Sphinx

(From 5th Edition Monster Manual - 2014):

In sacred isolation, a sphinx guards the secrets and treasures of the gods. As it calmly regards each new party that comes before it, the bones of supplicants and quest seekers that failed to pass its tests lie scattered around its lair. Its great wings sweep along its flanks, its tawny leonine body rippling with muscle and possessed of forepaws powerful enough to tear a humanoid in half.

Divine Guardians. Sphinxes test the worth of those who seek the treasures of the gods, whether forgotten secrets or mighty spells, artifacts or magical gateways. Creatures that choose to face a sphinx’s test are bound to that test unto death, and only those worthy will survive it. The rest the sphinx destroys.

Some sphinxes are high priests of the gods that create them, but most are simply embodied spirits, brought into the mortal realm by devout prayer or direct intervention. A sphinx maintains its vigil tirelessly, not needing to sleep or eat. It rarely engages with others of its kind, knowing no other life except its sacred mission.

Magical Tests. The secrets and treasures a sphinx guards remain under divine protection, so that when a creature fails a sphinx’s test, the path to the object or knowledge it guards vanishes. Even if a sphinx is attacked and defeated, a quester will still fail to gain the secret it sought — and will make an enemy of the god that placed the sphinx as a guardian.

Benign deities sometimes grant a sphinx the power to remove supplicants that fail their tests, transporting them away and ensuring that they never encounter the sphinx again. However, those who fail a sphinx’s test typically meet a gruesome end beneath its claws.

Extraplanar Beings. Mortals that encounter sphinxes do so most often in ancient tombs and ruins, but some sphinxes can access extraplanar realms. A conversation with a sphinx that begins between tumbled stone walls might suddenly shift to an alien locale, such as a life-sized game board or a daunting cliff that must be climbed in a howling storm. Sometimes a sphinx must be summoned from such an extradimensional space, with supplicants calling it from its empty lair. Only those the sphinx deems worthy gain admittance to its realm.

Fallen Sphinxes. Whether through the weariness of the ages, regret at the slaughter of innocents, or dreams of worship by supplicants that attempt to bargain their way to knowledge, some sphinxes break free of their divine command. However, even if a sphinx’s alignment and loyalties drift in this way, it never leaves the place it guards or grants its secrets to any except creatures it deems worthy.

Round she is, yet flat as a board

Altar of the Lupine Lords

Jewel on black velvet, pearl in the sea

Unchanged but e’erchanging, eternally.

— Riddle of the gynosphinx of White Plume Mountain

Androsphinx:

An androsphinx bears the head of a humanoid male on its lion’s body. Outwardly gruff and downcast, it often begins conversations with insults or negative observations. Beneath this gruff exterior, however, an androsphinx has a noble heart. It has no wish to lie or deceive, but it doesn’t give away information readily, choosing its words as wisely as it guards its secrets.

An androsphinx tests the courage and valor of supplicants, not only by forcing them to complete quests but also with its terrible roar, which echoes for miles as it terrifies and deafens nearby creatures. Those who pass its tests may be rewarded with a heroes’ feast.

Gynosphinx:

A gynosphinx bears the head of a humanoid female. Many have the regal countenances of worldly queens, but some are marked with wild, leonine features. A gynosphinx’s eyes see beyond the present time and place, and penetrate veils of invisibility and magic. Supplicants who look deep into those eyes might find themselves magically displaced, banished to some far-flung plane where a difficult trial awaits them.

Gynosphinxes are virtual libraries of knowledge and lore. They ask riddles and present puzzles to test the wit of supplicants that come to learn their secrets. Some are willing to bargain with such supplicants for treasure or service.

A Spinx's Lair:

A sphinx presides over an ancient temple, sepulcher, or vault, within which are hidden divine secrets and treasures beyond the reach of mortals.

Lair Actions: On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the sphinx can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the sphinx can’t use an effect again until it finishes a short or long rest:

• The flow of time is altered such that every creature in the lair must reroll initiative. The sphinx can choose not to reroll.

• The effects of time are altered such that every creature in the lair must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become 1d20 years older or younger (the sphinx’s choice), but never any younger than 1 year old. A greater restoration spell can restore a creature’s age to normal.

• The flow of time within the lair is altered such that everything within moves up to 10 years forward or backward (sphinx’s choice). Only the sphinx is immediately aware of the time change. A wish spell can return the caster and up to seven other creatures designated by the caster to their normal time.

