The dimensional warper was a creature appearing in second edition Dungeons & Dragons. What follows is the information taken directly from the second edition Monstrous Manual, followed by the updated stats for fifth edition.
What are dimensional warpers?
A dimensional warper has a snake-like body and stands on two long, thin legs. Its long, thin, flexible arms each end in one hooklike claw. There is a sturdy, wing-like membrane that stretches between the arms and legs ending at the claws and feet respectively. These “wings” are not used for flight. The warper’s head is bald and earless. It has large, round eyes with cat-like pupils. The creature stands about 6 feet tall and has a wingspan of about 5 feet. It is covered in a thick, leathery hide and has a long lizard-like tail. The dimensional warper has never been encountered on the Prime Material Plane.
Occasionally, for reasons of their own, dimensional warpers have communicated with humans and demihumans. These adventurers have reported that the warpers come to the Prime Material Plane to learn about the creatures native to the plane. However, only those warpers who are old and wise can visit this plane. If a dimensional warper is encountered, there is a high chance that it is a scholar; otherwise, it is a master. A master is identified by the ring of symbols tattooed around its head and down its back which are a sign of its rank.
How do dimensional warpers fight?
Dimensional warpers generally prefer to observe rather than fight. However, if it feels it has learned all it can from watching a group of adventurers, it probably attacks them to learn first-hand about their fighting skills. It only wants to learn about them, not kill them.
A warper attacks once with each of its claws and once with its long whip-like tail. If the warper cannot easily remain in control of the battle, it uses its abilities to warp the dimensions of height, width, depth, and time.
What is a dimensional warper’s habitat and society like?
The warper society is based entirely on seeking knowledge. Dimensional warpers are curious, knowledge-seeking beings. They spend most of their lives observing other creatures and learning as much as possible about them. Adult warpers are usually scholars. However, the oldest and most learned warpers earn the title master and are respected and honored by the others in the society.
Warpers prefer to live where they can observe other creatures without being seen. If possible they travel from place to place, finding hiding places in cities from which they can watch. They have also been known to hide along roads or trails or in dungeons where there are adventurers and monsters regularly passing by. It is possible for a dimensional warper to be able to speak almost any language, as they study their subjects intently. They are very interested in understanding any conversations they overhear.
What is a dimensional warper’s ecology like?
Dimensional warpers do not generally eat the creatures they observe as they do not approve of devouring intelligent creatures and non-intelligent animals do not make very interesting subjects for them. No one has ever seen the home of a warper or knows how old warpers live to be.
Dimensional Warper
Medium humanoid, neutral
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities Str 13 (+1), Dex 17 (+3), Con 16 (+3), Int 20 (+5), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 13 (+1)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +8
Skills History +8, Investigation +11, Perception +8
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages all
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Unarmored Defense. While the dimensional warper is wearing no armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its Intelligence modifier.
Innate Spellcasting. The dimensional warper’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The dimensional warper can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- 3/day each: enlarge/reduce, haste, slow
- 1/day each: dimensional door, duo-dimension
Quick Study. If a creature makes an attack against the dimensional warper or the dimensional warper makes an attack against a creature, the dimensional warper learns that creature’s fighting style. Following the attack (whether it hit or not), the dimensional warper has advantage on all attack rolls made against the creature and the creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls made against the dimensional warper for the duration of the combat.
Actions
Multiattack. The dimensional warper makes three attacks, two with its claws and one with its tail.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Dimensional Warper, Master
Medium humanoid, neutral
Armor Class 20
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities Str 13 (+1), Dex 18 (+4), Con 16 (+3), Int 22 (+6), Wis 17 (+3), Cha 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Dex +8, Int +10
Skills History +10, Investigation +14, Perception +11
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages all
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. The dimensional warper’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The dimensional warper can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- 3/day each: enlarge/reduce, haste, slow
- 1/day each: dimensional door, duo-dimension, time stop
Quick Study. If a creature makes an attack against the dimensional warper or the dimensional warper makes an attack against a creature, the dimensional warper learns that creature’s fighting style. Following the attack (whether it hit or not), the dimensional warper has advantage on all attack rolls made against the creature and the creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls made against the dimensional warper for the duration of the combat.
Actions
Multiattack. The dimensional warper makes five attacks, four with its claws and one with its tail.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. When a creature that the dimensional warper can see hits it with an attack, the dimensional warper can use its reaction to half the attack’s damage against it.
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