Alignment Neutral Mythological origins Roc | Image Wizards.com image | |
Stats Open Game License stats | ||
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the roc is a gargantuan, eagle-like animal, based on an earlier creature from myth and fantasy also named the Roc.
Contents
Publication history
The roc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.
Original Dungeons & Dragons
The roc was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), where they were described as large and fierce birds that nest in mountains, and are hostile to creatures of Chaos and Neutrality.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
The roc appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as a huge eagle-like bird that inhabits the highest mountains, and preys upon large creatures such as cattle, horses, and elephants.
The moon roc appeared in the module Needle (1987).
Basic Dungeons & Dragons
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the roc, which came in three sizes: the small roc, the large roc, and the giant roc. These all appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (1981 & 1983), and later in the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
In the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the roc appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The Athasian roc for the Dark Sun campaign setting appeared in Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of Athas (1992).
The common Zakharan roc, the two-headed Zakharan roc, and the great Zakharan roc for the Al-Qadim campaign setting appeared in Land of Fate (1992).
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition
The roc appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).
The chaos roc appeared in Monster Manual II (2002). The roc appears in the revised Monster Manual for the 3.5 edition (2003).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition
The roc appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).
Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition
The roc appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2014).
Description
Rocs are birds so large that one can carry off an elephant.
A roc is always neutral in alignment, and generally prefers warm mountainous terrain. Rocs are usually solitary, but sometimes found in mated pairs.