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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{Infobox fictional race |
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| name = Displacer beast |
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{{Rcat shell| |
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| image = ] |
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{{R to related topic}} |
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| first = '']'' (1975) |
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| based_on = the ] |
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| type = ] |
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| alignment = ] |
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A '''displacer beast''' is a fictional evil feline creature created for the '']'' role-playing game in 1975; it has subsequently been included in every edition of the game to the present day. |
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==Description== |
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A displacer beast is a magical six-legged ]-like feline with a pair of tentacles growing from its shoulders; the beast has an innate "displacement" ability, causing it appear to be several feet away from its actual location. |
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==Publication history== |
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1974–1976)=== |
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The displacer beast was created for ''Dungeons & Dragons'', first introduced in the game's supplement, '']'' (1975), as "a puma-like creature with six legs and a pair of tentacles which grow from its shoulders."<ref>] and ]. '']'' (TSR, 1975)</ref> The concept of the creature was borrowed from ]'s 1939 science fiction story "Black Destroyer", which described a feline-like creature called a ].<ref name=Ash>{{cite book|author-first=Richard W.|author-last=Forest|editor1-first=Jeffrey|editor1-last=Weinstock|date=2014|title=The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters|publisher=]|chapter=Dungeons & Dragons, Monsters in}}</ref><ref name="aa>{{cite book | last1 =Witwer | first1 =Michael| last2 =Newman | first2 =Kyle| last3 =Witwer | first3 =Sam| title =Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History | publisher =Ten Speed Press| date =2018| isbn =9780399580949}}</ref>{{rp|71}} Van Vogt later incorporated the coeurl into the novel '']'' (1950).<ref>{{cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=] Monster Ecologies |year=2007 |publisher=] |location= |isbn= }}</ref> |
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===''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st edition (1977–1988)=== |
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The displacer beast appears in the first edition ''Monster Manual'' (1977), where it is described as a vaguely puma-like beast that always appears to be three feet away from its actual position.<ref name="1eMM">]. '']'' (], 1977)</ref> ], in his book ''Of Dice and Men'', discussed several monsters appearing in the original ''Monster Manual'', describing displacer beasts as looking like "pumas with thorn-covered tentacles growing out of their shoulders".<ref name=ODaM>{{cite book | first=David M. | last=Ewalt | authorlink= David M. Ewalt | year=2013 | title= Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It | publisher=Scribner | page=138 | isbn=978-1-4516-4052-6 }}</ref> |
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The displacer beast was detailed in '']'' #109 (May 1986), in the "Ecology of the Displacer Beast".<ref>Mickelson, Bill. "Ecology of the Displacer Beast." '']'' #109 (TSR, 1986)</ref> |
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1977–1999)=== |
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This edition of the ''D&D'' game included its own version of the displacer beast, in the '']'' (1977),<ref>], and ] , edited by ]. ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' (TSR, 1977)</ref> and '']'' (1981 & 1983),<ref>], and ] , edited by ]. ''Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set'' (TSR, 1981)</ref><ref>], and ] , edited by ]. ''Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules'' (TSR, 1983)</ref> and was also later featured in the '']'' set (1991), the '']'' (1991),<ref>], ], ], and Dori Watry. '']'' (TSR, 1991)</ref> the ''Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game'' set (1994), and the '']'' set (1999).<ref>]. '']'' (TSR, 1999)</ref> |
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===''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition (1989–1999)=== |
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The displacer beast appears in the ''Monstrous Compendium Volume One'' (1989),<ref>], et al. ''Monstrous Compendium Volume One'' (], 1989)</ref> and is reprinted in the '']'' (1993).<ref>Stewart, Doug, ed. ''Monstrous Manual'' (TSR, 1994)</ref> |
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.0 & 3.5 editions (2000–2007)=== |
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The displacer beast appears in the 3rd edition ''Monster Manual''(2000)<ref>], ], and ]. '']'' (], 2000)</ref> and then in the 3.5 edition ''Monster Manual'' (2003). This edition also described the '''displacer beast pack lord'''. For this edition, ] considered the displacer beast to be an original product of ''D&D'' and was therefore categorized as a "Product Identity"; as such it was not released under its ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.d20srd.org/faq.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=D20srd.org}}</ref> |
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition (2008–2013)=== |
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The displacer beast appears in the 4th edition ''Monster Manual'' (2008), and again a description is included for the '''displacer beast packlord'''.<ref>Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. '']'' (], 2008)</ref> |
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition (2014)=== |
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The displacer beast appears in the 5th edition ''Monster Manual''(2014). |
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==Reception== |
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Rob Bricken from ] named the displacer beast as the 2nd most memorable ''D&D'' monster.<ref>{{cite journal|url= http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-10-most-memorable-dungeons-dragons-monsters-1326074030/|title=The 10 Most Memorable Dungeons & Dragons Monsters|work=io9|last=Bricken|first=Rob|date=September 16, 2013|accessdate=January 20, 2016}}</ref> |
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==Other marketing: ''D&D Miniatures''== |
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* Harbinger set #41 (2003) |
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* War of the Dragon Queen set #29 (2006) (Displacer Beast Pack Lord) |
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* Unhallowed set #37 (2007) (Displacer Beast Manhunter) |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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{{D&D topics}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Displacer Beast}} |
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] |
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] |
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