Author: Malcon The Firebringer

Omens and Prophecies in Dungeons and Dragons can set an atmosphere of mystery and magic in a campaign. In medieval times people were superstitious. When they saw unusual things occur it made them stop and consider the meaning of it all. And in a fantasy realm the common people would likely be just as suspicious of such happenings. Only in their world….magic actually exists! So these omens and prophecies might actually be telling them something. And they had better listen to them.

Historical Omens

Historically there have been many signs that people have considered to be omens over the years. The opening picture to this article shows a comet flying in the night sky. Comets have often been considered omens. Some of you may remember the horror movie “The Omen.” No not the shitty remake. The original one starring Gregory Peck from the early seventies. The omen indicating the arrival of the Antichrist was a red comet flying over the night sky. Later in the series a shining star in the sky signified the arrival of the Messiah. Both of these would be considered omens. And of course the New Testament of the Bible itself suggests an omen with the star of Bethlehem predicting the birth of Jesus.

But the Bible is not the only source of omens. For omens have been around since the dawn of mankind itself. The Greeks and the Romans were known to have many signs that they considered to be omens.

The Greeks considered the following to be good omens:

• The Cry of a Heron
• Lightning striking to the right

Other omens had to be interpreted by a diviner:

• The sounds of thunder
• The flight of a vulture
• The behavior of a sacrifice as it approaches the altar
• The offal of such a sacrifice after it is slaughtered

The Romans were also known to be highly concerned about omens. Some that they considered to be good signs included:

• Birds flying to the left
• A raven flying to the left and a crow flying to the right

Bad signs could include:

• Birds flying to the right

And other signs had to be interpreted:

• Behavior of domestic chickens
• The entrails of animals sacrificed had to be examined
• Meteor showers
• Blood rain
• hermaphrodite births
• Dreams

Sailors are also known to be a superstitious lot. There are many signs that are considered to be good or bad omens by sailors. Given the fact that sailing was a very risky business to be in during the middle ages it is no wonder that sailors were concerned about such signs. Some good signs might include:

• An albatross flying overhead
• A dolphin swimming nearby
• A narwall swimming in the sea
• Red sky at night sailor’s delight
• Cats
• Cormorants

And some bad omens might include:

• A dead albatross, dolphin or narwall in the sea
• Sightings of ghost or phantom ships
• Bloody sea (red tide)
• Red Sunrise (red sky in morning sailor take warning)
• A bad luck passenger (a Jonah)
• Setting sail on fridays
• Rolling clouds
• Roaring waves
• Bananas aboard ship

Certain astrological and astronomical events were considered omens either good or bad:

• The comet as mentioned earlier
• Eclipses (lunar or solar)
• Meteor showers
• Earthquakes

Omens in Dungeons and Dragons

There are many ways in which the Dungeon Master might use omens in the Dungeons and Dragons campaign. While I would not suggest making it a regular occurrence adding one in once in a while could add some flavor to the game. Predictions of occurrences will make the adventurers either want to make them come true or want to keep them from coming true. In either event they will be subtly moved in one direction or the other.

For example, the adventurers arrive at a tavern and an old crone sitting at a table rolls some bones on the table in front of them and makes a prediction of some event to come. Will the adventurers ignore it? Will they give her a tip and walk away amused? Or will they be deathly concerned about her reading of the bones?

Perhaps they come across a gypsy camp and find an old fortune teller who reads a crystal ball and gives a prediction. Or maybe they are travelling to a nearby town and see a red comet fly overhead. When they arrive in town they find the entire place stricken with fear of doom. Or perhaps the townspeople have now all turned into zombies! Or perhaps it is an omen that the evil villain that everyone thought was dead has come back from the grave!

There are lots of ways to use omens to reveal part of your story line to the adventurers in a unique way. Your adventurers might learn about a dire threat to the realm from some omen or portent. They might learn of danger to one of them individually from some such sign. However you choose to use them in your game they could add a fun and interesting element to them.

Prophecies in Dungeons and Dragons

A prophecy is some message that is communicated to an individual from some spiritual source…usually from a god. Often such prophecies are not clear. They have to be interpreted. Sometimes they foretell future events.

Virtually every major religion in the world has prophecies associated with them. Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and even the Native American had prophecies associated with them. And of course there are the well known prophecies of Nostradamus. Throughout history there have been predictions of future events. Some of these predictions have been made hundreds of years in the future. Some have come true. Some not.

Most of the time when they come true it is called a coincidence. And sometimes the predictions have been so vague that they were virtually bound to come true at some point. Sometimes so many predictions are made by one such prophet that many are almost guaranteed to come true.

But in Dungeons and Dragons one can use prophecies to build story lines. For example, say an adventurer, arrives in town and the locals react to him in a peculiar way. He has a strange shaped battle scar or birthmark. And some ancient prophecy known to the locals indicates that a stranger will arrive some day with such a mark. This stranger is either a harbinger of doom…..or a hero who will save the realm…..

Or perhaps there is a prophecy about some dark omen like a red comet flying overhead. When it is seen it signifies the apocalypse….. or the coming of the four horsemen….. or some other such evil event.

Omens and Prophecies in Dungeons and Dragons

Adding these to your game can insert a little mysticism into the campaign. The locals will likely be superstitious. They will often be highly suspicious of strangers to begin with. But when such omens and prophecies to your game can change the dynamics of their interaction with the adventurers. The new arrivals can be treated as potential heroes or they can be feared as the harbingers of doom.

If your goal is to build a campaign where your adventurers build a reputation as the heroes of the realm then using these kinds of devices can help build the story in such a way that the players themselves feel as if the forces of the divine are at work. Of course, not every dungeon master wants that sort of game. And that is perfectly fine. But if you do consider the signs you could place in your game and the prophecies that could tell the story that you want told.

If you enjoyed this article you might like these related articles:

Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons

Sages in Dungeons and Dragons

Equipment in Dungeons and Dragons can consist of many things. But this article is specifically going to discuss the items mentioned in the 1st Edition Player’s Handbook rather than going into every possible piece of adventuring gear that could be taken into the dark dungeons and mazes that are explored. Other editions almost certainly added to the possible collection of such adventuring tools but I am going to stick to the basics for this article for the sake of brevity.

The gear selected by adventurers in the early editions of the game was essential to their very survival in the dungeons and catacombs beneath the earth. Later editions tended to just give the delvers a leather pouch with everything needed in it. But what would one need or even want with them for exploring the dark tombs and ruined castles of the realm?

Light Sources

As the depths tend to be dark…..and humans at least do not see well in the dark…..then light is the first thing one wants to bring with them in order to explore the dark places of the realm. Torches and lanterns are essential pieces of equipment. Unless, of course, if you have darkvision, infravision or ultravision. Or, unless, you prefer the darkness like me. I am an ancient Lich after all. And darkness is my friend…

1st Edition distinguished between hooded lanterns and bullseye lanterns. The bullseye lantern allows one to focus the light in one particular direction so as to spotlight on one specific area or target with your light source.

What is not really discussed in the various Player Handbooks of all editions is just how one manages to fight with any of these in one hand. Certainly one could not fight very effectively holding a light source like these. And if you drop it to engage in combat would it not go out? But of course….we must ignore some of the realities in order to enjoy the game for what it is.

The All Important All Purpose Tool

Ok. So what is the most important piece of equipment in Dungeons and Dragons? What is the most popular. What has more uses than any other? The ten foot pole of course!

The Ten Foot Pole has so many uses that one could not possibly list them all or even think of them all. They are cheap (or even free). Some uses for the pole which come to mind:

• Prodding for pit traps
• Propping open a door or trap door
• Testing for illusion
• Searching for secret doors (tapping the walls)
• Keeping rust monsters at bay
• Propping up unstable portions of the ceiling or roof above
• Setting of traps prematurely
• Testing pools of water to make sure they are not acid
• Barring a door so that others might not be able to enter
• When you run out of firewood!

There are so many potential uses for this all important object that adventurers are almost naked without one.

Containers in Which to Haul Away Treasure

Obtaining treasure is the very essence of why men and women risk their lives exploring dungeons. Treasure is what makes the realm go around. It greases the wheel. It makes men kings. But one cannot count on the denizens of the dungeon to be thoughtful enough to provide containers for the explorers to haul away their treasures. Adventurers must bring their own if they want to ensure success in this endeavor.

