Alignment Lawful Evil Image Wizards.com image | Type Undead | |
Stats Open Game License stats | ||
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the spectre is an undead creature.
Contents
Publication history
The spectre was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The spectre was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974). There they were described as having no corporeal body, being able to drain life energy levels, and identified with Tolkien's Ringwraiths.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The spectre appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as a powerful undead human that haunts the most desolate of places, such as tombs and dungeons, and drains the life energy of opponents.
Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the spectre, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977), and Expert Set (1981 & 1983). The spectre 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 spectre appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
The spectre undead dragon appears in Dragon #234 (October 1996).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The spectre appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The spectre appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The spectre appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).
Description
A spectre is an incorporeal creature that resembles a ghost, with a hatred for all living things. A spectre drains the life energy from living creatures, turning them into new spectres upon death. A spectre is powerless in natural sunlight and flees from it.
A spectre is always lawful evil. A spectre appears as a humanoid, but with a mostly transparent and faintly luminous form. A spectre looks much as it did in life, and can be recognized by someone who knows what the person looked like.