Dragonbane Manticores are terrifying.

One of my favorite creatures in any fantasy game is the mighty Manticore. They appear in the Dragonbane Bestiary as well as the Core Rules (available on DriveThruRPG.com through my affiliate link.) You can also brows the full catalog of Dragonbane RPG on Free League’s website. While Free League does not sponsor my blog and are in no way, shape, or form endorse my content- I love their product.

Disclaimer: Statements expressed in this article are strictly my opinion. If you disagree or have a different opinion, that’s okay. I’m not an expert on everything. I’m not always right. I’m just writing from my experience as I know it. Your mileage may vary.

The creature itself.

This iconic monster in several fantasy settings is a terror to behold. It has the body and often head of a lion, wings like a dragon, and a large, spiked tail. In Dragonbane it has Ferocity 2, meaning it gets to draw two initiative cards per round. It also has 44 Hit Points, which means it’s tough to bring down even with an experienced group of monster hunters.

Running into one Manticore in a dungeon is challenging, but possibly survivable depending on how high the ceiling is. Running into a Manticore in open ground is bad news because those things can fly. Oh, did we mention the tail spikes are detachable like porcupine quills and are covered in paralytic poison? The creature has no breath weapon, but it can unleash a storm of tail spikes on unsuspecting adventurers.

Mages prize Manticore bodies for all of the components that can be harvested from them. The only problem is usually finding a group of adventurers brave or foolish enough to take one on. Brining in a live one would certainly be an even more profitable and dangerous endeavor. There would be plenty of gold and other magical rewards should such a feat of daring be accomplished.

Behavior.

Manticores aren’t known for being super cuddly and cute with anyone as far as is known. I may someday have to write an in-character perspective on how menacing they are. They do possess a strong apex predator animal intelligence. I imagine they hunt much like an African Lion, or a Tiger might. They won’t hesitate to land on or scoop up a straggler from a herd of animals, especially if the prey looks weak or injured.

They’re obviously not afraid of a group of adventurers, especially if they are protecting their lair. If out in the open hunting, they might be more inclined to overlook a group of armed adventurers in favor of an easy meal. Little is ever discussed about their breeding habits, but I imagine it would be similar to that of any other apex feline.

If one Manticore is bad, two or three together has to be terrifying. Imagine Mama Manticore if a certain Mallard were to mess with her cubs. Not that any group would ever do that. Or maybe try to steal a cub and raise it. I would suggest running away before the Manticore parents catch on because they would be incredibly enraged. Reasoning with them in any way would be right out of the question.

For the Game Master.

This Effin GM made this video talking about using the standard Ampersand game 5E bear as a template for other monsters by just reskinning it. Here’s the video where he talks about it. I think it’s brilliant.

I’m just going to replace “bear” with Manticore. Ferocity 2, Size Large, 16 Move, no armor, and 44 HP. (Maybe a movement ability like flight.) Then build a robust 1d6 table, possibly using the Manticore attacks as a baseline, for the GM to determine the thing’s attacks. Seems like a great way to pump out a few good apex predator type monsters, or boss /monsters, or anything else big that needs stats.

Variant Manticores could or probably should be a thing. Maybe there is a version that breathes fire or shoots a ray from its tail instead of spikes. Maybe there’s a landbound version of the creature whose wings have become like a carapace granting it a good deal of armor and burrowing claws. There could possibly be a flying fish version of the Manticore rarely seen at sea.

I have one more GM recommendation- you can make them far more intelligent than they appear to be. Maybe Manticores were once a proud, highly sociable, super intelligent Pride of beings much like Dragons. Maybe over the years their feral instincts took over. It doesn’t rule out one smart enough to command minions and build a hefty defensible area for itself similar to a dungeon. It’s primal instincts coupled with above average intelligence and speech would make this version of the Manticore even scarier yet.

Thank you for being here today with me. I appreciate you. Please embrace the things that bring you the most joy.

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This Supplement was created under Fria Ligan AB’s Dragonbane Third Party Supplement License.