If you’re anything like me, you’re fascinated with Griffons.
As a DM, Griffons can be woven into your D&D campaign in a variety of ways, either as noble beasts to be tamed, symbols of power, or guardians of treasure.
As a player, Griffons are often included in your party as a mount and provide excellent opportunities for both combat and role-playing.
Griffons have a rich history as a mythological creature. And although we’ll talk about the types of Griffons in 5e, their stat block, AC, how to use one as a mount, it’s valuable to start with a brief introduction and history of Griffins as a mythological creature.
If you’re a Thinker, we’ve got some Things for you to Think about when it comes to Griffons. First…
What is a Griffon
A Griffon is a mythical beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle.
Other Names
Historically, Griffons go by other names, including:
- Griffin
- Gryphon
- Gricis
- Grifes
- Griffe
- Grifon
- Gripes
- Griphe
- Gripon
- Vespulione
Difference between Hippogriff and Griffin
Many people wonder what the difference is between a Hippogriff and Griffin. The difference is small so they are easy to mix up.
Hippogriff’s have the body of a horse, whereas Griffon’s have the body of a lion. They both have the head and wings of an eagle.
History of the Griffon
Griffons appear in numerous countries and cultures, such as Greece, Egypt, Persia, India, and Ethiopia.
Ancient tales and folklore espouse that Griffons guard the kings’ gold and other invaluable treasures.
Stories tell tales that Griffons consider themselves enemies to horses and might likely try to eat any horse in your party. They have been known to tear a man limb-from-limb and feed him to their young. Griffons are enormously strong (18 STR) and can carry away an ox or other farm animals.
Hey DMs, I hope those stories inspire a few ideas for Griffons in your campaigns. Could you imagine your party’s Griffon mount suddenly violently attacking a nobleman’s horse?
Or if your campaigns a little darker, ripping someone apart to feed to its babies?
Or how about just causing some chaos across the countryside…who knows, maybe the king will have to get involved. A Griffon need a lot of food, and that farmer’s flock of sheep looks like it’s just enough to satisfy any Griffon…
Types of Griffons
Alpha Griffon
An Alpha Griffon is a home-brewed Legendary monstrosity with a challenge rating of 7. This Griffon has a 16 AC and 3 attacks.
Bronze Griffon 5e
A bronze Griffon may be summoned with a Figurine of Wondrous Power (Bronze Griffon).
This Griffon has the same stat block as a regular Griffon.
Young Griffon
If you’re looking for something a little stronger than a familiar, a Little Griffon might be just the thing. These stats were created for D&D 3.5, so you’ll need to convert them a bit for use with 5e.
It is suggested that the young Griffon should be about the size of a house cat.
Griffon Stat Block D&D 5e
You may take a look at the Griffon stat block here.
- Armor Class: 12
- Hit Points 59
- Speed: 30 ft., fly 80 ft.
- Skills: Perception +5
- Senses: Darkvision
- Challenge 2
- Proficiency Bonus +2
- Keen sight: Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks
- Actions: Multiattack
- Beak +6 1d8+4
- Claws +6 2d6+4
Griffon AC
Griffons have an armor class of 12.
However, Griffon mounts may be outfitted with barding. And because Griffons have an 18 strength, they may wear heavy plate armor for up to an 18 AC.
Additionally, Paladins or Bards who summon a Griffon as part of the Find Greater Steed Spell may cast any number of spells that target only themself and also target the mount.
Two such abjuration spells are Mage Armor, which provides an AC of 13 + the Griffon’s Dex modifier (+2) for a 15 AC. And Shield of Faith, which provides a +2 bonus to AC for both you and your Griffon Mount.
A Way of Getting Around a Griffon’s Low AC
One of the Griffon’s greatest weaknesses in D&D 5e is their low AC. While we just shared some ways to buff that AC, there is another, secret way to bypass this weakness altogether.
An awesome way to negate the Griffon’s low AC is to take the Mounted Combatant feat.
This feat allows players to force an attack targeted at the Griffon mount to target them instead.
Using the Griffon as a Mount: AKA Become a Griffon Rider
There are several ways to become a Griffon Rider in D&D 5e.
- 13th Level Paladins get access to Find Greater Steed and may summon a Griffon Mount.
- 10th level Bards get Magical Secrets and may choose Find Greater Steed to summon a Griffon Mount.
