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

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 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 howler is an outsider

Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....

 from planes dominated by evil forces, e.g... the lower planes. It resembles a furless monkey crossed with a sickly dog, and has a vaguely human-like face. It is grey in color, with the slightest hints of violet. For no apparent reason, its shoulders jut sharply up in ugly extremities. Growing along its back and from its front legs, are sharp quills.

Publication history

The howler first appeared in second edition for the Planescape

Planescape

Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...

 setting in the Planes of Chaos boxed set (1994).

The howler appeared in the third edition 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 in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

The howler appeared in the fourth edition in Monster Manual 3 (2010).

Characteristics and habits

The howler, as its name suggests, spends the time when it isn't hunting howling. The eerie, resonating noise causes anyone who hears it for an extensive amount of time to go mad. When hunting, the howler travels in packs. It is a cruel and cowardly creature, so it is rarely found alone. They attack prey by charging in, then leaving again, then charging back, and so on. They cause damage in this method by thrashing about and scratching prey with their sharp quills. Occasionally, they might also bellow a particularly focused howl in the victim's face.

Howlers, strangely, are sometimes valued and trained as mounts. Taming one requires that the howler has a friendly attitude towards the rider/tamer, and being evil creatures, the rider must be of evil or neutral alignment himself. Although they are not flying mounts such as pegasi

Pegasus (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, a pegasus is a magical beast based upon the creature of Greek mythology and Roman mythology.-Publication history:The pegasus first appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set ....

 and giant eagles

Giant eagle (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the giant eagle is a magical beast. As its name fairly obviously implies, it is a giant version of a regular eagle. It is also a lot more intelligent...

, riding one requires the customary exotic saddle and 6 weeks of training.

Howlers cannot speak, but understand Abyssal (they are surprisingly intelligent). Some believe there to be a Howler unique language in the howls, but it cannot be deciphered.

They are chaotic evil in alignment.