Fantastic Beasts and How to Slay Them: Griffin & Hippogriff

It’s a two-for-one today.

Neither of these beasts really needs their own blogpost. I could push and pull and statistics about, but they are mechanically very similar creatures. Moreover, these are another pair of beasts that already exist in the D&D Monster Manual, and there’s not enough in Fantastic Beasts to really cause either creature to stand out as particularly different to the original.

Griffin

Hippogriff

Whilst this is therefore not the most special or significant conversion from Fantastic Beasts to Dungeon & Dragons, this is the first time I’ve powered up the original monster.

Up until now, when a Potterverse Beast has matched a D&D monster, the stat block I make is usually weaker than the one already in the game. Dragons in Harry Potter are extremely dangerous, but D&D are on a different level. Intelligent, malevolent, empire builders. Sometimes they learn how to casts spells, for an entirely unwarranted power boost.

This time, the tables are turned. The griffin is used by wizards to guard treasure troves. That suggests a monster with a bit more than your average claw attack. Hippogriffs are known as much for their intelligence as they are for their power. I felt that a creature that has gained smarts and a sense of its own magnificence is probably a bit more dangerous than your average mythical critter.

Thank You For Reading

We’re on a roll now. Well over 1/3 through Fantastic Beasts. If you want to see the other Harry Potter creatures in D&D form, click here!