Displacer beast
Encyclopedia
A displacer beast is a fictional creature from the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game.
, a feline-like creature from the 1939 science fiction story "Black Destroyer" by A. E. van Vogt
, later incorporated into the novel The Voyage of the Space Beagle
(1950).
The displacer beast has been included in every edition of the Monster Manual
, from the very first one in 1977 to the latest in 2008.
(1975). It is described as a puma-like creature with six legs and two tentacles growing from its shoulders.
The displacer beast was detailed in Dragon
#109 (May 1986), in the "Ecology of the Displacer Beast".
(1977), and Expert Set
(1981 & 1983), and was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game
set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia
(1991), the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994), and the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game set (1999).
and as such is not released under its Open Game License.
game, displacer beasts are fierce and vicious, and hate all other creatures. These sentient, magical cats often kill purely for pleasure, though they never fight among themselves. This beast uses a magical displacement ability, a form of illusion which causes it to appear to be a few feet away from where it actually is. This makes the creature hard to hit, while it attacks with its long tentacles. The displacer beast is the natural enemy of the blink dog
. The hide of a displacer beast has many useful magical properties, making it highly sought after by wizards
and alchemists
. Many thieves
use the eyes of a displacer beast as good luck charms, believing that they will protect the bearer from detection.
". In the game, it resembles a black puma with a pair of powerful black tentacle
s sprouting from its shoulders, and two to four additional forelimbs. They are colored blue-black, like a dark panther. The tentacles are tipped with horny edges which can inflict terrible wounds and resemble the club-shaped catching tentacles of a squid.
campaign setting
, the displacer beast is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Thuranni.
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...
role-playing game.
Publication history
The displacer beast was inspired by the coeurlCoeurl
Coeurl is a fictional alien race of predators created by the late science fiction novelist A. E. van Vogt and featured in his first published short story "Black Destroyer" , later incorporated in the novel The Voyage of the Space Beagle...
, a feline-like creature from the 1939 science fiction story "Black Destroyer" by A. E. van Vogt
A. E. van Vogt
Alfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century: the "Golden Age" of the genre....
, later incorporated into the novel The Voyage of the Space Beagle
The Voyage of the Space Beagle
The Voyage of the Space Beagle is a classic novel of science fiction by A. E. van Vogt in the space opera subgenre.The novel is a "fix-up" compilation of four previously published SF stories:...
(1950).
The displacer beast has been included in every edition of 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...
, from the very first one in 1977 to the latest in 2008.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The displacer beast was introduced to the game in its first supplement, GreyhawkGreyhawk (supplement)
Greyhawk is a supplementary rulebook written by Gary Gygax and Robert J. Kuntz for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(1975). It is described as a puma-like creature with six legs and two tentacles growing from its shoulders.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The displacer beast appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as a vaguely puma-like beast that always appears to be two feet away from its actual position.The displacer beast was detailed 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...
#109 (May 1986), in the "Ecology of the Displacer Beast".
Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the displacer beast, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic SetDungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
(1977), and Expert Set
Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-1981 printing:The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay...
(1981 & 1983), and was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game
Dungeons & Dragons Game (1991 boxed set)
The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1991....
set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia
Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia
The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia was published by TSR, Inc. in 1991, as a continuation of the basic edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which ran concurrently with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Its product designation was TSR 1071...
(1991), the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994), and the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game set (1999).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The displacer beast appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The displacer beast appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The displacer beast appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003), which also described the displacer beast pack lord.Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The displacer beast appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the displacer beast packlord.Licensing
The displacer beast is considered a "Product Identity" by Wizards of the CoastWizards 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...
and as such is not released under its Open Game License.
Ecology
In the Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & 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...
game, displacer beasts are fierce and vicious, and hate all other creatures. These sentient, magical cats often kill purely for pleasure, though they never fight among themselves. This beast uses a magical displacement ability, a form of illusion which causes it to appear to be a few feet away from where it actually is. This makes the creature hard to hit, while it attacks with its long tentacles. The displacer beast is the natural enemy of the blink dog
Blink dog
The blink dog is a fictional magical beast from the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an intelligent dog that has a limited teleportation ability known as Blinking. The blink dog was created for D&D, and appeared in every edition from the first supplement to version 4.0...
. The hide of a displacer beast has many useful magical properties, making it highly sought after by wizards
Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
and alchemists
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
. Many thieves
Rogue (Dungeons & Dragons)
The rogue or thief is one of the standard playable character class in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A rogue is a versatile character, capable of sneaky combat and nimble tricks...
use the eyes of a displacer beast as good luck charms, believing that they will protect the bearer from detection.
Typical physical characteristics
A displacer beast is considered to be a "magical beastMagical 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....
". In the game, it resembles a black puma with a pair of powerful black tentacle
Tentacle
A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like...
s sprouting from its shoulders, and two to four additional forelimbs. They are colored blue-black, like a dark panther. The tentacles are tipped with horny edges which can inflict terrible wounds and resemble the club-shaped catching tentacles of a squid.
Alignment
Displacer beasts are described as "Lawful Evil" in most editions of Dungeons and Dragons. In 4th Edition, which lacks that alignment, they're described as "Unaligned."Displacer beasts in Eberron
In the EberronEberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
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...
, the displacer beast is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Thuranni.
D&D Miniatures
- D&D Miniatures: Harbinger set #41 (2003)
- D&D Miniatures: War of the Dragon Queen set #29 (2006) (Displacer Beast Pack Lord)
- D&D Miniatures: Unhallowed set #37 (2007) (Displacer Beast Manhunter)