A creature's physical characteristics also play a role in how it acts on the battlefield. If you are using Critical Hits System II from Chapter Seven, a monster's body type also determines what critical hits chart to use and what kinds of special damage can affect it.
Many basic types of creatures are described below, but you must use your own judgement and common sense when deciding a monster's type. Study the creatures statistics and description. If there is a picture, study that, too.
Humanoid[]
Humanoid creatures have two arms, two legs, and a head. The creature walks upright and generally uses tools and weapons. In most respects, the creature functions just like a player character, and is subject to all forms or critical hits and their special effects.
Human[]
The creature is Man-sized or smaller: humans, dwarves, elves, orcs, kobolds, hobgoblins, and thri-kreen are examples of human type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts. If the creature has multiple arms or legs, the limbs actually involved in the combat or closest to the attack are the most likely to be struck. Roll 1d6; a roll of 1–5 indicates that the active limb is struck, and a roll of 6 indicates the inactive limb is struck. If the creature is employing all its limbs, there is an equal chance for any limb to be struck. For example, an unarmed thri-kreen is fighting with all four claws and its opponent rolls a left arm critical. The two arms on the thri-kreen's left side are equally likely to be hit (roll 1d6 to determine which one). However, if the thri-kreen was using a weapon in one right hand, a shield in one left hand, and holding equipment in its remaining two hands, a left arm critical would most likely strike the shield arm.
Combat: Human types use attack options, battle tactics, and combat options as their intelligence ratings allow.
Ogre[]
The creature is larger than Man-sized, but not Huge: ogres, gnolls, bugbears, minotaurs, and quaggoths are examples of ogre type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts.
Combat: Ogre types use attack options, battle tactics, and combat options as their intelligence ratings allow. They often employ tactics that exploit their superior size and reach, such as moving back out of melee range to force an opponent to close again while the creature guards.
Giant[]
The creature is Huge or larger: the various races of giants, giant-kin, titans, and some genies are examples of giant type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts, but most opponents are forced to attack low (see Chapter Six).
Combat: Most giant types are fond of overrunning opponents, especially if they are two or more size classes larger (see Chapter One); a giant is likely to create a great deal of havoc when overrunning an entire formation of dwarves. Overrunning can be a dangerous tactic, however, and intelligent or experienced giants usually only try it early in a battle, when they have enough hit points to withstand the attacks of opportunity they are likely to provoke.
Humanoid Flyer[]
The creature can be any size, but has wings sprouting from its back: pixies, harpies, gargoyles, and pit fiends are examples of humanoid flyer type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts. Arm hits can strike the wings instead; for frontal attacks roll 1d6; 1–4 means an arm hit, 5–6 a wing hit). Reverse the odds for rear attacks. Arm hits from flank attacks have equal chances of hitting an arm or a wing.
Combat: A flyer's tactics usually emphasize mobility. If the creature has a ranged attack, it stays out of reach and attacks from a distance. In melee, the creature tends to swoop down for flank or rear attacks, then flies out of reach (using the withdraw option at half its flying speed).
Troll/Ape[]
The creature can be any size, but relies on natural weaponry: trolls, gorillas, and umber hulks are examples of troll/ape type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts; however, a troll/ape's long arms can be used for locomotion if necessary. Reduce movement penalties from leg hits by one step: a no-move result limits the creature to a 1⁄2 move, a 1⁄2-move effect reduces the creature to a 3⁄4 move, and a 1⁄4 effect is ignored. Trolls and other creatures that regenerate ignore grazes. Points regenerated count as magical healing for reducing bleeding effects. For example, a troll suffers major bleeding for only two rounds before it is reduced to minor bleeding (because it regenerates 6 hit points in that time). After two more rounds, the minor bleeding stops.
Combat: These creatures are fond of overruns (if their size allows) and wrestling attacks (they can bite while wrestling). Their powerful claws are treated as weapons one size larger than normal (see below).
Animal[]
Animals are creatures with four limbs of some kind and sometimes a tail. They employ natural weaponry and usually walk on four legs, fly, or swim. An animal's size has no effect on its type.
Avian[]
The creature has two forelimbs adapted for flying (sometimes for swimming) and two hind limbs for walking or roosting: birds, bats, rocs, and perytons are examples of avian type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the animal charts; treat foreleg hits as wing hits.
Combat: Avians tend to swoop to the attack, then break away, just as humanoid flyers do. Avians attacking from a dive are considered to be charging and inflict double damage with their claws.
Quadruped[]
This is the most common animal type; examples range from house cats to elephants.
Critical Hits: Use the animal charts. If the animal has no tail, reroll any tail hit.
Combat: Large quadrupeds frequently charge and overrun their opponents. Smaller quadrupeds prefer to attack from surprise.