• The sphinx shifts itself and up to seven other creatures it can see within in its lair to another plane of existence. Once outside its lair, the sphinx can’t use lair actions, but it can return to its lair as a bonus action on its turn, taking up to seven creatures with it.

(From 3.5e Monster Manual - 2003):

Sphinxes are enigmatic creatures with great, feathery wings and leonine bodies. All sphinxes are territorial, but the more intelligent ones can differentiate between deliberate intrusion and temporary or inadvertent trespass. 

A typical sphinx is about 10 feet long and weighs about 800 pounds. 

Sphinxes speak Sphinx, Common, and Draconic.

Androsphinx:

This creature is bigger than a riding horse and has a tawny lion body, great falcon wings, and a humanoid face. 

These sphinxes are always male. Androsphinxes are clever and generally good-natured, but they can be savage opponents. 

Though outwardly gruff and bad-tempered, androsphinxes have noble hearts, and are a little bit shy. They appreciate small courtesies, but seldom admit it, and praise makes them feel uncomfortable.

Combat: In battle, an androsphinx rips apart enemies with its razor-sharp claws. It relies on its natural weapons in a fight, employing its spells for defense or healing.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +18 melee, damage 2d4+3.

Roar (Su): Three times per day an androsphinx can loose a mighty roar. The first time it does this, all creatures within 500 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell for 2d6 rounds. 

If the sphinx roars a second time during the same encounter, all creatures within 250 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds, and all those within 90 feet are deafened for 2d6 rounds (no save). 

If it roars a third time during the same encounter, all those within 250 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of Strength damage for 2d4 rounds. In addition, any Medium or smaller creature within 90 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be thrown to the ground and take 2d8 points of damage. The force of this roar is so great that it deals 50 points of damage to any stone or crystalline object within 90 feet. Magic items and held or carried items can avoid damage with a DC 19 Reflex save. 

Other androsphinxes are immune to these effects. The save DCs are Charisma-based. 

Spells: An androsphinx casts divine spells as a 6th-level cleric from the cleric spell list and from the Good, Healing, and Protection domains. 

Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (5/5/5/4; save DC 13 + spell level): 0—cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, light, resistance; 1st—divine favor, protection from evil , shield of faith, remove fear, summon monster I; 2nd—bull’s strength, remove paralysis, resist energy, shield other , summon monster II; 3rd—cure serious wounds , daylight, invisibility purge, searing light. 

*Domain spell. Domains: Good and Healing.

Criospinx:

This creature is bigger than a horse and has a tawny lion body, great falcon wings, and a ram’s head. 

These sphinxes are always male. Neither good nor evil, they lack the intelligence of the androsphinx. 

Criosphinxes constantly seek gynosphinxes, but if they cannot find one, they pursue wealth above all else. The best deal an adventurer can hope to strike with a criosphinx is safe passage in exchange for all of his or her treasure.

Combat: Criosphinxes attack with their claws, as do their kin, but they can also butt with their horns. They don’t cast spells and employ only the most simple battle tactics. Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +15 melee, damage 1d6+3.

Gynosphinx:

This creature is bigger than a horse and has a tawny lion body, great falcon wings, and the head of a female humanoid. 

These sphinxes are the female counterparts of androsphinxes. 

Gynosphinxes often are willing to bargain for treasure or service. They constantly seek out new intellectual challenges—riddles, puzzles, and other such tests delight them to no end. They find criosphinxes and hieracosphinxes detestable. 

Combat: In close combat, gynosphinxes use their powerful claws to flay the flesh from their enemies. Despite their deadly nature, they prefer to avoid combat whenever possible.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +11 melee, damage 1d6+2. 

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect magic, read magic, see invisibility; 1/day—comprehend languages, locate object, dispel magic, remove curse (DC 18), legend lore. Caster level 14th. The save DC is Charisma-based. Once per week a gynosphinx can create a symbol of death, a symbol of fear, a symbol of insanity, a symbol of pain, a symbol of persuasion, a symbol of sleep, and a symbol of stunning as the spells (caster level 18th), except that all save DCs are 22 and each symbol remains a maximum of one week once scribed. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Gynosphinx:

This creature is bigger than a horse and has a tawny lion body, great falcon wings, and the head of a falcon. 

Of all the sphinxes, only these creatures are evil at heart. They are always male. They spend much of their time searching for a gynosphinx but are generally just as happy to maul someone.

