfar and an unusual number of ancient Dragons are awake. Coupled with a sharp rise in young adults leaving the Tern Isles, Dragons have jumped from myth to tale. Dragons changed the course of history in several battles for good or ill. Darigaaz, Vargash, Araktheon, and the fallen Gandulla and Rorik fought for the Coalition while at least seven younger dragons fought for the Wandering One and the Cabal. Recently too, a Dragon has attacked Balmorra and been felled. Strange new winds of power blow in Dominaria, and on those winds ride the wings of Dragons.

• Darigaaz the Inferno: A Red Dragon Lord from the Tern Isles. Darigaaz most recently awoke to aid The Travellers in their fight agains the human warlord Logan Ingramar, called "The Dragon". XXXX
• Vargash the Storm: A White Dragon from the Verge. As a young dragon, Vargash hunted the Arixo Wastes and ravaged parts of Ruul and Dhazantar. Soon his name spread into the warring lands of Otaria and Sura, the Sandstorm, a swift death from the north. The Black Sword, a cult of Dragon Riders devoted to the Cabal, the exhilaration of slaughter, and power at any price, sought out Vargash. Vargash agreed to fight for them and bear a rider in their name. So then was Vargash's name wrought upon the world. He became a terror on the battlefield and carved his name into the horror stories of warriors' legend. Vargash committed incredible acts of carnage and defeated at least four Dragons in single combat, to include Treyva the Renewer, during the Second Campaign of the Wandering One. Vargash was absent from the Battle of Dragonfall, laid up with wounds given to him during his fated battle with Treyva, and slept in the crypts beneath Aphetto for several centuries. Vargash awoke again during the War of Fire, and his sudden appearance at the Battle of Rishdan turned the tide and saw the city fall to the Black Cults in the Caliphate. Vargash famously feasted on the corpse of Ulmar Silverhorn in the bay and stained the sea walls with his blood. Near the bitter end of the war, Vargash led the assault on the Citadel of the White Sword and XXXX. After that war Vargash slept in the Verge. He awoke during the 4th Age as Vargash the Storm and XXX.
• Araktheon the Khasmin: A Brown Dragon from Kwazarmia. This Dragon is bound to the Pantheist League of Kwazarmia and was last awake during the reign of Grand Caliph Suzerain during the Second Age. He is noted for slaying Cardalon the Silver Fury in Onea during the Horde War.
• Baruk the Tremor: A Blue Dragon of unknown origin, his current name and title are known by the words of the only survivor he left behind. XXXX

Dragons (General)

Dragons in Dominaria, wile still holding the statistics from Monster Manual I, are significantly changed in feel, alignment, and use of magic. I'll juxtapose Darigaaz the Inferno and Vargash the Storm as reference points below.

Chromatic vs. Mettalic: The first and most fundamental change is that not all chromatic Dragons are Evil, and not all metallic Dragons are Good. Chromatic Dragons are merely more primal and instinctual and metallic Dragons are more on the 'rational' side. Darigaaz the Inferno for example was a Neutral Good Red Dragon, a hero in the Second Age both for humans and Dragons. Vargash the Storm on the other hand, was a Neutral Evil White Dragon, and was the Champion of the Black Sword and Scourge of the Daru. All Dragons can speak, and many choose to do so even in battle. Vargash, a famed one-on-one fighter among Dragons, uses the war cry, "I AM THE STORM!" to terrify opponents, inspire his allies and spread his fame, and almost inexplicably amplify his spellcasting power.

Breath Weapons: The second change is the alteration of breath weapons and magical properties. All Dragons in Dominaria breathe fire, and all Dragonfire ignores AC due to armor of any mundane variety, AC due to most natural bonuses (DM discretion), halves the hardness of any substance in respect to doing damage against it, and ignores AC due to armor enchanted up to a +2 level if the Dragon is Gargantuan or larger. Additionally, it cancels any protective spell (note: the spell's protection works the round it gets hit by dragonfire) below the 4th Order (after meta-magic) if the Dragon is at least Huge.

