Hippogriff (Dungeons & Dragons)

Infobox D&D creature
name=Hippogriff
alignment=
type=Magical beast
subtype=
source=
first=
mythical=Hippogriff
based=
wizards_image_URL=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG153b.jpg
OGL_stats_URL=http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/monstersHtoI.html#hippogriff

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a hippogriff is a magical beast based upon the hippogriff of various mythologies. It is part eagle and part horse, and sometimes regarded as part griffon and part horse (indeed, in mythology a hippogriff is the offspring of a griffon and a mare). Depictions of the hippogriff vary; sometimes they are shown as a horse with the forequarters of a giant eagle, and sometimes as a horse with wings, an eagle's head, a mane and tail of feathers, and feathered lower legs.

Publication history

The hippogriff was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The hippogriff was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), where they were described as fierce fighters that attack with both hooves and sharp beaks. [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. "Dungeons & Dragons" (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974)]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

The hippogriff appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), [Gygax, Gary. "Monster Manual" (TSR, 1977)] where it is described as a fierce fighter and omnivore that nests on rocky crags.

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the hippogriff, in the "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (1977), [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by J. Eric Holmes. "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (TSR, 1977)] "Expert Set" (1981 & 1983), [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Dave Cook. "Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set" (TSR, 1981)] [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Frank Mentzer. "Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules" (TSR, 1983)] and the "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (1991). [Schend, Steven E., Jon Pickens, and Dori Warty (Editors). "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (TSR, 1991)]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

The hippogriff appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), [Cook, David, et al. "Monstrous Compendium Volume Two" (TSR, 1989)] and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). [Stewart, Doug, ed. "Monstrous Manual" (TSR, 1993)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The hippogriff appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000). [Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

The hippogriff appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The hippogriff appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), under the griffon entry, including the hippogriff dreadmount. [Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)]

Characteristics and habits

Unlike the proud and majestic hippogriffs of myth, hippogriffs in Dungeons & Dragons are fairly bestial, being far less intelligent than griffons. They live in temperate to tropical hills, in areas where it is particularly flat and barren, allowing them quick and easy access to the skies. They attack by diving and attacking with their claws and beak. Though regarded as clumsy attackers, flocks of hippogriffs do know to attack in concert. They can kill large prey such as bison, even being able to carry it off in their feet, but being omnivorous, do not always have to revert to such things. When it comes to defending eggs and newborns, hippogriffs are deadliest.

Hippogriffs are highly prized as aerial steeds. Because they are not as intelligent as griffons, a friendly attitude from the hippogriff to the rider/tamer is not required, but they still require an exotic saddle and 6 weeks of training (those are fairly standard issue for most flying mounts in the D&D universe, however). The easiest way to tame a hippogriff is to steal an egg and raise it from birth, but as said before, hippogriff eggs are not easy to obtain due to the ferocity of their defenders.

Hippogriffs cannot speak, and they are regarded as neutral in alignment.

References