Rakshasa in D&D was inspired from the 1970s series “Kolchak the Night Stalker” in an episode where he encounters a rakshasa. In the episode it was killed by a holy crossbow bolt. Gary Gygax loved the series and when he made the rakshasa he got the crossbow bolt idea from that show. There. Secret revealed.

Mr. Rhexx: "i feel like everybody knows the raksasha' Me: "I've never met this man in my life"

"Rajah, I keep telling you. Human hands are on the other side of the arm. How will we sell all these scissors." "Don't worry Tony, if anyone asks, I twist arms backwards for free."

I fear no magic nor swords. But that THING... _scene from Van Helsing where he dips full auto assault crossbow in holy water_ it scares me.

I can already imagine the hilarity that ensues when a party fought a Rak, they throw everything at it, it didn't work then the cleric tries to shoot it with his blessed crossbow bolts, it scratches the Rak, it deals 1 damage. And the DM goes "How do you wanna do it?".

Me: "These guys seem chill" Rhexx: "They like to eat people alive"

"Rakshasa" "oooooohhh.... do it again" "Rakshasa" "OHHHHHHHH" "RAKSHASA RAKSHASA RAKSHASA"

If your party knows they are tangling with a Rak, its not a very clever Rak.

I wonder how many fantasy artists for D&D got frustrated trying to draw Rakshasa hands backwards.

Okay, okay, but, “What They Don’t Tell You About Humans - D&D?” I know, I know, I’ve asked before, but I’d really like to learn about this rare creature.

Rakshasa: *exists* A single lvl 7 paladin of retribution: I'm about to end this man's whole career

Rakshasa tiefling? That's sounds like furry with extra steps

As an Indian person who grew up hearing the Ramayana, I'm actually really surprised by how much of their background is based on Ravana and his Rakshasa kingdom in Sri Lanka

Rakshasas reads mind of a "human" that like treasures Rakshasas transforms into a jewelry dealer selling dimonds "human" "buys" diamonds Rakshasas returns back to original form, tries to eat "human" "human" returns back to original form, an elder gold dragon, holding a colossal magical crossbow. Gold Dragon: I came here to loot gold and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of gum... Rakshasas: Oh shit.

Me: their hands are kinda weird or am I seeing things? MrRhexx: also their hands are backwards. Me: ohhh... yeah I don't like that

me, not knowing about rakshasas: "lol this artists drew the wrong hands on the wrong arms. wait so did this one? and this one too-wait minute"

Well, with this new wisdom I feel I have an appropriate type of antagonist for my next campaign. A feud between a Rakshasa and the Dragon that keeps killing it.

In my campains, I like to break the mold with creatures. I had a rakshasha whom served as a royal advisor and the head general of an army. To prevent mutiny, he would host open challenges to defeat him in battle, to claim themselves as the new general. While respected enough for his battle prowess and his intellect, he was equally distrusted for his race. These open challenges he proposed were to instil a mutual trust. Meaning he's aware of how his comrades feel, and is willing to step down if ever bested. Like his kind, he loves human flesh. His source of this delicacy comes from the battle field, the worst criminals, or evil humans. Arsinitch is his name. One of my favorite npcs I've ever had.

Being vulnerable to a holy crossbow bolt sounds like a reference to Rama killing Ravana with the Bramhastra, which is a holy weapon made by Bhrama and is usually portrayed as a blessed arrow. However, how the weapon looked wasn't really described in detail in any of the translations of the Ramayana I've read, besides being a projectile, so blessed crossbow bolt works too!

Me: *chants* MORE LORE! MORE LORE! X2 Mr. Rhexx: *2weeks later* More Lore. Thank you, Mr. Rhexx. I just got into D&D and this helps me prepare to become a DM

*In a dingy bar, in the underbelly of an eastern city, a Rakshasa finalizes a contract.* "You know what the last person to try to screw a rook on a deal said?" *no one answers* "'Help, help, I'm being mauled to death by a tiger.'" *Smile entirely too pleasant for the situation* *Sips martini* No, I don't know what this is from, I just know it's great.

What’s the big secret on the crossbow bolts? All I could find was that it was part of Hindu myth that they could be killed by a crossbow bolt blessed by Brahma. Also that Gygax made sure to put it in because he saw it in an episode of Kolchak, solidifying his position as god-king of geeks. Is that really the secret? “The monster from religious myth is based on… religious myth. And the person who made your favorite RPG is a big ol nerd.”

