Dragon Compendium, Vol.1 (Dungeons & Dragons)

264 Pages·2007·70.89 MB·English

by  Mike Mcartor

Managing Editor: Erik Mona
Developer: Mike Mearls
Editor: Mike McArtor
Additional Development: Jason Bulmahn
Art Director: Sean Glenn
Graphic Designer: Sarah Robinson
Cover Artist: Todd Lockwood
Prepress Manager: Kelly O'Brien
Production Manager: Jeff Alvarez
COO & Publisher: Keith Francis Strohm
Paizo CEO: Lisa Stevens
The DRAGON Compendium, Volume 1 features the art of: Attila Adorjany, Kalman Andrasofszky, Carlo Arellano, Peter Bergting,
Brorn, Jeff Carlisle, Matt Cavotta, Joe Corroney, Mike Dutton, Jason Engle, Scott Fischer, Jon Foster, Tom Fowler, D.
Alexander Gregory, Todd Harris, Fred Hooper, Andrew Hou, Kennon James, Niklas Janssen, Bob Klasnich, Karl Kerschl, Jeff
Laubenstein, Robert Lazzaretti, Chuck Lukacs, Howard Lyon, Mike May, Warren Mahy, Dave McCllean, Cara Mitten, Mark
Nelson, Jake Parker, Michael Phillipi, Eric Polak, Steve Prescott, Wayne Reynolds, Darrell Riche, James Ryman, Marc Sasso,
Dan Scott, Brian Snoddy, Ron Spencer, Arnie Swekel, Linda Tso, David Wahlstrom, Eva Widermann
The DRAGON Compendium, Volume 1 features the design of: Mark Anthony, Alec Baclawski, John Baichtal, Wolfgang Baur,
Scott Bennie, Evi Bound, S. Deniz Bucak, Jason Bulmahn, Eric Cagle, Christopher Campbell, Scott Carter, C. M. Cline, Andy
Collins, Monte Cook, Bruce R Cordell, Jesse Decker, Oliver Diaz, Larry DiTillio, Talon Dunning, Richard Farrese, Vince
Garcia, Ed Greenwood, Gary Gygax, Eric Haddock, Robert J. Hahn, Kevin Hamilton, Tim Hitchcock, Gary Holian, Clifford
Horowitz, Stephen Inniss, Evan Michael Jackson, James Jacobs, Spike Jones, Gary Jordan, Michael Kelly, Stephen Kenson,
Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Spencer Kornhaber, Steve Kurtz, Len Lakofka, Paul Leach, Richard Alan Lloyd, Ari Marmell,
Mike McArtor, Mike Mearls, Frank Mentzer, Tom Moldvay, Erik Mona, Roger E. Moore, E. W Morton, Carl Parlagreco,
Richard Pengelly, Christopher Perkins, Chris Perry, Dean Poisso, Roger Raupp, Joseph R. Ravitts, Rich Redman, Johnathan
M. Richards, Charles Rodgers, Andrew M. Scott, Matthew Sernett, Owen K.C. Stephens, Travis Stout, Keith Strohm, Phil
Taterczynskt, Joseph R Terrazzino, Chris Thomasson, Kieran Turley, Brian Walton, Don Webb, Rosemary Webb, D. G. Weeks,
Skip Williams, James Wyatt, Jishuo Yang, Patrick Younts
Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS rules created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS
& DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison.
The following text is considered Open Content: "Arcane Alterations: Templates for Spells." This Paizo Publishing
game product contains no other Open Game Content. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20
System License, please visit wizards.com/d20.
These articles originally appeared in DRAGON magazine. Subscribe to DRAGON at paizo.com.
Paizo Publishing, LLC 2700 Richards Road Suite 201 Bellevue, WA 9S005-4200.
First Printing October, 2005.
The Death Master class is © 1983, Lenard Lakofka, and is used with permission. "Solo Dungeon Adventures" is ©
1974, Gary Gygax, and is used with permission.
Trademarks related to the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS brand, including DRAGON, DUNGEON, D&D, Dungeon Master, d2o
System, the d2o System logo, Wizards of the Coast, and the Wizards of the Coast logo are registered trademarks owned
by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used under license from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a division of Hasbro, Inc.
