Troll
|
Trolls are predatory creatures of the Giant type. In the Flan language, they are known as trulent.
Ecology[edit]
Environment[edit]
Trolls are most often found in cold, mountainous regions, but can be encountered nearly anywhere.
Trolls are prevalent in the notoriously-named Troll Fens, as well as the Corusk and Yatil Mountains. A black-hided variety can be found in the Land of Black Ice.
Typical physical characteristics[edit]
The average troll stands nine feet high and weighs roughly 500 pounds, though females tend to be a bit larger than males. The hide of trolls is rubbery, and usually either moss green, putrid grey, or mottled gray and green. Their coarse hair is typically iron grey, or greenish-black.
Trolls initially seem to be somewhat shorter, due to their sagging shoulders and tendency to hunch forward. They walk with an uneven gait, and their arms dangle and drag the ground when running. Despite this apparent awkwardness, trolls are quite agile.
Trolls are infamous for their regenerative abilities, able to recover from the most grievous of wounds or regenerate entire limbs given time. Severing a troll's head results merely in temporary incapacitation, rather than death. After cutting off a troll's head or other limbs, one must seal the wounds with fire or acid to prevent regeneration. Because of this, most adventurers will typically carry some sort of implement capable of creating fire.
Alignment[edit]
Trolls are usually chaotic evil.
Society[edit]
Trolls often band together with ogres, and sometimes act as guardians in gnoll lairs.
Religion[edit]
Trolls usually worship Vaprak, the Destroyer, though some revere the Oeridian god, Erythnul.
Language[edit]
Trolls speak Giant
History[edit]
Troll Variants[edit]
- Black troll - Also known as demon trolls, these horned trolls reside in the Abyss and possess powerful magical abilities.
- Blood troll - Lawful evil red-skinned trolls who often serve devils.
- Cave troll - Powerful, feral trolls that often live underground.
- Crystalline troll - Charismatic troll with crystalline skin.
- Deep Sea troll - These trolls have a primal connection to water. They terrorize the oceans and coastlines.
- Desert troll - Chameleon-like, intelligent ambush hunters.
- Fell troll - Huge, two-headed troll.
- Fire troll - Immune to fire and acid.
- Forest troll - Includes variant "muskwart".
- Giant troll - Giant trolls are the result of trolls breeding with hill giants.
- Gray troll - Having been nearly energy drained to death by undead creatures, these emaciated trolls forge strong ties to negative energy and have venomous spittle.
- Ice troll - Cold-dwelling trolls.
- Mountain troll - Massive trolls that prowl mountains. Includes variant Halruuan mountain troll.
- Phaze troll - Mutated by great concentrations of magic or Underdark radiations, these trolls possess some magical powers and are more intelligent than their brethren.
- Pseudo-troll - Troll from the Far Realm with the pseudonatural creature template.
- Rock troll - Trolls with an affinity for earth, they possess natural camouflage in areas of stone. Rock trolls sometimes are found on the Elemental Plane of Earth.
- Scrag - These are aquatic cousins of the troll.
- Spirit troll - Spirit trolls are a crossbreed of troll and invisible stalker.
- Stone troll - Stone Trolls have rough, somewhat rocky skin and are generally native to mountain ranges
- Tree troll - Small arboreal trolls created by magic gone awry.
- Troll hunter - An ordinary, though more cunning than usual troll who is not satisfied with merely eating civilized beings but trains to hunt them relentlessly.
- Two-headed troll - These creatures are a horrendous crossbreed of troll and ettin.
- War troll - Trolls bred for war that form mercenary companies.
- Wasteland troll - Found in mountains and badlands of the deserts.
Related creatures[edit]
- Llort - (Llort is "troll" spelled backwards) A creature visually indistinguishable from a troll, with similar methods of attacking. Llorts, however, have at some point been affected by a temporal magic effect which means that damage done to them heals them. To kill a llort, once damage has been done to it, it is necessary to use healing magic in order to reduce its hit points. It is also the case that, once its hit points fall below its original level, trollish regeneration kicks in and will also heal the llort.
- Trollhound - Wolflike creatures that share many of the same traits as trolls, including the powerful regenerative capabilities. They often associate with trolls.
- Gnoll - back when the gnoll creature was still in development, it was meant to be a hybrid between a gnome and a troll (hence the name gnoll) but the designers abandoned the hybrid idea, and gave it a Hyena-like appearance for unknown reasons.