Combat: Hieracosphinxes can make short work of even the most dangerous opponents with their claws. They are not particularly intelligent, but are cunning enough to dive at their enemies from above with their flying ability. 

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +13 melee, damage 1d6+2.

Skills: Hieracosphinxes have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.

(From 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual - 1993):

ANDROSPHINX:

Androsphinxes are huge, winged mythological creatures with the bodies of male lions and man-like facial features. They can speak the languages of common and all sphinxes.

Combat: The male, or andro-, sphinx is the most powerful of the sphinxes. Its huge paws can kill a normal man with just one swipe. If brute force is not successful, an androsphinx can cast spells as if a 6th-level priest. Note that most androsphinxes use these spells for healing and defense rather than damage and attack.

The androsphinx has another special weapon as well — his bellowing roar. It can roar three times per day, but must be very angry to do so. The first time an angry androsphinx roars, all creatures within 360 yards must roll successful saving throws vs. wands or flee in panic for three turns. When an already angry androsphinx is continually molested, even after bellowing once, it can roar even louder, causing all creatures within 200 yards to roll successful saving throws vs. petrification or be paralyzed with fright for 1d4 rounds. In addition, any creatures within 30 yards of this second roar are automatically deafened for 2d6 rounds (unless they are deaf already or have protected hearing organs). Any creature foolish enough to anger an androsphinx further will unleash his third and final roar with devastating effects. All creatures within 240 yards must successfully roll saving throws vs. spell or lose 2d4 points of Strength for 2d4 rounds (use -1 point equals -10% for characters with exceptional Strength). In addition to the weakness effects, any creature within 30 yards of the androsphinx is knocked over unless it is 8 feet tall or larger. Creatures knocked over suffer 2d8 points of damage and must roll a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon to avoid being stunned for 2d6 rounds. The force of this third roar is so powerful that stone within 30 yards cracks under the strain, unless it successfully saves vs. crushing blow.

Habitat/Society: Androsphinxes are the most solitary of the sphinxes. They shun gynosphinxes because they are jealous of the higher intelligence of their female counterparts, and find their neutral disposition a bit hard to deal with. However, most androsphinxes eventually succumb to the advances of a gynosphinx at least once in their lives.

Ecology: What is strangest about androsphinxes is not their combination lion/human appearance (as there are many such cross-mutations found in the world), but their apparent lack of purpose. They are by far the strongest of the sphinxes, but unlike their counterparts, have no true pattern of behavior universal to all androsphinxes. They despise communicating with humans and hate riddles (mostly because gynosphinxes love them so much). It is therefore suggested by those knowledgeable in mythological beasts and desert lore that androsphinxes are the guardians of the sphinxes, evil (hieraco-), neutral (gyno- and crio-), and good (andro-).

Certainly, androsphinxes are the lifelong adversaries of the hieracosphinxes, but they almost always let the defeated enemy go free instead of finishing the kill (often with a roar or two at the fleeing sphinxes’ behinds).

In short, androsphinxes are free-roaming sphinxes sworn to defend other sphinxes against other races, namely men and their ilk. They have been known to bargain with men on occasion, but are the least greedy of the sphinxes, and are the only sphinxes likely to take offense at such offerings if made by characters with low Charismas or evil alignments.

CRIOSPHINX:

Criosphinxes have the bodies of winged lions, but they have the heads of rams. They are always male. They can speak their own dialect of sphinx, as well as that spoken by andro/gynosphinxes and the languages of animals.

Combat: Criosphinxes attack with their two paws or with a head butt with their ram’s horns. Because they cast no spells and are not the brightest of sphinxes, their bargains with other beings are limited to “safe passage or die.” They love treasure and lust after gynosphinxes constantly. Plenty of wealth, or knowledge of the location of a gynosphinx’s lair, is always enough for adventurers to avoid confrontation with criosphinxes.

Habitat/Society: Criosphinxes prize wealth and usually seek to extort passers-by for safe passage in exchange for a hefty bribe. They are sometimes found in packs of two or more, but only because all of these sphinxes are looking for the same gynosphinx. They often follow other criosphinxes, even if they have no idea whether or not the leader really knows where he’s going. When a number of criosphinxes find a gynosphinx, the first order of business is to restrain their prey. Usually pushing boulders in front of the lair with their huge horns is sufficient. Then the criosphinxes butt horns like rams, except these creatures do their fighting in the air. The winner gets the prize.