Many possible containers are taken into dungeons with the intent of using them to haul away treasures found. Backpacks, sacks, wooden and iron chests are all possibilities. Each has it’s own merits. The backpack above is a good method for bringing useful things into the dungeon and for taking away precious valuables once found.

Wooden and iron chests are taken for hauling away the heaviest pieces. Obviously one would prefer to have a bag of holding but one cannot just buy one of those off of the shelf in town. At least not in any of my campaigns. One must find such a treasure in order to use that for carrying away large amounts of treasure.

Class Specific Tools

In 1st Edition (and many of the early editions) classes were very specific. If one wanted to turn undead then you had to be a cleric or paladin. If you wanted to pick locks or disarm traps then you had to be a thief (bard, assassins and monks had limited abilities). Those lines get blurred a little in later editions. But certain tools were necessary regardless of what edition that you play.

Prayer beads are one tool that a Cleric might want to have with him. Another is holy water. And of course the holy symbol is essential for turning the undead away.

And of course a mirror is essential if one wants to determine whether someone met might be a vampire. A silver one is best of course.

Thieves, of course, have their own class specific tools. Specifically their set of burglar tools. These are the items that give the thief the ability to pick locks and disarm traps. Skeleton keys for opening doors. Clamps and saws for jamming triggers and cutting through the mechanisms that set off a trap are part of this kit.

Of course, assassins, might also use these tools. And in 1st Edition even monks had some limited thief abilities as well as bards.

Other Useful Tools in the Dungeons

There are many other important items to have with you when you explore the dangerous places beneath the earth. Such places are not always easy to get into. And often they are even more difficult to get out of .

Rope is useful for getting into and out of such places. Sometimes stairs have collapsed. Sometimes climbing is required. Without rope climbing is difficult for those who do not have serious climbing skills such as thieves.

Iron spikes for hammering into the walls makes climbing a little easier. The spikes above were used in medieval Europe.

And of course…one never wants to starve while down in the dungeon. It would be tragic to avoid all of those nasty beasts and then die from hunger. Iron rations are essential.

Of course, rations, come in many forms. But if one wants to haul it around with them it is best to stick to basic things that take up little room and don’t weigh too much. And of course you better bring some water skins with you.

And unless you like being cold down in the dark you might want to be able to create fires. A tinder box is kind of an important thing to have with you. Of course….you will need to find things to burn down there…..

Mages and priests as well as the party mapmaker have special needs of their own. Specifically if they want to keep their scrolls and documents safe….they better have a place to keep them dry and out of harm.

Transportation

Equipment in Dungeons and Dragons goes further than the things one brings down into the depths. The 1st Edition PHB also discussed transportation to the dungeon as equipment to be purchased if needed. Horses are, of course, essential for long trips over land. But if one needs a ship….well the PHB covered that issue too. Warships, galleys and horse drawn carts were listed in the equipment guide in case one wanted to purchase such items. And for some adventures one might want to do just that.

Ships were required for travel over oceans and other large bodies of water. Some adventures might be on a lost island somewhere or even another continent.

Equipment in Dungeons and Dragons is Essential for Successful Adventure

If you want to succeed as an adventurer then you must bring the right gear. Without it you will surely fail. Creatures living beneath the land will have what they need to survive. Explorers must bring it with them. This puts the inhabitants of the underground lairs at an advantage. It may be one of the few advantages that they possess.

Other editions provide information on other objects one might wish to bring along for the ride. Grappling hooks, explorer kits, priest packs, etc. But I will not go into those here. I would assume that most of those things above are included in those adventurer type kits used in the later editions. Adventuring is a business in some fantasy realms. And as a business there are standard types of equipment offered. In other places, where adventurers are more scarce, the adventurers themselves must determine what they need and what equipment will suffice for their needs.

Undead in Dungeons and Dragons. Adventurers fear them. And with good reason. Undead are some of the most dangerous denizens of the dark places that adventurers make their living exploring. The unliving have terrifying powers. And they have risen from the grave itself!

There are many kinds of undead in Dungeons and Dragons. Too many, in fact, to discuss all of them in this one article. But I will discuss the basic ones that have existed in the game from the very beginning. Many more have been added to the game over the years. But the original undead species have existed in legend for far longer than Dungeons and Dragons has existed.

Skeletons

Skeletons are some of the weakest forms of undead. They are often the guardians of tombs, evil temples and sometimes even sunken pirate ships. They are the most basic form of undead. They are easy to defeat in combat but their skeletal form makes sharp and piercing types of weapons less effective against them.

Skeletons generally have few hit points and are easily turned. They are the lowest form of undead on the totem pole. They are often considered disposable for the evil clerics or higher forms of undead that may be commanding them. And magic users occasionally animate the dead and form more of these creatures for their own purposes.

Skeletons are mindless. But they are able to follow simple commands such as: attack, guard, follow, etc. They typically will carry simple weapons and sometimes may wear armor or carry shields. Some of the absolute best images that I have ever seen regarding skeletons in combat came from the old Sinbad movies. The stop action animation of that era was good enough to make these creatures come to life….so to speak…..

Zombies

Zombies are the next wrung of the undead food chain. Zombies are decayed or decaying humanoids or humans. They often appear as if they have just clawed their way out of the grave. Often they wear tattered clothes and have no weapons at all. They are slow and mindless. And they just keep on coming. They have no fear at all. Movies and television shows have popularized zombies. The Walking Dead has made the Zombie a household name.

Zombies are also capable of following limited commands. This makes them a popular minion for low level evil clerics and for higher forms of undead. While they are slow they are totally without fear. This makes them good guardians. Because they will just not quit. Ever.

Undead pirates often employ both skeletons and zombies as part of the crew. They are useful tools for raiding the coast of fantasy realms. As they are undead they are less greedy than your average pirate. They follow orders rather than their own private urges. They spend less time raping and pillaging and more time doing what they are told to do. This makes them popular with undead pirate captains.

But sometimes even the undead can be too greedy for their own good.

Ghouls and Ghasts

Ghouls and Ghasts are slightly higher in the pecking order. They tend to be a bit more independent than skeletons and zombies. They are not generally seen as minions. They are hungry for the flesh of the living. This alone makes them excellent guardians for a tomb even if they do not realize that they are guarding it at all. They have an insatiable hunger. While they are not completely mindless they are low in intelligence. But they do have cunning despite the lack of high intellect. They will follow the tactics that have worked for them in the past.

Often they are found in or around graveyards and tombs. When they cannot find the flesh of the living they sometimes satisfy themselves with the bones of the dead. Their mere touch has the power to paralyze others temporarily and this is often quite useful at feeding time. Of course…feeding time is all the time….

Ghasts are very similar in appearance to Ghouls. And they are often found with packs of Ghouls. Often the only way that one can tell that there is a Ghast present in the pack is the intense and foul smell of them. The smell is so horrible that it sometimes causes others to gag with nausea.

When Ghouls and Ghasts run in the same pack you can be sure that the Ghast will be leading it. He is stronger and more powerful than his brethren. And he will also be the hungriest of the bunch.

Ghouls and Ghasts are known for their long snaking tongues and long fingernails. The tend to have a sickly, and almost greenish, appearance. Often they have dirt on them and appear to have recently clawed their way out of their own graves. Which of course….they have…

Shadows

Shadows were next most dangerous form of undead. They love dark places where they cannot be easily seen. In the darkness it is easy for them to hide and ambush the living. And this is their favorite tactic.

Unlike more powerful undead the Shadow was not able to drain experience levels. But they did have the ability to drain strength. This gives them the ability to weaken their prey during the attack. They can be found in crypts, tombs, catacombs and other dark places. Even when torches or lanterns are in use these creatures are easily mistaken for the shadows of the adventurers themselves.

Wights

Next on the list is the wight. The wight was the first of the undead species which truly made adventurers pee in their armored greaves. For some undead in Dungeons and Dragons had the power to drain experience levels in early editions of the game. Nothing scares a player more than the possibility that her beloved character might be reduced in level because of a single encounter with one of these creatures. Wights were possibly the weakest of the undead creatures that had this ability. But this ability alone made them something to avoid at all costs.