Paizo Publishing is a registered trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC. Distributed worldwide by Paizo Publishing, LLC
and regional distributors. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any
reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written
permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations,
places, or events is purely coincidental. Printed in Canada.
© 2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PAIZ0.COM
CHAPTER 1: RACES 6 APPENDICES 224
Diabolus 6 101 Wondrous Whereabouts 224
Diopsid 10 7-Sentence NPC 230
Dvati 14 Be Thy Die Ill-Wrought? 231
Lupin 18 Good Hits & Bad Misses 232
Tibbit 21 Instant Adventures 234
Not Another Magic Sword 234
Pronunciation Guide 238
CHAPTER 2: CLASSES 26
Solo Dungeons 242
Battle Dancer 26
Death Master 29
Jester 36 COVER GALLERY 246
Mountebank 42 DRAGON #305, by Wayne Reynolds 246
Savant 45 DRAGON #315, by Dan Scott 247
Sha'ir 51 DRAGON #316, by James Ryman 248
Urban Druid 57 DRAGON #324, by Marc Sasso 249
DRAGON #326, by Howard Lyon 250
DRAGON #331, by Steve Prescott 251
CHAPTER 3; PRESTIGE CLASSES 66
Aerial Avenger 67
LIST OF NUMBERED TABLES
Arcanopath Monk 68
Blessed of Gruumsh 70 Table 1-1: Racial Ability Adjustments 7
Cerebrex 72 Table 1-2: Random Starting Ages 7
Fleet Runner of Ehlonna 74 Table 1-3: Aging Effects 7
Flux Adept 76 Table 1-4: Random Height and Weight 7
Table 2-1: Random Starting Gold 27
Force Missile Mage 78
Monk of the Enabled Hand 80 Table 2-2: Battle Dancer Unarmed Damage 28
Osteomancer 82 Table 2-3: The Battle Dancer 29
The Shaper of Form 85 Table 2-4: The Death Master 32
Table 2-5: The Jester 39
Table 2-6: Jester Spells Known 39
CHAPTER 4: FEATS 88 Table 2-7: The Mountebank 44
Table 2-8: Savant Arcane Spell Progression 47
CHAPTER 5: EQUIPMENT AND MAGIC ITEMS no Table 2-9: Savant Divine Spell Progression 47
Table 2-10: The Savant 48
Table 2-11: The Sha'ir 52
CHAPTER 6: CLASSICS 144
Table 2-12: Sha'ir Spells Known 53
Arcane Alterations:
Table 2-13: The Urban Druid 59
Templates for Spells 144
Table 3-1: The Aerial Avenger 67
Glyphs of Cerilon 147 Table 3-2: The Arcanopath Monk 69
The Answer is... the Riddle! 151 Table 3-3: The Blessed of Gruumsh 71
Runes 155 Table 3-4: The Cerebrex 73
Runestones 161 Table 3-5: The Fleet Runner of Ehlonna 75
Tesseracts 162
Table 3-6: The Flux Adept 78
Another Look at Tesseracts 164
Table 3-7: The Force Missile Mage 80
Toxins of Cerilon 167
Table 3-8: The Monk of the Enabled Hand 81
Table 3-9: The Osteomancer 85
CHAPTER 7: MONSTERS 172 Table 3-10: The Shaper of Form 87
Blackroot Marauder 172 Table 4-1: Feat Summary 89
Bleeder 174 Table 5-1: Weapons 111
Bodak Creature 175 Table 5-2: Armor 116
Bonespitter 178 Table 5-3: Alchemical Items 118
Bonetree 179 Table 5-4: Specific Armors 120
Casurua 181 Table 5-5: Specific Weapons 123
Chaoswyrd 182 Table 5-6: Weapon Special Ability 124
Ciruja Plant 184 Table 5-7: Rings 127
Demon, Elemental 185 Table 5-8: Rods and Staffs 128
Demonically Fused Elemental 193 Table 5-9: Wondrous Items 131
Dragons, Chromatic 195 Table 6-1: Poisons 171
Ghastly Creature 202 Table 7-1: Monsters by CR 172
Ghoulish Creature 203 Table C-l: Critical Values 232
Glasspane Horror 205 Table D-l: Critical Hit Effects 233
Grandfather Plaque 207 Table D-2: Fumble Effects 233
Mummy, Bog 208 Table E-1: Instant Adventures 235
Ragewing 210 Table H-1: Periodic Checks 243
Ravenous 212 Table H-2: Doors 243
Seelie Court Fey 214 Table H-3: Stairs 244
Spiritus Anime 216 Table H-4: Side Passages 244
Trap Haunt 217 Table H-5: Caves & Caverns 244
Troll, Fire 220 Table H-6: Turns 244
Unseelie Fey 222 Table H-7: Chambers & Rooms 245
F
or three decades, DRAGON with the game we're all
magazine has been the playing right now. To
official periodical of the begin the herculean