Serpent[]
The creature has a head and a long, legless body. Snakes, nagas, and eels are examples of serpent type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the animal chart; most leg hits are treated as tail hits.
Combat: Many serpents can employ a constriction attack. Treat constriction attacks as wrestling attacks, except that there is no attack of opportunity and the attack must hit the opponent's normal Armor Class. A creature trapped in the serpent's coils is considered grappled and locked (see Chapter Five) and can use the normal wrestling procedure to get free.
Fish/Whale[]
The creature has a long, streamlined body with flippers or fins for direction control.
Critical Hits: Use the animal charts. Foreleg hits (location rolls of 1 or 2) can affect pectoral fins or flippers. Rolls of 3–5 affect the tail. Movement penalties from fin or flipper hits apply only if the animal changes direction or makes a melee attack during the round. The animal relies on its tail for movement and suffers movement penalties from tail criticals with severities of 9 or more.
Combat: These creatures often employ avian tactics, using their superior swimming speed to deliver quick attacks and then move out of reach.
Monster[]
Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. The basic monster critical hit charts assume four limbs, a head, and a tail; however, it is often necessary to use two different charts to assign a hit location.
Amorphous[]
The creature has a fluid body with no obvious limbs; the creature often can alter its shape freely and can form limbs or appendages as needed. Slimes, oozes, jellies, and gelatinous cubes are examples of amorphous type creatures.
Critical Hits: Amorphous creatures are immune to critical hits.
Combat: Amorphous creatures threaten everything adjacent to them. Fortunately, most of them are nonintelligent and cannot tactically exploit this ability. Amorphous creatures have no flank or rear spaces.
Plant/Fungi[]
The creature has a fibrous body with no internal skeleton and few or no internal organs. The creature often has vines or branches instead of arms and roots or tendrils instead of legs. Myconids, treants, and shambling mounds are examples of plant/fungi type monsters.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid critical chart. Abdomen and torso hits affect the trunk or stem. If the creature has no head, head hits affect the trunk instead. Arm hits affect the creature's branches or grasping appendages. Leg hits affect roots (if the roots are exposed) or the trunk. The creature ignores crush results, and all bleeding is automatically reduced by one step.
Combat: Plant/fungi creatures can be very difficult to detect when lurking in normal foliage. When resolving overbearing attempts, the creature gets the bonus for having more than four legs (it's pretty difficult to push a treant down). A plant creature with grasping vines (such as a choke creeper) can make wrestling attacks without provoking an attack of opportunity; such attacks are resolved against the creature's normal Armor Class, not AC 10. A creature caught in a grasping tendril is considered grappled and locked and can use the normal wrestling procedures to get free.
Dragon[]
The creature has a scaly body, a head, two or four legs, and a pair of wings sprouting from its back. Dragons, pseudo dragons, wyverns, and ki-rin are examples of dragon type creatures.
Critical Hits: If the dragon is the same size or smaller than the attacker, use the monster charts. If the dragon has only two legs, foreleg hits strike the wings. If the dragon has four legs, foreleg hits from frontal attacks strike the wings on a roll or 5 or 6 on 1d6. Reverse the odds for rear attacks (wings are struck on a roll 1–4). Foreleg hits from flank attacks have equal chances of hitting an arm or a wing.
If the dragon is one or two sizes larger than the attacker, facing determines the chart to use. Frontal attacks use the humanoid charts, treating foreleg hits as wing hits; leg hits strike the forelegs. Flank attacks use the monster chart, treating foreleg hits as wing hits. Rear attacks use the humanoid chart, treating foreleg hits as wing hits and head hits as tail hits. If the dragon is three or more size classes larger than the attacker, it is immune to special effects from critical hits, though it still suffers double or triple damage.
Combat: Dragons' tactics emphasize mobility. They tend to soften up the opposition with their breath weapons and special attacks before closing to conduct melee. Very large dragons like to overrun spellcasters and other physically weak characters before engaging more formidable characters in physical combat.
Radial[]
The creature's body is essentially circular, with a central head and torso surrounded by limbs. Octopi, xorns, grell, and beholders are examples of radial type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the monster charts, treating head hits as torso hits. Any foreleg hit strikes one of the limbs the creature is currently employing in combat. Any tail or hind leg hit strikes a limb not involved in combat. If the creature is employing all its limbs in combat, any leg or tail hit is treated as a foreleg hit. If the creature's limbs have no joints (an octopus's tentacle, for example), the creature ignores movement penalties from knee and hip hits.
Combat: A radial creature with sensory organs on its flank or rear negate the usual bonuses for flank or rear attacks. If the creature also has limbs in its flank or rear sides it threatens those squares, as well. For example, a zorn threatens every square adjacent to it with its three arms and three eyes. An intelligent radial creature might try to grab its opponent's weapons with one or two of its limbs while attacking normally with the rest. Such grab attempts do not provoke attacks of opportunity as long as the creature is making more normal attacks than grab attacks.