The wight was commonly found where the dead could be found. Tombs, crypts, barrows and other such dismal places would be the favorite spots for these beasts to inhabit. They often have tattered clothes. Sometimes they use the weapons from their prior life but it is their very touch that does the most harm. The mere touch of one of these could drain a single experience level from an adventurer in 1st Edition Dungeons and Dragons.

Sometimes they are found in or around their own crypts. Often they feel tied to such places and will guard it eternally.

Like many of the denizens of the dark wights do not like the light. They often will avoid such light. And they hate it. But not as much as they hate the living. They hate all forms of life and will stop at nothing to snuff it out when they can.

Wraiths

Wraiths are similar in nature to the Wight but they are more strongly tied to the negative material plane. They like dark places and are typically found in tombs, catacombs and crypts. Anyplace where the dead can be found may contain a wraith or two as well. Like the Wight adventurers have good reason to fear the touch of these beings. Draining experience levels was their most dreaded attack in the earliest forms of Dungeons and Dragons. Only silver or magical weapons could hit Wraiths (or even Wights).

Wraiths were slightly more powerful than Wights. And they could be very intelligent. This could make them quite dangerous to the adventurer.

Spectres

Spectres are a cut above the Wraith and the Wight. They are highly intelligent and will use this to their advantage. Like other higher forms of undead these creatures could drain experience levels in the early versions of Dungeons and Dragons. And this made them terrifying to encounter. What made them more terrifying….is that they drained two experience levels at a time……

Spectres are similar to Ghosts in appearance sometimes. They haunt desolate places. They hate the sunlight. And they hate life itself. And especially hate the living. They are powerless in the daylight. So they avoid it like the plague.

Ghosts

Ghosts are legendary. Virtually every society has stories about the dead returning as a ghost. These creatures often haunt the places where they died. They like to roam at night. Like other forms of undead they do not like the light. Unlike many other forms of undead Ghosts are incorporeal. They travel in the ethereal plane as well as our own. And this makes them deadly.

There mere sight of one of these creatures could cause premature aging in early forms of Dungeons and Dragons. Their touch could cause extreme aging. Unlike other higher forms of undead they did not have the ability to drain experience levels. But they did have the ability to use magic jar against their enemies. This ability is essentially the ability to temporarily possess a body.

Dungeons and tombs are the favorite places for these creatures of the darkness. Striking them with a weapon can be a dicey proposition. A Ghost is often in the ethereal plane rather than the prime material one. Weapons may pass through a Ghost doing no harm at all. If it is semi-materialized it might be harmed by silver or magical weapons.

Mummies

The Mummy has been a beloved horror show creature in movies for generations. But they are not limited to Egypt. In fantasy realms any king that wanted to live forever could be found as a Mummy. Any of his advisers or important followers could be as well. Or anyone else who wanted to be preserved after death.

They are dangerous creatures. But even in the earliest forms of Dungeons and Dragons they could not drain experience levels. Instead they caused disease called “Mummy Rot” which could prove fatal. The sight of them causes fear in most mortals.

Often they are found in elaborate tombs, pyramids and ziggurats. They are often the boss of such places and the other undead who might be present may serve them. Mummies do have an important weakness though. Fire is their only fear.

Banshee

The Banshee was a true terror to adventurers in the earliest forms of Dungeons and Dragons as well as in the later ones. The wail of the Banshee can cause instant death to those unfortunate enough to hear it. In 1st Edition the Banshee was also often referred to as the “Groaning Spirit.”

Banshee are rare. They are always female. And they are formed from the spirit of an evil female elf. This makes them extraordinary. Because other than Drow what elves are evil? None of the editions of Dungeons and Dragons have really cleared this issue up. But will a Drow female become a Banshee if killed? I suspect not. But no official source seems to have really discussed this. From my own reading of the various monster manuals I conclude that only one of the races of Elves that are normally good aligned would become a Banshee upon death. But that is debatable.

Banshee like desolate moors and countrysides to roam during the dark hours of the night. Those who encounter them rarely live to tell the tale. Their death wail is deadly to all who hear it but the very bravest souls.

Vampires

Vampires are another legendary species of undead. Often they are the leader or boss of the undead that might be encountered in a dungeon. These are powerful creatures. They are extremely intelligent. They are physically very strong. And only a few limited methods can be employed to actually kill one. Often they bring the skills that they had in life into their unlife. They often have magical spell casting abilities. And their touch drained two experience levels in early editions of Dungeons and Dragons.

Vampires came in two varieties in the early editions of Dungeons and Dragons. The western version and the eastern one. Eastern ones were invisible.

Vampires in Dungeons and Dragons could be killed in only a few ways. Permanently killed I mean. These ways are:

• A wooden stake driven through the heart (but if the stake is removed the vampire will rise again. In order to finish the task the head should be cut off and filled with holy wafers)
• Immersion in running water
• Exposure to direct sunlight for an extended period of time

Vampires have the ability to charm. And they use this ability liberally to pick up chicks and to defeat enemies. But they hate garlic. And they coil from holy symbols. They avoid mirrors at all costs as they have no appearance in them and this reminds them that they are no longer among the living.

Lich

Arguably among the most powerful forms of Undead is the Lich. Granted….later editions and monster manual volumes came up with some even more dangerous types of undead creatures (see the Living Wall from 2nd Edition and the Dracolich and Demilich).

The Lich is the undead form of a wizard who gives up all in order to exist forever. A lifetime is too short for some wizards who want to engage in serious magical research. They want to live forever but they cannot. So they choose unlife forever instead. The process in which one becomes a Lich is described in little detail in the early editions of Dungeons and Dragons but is described in some later works which I will discuss later in this article.

The Lich is often the indisputable boss of the dungeon. He (or she perhaps) can be the most dangerous thing that an adventurer will ever encounter. Typically such beings were at least 20th level magic users in life. And they still have those spellcasting abilities in death. Undead follow them willingly. And they will gladly die again for them. While they do not have experience level draining abilities they really do not need them. For melee combat is not their strength. High level magic is.

Lich will almost always have very powerful (and numerous) guardians around them so that they can stand back and throw spells while their minions engage in melee. The intelligence of the Lich is off the charts high. They will have planned and foreseen every possible approach and will have set up their lairs accordingly for their own preservation.

The life essence of a Lich is bound to a Phylactery. The physical form of a Lich can be destroyed but the Lich is not slain until his Phylactery is destroyed. I myself have been struck down a couple of times but have survived due to my use of this wonderful device. Some Lich keep theirs with them. This is a mistake. If the Lich dies then the adventurers can easily destroy it forever. It is far better to hide it. And many Lich do so. But I personally have found that it is better to hide many of them in my lair. So many that the adventurers will never know if they find the correct one. And then greed shall be my ally. For phylactery are made from valuable gems and materials. The adventurers will not want to destroy such loot. Twice now mine has been sold instead of destroyed as the adventurers failed to determine which was the correct one. And which was just a pretty piece of expensive jewelry. Of course, the fact that I had so many of them, made this likely to occur.

Later in the life of Dungeons and Dragons a new and improved form of Lich was introduced. The DemiLich. The DemiLich is a very old Lich who has transformed into something else. One day soon perhaps I will evolve into such a being. But not quite yet. I have a blog to write.

Van Richten’s Guides to the Undead in Dungeons and Dragons

But there are more complete sources of information on the undead than this article. A mere mortal wrote a fantastic series of tomes for the Ravenloft campaign for 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Rudoph Van Richten is a hunter of the Undead. He is a scientist and a scholar on the subject of the unliving. His works go into great depth about various forms of undead.

These tomes go into details far beyond any of the monster manuals. And most of the information is not really system specific. It can be easily put to use regardless of the edition of Dungeons and Dragons that you play.

As you can see from these pictures he covers a wide variety of subjects. He was quite good at what he did and was often the last face that many of my good friends ever saw. Obviously I hate this man but you just have to respect such dedication. You can find his works at the following links should you wish to investigate them further:

• Guide to Vampires
• Guide to Vistani
• Guide to Lich
• Guide to Ancient Dead
• Guide to Werebeast
• Guide to Ghosts
• Guide to the Created
• Guide to Fiends

What is truly amazing about these works for the would be Dungeon Master is that each of them gives options for modifying these undead creatures so as to confound and destroy the adventurers that explore your tombs and catacombs. Those pesky little rules lawyers who know all about the statistics of each creature will be shocked when the creatures do the unexpected and defeat them. Their metagaming will avail them naught. For these tomes give you the power to achieve every Lich’s undying dream…..the Total Party Kill!

