Monster Manual v??

NOTE:

Everything featured in this document is intended to be used as a guideline, nothing more.  DMs are free to interpret these as they see fit, and are in fact encouraged to do so for the sake of the game.  

 

SIZES

Small: Creatures no bigger then a foot and a half in height.  (Baby dragons, Parasprite swarms)

Medium: General size category for most civilized races between three and five feet.  (Ponies, Donkeys/Mules, Zebras)

Large: Six-seven feet at the shortest.  (Minotaurs, Buffalo)

Very Large: Colossal beasts too large to fit inside most structures (Adult dragons, Ursa Minors)

Enormous: The largest creatures alive.  Could be classified as terrain features.  (Ancient dragons, Ursa Majors)

 

TEMPLATES

Creatures of the world come in many varieties.  Not all of these are natural, and can be the result of magic both accidental and invoked.  The following templates can be applied to most creatures, granting them additional skills.  

Undeath

Death is not always permanent.  A creature can be risen from the grave in a variety of fashions, though they only occasionally retain their free will.  The following templates can be applied to create undead enemies:

-Zombie: A reanimated corpse driven only by the desire to consume or follow the directives of who rose it.  Their flesh continues to decay, and they generally fall apart after a few weeks at most.  Zombies are slow to move and react, but immune to pain or bleeding.  They can only be slain by destroying the head or body.

-Skeleton

The reanimated skeleton of a creature, they are popular footsoldiers for those who practice necromancy.  Their lack of flesh grants them fewer limitations than zombies.  Skeletons are immune to the effects of pain, bleeding, lightning, and ice.  However, they are slight of frame and fall apart easily when struck with excessive force.

-Ghost

The spirit of a dead being still tied to the material plane.  Their incorporeal forms render them immune to physical laws, meaning they cannot be harmed through conventional means and can traverse physical boundaries not warded against them.  However, they are quite vulnerable to magic and holy items.

Elementals

Magic is temperamental, and occasionally allows the natural elements to take on a form of their own.  An Elemental can take the form of any creature, and applies its natural affinity to all of its attacks.  They are healed by contact with their native element, but take additional damage from their opposing one.

 

FIRE<ICE<LIGHTNING

Note that the magic triangle can be applied in other fashions, as determined by the DM.

 

GOD TIER - Creatures so far above others as to be unstoppable without the use of plot devices.

 

[DRACONEQUUS]

God Tier monster

Varies

A bizarre chimera with body parts from multiple creatures.  It thrives on disorder and is extremely difficult to predict.

Skill: Random Anatomy-No two Draconequui are alike.  A Draconequus may have any randomly chosen skills from both playable and enemy races.  Exceptions include Pack Hunter, Hive Mother, Divine Presence (unless an Avatar has taken the form of a Draconequus), and Bear Lore.  

Skill: Anarchic Presence-When an Draconequus is present, the effects of all critical rolls are doubled.

 

[ANCIENT DRAGON]

God Tier monster

Enormous

The oldest and most powerful of the dragons.  Incredibly rare, they are greatly respected and feared for their immense power

Skill: Stonehide-As a dragon's hide thickens with age, ancients scales are among the strongest materials known.  They have great resistance to most conventional weapons (Cannot be rendered Helpless through normal attacks).

Skill: Inferno Breath-Ancient dragonfire burns with an intensity like no other.  It is said that ground razed with it will never be fertile again, and that burns caused by it will never heal.

Skill: Flight-Like all dragonkind, ancient dragons can fly.  However their immense girth means they are the slowest and most ponderous creatures in the air (-3 to Dodge rolls).

 

[DRACOLICH]

God Tier monster

Varies

A dragon that has refused to succumb to the inevitablity of death and has become a lich.  They are usually very cunning and powerful mages.

Skill: Undead-A lich is no longer bound by flesh, and is immune to things like pain or blood loss.  They no longer need to sleep or eat as well.

Skill: Vile Breath-Dracoliches sacrifice their dragonfire in exchange for noxious gases that corrode and poison (normal hits inflict poison, criticals inflict Helpless).

 

[ALICORN]

God Tier monster

Medium

The paragons of the three pony races.  They are usually seen as divine beings by other equines.

Skill: Greater Magic-An alicorn's command over magic is much greater then the lesser unicorns.  Alicorns know all spells, and spells cast are of an order of magnitude stronger (+3 to all Magic rolls)

Skill: Flight-Despite their slightly larger size, alicorns are no less fast and maneuverable then their pegasus cousins in the air.

