In the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, the behir is a huge serpentine magical beast

Magical beast (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, magical beast is a type of creature, or "creature type". Magical beasts are similar to animals in many ways, but usually have a higher intelligence, and possess supernatural or extraordinary abilities....

.

Publication history

The behir first appeared in the first edition adventure module, The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982), and was reprinted in the Monster Manual II (1983).

The behir appeared for the second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and was reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The creature was expanded upon in Dragon

Dragon (magazine)

Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...

#156 (April 1990), which introduced the desert behir and the jungle behir.

The behir appeared for third edition in the Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(2000), and then the 3.5 edition Monster Manual (2003). The Halruaan behir appeared on Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...

's website, and then in Shining South (2004). The creature was expanded upon in Dragon #333 (July 2005).

The behir appeared in the fourth edition in Monster Manual 2 (2009).

Physical description

A behir is a huge blue serpentine magical beast that is around forty feet long and weighs around four thousand pounds. They can run quickly on their twelve short, powerful legs, or slither by folding their legs close to their body. A behir can breathe a line of powerful electricity or swallow opponents whole.

The behir is covered in hard scales and has a keel of spines running down its neck, as well as two on its head. These spines are used for grooming purposes and not combat.

A variant of the Behir from the Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

campaign setting

Campaign setting

A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...

 is the Halruaan Behir. Coming from the country of Halruaa, it is much smaller and more magical than its cousin. They are kept as guardians and occasionally as pets.

Society

Behirs are usually solitary, though they sometimes gather in mated pairs.

Behirs will not coexist with dragons

Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...

, and will take great pains to drive a dragon out of their territory, moving only as a last resort.