Editing Nightmare (section)

==5th Edition==
[[File:Nightmare 5e.jpg|right|300px]]
The 4th Edition of D&D is sometime viewed as the red-headed step-child, and 5th Edition a welcome return to the more classic lore of earlier editions. While this is often true, the 5th Edition nightmare (found in the latest Monster Manual) has more in common with its most recent sibling than any of its earlier cousins.

Now officially classified as a "fiend", a nightmare can attack only with its hooves. It lacks a bite attack and does not produce any form of smoke cloud. It has a fiery mane and tail, as well as the standard hooves wreathed in flames. It no longer creates a flaming path behind it, but it does burn brightly enough to illuminate the area around it.

Looking at the illustration, you'd be unlikely to use the words "skeletal" or "gaunt" to describe this beast. Nightmares remain willing to serve as steeds for exceptionally evil riders, but they require a sacrifice before they exhibit any level of loyalty to the creatures they serve. A nightmare's red eyes glow with malevolence. It is completely immune to fire, and grants fire resistance to any rider.

This nightmare cannot teleport like the 4th Edition version, but it has regained the ability to move to and from the Ethereal Plane, taking up to three willing creatures with it. It cannot travel into the Astral Plane. It is has recovered some intelligence, comparable to a typical human, and can understand three languages (Abyssal, Common and Infernal), but cannot speak.

The most notable change to the 5th Edition nightmare is the introduction of a completely new origin story. Nightmares are now created by removing the wings of a pegasus and transforming the noble creature to evil using dark magic. This lore comes out of left-field, and seems a little impractical. Once created, can nightmares breed with each other? If not, then who has been going to all the trouble of capturing pegasi to turn into nightmares? And to what end?

Ultimately, the 5th Edition nightmare is rather disappointing. It is mechanically rather boring, and what little lore is included in the Monster Manual is at odds with most of what we know about the creatures from previous editions.