Skill: Improved Strength-Although their frames are usually comparatively lighter than the earth ponies, alicorns retain their impressive physical abilities.

 

[CHANGELING BROODMOTHER]

God Tier monster

Medium

The queens of the Changeling race.  They look down on all other races and see them as nothing more then food for the hive.

Skill: Master Shapechanger-Changeling queens are far more adept at shapeshifting then the drones.  They may take the shape of creatures up to two size categories different then their own.

Skill: Hive Mother-A Queen is never without her subjects.  The Changeling Queen is always accompanied by a brood of Changelings.  (When in the presence of a Broodmother, Drones gain a +2 to all rolls)

Skill: Flight-Like all Changelings, Queens possess wings, but their small size and light membranes mean they are not as strong fliers as some other species.

 

[GOD AVATAR]

God Tier monster

Varies

The manifested physical form of a divine or infernal power.  There are few things capable of standing up against them other than another avatar.

Skill: Divine Presence-The gods watch over their subjects.  Any player of the same alignment as a present avatar gets a +2 bonus to all rolls.

Skill: Unearthly Perfection-The Gods are beyond the flaws of mere mortals. Avatars are immune to all status effects (poison, burns, freezing, Helpless, ect.).

 

HIGH TIER - powerful beings which most would regard as incredibly difficult if not impossible to overcome

 

[WINDIGO]

High Tier monster

Large

A selfish and evil winter spirit.  They feed on mistrust and can cause famine without even being seen.

Skill: Incorporeal-Windigos do not have physical bodies and cannot be hurt by normal weapons.  Only magic and magic weapons can harm a Windigo, especially ones based on camaraderie.

Skill: Winter Winds-A Windigo's breath is a frozen storm.  Groups of them can cause disastrous blizzards if left unchecked (Critical hits inflict frozen and Helpless).

 

[URSA MAJOR]

High Tier monster

Enormous

A massive bear constructed from immaterial starstuff. It has great tusks longer than several ponies combined and a mass relatable to a large building.

Skill: Supreme Bear - bears see Ursa Majors as living gods, and thus cannot attack them without having their alignment change to Chaotic Evil.

Skill: Supermassive Collapse - the swirling, unstable energies that help the Ursa Major retain shape are very volatile. If slain, an Ursa Major will explode as the energy is released, leaving no corpse behind as it becomes one with the cosmos.

 

[HYDRA]

High Tier monster

Very Large

Swamp-dwelling land behemoths related to the dragons.  They have multiple heads and powerful jaws, but are slow-witted and easily outrun.

Skill: Many Heads-A hydra usually has between two and six heads, but older ones can have more.  The heads have their own minds and frequently argue with each other.  A hydra can attack a number of times per turn equal to its number of heads, but on a crit failure, it renders itself Helpless as its heads bicker.

Skill: Unclean-As they dwell in swamps and bogs, Hydras are covered with vile toxins.  Hydra attacks can poison.

 

[MATURE DRAGON]

High Tier monster

Very Large

Adult dragons are powerful beasts.  They usually leave the outside world alone, concerned only with their hordes.

Skill: Fire Breath-The calling card of dragonkind.  An adult dragon can easily burn down a forest.  It may have other magical effects.

Skill: Flight-Dragons are powerful fliers and can cross countries with ease, but they are slow and not very maneuverable.

 

[WATER SERPENT]

High Tier monster

Very Large

Immense water snakes that prey on the unwary.  Smarter then hydras, but frailer and more widespread.

Skill: Master Swimmer-Water serpents are in their element in any body of water that can hold them.  They recieve a +2 bonus to dodge rolls in water.

Skill: Scaldbreath-Like dragons, Serpents have breath weapons.  However theirs is a high-pressure stream of boiling water.

 

[CERBERUS]

High Tier monster

Large

The three-headed guardians of the underworld.  Immensely strong and ferocious, they can also be fiercely loyal and playful with those that earn their trust.

Skill: Many Heads-A Cerberus always has three heads.  Unlike Hydras, they are of one mind and always work together.  A Cerberus can attack up to three times per turn.

Skill: Master Tracker-As the watchdogs of the underworld, a Cerberus' duty is to track down and return any escapees.  A Cerberus will never lose track of its prey.

 

[AHUITZOTL]

High Tier monster

Medium

The rare and legendary water-dogs.  Crafty and conniving, they are dangerous beings that usually dwell in tropical environments.

