Succubus (Dungeons & Dragons)

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Dungeons & Dragons creature
Succubus
Alignment Chaotic evil
Type demon
Subtype Tanar'ri (Evil, Outsider)
Source books
First appearance
Mythological origins Succubus
Image Wizards.com image
Stats OGL stats

In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, a succubus is a female demon.

Contents

[edit] Creative origins

The succubus is based on the succubi from Western medieval legend.[1]

[edit] Ecology

The objective of succubi is to tempt and ensnare men to lie with them for their own purposes. Typically this yields a dead mortal or a pleased demon lord (in some cases, when succubi are used as assassins, both ends result).

[edit] Environment

Succubi are native to the Abyss.

[edit] Typical physical characteristics

A succubus in its natural state is in the shape and form of a beautiful human woman with demonic features, such as bat-like wings, tiny horns, and/ or a tail. However, the succubus may shape-shift into many forms. They often appear in the guise of a human woman sans demonic features.

In the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons, a succubus shapechanged into male form was known as an incubus. However, in the third edition of D&D, the succubus is the female form of the incubus (ie the succubus and the incubus are the female and male manifestations of the same type of demon).

[edit] Alignment

Succubi are chaotic evil.

[edit] Society

Succubi are tanar'ri demons, and they are quite numerous. Many are under the command of the Abyssal Lord Graz'zt, but most are ruled by their "Queen," Malcanthet. In Dungeons & Dragons the female child of a succubus and a human is traditionally called an "alu-demon" and the male child a "cambion" (though the latter term can be applied to any demon-mortal offspring). However, the offspring of an alu-demon or cambion, as a result of a union with a human, has no specific name but falls into the larger category of tiefling.

Succubi are featured prominently in the Planescape games.

[edit] Other media

Fall-From-Grace is a succubus, a notable character from the Planescape: Torment computer role-playing game.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ DeVarque, Aardy. Literary Sources of D&D. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.

[edit] References

  • Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977).
  • Eldritch Wizardry (1976)
  • D&D Immortal Rules (1986) (as "Demon, Whispering")
  • MC 8 - Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix (1991)
  • Wrath of the Immortals (1992) (as "Fiend, Lesser, Whispering")
  • Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994)
  • Monster Manual (2000)
  • D&D Miniatures: Blood War set #59 (2006)

[edit] External links