"They like to dominate them, to enslave them, to rule over them... they like being around them." .. So, cats, then.

My big bad is a Rakshasa trying to pull the material plane into hell to create a new tenth layer.

5th edition Rakshasa: "hmm... This human baby is going to be very tasty..." baby:"kitty! *accidentally stabs the Rakshasa with a fork, a vorpal fork*" Rakshahsa:"shit, damn my obsession with vorpal cutle-* collapses in a pile of ash*"

Could you do the "Thri-kreen" I developed a recent intrest in it and would like to know more about it. Overall the video was pretty good, keep up the good work!

Rakshasa, the ultimate tiger mom.

You see a tiger, you run, you see a hellish devil, you run, you see a helish devil tiger man, you guessed it, run

Me: Think rakshasa. My cat friend from Sultai/Silumgar : Do you want to join my clan?

What if the only thing you trust in life is a blessed crossbow?

I tend to take rules limitations as challenges, so when I found out how deadly exhaustion is in D&D I tried to figure out a way to make a character who can't benefit from rests survive. Rakshasa's curse ended up being the key to it, as well as the dryad race, a magic arrow (very fitting now I've seen this video and learned about their weakness!), and a stolen spell scroll. Playing this character will be very difficult (always at disadvantage, never gets most class abilities more than once-ever). And usually would be impossible. But since I found a way, wow will it lend some awesome role-playing potential!

I dont play D&D so i love these vids man. so much is influnced by D&D. That most of this knowledge applies.

Love this! These have to be my favorite D&D monster now, there are just so many aspects of them that just seem so unique

Hearing about possible rakshasa tiefling at the end made me think back to the beginning of the video with rakshasa not necessarily looking like a tiger person. That could lead to some really creative character designs given a DM willing to let that slide!

The last time I checked this channel, I was getting back into Skyrim, and you were posting skyrim videos like usual, and now I’m starting my first d&d campaign, and i suddenly get a months worth of recommendations of your new d&d videos. I feel like this is some sort of omen

This species has always interested me! So much history behind them! OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH RHEXX! I love your videos!!

I'm surprised a Rakshasa would ever mate with a Human since they consider Human flesh a delicacy.

One of my absolute favorite D&D monsters.

I really like the detail and the composition of the presentation of this topic. Very informative, structured and logical, but also enthusiastic and free-flowing. It was a pleasure to listen to, and learn from. ^^

The first time I heard about Rakshasas was reading about Arijani from Ravenloft and I've been fascinated ever since!! Great video as always Rhexx!! Keep up the awesome work mellon!! :)

*sees mrRhexx has uploaded* me: hey maybe it'll be 1 of the other giants mrRhexx: What They Don't Tell You About Rakshasas me: ok

Love the bit about Tieflings at the end there. Totally wanna know the spoiler about the crossbow bolts too :p

Excellent! These are one my my favorite boss-baddies!! With all the talk being about Avernus and the devils, please do a few episodes on these infernal baddies ;-)

Watching your series on “what they don’t tell you about ___” has inspired a lot of NPC ideas, playable character ideas, and even main campaign arch’s I plan on doing. Your Night Hags and Rakshasa vid has really got my imagination gears turning lol.

"Tiefling = Human + Outsider" . . . So, Aasimars, Genasi, and the rest of the Planetouched are all Tieflings?

This upload was perfect (purrfect. heh.). I've been singing Aladdin songs all day and was starting to think of making a D&D campaign with an Arabian type setting.

My (three years older) brother brought home the original box set D&D from the hobby shop in our El Paso neighborhood in '77, '78 (or '79) to adventure with our 18 months younger little bro and myself... Long story short... They all still have first editions of the MM, PH and DMG. THANK YOU for quickening the child's heart in me (not the one I ate most recently, that one quickened itself!)!

I think I just got caught up on all your lower videos for Dungeons & Dragons. I absolutely love this series and I hope you continue. In addition to some of the deep lore that you're acquiring from the past Dragon magazines which I've read most of those but it's great refresher into here at verbalizes fantastic, I think it would be wonderful if you expanded your section on demons and Devils covering the demon princes and the Dukes of hell that would be fantastic. It also love it if you got around to doing the say while they didn't see that one on your playlist but maybe I just missed it. Would be really cool to if you did some of the Heaven's and Celestial Realms and things of that nature definitely hook

Rakshasa vs a lich that would sound like a interesting battle.

