Mephit
Encyclopedia
- For Mephit (skunk), please see SkunkSkunkSkunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
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In the fictional world of 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...
, mephits are extraplanar creatures similar to imps
Imp (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an imp is a devilish creature based on the imps from folklore.-Publication history:The imp first appeared in the first edition in the original Monster Manual ....
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Publication history
These creatures first appeared in the first edition as "imps" in the magazine White DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
#13 (June 1979), including the fire imp, the molten imp, the smoke imp, and the steam imp. The fire mephit, the lava mephit, the smoke mephit, and the steam mephit appeared in the original Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(1981). The ice mephit and the mist mephit first appeared in the adventure module Eye of the Serpent
Eye of the Serpent
Eye of the Serpent is an adventure module published in 1984 for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Plot summary:...
(1984). Dimwold the Mephit appeared in the module The Throne of Bloodstone
The Throne of Bloodstone
H4 - The Throne of Bloodstone is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.-Plot summary:In The Throne of Bloodstone, the player characters take a trip to the Abyss to steal the wand of the demon prince Orcus....
(1988).
The fire mephit, the ice mephit, the lava mephit, the mist mephit, the smoke mephit, and the steam mephit appeared in the second edition for the Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
setting in the adventure module Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was published in 1990 by TSR, Inc...
(1990), and reprinted in the Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992), and the Monstrous Manual (1993). The air mephit, the ash mephit, the dust mephit, the earth mephit, the fire mephit, the ice mephit, the lightning mephit, the magma mephit, the mineral mephit, the mist mephit, the ooze mephit, the radiant mephit, the salt mephit, smoke mephit, the steam mephit, and the water mephit appeared 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 Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).
The air mephit, the dust mephit, the earth mephit, the fire mephit, the ice mephit, the magma mephit, the ooze mephit, the salt mephit, the steam mephit, and the water mephit 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 ice mephit familiar appeared in Tome and Blood
Tome and Blood
Tome and Blood: A Guidebook to Wizards and Sorcerers is an optional rulebook for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and notable for its trade paperback format.-Contents:...
(2001), and reprinted in the 3.5 revised Dungeon Master's Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(2003). The glass mephit and the sulfur mephit appeared in Sandstorm
Sandstorm (Dungeons & Dragons)
Sandstorm is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Contents:Sandstorm describes how DMs can create adventures and even campaigns set in a desert or wasteland environment. The book details many hazards that are associated with real-life...
(2005).
Mephits serve only as familiars in 4th edition.
Description
Mephits are roughly humanoid in appearance and somewhat small (approximately 4 feet in height). Their disposition depends on their plane of origin, though they are rarely endearing. Each type of mephit has some form of breath weapon, which can usually do minor elemental damage, though it is mostly intended (much as a skunk's spray) to ward off would-be attackers.Mephits are not native to the material plane
Prime Material Plane
The Prime Material Plane is the central plane of existence in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
, and are usually only on the material plane when they have been summoned, as they are somewhat linked to various elemental or quasi-elemental planes
Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)
The planes of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game constitutes the multiverse in which the game takes place.In the earliest versions of Dungeons & Dragons, the concept of the Inner, Ethereal, Prime Material, Astral and Outer Planes was introduced; at the time there were only four Inner Planes...
of existence.
Mephits are all extraplanar outsiders
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....
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Types of Mephit
- Fire mephit
- Water mephit
- Air mephit
- Earth mephit
- Salt mephit
- Ash mephit
- Steam mephit
- Ooze mephit
- Magma mephit
- Lightning mephit
- Ice mephit
- Dust mephit
- Smoke mephit
- Mist mephit
- Radiant mephit
- Mineral mephit
- Glass mephit
- Sulfur mephit
External links
Additional reading
- Cook, Monte. Monstrous Compendium Planescape Compendium III (TSR, 1998).
- Cook, Monte and William W. Connors. The Inner Planes (TSR, 1998).