Magic: The last change is in the magic Dragons use. Instead of just being general sorcerers/clerics, each dragon chooses a 'theme' to base his/her magic around. This isn't hard and fast and there aren't really any metrics for it but here are a few examples. Darigaaz the Inferno, a Great Wyrm+ Red Dragon, focuses all of his magic into fire spells and amplifying his already prodigious ability to breathe fire. Darigaaz filled nearly half the sky with fire over the Battle of Nurim's Plains and was legendary in the 2nd Age for his abilities. There is absolutely no one or nothing on the Prime capable of creating fire on his level. Vargash the Storm, a Wyrm White Dragon, channels all of his abilities into creating storms, especially lightning storms, of incredible power. He has an uncanny ability to predict weather that will aid him, and several times has used his abilities to defeat foes larger than him.

How Many Dragons Are There?: Dragon numbers lessened slightly during the Time of Fire and The Great Dragon Hunt in the 2nd Age and after that time most Dragons became more reclusive. After The Battle of Dragonfall during the Second Campaign of the Wandering One Dragon numbers fell below 100 worldwide and those that did not flee to any of their traditional nesting grounds were either killed or went into hibernation. Some came and went during the remainder of the 3rd Age but will the death of the final members of The Order of the Black Sword, Dragon Riders ceased to be on Dominaria for more that 400 years. No one quite knows how many dragons live and mate in the Tern Isles, Crags of Tel'naiír, or any of their other nesting grounds; and none can speculate how many may sleep in the deep places of Dominaria. The 4th Age though, has been a veritable renaissance in Dragon activity. Darigaaz the Inferno, Nûmari the Preserver, and Akashi the Nomad fought for the Coalition during the final weeks leading up to The Battle of Nurim's Plains and fought in that battle against five evil Dragons that the Dragon and The Wandering One had called or awoken to fight for them. Darigaaz survived the battle and now fights for the Coalition still, Nûmari died during the battle fighting one of the enemy Dragons, Akashi returned beneath the desert sands, and the two surviving evil Dragons presumably live on within the Old Empire. Aside from the aforementioned Dragons, Vargash the Storm has awoken and has been seen fighting initially for, and now against the Cabal. Apart from Darigaaz, Vargash, the two unknown evil Dragons, and Akashi, perhaps a half-dozen Dragons are awake outside their nesting gorunds.

Dragons & Dragonkin/Dragon Disciples/Acolytes: Aside from their relationships with the populations and groups that live around them, Dragons have a special relationship with those that serve them. Many Dragons will use their immense magical powers to contact and interact with the native species that live around them. Through these interactions they will often warp some into the incredibly creatures known as Dragonkin. Through a unique process that is not fully understood, a Dragon can warp most any creature into a scaled and powerful quasi-Dragon. These Dragonkin range in size from small flying reptiles all the way up to larger quadrupeds that may even be able to breathe fire. All Dragonkin are scaled (though the smaller or flying ones have snake like scaling), and all take the color of their primogenitor and gain a measure of their extreme intelligence. These creatures can be guards, helpers, builders, scouts, or merely companions to the Dragon that makes them. As an aside, the warped creatures known as Wyverns are most likely the result of a Dragon's attempt to spawn more Dragons or perhaps Drakes through magic. Dragon Disciples and 'Acolytes' are the humans/elves/dwarfs/etc. that willingly aid Dragons. Whether a Dragon uses this sort of help is very hit or miss and varies among all colors and alignments. Those that help Dragons are knows as Acolytes or Dragon Acolytes, and those that advance in their service are given the rank of Dragon Disciple.

Environment: Dragons in Dominaria do not stick to the environments laid out in Monster Manual I. Dragons are an ancient race, woven into the very fabric of Dominaria and magical in ways beyond the knowledge of mortal or elven wizards. Some types prefer certain biomes that seem to amplify their abilities, but they too roam where they please.