Creative origins[edit]
While trolls can be found throughout folklores worldwide, the D&D troll has little in common with these. Instead it was clearly inspired by Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions. This includes their appearance, as tall skinny humanoids with long noses and rubbery skin, their ability to regenerate, and their weakness to fire.
Publication history[edit]
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)[edit]
The troll was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), where they are described as thin and rubbery, loathsome creatures able to regenerate.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first edition (1977-1988)[edit]
The troll appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where they are described as horrid carnivores that know no fear and are able to regenerate damage taken.
Several new varieties of troll were introduced in the Fiend Folio (1981), including the giant two-headed troll, the giant troll, the ice troll, and the spirit troll. The module Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982) introduced the marine troll, also known as the scrag, which was later reprinted in Monster Manual II (1983).
The black troll and rock troll were introduced in Dragon #141, in the Dragon's Bestiary column (January 1989).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons second edition (1989-1999)[edit]
The troll appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993) along with several troll variants.
The Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (1992) reintroduced the ice troll. The snow troll first appeared in Dungeon #43 (September 1993), and was later reprinted in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One (1994).
Several new types of trolls were introduced in Dragon #199's "Dragon's Bestiary" column (November 1993), including the fire troll the gray troll, the phaze troll, the stone troll, and the trollhound. The fire troll was later reintroduced in Paizo's Dragon Compendium, Volume 1 (2005).
Monstrous Compendium Annual Four (1998) included the Far Realm creature, the troll mutate.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)[edit]
The troll appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).
The troll is further detailed in Dragon #301 (November 2002), in The Ecology of the Troll, which also introduced the deep sea troll, the fiendish troll, the ice troll, the rock troll, and the scrag.
Savage Species (2003) presented the troll as both a race and a playable class.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)[edit]
The troll appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003), which also included information on the scrag. Several new trolls were introduced in Monster Manual III (2004), including the cave troll, the crystalline troll, the forest troll, the mountain troll, and the war troll. The wasteland troll was introduced in Sandstorm (2005).
Dungeons & Dragons fourth edition (2008-)[edit]
The troll appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), along with the war troll and fell troll.
Miniatures[edit]
Trolls appear in the D&D Miniatures: Harbinger set #77 (2003).
Bibliography[edit]
- Baclawski, Alec. "The Dragon's Bestiary: Those Terrible Trolls." Dragon #199. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
- Burlew, Rich, et al. Monster Manual III. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
- Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.
- Eckelberry, David, Rich Redman, and Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. Savage Species. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
- Gygax, Gary. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1982.
- ———. Monster Manual. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1977.
- ———. Monster Manual II. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- ———. Unearthed Arcana. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1985.
- ———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. Dungeons & Dragons. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1974.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Leach, Paul. "Malignant Growth: The Ecology of the Troll." Dragon #301. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.
- Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. Monster Manual. renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994.
- Szarmach, Michael J., and Linda Hankins. "The Dragon's Bestiary: Those Nonhuman creatures - with human form." Dragon #141. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.
- Turnbull, Don, ed. Fiend Folio. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981.
- Williams, Skip, et al. Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- Williams, Skip, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook. Monster Manual. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- ———. Monster Manual Core Rulebook III v 3.5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
- Wise, David, ed. Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994
External links[edit]
- Troll entry for Wikipedia.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Isak Trollslayer | Non-player character | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 94 | |
Pest Controller | Rules | Kit, | PHBR6 - The Complete Book of Dwarves | 68-69 |
Potion of Controlling Damage | Item | Encyclopedia Magica - Volume III | 858 | |
Potion of Controlling Damage | Item | WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure | 15, 25 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Dragon magazine #295 | 96 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | From the Ashes: References Card | #14 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | MC1 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 | Insert (Troll) | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix | Encounter Tables | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e | 349, 350 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) | 349, 350 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Monster Manual 2, AD&D 1e | 121, 122 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Polyhedron magazine #020 | 18 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book Two | 16 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Fresh Water | Monster | Stormwrack, D&D 3.5e | 218, 220, 221 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Dragon magazine #347 | 39 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Dungeon magazine #114 | 66 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | From the Ashes: References Card | #11 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | From the Ashes: References Card | #14 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | MC1 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 | Insert (Troll) | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix | Encounter Tables | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e | 349, 350 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) | 349, 350 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Monster Manual 2, AD&D 1e | 121, 122 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book Two | 16 | |
Scrag (Marine Troll), Salt Water | Monster | Stormwrack, D&D 3.5e | 214, 215, 216, 217 | |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Dragon magazine #067 | 4, 9 |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Reference | SEE ALSO Tasha's Hideous Laughter (LVL2) |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e | 30, 54 |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e (Premium Edition) | 30, 54 |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume IV | 918 |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Ranger), | Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e | 54 |
Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Ranger), | Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e (Premium Edition) | 54 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Against The Giants: The Liberation of Geoff | 2, 4, 5, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 43, 53, 55, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72, 73, 82, 84, 96 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | D1 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Dragon magazine #347 | 36 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Enemies & Allies, D&D 3.0e | 46 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #08 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #09 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #10 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #11 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #12 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | From the Ashes: References Card | #14 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 12, 16, 18, 19, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 57, 58, 60, 61, 65, 73, 74, 75, 82, 83, 87, 97, 102, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders: Map/Monster Booklet | 24 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Greyhawk: Supplement I, OD&D | 16, 63, 64 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e | 13, 22, 24, 25, 63, 85, 213 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | I2 Tomb of the Lizard King | 12, 19, 20 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | I7 Baltron's Beacon | 6, 7, 10, 11, 13 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | L3 Deep Dwarven Delve | 5, 8, 10 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 13, 45, 94, 103 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | MC1 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 | Insert (Troll) |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix | Encounter Tables |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, AD&D 1e | 97 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e | 349, 350 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) | 349, 350 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e | 247, 248 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) | 247, 248 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.0e | 180 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 4e (Deluxe Edition) | 254, 255 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e | 291 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #01 | 19 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #07 | 43 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #11 | 25,31,32,62,70,73 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #14 | 2,12,28,33 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #15 | 17 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #19 | 70 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #20 | 36,37 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #23 | 41,42,43,48,49 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #26 | 22 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Oerth Journal #32 | 10,11,20,44 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Polyhedron magazine #020 | 15, 16, 18, 20 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Return to the Tomb of Horrors | 20 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | S1-4 Realms of Horror, Adventure Booklet | 58 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book One | 4, 7, 10, 15 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book Two | 16, 30 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Saltmarsh Encounters, D&D 5e | 16 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | Vortext #08, Spring 1993 #08 | 29 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 26, 40 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | X1 The Isle of Dread (1st-3rd printing), D&D Basic | 6 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | The Isle of Dread: Original Adventures Reincarnated #02, D&D 5e | 24, 64 |
Troll | Monster | Native of: Prime Material, | X1 The Isle of Dread (4th printing), D&D Basic | 8 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Dragon magazine #056 | 21 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Dragon magazine #068 | 43 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | The Fright At Tristor | 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 22, 23 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 61 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | From the Ashes: Campaign Book | 76 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | From the Ashes: References Card | #12 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Greyhawk Wars: Adventures | 7, 22 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 81, 112, 153 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Living Greyhawk Journal #1 | 30 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | Living Greyhawk Journal #4 | 30 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) | 23 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 68, 70, 72 |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | WGS1 Five Shall Be One | IBC |
Troll Fens | Geographical feature | Fens, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 52, 55 |
Troll Marshes | Geographical feature | Marsh, | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 63 |
Troll War | Adventure | N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God | 6 | |
Troll Winter | Calendar | The Fright At Tristor | 10 | |
Troll Winter | Calendar | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 72 | |
Troll, Desert | Monster | WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins | 101 | |
Troll, Giant | Monster | Against The Giants: The Liberation of Geoff | 83, 85, 94 | |
Troll, Giant | Monster | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 19 | |
Troll, Giant | Monster | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders: Map/Monster Booklet | 24 | |
Troll, Giant | Monster | WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins | 101, 102 | |
Troll, Giant | Monster | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 9 | |
Troll, Ice | Monster | Against The Giants: The Liberation of Geoff | 57, 59, 60, 94 | |
Troll, Ice | Monster | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 18, 19 | |
Troll, Ice | Monster | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders: Map/Monster Booklet | 24 | |
Troll, Ice | Monster | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 8, 9, 16 | |
Troll, Marine | Monster | Reference | SEE Scrag | |
Troll, Spectral | Monster | WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins | 101-102 | |
Troll, Two-Headed | Monster | From the Ashes: References Card | #10 | |
Troll, Two-Headed | Monster | From the Ashes: References Card | #12 | |
Troll, Two-Headed | Monster | MC1 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 | Insert (Troll) | |
Troll, Two-Headed | Monster | MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix | Encounter Tables | |
Trollbar | Settlement | Defensive Structure, | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 66 |