Undead in Dungeons and Dragons Should Be Terrifying!

Mortals are not supposed to see the unliving in all their splendor. To see one should scare the wits from them. And perhaps the life from them as well! Powerful forces of darkness are required to bring the dead back to unlife. Undead in the Dungeons and Dragons may be the last thing your adventurers ever see. And that is a good thing isn’t it?

Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons have been there from nearly the very beginning. They were first introduced into the Dungeons and Dragons game in the Greyhawk supplement in 1975. Every edition since then has included the Beholder as it has become one of the iconic monsters of the game. It is so unique, in fact, that it is probably included in more Dungeons and Dragons artwork than any other creature. They are so fearsome that every adventurer fears them. Their many eye stalks give them so much power that they can kill instantly. They are nearly always the boss of any dungeon where they might be found.

The huge central eye. The many wandering eye stalks. The big mouth with dozens of sharp teeth. And the floating mass with no legs. All of these things make a fearsome sight to someone exploring the great depths below the earth. Would you want to run into this guy?

Self Defense for Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons

All of that being said…..Beholders do have weaknesses. They do not have a huge number of hit points. Their armor class is not that difficult to hit depending upon which part of the creature you are targeting. So how does a supremely intelligent creature like this protect itself from harm?

Well for one thing….with up to eleven eyes it can see trouble coming from any direction. Surprise is unlikely to be an issue as it is looking everywhere all at once. It is also extremely intelligent. It is not likely to make mistakes. It is not likely to be duped. Beholders are planners. They are not likely to fail to foresee how adventurers might try to take it down. And it will have contingencies in the event that someone tries. It will have allies nearby as well as minions to serve it.

Beholders eat unintelligent foes and enslave intelligent ones to serve it’s evil needs. These creatures believe that they are at the top of the food chain and that all other creatures are inferior to it in power and intellect. And for the most part. They are right. Most creatures that they encounter will be less intelligent and less powerful. But adventurers are a different matter. Those with experience and magic can hurt a beholder or even slay it. And these creatures are fully aware of that potential danger.

Range is the first thing that a Beholder is going to consider. The last thing that they want is a fighter to come up close and hack it in the face with a sword or axe. So they will find a way to keep range. Because they have the natural power to levitate they will use this to their advantage when necessary. Floating over lava, acid or other dangerous areas can keep anyone from getting up close and wacking it with a weapon. Floor traps such as spiked pits can also be placed in such a way that the Beholder can use them to it’s advantage for protection and to lure enemies to injure or kill themselves.

The central eye of the Beholder has the power to negate magic. This anti magic ray will be used liberally to reduce or eliminate the threat of magic being used against it effectively.

It has up to ten eyes. Each of those eyes has magical powers. Some of those powers are extremely deadly. These powers include:

• Disintegration Ray – It is pretty self-explanatory why this power is terrifying. Not only could the target die. It might not be able to be brought back by a resurrection or raise dead spell.
• Charm Person – The beholder could charm adventurers and then use them against their friends to protect itself
• Sleep – A sleeping enemy could be dispatched at a more convenient time
• Telekinese up to 2500 gp in weight – This could allow the beholder to pick up heavy objects and drop them on an opponent. Or it could allow the beholder to perhaps pick up an opponent and drop them into a pit of acid or spikes
• Flesh to stone – opponents turned to stone are no longer a threat
• Fear – terrified opponents flee or may sit frozen while their friends are slain
• Slow – slowed opponents will be firing or swinging at reduced speed
• Cause wounds – weakens it’s enemies
• Death Ray – slain enemies are good enemies to have

Of course, these, were the effects from 1st Edition. Other Editions may have modified these abilities a bit. But regardless of what edition that you play the Beholder knows it’s strengths and abilities and will use them to it’s advantage.

A Beholder is going to foresee that sooner or later an enemy will put it in danger. And it will take steps to protect itself from that possibility. It will have guards nearby. It may have guards nearby that are hidden in secret areas unseen to enemies who arrive in it’s lair. And if all else fails…..it may negotiate.

Beholders are evil and intelligent. But they are also practical. If they know that there is a danger that they might die. Then they will negotiate if necessary to avoid a confrontation that it does not think it will win. But they will almost always feel that they have the advantage. They will almost always think that their enemies will be the ones that need to pay a bribe to get away alive. But a wounded or near dying Beholder will realize it’s predicament and act accordingly.

In 5th Edition the Beholder will use it’s legendary actions which will increase the number of times per turn that it uses it’s eye rays. And that may be all the difference in winning or losing an encounter.

If all else fails….the Beholder will flee. It will almost always have escape tunnels nearby so that it can flee in the event of the worst happening. It is an intelligent creature. It will not rely on just one method of escape. There will usually be more than one such escape route. And those routes will likely be floor trapped in order to discourage pursuit. As it can fly right over such traps it will not be affected by them.

Beholders often have captives nearby. Those could be used for ransom or for threats against the adventurers who might pose a danger. There will usually be a cage or cell somewhere in the complex so that the Beholder can keep hostages. There may also be a torture chamber present so that it can extract useful information for it to use. Information is one of the tools that a Beholder relies on to dominate others.

Gas Spores are another line of defense for beholders. These look so similar to beholders they will almost always be attacked by adventurers who seek to destroy the Beholder. The Beholder knows this. And will use this to it’s advantage. Gas spores will explode when struck. This will do damage to all in the area of effect. It may also cause a chain of explosions if there are more than one gas spore present. This will weaken the adventurers who seek to destroy the Beholder.

Not All Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons are the Same

There are many variations of the Beholder that exist in the game. Some of these Beholders are more or less powerful than the original. Some have different powers. Some are just distant relatives to the beholder but look rather similar. Some of these Beholders include:

• Death Kiss – This creature is related to the Beholder but is not truly as fearsome despite it’s appearance. The tentacles of this creature are bloodsucking rather than magic using
• Eye of the Deep – This creature lives only at great depths of the ocean. It is possible, but not proven, that a fresh water version of this creature could exist. None have yet been discovered
• Gauth – This creature feeds on magic and has but six eye stalks
• Spectator – This neutral creature is often a guardian rather than an evil creature dominating others
• Death Tyrant – Even beholders die sometimes. And sometimes they are reborn as something far worse. The Death Tyrant is an undead version of the Beholder
• Hive Mother – These creatures are legendary. No one who has ever actually seen one has returned alive to describe them. But there are ancient books and tomes that describe these creatures as being enormous. So enormous that they can no longer float without assistance. Often they prop themselves on a pillow atop an ornate pedestal so that they can control the actions of other beholders around them.
• Director – Unlike other Beholders these warriors use a mount. This mount is usually a crawler which is essentially a cross between a spider and a centipede. Large of course.
• Examiner – These neutral beholders are often scholars. They do magical research and protect archives.
• Lensman – This creature does not really look much like a beholder. But it is related to them. Instead of a floating ball it is a humanoid form with an enormous eye in the center of it’s chest. They are usually minions and not leaders
• Overseer – These also do not look much like a normal beholder. They appear more like a tree. Each of it’s thirteen limbs has a small eye at the end of it. And these eyes have powers.
• Watcher – These neutral beholders are information gatherers and are not typically brave.

As most players are very familiar with the Beholder, and it’s various powers, you might want to mix things up a bit. There is no reason that every Beholder has to be the same at all. As you can tell from the huge amount of artwork out there that all Beholders do not look the same at all. So there is no reason that they have to be. It is quite possible that some have more eye stalks than others. Losing eye stalks in combat happens. But it is possible that some might possess eye stalks with different powers. Or perhaps their central eye might have different powers.

Some suggestions for different central eye powers:

• Prismatic spray
• Destruction (reverse of resurrection)
• Power word kill
• Mass charm
• Mass suggestion

Some suggestions for alternate eye stalk powers:

• Harm (reverse of heal)
• Flame strike
• Fire storm
• Feeble mind
• Cone of cold
• Confusion
• Suggestion
• Illusion
• Power word stun
• Teleport
• Charm monster
• Hold person
• Dispel magic
• Dispel good

Substitute some of these powers for the standard powers of a Beholder and your players will not know what just hit them. They will be confused and terrified. They will not know how to react to such a different and alien creature. And that is the point of it. A beholder should be alien to them.

