List of species in fantasy fiction
Fantasy fiction tends to draw upon a common set of creatures that are easily recognizable to fans of the fantastic genre and have some pre-determined traits. Most are based on mythology, legends, fairy tales, or classical literature. (For such species, see List of species in folklore and mythology.) Fantasy writers and authors have also created a number of monsters and races unique to their particular tales and worlds. Some of these monsters have become quite popular even among those not familiar with the writer's actual body of work, and in a few cases their popularity has spread to other media and genres.
Many fantasy worlds' humanoid species are referred to as "races". In particular, in role-playing games, "race" often refers to a species that can be played as a player character. In general, such races are humanoids of size, strength and intellect approximate to that of a human. Species available only to non-player characters are often called monsters, regardless of the actual nature of the species in question. The Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual is the most prominent RPG monster reference; many other games have similar rulebooks.
This list only includes fictional species from works of fantasy fiction. This list does not include fantasy stories' names for species more properly included in other lists, such as Atani (Humans of Middle-earth) or Melnibonéans (Elves of Michael Moorcock's Elric cycle), nor does it include fictional races of humanity unless they are physiologically different enough to merit separate consideration. For otherworldly species from science fiction and cross-genre fantasy/science fiction works, see list of aliens in fiction. For non-fictional species, see Category:Tree of life. For purported species such as those found in cryptozoology, see Category:Cryptids.
A
- Aarakocra (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Aasimar (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Abishai (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Aelfinn (The Wheel of Time)
- Ainur (Middle-earth)
- Akki (Magic: the Gathering)
- Ankheg (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Anurid (Magic: the Gathering)
- Arconia-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Argonian (Elder Scrolls)
- Arlian (Dragon Ball Z)
- Aruhua-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Atog (Magic: the Gathering)
- Aven (Magic: the Gathering)
- Azrac (Age of Wonders)
B
- Baatezu (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Bakal (Dragonlance)
- Balrog (Middle-earth)
- Banderling (Asheron's Call)
- Bangaa (Final Fantasy)
- Bas-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Barghest (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Barrow-Wight (Middle-earth)
- Beeble (Magic: the Gathering)
- Beholder (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Behemoth (Final Fantasy)
- Boojum (Lewis Carroll)
- Bugbear (Dungeons & Dragons)
C
- Cactuar (Final Fantasy)
- Carrion Crawler (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Cave Troll (Middle-earth)
- Cephalid (Magic: The Gathering)
- Changeling (Various)
- Cheshire cat (Lewis Carroll)
- Chocobo (Final Fantasy)
D
- Darkhound (The Wheel of Time)
- Dark-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Dauthi (Magic: the Gathering)
- Death Knight (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Deep Ones (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Deku Scrub (Legend of Zelda)
- Dendroid (Heroes of Might and Magic)
- Dericost (Asheron's Call)
- Displacer beast (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Doppelganger (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Draconian (Dragonlance)
- Draghkar (The Wheel of Time)
- Drakeling (ADOM)
- Drider (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Dromite (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Drow / Dark Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Drudge (Asheron's Call)
- Duergar / Daergar (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Dwarf (Middle-earth)
E
- Eelfinn (The Wheel of Time)
- Elans (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Elder Things (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Empyrean (Asheron's Call)
- Ent / Treefolk (Middle-earth)
- Esper (Final Fantasy)
- Ettercap (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Ettin (Dungeons & Dragons)
F
- Fiend (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Flind (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Floating Eye (Final Fantasy)
- Flumph (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Foxoleon (Liberty Fleet)
- Frostling (Age of Wonders)
G
- Gelatinous Cube (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Gelidite (Asheron's Call)
- Genasi (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Ghast (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Gholam (The Wheel of Time)
- Giant Kin (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Gibberling (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Githyanki & Githzerai (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Glynn (Excelsior)
- Gnoll (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Goblinoid (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Gog (Heroes of Might and Magic)
- Goron (Legend of Zelda)
- Great Old Ones (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Great Race of Yith (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Grievver (Asheron's Call)
- Groll (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Gromnie (Asheron's Call)
- Grue (Zork)
- Guado (Final Fantasy)
H
- Half-elf (various)
- Half-giant (various)
- Hemadein (Dragon Ball Z)
- Hobbit / Halfling / Hurthling / Pheriannath (Middle-earth)
- Hobgoblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Hollow Minion (Asheron's Call)
- Homarid (Magic: The Gathering)
- Hook Horror (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Hypello (Final Fantasy)
I
- Illithid / Mind Flayer (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Irda (Dragonlance)
- Immeckian (Dragon Ball GT)
- Istari (Middle-earth)
J
K
- Ka'Dalun (Artemis Fowl)
- Kanassa-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Kavu (Magic: the Gathering)
- Kender (Dragonlance)
- Kenku (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Kerubo-jin (Dragon Ball GT)
- Khajiit (Elder Scrolls)
- Klackon (Master of Magic)
- K'nath (Asheron's Call)
- Konatsa-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Kokiri (Legend of Zelda)
- Koopa (Super Mario Bros.)
