Nereids

Don't let your main character lead a conversation with a Nereid. One kiss and you'll be forced to reload.

(32 hp, 5,000 xp) - While nereids often take the form of beautiful females, they are actually creatures from the Elemental Plane of Water. Being of varying alignments, although always chaotic, care should be taken when dealing with nereids. Nereids are capable of killing an opponent with a single kiss, as the victim drowns instantly. Provided that you're not surprised by a nereid's deadly smooch, they aren't formidable enemies in combat.

Nymphs

(24 hp, 2,000 xp) - Like dryads, sirines, and nereids, nymphs appear as beautiful young women. They are resistant to magic (50 percent) and capable of casting cleric spells and dimension door. Nymphs are usually friendly if approached by a creature of good alignment.

Ogrillons

These physically powerful Ogrillons lack a ranged attack, so take them out from a distance.

(19 hp, 75 xp) - Humanoid ogre/orc half-breeds, these creatures savagely attack with their hands, instead of using weapons. Their strength makes their attacks formidable, but they are easy prey for a well-equipped party. Ogrillons are vulnerable to sleep, hold person, charm person, and color spray spells, if you want to take them out quickly. Since they can only attack at close range, they are also particularly susceptible to entangle spells, which can allow your party to pick them off from a safe distance.

Ogres

An Ogre Mage, surrounded by some pets in the sewers of Baldur's Gate. Use quick weapons against spell-casters like this Ogre Mage to disrupt their incantations.

Normal (30 hp, 270 xp) - Giant humanoids, ogres are strong enough individually to crush an inexperienced party. Unfortunately, they are rarely alone. A sole ogre rules the sector between the Friendly Arm Inn and Beregost. Too large to stop with spells that can be deadly against other humanoids, like charm person or hold person, ogres can still be stunned by chromatic orb spells and halted by entangle spells. Ogres are such strong creatures that they only use melee weapons, so take advantage of their need to engage in close combat and attack them from a distance.

Concentrate missile weapon fire on an Ogre, and don't be lured into battling these powerful creatures toe-to-toe, at least until you have an experienced party.

Ogre Berserkers (40 hp, 650 xp) - An even more powerful ogre, ogre berserkers are extremely dangerous in melee combat, but otherwise similar in behavior to normal ogres.

Ogre Mages (39 hp, 650 xp) - Possessing the same strength as normal ogres, these "Japanese" ogres are also capable spell-casters who delight in casting mage spells such as confusion and mirror image.

Next: Monsters and Animal Types, continued
 

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