Salamander (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, the salamander is an outsider
from the Elemental Plane of fire which can be used by Dungeon Master
s as enemies or allies of the player character
s. It resembles a mix of a snake and a human made out of fire, magma, and smoke. From the waist up, it resembles an orange and black human, generally male (though females also exist) with fiery hair and beard. Some depictions also show it with fiery antlers. From the waist down it is snake-like, resembling a glowing, orange and black serpent of magma. All over the body are short, spine-like appendages which burn and steam.
(1975). It is described as a free-willed, highly intelligent fire elemental.
(1981 & 1983), and the Companion Rules
(1984), and was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).
The Planescape
Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) introduced the lesser salamander noble and the salamander noble.
Savage Species (2003) presented the flamebrother as both a race and a playable class.
The salamander was detailed in Dragon
#314 (December 2003), in the "Ecology of the Salamander", which also introduces the salamander larva.
. Mages and priests who worship them are capable of summoning them for a short while.
Salamanders attack with their body heat, and steel spears which they always carry. The spear, while deadly enough on its own, manifests the heat of the salamander itself. The mere touch of a salamander causes fire damage, and they can cause clothing to catch fire and armor to burn. They can also whip opponents with their tails and cast various fire spells.
A similar creature to the salamander would be the fire snake.
Salamanders speak Ignan, and some speak Common.
They are usually any level of evil in alignment.
Frost salamanders will eat anything and everything, but they prefer to eat their food frozen. It keeps delicacies like adventurers and yeti
stored away for years at a time until they feel like that particular meal.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the salamander is an outsider
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
from the Elemental Plane of fire which can be used by Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
s as enemies or allies of the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s. It resembles a mix of a snake and a human made out of fire, magma, and smoke. From the waist up, it resembles an orange and black human, generally male (though females also exist) with fiery hair and beard. Some depictions also show it with fiery antlers. From the waist down it is snake-like, resembling a glowing, orange and black serpent of magma. All over the body are short, spine-like appendages which burn and steam.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The salamander was introduced to the game in its first supplement, GreyhawkGreyhawk (supplement)
Greyhawk is a supplementary rulebook written by Gary Gygax and Robert J. Kuntz for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(1975). It is described as a free-willed, highly intelligent fire elemental.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The salamander appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where it is described as an evil creature of the elemental plane of fire that prefers temperatures of 300 degrees and upwards.Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)
This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the salamander, known as the flame salamander, in the Expert SetDungeons & Dragons Expert Set
The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-1981 printing:The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay...
(1981 & 1983), and the Companion Rules
Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set
The Companion Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1984 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...
(1984), and was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The salamander appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993) under the "Elemental, Fire kin" heading, along with the fire snake.The Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998) introduced the lesser salamander noble and the salamander noble.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The salamander appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000), which presents the flamebrother salamander, the average salamander, and the noble salamander.Savage Species (2003) presented the flamebrother as both a race and a playable class.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The salamander appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).The salamander was detailed in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#314 (December 2003), in the "Ecology of the Salamander", which also introduces the salamander larva.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The salamander appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).Characteristics and habits
No one knows the true intentions of the evil, mysterious creatures known as Salamanders. They live in the Elemental Plane, but come into the Material Plane by manifesting in forest fires, lava flows, fire pits, and other areas of extreme heat (their preferred environments are areas of 300 degrees minimum, and they can only survive in cooler environments for a few hours). Scholars and sages all believe that the salamanders have a sinister purpose for coming to the Material Plane, but only the Salamanders know it, and they are not telling. They are suspected to have dealings with the efreetiGenie (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, genies are outsiders composed in part of the element of their native Elemental Planes.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
. Mages and priests who worship them are capable of summoning them for a short while.
Salamanders attack with their body heat, and steel spears which they always carry. The spear, while deadly enough on its own, manifests the heat of the salamander itself. The mere touch of a salamander causes fire damage, and they can cause clothing to catch fire and armor to burn. They can also whip opponents with their tails and cast various fire spells.
A similar creature to the salamander would be the fire snake.
Salamanders speak Ignan, and some speak Common.
They are usually any level of evil in alignment.
Frost Salamanders
Frost salamanders are magical beasts that live in any area that is frozen almost all the time. They have six legs and are colored ice-blue, with a reptilian head and tail. Each leg is tipped with claws that allow the creature to walk effortlessly on ice-covered surfaces - no matter whether they are horizontal or vertical.Frost salamanders will eat anything and everything, but they prefer to eat their food frozen. It keeps delicacies like adventurers and yeti
Yeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
stored away for years at a time until they feel like that particular meal.