Lairs of Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons

Beholder lairs, of course, are not all alike. That would be a mistake that a super intelligent creature like this would never make. The last thing that they would want is for anyone to be too familiar with their methods and defenses.

As mentioned previously it will have escape tunnels set up in multiple places. And it will have traps set up or nasty things for it to float over during combat. But the other parts of a Beholder lair are not always similar. But there are some components that are frequently found in a Beholder lair:

• Trophy Room – As the most dominant member of the social order the Beholder will often want trophies of it’s conquests. Such trophies might be taxidermy of slain adventurers or it might be mere treasures from that encounter. A gallery of heads would not be unusual to find in such a dismal place.
• Art Work – As intelligent creatures the Beholder appreciates the fine things in life even if it cannot enjoy all of them the same way a human could. Paintings, sculptures and other art work might be placed in one area where the Beholder could enjoy such works.
• Alarms – The Beholder does not like surprises. It’s many eyes make that difficult anyway but it will want to know right away when enemies are present in the lair
• Secret Passages – The Beholder will want to have access to all areas of the lair without risk of being caught traveling in an open hall where it could be ambushed. It will have passages that only it knows about and even it’s minions do not.
• Multi-Leveled Lairs – when you can float…..stairs are unnecessary. And why limit oneself to a single level. Passage ways that end in a shaft, upwards or downwards, would not be unexpected in such a place
• Spy holes – A beholder has many eyes. It will want to see what is going on around it. And it will not fully trust even it’s closest minions
• Jail Cells – for hostages and prisoners
• Torture Chamber – for extracting useful information
• Safe Room – when all else fails a place to run to is wise to have
• Treasure Chamber – some treasures need to be kept safe from prying eyes

These will not all be present in every Beholder lair but may be present in any of them. Perhaps all of these and more will be present. Beholders alone know their needs. And not all of them have the same needs.

Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons Are Evil

Most Beholders in Dungeons and Dragons are evil. There are exceptions, of course, as indicated above in the list of variant Beholders. But most are evil. They have evil designs and may be the primary villain in a campaign. They enjoy manipulating and dominating others for their enjoyment. They enjoy tormenting and torturing their enemies. And they love to accumulate trophies and treasures taken from others.

Defeating a Beholder in Dungeons and Dragons

For adventurers to defeat such a creature they must be either lucky or good at what they do. Great care must be taken to avoid the effects of the many powers of this creature. One must also avoid the traps and the minions and guardians of such creatures. This takes a powerful group of adventurers to have any chance at success. And the successful destruction of a Beholder is the kind of thing sung about by Bards in taverns all over the realm when it is done.

One way to create an exciting change of pace in your adventures is to have a chase scene. Pursuit in Dungeons and Dragons can be an alternative to the hacking and slaying of endless monsters and non player characters that are the usual subjects of adventures. Pursuit scenes could involve the adventurers chasing someone else. Or it could involve an overpowering group of enemies chasing them. Or pursuit could be the result of a confrontation gone bad. Sometimes the dice are against the adventurers in an encounter that seemed quite winnable. And now they must flee.

Some possible chase scenes could develop as follows:

• The evil villain is trying to escape from the adventurers grasp. He flees down an escape tunnel to try to get away
• The young street urchin grabs a purse from one of the adventurers and flees into a dark alley
• The wanted criminal that the adventurers have tracked to the ruins just outside of town bolts down a trap door in the floor and disappears
• The party meets an overwhelming force of orcs and decides to make a run for it across a rickety old rope bridge over a gorge
• The evil wizard flies away on a tamed griffin to escape the clutches of the adventurers
• The wounded ogre retreats down the hallway after losing his arm to the Paladin’s mighty swing of his broadsword

Pursuit in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

Pages 67-69 of the Dungeon Master Guide discuss the subjects of Pursuit and Evasion. Naturally those two subjects are intertwined. Some important points to note from those pages:

• A semi-intelligent, hungry, angry, aggressive or trained monster will pursue 80% of the time
• If the monsters are of low intelligence and the party has larger numbers pursuit will happen 20% of the time
• If the monsters are of low intelligence and the party is about equal in numbers pursuit will happen 40% of the time
• If the monsters outnumber the party pursuit will happen 80% of the time
• If the monsters are of low intelligence but feel that, for whatever reasons, that they are superior to the party in strength then pursuit will happen 100% of the time.

Special rules exist for determining whether pursuit will be broken off or continued. There are three different possible scenarios that could develop:

If the pursued are faster than the chasers then pursuit will end when one of the following conditions is met:

• Pursued are in sight but more than 100′ distant
• Pursued are out of sight and were more than 50′ away when the pursuers lost sight of them
• Pursuit has lasted five rounds and the pursuers have not gained on the pursued

If the pursued are of equal speed to the pursuers then the pursuit will end on the following conditions:

• The pursued are in sight but over 150′ away
• The pursued are out of sight and were over 80′ distant when the pursuers lost sight of them
• Pursuit has continued for over 1 turn and the pursuer has not gained on the pursued

If the pursuer is faster than the pursued then the following conditions will end the pursuit:

• The pursued are out of sight and were over 200′ distant at the time sight of them was lost
• The pursuer is not able to continue any longer due to physical endurance

Several things could change the outcomes to the above situations. These modifiers include:

• Physical Barriers
• Distractions such as food or treasure dropped by the pursued or stumbled on during pursuit
• During the pursuit the pursuer comes to a split in the road and must make a decision on which one the pursuer chose to use

Evasion has it’s own set of rules. The base chance of success in evading outdoors is 80%. This 80% is modified by a number of different factors including:

• Pursued is faster +10%
• Pursuer is faster -20%
• Equal in speed +0%

Terrain was then taken into consideration:

• Plains, desert or open water -50%
• Scrub, rough, hills or marsh +10%
• Forest or mountains +30%

Size of the parties was also considered:

• Pursued party is less than six +10%
• Pursued party is six to eleven +0%
• Pursued party is twelve to fifty -20%
• Pursued party is greater than fifty -50%
• Pursuing party is less than twelve -20%
• Pursuing party is twelve to twenty four +0%
• Pursuing party is over twenty four +10%

And the last consideration is the amount of light available during the chase:

• Full daylight – 30%
• twilight -10%
• bright moonlight +0%
• Starlight +20%
• Dark knight +50%

As you can see these are some pretty detailed and complex rules. But they are not unmanageable. And there are other factors that are not covered in the rules but might be considered:

• In a big city environment other people might intentionally or accidentally interfere in a chase
• Thieves and assassins sometimes use others to help them escape by putting horses or wagons in the way of pursuers
• Some villains have well planned escape routes and know them by heart but their pursuers do not
• Sometimes local authorities will not know who is the bad guy and may attempt to engage the adventurers rather than the villains
• Local citizens may also not know who is in the right or who is in the wrong and may step in at an inopportune moment

Pursuit in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

The rules for pursuit in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition are simpler and depend more upon random effects from the tables provided in the Dungeon Master Guide on pages 252 to 255.

The Dungeon Master will determine the starting distance when the chase begins. During the chase an individual can either dash or cast spells/attack. Stopping to cast spells/attack will slow that person down. A person can dash 3 times plus their constitution during a chase. Any additional dash attempts will require a DC 10 Constitution check at the end of the turn or gain one level of exhaustion. Anyone reaching level 5 exhaustion drops out of the chase. A short or long rest is needed to remove a level of exhaustion.

A chase ends when one side or the other drops out, the pursued party escapes or the pursuer closes the distance enough to catch the pursued. At end of each turn the pursued will make a dexterity check (stealth) which is compared to the passive wisdom of the pursuers to see if the pursued escapes. This check can only fail if the pursuers lose sight of the pursued at some point. If there are multiple pursuers then they all make a check. The Pursued gains advantage or disadvantage depending on the following factors:

• Pursued has things to hide behind – advantage
• Crowded or noisy area – advantage
• Few things to hide behind – disadvantage
• Lead pursuer is a ranger or has proficiency in survival – disadvantage

To complicate things (and to make them more interesting) there are tables provided to create chase complications. At the end of each turn a D20 is rolled and compared to one of the two complication tables on page 254. It is also possible that players will make their own complications that will need to be adjudicated by the Dungeon Master as appropriate.