I'd like to imagine they chuff like actual tigers

Thank you for this video! I love hearing you talk about dnd! Especially the creatures.

Amazing. Prob my fav D&D channel at this point.

Guess we're gonna need another KZfaq channel for "things MrRhexx won't tell you about dungeons and dragons"

I think it's clear we need a "What they don't tell you about races"

I'm glad you brought up the thing about Tieflings. I've been thinking of making a feline Bard or Sorcerer with some levels as an Echo Knight Fighter; the idea is to have a character who's essentially an anthropomorphic displacer beast. I'd been thinking of making them a Tabaxi, a Shifter, or even a Simic Hybrid (climbing & tentacles), but Glasya Tiefling looked tempting too, and I saw that the Variant Tiefling's appearance options included catlike eyes and sharp teeth. Think I might go with that now; think it could be interesting to play the lost child of a Rakshasa. Edit: I'd assume the vulnerability to holy arrows or bolts is a reference to Rama killing Ravana with the Brahmastra in the Ramayana.

I've been wanting a video about this monster for a long time. Thanks buddy!

Loved it dude although the Tiefling can happen as well with strong curses by outsiders

Demonac's take on Rakshasas from Tales from my D&D Campaign is one of the best takes on these monsters I've seen.

Man, Rhexx, I love these videos. Lore about D&D, the most relaxing hobby, set to relaxing music, delivered with a relaxing accent. What type of accent is that, and can I get the google lady to speak using it?

This was great. One of my all time favorite monsters. Thank you for this.

Dude, awesome video, the last thing I would expect seing here was tiger tiefling. Do you expect making videos about the demon lords in the future? I think it would be amazing

I once played as a DM for a group for a one shot, letting them explore a very ancient temple, like a mix of Mayan and Egyptian in a long begot swamp. Inside the temple at the center, atop of a blue golded throne was a Rakshasas. The party drew weapons to fight, the Rakshasas just looked down to the party. Then with a wave of it's paw it's amulet floated off it's neck and went to the party. The party was curious about this, and took it. (The party inisisted of a high elf, dwarf, two humans and a halfling.) The dwarf put it on.. And suddenly went cold and limp as he began to speak in a very fast stone, speaking in dwarven and Common. Then the amulet flew off the dwarf and back to the Rakshasas and around it's neck. The dwarf came back to life and gasped.. The party went to engage in battle, as the Rakshasas spoke.* "Holt. I meant no harm. I would welcome you to my home, but this is a tomb. My tomb. My families tomb. My people's tomb." *The partywas very curious, they have never seen a Rakshasas before, or encountered one. The Rakshasas explained how his people were once a race that inhabited the world, similar to the Tebaxi and how the Tebaxi are the descendants of their proud race. How when his family dabbled in darker magics it cursed them, binded them to a devil's service and pulled all their souls into hell, forming them into Rakshasas. And how he spent hundreds of years to escape the lairs of hell. Making his way back to the material plane. How when he found his city was nothing but scavagned and ruined. He went and gathered everything left in the ruins, hiding these relics in the tomb. And would go out into the world, tricking mortals into gathering his people's belongings and stealing their souls to prolonge his life. He made the party an offer, they couldn't refuse. He would present to them blue shards of crystal, each beaming with magical powers. He tossed one to the High Elf. Who would take it, and presses it to his chest.. He felt a surge of magical power, the shard would disappear into his body.. Fusing with his heart. With a blue surge of lightning coming from his eyes, he technically became immortal from age, as well as gave him four levels into sorcerer. The party asked the catch. The Rakshasas said to "Kill the King of Dweragar. Slaughter his people, all you can find. Bring me everything of theirs. And I will release your friend." *At a snap of his paws, their high elf began to transform and turned into a giant blue ball of lightning, giving him some sort of flight that completely transformed him into an Archeon. (Similar to that of Starcraft.) With lots of powers.. Turning him into a level 12 cleric of Rek-Ashauir. But he was under direct command of the Rakshasas. Meaning the character had to obey my commands, in battle. I would text the player to act this way. (The player was so excited about this, he was the conduit of something completely different. He disliked not being able to use the character, but it pays out later I promise you.) The night ended and the group was so confused and so enthralled by this, they demanded to play again. And for the next month, playing Friday night and most of saturdays we would play DND. IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE CONCLUSION. LET ME KNOW AND I WILL PUT IT IN A REPLY OF THIS COMMENT.

Thanks for the video rhrexx, this actually helps give me ideas for my main villain in my campaign.

