Manticores love the taste of human flesh. That’s why, on trips through the mountains, I always travel with human guards.
Marthok Uldarr, dwarf copper merchant
That could actually be a fun basis for an encounter. Hopefully that one little blurb doesn’t completely overshadow the actual lore.
Lore: A Wicked Predator
Manticores are among the most sinister killers in the wild. They hunt in packs, working together to defeat a stronger foe; afterwards, they would share the meal. They aren’t intelligent, despite their ability to communicate in Common. While fighting, they’ll mock and torment their foes, offering to kill them quickly if they beg to the beast. However, should it decide that someone may be of value to them alive, they will let them go, provided that they can provide it a sacrifice to make up for its lost kill.
A wicked master may earn a manticore’s service, provided they treat it and feed it well. Sometimes, it fights in the air for armies of orcs or goblins. Others, it will serve as a hunting companion of a hill giant chief or guard the lair of a lamia. For an evil enough leader, the manticore could become akin to a savage trusty hound.
Like a savage hound, the manticores have fierce territorial disputes with other animals. The list is an extensive one. Chimeras, griffons, perytons, and wyverns are just a few. While they are ferocious, chimeras are terrified of dragons and do all they can to avoid them.
Sensible.
This lore is… fine. It isn’t exceptional, but you can do some fun stuff with it. Even if half of those leave the manticore itself as nothing more than an accompaniment piece to a larger, more interesting villain. Still, it has potential. A manticore could perhaps manipulate the party into trying to kill a nearby dragon in order to make its territory larger and safer. Or maybe the party can try to actually tame a manticore for some quest.
Tell me players wouldn’t go for it. You know they would.
Design: KILL IT!! KILL IT QUICKLY!!
Fucking shit, this thing is horrifying!
The manticore is yet another classic fantasy monster. As such, I feared its design would be predictable and boring. Boy howdy, was I not expecting this!
Each of its animalistic features seem to clash with each other. The lion’s body and fur pour onto the dragon’s wings and the mane almost seems to consume the human head (not to mention that damn mouth and the chilling teeth). Brambles from the dragon’s body poke out from all over, as if they’re trying to rip their way free. All the while, the human face is being warped and twisted by both lion and dragon, distorting it into a horrific nightmare. It gives the monster a much more disturbing appearance than other iterations have had.
Plus, the thing just looks fucking evil! This thing isn’t just gonna kill you, it’s gonna rip you apart slowly and it’s gonna enjoy every god damn second of it! Just look at its eyes! Those little yellow spheres just radiate malice!
Overall, this is a very strong design. It still holds true to the core features of the classic monster while managing to do its own thing. It’s genuinely frightening and compelling.
Stats: Ooh, Spikey
Unfortunately, the this is where the monster becomes significantly less interesting.
Once again, we have another simple slugfest. Its AC and HP aren’t particularly high, and none of its attacks are all that deadly; if it weren’t able to attack thrice per turn, the manticore would hardly be a threat.
Its only really interesting ability is its tail spikes. The manticore can hurl up to twenty-four of these at their victims. After a long rest, it can grow them all back.
Yup. That’s the most interesting part.
Placement
Overall, this is a fine monster. It has some decent lore and an absolutely incredible design. Unfortunately, the stats are just so underwhelming and boring. A sour note to end on.
With all that in mind, let’s put the Manticore on the Best of the Bestiary!
- Beholder
- Death Tyrant
- Dragon Turtle
- Green Dragons
- Red Dragons
- Blue Dragons
- Black Dragons
- White Dragons
- Silver Dragons
- Couatl
- Behir
- Aboleth
- Sea Hag
- Lamia
- Bronze Dragons
- Brass Dragons
- Copper Dragons
- Gold Dragons
- Chuul
- Kuo-Toa
- Gibbering Mouther
- Kraken
- Intellect Devourer
- Chimera
- Death Knight
- Fomorian
- Bone Devil
- Dracolich
- Faerie Dragon
- Lich
- Magmin
- Kobold
- Kenku
- Hobgoblins
- Night Hag
- Green Hag
- Ankheg
- Hook Horror
- Storm Giant
- Hill Giant
- Empyrean
- Efreeti
- Grimlock
- Dao
- Cloud Giant
- Manticore <——————
- Drow (all four of ’em)
- Shadow Demon
- Marilith
- Drider
- Aarackockra
- Azer
- Demilich
- Spectator
- Hydra
- Marid
- Harpy
- Werejackal
- Half-Dragon
- Cambion
- Fire Giant
- Animated Armor
- Banshee
- Basilisk
- Yochlol
- Bulette
- Cloaker
- Darkmantle
- Doppelganger
- Ghoul and Ghast
- Ettin
- Pit Fiend
- Erinyes
- Chain Devil
- Bearded Devil
- Barbed Devil
- Spined Devil
- Ice Devil
- Djinni
- Nalfeshnee
- Glabrezu
- Chasme
- Grell
- Barlgura
- Horned Devil
- Balor
- Shadow Dragon
- Werebear
- Lizardfolk
- Vrock
- Dretch
- Gnolls (all three)
- Goristro
- Hezrou
- Manes
- Frost Giant
- Weretiger
- Werewolf
- Duergar
- Quasit
- Dryad
- Flumph
- Goblin
- Wereboar
- Wererat
- Githyanki
- Planetar
- Imp
- Clay Golem
- Flameskull
- Displacer Beast
- Carrion Crawler
- Githzerai
- Grick
- Invisible Stalker
- Rug of Smothering
- Bugbear Chief
- Bugbear
- Flesh Golem
- Vine Blight
- Twig Blight
- Needle Blight
- Bullywug
- Hellhound
- Ettercap
- Gas Spore
- Cockatrice
- Lemure
- Homonculus
- Solar
- Deva
- Gorgon
- Hippogriff
- Griffon
- Cyclops
- Centaur
- Ghost
- Fire Elemental
- Water Elemental
- Air Elemental
- Stone Giant
- Deep Gnome
- Dinosaurs (All six of them)
- Iron Golem
- Stone Golem
- Earth Elemental
- Galeb Duhr
- Helmed Horror
- Flying Sword
- Crawling Claw
- Violet Fungus
- Shrieker
- Gargoyle
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