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. task of assembling
From introducing important this monster, I spent
monsters like the bulette, mind several weeks with Paizo's
flayer, and ankheg, to previewing complete printed archive
popular campaign settings like of every issue of DRAGON
the FORGOTTEN REALMS and and DRAGON'S predecessor,
DRAGONLANCE, DRAGON has played an a slim black and white
integral role in D&D's development. newsletter called The Strategic
Years ago, the editors of DRAGON Review, which comprised
used to compile the best articles seven issues printed between
from recent issues into special 1975 and 1976.
editions called the Best of DRAGON. As I combed through
The practice ended in 1986 with the DRAGON got its start as The Strategic Review, the archive, I began marking
fifth volume in the series. Since then, a newsletter that ran from 1975-1976. articles that caught my eye
excellent material from DRAGON'S pages has come with colored post-it notes. Yellow denoted items
and gone, some sneaking its way into official D&D of historical interest to the D&D game, such as old
products and some slipping away into the bookshelf- advertisements or essays from the likes of Gary Gygax
bound obscurity of an old magazine collection. or Ed Greenwood. Blue was for monsters, green was
In 2003, Paizo Publishing hit upon the idea of producing for magic items, red for new classes, and so on. I'd
hardcover compilations of articles and adventures from remembered many of these excellent articles from the
the DRAGON and DUNGEON back catalogues, updated for first time they appeared, or from the excellent (and now
play in the current edition of the D&D game. Our first quite rare) CD-ROM compilation of DRAGON'S first
hardcover, the Shackled City Adventure Path, was released 250 issues. It took weeks, but I finally made it through
in August to excellent reviews. But the second book was every single issue, and by the time I was done I not only
really the first one we had imagined, and initial work had a better understanding of the magazine's history
began on it more than two years ago. and how I might better edit the modern DRAGON, but
In my original vision, the DRAGON Compendium I also had dozens of hanging file folders stuffed with
would be a hardcover version of the old Best of Dragons, photocopies of every single article that had caught my
compiling excellent articles from the magazine's history eye on the first pass.
and updating them to the most recent version of the This spelled trouble, because there was just no way
game, so that all of those great gems that should have we could reprint all of the great material that had
made it into the "canon" of printed material could finally originally seen publication in the pages of DRAGON.
appear in a single easy — to — reference souTrhcee mcoomnpstaetirbs lea lone would have filled three 256-page
DRAGON reached the height of its popularity in the 1980s, under the guidance of editors Kim Mohan and Roger E. Moore. These
covers, by artist Dennis Beauvais, remain fan favorites more than 20 years later.
books, and I only had one to Lastly, we round
work with. Clearly, the book out the volume with
couldn't be the definitive more than two dozen
guide to the best material monsters (including
from DRAGON, simply the orange, yellow, and
because no book could purple dragons) and
possibly hope to contain all an appendix filled with
of the great articles that have lists of wondrous places,
appeared in DRAGON'S pages tests to determine the
since the first issue launched efficacy of your favorite
back in June of 1976. dice, the famous "Good
That's why we're calling this Hits and Bad Misses"
edition the DRAGON Compendium, critical hit and fumble
Volume 1. Our expectation is charts, a pronunciation
that the book's sales will justify guide, and more.
