Let’s Convert the Monster Manual: What the H?!? Halfling, Harpy, Hell Hound, Herd Animal, Hippocampus, Hippogriff, Hippopotamus, Hobgoblin, Homonculous, Horse, Hydra, and Hyena

While this is a bit larger than the average post in this series, a plethora of these entries can be found in the core rulebook, the Cyclopedia of Common Animals, or (in one case) both. The homunculus is covered to some degree by the find familiar spell, but I have decided to include a separate version anyway, which you may use as a familiar for enemy spellcasters. As the core rulebook says, these beings may have powers unavailable to the PCs, and that is completely okay.  I have corrected the spelling from the Monster Manual.

Halflings are, of course, a character class in the core rulebook, and I am again doing a “Men & Magicians” style series of statblocks for common halflings your PCs might meet. Because halflings are a pastoral people, this is a fairly short entry (pun intended).

Halfling Farmer: Init +0; Atk club +0 melee (1d4) or pitchfork +0 melee (1d8); AC 10; HD 1d4; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 30’ infravision; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; AL L.

Halfling Mayor: Init +0; Atk dagger +0 melee (1d4); AC 10; HD 3d4; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 30’ infravision; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2; AL L.

Halfling Sheriff: Init +2; Atk staff +1 melee (1d4); AC 12; HD 2d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 30’ infravision; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1; AL L.

Halfling Deputy: Init +0; Atk staff +1 melee (1d4); AC 10; HD 1d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 30’ infravision; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1; AL L.

Halfling Boundary Warden: Init +2; Atk staff +2 melee (1d4) or short bow +4 ranged (1d6); AC 12; HD 3d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP 30’ infravision, +3 stealth; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; AL L.

Halflings live fairly pastoral existences, and this is reflected in their statistics. Halfling sheriffs keep the peace within their own communities, which seldom requires much overt action. Boundary wardens, on the other hand, patrol the borders of halfing communities to keep the riffraff out, and are more used to armed conflict.

Tallfellows and stouts are not differentiated enough to require separate statblocks, but if the judge wishes to do so, tallfellows are large enough to ride ponies and may be better armed, while stouts tend toward better armor.

Harpy: See core rulebook, page 417.

Hell Hound: See core rulebook, page 417.

Herd Animal: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals for many examples of herd animals.

Hippocampus: Init +1; Atk bite +5 melee (1d5+1); AC 14; HD 4d8; MV 60’ or swim 100’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; AL N.

Hippocampi are oceanic horses with fish-like tails and fins instead of hooves.

These statistics came from this post. Interested parties may also find this post to be of some interest.

Hippogriff: Init +1; Atk beak +7 melee (1d8+3) or hoof +5 melee (1d4+3); AC 14; HD 3d8; MV 40’ or fly 120’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4; AL N.

Winged horses with eagle-like heads and forelimbs, hippogriffs are proud and willful. They avoid humanoid contact, although they can sometimes be trained as mounts if raised from the egg. They nest in high, hard-to-reach locations, usually far from civilized lands, and defend their nests with their lives. A viable hippogriff egg may fetch 1d4+1 x 100 gp if a buyer can be found.

Exceptional individuals may gain the trust and affection of an adult hippogriff, which will then allow itself to be ridden, but such cases are rare indeed.

Hippopotamus: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals.

Hobgoblin: See core rulebook, page 417.

Homunculus: Init +3; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3 plus sleep); AC 14; HD 2d6+2; MV 20’ or fly 40’; Act 1d20; SP sleep (5d6 minutes, DC 14 Fort negates), familiar connection; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2; AL variable.

Winged humanoids a foot and a half high, a homunculus is created through an alchemical ritual requiring an expenditure of at least 5d4 weeks, 5d6 x 20 gp in materials, and the casting of a find familiar spell. The resultant being cannot speak, and has the statistics above, but in all other ways is treated like a normal familiar – and may be of any type. See the core rulebook, pages 316-317 for details. A homunculus’s extra hit points may be a great boon to its master, but allowing the creature to die has a rather deleterious effect.

Homunculi of this type can cause victims to fall into a deep sleep which cannot be ended by normal means, but this ability is magical and cannot be extracted as a poison.

Horse: See core rulebook, page 418, or the Cyclopediaof Common Animals for expanded options.

Hydra: See core rulebook, page 418.

Hyena: See the Cyclopediaof Common Animals for both normal and giant (hyaenadon) varieties.