What’s this? One page? One monster? Only four paragraphs of lore? I didn’t think that was allowed anymore!
Lore: Plucked From Heaven
Often referred to as a ‘demon horse’ or a ‘hell horse’, the nightmare is the go-to steed for evil beings, most commonly demons, devils, death knights, liches, night hags, and a few others. When summoned from the Lower Planes, one must present it an offering of flesh to earn its loyalty.
Nightmares are not born. They are created from a terrible dark ritual, requiring the sacrifice of the wings of a pegasus. Once complete, the noble beast will resemble only the dark designs it was created for.
While limited, this lore isn’t bad by any means. You can still use it to create some pretty interesting sessions. Maybe the party needs to rescue a pegasus before the ritual to turn it into a nightmare can take place. Or you could run an evil campaign in which the players need to summon one. You don’t have many options, but the few that are there are pretty cool!
Design: My Little Pony
That show took place in hell, right? I dunno, I never watched it.
You can probably guess how this one is going to fair. It’s a fiery horse. Shocking, I know. Truly, this is one of the most interesting and unique designs we have discussed yet.
Sarcasm aside, this is really underwhelming. Sure, the face looks pretty horrifying and cool. But the rest is just a horse on fire. Not a whole lot to talk about there.
Given how dark the lore behind these guys is, the designers could’ve gotten away with more. Maybe draw in the stumps of its severed wings, or give it a more prideful, commanding stance to give it some presence. There are some opportunities there that have gone missed.
Ultimately, it’s just kinda boring. Next.
Stats: The Getaway Driver
As you might expect from a designated mount, the nightmare isn’t a particularly strong monster. Its HP isn’t terrible, but its AC is low enough that it’s still relatively easy to kill (unless you’re a pyromancer, in which case this thing is invincible). On top of that, it only has one move that does any damage, and while it isn’t terrible, it’s still perfectly manageable.
As a support monster, however, this is one of the best you can choose. Not just because it casts light from its fiery body. But because of two abilities: Confer Fire Resistance and Ethereal Stride. The first allows it to give fire resistance to those riding it. The other allows it to take up to three willing creatures into the Ethereal Plane, essentially giving it a free escape option.
That alone gives this monster a unique position. On its own, this is just another slugfest. But when it plays support to another monster, it becomes an interesting challenge to address. Maybe the party has to continue chasing it and its rider as they hop between Planes to escape them? It still isn’t an amazing fight, but it’s better than it could have been.
Placement
This is a pretty mid-tier monster. Its lore is decent. Its stats make it a more interesting support creature. But the design is flat and boring. Even at its strongest, this monster is just okay.
With all that in mind, let’s put the Nightmare on the Best of the Bestiary!
- Beholder
- Death Tyrant
- Mind Flayer
- Dragon Turtle
- Mummy/Mummy Lord
- Nagas (all three of ’em)
- 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
- Minotaur
- Dao
- Cloud Giant
- Manticore
- Drow (all four of ’em)
- Shadow Demon
- Modrons (all five of ’em)
- 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
- Medusa
- Pit Fiend
- Erinyes
- Chain Devil
- Bearded Devil
- Barbed Devil
- Spined Devil
- Ice Devil
- Mimic
- Djinni
- Merrow
- Nalfeshnee
- Glabrezu
- Chasme
- Grell
- Barlgura
- Horned Devil
- Balor
- Shadow Dragon
- Myconids (all four of ’em)
- Werebear
- Lizardfolk
- Vrock
- Dretch
- Gnolls (all three)
- Goristro
- Hezrou
- Manes
- Frost Giant
- Weretiger
- Werewolf
- Duergar
- Quasit
- Dryad
- Flumph
- Goblin
- Nightmare <—————
- 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
- Mephits (all six of ’em)
- Bullywug
- Hellhound
- Ettercap
- Gas Spore
- Cockatrice
- Lemure
- Homonculus
- Merfolk
- 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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