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(Might be a lil' late to bring this up but whatever)
I understand there is a lot of love out there for the Jabberwock. It's mythos origin is held dear by many, but I can't really get into it.
It's portrayed as a fearsome dragon, high CR, very threatening and would make for a great epic (traditional sense of the word, not rule-wise) encounter.
However, it just rubs me the wrong way that it has rabbit teeth, an odd head, and equally odd body. Not what I would call a terrifying creature...
Anyone else agree? Or if not, what brings the Jabberwock love?
However, it just rubs me the wrong way that it has rabbit teeth, an odd head, and equally odd body. Not what I would call a terrifying creature...Anyone else agree? Or if not, what brings the Jabberwock love?
Its appearance is based on the original illustration by John Tenniel, from Through the Looking Glass.
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However, it just rubs me the wrong way that it has rabbit teeth, an odd head, and equally odd body. Not what I would call a terrifying creature...Anyone else agree? Or if not, what brings the Jabberwock love?
Its appearance is based on the original illustration by John Tenniel, from Through the Looking Glass.
I'm aware of the origin of the creature, as stated. I just don't get it, is all. Back when the Bestiary 2 came out, a lot of people were stoked about it.
I'm aware of the origin of the creature, as stated. I just don't get it, is all. Back when the Bestiary 2 came out, a lot of people were stoked about it.
However, it just rubs me the wrong way that it has rabbit teeth, an odd head, and equally odd body. Not what I would call a terrifying creature...Anyone else agree? Or if not, what brings the Jabberwock love?
Its appearance is based on the original illustration by John Tenniel, from Through the Looking Glass.
I meant it as an answer to the question, "What brings the Jabberwock love?" The creature itself is a whopping big tribute to Alice in Wonderland, and it looks just like how Tenniel drew it back in 1865. That, I'm guessing, is why many people think it's cool.
Well, I guess I can't argue with that.
Having never been interested in Alice in Wonderland to any great extent other than thinking the Cheshire cat and the hookah smoking centipede were kind of neat, I suppose it doesn't give me any nostalgia. To each their own.
Origin of the Jabberwock, first mention of the vorpal blade in literature. Too bad, you've been missing much!
'findel
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Well, I guess I can't argue with that.
Having never been interested in Alice in Wonderland to any great extent other than thinking the Cheshire cat and the hookah smoking centipede were kind of neat, I suppose it doesn't give me any nostalgia. To each their own.
Origin of the Jabberwock, first mention of the vorpal blade in literature. Too bad, you've been missing much!
'findel
All I know is that they aviod halflings....it's ok because most monsters have a self preservation instinct.....
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The Jabberwock has great horror potential, though YMMV.
The thing's classic face is just wrong. Unlike nearly every other dragon design that we're familiar and comfortable with, the jabberwock's head is alien and off. It has the potential to be goofy, but in the right context it's downright unsettling.
Then there's the body. Yeah it's gangly and looks rather clumsy, but if one has it moving with unnatural grace while sitting right in the middle of the uncanny valley, it can cash in on the wrongness value again. Going back to "traditional" dragons, we're familiar with their builds. Having one of them charging or stalking you should be frightening, but it's also familiar. We can liken it, correctly or not, to being rushed by a real world predator and we can easily transpose those movements onto the usual dragons. The jabberwock on the other hand can have a serious "WTF IS THAT!?!?" factor working for it. Played right and to the hilt, it could be like facing a draconic Slender Man.
Or you could just take the fairy tale angle, which seems to be the jabberwock's bag anyway. Not that there isn't room to be terrifying there either...
Some things scare some people more then others. It is a DM's job to build suspense and possibly fear from a monster.
You could always set it up like the snake with Garfield ...
It may not scare your characters the first time... oh but the second time is another thing. :)
It's supposed to look that way, so really to me the point is moot. I think there would have been about a thousand percent more complaining if they had decked it out like some modern, anime-inspired bad-ass horned dragon. I think it looks great. Looks just like it should.
There are more types of games than just the standard high fantasy. Plenty of people delve occasionally into fairy tales, comical stuff, historical, etc. The Jabberwock fits right into any of those.
You cannot please everyone.
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It's supposed to look that way, so really to me the point is moot. I think there would have been about a thousand percent more complaining if they had decked it out like some modern, anime-inspired bad-ass horned dragon. I think it looks great. Looks just like it should.
There are more types of games than just the standard high fantasy. Plenty of people delve occasionally into fairy tales, comical stuff, historical, etc. The Jabberwock fits right into any of those.
Don't get me wrong, I never said there was a problem with Paizo portraying it accurately to the source material.
EDIT: I'm really just interested in people's reaction to the creature itself. It would have been weird if Paizo altered the Jabberwock, yes.
I think it's amazing and I salute Paizo for being so faithful to those amazing old lithographs (are they? looks like it).
I am especially pleased with how those claws that catch came out.
Can Paizo please supply us with accurate Jubjub Bird stats now?
+1
I would also like to see Bandersnatches and a Snark.
As to the appearance of the Jabberwocky, I loved how it stayed faithful to the original illustration but the artist made it his own as well. Speaking as an illustrator this is easier said than done. As for being scary, something that looks goofy but can easily tear you apart is especially scary.
Classic Example: Clowns
It does not look scary, but that is ok. When players start dying they will be scared.
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I think it's plenty scary. Look at that neck! It's sitting over there, 20 feet away, and then suddenly it's teeth are RIGHT IN YOUR FACE, and it's BURBLING and you are going CRAZY.
Its strangeness might make a picture of it funny, and I'll laugh at funny looking animals in a zoo, but if those animals were charging my butt? Terrifying.
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Brilliant horrible terrifying monster. Even Warhammer, back in the day, drew the jabber the same.
Remember this think is massive, its monstrous. And to be honest i know dragons are to be terrifying but seen them all, been there done it, and trying to stay in character its just a big lizard. The jabber is horrible, nasty, strange alien, combines a rabbit, and a lizard, and a bird, its a true monster....and it will rip our heads off and tear you a new hole.
lol
fav monster ever.