Kraken (Dungeons & Dragons)

This article is about a Dungeons & Dragons creature. For the mythological creature, see Kraken. For the real creature the mythological creature is thought to be based on, see Giant Squid.
Kraken
Characteristics
Type Magical beast
Image Wizards.com image
Stats Open Game License stats
Publication history
Mythological origins Kraken

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the kraken is a large, ocean-dwelling magical beast. It is akin to a squid the size of a house. It is almost 80 feet long and 60 feet tall and wide. Its body is similar to that of a squid, with a ring of tentacles surrounding a mouth connected to a conical central body. Two of its 10 tentacles are longer than the rest, and bear deadly barbs. The kraken has very large eyes, and fins protrude from the upper part of its elongated central body.

Publication history

The kraken appeared in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual II (1983).

The kraken appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Creature Catalogue (1986),[1] and the Creature Catalog (1993).[2]

The kraken appeared in the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), under the "squid, giant" entry, and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The Zakharan kraken of the Al-Qadim setting appeared in Dragon #198 (October 1993).

The kraken appeared in the third edition Monster Manual (2000),[3] and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003). The creature was further developed in Dragon #334 (August 2005).[4]

The kraken is one of the monsters that appears in the Monster Manual 3 (2010).[5][6]

Characteristics and habits

Krakens are highly destructive and evil creatures. With their strong tentacles and massive strength, they can pull an entire ship down into the ocean. They have often completely wiped tropical islands of all life, and deep beneath the ocean, they have cavernous lairs where they breed human slaves to feed and tend them. Krakens were supposedly once the rulers of the sea, but eventually the forces of good drove them back, though legends say they will one day rise again. Krakens attack predominantly with their tentacles. They can both constrict opponents, and bring them into the reaches of the creature's huge jaws. In addition, Krakens can also release an enormous cloud of jet-black ink, and can even cast spells. It also regenerates severed limbs.

Krakens cannot speak the languages of surface dwelling races, but might speak Aquan, or a language of their own similar to that of whales.

They are neutral evil in alignment.

Other publishers

The kraken is fully detailed in Paizo Publishing's book Mythical Monsters Revisited (2012), on pages 34–39.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Morris, Graeme, Phil Gallagher and Jim Bambra. Creature Catalogue (TSR, 1986)
  2. ↑ Nephew, John. Creature Catalog (TSR, 1993)
  3. ↑ Williams, Skip, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook. Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast, 2000
  4. ↑ Pett, Richard. "The Ecology of the Kraken" Dragon #334 (Paizo, 2005)
  5. ↑ http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4alum/20100525
  6. ↑ Mearls, Mike, Greg Bilsland, and Robert J. Schwalb. Monster Manual 3. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2010
  7. ↑ Benner, Jesse, Jonathan H. Keith, Michael Kenway, Jason Nelson, Anthony Pryor, and Greg A. Vaughan. Mythical Monsters Revisited (Paizo, 2012)

Additional reading