Skill: Hands-Ahuitzotls are dexterous and manipulative creatures.  It has hands on the end of each limb, as well as one on the end of its prehensile tail.

Skill: Lord of Cats-Ahuitzotls have command over felines, and are usually accompanied by a pack of predatory jungle cats.

 

MID TIER - noteworthy monsters that should only be faced with the right tools and a good plan

 

[URSA MINOR]

Mid Tier monster

Very Large

The smaller children of the great Ursa Major.  No less dangerous then their greater ancestors, they can trample villages in a rage.

Skill: Greater Bear-Bears hold just as much respect for the lesser Ursas.  They cannot attack them without their alignment changing to Chaotic Evil.

Skill: Supermassive Collapse - the swirling, unstable energies that help the Ursa Major retain shape are very volatile. If slain, an Ursa Minor will explode as the energy is released, leaving no corpse behind as it becomes one with the cosmos.

 

[MANTICORE]

Mid Tier monster

Medium

Forest dwelling apex predators with the body of a lion, wings of a bat, and tail of a scorpion.  Feared by equines since prehistoric times.

Skill: Venom-A Manticore's tail contains a fast-acting toxin to help subdue its prey.  A manticore's tail attacks will poison.

Skill: Flight-Manticores are powerful fliers, but cannot reach the altitudes and speeds attainable by a griffon or pegasus.

 

[COCKATRICE]

Mid Tier monster

Medium

Dangerous ambush predators with the head of a chicken and body of a snake, as well as wings.  They are cowardly and usually run from a straight fight though.

Skill: Stonegaze-A Cockatrice can turn most creatures to mere statues simply by looking into their eyes.  Divine and greater magical beings are immune to this effect, and they can be cowed into submission by sheer force of will.  A petrified character counts as Helpless, and requires outside assistance to recover.

Skill: Flight-The wings of a Cockatrice are almost comically small, and they usually cannot manage much more than fluttering a few feet above the ground (-2 to Dodge in air).

 

[YOUNG DRAGON]

Mid Tier Monster

Medium-Large

Haughty and arrogant, adolescent dragons are only just now coming to realize the power that is their birthright.  Unfortunately for them, they also haven't realized their limits yet.

Skill: Fire Breath-Dragons fully develop their famous fire breath at this age, and young dragons take great delight at using it at every opportunity.  Pyromania is not uncommon.

Skill: Flight-A young dragon's wings are fully developed, and they can easily carry their own weight.  They lack the raw power and endurance of their elders though.

 

[QUARRAY EEL]

Mid Tier monster

Large

Burrowing snake beasts with tempers as voracious as their appetites.  They are the ones responsible for the endless cavern systems under Equestria.

Skill: Cave Maw-Few creatures have a mouth the sheer size of an Eel.  A creature seized by an eel's bite attack counts as Helpless as the eel attempts to swallow it whole.

Skill: Master Burrower: Despite their utter lack of limbs, Quarray Eels are unsurpassed burrowers.  They gain +2 dodge bonuses when underground.

 

[MINOTAUR]

Mid Tier monster

Medium

Cousins of the Buffalo, Minotaurs are solitary beasts that roam the countryside looking to test their immense strength.  They have a reputation for being rowdy troublemakers.

Skill: Biped-Minotaurs are one of the few truly bipedal races in the world.  Their upper arms have fully formed hands, but this means they aren't as fast as their quadruped cousins.

Skill: Great Strength-Minotaurs are infamous for their enormous physical strength.  A minotaur has the physical strength, toughness, and constitution of creatures many times their size.  Minotaurs crit on a roll of 9 or above.

 

LOW TIER-bigger and scarier things that can take more beating

 

[TIMBER WOLF]

Low Tier monster

Medium

Cunning beasts with a taste for ponies.  Infamous for their exceptional teamwork.

Skill: Wood Body-A Timber Wolf's body is made entirely of wood.  Timber Wolves are immune to blood loss and gain a +1 to hide bonuses in forests, but flame attacks will automatically count as criticals against them.

Skill: Pack Hunter-Timber Wolves never hunt alone.  They come in groups of at least five, usually lead by an alpha.

 

[BEAR]

Low Tier monster

Medium

Powerful beasts that live alone and secluded.  Strangely, they seem intelligent yet cannot speak.

Skill: Improved Strength-Bear strength is incredible, and the best specimens can match minotaurs in contests of raw power  Bears crit on a roll of 9+.

Skill: Bear Lore-Only Bears are privy to the mysterious secrets of Bear society.  Bears always succeed on Bear Lore checks, the applications of which are up to the DM.

