FREQUENCY: Very rare to rare

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Civilized Forest], [Temperate Civilized Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Civilized Mountains], [Temperate Civilized Hills], [Temperate Civilized Plains], [Temperate Civilized Desert])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Civilized Forest], [Tropical Civilized Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Civilized Mountains], [Tropical Civilized Hills], [Tropical Civilized Plains], [Tropical Civilized Desert])

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Astral Plane])

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Dungeon Level VI])

NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: -4
MOVE: 15"
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 25% (4 Rakshasas: forest, TPL72:12th, REF3.58)
TREASURE TYPE: [F]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 ~ 13
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3/2-5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Illusion, spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hit only by magic weapons, not affected by spells under 8th level <move to PH?>
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VI | 925 + 8

SAVES: 10.11.12.12.13

Known first in India, these evil spirits encased in flesh are spreading.
They are fond of a diet of human meat, <alt:longpig>
and as masters of illusion they can easily gain this end. Rakshasas are able to employ ESP and then create the
illusion of what those who have encountered them deem friendly. They
can then withhold attack until their prey can be taken off-guard. Although
capable of using both magic user's spells (up to 3rd level) and cleric's spells (1st level), <(mu1, mu2, mu3, c1)>

Hit only by magic weapons: Rakshasas cannot be harmed by non-magical weapons,
magical weapons below + 3 do one-half damage,
but hits by crossbow bolts blessed by a cleric kill them. <note: The spell may be ceremony: consecrate item>

Not affected by spells under the 8th level: they are not affected by spells under the 8th level.

Lair: If more than 1 rakshasa is encountered in its lair, the group will be a male and 1 or more females.

<note: at p.106, in the Index: it reads>
Devil: (see also Rakshasa)
<>

ADQ: Raskshasas, as described in the MM,
can be slain by crossbow
bolts blessed by a cleric. This is a very
unusual use of the bless spell. Does the
usual 6 round duration apply, or can
characters get some bolts blessed and then
kill a rakshasa a week later?
How many bolts can be blessed with 1
spell?
ADA: Similar to the options given for a
dispel magick spell, a bless spell may be
directed at either an area or an item. If cast
at an item, no creatures can be affected at
the same time. In this mode, the spell is an
Enchantment (rather than a Conjuration,
the typical use). The cleric may bless an
object weighing up to 1 pound per level of
the caster. If the item is of sufficient quality
(in the case of the crossbow bolt, of at least
50 gp value), the enchantment will function in
a manner similar to normally (magic-user)
enchanted missiles -- permanent until fired --
with the added vulnerability that the
magick can be removed by a dispel magick
spell (at standard chances of success).
(Polyhedron #22)

Quote:
Originally posted by Voadam
Is there a story or myth behind why rakshasas can be instantly slain by a blessed crossbow bolt?
I have never come across one and it seems an odd enough specific vulnerability to be based off of a real myth.

Heh, and there surely is. There was a TV show, THGE NIGHT STALKER, that had an episode in which rakshas were the featured monster. In that program these demons could be slain thus, rather like the way a vampire would be by a blessed wooden crossbow bolt through the heart. So I thought that it would be a good idea to follow that lead.

Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Mouser
My question is, does this mean that demons are immune to the average sword made from steel? I assume that a magic sword made from steel would affect the demon. Also, would both demons and devils be immune from wooden weapons (such as a club or staff) barring any magical bonuses?

Yes, only magic weapons (and cold-wrought iron ones) affect demons. That includes steel ones and wooden weapons, unless one is a rakshasa, they being subject to wod as other demonic types are to iron.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aelryinth
Mr Gygax, a little history help if you will...

The rakshasa in the original Monster Manual can be killed instantly by a shot from a blessed crossbow bolt. Assuming this is based on historical Indian mythology, where did you find this weakness? It seems the original Ramayana story line has Rama using an arrow or spear to kill Ravenna, and I know someone who is interested in hearing where you got this particular weakness with crossbows from.

Thank you!

==+Aelryinth

Heh...

That was covered earlier, here I think, although it might have been on another board. No Matter.

I was a fan of Kolchack, the Night Stalker, when it first aired, and sure enough they had a rakshasa as a monstrous evil on that show. I liked the idea of the demon being destroyed by a blessed wooden crossbow bolt, that being akin to the stake through a vampire's heart, so I went with that in the MM.

Nowadays I'd be less prone to allowing so easy an answer to the threat of a rakshasa, although not many adventuring parties are equipped with a crossbow and blessed bolts.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by VirgilCaine
Robert Bloch?

While we're on the subject of monster origins, where did the Rakshasha come from?
Hindu Mythogy and Kolchak, The Night Stalker in combination

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by haakon1
Gary, did you ever use the Rakshasa as a boss monster or other important foe? Seems interesting, but a little odd to integrate in the average campaign.

I do remember your story about getting the idea for putting it in AD&D from a TV show, rather than directly from Indian mythology.

I got inspired about this monster when I saw one in a museum . . . errr, a statue of one!

Yup!

As the AD&D rakshasa is not a potent demon, I did indeed have a couple of them as the head of a group of nasties bent on wreaking havoc.
As some nagas were opposing them the PCs could get assistance to defeat the tiger-demons.

My original inspiration for the AD&D rakshasa was indeed an episode of The Night Stalker.

Cheerio,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
Ironically, I just watched that very episode the other day. As a child, it was one of my favorites and certainly colored the way I used rakshasas in my old AD&D campaign.
Nice to hear you obviously derived as much inspiration from it as I did. 

Heh...

I was no child, but I surely found the first few episodes of The Night Stalker compelling 

Cheerio,
Gary