Spectre (Dungeons & Dragons)

Spectre
Characteristics
Alignment Lawful Evil
Type Undead
Image Wizards.com image
Stats Open Game License stats

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the spectre is an undead creature.

Publication history

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

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The spectre was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974). There they were described as having no corporeal body, being able to drain life energy levels, and identified with Tolkien's Ringwraiths.[1]

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

The spectre appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977),[2] where it is described as a powerful undead human that haunts the most desolate of places, such as tombs and dungeons, and drains the life energy of opponents.

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the spectre, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977),[3] and Expert Set (1981 & 1983).[4][5] The spectre was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991),[6] and the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994).

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

The spectre appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989),[7] and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).[8]

The spectre undead dragon appears in Dragon #234 (October 1996).

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The spectre appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).[9]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

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

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The spectre appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).[10]

Description

A spectre is an incorporeal creature that resembles a ghost, with a hatred for all living things. A spectre drains the life energy from living creatures, turning them into new spectres upon death. A spectre is powerless in natural sunlight and flees from it.

A spectre is always lawful evil. A spectre appears as a humanoid, but with a mostly transparent and faintly luminous form. A spectre looks much as it did in life, and can be recognized by someone who knows what the person looked like.

References

  1. Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. Dungeons & Dragons (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974). The identification with the Nazgûl persisted as late as the J. Eric Holmes Basic Set: see the 1978 Holmes blue book, p. 32.
  2. Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977)
  3. Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by J. Eric Holmes. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (TSR, 1977)
  4. Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Dave Cook. Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (TSR, 1981)
  5. Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Frank Mentzer. Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules (TSR, 1983)
  6. Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991)
  7. Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989)
  8. Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993)
  9. Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)
  10. Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)
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