Chases in Dungeons and Dragons Can Be Fun

To me the 5th Edition version seems a bit less complicated. But both systems work and can be used effectively. Chase scenes are fun. Think of some of the best movies and there is usually a chase scene involved. The car chase in Bullitt. The multiple chase scenes in the original Star Wars Trilogy. Indiana Jones being chased by cannibals, Nazis and others. Chases can create a sense of excitement that even combat cannot. Sometimes the pursuit is more interesting than catching. But when catching does happen…..

Druids in Dungeons and Dragons were first introduced in 1974 in the Greyhawk Supplement. However, they were not introduced as a character class until the Eldritch Wizardry supplement in 1976. Originally they were seen only as a non player class. Druids were considered hostile to the adventurers and their designs. Thus they were basically just a new class of adversary. But the players liked the idea of playing a druid. And thus the change in the game with the Eldritch Wizardry.

Historical Druids

The Romans encountered Druids during their invasion of Gaul. The Romans, being Romans, immediately ordered that they be purged. Many were burned at the stake. Naturally the druids were opposed to this idea.

According to Britannica.com the word Druid means “Finding the Oak Tree” in the ancient Celtic language. Other sources from the period in which Romans were suppressing the Druids indicate that the word means “Oak knower” or “Oak seeker.”

According to the earliest authors about the Druids their practices were taught in secret in caves or forests. Instruction was said to last as long as twenty years and all verses were learned by heart. No books were used or referred to during their rituals.

According to Greek and Roman writers of that era human sacrifices were common. Usually criminals were used but when none were available innocents were acceptable. Sacrifices were made in a number of ways. One method was called the “wicker man.” The victim was placed inside of a wooden effigy and then burned alive. Depending on which deity was being made the offering there were other acceptable methods of human sacrifice. Drowning and hanging were sometimes used.

Most of us are familiar with historical Druids from the evidence they left behind in the form of the standing stones known as Stonehenge.

There are, of course, modern Druids that still exist in today’s society.

But the standing stones are not the only evidence of the ancient Druids left behind. Stonehenge is estimated to have been constructed between the years 3000 BC and 2000 BC.

Druids in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

Druids became a standard player class in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition. First edition added many new player classes for the first time in the game. And it modified many of the ones that already existed. Druids became a bit controversial for a few of their severe limitations in 1st edition.

• The could only wear leather armor
• At higher levels there could be only a limited number of Druids
• At the highest level there could be only one
• One had to fight other Druids in order to advance to these highest levels and these fights could be to the death
• The maximum level was 14th. That one person was called the Great Druid
• They had to be true Neutral in alignment

Druids were considered to be a sub-class of the cleric. Unlike a cleric they were limited to weaker armor but could use a sharp weapon (spears and scimitars). They were also entitled to use a range weapon, a sling, but a cleric could not.

Druid spells were far different than cleric spells. They could not raise the dead. But they could reincarnate instead. They could heal. But they did not have all of the best healing spells. Most of their spells involved invoking nature or manipulating nature in some way. Spells involving speaking to and controlling animals and plants were offered. But at the highest levels Druids had some very nasty spells that could be quite effective. Finger of Death and Creeping Doom were two of the nastiest spells in the AD&D 1st Edition PHB.

There was quite a bit of controversy involving Druids at the time that 1st Edition came out. First Edition had the advance by combat rule for three different player classes. Druids, Assassins and Monks could only advance to the highest levels by defeating another of the same level in single combat. The combat did not always have to be to the death but more than likely it would be. That would certainly be so for Assassins. Monks perhaps not. But for Druids it seems likely that the combat would be to the death as they would be using sharp weapons and spells to win the right to advance in level. If the loser survived…they would drop to the previous level.

Naturally players did not like that rule. They wanted the right to advance like their comrades. Without having to fight for it. Later editions seemed to do away with these rules.

First Edition also had restrictions on who could become a Druid. Humans, half elves and halflings could become Druids. Only humans and half elves could advance to the highest levels as a druid. Halflings were limited to level 6.

The Druid was the ultimate advocate for all things natural. The forests were their domain. Anyone burning something in the forest might get an unfriendly visit from a Druid. One wantonly killing animals for no reason or destroying plants for no reason would likely incur their wrath. Druids consider the things in the forest to be in their care. And should someone damage or destroy any part of it they will be enraged by it.

Druids in 1st Edition had the power to shape change (after 7th level) into certain animal forms. This was a unique power which made a Druid a dangerous foe. It made the class worth playing. Their human form fighting was rather limited. Even with the use of sharp weapons they still fought using the cleric combat table which did not make them the best melee fighters. And with the armor restriction to leather they were at great risk of being hit in melee combat. And like clerics they only got 8 sided dice for hit points. None of these things were inspiring for close combat. Animal form was the way to go.

Druids could use the same magical items available to clerics as well as those suitable for use by any class. The First Edition DMG had no magic items that were specific to Druids. Unlike a cleric the Druid had no power to turn the undead.

Druids in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

Druids are a separate class in 5th Edition. They harness the power of nature. Unlike 1st Edition a Druid can advance to 20th level. There are no limits to the numbers of high level Druids. And there can be more than one Arch Druid. There does not appear to be a “Great Druid” in 5th Edition. And there does not appear to be any fight to advance in level requirement.

Druids in 5th Edition are concerned with keeping nature in balance. They believe that the four elements must be kept in equilibrium. Earth, fire, water and air are the four elements that must be balanced. Druids are often found guarding sacred sites or watching over unspoiled nature.

Like the 1st Edition Druid a 5th Edition one can shape change into animals starting at 2nd level. The beast form must once have been seen by the druid before. This action can be done twice until a short or long rest has been taken. Limitations on the type of animal are level specific. One cannot cast spells while in beast form.

Druids after 2nd level select a path called a “Druid Circle” in which to advance. This path determines the types of powers that will be attained once the character reaches higher levels. These circles are:

• Circle of the Land
• Circle of the Moon

Most Druids in 5th Edition worship specific nature deities but some worship nature itself. In either event they can be a formidable opponent for those who dare risk their anger.

Druids in Dungeons and Dragons are the Boss of the Forest

Regardless of the edition of Dungeons an Dragons that you play one thing is clear. A Druid is at his or her most powerful while in the forest. Creatures can be summoned that will aid them. Many of their spells can give them a distinct advantage over others in the woods. And they know the forest better than anyone else…..even rangers…

Armor in Dungeons and Dragons comes in a number of different varieties depending upon which edition that you are playing. In 1st Edition there were several types of armor available. Some types of armor were virtually never worn in 1st Edition because it was clear which ones were the best. And as soon as one could afford the best they bought the best. This, of course, does not include magical armor. But this article is not about which armor is best. This article is about what these armors were and what they actually looked like.

Plate Mail

In 1st Edition there was only one kind of plate mail. And it was the big daddy of armor. It had the best armor class. And every fighter type and cleric bought it the moment they had the money to do so. Later editions (and even later supplements for 1st Edition) made distinctions between Full Plate Mail and Half Plate. But for purposes of this article I am only going to talk about Plate Mail in general.

As you can see from the picture above it covers the man wearing it from head to toe. It is big and clunky and slow. The person wearing it has maximum protection but minimum agility. But for game purposes little of that matters. Plate mail was frequently worn in medieval times for things like jousting. Jousting carried a great risk of a lance finding a weak spot and kill the jousters. To prevent that a suit of Plate Mail covered every possible inch of the body with maximum protection.

Splint Mail

The next best thing in 1st Edition was splint mail. Splint mail came in a few different varieties in medieval times. In 1st Edition there was just one. And at 1st level it was often the best armor a fighter type could afford. And that might have been a stretch. Perhaps the party might have chipped in to get the tank properly equipped. Perhaps not. In any event it was nearly as good as plate mail and costed quite a bit less.

Splint mail was rarely worn in 1st edition after the first level. Fighter class characters and Clerics were the only ones capable of wearing it at all.

Chain Mail

Chain Mail was probably the most commonly worn armor in Europe during the middle ages for actual combat. It could provide coverage over the entire body and gave more mobility than Plate Mail. Of course, it is still, quite heavy.

