So maybe a D&D Hemaraj has the heads of a lion, swan, and crocodile, the forequarters of a lion, the hindquarters of a crocodile, and the wings of a swan. It’s supposed to be the combination of a lion and a “Hem”, which is sometimes depicted as a swan, and sometimes as a crocodile. For example, there’s a creature in Thai & South Asian mythology called a Hemaraj. You could also change the animals represented to make them visually different. You can vary the dragon head to change up its breath weapon and favored terrain. If you can describe the image or sensation of what that feels like, it will wake up the players, I guarantee.Ĭhimeras are also wonderfully adaptable monsters. Perhaps through profane rites, the chimera’s dragon head looks more like a mandrill’s, and its breath is given a rotting effect (a nod back to Demogorgon’s 1st edition abilities) and does necrotic damage. Given its infernal nature, this seems particularly apt. I could also imagine adding some demonic traits to a chimera and have it the protector of a cult of Demogorgon. Alternately, a chimera who was captured young could learn to speak Common instead and be paired with brigands, perhaps as a prized mount for a brigand chieftain. Evil dragonborn, draconians (from Dragonlance), or even kobolds could speak a tongue the chimera understood. I would also think of the chimera as a trained guardian, as I mentioned before.
That would make a Hard challenge for a group of 5 6th level characters (it’s CR) or a Deadly challenge for a group of 5 5th level characters.
When building encounters, I would first think about a mated pair of these cantankerous brutes. When caravans are found burned or picked clean, with their treasures left behind, but all the food devoured, locaa lords will be baffled and will seek help from adventurers to learn what’s happening and bring it to an end. The iconic way to use a chimera is to make it a hunter that has moved into an area. And it would absolutely use darkness to its advantage, though the fire it left behind can help it see as well. Since it can fly, I would imagine it pulling up out of bow range, letting its breath weapon recharge, then swooping down again to pick off a lone victim or breathe over a vulnerable group. Admittedly, its breath weapon isn’t as terrifying as the average dragon’s, but that’s still a horrific combination, and, as a DM, I would take advantage of that whenever I could. It has the option to attack with a bite, a claw, and the goat’s horns, but, if it has its dragon’s breath available, it can include that in place of the bite or horns. It has a multiattack that a dragon would envy. It might attack one at a time as they end up in the dark, terrified and helpless. It also has a cruel streak (there’s that chaotic evil again), so it’s easy to imagine it raiding a caravan at night, blasting it with fire while most of the caravan is sleeping, and then toying with those who scatter away from burning wagons and tents. It has darkvision, so it makes sense that it might be a nocturnal hunter. Although they don’t speak a language, they can understand draconic, so they might be good to pair with other creatures that speak it as trained, but unreliable guardians. I could definitely understand this given their demonic origins. It’s interesting that they have alignment, even though they themselves are barely of human intelligence. In official 5E D&D lore, chimeras were created by Demogorgon, and that tracks, since they are chaotic evil. The chimera is a Monstrosity, so it could really have come from anywhere. So a D&D chimera would kick Bellerophon’s butt…just saying. D&D’s chimera, by comparison, has the heads of all three creatures, can fly, and breathes fire.
Now, the original Chimera is described as having a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail…tough, but not that bad. But Bellerophon, in a move that will surely please many D&D PCs, gets on his winged horse Pegasus (yes, this is where Pegasus comes into the stories, too), flies up to where the chimera can’t reach him, and shoots it full of arrows. The Lycian king Iobates orders the hero Bellerophon to kill the chimera…although he’s hoping the chimera will kill Bellerophon (oh, Greek myths and their drama). In the original myth, it’s a carnivorous monster responsible for killing many men. The Chimera is one of the many elements of Greek mythology in D&D’s monsters. As always, a huge thanks to Scott Fabianek for the fantastic original artwork. For this May’s Monster of the Month, I thought we’d look at D&D’s mixed grill of a beast - the Chimera. I can’t believe how fast this year is blowing past, but I feel like I say that every year.
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