Jabberwock | Monster | Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 | Statblocks & Sheets

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Jabberwock - CR: 20

Species	Huge Magical Beast, Dragon
Subspecies	-
Size	Huge
Type	Aberation
Hit Dice	450(26d12+250)
Speed	60ft. (12 squares), Fly 80ft. (average)
Abilities	Str 32, Dex 20, Con 26, Int 20, Wis 38, Cha 26
Special Qualities	blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent, true seeing, DR 15/vorpal; Immune fire, paralysis, sleep, charm, ; Resist acid 30, electricity 30, sonic 30; SR 30, Fear of Vorpal Weapons (Ex) A jabberwock knows that a vorpal weapon can kill it swiftly. As soon as it takes damage from a vorpal weapon, a jabberwock becomes shaken for 1 round. If it is hit by a critical threat from a vorpal weapon, whether or not the critical hit is confirmed, the jabberwock is staggered for 1 round.
Environment	Planar Acclimation (Ex) A jabberwock is always considered to be on its home plane, regardless of what plane it finds itself upon. It never gains the extraplanar subtype.
Organization	Solitary
Treasure	All Tripple
Alignment	always chaotic evil
Advancement	-
Level Adjustment	-

Skills
jump +35, Escape Artist +25, Fly +26, Intimidate +37, Knowledge (nature, history) +30, Spot +20, listen +20, Sense Motive +20

Feats
Alertness, Flyby Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (claw), Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite, claws, eye rays), Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack.

Combat
Initiative	+5
Armor Class (AC)	34 touch 14, flat-footed 34 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +20 natural, –2 size)
Base Attack	Base Atk +26; CMB +41 (+45 grapple CMD 57
Attack	bite +37 (4d8+19/19–20/×3), 2 claws +37 (3d6+13/19–20 plus grab), tail slap +32 (2d8+19), 2 wings +32 (1d8+6)
Full Attack	bite +37 (4d8+19/19–20/×3), 2 claws +37 (3d6+13/19–20 plus grab), tail slap +32 (2d8+19), 2 wings +32 (1d8+6)
Space/Reach	15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks	Burble (Su) A jabberwock can burble once every 1d4 rounds. This blast of strange noises and shouted nonsense in the various languages known to the jabberwock (and invariably some languages it doesn’t know) affects all creatures within a 60-foot-radius spread—these creatures must make a DC 30 Will save or become confused for 1d4 rounds. Alternatively, the jabberwock can focus its burble attack to create a 60-foot cone of sonic energy that deals 10d10 points of sonic damage (DC 30 Reflex save for half). The confusion effect is mind-affecting; both are sonic effects. The save DC is Charisma based. Eye Rays (Su) The jabberwock can project invisible beams of from its eyes as a ranged touch attack every 1d4 rounds, with a range increment of 120 feet. It projects two beams, and can target different creatures with these beams if it wishes as long as both targets are within 30 feet of each other. A creature that takes damage from an eye beam suffers burn and (4d6+10) points of fire damage. Whiffling: A jabberwock’s wings and violent motions create a significant amount of wind whenever it makes a full attack action. These winds surround the monster to a radius of 30 feet, and are treated as severe winds—ranged attacks take a –4 penalty when targeting a jabberwock while it is whiffling, and medium creatures must make a DC 10 Strength check to approach the creature. Small or smaller creatures in this area that fail a DC 15 Strength check are blown away. See weather for further details on the effects of severe winds.
Saves	Fort+26, Ref +20, Will +24