 

[BUFFALO]

Low Tier monster

Medium

Desert-dwelling nomads that live in herds.  They revere the land and shun most modern comforts.

Skill: Toughness-Buffalo strength and endurance is great, a necessity to live in the unforgiving desert climate.

Skill: Shamanism-The Buffalo have a spiritual connection to nature, and can use Shaman abilities as racial skills.

 

[GIANT SQUID]

Low Tier Monster

Large-Very Large

Massive aquatic predators with many limbs.  They are mostly seen in the great oceans, but a few smaller specimens have somehow found their ways into lakes.

Skill: Tentacles-A squid's many arms give them a +1 bonus to grapple and throw rolls.  

Skill: Master Swimmer-Almost immobile on land, squids are swift and graceful underwater.  A squid gains a +2 bonus to dodge rolls when submerged.

 

[PHOENIX]

Low Tier Monster

Small-Medium

The legendary firebirds, phoenixes are good-natured occasional pranksters.  They are seen as holy messengers of Celestia.

Skill: Flight-Few creatures are as at home in the sky as a phoenix.  Their skill in the air even exceeds pegusi and griffons.

Skill: Sun Essence-A phoenix is touched by the light of the sun itself, and its body burns with great intensity.  Phoenixes and all of their attacks count as having the Fire Elemental property, and they can cast fire magic at will.

 

[TIGER]

Low Tier Monster

Medium-Large

Greatest of the hunting cats, tigers are rarely seen outside the southern jungles.  White ones are rare and associated with luck-both good and ill.

Skill: Pounce-Tigers attack by surprise and ambush.  They gain a +1 bonus to jump rolls and an additional +1 to their attack roles if they win initiative.

 

[LION]

Low Tier monster

Medium-Large

Said to be the king of beasts, lion prides are among the greatest enemies of the zebra tribes.

Skill: Pack Hunter-Lions never hunt alone.  Lions are always encountered in groups of at least three to five, usually led by a male.

 

WEAK TIER - things most adventurers can confidently take on

 

[EARTH PONY]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Farmers and artisans, they are the working class of the pony race.  Most live in rural communities, but they can be found anywhere across Equestria.

Skill: Cutie Mark-Any given Pony may be given bonuses to certain rolls depending on what their special talent is.

Skill: Toughness-Earth Ponies are famously sturdy, and can keep going under the hardest conditions.

 

[PEGASUS PONY]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Custodians of the skies.  They have a reputation for being flighty and emotional.

Skill: Cutie Mark-Any given Pony may be given bonuses to certain rolls depending on what their special talent is.

Skill: Flight: The pride and joy of the Pegusi.  They set the standards by which all other flyers are judged.

Skill: Cloudshape: Pegasus ponies possess the unique ability to manipulate clouds and weather.  Even Unicorns cannot duplicate this magic.

 

[UNICORN]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Unique ponies attuned to the magical ebb and flow of the world.  Occasionally see themselves as superior to the other pony races.

Skill: Cutie Mark-Any given Pony may be given bonuses to certain rolls depending on what their special talent is.

Skill: Magic-Unicorns are some of the most magically attuned creatures on the planet.  A Unicorn can use any of the Mage class abilities.

 

[WOLF]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Feared by Earth Ponies since prehistory, wolves hunt and prey on lone ponies to this day.

Skill: Pack Hunter-Wolves never hunt alone.  They are always encountered in groups of at least five, usually led by an alpha.

 

[GRIFFON]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Half eagle, half-lion, they are the longtime rivals of the pegusi.  They have a reputation for being martial and hawkish.

Skill: Flight-Griffons are adept fliers.  They are usually slower then the pegusi, but are correspondingly stronger.

Skill: Hands-Although they are not true bipeds, a griffon's forelegs end in powerful grasping talons.

 

[PARASPRITE]

Weak Tier monster

Small

Miniature insects with gargantuan appetites.  Parasprite swarms are a constant plague on farmers.

Skill: Swarm-Parasprites are small, but they multiply rapidly.  Parasprites always come in swarms, which grants them a +1 bonus to dodge rolls, but fire attacks count as criticals.

 

[CHANGELING DRONE]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

The Changeling swarm is a constant threat to civilization.  Subversive and hungry, they are masters of deception and can lie in wait for years if need be.

Skill: Shapechange-A changeling may take the form of any creature of equal size category, exchanging their Skills for those of the chosen creature.