Chain Mail had interlocking metal chain. The one above was presumably used by Templars.

Banded Mail

Banded Mail was almost never worn by any of the players in any of my games. Some forms of armor in Dungeons and Dragons existed theoretically but were virtually never seen in any 1st Edition games. Banded Mail was one of these.

Banded Mail was basically the equivalent of Splint Mail but it costed ten more gold pieces in 1st Edition. So most people opted for Splint Mail instead until they could afford Plate Mail.

Scale Mail

Scale Mail was another rarely worn armor. Now obviously there were NPC that wore scale. Some humanoids like Hobgoblins are shown in the 1st Edition Monster Manual wearing this kind of armor.

Like many of the types of armor discussed here Scale Mail came in different varieties. Often it was made from inferior metals such as bronze.

Scale Mail was clearly not as strong as Plate Mail or Chain Mail. But it did give quite a bit of protection.

Ring Mail

The difference between Ring Mail and Chain Mail is difficult to see. In general they are very similar.

Studded Leather Armor

Studded Leather Armor gave one a little more protection than standard Leather Armor. In 1st Edition and thief or assassin could only wear leather armor. And a Druid had the same restriction. What is unclear is whether any of these could wear studded leather. It seems clear enough that a Druid could not. Because a Druid would not want to be wearing metal. But thieves and assassins were a different question.

From the picture above you can see that this armor really only consisted of a leather jerkin with small metal studs in it. This really does not look like it provided a whole lot more protection than just leather.

Leather Armor

Leather Armor could be worn by Thieves, Assassins and Druids in 1st Edition. Leather armor was worn by the Romans, Celts, Vikings and others in the early centuries.

Leather Armor was dried into a tough jerkin that a sword might have trouble penetrating.

Padded Armor

Perhaps the cheapest and least effective armor is padded armor. Some vikings used padded armor for protection.

Other Armor in Dungeons and Dragons

Other types of armor were also worn in the game. And these were also worn in combat in the middle ages. Helms, gauntlets and greaves were often worn.

Shields

What’s armor without a shield? Some fighters prefer to wield a two handed weapon and forgo any defensive measures. Others, that tended to live longer, chose to put a shield between them and their enemy’s weapons.

Shields came in many shapes and sizes. From a large round shield like above, to a small buckler, shields provided protection when needed.

Sometimes shield carried the coat of arms of the knight or men at arms.

Helms

Like other types of armor helms came in many variations.

Some give more protection than others. Some cover the entire head and others cover only the skull. More armor may give more protection but it might also restrict visibility. Some sacrifices have to be made!

Gauntlets and Greaves

Gauntlets protect the hand and forearms. Greaves protect the legs. Both were possible targets by enemies wanting to kill you.

Greaves protected the legs from harm. Sometimes they had hinges to allow bending of the legs. Sometimes the lower leg armor was an entirely different piece.

Horses Needed Protection Too

Horses were in danger during combat as well. And even in a joust there was the possibility that the horse might catch a lance by mistake. To protect the animal armor was made for their protection as well. It was called Barding. And barding existed in 1st Edition. Hardly anyone used it except for NPCs perhaps. But one riding into battle might be well advised to have it. A horse could easily catch an arrow and that might result in a severe problem for the rider.

Armor In Dungeons and Dragons

As you can see there were many types of armor available for both man and beast. No one was safe in the medieval world and combat could be a very deadly place. Everyone needed protection.

The only people not protected were the commoners. They had to rely on these guys with the gear to do the heavy lifting.

Missile Weapons in Dungeons and Dragons can consist of a variety of things. Some are clearly formal weapons like bows and crossbows. But a piece of leather string and a rock can make an effective weapon too. That is basically all that a sling is.

In a previous article I wrote about melee weapons in Dungeons and Dragons. In this followup piece I am going to talk about, and show you, what many of the missile weapons of the middle ages actually look like along with some of the ammunition used with those weapons.

A quick look at the Players Handbook for any of the editionsof the game will show you that there are far less missile weapons in Dungeons and Dragons than there are melee ones. But sometimes you don’t want to get close to your opponent. Level draining undead, disease carrying mummies and magic using enemies at the rear of an enemy group are frequently good targets to engage with missile weapons.

Crossbows

Crossbows are frequently thought of when people are considering medieval weapons. They are often shown in old movies about the middle ages. They could be rather heavy. And they often required a heavy handcrank in order to put the bolt or quarrel into a firing position. This made them rather slow. But for defending castle walls they were quite effective.

Both heavy and lighter ones are shown in the picture above. You can see the handcranks used to cock the bolt back to firing position.

Long Bows and Short Bows

The bow and arrow have been around since earliest weapons were made. Elves are so proficient with them that they gain a +1 to hit with them in 1st Edition AD&D. They are, of course, the favored weapon of rangers in virtually every realm. Firing them should be faster as they do not require a handcrank in order to fire the next arrow.

Archers could fire over the heads of their front line soldiers and deep into the enemy ranks with impunity. They could pick off enemy leaders and destroy morale. One of my favorite scenes from the movie “300” is when the flight of arrows is raining down on the Spartans. One of the other Spartans reminds King Leonidas that when he was told by the enemy that the Persian arrows would blot out the sun he had replied “then we will fight in the shade!” I would not want to be sitting and waiting for a flight of these arrows to land on me.

The Long Bow was an important part of the weaponry of the English during medieval times. The long bow man gave the armies an advantage on the battlefield that was unequaled by their enemies of the time.

Slings

Slings are such a basic weapon. And they have been around forever. You remember the old biblical story about David slaying Goliath with a rock thrown from a sling? And slings are still used today. Just about any image that you see on television about confrontations between the Israeli troops and Palestinian boys shows kids using slings to throw rocks at the soldiers. Obviously rocks thrown by slings are less effective against armed soldiers wearing Kevlar helmets than they were in the Bible.

All you need to make a sling is a piece of leather or string even. For ammo a rock will do. But often more elaborate ammo than that was used. In Dungeons and Dragons the ammo is referred to as “bullets” but I am not sure if that was the name actually used in the middle ages. Perhaps it was. Perhaps not.

Sometimes ammo was made of lead or other heavy metals. This gives a bit more of a wallop to the target when contact is made.

Slings were usually made of leather. Usually they had a piece of leather to hold the rock or bullet in place while the user swings it overhead before letting it fly. I wonder about the accuracy of such a weapon. Obviously the Bible account suggests that a man can be killed with this weapon but I would rather have a crossbow myself.

While most slings of that era were probably made of leather the picture above shows that one could be made from rope, twine or cloth instead.

Even a Phillistine giant can be taken down by a well placed sling bullet. This guy is going to have a severe headache when this fight is over.

Spears and Javelins

The difference between a spear and a javelin is that a spear has a head attached to it. A javelin is one piece with a sharp end and is often weighted for throwing.

Spears have been around since the dawn of time. They were among the earliest weapons that man ever developed. And stone age civilizations used these weapons for hunting as well as for war.

Even cave men used these weapons. There are pictures on the walls of caves depicting the earliest men using these weapons for hunting.

Other Missile Weapons in Dungeons and Dragons

The creators of Dungeons and Dragons realized that there were other simple options available for missile combat. The hand axe. The throwing dagger. And even the hammer were used in this manner.

Even in old movies about knights and chivalry you occasionally will see the evil villain pull out a wicked looking dagger. Often he is trying to do something despicable like stab the hero while engaged with a sword or something. But sometimes you see the blade thrown instead.

Axes were often used for chopping wood and the like. But sometimes they could be thrown at an enemy that was within range.

Medieval Weapons in Dungeons and Dragons

As you can see there were many options for ranged combat in medieval times. And there are many options in Dungeons and Dragons as well. One does not always want to advance for close combat. Sometimes the enemy spell casters will do too much damage if you take too long to put them down. Sometimes the enemies have nasty abilities you do not want to get too close to. In either situation you want to be prepared to do some damage at range.

Aandoran again. I am here to continue my discussion on the subject of artifacts in Dungeons and Dragons. Last time we talked about Arch Devils and their heirlooms and possessions. It is pretty clear that these items are intended to be artifacts. But if you are not so sure about this consider the following gentleman and his items. One of them was a listed artifact in the First Edition Dungeon Master Guide. If his possessions are artifacts then there should be no question about Arch Devil’s possessions being artifacts. This guy is a prince of a fellow. A Demon Prince that is.

