Type Aberration Mythological origins Nāga | Image Wizards.com image | |
Stats Open Game License stats | ||
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, nagas comprise a variety of similar species of intelligent aberrations with widely differing abilities and alignments.
Contents
- Publication history
- Dungeons Dragons 1974 1976
- Advanced Dungeons Dragons 1st edition 1977 1988
- Dungeons Dragons 1977 1999
- Advanced Dungeons Dragons 2nd edition 1989 1999
- Dungeons Dragons 30 edition 2000 2002
- Dungeons Dragons 35 edition 2003 2007
- Dungeons Dragons 4th edition 2008
- Dungeons Dragons 5th edition 2014
- Description
- Types
- Society
- Shinomen nagas
- Nagas in the Forgotten Realms
- Related creatures
- References
Nagas appear as large snake-like creatures with humanoid heads. They often range widely in coloring and scale patterns, but are all usually about the same size. Most will 'stand' at a height about equal to or just above that of a regular human (six feet or so), but because of the length of their trailing tails they can raise themselves up by a few feet, to intimidate foes, or simply get a better view. The four most common races of naga are the dark naga, guardian naga, spirit naga, and water naga.
Publication history
The naga was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The guardian naga, the spirit naga, and the water naga first appeared in the official newsletter of TSR Games, The Strategic Review #3, August 1975.
The naga also appeared in Supplement IV: Gods, Demi-gods & Heroes (1976).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The guardian naga, the spirit naga, and the water naga appear in the first edition Monster Manual (1977).
The dark naga first appeared among several new creatures in the "Creature Catalog" insert in Dragon #89 (September 1984).
Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the naga, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977), and Expert Set (1981 & 1983). The naga was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), and the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The guardian naga, the spirit naga, and the water naga appear first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and are reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The dark naga appeared in the Anauroch supplement (1991) for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and in Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991). The dark naga then appeared in the revised Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993), and the Monstrous Manual (1993). The dark naga is further detailed in Dragon #261 (July 1999), in "The Ecology of the Dark Naga."
The banelar, a relative of the naga for the Forgotten Realms setting first appeared in Dragon #197 (September 1993), and later appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994). The bone naga first appeared in The Ruins of Myth Drannor (1993), and later appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The dark naga, the guardian naga, the spirit naga, and the water naga appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).
The banelar appeared in Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn (2001).
The asp Shinomen naga, the chameleon Shinomen naga, the cobra Shinomen naga, the constrictor Shinomen naga, and the greensnake Shinomen naga appeared in Oriental Adventures (2001).
The ha-naga is introduced in the Epic Level Handbook (2002). The bone naga appeared in Monster Manual II (2002). The bright naga appears in the Miniatures Handbook (2003).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The dark naga, the guardian naga, the spirit naga, and the water naga appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).
The bone naga template for the Forgotten Realms setting appeared in Serpent Kingdoms (2004), including the bone naga dark naga sample creature. Also appearing in this book are the banelar naga, the faerunian ha-naga, the iridescent naga, and the nagahydra.
The worm naga appeared in the adventure "The Spire of Long Shadows" in Dungeon #130 (January 2006).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The naga appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).
Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (2014-)
The naga appears in the Bestiary playtest document for this edition (2012).
The bone naga, guardian naga and spirit naga appear in the Monster Manual for this edition (2014).
Description
Nagas, resembling giant snakes, vary in appearance. Some have humanoid heads and some are more snake-like, and the torso may or may not be covered in scales. Each type of naga has a certain amount of spell casting power.
Types
According to "The Ecology of the Dark Naga", the guardian, spirit and water nagas are "true" nagas, while the dark naga (and its undead counterpart the bone naga) merely resemble them. The article does not mention the other types of naga.
Society
Most nagas worship the naga creator goddess Shekinester and her son Parrafaire, except for dark nagas, who venerate Sess'Innek.
Shinomen nagas
In the Rokugan campaign setting, the nagas of the Shinomen Forest are an ancient race of noble creatures. These nagas have humanoid torsos and snake tails. Five bloodlines are known to exist: asp, chameleon, cobra, constrictor, and greensnake.
Nagas in the Forgotten Realms
In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, nagas were created by the reptilian creator race, the sarrukh, along with yuan-ti. The banelar and iridescent nagas originated in the Realms, as well as a Faerûnian version of the ha-naga.