Description
The jabberwock is a true creature of legend—a subject of poetry, song, and myth in many cultures. It is known to be a devastating creature in combat whose arrival presages times of ruin and violence; these stories also tell of the creature’s fear of the tools some say were created in ancient times for the sole purpose of defeating them—vorpal weapons. A jabberwock is 35 feet tall and weighs 8,000 pounds. The jabberwock is not a creature of the Material Plane, but one from the primal world of the fey. It comes from a region of reality where life is more robust, where emotions are more potent, and where dreams and nightmares can come alive. Even in such incredible realms, though, the jabberwock is a creature to be feared. It belongs to a category of powerful Creatures whose shapes and types run the gamut of possibility—a group known collectively as the “Tane.” Of the Tane, the jabberwock is said to be the most powerful, but the others in this grouping are far from helpless. Said to have been created as goliaths of war and madness, dreamt and stitched into being by the strange gods of this primeval reality, the Tane are as mysterious as they are powerful. Two other creatures of the Tane are presented in this book—the sard and the thrasfyr. None of the Tane are lower than CR 16 in power and all possess the planar acclimation special quality, but beyond that, they generally share no specific abilities or characteristics save for their common source in the primal world. When a jabberwock comes to the Material Plane, it immediately gains knowledge of the world it has entered and places false seeds of legends and folklore in the peoples minds of neighboring settlements to it's lair. When a Jabberwock comes it does so to spread destruction and ruin. Typically, the monster seeks out a remote forest lair at least a day’s flight from civilization, then emerges from this den once a week to seek out a new place to destroy. It has no true interest in amassing treasure, but often gathers objects of obvious value to bring back to its den in order to encourage heroes to seek it out—to a jabberwock, it makes no difference whether it seeks out things to destroy or lets those things come to it. A Jabberwock wants nothing more than to see the lives of people, who wish to be something bigger than themselves, snuffed out. Jabberwocks age, eat, drink, and sleep like any living creature, but they do not reproduce in the classic sense of the word. The creation of a new jabberwock—or of any of the Tane, in fact—is regulated by the strange and unknowable godlike entities that dwell in the primeval world. These fey lords create new jabberwocks as they are needed—sometimes varying the exact particulars (see Variant Jabberwocks), but always creating a fully formed adult creature. No young jabberwock has ever been encountered as a result. The strange vulnerability a jabberwock possesses against vorpal weapons has long been a matter of intrigue and speculation among scholars. Most believe that, once upon a time, only one jabberwock existed, a creature of such great power that nothing could hurt it. Nothing, that is, save for a legendary sword forged for a mortal hero by a now-forgotten artisan or god. So epic was this battle that it created strange echoes throughout reality, and as a result, these echoes, in the form of the vorpal swords and jabberwocks known today, can be found on many worlds. Jabberwock Lore Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about Jabberwocks. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs. Knowledge (Arcana) DC Result 17 This creature is a jabberwock. 20 Jabberwocks have jaws that bite and the claws that catch. 22 A jabberwock's burble can drive even the strongest of men insane. 25 A jabberwock's eyes of flame burn so bright they can be blinding. 27 Jabberwocks have a vulnerability to vorpal weapons. 30 See the For Player Characters section below. Jabberwocky ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!” He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. “And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He chortled in his joy. ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Society Jabborwocks are beings of pure madness. Anything living near a jabberwock for years at a time becomes a Twisted version of itself (see Twisted Creature), hence the slithy toves and frumious bandersnatches living nearby it. No two jabberwocks live together due to their chaotic nature, and the loneliness gives them quite a manxome temperament. Sample Lair Jabberwockies typically live in forests: Usually found as a random wilderness encounter for epic characters. See table of sample encounters of the Dungeon Masters Guide. The Jabberwock's lair is covered in Jabberwock's Snare, bramble weed, and tar pits. Jabberwock's snare is a thick bramble found in 30-foot square patches. A patch of jabberwock's snare is difficult terrain. A creature that starts its turn in or moves through a patch of jabberwock's snare for the first time on its turn must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d10) piercing damage and become restrained. A creature restrained by jabberwock's snare takes 11 (2d10) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns. A restrained creature or a creature within 5 feet of the restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, breaking free on a success. Jabberwock's snare is weak in sunlight, and the DC of the Dexterity saving throw decreases to 12, while the DC for the Strength (Athletics) check decreases to 10. Brambleweed: Each 10-ft. square of brambleweed has 1 HD, and clumps can be 100-10,000 ft. in size. Destroying it with weapons means hacking at woody stems that are AC 8. Destroying a 10-ft. area of the brambleweed is worth 15 XP. A patch of brambleweed is dangerous due to its many long, sharp thorns. A victim who falls into a patch of brambleweed is subject to one attack roll by the plant (THAC0 20), and, if hit, they are hit for 1d100 points of damage, each point coming from one thorn. If they survive, they have managed to extract themselves from the weed. Tar Pits: An adventurer who is traveling at normal pace (not running) should be given a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check, which is enough to recognize the danger. A running creature will not be given a save and travel 5′-10′ into the pit (roll 1d2 x 5′). A typical Tar Pit should be around 40′ in diameter. Creatures in tar need to make a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) swim check to move 5 feet (in any direction), failure results in sinking 5′ and beginning to drown. A creature whose head falls beneath the surface of quicksand will need to succeed on a swim check to get to closer to the surface or be rescued, otherwise see drowning rules. tar pit ignite if they come into contact with fire.

Description

The jabberwock is a true creature of legend—a subject of poetry, song, and myth in many cultures. It is known to be a devastating creature in combat whose arrival presages times of ruin and violence; these stories also tell of the creature’s fear of the tools some say were created in ancient times for the sole purpose of defeating them—vorpal weapons. A jabberwock is 35 feet tall and weighs 8,000 pounds.