More often than not, however, criosphinxes begin their combat immediately upon finding their quarry, and inevitably the victor strides forth to find the gynosphinx gone. While the criosphinxes often find themselves richer for their trouble, as the gynosphinx rarely sees the need for material wealth while it is fleeing, it is only a poor reward indeed for their often decades-long quest.

Ecology: Criosphinxes are obviously just further mutations of the already mysterious sphinx form. Their ability to speak with animals seems to be an evolutionary necessity, as criosphinxes are particularly fond of warm wooded areas, often bordering on the desert lands preferred by gynosphinxes.

GYNOSPINXES:

The gynosphinx is the female counterpart of the androsphinx, having a winged lion’s body and human-like facial features. Gynosphinxes are not nearly as powerful as androsphinxes, but they are much more knowledgeable, clever, and wise. Gynosphinxes speak all sphinx languages as well as common.

Combat: Gynosphinxes can attack with two paws, but prefer to bargain with their opponents. They help strangers only if they are paid. They accept payment for services rendered or knowledge and advice given, in the form of gems (preferred), jewelry, magic, or knowledge. Knowledge that would be of special interest to a gynosphinx is the location of an androsphinx, but they accept fine prose, poetry, lore, or a good riddle.

If anyone breaks a bargain with a gynosphinx, he is subject to attack and the gynosphinx won’t hesitate to devour the victim if it wins the fight. The gynosphinx can cast the following spells once per day: detect magic, read magic, read languages, detect invisibility, locate object, dispel magic, clairaudience, clairvoyance, remove curse, and legend lore. It can also use each symbol once per week. Note that a gynosphinx is very intelligent and can use these spells in many ways. If a bargaining group of adventurers steps back to discuss their plans among themselves, the gynosphinx will growl a little and cast clairaudience to listen in.

Habitat/Society: Gynosphinxes are solitary by nature, but not by choice. They spend most of their lives avoiding the advances of criosphinxes (which they detest) and hieracosphinxes (which they fear), and searching high and low for an androsphinx.

Gynosphinxes are intelligent enough to actively seek out ruins and mystical places, like forgotten temples and such, which they immediately occupy. Using their many spells to learn as much as possible about the setting, they then wait for the next group of travelers, pilgrims, or adventurers to come by and hope that they’ve encountered an androsphinx in their travels or have spells or magical items that might be usable for just such a purpose.

Ecology: Gynosphinxes own the dubious distinction of being the only female sphinx. A gynosphinx mated with an androsphinx will produce another androsphinx or gynosphinx (even chances for both). A gynosphinx mated with a criosphinx only produces another male criosphinx, while mating with a hieracosphinx produces similarly displeasing results.

Fortunately, gynosphinxes are much smarter than all of their counterparts and can avoid otherwise compromising situations through trickery and outright deceit. Unfortunately, they are among the slowest of the sphinxes when flying or running, and the lustful criosphinx and vicious hieracosphinx rarely give up the chase once a gynosphinx has been located.

HIERACOSPINXES:

Hieracosphinxes are the only evil members of their breed. They have the bodies of lions, but the wings and head of hawks. They are always males. They speak the languages of the other sphinxes, and some (20%) also speak common.

Combat: Hieracosphinxes do not cast spells, much like the criosphinxes, but make up for their weaknesses with tenacious evil and viciousness. Their paws and sharp beaks are deadly in combat, and they have been known to swoop down on victims.

Habitat/Society: Hieracosphinxes live in hilly regions exclusively, dwelling in caves overlooking the nearby deserts. They delight in evil and sometimes gather in bands of as many as six to do their vile business. Most often when a band of hieracosphinxes is encountered, it is hot in pursuit of an androsphinx, which they hate with all of their beings. Only in numbers can they hope to defeat so powerful an adversary, and these sphinxes never believe in honor or playing fair. While it is true that a victorious androsphinx sometimes lets the defeated flee (in the vain hope that the battle may change the losers’ dispositions), a defeated androsphinx is always ripped to pieces when the hieracosphinxes are numerous enough and lucky enough to win the fight.

Hieracosphinxes also spend much of their time searching for a gynosphinx to mate with, but prefer to kill an androsphinx and inhabit his lair until a gynosphinx eventually arrives (usually by following old rumors and legends). It is worthwhile to note that there are more hieracosphinxes than criosphinxes.

Ecology: Hieracosphinxes are belligerent mutations of unknown origin. It is believed that they were created by elder gods of evil merely to wreak havoc on the other, more pleasant sphinxes described above.