Skill: Flight-Although they are flight-capable, Changelings are poor fliers in their natural state due to their diminutive wings.

 

[DONKEY]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Odd cousins to the Earth Ponies, Donkeys are a minority in Equestria.  They are hardy and strong, but usually seen as second-class citizens.

Skill: Stubborn-Donkeys are infamous for their strong wills.  Once their mind is set, they will pursue their goals with an almost zealous determination.  

 

[MULE]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

The bastard offspring of a pony and a donkey.  Mules are rare in Equestria, usually because most ponies are disgusted by the idea.

Skill: Toughness-Mules retain the strength and toughness of their Earth Pony brethren, something they usually need to get through life.

 

[DIAMOND DOG]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Troublemaking miscreants that live under most civilized areas, Diamond Dogs are simple-minded creatures obsessed with gathering shiny objects by any means necessary.

Skill: Hands-Diamond Dogs are one of the few true bipedal races in the land, and can use their hands for any number of unique tasks.

Skill: Burrow-Diamond Dogs, and their slower-witted relatives the Dig Dogs, are built for digging.  They gain bonuses on rolls to do so.

 

[DIG DOG]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Dimmer cousins of Diamond Dogs used as slave labor by their smarter brethren.  They tend to wear heavy plate and act as bodyguards.

Skill: Hands-As true bipeds, Dig Dogs have hands.  They're not very good at using them for anything other then hitting and digging though.

Skill: Burrow-Like their names imply, Dig Dogs are excellent burrowers.  They gain bonuses on rolls to do so.

 

[GOAT]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Odd citizens of Equestria, they are usually used as unskilled labor and garbage disposals.

Skill: Horns-Goats are known for relentlessly butting when antagonized.  They gain a +1 bonus on charge rolls, and always count as having natural weapons.

 

[ZEBRA]

Weak Tier monster

Medium

Strange ponies from outsider lands.  Like the buffalo, they revere nature and have an almost mystical affinity with it.

Skill: Natural Affinity-Any given Zebra may use abilities from either the Shaman or Tracker lists.

 

[BABY DRAGON]

Weak Tier Monster

Small

The first stage of a dragon's long, long life.  Baby dragons are weak and helpless, but are fiercely guarded by the adults until they reach adolescence.

Skill: Ember-A dragon can spit fire from birth, but a baby's efforts usually only produce small jets of flame.

 

CREATURE CREATION

The above list only takes into account creatures that have appeared in the show.  Who can say what other strange beasts live in the magical land of Equestria, the wilderness beyond its borders, or in realms yet unexplored by the sane?  

DMs are encouraged to create new monsters as they see fit, complete with general abilities to give them flavor and features in combat.  A general rule of thumb is that the more difficult a monster is, the more abilities it will have and it will have a greater effect on both the flow of battle.  

For example:

 

[DIRE BEYONDER]

High Tier monster

Medium

Greater Beyonders often seen leading packs of the lesser abominations.  Dread beings of incomprehensible nature, they seem to want a way into Equestria for some reason.

Skill: Alien-Even more disgusting and abhorrent than their lesser kin, Dire Beyonders can cause insanity in lesser minds.  Paradoxically, they are idolized by other Beyonders.  A Dire Beyonder imposes a -2 penalty on all rolls of creatures from outside its home plane, and adds +1 to rolls made by lesser Beyonders.

SKill: Corpulent-Dire Beyonders tend to be fat and abrasive in both stature and hair.  A Dire Beyonder takes reduced damage from striking and slashing weapons, and does additional damage when grappling.

Skill: Touchy-Feely-For some reason, Beyonders are obsessed with wrapping their grotesque appendages around anypony within arm's reach.  Beyonders gain a +2 to all Grapple checks, and any creature caught by them is rendered Helpless as they are relentlessly squeezed and hugged.

 

[BEYONDER]

Mid Tier monster

Medium

Strange and alien creatures from legends of old, it is said that they helped slay great evils like Tirek and Grogar in ancient times. Some say the ones that remain now dwell within Tartarus, but nopony has ever returned from there to tell.

Skill: Outsider-Beyonders are frightening monsters not native to this plane of reality.  They inspire fear and terror in native creatures, causing all rolls to suffer a -1 total.

Skill: Touchy-Feely-For some reason, Beyonders are obsessed with wrapping their grotesque appendages around anypony within arm's reach.  Beyonders gain a +2 to all Grapple checks, and any creature caught by them is rendered Helpless as they are relentlessly squeezed and hugged.