• Green Dragons: Greens prefer forested or jungled areas, and when they wish seem to have an uncanny ability at camouflage. Some say they taught the first jungle cats to hunt, and indeed Green Dragons often form bonds with the packs in their range and will almost never knowingly harm cat (this isn't to say they won't incinerate one if they have to, they just prefer not to). Greens tend towards calmer dispositions, although when speaking of evil Greens, this merely makes them better hunters and ambush predators despite their size. When caught in the open or when necessity dictates however, Green Dragons talk full advantage of their size (being one of the top-tier Dragons in terms of size) and are ferocious fighters. Green Dragons will generally speak Sylvan as one of their bonus languages.
• Blue Dragons: Blues prefer the ocean or a particularly large lake and are incredible swimmers. In Ages past, they were rightly feared for their peerless power in water, and a single Adult could easily close off a trade lane as they chose. As most Dragons were driven from the mainland in the early 3rd Age, the ocean and the islands of the south, east, and far west are their range now. The last widely known Blue Dragon was Okaris the Typhoon, slain by Jason of Tarragone. Not much is known of their habits, but Blues and Greens seem to interact well when they meet, and they are even content to share an Island so long as the Blue doesn't stray too far inland. Blues will generally speak Aquan as one of their bonus languages.
• Red Dragons: Reds enjoy an incredibly diverse range of environments, and have been at least sighted in every part of Dominaria. Their widespread nature and proclivity for violence have lead to the common belief that all Dragons are Reds. Most people have never and will never see a Dragon, but those that have heard of them will probably have seen a Red. Although Reds will almost always lair in a mountain or secluded cave system, they will always maintain a large swath of 'territory' around their lair which they hunt through and patrol for other Dragons poaching on their turf. Reds' ability to adapt to any environment (specifically ranging over grasslands and lowlands where humans settle) means that they will most often run into humans, especially through hunting and ensuring their power. Some Reds prefer to lead a relatively solitary life while others will have their talons in the business of all the neighboring towns and cities. Dwarves in particular will usually respect the territory of a Red Dragon and trade with them. So Reds, depending on their nature, and if they are good or evil, can be widely known or known only to a few, feared or respected by those in their territory.
• White Dragons: Although Whites are generally thought of as travelers by most Dragons, and do enjoy exploring for its own sake, they are generally mountain and arctic Dragons. Aside from the solitude and stark beauty that appeals to their inquisitive side, Whites generally prefer ambush hunting and seem to enjoy the cold. In terms of temperament, Whites run a startling large gamut from philosopher and thinker a la Treva the Renewer all the way to cold blooded and peerless killer a la Vargash the Storm. No one quite knows why they have this large range, as most other Dragons - good or evil - share similar temperaments or at least a discernible range. The running guess among Dragonologists is that the Whites are simply more creative than most Dragons. This would seem to be an adaptation to their relatively small size (few whites reach the size of the largest Reds, Greens, Browns or Golds) but who can say for certain? Their holds tend to be high in the mountains, and no Whites have been spotted outside the Verge or the Northlands for an Age or so; although Whites once ranged throughout the smaller mountain ranges of the Westlands.
• Black Dragons: Black Dragons are the smallest of all Dragons. Although the still become huge by any standard, well capable of carrying an elephant in their talons or swallowing a horse, Blacks never reach the size of their larger cousins. None of this diminishes their well-earned reputation for ferocity. Blacks are vicious ambush predators, and the only Dragon noted to prefer nocturnal habits. In the time of Dragon Riders, and before when Dragons were more common, Black Dragons were able to use both of these talents to high effect; though when caught in the open or daylight by a larger dragon, they never fared well. In the wild, Black Dragons are canny, and often worm their way into local affairs. They're not above aquiring a head for figures or politics, and love to play the system to secure food or gold.
• Brown Dragons: The Dragons of the desert, the Sand Wyrms. Brown Dragons are reclusive wanderers native to the hot and dry places of Dominaria. They are large like Greens or Reds, but only one example of them ever terrorizing large swaths of land exist. Araktheon the Khasmin came to rule the Bay of Pearls through might and fear, before he was killed in the Cimmerian Mountains. For the most part, Browns range over the Deserts and subsist off animal herds on the savannahs or unlucky nomads. Of all Dragons except Golds, Browns are perhaps the calmest on average; and the most given to philisophical pursuits. Perhaps their penchant for thinking is no suprise, for few Dragons roam the deserts and thus Browns have no natural competition save themselves. They tend to live long, relatively solitary lives, and among Dragons they are the thinkers. They will not harm a temple or monastery in their range, as they value knowledge, and many Browns form relationships with these temples of thought. Exploration also suits them, especially in them middle age; and they will usually range for a few decades to a century to explore the world. None of this is to say that they are not ferocious killers, and particularly deadly if evil v- they are Dragons afterall.
• Gold Dragons: xxx
• Silver Dragons: xxx
• Bronze Dragons: xxx
• Brass Dragons: xxx