This was incredibly well done, thanks for the information!

Oh yeah boi 5 seconds in to upload this’ll be perfect for decent in to Avernus

Oh man I could have used that last week XD. I just intrudused one a new villan in my campagne. And now I see this and I think ... wow what a coincends. Nice Video. Your really inspireing my.

Thank you man! I just wanted to ask you to do a video about them ! Perfect!

15:45 James Rolfe made a good point about vampires. “If you can kill a vamp with a wooden stake, and a silver stake... then it can probably be made out of fuckin’ anything.”

I really want to know this secret now... I'm sure it'll ruin the mystery for me... but then again so does learning any of this stuff imo :P

...And now I want to play a tiefling who has a raksasha parent.

I was planning on using a Rakshasa as an enemy down the line in my campaign and was sad that you hadn't made a video about them just the other day! Thank you very much, for your hard work I'm too lazy to do.

the insight into tieflings at the end is nice. always see people saying tiefling art not being accurate. but tieflings can look just about like anything based on their heritage

IDK if this exists in D&D, but in Pathfinder there were sort of subtypes of Rakshasas and one of them was called a Raktavarna which is one of my favorite creatures ever. It is a tiny sized snake that can transform itself into a dagger or short sword or tiny objects like cups or crowns. While transformed, they are indistinguishable from the actual object. They can become familiars under the right circumstances so they are great spies for hiding in plain sight. The coolest thing about them is that they have a special type of venom and when they bite you in their snake form, it causes you to forget ever having seen them. I always found that to be really nifty.

Him:-Honey your earrings are distracting me from you beautiful green eyes. Her: You sly, sweet talker. You know what to expect after sex 4:13

Omggg finaly my favorite thank youuu so much!

Thank you so much for that last bit. Was watching this and being like "How can I play this race without being a super powered god compared to other PCs?" and then . . you told me how.

And now I know how I can get Tony the Tiger into my campaign

3:54 Classy boi!~

now thats a nice upload!!

Love your content man! Thank you!

Can you do the channelings?

"What they don't tell you about rakshasas" *Has kahjiit in thumbnail*

Rakshasa tieflings seem like they'd be more common in Eberron than Toril, given they're more prolific there. Bet there's at least a few among the Carrion Tribes.

This one has been my favorite of your videos

Amazing as always. Hope mat mercer, mike mearles and chris perkins watch. That they realise there is no need to dumb down. We love the depth.

13:30 *"Hah, good luck Fuckers! My mind is just full of Gay stuff!"* -Van'Das, Shepherd Druid.

i like when you actually get into the sources you use in the video and show us what's going on

Just a reminder to everyone in the world, we have more than 5 senses. It's closer to about 18 senses. Sense of limb position, pain, heat, and organ volume are some extra senses.

Demon furries, wow.

Never heard of such creatures

Love these videos, good job.

I’m going to have rakshasa tiefling Mafia lord now thanks to this video! I hope you do Displacer Beasts next or soon

Human + Daemon (Yugoloth)? Tiefling?

*Furries they’re just furries with magic*

TYTYTY for this one. my main bad guy is a Raksasha and this helps.

I've been making a character who's a Bard/Warrlock who's backstory was they were going to be raised to become a powerful spellcaster so a Raksasha could take their body and manipulate others as an extra set of defenses but a powerful fey taught the girl a pattern that she began to mark the whole city with for five years until completing it with the fiend trapped inside while in exchange for freeing them the girl was cursed with eyes that can charm or terrifying uncontrollably...she then becomes a dancer using her unique trick to make crowds awe and shock st their displays before using that money to train in greater magics for their goal of killing the Fiend before the seal breaks.

Vampires "simple" weakness is such a hilarious predicament that i think every vampire who heard it is probably groaning loudly over it. "So you can kill a vampire by shoving a wooden stake through it's heart?" "Yeah, anything can die from that."

The blessed crossbow bolt is straight from the mythology of Rakshasas. Name is literally man-eater in Hindi. That's why look like tigers. Tigers being the animal in India known to eat men.

RACES OF FAE'RUN!!!! Thank you for pointing that out about Tieflings!!!!! (RoF was my first Dnd book. Am partial to it. 😁)

Oh damn, this video reminded me of the first game of D&D I ever played, a premade campaign called "Rage of Rakshasas." It took place in a Japanese style palace where all the Rakshasas were ninjas. There was even an addendum for making a PC cat ninja to play.