The AD&D Monstrous Compendium entry for the unicorn should be consulted briefly before reading through this material, to see how the basic creature was developed here into 12 new strains. A unicorn, as most gamers know, appears to be a white horse with cloven hooves, a single ivory-colored horn (2-3 long) growing from its forehead, and, on males, a white beard. For our purpose, the regular unicorn is here called a sylvan unicorn. All unicorns, including those described here unless otherwise noted, have the following attributes: A unicorn can sense enemies at a 240- yard range, moving so silently that foes take a -6 penalty to be surprised. It can kick with its front hooves and thrust with its horn once per round, or it can charge into battle using its horn as a lance. To make this charge, there must be at least 30' of distance between the unicorn and its opponent. Opponents struck by a charging unicorn suffer 3-36 hp damage from impaling. The horn always gains a +2 bonus to hit, regardless of how it is used. Unicorns may not attack with their front hooves in the round they charge. Once each day, a unicorn can cast a limited teleport spell that will take it and any rider it has up to 360 yards away in an instant. Unicorns cannot be magically charmed or held. They are immune to death spells and make all their saving throws against spells and spell-like powers as if they were wizards of the 11th level. Unicorns are immune to poison.

Gray unicorn

Gray unicorns are light gray unicorns with a gray horn and gray eyes.

Combat: Gray unicorns have taken neutrality to an art form. They emit a field from their bodies that reflects the exact amount of damage done to them in physical combat back upon their enemies. Because their enemies must be in physical contact with the gray unicorns to receive this backlash, the gray unicorns are only rarely attacked by carnivores, who learn to leave them alone after one attack; smarter beings use missile fire, but they might still be attacked if the gray unicorns teleport and charge them. Gray unicorns will usually not retaliate unless they are attacked more than once by the same being or are pursued by missile fire.

Habitat/Society: Gray unicorns (sometimes called “graycorns”) are usually found in herds, each consisting of one stallion and several mares. Gray unicorns can be ridden only by strictly neutral, passive druidic females, either humans or demihumans.

Ecology: Gray unicorns live on the grasslands in subtropical climates. Their horns can be carved and enchanted to produce rings of spell turning or can be used in the creation of potions of invulnerability.

Palomino unicorn

Palomino unicorns have white to creamy yellow hair. Their eyes are usually gray to brown in color.

Combat: Palomino unicorns (occasionally called “criocorns”) can use the following spells each once per day: ice storm, cone of cold, chill metal. These spells are cast at the 11th level of effect. These spell effects generally emanate from the unicorn's horn. Criocorns are immune to the effects of cold and exposure, either magical and mundane.

Habitat/Society: Palomino unicorns mate for life, though a few solitary wanderers may be seen. They are found in arctic environments, giving opponents a -6 penalty to their rolls to be surprised in that environment due to coloration (this drops to -2 in other settings, as palomino unicorns will be so unused to non-snowy terrain). Criocorns may be ridden by exceptionally evil females who have an affinity for cold magic or who worship a god of cold.

Ecology: Palominos live off anything they can find or kill. They do not mark their territory, but will kill any who trespass. A palomino's horn can be used to create the ink necessary to produce scrolls of protection from cold.

Pinto unicorn

Pinto unicorns are unicorns with patches of differently colored hair distributed randomly upon their hides. They usually have doe-brown eyes, but some have green and some have yellow.

Combat: Pinto unicorns (sometimes called “chromacorns”) are each able to project a prismatic spray from the horns up to five times per day. This spell is cast as an 11th-level wizard. Pintos are also able to cast an advanced illusion three times per day, also at the 11th level of ability; such illusions are usually used to reveal hunters or humanoids by showing what appears to be the pinto unicorn grazing nearby - a ruse to draw missile and spell fire.

Habitat/Society: Pinto unicorns live on grasslands in temperate climates. They mate for life and are thus encountered in pairs or families. Pintos do not mark out territories but rather share large expanses of grasslands with other pinto families. They continually wander these grazing lands so that no one area becomes over grazed. Pintos may be ridden by those of either sex who posses a pure heart.

Ecology: Pintos are much like sylvan unicorns, fighting with monsters that ravage their lands. A pinto's horn can be used to create potions of rainbow hues.

Sea unicorn

Sea unicorns have three forms. The first form is that of a small whale with a long unicorn's horn, the second is that of a sea horse with the same horn, and the third is that of a unicorn with a blue-white coloration. In all three forms, the unicorn's eyes are deep blue. It takes one round for it to change shape, during which time it cannot attack; all shape-changing must be done while submerged in water.

Combat: Aside from being able to switch between its three forms at will, a sea unicorn or narwhal can breathe water in any form. The last form allows the unicorn to breathe air. Narwals can control weather (as per the cleric spell) once per day at the 11th level of ability. The last form can also walk on water at will at normal ground speed.

Habitat/Society: Sea unicorns can be found in any body of water larger than a large lake. They are very ordered creatures who carefully cultivate kelp beds to graze on. They generally stay out of conflicts. Narwhals mate for life and have very carefully mapped-out territories. Narwhals can be ridden by sea-elven (see also Dargonesti and Dimernesti) maidens of pure heart.

Ecology: Narwhals feed on the kelp beds that they carefully cultivate. A narwhal's horn can be used to brew potions of water breathing.

Unisus

Unisi are unicorns with pegasi wings, the result of crossbreeding between the two species. A single such creature is called a unisus.

Combat: Unisi attack in a manner similar to unicorns. In a dive, a unisus does damage in a manner similar to a unicorn's charge, but it needs only 15' of space to launch the charge, as it relies on its falling momentum for the impact and can also propel itself forward with its wings if running. In such a dive, it can also use its hooves to attack at the same time. All these attacks are at +2 on the attack roll above all other bonuses (including the +2 for the horn), and the hoof attacks do double damage.

Habitat/Society: Unisi are identical in habitat and society to pegasi. Unisi may be ridden by maidens of any race who are pure at heart.

Ecology: Unisi are identical in ecology to pegasi. A unisi's horn can be used to brew potions of flying.

Zebracorn

Zebracorns are tropical unicorns with the black striping of zebras, though they are sleeker and not as stocky. They usually have doe-brown eyes.

Combat: A zebracorn can cast a color spray from its horn three times per day. It can also polymorph itself into any creature three times a day at will; this power is treated as if it were a polymorph self spell cast at the 11th-level of ability.

Habitat/Society: Zebracorns live in equatorial savannahs. Each herd generally contains one stallion and several mares. Being nomadic, they roam the savannah so that no one area becomes overgrazed. A zebracorn can be ridden by any being who proves itself friendly, though they can detect evil by touch and will immediately attack evil beings. They are unpredictable and willful (some say pig-headed).

Ecology: Zebracorns eat the coarse dry grass of the savannah. They generally stay out of fights that don't concern them, but one never knows what a zebracorn will do. The horn of a zebracorn can be used to brew potions of polymorph self. When in polymorphed form, a zebracorn generally takes the form of a muscular, hairless, black human with a warrior's bearing. Though the human-zebracorn carries no weapons, he or she can easily use any weapon it has ever seen a human use.