The jabberwock is not a creature of the Material Plane, but one from the primal world of the fey. It comes from a region of reality where life is more robust, where emotions are more potent, and where dreams and nightmares can come alive. Even in such incredible realms, though, the jabberwock is a creature to be feared. It belongs to a category of powerful Creatures whose shapes and types run the gamut of possibility—a group known collectively as the “Tane.” Of the Tane, the jabberwock is said to be the most powerful, but the others in this grouping are far from helpless. Said to have been created as goliaths of war and madness, dreamt and stitched into being by the strange gods of this primeval reality, the Tane are as mysterious as they are powerful. Two other creatures of the Tane are presented in this book—the sard and the thrasfyr. None of the Tane are lower than CR 16 in power and all possess the planar acclimation special quality, but beyond that, they generally share no specific abilities or characteristics save for their common source in the primal world.

When a jabberwock comes to the Material Plane, it immediately gains knowledge of the world it has entered and places false seeds of legends and folklore in the peoples minds of neighboring settlements to it's lair. When a Jabberwock comes it does so to spread destruction and ruin. Typically, the monster seeks out a remote forest lair at least a day’s flight from civilization, then emerges from this den once a week to seek out a new place to destroy. It has no true interest in amassing treasure, but often gathers objects of obvious value to bring back to its den in order to encourage heroes to seek it out—to a jabberwock, it makes no difference whether it seeks out things to destroy or lets those things come to it. A Jabberwock wants nothing more than to see the lives of people, who wish to be something bigger than themselves, snuffed out.

Jabberwocks age, eat, drink, and sleep like any living creature, but they do not reproduce in the classic sense of the word. The creation of a new jabberwock—or of any of the Tane, in fact—is regulated by the strange and unknowable godlike entities that dwell in the primeval world. These fey lords create new jabberwocks as they are needed—sometimes varying the exact particulars (see Variant Jabberwocks), but always creating a fully formed adult creature. No young jabberwock has ever been encountered as a result.

The strange vulnerability a jabberwock possesses against vorpal weapons has long been a matter of intrigue and speculation among scholars. Most believe that, once upon a time, only one jabberwock existed, a creature of such great power that nothing could hurt it. Nothing, that is, save for a legendary sword forged for a mortal hero by a now-forgotten artisan or god. So epic was this battle that it created strange echoes throughout reality, and as a result, these echoes, in the form of the vorpal swords and jabberwocks known today, can be found on many worlds.

Jabberwock Lore
Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about Jabberwocks. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Arcana)
DC Result
17 This creature is a jabberwock.
20 Jabberwocks have jaws that bite and the claws that catch.
22 A jabberwock's burble can drive even the strongest of men insane.
25 A jabberwock's eyes of flame burn so bright they can be blinding.
27 Jabberwocks have a vulnerability to vorpal weapons.
30 See the For Player Characters section below.

Jabberwocky
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Society
Jabborwocks are beings of pure madness. Anything living near a jabberwock for years at a time becomes a Twisted version of itself (see Twisted Creature), hence the slithy toves and frumious bandersnatches living nearby it. No two jabberwocks live together due to their chaotic nature, and the loneliness gives them quite a manxome temperament.

Sample Lair
Jabberwockies typically live in forests: Usually found as a random wilderness encounter for epic characters. See table of sample encounters of the Dungeon Masters Guide. The Jabberwock's lair is covered in Jabberwock's Snare, bramble weed, and tar pits.

Jabberwock's snare is a thick bramble found in 30-foot square patches. A patch of jabberwock's snare is difficult terrain. A creature that starts its turn in or moves through a patch of jabberwock's snare for the first time on its turn must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d10) piercing damage and become restrained. A creature restrained by jabberwock's snare takes 11 (2d10) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns. A restrained creature or a creature within 5 feet of the restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, breaking free on a success. Jabberwock's snare is weak in sunlight, and the DC of the Dexterity saving throw decreases to 12, while the DC for the Strength (Athletics) check decreases to 10.

Brambleweed: Each 10-ft. square of brambleweed has 1 HD, and clumps can be 100-10,000 ft. in size. Destroying it with weapons means hacking at woody stems that are AC 8. Destroying a 10-ft. area of the brambleweed is worth 15 XP. A patch of brambleweed is dangerous due to its many long, sharp thorns. A victim who falls into a patch of brambleweed is subject to one attack roll by the plant (THAC0 20), and, if hit, they are hit for 1d100 points of damage, each point coming from one thorn. If they survive, they have managed to extract themselves from the weed.

Tar Pits: An adventurer who is traveling at normal pace (not running) should be given a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check, which is enough to recognize the danger. A running creature will not be given a save and travel 5′-10′ into the pit (roll 1d2 x 5′). A typical Tar Pit should be around 40′ in diameter. Creatures in tar need to make a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) swim check to move 5 feet (in any direction), failure results in sinking 5′ and beginning to drown. A creature whose head falls beneath the surface of quicksand will need to succeed on a swim check to get to closer to the surface or be rescued, otherwise see drowning rules. tar pit ignite if they come into contact with fire.

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Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Monster: Jabberwock

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