Orcus

Orcus is a Demon Prince. According to legend he has a terrible and powerful wand called the Wand of Orcus. This wand is described in the Dungeon Master Guide as an artifact in 1st Edition. It is shown in his portrait in the Monster Manual.

Unfortunately this picture is small. But you can see that the tip of this terrible wand is a skull. Page 18 of the Monster Manual briefly describes this wand as being a rod of obsidian with a skull at the top. Anyone (not a god, devil, demon or similar divine or fiendish creature) dies if touched with the tip of this wand. Other powers are unknown but ther are many rumors about them.

Fortunately this wand is described in both the 1st Edition Dungeon Master Guide and in the 5th Edition Dungeon Master Guide. In both places the item is described in great detail. The specific powers are left up to the Dungeon Master to determine using the guidelines in those two books.

No other items are discussed for Orcus but it is likely that he would have others at his disposal.

Demogorgon

Demogorgon is a powerful Demon Prince. No artifacts are mentioned for him yet it seems rather obvious that he would have some. He is listed as being possibly the most powerful Demon Prince. Yet Orcus has his wand of death. And Demogorgon appears to have nothing of the like. Perhaps you should remedy this inequity.

With his new found fame on Stranger Things Demogorgon deserves better treatment doesn’t he? He is a celebrity now. He will soon have his own star on the walk of fame in Hollywood. But he has no artifacts of his own. This is a disgrace!

Jubilex

What kind of artifacts could a Demon Prince of slime have? Who knows. None are listed for him. But are we sure that he has none of his own?

Yeenoghu

Yeenoghu is possible the weakest of the 1st Edition Demon Princes. Yet he has a known artifact too. He carries a three headed flail that does awful damage with each head of it. Each ball of the flail does something different but terrible to the victim. It is a powerful weapon of destruction.

The three balls of this flail have a chance to hit the victim in each round. One ball of this dreaded flail One merely does 3-18 points of damage. Another paralyzes a victim. And another causes confusion. The flail is seven feet long and has chains made of adamantite. It seems likely that this flail might have other powers beyond those detailed.

But a look at this picture and you can see two other items that might be potential artifacts. He wears a bracelet on the right arm. And he has a belt. Are these artifacts as well? Possibly.

Demons and Devils Do Not Get All of the Fun

Deities, Demigods and even some epic heroes are also known to have artifacts in Dungeons and Dragons. A look at the Deities and Demigods tome from 1st Edition will provide more inspiration for such items. Some of these items are specifically mentioned. Some are not. But the pictures of the Deities themselves show items that in all likelihood would be artifacts usable in game play. I won’t go through all of the potential Deities in that book but will mention just a few as examples in this article.

Thor’s might hammer is a well known artifact. It is shown in the picture here from Deities and Demigods. But the hammer is not the only potential artifact in this picture. He wears gauntlets, boots, armor, a belt and a helm. Would some of these items be magical? Almost certainly. Would they be artifacts? Probably. Perhaps they would be minor ones.

In the picture above Ares carries a spear, wears a helm, wields a shield, has boots on and presumably is wearing armor. Some or all of these items would likely be artifacts. All would at least be magical. His items might be war related.

Athena is shown above. She is known as a goddess of both wisdom and combat. Clearly her weapons are going to be magical but would probably be artifacts. She wears a robe, carries a shield, wears a helm and presumably would have armor under that robe. She probably wears rings and jewelry as well. Some or all of these items would be artifacts in all likelihood. Some of these items would likely e related to wisdom or combat or both.

Ra is seen in this picture wearing and carrying several things that are probably artifacts. He wears a face mask, has wrist bands or bracelets, carries an Ankh, wears a robe and is probably wearing jewelry. These things might very well be artifacts. As he is a sun God it is likely that many of these relics might be sun related.

Odin is called the “All Father.” He is considered the supreme ruler of gods. Naturally anything connected to him would likely be an artifact. In this picture he is wearing a helm, carrying a spear, wearing a cape, wearing boots, and wearing armor. It is likely that he wears jewelry of some sort but none is clearly visible here as he wears gauntlets that cover his hands.

Artifacts in Dungeons and Dragons Are Awesome

People who see artifacts should be awed by them. They are objects owned by gods, devils, demons and legendary heroes. They should have awesome and terrible powers alike. And they should have horrible curses and side effects to prevent overuse of them by mere mortals who are not powerful enough to control them.

Artifacts in Dungeons and Dragons owned by Demon Princes should have evil purposes and histories of evil use and creation. These items are imbued with the evil personalities that created and use them regularly. Possession and use of them should come with a terrible price tag for the mortals daring to do so. The more one uses such devices the more one becomes like demon princes that wield them. Continuing to use them should result in the user learning to regret their reliance on them.

Often an artifact can be an important part of a story line in a campaign. There may be one truly important, perhaps even essential, time to use the relic. And then it should be discarded as soon as possible after. But players are not going to want to throw away such power. And that can lead to their doom.

Every artifact should have a complicated and difficult method of destroying it. This alone might take a long and dangerous quest to complete. At the end of that quest the artifact is destroyed but the adventurers will realize that they are now much stronger for it.

A good example of this is the one ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This ring is clearly an artifact and not just some ordinary magical item. Ordinary magic items do exist in the LOTR series. The sword “sting” that Bilbo (and later Frodo) wields glows blue when orcs are near. The Mithril that Bilbo gives to Frodo is what D&D calls Elven Chainmail. To destroy the one ring one has to travel to Mordor and throw the ring into the lava in which it was forged. In my opinion that kind of thing is exactly what every artifact should require in the game. Artifacts are powerful magic. And it takes such magic to destroy them as well.

In an earlier article I brought up the subject of sages. Now I want to discuss another important source of information in the fantasy world. Only this one is more of a divine source of information. Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons can provide answers when sages cannot. Granted…sages can give answers on most topics in their fields of study. But sometimes even a sage cannot tell you an answer to questions that are not in any books.

Oracles Were Reclusive

Oracles preferred to be a long way from civilization. They did not want frequent visitors. Presumably ancient oracles did not want people around too often as their methods of divining answers might be exposed as fraud. The Oracle at Delphi shown above was located at a remote location on a mountain top. Leaders had to travel great distances to consult with them.

Oracles Were Often Female

In the ancient world Oracles were often women. Often they were young girls. The Oracle at Delphi is commonly depicted in artwork as a girl. It was sometimes believed that once an Oracle mated for the first time she would lose her powers to divine and her ability to see the future.

Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons

Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons should be kept reclusive. They should not be found in a major town or city. Instead it should take an epic and dangerous journey to find them. Perhaps their location will be known commonly. But their great distance makes visiting them a risky proposition. This keeps the masses away from them. And it keeps their secrets safer.

An Oracle is likely to be part of a large temple in this remote location. Mountain top temples would be a likely place to find one. The Oracles themselves will not show themselves. They will have many attendants and priests to serve as intermediaries. This keeps prying eyes off of their secret ways of divining.

Oracles and Magic

Perhaps in your games you might wish your Oracle to have actual magical power to determine the answers with. Perhaps they have some spell casting ability such as legend lore or contact other plane at their disposal. Or perhaps their many attendants and priests perform this function for them and they just deliver the answers in a manner that suggests that they have used some all powerful force to find the truth.

Purposes for Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons

An Oracle can serve several purposes in your adventures. Sometimes big campaign questions need to be answered. Who is the real villain behind the scenes? What caused this plague? Who places this curse upon us? Will the Jural Empire attempt to invade us this year? Who is behind all these barbarian raids on our sea coast?

A sage won’t have answers to these kinds of questions. The sage, however, might have the answer on what to do once the questions are answered. Let’s use the curse or plague examples. The Sage may not know who or what caused the plague. But once the plague is identified (or the curse) the sage may have ideas on what could be done to cure it.

Oracles in Dungeons and Dragons

An Oracle can be the source of an adventure all of it’s own. One can travel a great distance through a hostile land to a remote mountain top. And once there they can find the priests and attendants to the Oracle unwilling to let the visitors pass. Perhaps tests will be required before one is allowed to consult with her. Perhaps challenges will be issued. There is one thing for sure. It will be an adventure.