- Rangers who take the Beast Master Conclave may take a Beast of the Air using the optional Primal Companion rules. This Griffon gets stronger as the Ranger levels.
- Fighters who take the Cavalier Martial Archetype make excellent Griffon riders. The only thing that’s missing there is the Griffon. So it will be up to your DM to help you attain one.
Griffon Mount vs Pegasus 5e
In terms of flavor, Griffon vs Pegasus comes down to personal preference. Some players may think riding a Griffon is super cool, while others may picture themselves riding a Pegasus. We really can’t fault whichever one you choose, cause they’re both cool AF.
However, there is an important mechanical difference when it comes to choosing between a Griffon and a Pegasus for your mount.
Both have an AC of 12, 59 HP, and a strong flying speed (80 ft for Griffon, 90 ft for Pegasus).
However, Griffons have darkvision, while Pegasus do not.
While both have claw attacks that do 2d6+4 damage, the Pegasus only gets one attack. The Griffin attacks twice!
When you’re looking at just sheer damage output, the choice is clear, Griffon riders have the advantage.
Naming Your Griffon Mount
If you have a Griffon for a mount, you may be looking for a name generator to help you name your Griffon. Check out this Griffon name generator.
Baby Griffon
One way for any character to become a Griffon Rider is to find and raise their own baby Griffon. These are purely homebrew options, so it’s all at your DMs discretion.
Some DMs may like to play baby Griffons as you would a familiar.
If you’re looking to create an adventure around this, your party might find a Griffon nest high up in a rocky clifftop, protected by, of course…a Griffon and its mate.
Griffon Eggs: How long does it take a Griffon egg to hatch?
While Griffons eggs could be any color, some Reddit users suggest they are off white with black and grey speckles.
Also, a nest might contain any number of Griffon eggs, but I like rolling, so I suggest a nest might contain 1d4 Griffon eggs.
While the time to hatch may vary, I also suggest rolling a d50, because really…how often do you get a chance to do that?
Other players suggest 3d4 weeks, 4d4 weeks, 45 days, or when the DM says it hatches…
If you want to make things particularly difficult for your PCs, the egg may require a warm, dry environment to hatch.
Griffon Hatchling
There are no rules in D&D 5e for raising and bonding with a Griffon. However, The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories contains rules for bonding with hippogriffs (Thinkers will remember, that’s not exactly the same thing as a Griffon). While this is a book from RuneQuest put out by Chaosium, any good DM may easily use those rules in their game to help the PCs bond with their Griffon hatchling.
Griffon Cavalry Rider
The Griffon Cavalry is a special branch of the Waterdeep City Guard whose members are veteran soldiers trained to fly Griffon mounts.
You might want to read up on some of the older information about the Forgotten Realms and the Lands of Faerun, along with information on Griffon Cavalry to incorporate into your 5e game.
Griffon Ecology
Learn more about the ecology of a Griffon, including their physiology, life cycle, lifespan, mating patterns, communication and battle tactics.
Notable Griffin Encounters in D&D Modules
In Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) modules, Griffons make memorable appearances either as mounts, allies, or challenges for players.
Here are some notable encounters in which Griffons appear across various D&D adventures:
Storm King’s Thunder: In this adventure, Griffons are featured as mounts for the giant lords. The players can interact with these majestic creatures at specific locations like the Eyrie at the top of one of the giant’s castles. The Griffins can serve as allies if the players earn their trust or meet certain conditions.
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: The city of Waterdeep includes Griffons used by the city’s elite Griffon Cavalry, who patrol the skies. While not a direct encounter in a traditional sense, the presence of Griffins adds depth to the city’s atmosphere and offers potential for aerial encounters or interactions.
Curse of Strahd: In the gothic horror setting of Barovia, Griffons aren’t directly present as live creatures, but Griffon motifs and statues are found decorating the landscape and architecture, hinting at their importance in local lore and the broader world.
Princes of the Apocalypse: Griffons can be encountered in their natural habitat within this adventure, where they might be guarding nests or hunting. They could be potential adversaries or, with the right approach, become allies or mounts for the players.
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus: While not featuring Griffons directly, the adventure’s setting and associated materials include references to celestial beings and creatures, among which Griffons could logically be included, especially in a homebrew extension of the story.