Today, under the aegis of Paizo Publishing, DRAGON
further volumes in the series, so Looking over the almost-
proudly continues 30 years of tradition with 100%
that we might do a book aimed at final printouts, I'm not only
official DUNGEONS & DRAGONS content.
planar or "Oriental Adventures" amazed by how many great
material, and we might even do compilations of articles we managed to update and include, but I'm also
material germane to the official campaign settings. For stunned by how much amazing material remains to be
this first installment, however, we've decided to aim at a culled for future volumes in what we hope will become
general audience, providing top-quality material useful a continuing series.
to all players and Dungeon Masters. 2006 marks DRAGON'S 30th anniversary. In the last
This volume of the Compendium features five PC three decades we've seen several editions of the D&D
classes (the diabolus, diopsid, dvati, lupin, and tibbit), rules. Favorite authors and artists have come and gone,
seven standard classes (ranging from the battle and nearly a dozen editors-in-chief have brought their
dancer to the savant to the sha'ir), 10 prestige classes own vision to the magazine. But DRAGON'S commitment
(including the arcanopath monk, the flux adept, and to creative and design innovation has always remained
the osteomancer), and dozens of feats and magic its most important goal and its defining purpose. The
items culled from the best DRAGON articles in the DRAGON Compendium, Volume 1 presents just a slice
magazine's history. But the Compendium is more than a of the best material from DRAGON'S proud history.
simple collection of classes, spells, and magic items. It Much, much more remains to be discovered. As a wise
also features a lengthy chapter called "Classics," which adventurer once said, the greatest adventure begins
reprints popular feature articles like "The Glyphs of with a single step. I invite you to take that step with me
Cerilon," from way back in issue #50, Ed Greenwood's into the DRAGON'S lair.
"Runestones" article from DRAGON #69, and Gary We shall not be coming back soon.
Jordan's infamous "Tesseracts (or, Making Meticulous
Mappers Mad)," from issue #17. The articles in this Erik Mona
section span three decades and three editions of the Editor-in-Chief
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, and represent a selection
DRAGON & DUNGEON
of the best DRAGON has to offer. September 21, 2005
CHAPTER ONE:
T
he races presented in this chapter originated
in a wide variety of sources. Only one of them,
the diopsid, originally appeared as a player
character race. Even the lupin and diaboli made their
first appearances as monstrous enemies. Each race
offers a unique ability or trait that makes playing it a
memorable experience. The new races, and their
distinguishing characteristics, are as follows.
Diabolus: These natives of the Plane of
Shadow have a sinister appearance that belies
their true nature. Their poison sting makes them
daunting enemies.
Diopsid: The hulking diopsids are humanoid beetles.
With their multiple arms, diopsids can wield a pair of
two-handed weapons simultaneously.
Dvati: The bizarre dvati are a set of twins linked by
a single soul. In battle, they form a potent duo against
their enemies.
Lupin: The savage lupins are wolflike humanoids.
Masters of the wilderness, the lupins' keen sense of
smell makes them unmatched trackers.
Tibbit: Also known as catweres, tibbits are small
humanoids who have the ability to shift into the form
of an unobtrusive house cat.
Diabolus boundaries between their reality and those of the Far
Realm—a place that exists outside of reality from which
pseudonatural creatures originate—seem particularly
by Mike McArtor, DRAGON #327 January 2005 thin. As such, the maddeningly chaotic taint of the
Far Realm constantly seeps into the Demiplane of
Originating on a distant plane, the diaboli appear to Nightmares like a breached dam trickling water.
many humanoid cultures as nightmares incarnate. On their home demiplane, the diaboli act much as
They have dispersed across the infinite planes as much humans do on the Material Plane: they farm, hunt, build
to spread their creed of benevolent chaos as to escape villages and towns, interact peacefully with some of the
the rampant horrors of an invading reality. creatures they share their home with, and they violently
Diaboli hail from a demiplane just slightly out oppose others. Some diaboli become philosophers of
of phase with the rest of the multiverse. Called by renown, while others skulk the dark alleyways waiting
humanoids the Demiplane of Nightmares, this realm for their next mark.
borders coterminously with the Region of Dreams and Unlike humans, diaboli have a unifying belief in
the Ethereal Plane. Unfortunately for the diaboli and the superiority of anarchy. They build their societies
the creatures that share their frightening home, the around the belief that since they cannot provably