Armor Class
14
(natural armor)
Hit Points
68
(8d10 + 24)
Speed
30 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR
17
(+3)
DEX
16
(+3)
CON
17
(+3)
INT
7
(-2)
WIS
12
(+1)
CHA
8
(-1)
Senses
Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages
Common
Challenge
3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus
+2
Tail Spike Regrowth. The manticore has twenty-four tail spikes. Used spikes regrow when the manticore finishes a long rest.
Actions
Multiattack. The manticore makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws or three with its tail spikes.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Tail Spike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Description
A manticore has a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. Its long tail ends in a cluster of deadly spikes that can impale prey at impressive range.
I love the manticore, perfect low to mid level challenges.
The way its multiattack reads, it sounds like it can do either all melee attacks (one with its bite and two with its claws) OR all ranged attacks (three with its tail spikes), but it can't do a combination of melee and ranged attacks. Am I reading that right? Or is it just saying that, out of its three attacks total, only one can be a bite (because it only has one mouth), and only two can be claws (because it only has two front paws)?
I think you are reading it right.
The way the Manticore is written would suggest that they either attack from afar when on the ground or in the sky or go all out in melee.
This is correct. You can do three melee attacks or three ranged attacks, but no combinations of the two. If your manticore is clawing and biting someone’s face, it’s not going to decide make a ranged attack on the same person (range attacks in melee distance means disadvantaged attack rolls). If it wanted to attack someone else with the tail spikes, it would have to wait until it’s next turn.
"The manticore makes three attacks." Not "The manticore makes three attacks, or four attacks." Attacking with the tail is one set of 3 attacks, or it can attack with 2 claws and a bite.
Traditionally, the manticore will make it's tail attacks from flight.
I'm sad that they didn't include the fact that his spikes are venomes in mythology
As a DM you can add your own venom.
Cool!
i'm fighting this guy right now and he just ruined my new shield with his tail spike!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!???
thats when you use the spike as a weapon on your shield
Why are you looking at the statblock for a monster mid-combat?
what are you doing looking up monster stats while in game! your GM would be disappointed in you! SHAME!!
;)
Don't forget that adding a venom attack to the manticores spikes would bring its Dc to a 4 or 5 making this a grate surprise for higher level parties :)
too used to FB and reddit, I wanted to like or upvote that
Today my sister and Bro-in-law hosted a DND game that I was graciously invited to, it's been years since I have played, this was our first real monster... I TOTALLY GOT TO STAB/ RIDE THE MANTACORE WHILE MY SISTER SAVED US WITH EXPLODY FIRE!!! lol, good times.
we will be facing three of these puppies in our next session... can they be reasoned with seeing that they speak common?
This is probably too little too late, but yes, potentially. There's an encounter in Dragon of Icespire Peak in which a manticore is trying to break into an NPC's house; the PCs can negotiate with it, and it'll leave if they give it 25 gp or a few pounds of meat. Just remember that they're not too smart (7 Int) so they probably wouldn't understand anything particularly complicated...
Fighting 3 now, well two now I just finished one off. I've just placed my character between them and the party to take the brunt of the attack, RIP my character unless....
I read long ago how in Africa and Europe to fight lions and bears respectively. The person would take a spear or pike and when the lion/bear would rear up to slam its paws down they would charge up and aim their spear/pike for its heart letting the lion/bear’s weight drive it through. Now I wonder would you say this would work against a manticore?