Beast Races (General)

Dominaria has a long history of colorful and important Beast Nations and races. Many of my PCs have played or interacted with Bestial Creatures and that is, in large part, because I take a (possibly) different tack with them. I prefer to think of most Beast Races (Monstrous Humanoid I7 and higher and similar) as essentially rational actors or at least actors with goals that make sense to them and what they care about. A lot of this is because I don't like the older fantasy trope of all of the races being homogenous in terms of beliefs and goals. So just as I did away with the unrealistic idea of "Common" I split elves and dwarves into many countries or groups and have done the same with my Beast Races. Furthermore, I think it's much more fun when the things you interact with (treat, fight, trade, etc) have either understandable goals or goals that can be understood from a certain point of view. So many PCs can find themselves trading with Goblins, fighting alongside Orcs, or parlaying with Minotaurs. Because while their differing habitats and cultural ethos make them work for different things along different lines, they are not insane vis a vis themselves.

So when running or playing in Dominaria, take a good solid look at what would motivate a particular tribe. I tend to think that most intelligent races would be motivated by knowable things. Environmental stressors, food, security, religion, and even the need for proper breeding grounds in the races especially close to nature. Of these, the easiest to make alien to common player races with good reason seems to be religion or territorial expansion (possibly raw xenophobia). They are, after all, things that created savage enmity with little provocation in the past and continue to do so.

XXXX

Creature Types Added

Armodon

Size/Type:	Huge Animal
Hit Dice:	13d10+91 (163 hp hp)
Initiative:	+0
Speed:	40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class:	20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple:	+9/+29
Attack:	Slam +21 melee (2d6+12), or Gore +21 melee (2d8+18)
Full Attack:	Slam +21 melee (2d6+12) and 2 stamps +19 melee (2d6+6)/gore +19 melee (2d8+18)
Space/Reach:	10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks:	Trample 2d8+18
Special Qualities:	Low-light vision, scent, Heat Resistance 20
Saves:	Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +6
Abilities:	Str 34, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 2
Skills:	Listen +12, Spot +10, Swim +14
Feats:	Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Listen), Multiattack
Environment:	Warm plains, Desert
Organization:	Solitary or herd (6–30)
Challenge Rating:	14
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Always neutral
Advancement:	14-22 HD (Huge), 23-28 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment:	—

Armodons are native to the vast deserts, oasis, and southern coasts of eastern Dominaria. The desert nomads of the vast Sea of Sand also use the mighty beasts in their caravans. Standing 12-16 ft. tall, and sometimes as high as 20 ft., the Armodons are a distant cousin of the elephant. Their immense bulk is clad in natural armor, and the males posses 6 horns arrayed 3 to either side of their trunk. These tusks, although larger than an elephant's, are proportionally the same. Armodons' high degree of animal intelligence makes them herd animals by nature. They are peaceful, non-confrontational, and generally take comfort in the fact that their immense size and armor makes them practically invulnerable. Especially in the oasis and savannas south of the Sea of Sand however, they face predators aplenty and are quick to anger if threatened.

Combat: Armodons are not naturally agressive, but are very intelligent for an animal (more intelligent than the average dog), and can be trained for nearly any task from peaceful beast of burden to a terrifying armored juggernaut capable of carrying 4 men in a platform on their back. Note that their intelligence means they must be treated well if they are to perform, and their handlers and riders generally gain a high emotional atachment and respect for the animals.

Armodons tend to charge at threatening creatures or gather into a mighty herd and bellow at their attackers to intimidate them. In combat, Armodons have a ferocious Trample (Ex): attack: Reflex half DC 27. The save DC is Strength-based.

Named Creatures

Dragons (Named)

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