Gargoyle (Dungeons & Dragons)

Infobox D&D creature


caption=A gargoyle, pictured on the cover of "Gargoyle" (1989).
name=Gargoyle
alignment=
type=Monstrous humanoid
subtype=
source=
first=
mythical=Gargoyle
based=
wizards_image_URL=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG113.jpg
OGL_stats_URL=http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/monstersG.html#gargoyle

In the "Dungeons & Dragons" fantasy role-playing game, a gargoyle is a grotesque winged monstrous humanoid creature, with a horned head and a stony hide.

Publication history

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

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The gargoyle 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 a reptilian bipedal beast, Chaotic in alignment. [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. "Dungeons & Dragons" (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974)]

The kopoacinth, an aquatic version of the gargoyle, first appeared in the 1975 "Dungeons & Dragons" supplement, "Blackmoor" by Dave Arneson. [Arneson, Dave. "Blackmoor" (TSR, 1975)]

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

The gargoyle appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), [Gygax, Gary. "Monster Manual" (TSR, 1977)] where it is described as a ferocious predator of a magical nature, found among ruins; it attacks anything it can detect.

The marlgoyle first appears in the module "Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" (1982), [Gygax, Gary. "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" (TSR, 1982)] and later appears in "Monster Manual II" (1983) as the margoyle. [Gygax, Gary. "Monster Manual II" (TSR, 1983)]

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the gargoyle, in the "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (1977, 1981, 1983). [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by J. Eric Holmes. "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (TSR, 1977)] [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Tom Moldvay. "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (TSR, 1981)] [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Frank Mentzer. "Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules" (TSR, 1983)] The gargoyle was also later featured in the "Dungeons & Dragons Game" set (1991), the "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (1991), [Schend, Steven E., Jon Pickens, and Dori Warty (Editors). "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (TSR, 1991)] and the "Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game" set (1994).

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

The gargoyle and margoyle appear first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), [Cook, David, et al. "Monstrous Compendium Volume Two" (TSR, 1989)] and are reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993), [Stewart, Doug, ed. "Monstrous Manual" (TSR, 1993)] along with the kapoacinth.

The Greyhawk campaign setting module "Gargoyle" (1989) featured the gargoyle (of the Tors). The grist (true gargoyle) appeared in "Vale of the Mage" (1990).

The guardgoyle for the Forgotten Realms setting appeared in the "Ruins of Zhentil Keep" boxed set (1995).

Four variant gargoyles appeared in the "Dragon's Bestiary" column of "Dragon" #223 (November 1995), including the archer, the grandfather plaque, the spouter, and the stone lion. [Baichtal, John. "The Dragon's Bestiary: Four Guardian Gargoyles." "Dragon" #223 (TSR, 1995)] These creatures were reprinted in "Monstrous Compendium Annual Three" (1996).

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The gargoyle and kapoacinth appear 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 gargoyle and kapoacinth appear in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).

The guardgoyle returned in "City of Splendors: Waterdeep" (2005).

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

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

Description

A gargoyle is usually chaotic evil. A gargoyle has the ability to hold itself so still that it appears to be a statue.

Variants

The marine gargoyle is known as the kapoacinth.

The margoyle, or marlgoyle, is a more horrid form of gargoyle.

References