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In the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game, giant bats are magical beasts. They are, quite simply, enormous versions of regular, real-life bats. Their appearance seems somewhat akin to a North American Cave Bat crossed with a Vampire Bat, although it is hard to give an exact comparison. The creatures themselves are about 10 feet long, and have a 20 foot wingspan. They are normally brown in color, although black ones also exist, as do albino ones. From here, their appearance is much akin to a normal bat, they are simply much larger. One might say that they are more imposing, and with a "certain countenance" about them, but that is about it. They dwell underground, and in deep forests.
Giant bats, though sometimes existing in forests, are predominantly mysterious and menacing denizens of the underground. Entire colonies of the creatures exist in the underdark, silently swooping through its endless tunnels and passageways. Though much more intelligent, like a Giant eagle, their habits seem somewhat akin to that of normal bats, only multiplied tenfold to contemplate the increased size. Though they are reputed to be conniving and scheming creatures, they do not appear to attack unless them or their nests are provoked. They attack using their teeth, claws, and deadly harmonics. Underground dwelling races, such as Drow, Githyanki and such prize Giant bats as aerial mounts. Taming one requires that the bat has a friendly attitude towards the rider/tamer, and since they are evil creatures, the rider/tamer must be of neutral or evil alignment themself. Riding one requires the standard issue six weeks of training and exotic saddle. Giant bats can fly anywhere anytime, but prefer the darkness of the underground or nighttime.
Giant bats cannot speak, but understand Undercommon and Abyssal.
They are neutral evil in alignment.
Publication history[]
Giant bats first appeared in the basic edition for Dungeons & Dragons, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1981). They also appeared in the Basic Set's 1983 revision, and were subsequently featured in the 1991 Dungeons & Dragons Game and Rules Cyclopedia.
Giant bats were also introduced to the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game's first edition in 1981's Fiend Folio. The mobat, or huge bat, appeared in the 1982 module The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, and the following year in the Monster Manual II.
Both types of bat returned in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game's second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and were reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).