- Kuo-toa (Forgotten Realms)
L
- Lammasu (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Lemure (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Leonin (Magic: the Gathering)
- Lernaean Hydra (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Lhurgoyf (Magic: the Gathering)
- Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Licid (Magic: the Gathering)
- Locathah (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Loxodon (Magic: the Gathering)
- Lugian (Asheron's Call)
- Lude-jin (Dragon Ball GT)
- LeShay (Dungeons & Dragons)
M
- M2-jin (Dragon Ball GT)
- Maenad (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Maiar (Middle-earth)
- Majin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Mattekar (Asheron's Call))
- Meat-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Mephit (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Metathran (Magic: the Gathering)
- Mi-go (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Mimic (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Mite (Asheron's Call)
- Moarsman (Asheron's Call)
- Moblin (Legend of Zelda)
- Modron (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Mogg (Magic: the Gathering)
- Monouga (Asheron's Call)
- Moogle (Final Fantasy)
- Momasu-jin (Dragon Ball GT)
- Mobian (Sonic the Hedgehog, but only certain universes)
- Mosswart (Asheron's Call)
- Mul (Dark Sun)
- Mu-Miyah (Asheron's Call)
- Makyo-jin (Dragon Ball Z)
- Myr (Magic: the Gathering)
- Myrddraal (The Wheel of Time)
N
- Nazgûl (Middle-earth)
- Namekian (Dragon Ball Z)
- Nantuko (Magic: the Gathering)
- Nefane (Asheron's Call)
- Nephilim (Avernum)
- Nezumi (Magic: the Gathering)
- Niffis (Asheron's Call)
- Nightgaunt (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Nu Mou (Final Fantasy)
- Nym (The Wheel of Time)
O
- Ogier (The Wheel of Time)
- Ogrillon (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Olog-Hai (Middle-earth)
- Olthoi (Asheron's Call)
- Orochi (Magic: the Gathering)
- Orog (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Ouphe (Magic: the Gathering)
P
- Pech (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Phyntos Wasp (Asheron's Call)
- Phyrexian (Magic: the Gathering)
- P'Shog (Artemis Fowl)
- Pushmepullyou (Dr. Dolittle)
Q
R
- Ratling (ADOM)
- Reedshark (Asheron's Call)
- Rito (Legend of Zelda)
- Ronso (Final Fantasy)
- Rothé (Dungeons & Dragons)
S
- Sahuagin (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Saibamen (Dragon Ball Z)
- Saiyan (Dragon Ball Z)
- Saproling (Magic: the Gathering)
- Serpent People (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Shadowpeople (Dragonlance)
- Shallows Shark (Asheron's Call)
- Shapeshifter (Various)
- Shreth (Asheron's Call)
- Shoggoth (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Siraluun (Asheron's Call)
- Sirbul (THOGS)
- Sirine (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Skaven (Warhammer)
- Skeleton (various)
- Slaad (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Slithis (Asheron's Call)
- Slithzerikai (Avernum)
- Sliver (Magic: the Gathering)
- Snark (Lewis Carroll)
- Snotling (Warhammer Fantasy)
- Squig (Warhammer Fantasy)
- Squiggoth (Warhammer Fantasy)
- Svirfneblin / Deep Gnome (Dungeons & Dragons)
T
- Tanar'ri (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Tarrasque (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Thalakos (Magic: the Gathering)
- Thanoi (Dragonlance)
- Thoul (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Thri-Kreen (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Thrull (Magic: the Gathering)
- Tiefling (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Tonberry (Final Fantasy)
- Trolloc (The Wheel of Time)
- Tuffle (Not the food kind; Dragon Ball Z)
- Tumerok (Asheron's Call)
- Tusker (Asheron's Call)
U
V
- Vahnatai (Avernum)
- Valar (Middle-earth)
- Vedalken (Magic: the Gathering)
- Viera (Final Fantasy)
- Virindi (Asheron's Call)
- Viscerid (Magic: the Gathering)
W
- Warg (Middle-earth)
- Wemic (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Wererat (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Wight (Dungeons & Dragons)
- Wumpus (Hunt the Wumpus)