Insect/Arachnid[]
The creature has a chitinous body divided into two or more segments and multiple limbs. Giant insects, giant spiders, giant scorpions, and giant crayfish are examples of insect/arachnid type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the monster charts. If the creature has no tail, treat tail hits as abdomen hits. Foreleg hits affect the creature's claws or fighting limbs. Hind leg hits affect one of the creature's other limbs. The effected limb is the one closest to the attacker; if several limbs are equidistant, roll randomly to see which limb is effected. The creature's movement is unaffected by damage to the legs as long as it has at least two undamaged legs on each side of its body. For example, a giant spider can suffer knee hits to two of its left legs and suffer no movement penalties. If it suffers damage to a third leg on the left side, however, its movement is affected. All bleeding results are automatically reduced by one step.
Worm[]
The creature is similar to a snake. It has a long, sinuous body and may or may not have limbs. Giant slugs, giant centipedes, and purple worms are examples of worm type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the monster charts. Ignore the effects of leg hits unless the creature has hands or claws it can use in combat; in such cases, a forelimb hit (a roll of 1 or 2) strikes the fighting limb. All other leg hits are treated as tail hits.
Combat: Very large worm type creatures often can swallow victims whole. If the creature scores a critical hit, the victim takes double damage and is swallowed whole instead of suffering a special effect.
Centaur[]
The creature has an animal (usually quadruped) body and a humanoid forepart with a head, torso, abdomen and arms. Centaurs, wemics, and driders are examples of centaur type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid charts for frontal attacks. Leg hits affect the creature's animal forelegs and arm hits affect the creature's humanoid arms. Use the monster chart for flank and rear attacks. If the creature has no tail, treat tail hits as abdomen hits.
Combat: Centaur type creatures armed with missiles function as unmounted archers. Some centaurs types might use a weapon to parry, block, or disarm while attacking with their forelimbs.
Merman[]
The creature has a fish or snake body and humanoid or animal foreparts. Mermen, sea lions, and yuan-ti are examples of merman type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid or animal chart for frontal attacks, re-rolling leg hits. Use the monster chart for flank and rear attacks. Foreleg hits strike the creature's arms or forelimbs. Rolls of 3–5 strike the tail. The animal relies on its tail for movement and suffers movement penalties from tail criticals with severities of 9 or more.
Lizard Man/Lycanthrope[]
The creature has a generally humanoid body shape but also has a tail. Lizard men and lycanthropes in hybrid form are examples of lizard man/lycanthrope type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the humanoid chart for frontal attacks. Use the monster chart for flank and rear attacks. Forelimb hits strike the creature's arms.
Combat: These creatures generally function as humanoids in combat. Many of them also can bite while attacking with a weapon; bite attacks are made on the creature's base initiative phase and can be made simultaneously with a weapon attack.
Other[]
The creature defies easy classification. This type includes all creatures that lack large limbs and well-defined body areas, and creatures that are too small to present well-defined target areas. Normal insects, crawling claws, and urchins fall into this category.
Critical Hits: Use the monster chart. Treat all critical hits as abdomen hits.
Combat: These creatures usually employ specialized attack forms based on their unique physical characteristics. Creatures with ranged attacks usually use them in favor of melee attacks.
Undead[]
The creature is dead; it can be an animated or transformed corpse, such as a skeleton, ghoul or vampire, or a physical manifestation of a dead creature's spirit, such as a ghost, wraith, or spectre.
Critical Hits: Use the chart appropriate for the creature's body type; most undead are humanoid. Undead are immune to most critical hits. They completely ignore grazed, struck, and injured results. They suffer only the movement penalties for crushed, shattered, and destroyed results (they ignore attack penalties and hit point reductions). Undead ignore bleeding effects. Incorporeal undead ignore critical hits altogether, but still suffer double damage.
Combat: Most undead eagerly enter melee combat. Mindless undead simply attack. Intelligent undead hope to make full use of their touch-delivered special attacks.
Golem[]
The creature is an artificial construct or magically animated object. The various golems and most animated objects are examples of golem type creatures.
Critical Hits: Use the chart appropriate for the creature's body type; most golems are humanoid. Golems are hard to hurt; reduce all severity rolls by two (treat results of 0 or less as no effect). They completely ignore grazed, struck, and injured results. They are immune to bleeding. They suffer only the movement penalties for crushed, shattered, and destroyed results (they ignore attack penalties and hit point reductions).
Combat: Most golems are mindless. If left on their own, they move directly into melee, attacking whatever creatures they can reach. Golems under another creature's direction might employ more sophisticated tactics, depending on the directing creature's ability to formulate plans and communicate them effectively.