Creature type (Dungeons & Dragons)

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In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, there are 15 types of creature, also called creature types. Each creature type has its advantages and disadvantages.

A creature's type is generally determined by its nature, or physical attributes. Each type grants certain traits to all creatures which have that type (with some exceptions). Type determines features such as hit dice, base attack bonus, saving throws, and skill points.

A creature's type also comes into play in the way that certain spells and magic items may affect it, and also for certain class abilities, such as the ranger's favored enemy ability.

Aberration

An aberration can have a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, alien mindset, or any combination thereof. Examples include the beholder, illithid (mind flayer) and rust monster. All aberrations have darkvision out to 60 feet. As a group, they have no other special abilities or immunities.

Animal

An animal is a living, nonhuman vertebrate creature, with no innate magical abilities or capacity for language or culture. Virtually all animals are based on real animals; creatures based on mythological animals are usually classified as magical beasts. Besides ordinary fish, birds, reptiles and mammals, animals also include dire mammals and dinosaurs.

An animal can never have an Intelligence score higher than 2 under normal rules; any animal that attains one becomes a magical beast.

Some real animals are rendered as vermin (see below) in D&D; this means they have no Intelligence scores at all.

Construct

A construct is either an animated object of some sort, or an artificially crafted creature.

Dragon

A dragon is a reptile-like creature, usually winged, and tends to have magical or unusual abilities.

Elemental

An elemental is composed of one of the four classical elementals of air, earth, fire, or water. Elementals almost always have the extraplanar subtype.

Fey

A fey is a creature which usually has supernatural abilities and a human-shaped form. A fey also usually connected to nature, or some other force or place.

Giant

A giant is a humanoid-shaped creature of great strength and size.

Humanoid

A humanoid is shaped like a human: two arms, two legs, one head, and a humanlike torso. A creature with the humanoid type is typically of Small or Medium size, and has few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities.

Magical beast

A magical beast is similar to an animal in many ways, but usually has a higher intelligence, and possesses supernatural or extraordinary abilities.

Monstrous humanoid

A monstrous humanoid is similar to a humanoid (see above), but usually has monstrous or animalistic features, and often have magical abilities.

Ooze

An ooze is an amorphous or mutable creature without a single solid form. Oozes are usually mindless.

Outsider

An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (if not the material) of a plane other than the Material Plane. Most outsiders have the extraplanar subtype, but those that don't always have the native subtype.

Plant

A plant is a vegetable creature. This type does not include regular plants, which are not considered creatures, even though they are alive.

Undead

An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.

Vermin

A vermin can be an insect, arachnid, arthropod, worm, or other invertebrate. This type also includes creatures which don't exist on earth, such as giant bugs and insects with magical ability. Most vermin are considered mindless.

References

• Skip Williams, et al. (July 2003). Monster Manual Core Rulebook III (v.3.5 ed.). Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast. pp. 305-317.